Owner Driver 348 January 2022

ownerdriver owner driver JANUARY 2022 #348

DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PERSON BEHIND THE WHEEL

OWNERDRIVER.COM.AU

AdBlue shortage

China syndrome rings alarm bells for road transport See page 8

Right said Fred

Apprenticeship-style training bodes well for T610 driver See page 32

Dogged display

Hino 700 truck and dog in Mt Ousley workout See page 56

Persuasive bid for show-stopping Kenworth T950

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Contents #348

JANUARY 2022

22

32

56

12 WINNING OVER THE JOKER

32 RISING THROUGH THE RANKS

20 TRUCK OF THE YEAR

44 GAVIN’S GRAND PLAN

The popular Kenworth T950, known as The Joker, is now in the hands of Jared Payne who plans on taking it out of lockdown and back to the truck show circuit

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 GREEN-EYED MONSTER

Hard-working trucks are nothing new, but to have a truck in frontline service for nearly 50 years is testament to the toughness of this Kenworth W925

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James Hadley received the correct advice on his way to a successful road transport career. Now, he’s behind the wheels of a stunning Fred’s Transport Kenworth T610

From driver to owner-driver to fleet owner, Tamworth-based Gavin Sutton has experienced the ups and downs of the road transport industry

54 IVECO’S CHANGE OF HEART Iveco Australia’s much anticipated announcement that it will move to full importation of its heavy-duty truck range is set to close the

“It wouldn’t be the same truck if it didn’t have a GM in it.” curtain on Australia’s oldest truck manufacturing plant

56 ANOTHER CLASS ACT Every now and then a new truck comes along with the ability to surprise and impress in equal measure, and we’ve found just such a truck in Hino’s revitalised range of 700-series heavy-duty models

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ownerdriver

behind the wheel Greg Bush

EDITORIAL Editor Greg Bush Ph 0408 780 302 E-mail Greg.Bush@primecreative.com.au

Western readiness

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, Robert Bell, Frank Black, Mark Brown, Warren Caves, Warren Clark, Rod Hannifey, Michael Kaine, Sal Petroccitto, Ken Wilkie

B

Cartoonist John Allison

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

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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.

OUT-OF-BALANCE POINT

CIRCULAR TUBE

MOUNTING PLATE

ACK IN the mid-1980s, during a three-year stint living in the Western Australian capital, I attended the re-opening of a pub in Perth’s Northbridge area. The new owners were going all-out to relaunch the venue as “the place to be”, flying in entertainers and musicians from the eastern states. One was the vibrant jazz singer, Su Cruickshank, who has since passed away.

Between songs, Cruickshank would entice the audience by asking various trivia questions, one of which was: “What is the second most isolated western city in the world?” The answer, of course, was Perth (the first most isolated being Honolulu).

That question and answer returned to my mind during the past couple of years. In fact, if the US government ever arrived at some futuristic plan to bridge a link from Hawaii to the mainland, Perth would win hands down.

There has long been a separatist element pervading some sections of the population in Western Australia, so state premier Mark McGowan’s strict border mindset adds fuel to the theory. It’s easy to understand – it’s a 29-hour drive from Perth to the nearest state capital, Adelaide.

In 2021 to 2022, WA has become further away from the eastern states, not in distance, obviously, but due to those border protocols.

While the federal government and south-east state governments, especially New South Wales, have pointed the finger at Queensland for its stubborn stance on border closures, McGowan has, in comparison, escaped the criticism.

Road freight movements into WA may not have been affected by strict WA border rules, but there are truck drivers out there preferring not to drive east to west.

In the past, Western Roads Federation CEO Cam Dumesny has lamented the long delays of COVID test results for truck drivers travelling to the state. With a shortage of skilled truck drivers in WA, Dumensy says that’s another element impacting the state’s economy.

More recently, Dumensy has aired his frustrations at visas being denied for migrant and refugee workers who are keen to join the road transport industry, although he blames the federal government on that score.

The WA government has announced an easing of restrictions on February 5. Surely that will extend to freight and logistics workers, hopefully making the long trip a less frustrating experience.

THE POSSIBILITY of AdBlue becoming scarce in future months has raised an interesting argument.

Owners of older trucks would find the whole situation comical, while fleet owners embracing ‘round-town EVs are certain to have a smile on their faces.

A few years back, I interviewed the owner of a new European prime mover hauling a B-double (with Euro 5 emissions from memory) who disconnected his emissions system. He wasn’t happy with the truck’s performance using AdBlue, so he decided to run the gauntlet. He asked me not to mention that in the article.

Recently, I received notification from a reader who previously drove a B-double interstate. His opinion is that there are plenty of older diesel engines running perfectly well without AdBlue being injected into their exhaust systems. He also believes that, until industry and the government sort out the AdBlue shortage, there should be a moratorium on running trucks without a diesel particulate filter, for a few months at least.

Now, that goes against the grain as we aim towards a carbon-neutral environment. But I believe engine manufacturers did not factor in AdBlue becoming a rare commodity at some point.

Have a safe, happy and event-free New Year!

CIRCULAR TUBE

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The Goods

NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Government establishes AdBlue taskforce

China export cutbacks expose Australia to AdBlue shortage as ALRTA warns against illegal remapping As industry and government continue to engage in consultation over a fears of a diesel exhaust fluid (AdBlue) shortage with current estimates of around five weeks (15 million litres) supply on hand in Australia with more on the way according to the office of Minister for Industry, Angus Taylor has announced the establishment of an AdBlue taskforce.

The taskforce will work across government and with industry to develop solutions to any potential future supply constraints. Options being explored include alternative international supply options for refined urea, bolstering local manufacturing capabilities and technical options at the vehicle level.

The global shortage of urea, which makes up 32

per cent of AdBlue, is due to China almost halting urea exports as part of an attempt to cool down its local fertiliser prices.

Australia is a substantial importer of urea, although Incitec Pivot has a plant in Brisbane.

Eighty per cent of the Asia-Pacific’s supply of DEFgrade urea comes from China. Fertiliser-grade urea is not suitable for manufacturing DEF as the resulting product does not meet the ISO standard.

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has supported the creation of the taskforce, with ATA chair David Smith saying the decision to establish the taskforce shows the AdBlue issue is now at the top of the government’s agenda. Smith says the ATA was initially disappointed when talks at a government-convened roundtable broke down. It

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then issued a media release calling for urgent government action.

“We’re think this is a good outcome. We have been calling for government to make resolving this issue a priority,” Smith says.

“It appears that Minister Taylor has listened to our calls and is putting the AdBlue shortage at the top of government’s priority list.”

The Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) has also weighed in on the matter, echoing government sentiment in asking AdBlue buyers not to overbuy or hoard the additive due to its short shelf life.

“If we can avoid panic buying and hoarding, Australia’s supply should be secure until at least February or March, providing the breathing space to find a solution. Don’t be mistaken – action must be taken urgently, but it is wrong to think nothing is being done,” says HVIA CEO Todd Hacking.

“If the worst case scenario eventuates – it is true that a substantial part of our road transport fleet could be grounded.

However, the government and industry’s collaborative efforts are already delivering some positive outcomes.

“At the same time, alternative sources for importing urea are being explored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Industry. This could potentially include countries like

Indonesia, Turkey or Saudi Arabia,” Hacking says.

“While the problem has international roots, it is another example of our country’s resilience being tested. In this global economy it is accepted practice to produce what you are good at and import everything else.

“Between the 2019-20 bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, industry and government have functioned at unprecedented breakneck speeds to develop solutions for a whole range of emerging challenges. And this is another one.

“You might read or hear fearmongering suggesting that we are on the cusp of a major crisis, but it is more a case of being vigilant and alert, rather than alarmed, as industry and government work together to find alternative solutions,” Hacking says.

“In many ways this is an opportunity for Australian industry.

As always, when the chips are down industry will step up. It already is.”

Meanwhile, the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters’ Association (ALRTA) has warned against tampering or disconnecting the emissions control system in trucks.

“Remapping to avoid AdBlue usage remains illegal and may negatively affect componentry such as dose pumps as well as having warranty implications,” the ALRTA says.

“The ALRTA is in discussions with members, engine manufacturers and fuel suppliers to explore the extent of the problem and what can be done in the short- and longer-term.”

The government says it is working with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and industry on whether an authorisation is needed to allow Australian diesel exhaust fluid producers to share information.

In December there were currently in excess of 15 million litres of AdBlue supplies on hand, which is equivalent to close to five weeks

of business-as-usual demand.

There are multiple shipments of refined urea currently on their way to Australia, which are estimated to provide over two weeks of additional supply to the market.

Advice provided to the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources from AdBlue manufacturers is that this is within range of normal stockholding levels.

Industry is also reporting that other international supply chains are open and operating; a positive indication of ongoing supply options in the medium-term.

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Positive upshot from NHVR fleet health report

The rate of serious non-conformities down from 12 per cent to six per cent in the past five years In a huge boost for the trucking industry and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), surveyed fleets have seen a halving of serious non-conformities and groundings.

The results are in the NHVR’s National Roadworthiness Survey 2021 (NRS:2021), released on December 14.

The figures were revealed from inspections of 13,325 heavy vehicle units across 8,338 combinations in all Australian states and territories between May and June.

“In the last five years, we have seen the rate of non-conformities dop from 48 per cent of units inspected to 31 per cent,” NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said.

“Importantly, the most serious cases of major non-conformities and groundings has dropped from 12 per cent of inspected vehicles in 2016 to six per cent in 2021.

“The continuing maturity of the industry in adopting better safety practices, like whole-of-business safety management systems and

daily safety checks, have been a key contributor in driving the downward trend.

“While it highlights progress made due to the hard work being undertaken to improve and monitor the Australian heavy vehicle fleet, I’m determined as an industry that we continue to push on and ensure

that Australia has one of the safest heavy vehicle fleets in the world.

“In particular programs that continue to drive down the age of the fleet, such as the NHVR’s Vehicle SETUP plan will be vital going forward, as NRS:2021 again shows a strong link between vehicle age and mechanical safety.”

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Key findings from NRS:2021 included: • the rate of all non-conformities has dropped from the 48 per cent in 2016 to 31 per cent in 2021 • the rate of major non-conformities and grounding has halved to six per cent of vehicles inspected • brakes remained the highest

non-conforming components – reducing from 25 per cent in 2016 to 14 per cent in 2021 • rigid trucks were the highest non-conforming vehicle type at 38 per cent, which has again reduced from 52 per cent in 2016 • the average age of the inspected fleet was 10.2 years, compared with 9.2 years in 2016.

Petroccitto says the results will help inform the regulator’s “modern approach to regulation that uses intelligence to address the greatest safety risks and keeps compliant operators moving”.

“I’d also like to thank the NHVR staff and staff from transport agencies across Australia for their assistance in conducting the survey, particularly with constantly changing operating condition due to local COVID restrictions,” he says.

“Despite the challenges, officers across all states and territories inspected 17 per cent more heavy vehicles in 2021, and through the use of technology and consistent inspection systems we were able to reduce the average inspection time from the from 45 minutes in 2016 to 31 minutes in 2021.”

The full survey and other results are available at www.nhvr.gov.au/ roadworthiness.

Health and safety freight transport guide launched With the aim of keeping thousands of workers and the community safe, SafeWork NSW has launched its Work Health and Safety Guide for the Road Freight Transport Industry.

SafeWork NSW executive director of compliance and dispute resolution Tony Williams says the guide was developed following extensive consultation with key industry stakeholders including transport industry groups, unions, Transport for NSW and interstate regulators.

“The transport industry is an essential service provider for all Australians but unfortunately records a high rate of fatalities and serious injuries with major claims for injuries around 50 per cent greater than the average employment sector,” Williams says.

“The guide provides transport operators and supply chain businesses with practical and tailored work health and safety information

relating to working in and around vehicles.

“Risks covered include loading and unloading, traffic management, working at heights, immobilisation and hazardous manual tasks as well as health risks from psychosocial hazards.

“This is a comprehensive resource for the transport industry that will help build skills and knowledge to protect workers from serious harm. It highlights the importance of embedding road safety within the workplace by focusing on improving work health and safety systems and practices, responding to changes in technology, injury recovery and learning from incidents that occur.

“The guide, having received a commitment from industry and being supported by SafeWork NSW, promotes a safer road freight transport industry to meet the demands of the growing NSW economy,” Williams says.

The guide can be found on the SafeWork NSW website.

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WINNING OVER THE JOKER

Before COVID, The Joker had been one of the most recognisable exhibits around the truck show circuit.

But now the customised Kenworth T950 is in the hands of Jared Payne, a young man with an eye for showstopping gear who plans to take Batman’s nemesis on the road again. Warren Caves writes

T

o a wide-eyed young fella at the Castlemaine Truck Show, the sight of an immaculately presented and customised T950 Kenworth lit a fire inside. A burning desire that, unbeknown to him at the time, would one day be quenched by a high-stake barter.

That truck was ‘The Joker’.

The Joker will be well known to those custom truck aficionados who frequent the truck show circuit or just follow the scene on social media. Hailing from the Thorpe Custom Truck stable, the company is well known for its one-of-a-kind individual personalisation flair, which also includes such works of art as Lenny’s Pride, Life’s A Circus, Black-Out, The Green Mile, The Ring Master and many more customised creations.

The Joker, with its Batman Dark Knight movie-themed artwork paying homage to Heath Ledger’s character on the bonnet, stunned show-goers at the 2009 Alexandra Truck, Ute and Rod show to take out the coveted Truck of the Show award. However, it wasn’t always airbrushed paint, shiny aluminium and cruisy truck show appearances for the T950. This truck has some working heritage as well.

I’ve had the history of this truck explained to me by the current owner to the best of his knowledge, along with some of my own research, so hopefully it is chronologically correct.

A far cry from its current life of semi-retirement, the chequered history of this T950 would see it start out as a truck and dog tipper combination before finding its way into the hands of Thorpe Custom

Right: Jared Payne had his eye on The Joker long before he bought it

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Trucks. It was here that the working-class truck would eventually morph into something quite different.

The chassis length didn’t lend itself well to the general on-road freight task it was slated to be tasked with, particularly B-double work, so it was shortened to a length more suitable to that of a prime mover.

Working closely in collaboration with Transart in Bendigo, the working-class heritage of the truck was airbrushed and sprayed away under layers of carefully applied paint by the auto artists. The dash, chassis, engine and body work

14 JANUARY 2022

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were all treated to the burgundy and red hues the truck still sports today. The fully customised interior with contrasting black and red colours blends comfortably with the Dark Knightthemed truck featuring an uncanny likeness to Heath Ledger’s Joker character.

Originally fitted with a Cummins N14 ‘red head’ engine, the truck is now powered by a Cummins Signature engine rated at 620hp (462kW) driving through an 18-speed Eaton manual transmission. The engine exhales its waste gases via seven-inch (17.8cm) straightthrough pipes offering a rumbling symphony to behold.

A front Texas Bar, quad polished aluminium fuel tanks, bullet roof lights, off-set front alloy wheels and stainless steel Lelox rear guards combine with little touches like the diamantéencrusted Kenworth bug on the bonnet and ‘why-so-serious’ air brushed battery covers to make sure this truck is one-of-a-kind.

The truck was worked by Thorpe for some time on general freight and container transport tasks, as well as attending all the best truck

shows to promote the custom truck business.

It would seem a life of logging was in the truck’s destiny. It was eventually sold by Thorpe and shipped off to ‘Van Diemen’s Land’ (otherwise known as Tasmania) like a common convict. The crime must have been minor as the sentence to the island colony was short lived and the truck was soon back on the big island under the ownership of Clearwater Logging & Transport in Colac, Victoria.

After a period of time The Joker was once again put up for sale, which brings the story to the truck’s current owner Jared Payne, the wide-eyed young bloke from the Castlemaine Truck Show who had been wooed by The Joker’s charm and character.

Now 22-years-old and a mechanic by trade, Jared, based in the NSW Illawarra district, spotted The Joker listed for sale and immediately remembered his longing for the truck, spurred on by admiring it at the truck show some years earlier.

The truck had a serious price tag attached to it and it would take some lateral thinking to get

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“I had wanted that truck from the first time I had seen it.” the truck into young Jared’s hands, as he explains: “I saw the ad with the truck listed for sale and I had wanted that truck from the first time I had seen it but thought that I would never be able have it.”

Straight swap

Top, L to R: The Kenworth T950, better known as The Joker, takes refuge from the constant rain in an Unanderra, NSW shed; The Batmobile’s equal: A view from behind the wheel of the T950 Above right: Transart in Bendigo took on the paint job Bottom right: Alloy wheels of course!

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The truck had been listed for sale for quite some time, possibly in part due to the price tag and the need to find a buyer that would truly appreciate the time and work that went into creating the truck.

Jared saw his opportunity to take a shot at buying the truck, but not in a traditional way.

“I admit that I did stalk the seller’s Facebook profile while dreaming of buying the truck,” he says.

“It was while doing this that I noticed that he was into water-skiing and boating and it just so happened that I had a Malibu wake boat. This got me thinking whether he might consider a swap,” Jared recounts.

Luck was well and truly on Jared’s side and the seller agreed to a straight-out swap, the truck for the boat. Just like that Jared’s dream had become an instant reality.

That was around six months ago and the lust for this truck has not waned one bit. Jared says he was originally going to work the truck but decided that it was just too good to put to full time work. For now, The Joker will be a regular at truck shows, with Jared planning to take it to the Kenworth Klassic at Clarendon and the Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show in Bathurst, NSW. First things first, however. Some work, if you could call it that, will be required from The Joker. Jared has a mate that is involved in the car racing game, competing in the Porsche Carrera cup events. The Joker will take up duties carting the race cars to meetings around the tracks, towing an ex-Jack Daniels racing car transport trailer.

“This will allow me to get the truck working a little bit, with the added income of carrying out work on the race cars as well,” Jared says.

“I have a few things I would like to change on The Joker.

I have a polished turntable to go on it and I would like to get a set of super chromes to fit up; I’m a bit tired of all

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“The truck is now powered by a Cummins Signature engine rated at 620hp.”

the polishing. At some point I may also change the exhaust pipes, too, but other than that I’m just keeping up the maintenance and tidying it up,” Jared says.

Passion indulged If truck shows are anything to go by, classic, custom and show trucks are like drugs to many people. The lure of that next hit (a new truck or shiny bit to go on it) is so great that nothing can stand in the way, except maybe the wife, but let’s not tell her about this. It’s secret men’s (or women’s, we are all-gender embracing here) business, right?

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depends how you look at it, Jared is single and can write his own narrative. He also lives at home with his parents, which makes it a bit easier to indulge his passion.

Additionally, for Jared, buying and selling machines and equipment provides some extra income to fuel his addiction further.

Jared has already negotiated his second customised truck, which also happens to be a Thorpe truck as well.

Next year he plans to take ownership of Life’s A Circus, a Kenworth T908, which is currently running around Sydney as a truck-and-dog combination.

“I will probably shorten that truck up a bit as well as the sale is without the tipper bin. I am going to work that one, but I said that about The Joker and changed my mind, so anything could happen,” he laughs.

Jared is also planning to buy a cab-over Kenworth, putting a driver in it while maintaining his income as a mechanic and building his business. But that’s a little further down the road.

Top: The Joker is a menacing piece of work Left: A 620hp Cummins Signature superseded The Joker’s previous Cummins N14 ‘red head’ engine

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NHVR Sal Petroccitto

Onwards into 2022 The NHVR continues to strive towards consistent borderless regulation in the eastern states

T

he last 18 months have been the most challenging I have experienced.

This was in many ways due to the serious impacts and challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, on all aspects on our personal and work lives.

The road transport industry has played a vital and essential role in assisting the Australian community to navigate this constantly changing environment – and that’s a huge credit to the sector.

Importantly, our industry and supply chains continue to be stoic in their approach to ensuring the best health and safety outcomes are pursued for our drivers and others who have daily interactions with each other.

During this time, the need for improved national consistency and communication was under the spotlight for governments, as our industry and communities adapted to the constantly changing and varied border travel and health requirements across states.

This hasn’t always been perfect, but where possible, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has contributed on the sector’s behalf to make things as easy as possible.

We have also continued to engage closely with our industry despite not being able to travel and have enjoyed getting out on the road in the last few weeks to talk to our operators and drivers.

Critically, the last year taught us important lessons about focusing on the issues that matter – like getting home safely to our families and looking out for one another.

As we move into the new year, it’s essential that these lessons are top of mind and influence our decisions and actions.

Below are some of my key priorities for 2022:

NEW WORKABLE LAW IS OUR SHARED GOAL A priority for all of us is to get a new heavy vehicle law in place that is simpler, targets the heart of problems and helps business improve — and this will continue to be a priority in 2022.

In practical terms, safety is the number one priority and this includes allowing drivers to get adequate and quality rest and that they are fit to drive. We are very much focused on a cultural shift away from “the book says I have to stop” to “I am tired and have the support behind me to stop and rest”.

This includes adopting innovative approaches to safety, regulation, technology and data to meet the changing demands of our industry and environment. It also means pursuing more practical approaches to opening up network access, which includes better understanding and addressing infrastructure risks.

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Put simply, making better and easier regulation is why we have a national regulator. We can’t keep doing more of the same and expecting better results. While we work with industry and policymakers to influence outcomes to get our new law right, we will continue to build on our flexible and risk-based approaches to help you run your business safely and efficiently.

EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT WORKING TOGETHER Over the last year, we’ve continued to to deliver on our modern regulatory approach, which targets the greatest safety risks and uses innovative approaches to drive improved safety behaviours.

This was a key feature of our Heavy Vehicle Safety Strategy and Action Plan released in October 2021. We are using data and intelligence to ensure we intercept companies where we need to intervene, and we’re starting to use a greater range of education and advice material to address minor and non-safety related offences.

We will continue to build on this and reduce on-road interactions and individual incidents as much as possible to focus on operator fleet performance.

This approach also includes using our Chain of Responsibility (COR) provisions where we see high-risk and repeat safety issues. While enforcement is sometimes necessary (there are currently 19 COR prosecutions underway), in cases where court-imposed fines are issued for non-fatal related cases (e.g. mass breaches) we try to use Enforceable Undertakings (EUs) and Supervisory Intervention Orders (SIOs).

There have been nine EUs and five SIOs issued to date.

These tools enable us to enter into an agreement with the company to invest in improving safety practices or developing tools that will deliver a benefit to the entire industry and other road users. This partnership works where both parties are committed to achieving better outcomes — and that is our goal.

This year, I’m looking forward to sharing safety insights such as safety defect information, benchmarks, and age and types of vehicles travelling on the network with individual operators through the NHVR Portal. This gives industry the ability to see where they sit on a national average and identify areas for improvement and where they are performing well.

SAL PETROCCITTO became CEO of the NHVR in May 2014, bringing extensive knowledge of heavy vehicle policy, strategy and regulation to the role.

He has broad experience across state and local government, having held senior leadership roles in transport and logistics, land use, transport and strategic planning, and has worked closely with industry and stakeholders to deliver an efficient and effective transport system and improved supply chain outcomes. Over the past seven years, Sal has led a significant program of reform across Australia’s heavy vehicle industry, including transitioning functions from participating jurisdictions to deliver a single national heavy vehicle regulator, harmonising heavy vehicle regulations across more than 400 road managers, and modernising safety and productivity laws for heavy vehicle operators and the supply chain.

services from NSW to the NHVR, with Queensland to follow in 2023, joining South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and the ACT. This transition will enable the regulator to provide consistent borderless regulation right across the eastern part of the country.

Consistency and certainty are also driving our approach to opening up network access for safer and more efficient vehicles.

We have made good headway in starting to fill a critical gap in improving our understanding of the condition of local government infrastructure through our Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project.

We have worked with road managers to assess more than 300 assets to date (which has resulted in improved access) and will kick off assessments of more than 1,000 assets in January 2022. We are also building digital tools for road managers such as a rapid bridge assessment tool to enable road managers to do their own automated assessments moving forward and ultimately reduce turnaround times and the need for permits.

Complementing this work is our National Spatial Platform, which will provide a new single map of the enforceable heavy vehicle network. It will provide more accurate mapping and better ‘snap’ vehicles to approved networks. Trials of the platform are underway for release in 2022.

Our national notice program will continue to roll out to reduce inconsistent operating conditions across borders, as well as remove unnecessary and impractical conditions.

For example, the National Road Train Prime Mover Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice has created significant efficiencies for operators by reducing the need to decouple to complete last mile journeys.

SAFETY TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION IMPROVES PERFORMANCE We have some very exciting opportunities ahead of us with the introduction of lifesaving technology such as fatigue and distraction detection technology. We’ll also be working with industry to reduce barriers and support the uptake of safer and cleaner vehicles and technology – such as Euro 6. We know this is going to be a major focus for our industry as we move into the new year.

I encourage you to apply for our seventh round of the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), with applications open until February 2022. It is supported by the federal government and is focused on delivering projects that have been identified by our industry and the community. The HVSI program has provided more than $28 million to fund close to 120 projects over the past six years.

Thank you for your support throughout 2021. Stay safe on the roads, and I look forward to continuing to work together this year to deliver a safe and profitable heavy vehicle road transport task.

CONSISTENCY AND CERTAINTY BUILD CONFIDENCE We continue to strive towards reducing operating barriers for industry as we transition front-line heavy vehicle regulatory

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EYES ON THE ROAD Rod Hannifey

Voice your opinion It’s time to get send your gripes to the decision makers instead of sitting back in silence

I

t’s a new year but I hope you don’t need a new truck this month. The only thing there is not a shortage of is shortages. People for jobs and components are all in short supply and yet we must all keep going. For what is the alternative?

Have you then been busy trying to keep up with the freight you can deliver or affected by things so you are losing work, or simply don’t have the staff or gear to do it? The transport industry is often used as an indicator of economic activity. We have to deliver it all. So many watch but how accurate are the figures they use? When we ask for better roads, they want to then charge us more to use them, yet we are not using them for us for fun, we are delivering the goods and services all Australians want and need, if not for themselves personally, then for their businesses.

So for everything we ask for – roads, rest areas, education for car drivers and then change, e.g. the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) review – all those who make the decisions are doing so from their office, using data supplied to them by others. Yes, for all the above they will say they’ve “consulted” with industry. But who and how much did they listen? Perhaps the most important – did they really understand what they were told?

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Surely you know about statistics – figures used to provide the basis on which to make the big decisions.

But who compiled them, did they ask the right people and do the figures then put forward really show the true picture? Now this is all way above my pay grade and I will be the first to say I can’t truly expect to influence or often even be considered to provide suitable information or data, but then where does such data come from and how accurate is it?

LOWLY TRUCK DRIVERS? There are times when we have been asked to comment and provide information, but is what we provide been accepted as genuine? Is it seen as worthy of consideration? As we are but “lowly truck drivers”, what would we know?

Submissions to many government inquiries, department inquiries and industry inquiries to go to government in many forms have been sought and supplied (and when so few make the effort, does it then give more weight or less?) and yet here we are still asking for the same things we wanted 30 years ago.

Now I will give credit to our associations for their efforts, they are well in with state and federal governments, their intents are genuine

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

BELOW: A green reflector indicating a truck pullover bay. Photo by Greg Bush

“What have you done to see things change?”

and mostly for the better, but do they truly represent drivers and have they achieved improvements for drivers?

Does the union represent all drivers? So then how does your average interstate driver who has trouble keeping going each week (an owner-driver even more so in running their business as well as driving) get their views heard, listened to and truly accepted?

I have done it mostly alone for over 20 years now. Some of that was because (and I was told this by those inside but who were not allowed to tell me) I was seen as a loose cannon. Yet, I have never gone off the deep end or been truly radical. So I have stayed in contact and sought help. However, with some exceptions, I have received very little.

The green reflectors are a case in point. I have raised them with everyone but am still seeking them to go national after over 20 years. Something so simple, cheap and effective – having been told by many at different levels – and the best cost-benefit ratio of any road safety initiative. Yet, I’m still doing it alone.

So the intent of all this prelim is to again ask you three questions: do you want things changed, are you happy with the way things are now and what are you going to do about it?

ARMCHAIR CRITICS The new TruckRight Industry Vehicle (TIV) will be on the road by now (with the trailers still to come) and I have committed for another four or five years. That will take me to 70 and nearly 30 years involved as an advocate for change.

Now you are more than welcome (and I will in many ways agree with you) to say that I have not achieved much for all that time and effort. I could have simply thought, “bugger it”, I can’t change anything and no one else has, so I will sit back and let someone else do it. There are a few who have commented about me, saying I am in this for me, so please let them do their bit. I won’t stop them, but to say that means they have no idea how much time and effort you put in behind the scenes while driving full time to get anything done.

As I have said above, submissions by the dozen, emails by the thousands and phone calls by the tens of thousands over the years – and I agree with some – but what have I achieved?

My overarching intent from the start has been: if I save one life because someone saw the Truckies Top Ten Tips and gained some minor understanding, or someone pulled up in a green reflector bay instead of falling asleep, or someone in authority did a trip and gained some knowledge and better understanding of our issues and then actually did something about it, then it has been worth every minute.

I ask you all to consider, what have you done to see things change? Have you made one call about a bit of road?

Have you put in one submission to an industry inquiry and have you done your bit individually? Or have you joined an association but then done little to help them help you? What will you do this year – sit back or make a difference? It is up to you.

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4. SUSTAINABILITY

NatRoad Warren Clark

All we want for 2022 Road freight is an essential service. It’s time the government honestly recognised it as such

T

he onset of a new year used to be an excuse for reflection. I can understand why many in our industry don’t want to do that after the challenges of 2021. You can’t safely move forward without looking in the rear vision mirrors.

The lessons we all learned are important.

Santa has been and gone. Without appearing to be ungrateful, there’s still a long wish list of what we should all want in 2022.

1. CONSISTENCY FROM GOVERNMENT Any government. Please. The endless barrage of border access changes and quarantine requirements in 2021 was almost impossible to keep up with.

At last count, NatRoad changed its online advisory 150 times in six months – and that excludes the sometimes daily bulletins going straight to members’ email inboxes.

We know Australia is a Commonwealth and health regulations will vary from state to state, but all Premiers and Chief Ministers signed up to a National Freight Protocol. The problem was that it never seemed to be reflected in health orders.

If they all had a centralised border pass system, the reduction in wasted time and stress for interstate freight operators would have been incalculable.

2. RECOGNITION NatRoad has said it constantly and will say it again: our industry kept the supply chain going and made sure supermarket shelves stayed stocked and pharmacies had supplies of essential medicines.

Online shopping doesn’t work without last mile delivery drivers. It’s time the federal government recognised road freight as an essential service. It will send a signal to the motoring public and be a massive fillip to long-suffering drivers, employers and their families.

It’s time we weren’t an industry hidden in plain sight.

3. REFORM It took more than 90 years for Australia to adopt a common rail gauge and it feels like we’ve been trying to harmonise Heavy Vehicle National Law for at least that long.

Let’s politely take bureaucrats from behind the wheel and let the people who know the industry drive the process.

Establish a high-powered council representative of our industry to set the principles and let the public servants build the regulatory environment where improved safety, uniformity and a more efficient freight task are inevitable outcomes.

And let’s do it before half my membership has to swap a truck for a mobility scooter.

“It’s time we weren’t an industry hidden in plain sight.”

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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.

Emissions reduction is globally inevitable.

Profitability unfortunately is not.

The average owner-driver or operator of a small trucking business in Australia is reporting profit margins of about 2.5 per cent. Those declining margins go hand-in-hand with a shortage of trained or aspiring drivers.

We desperately need drivers but they need to be skilled to a high and consistent standard. Our industry must offer new entrants a satisfying and viable career.

The expectation that our industry will move quickly to battery-powered trucks in the same time it takes a marginal seat politician to change his or her mind is unrealistic.

Both sides of politics need to give us a roadmap that shows they’re going to get us there.

Technology like electric and hydrogen powered vehicles is moving rapidly, but lawmakers need to know that it will come at a cost that won’t be easy to pass on to customers.

5. A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD We’re all aware that competition has intensified as COVID has reduced international trade, and that contracts with major customers are challenging many operators. NatRoad is disappointed that draft unfair contract legislation hasn’t moved into law.

While the immediate fiscal outlook is bumpy, industry revenue is predicted to bounce back sooner rather than later. We’re living in an economy that is coping better than most.

But we will continue to see consolidation as smaller companies and operators look to retire or exit – in many cases triggered

by COVID. We all have to live with the fall-out of the pandemic and play a smarter game.

How great would it be if governments and regulators recognised this situation and worked with us as partners rather than acting as police?

Have a happy and safe 2022. Let’s keep our eyes on the wish list and do what we can to make it come true.

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15/12/21 10:23 am

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE AND YOU

COULD WIN BIG!

A set of Narva LED 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 LED 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 commenced on December 6, 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: 06/12/2021. 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.

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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.

Jarrod 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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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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trucking heritage

Hard-working trucks are nothing new in this industry, but to have a truck in frontline service for nearly 50 years is testament to the toughness of this Kenworth W925, so treating it to a birthday restoration is a fitting reward, the results of which are sure to make it the envy of all who gaze upon its greenness. Ben Dillon writes

M

aryborough-based family business DJ and MA Hose started out like any other, but with a bit of a twist. The initials in the business name are David and wife Meryl Hose but the 55-year history of the enterprise actually began with Meryl’s father, Harry Hyde, who took on a young David, who ended up marrying into the family and business. It was thus rebranded Hyde and Hose before transitioning to the current trading name.

While David and Meryl are the proud owners of the truck you see on these pages, and proving that history can indeed repeat, it’s their son-in-law Chris Bull (also a part of the business) who’s basically been the foreman for the resto and is also tasked with the story of the truck along with the driving duties.

With a history in landscape, demolition and houseremovals, there’s always been plenty of work on for the family and the Hose’s W925 has seen it all.

Going back to the mid-1980s, David and Meryl bought the Kenworth from concrete company Readymix from a plant down the back of Yatala in south-east Queensland.

The truck was in the striking pink and white combo used by the company then, which many readers will surely remember.

David made short work of the candy-stripe theme, though, after the truck arrived at its new home in Maryborough on the Fraser Coast; painting the W925 in the Hose’s business colour of green and fitting it with a semi tipper. It was then worked within the local area as well as down to the NSW border and up to central and north Queensland.

Being only the second owners of the Kenworth, the history of it is well known to the family, with the ups and downs of the truck now part of the family lore.

After more than a decade hauling, the Kenny ended up on its side, tipper and all. With a big job in front of them, the Hose family decided to keep the W925 going with a full resto of the truck to make it even better than before. This is where Chris enters the picture.

“When I started working for them in ’97, they’d just started the restoration and the truck was just two chassis rails sitting in the shed, but it was back on the road within about 12 months,” says Chris, proving that these guys don’t muck around.

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GREEN-EYED MONSTER ownerdriver.com.au

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15/12/21 10:09 am

When the truck came from Readymix it sported an 8V71 GM donk but that was soon upgraded to an 8V92T unit before Chris joined the company. In the intervening years, the W925 featured three of those units supplying Detroit power to the rear treads.

The following period of 20-plus years’ service in the business saw the W925 a bit tired all over and in need of a spruce up aesthetically as well as a refresh of the driveline.

Back to work On December 13, 2019, it was pulled off the road for another resto, just prior to which Chris made the switch to the current powerplant in the form of an 8V92T DDECIII fuel injected electronic motor to replace the tired 8V92T. And, while the family had been known for not hanging around when it came to restoration timeframes, COVID threw a spanner in the works, with our photoshoot taking place only a couple of weeks after the W925 was registered and back on the road in November 2021.

“It’s always been a working truck and it’s

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always been intended to work,” Chris says.

“David and Meryl have always painted their trucks the company green colour but, with this one, we wanted to go a little bit further with the restoration for a bit of show and a bit of advertising, and all that sort of stuff, y’know?”

Chris adds.

To say that all involved in the restoration have met that target is an understatement. The W925 looks absolutely spectacular in the metal by day, and completely spectral at night with the haunting green lights littered around the underside, exhaust stacks, interior and engine bay, giving the rig an other-worldly presence on road. If there haven’t been reports of UFOs around Maryborough in the past, there will be now.

“I’ve actually had cars and trucks passing me on the double lanes with their phones out the window, taking photos and video of the truck as they go past, and people screaming at me how nice the old two-stroke sounds, it’s definitely got a note of its own!” Chris smiles.

But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing since the truck has been restored with Chris’s

shakedown procedure for the big Kenny being to simply put it back into full-time service, which is always the quickest way to find any teething issues, but also means you might get stuck because of a small issue.

“The other day I went out to Mundubbera and the bastard bailed me up,” Chris says.

“I had to get one of the other trucks to come out and we floated it home. It wouldn’t start, one of the battery shit itself and the computer didn’t have enough power to tell it what to do, so it just wouldn’t go.”

And, while many of you might take this opportunity to spit out your coffee, praise the saints of mechanical injection and hold two screwdrivers in the shape of a cross to ward off the evil of computer-controlled fuel injection, the battery failing might have something to do with our extravagantly-lit night photoshoot. Besides, the fuel savings Chris sees on the road (not to mention better tractability and throttle response) more than makes up for one flat battery.

“We used to do a lot of runs to Ipswich and, compared to the old 8V92T, we used around 25 per cent less fuel with the DDEC on each trip,” Chris says.

While being a lot more fuel efficient, the DDEC III also had a bit of a surprise waiting for Chris

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but, if it wasn’t for Bundy Diesel Specialists, things might have turned out very differently for the old W-Series.

“Bundy Diesel built the DDEC up and they had it in their shop so, when the old engine shit itself again, they put this one to us as an option because we wanted to stay with the GM two-stroke because that’s what it’s always had and it wouldn’t be the same truck if it didn’t have a GM in it,” Chris says, adding: “We did price up at Cummins mechanicalinjection N14 but in the end it had to be a GM. “One good thing to come out of it breaking down was we had Bundy Diesel come down and put their computer on it to see what was wrong. We always thought it was a 480 horsepower engine but it’s not, it’s actually 540hp [403kW] so that was a pleasant bonus and would explain why I’m leaving other 500hp [373kW] trucks for dead,” Chris smiles.

“Since we’ve put it back on the road it hasn’t done huge kilometres but we are driving it. Overall, it’s been a pretty good truck, even before the resto. Every truck has its problems, obviously, and we’re shaking it down and ironing all the issues out of it.”

“The kids squabble over who gets to go with dad, as I can only take one at a time.”

Above: The interior by Jeff Sleep is one of the best we’ve seen with a nod to Kenworth heritage in the embroidered logos Opposite from top: Passenger seat rights are highly sought-after in the Bull family with Chris’s kids always gunning for the position; The DDEC plug on the dash is a clue to the electrical goings-on to be found on the fuelling side of the big V8 under that long nose Left: A skull shift knob is a hint of the otherworldly nature the truck takes on once the sun sets

Neck snapper For regular road users, the shakedown period of the W925 has been an eye-opener according to Chris, who has exposed the rig to plenty of attention out on the open road.

“You’ve only gotta drive her down to Brisbane to see all the other truck drivers snapping their necks to get a look at it,” Chris grins.

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“You’ve only gotta drive her down to Brisbane to see all the other truck drivers snapping their necks to get a look at it.”

But all that effort to get the truck to where it is today wouldn’t have been possible without the help of many pairs of hands along the way. When it came to the bodywork, Murray Coleman from Bundaberg was the man who completed the panel work, coming down to take the cab off the chassis with the firewall, floor and general body smoothing and straightening taken on by Murray in the Hose’s shed.

Another hand involved in body work was one of Hose’s employees, Sterling Campbell, who painted most of the truck with the chassis and bonnet receiving special attention, and while Murray is also credited with some paintwork, the majority was handled by ‘Sterlo’.

“Bundy Diesel went above and beyond to help us out. Lev’s fabrications did all the stainless work for us, they did the grill, the tank wraps and made a fair bit of bracketry for the rear bars and stuff like that. The grille surround was done by hand out of stainless and the mesh was laser cut by Lev’s,” Chris says.

Complementing the stunning paintwork is an equally impressive interior with all work done by Jeff Sleep at Pacific Haven outside of Hervey Bay, who Chris holds in very high regard, saying Sleep’s been an upholsterer for “forever and a Above: On the move the Kenny sounds just as good as it looks with the twostroke V8 pumping out tunes to rival AC/DC Left: Chris Bull wipes off the last piece of dust, ready for the photo shoot.

Chris is the driving force behind the W-Series story and is the son-in-law of the truck’s owners David and Meryl Hose Opposite: Exhaust stacks and shields look amazing lit up at night with the 24 green LEDs strewn throughout the truck doing their best work

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“I want to take it to shows while it’s still fresh but when it’s gotta pull a trailer, it’s gotta go to work.”

Above: Rear end of the W925 looks clean with stainless guards and decals mirroring the same theme as the bonnet Right: Switchable lighting in the engine bay gives the 8V92T DDEC III a shadowy presence at night Opposite top: Not a bulb to be found with lights on the truck being LED all the way round and underneath, too

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day around here” and is very well-known for his work in the classic car restoration scene.

Back outside, the polished bullbar sports a quad spotlight set-up comprising of four seven-inch [17.8cm] LED spots along with LED headlights and indicators as well as the 24 green LED lights stashed underneath the truck.

“You won’t find a single bulb in this truck, we went LED with everything,” Chris says, adding: “I wanted it to stand out so people recognise whose truck it was, which company owned it. I made sure it stands out day and night with its green paint and lights.”

Continuing on the exterior, if it isn’t green it’s chrome, with six-inch [15cm] bullhorn exhaust tips, exhaust guards (which light up green at night) with the company name cut out, bullbar and visor all polished to perfection by Chris.

The rear deck on the back with the checker plate and toolboxes was already on the truck but was given a refresh and painted silver with the headboard colour-matched to the red chassis. Behind the headboard more polished stainless lurks with even more polished stainless on the guards and the chassis deck plate. This all flows around into the rear bar with the LED lights and the graphics on the rear guards (made by Klein Signs in Maryborough), which are a copy of the graphics on the side of the bonnet.

So, what does the rest of the family think about how the Kenny turned out, and what lies ahead for this truck?

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WHAT’S ON upcoming events SYDNEY TRUCK AND TRAILER EXPO January 28–30, 2022. Clarendon, NSW

“David and Meryl love it, of course, but it’s the kids who adore it. They squabble over who gets to go with dad as I can only take one at a time,” Chris smiles.

“Every time they were at nan and pop’s they wanted to go down to the shed to have a look at it while it was being restored and always wanted to see photos I took of the truck during the restoration.

“I wanna get it to as many shows as I can – Convoy for Kids, Lights on the Hill, all that sort of stuff – just to show it off and what we’ve done to it. It’d be a shame to do the truck and then not get it to any shows.

“Over the next year or two I’d like to do as much as I can while it’s still looking fresh and new but, obviously, when it’s gotta pull a trailer, it’s gotta go to work. It’ll mainly float stuff for now, shifting diggers around. It’ll have a tipper on it every now and again and a flat top, and that sort of thing,” Chris explains.

They say envy is one of the seven deadly sins and, looking at David and Meryl’s Kenworth, we’re happy to be engaged in such sinful yearning. The way the W925 pops in the daylight thanks to that exquisite green paintjob and, when the sun goes down, its ethereal nighttime presence, all of which is only made sweeter by the strains of that rev-happy Detroit Diesel echoing in the night. Sweet dreams are absolutely made of these.

Held at Hawkesbury Showgrounds, Clarendon and organised by the Australian Ex Military Vehicle Collectors Society Inc (AMVCS). Includes the Kenworth Klassic (postponed from September 2021). Open to all makes, models and years of commercial vehicles. Plus truck rides, model trucks, manufacturers trade stands, merchandise, historic cars, fire engines, buses, police cars, military vehicles, tractors and stationary engines. Camping available. Free entry for vehicle exhibitors, $10 general public.

For further info see the Facebook page at https://feedback.facebook. com/events/1900166386830950, phone Dutchy on 0425 253 253 or email dutchtruckie@hotmail.com

CANBERRA RISE ABOVE CANCER CONVOY

January 30, 2022. Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), ACT The Rise Above Convoy for Cancer Families is an annual event to raise money and awareness for Rise Above – Capital Region Cancer Relief.

Convoy starts at Beard at 10am, bound for Exhibition Park In Canberra (EPIC). Live music, kids’ entertainment and more.

For further info see the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ riseabovecancerconvoy or the website https://convoy.riseabovecbr. org.au/ or phone 02 6297 1261, email convoy@riseabovecbr.org.au

BOYUP BROOK UTE AND TRUCK MUSTER February 19, 2022. Boyup Brook, WA

The Boyup Brook Ute and Truck Muster is incorporated into the annual Boyup Brook Country Music Festival which has been rescheduled (due to health advice) to run from February 18 to 20, 2022. Truck registration 8am at Old Railway Staton. Includes parade through town continuing to Hockey Oval on Jackson St. $10,000 in prizes over 14 categories. Live entertanment, licensed bar.

For further info see the Facebook page, email uteandtruckmuster@ countrymusicwa.com.au or see the website https://www. countrymusicwa.com.au/ute-truck-muster

NATROAD CONFERENCE 2022

March 17 to 19, 2022. Gold Coast, Queensland POSTPONED FROM AUGUST 2021. After a difficult two years for road freight operators, NatRoad is pleased to invite members to the NatRoad National Conference 2022, to be held at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort, Gold Coast from March 17 to 19. Includes the ‘NatRoad Parliament’ and the NatRoad Awards presented at the Gala Dinner.

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

COMVEC 2022

May 5-6, 2022. Gold Coast, Qld Held at the RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, ComVec is a two-day heavy vehicle technology and innovation event presented by Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA). It’s a practical showcase and multi-streamed forum designed to deliver the knowledge and support to take your heavy vehicle fleet into the next decade and beyond.

For more information visit www.comvec.com.au

WA MACK MUSTER AND TRUCK SHOW May 22, 2022. Byford, Western Australia

Held at the stunning Quarry Farm, Byford, the WA Mack Muster and Truck Show is a grassroots family friendly muster experience that promises to be a fun day out at the Farm with a bunch of Macks and other makes and models on display. Food trucks and licensed bar, kids zone, competitions, exhibits, local trucking celebrities and more.

Raising money for cancer research.

For further info see the website at www.mackmuster.com.au or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wamackmuster or phone 0419 911 981.

To have an event listed, phone 0408 780 302 or e-mail greg.bush@primecreative.com.au

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NRFA Mark Brown

Weight of numbers The larger the NRFA membership, the better the chance of having our voices heard

I

have been involved in the transport industry for the best part of 45 years after having first being blooded into the transport industry at the tender age of nine-years-old by off-siding with my brother-in-law on weekends and school holidays.

One fond memory as a child was having to sleep under the truck on the road on a rolled-up tarp out the front of the old wool stores in the middle of Sydney (Darling Harbour). As a kid it was exciting, but my mother would have been horrified (had she of known at the time).

At 21 I had my own truck. Seven years later I sold the business to travel overseas. However, as I needed to fill in six months until I flew out, I took a driving position with a large familyowned fleet company to fill in the time.

Fourteen years later I was approached by one of the most knowledgeable specialist transport insurance brokers in Australia, whom asked me to train

with him in an attempt to pass on his knowledge of transport insurance.

After 21 years of driving, both as an owner-operator and driver, I had noted the way in which the industry had been evolving through the late ’80s, ’90s and into the 2000s, and not much of it seemed to be for the benefit of those working within it.

It was a quote that my insurance colleague said to me that has resonated with myself and the way in which we at TBI Transport & Business Insurance Services conduct and build our business that has stuck with us through the following years: “With my knowledge of insurance and your experience in transport, together we can make a difference”.

This quote is what led us to researching the many transport organisations and associations that involve themselves in the betterment of the transport industry. We were drawn to

NRFA MEMBER BENEFITS Industry advocacy: By far the most valuable benefit you will receive as a member of the NRFA is the advocacy by each and every board member, whom donate all of their own time and money, taking time out of their own jobs and businesses, to represent the NRFA members at every discussion table that they are able to in an effort to have the industry’s and each individual's concerns heard.

Ampol fuel discount: NRFA members who sign up to an Ampol card receive a 6.5 cents per litre fuel discount at Ampol sites: www.ampol.com.au Highway Advocates: Highway Advocates Pty Ltd is a legal practice that deals exclusively with heavy vehicle offences. All NRFA members are offered free initial consultation and discounted representation in all heavy vehicle legal matters. Highway Advocates has ex-heavy vehicle drivers on staff that understand the transport industry: www.highwayadvocates.com.au Transport Health and Safety: THS are accredited NHVAS, WAHVA auditors, smart eDriver EWD distributors and paperless compliance experts. THS provides free compliance advice, discounted compliance auditing and 10 per cent off smart eDriver EWD subscriptions to all NHVR members: www.transporthealthandsafety.com.au Transport & Business Insurance Services (TBI): Free no obligation insurance review for all members. www.tbiinsurance.com.au

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MARK BROWN is the NRFA’s membership officer.

An insurance broker specialising in transport with a passion for the industry, Mark operated a transport business in the late 1980s and into the ’90s.

To contact Mark phone 02 6925 8788

the National Road Freighters Association (NRFA) because we believe the NRFA and the way it is structured better represents the entire transport community, from the employed drivers to the owneroperator through to the small to medium fleet and large fleet operators within the industry.

The NRFA is available for anyone to join and should you wish to actively contribute to bringing about change and have the opportunity to meet with the decision makers within the government to have your say, then all you need to do is become a member and put your name up for election to the board at our yearly annual general meeting (AGM).

The NRFA's next AGM will be held in Toowoomba on February 19, 2022 and we welcome all members, both new and old, to attend. Please email secretary@nrfa. com.au if you would like to attend.

MEMBER REPRESENTATION NRFA's members are the driving force that keep the board members of the NRFA striving to achieve the muchneeded change in our industry on behalf of the voices that never seemed to have a voice when it comes to the decision making process by the authorities and politicians.

Through years of selfless, unpaid and often unrecognised work, the NRFA and its board members have achieved and earnt a spot at many of the discussion tables that affect all of our futures.

However, to sit at the discussion table and speak is one thing, but to sit at the discussion table and be heard is another.

To be heard at the discussion table is simple – the more members the more powerful is our voice.

As a member, you are already doing your bit to help the NRFA and its board by simply joining as a member and being there for support if needed.

Another way you can assist in our fight for change is to spread the word about the NRFA and encourage others to help and join the fight.

Help us help you, complete and submit your membership application form via the NRFA website: https://nrfa.com.au

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industry focus

TRP SOMERTON CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY Delayed store opening a boon for lucky customers

T

RP Somerton, located just 19 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, has pulled out all the stops to celebrate its one-year anniversary.

Operated by the PACCAR-owned Kenworth DAF Melbourne dealership, which also operates the TRP Ballarat and TRP Geelong stores, it has been offering a wide range of truck and trailer parts to its local and loyal customers for the past 12 months.

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony was conducted at the 12-month anniversary due to COVID-related lockdowns.

The long-awaited celebrations didn’t dampen spirits, however, and local customers and guests were able to take advantage of meeting various part suppliers and TRP store staff.

Other highlights of the day included special prices, door prizes including a Meritor-supplied BBQ and a Fleetguard bar fridge. The main draw saw lucky customers winning $250; $500 and the top prize of $1,000 vouchers to spend in-store.

Kenworth DAF Melbourne parts manager John Everett was both happy and relieved that the opening ceremony was finally able to go ahead.

“Somerton is the third specialist TRP all-makes parts store opened by Kenworth DAF Melbourne, to provide an even better service to customers within its extensive trading territory,” he explains.

Everett went on to say: “Somerton is part of a fast-growing chain of TRP stores, and is one of nine across the country. The store, which is manned by experienced staff, all of whom are well known to customers in the area, has been an immediate hit; enabling us to substantially improve our delivery leadtime to local customers.

“Opening with a team of four, a fifth staff member was added within a few months and more resource will be added as the business continues its strong growth.

“Excellent off-the-shelf availability on a wide range of parts for all makes of trucks; especially American and European drivelines, is a cornerstone of the business; backed by direct supply from PACCAR’s Bayswater Distribution Centre. PACCAR’s global buying power ensures that TRP stores provide excellent value for money on a full range of top quality parts.”

The store stocks a high proportion of consumables for all major truck brands, ranging from filtration, lube and electrical products, to brakes, suspensions, steering, wheel ends and other parts and accessories.

TRP stores have a direct link into the PACCAR Parts Distribution Centres at Bayswater and Brisbane giving, quick access to the entire breadth of its 300,000-plus product portfolio.

The TRP Somerton store is located at 2/15 Cooper Street, Campbellfield, Victoria.

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Above: Kenworth DAF Melbourne parts manager John Everett performs a belated ceremonial cutting of the ribbon at Somerton Left: From left: John Everett, Adrian Smythe (dealer principal) and Michael Long (national sales and marketing manager at PACCAR Parts) Below: John Nicolosi from Bitumen Cartage won a $1,000 TRP voucher on the 12-month anniversary day

TRP is Australia’s fastest growing truck and trailer parts business, offering an extensive range of proven, affordable and reliable quality parts. Its parts are manufactured under strict quality control and backed by a minimum 12-month warranty, making sure customers can trust TRP to keep their trucks and trailers on the move.

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truck of the month

RISING THROUGH THE RANKS

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Amid all the talk about truck driving apprenticeships, James Hadley is proof that receiving the correct advice and training is not only the ideal path to a successful career in road transport but, in this case, receiving the keys to a sparkling clean and comfortable Kenworth T610. Warren Aitken writes

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“T

ell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn” – Benjamin Franklin. It’s a pretty deep and philosophical way to start my first story of the new year. Bear with me though folks, I’m not just trying to impress you with inspiring quotes, there is method in my madness. This quote by Benjamin Franklin who, along with being known as one of the founding fathers of the country responsible for extremely long, low, cool trucks (the United States), he was also the inventor of swim fins and bifocals.

None of that is really that important. The point of the quote is that it sums up the young man behind the wheel of the Fred’s Transport Kenworth T610 you see before you – James Hadley.

James has quite literally grown up

on passenger seats here and abroad. He has been told, he has been taught but, most importantly, he has been involved in trucking his whole life, completing a 20-year apprenticeship and ending up with the keys to one of the most stunning Aussie-designed rigs on the road.

James’ story really does start well before he was even a glimmer in his old man’s eye. His father, Ben, who would be the catalyst and benchmark for James’ trucking passion, was born with diesel in his veins. He spent time behind the wheel of some legendary trucks for the likes of Iannelli’s Transport and Constantino’s. When James popped into the world, the family was based in Canberra where his dad was hauling refrigerated loads for Iannelli’s.

At a year old, James headed over to England. Not on his own, obviously.

His mum, Barbara, had been picked to

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represent Australia in snooker and was there to play some tournaments. When Barbara was busy in the ‘bright canary yellow’ Australian jersey, James got strapped into his car seat in the passenger seat of a Scania his dad was driving on general freight.

I did try and quiz James on his evaluation of English trucking conditions and their equipment and got the unhelpful response of: “Mate, I was a baby, I don’t remember shit.”

After a year the family returned to Australia and Canberra for a brief stint before they all moved to the Gold Coast where Ben started working for a newly formed company, SRV Freight Lines. By now James was also a bit older and, thankfully for storytelling purposes, was able to recall a few more of his trips with dad.

“I remember sitting in SRV’s truck loading Smiths Chips and the forkies would come up alongside and give me bags of chips,” James smiles.

“Dad would get back in and there would be crumbs everywhere.”

Ben’s work ethos and trucking passion were the original spark that ignited James. He spent as much time as he could in his dad’s passenger seats, even when not invited.

“Apparently, one time, when dad was driving a Super-Liner for Constantino’s, I was strapped into my seat in the sleeper. Dad recalls suddenly feeling something tugging the back of his head and found I’d got myself out and climbed over while he was driving,” James says with a grin.

The older he got the more time he would spend with his dad in the truck. The more time he spent with his dad, the more he took in and the more involved he became. His time in the passenger seat was where he learnt not just on-road skills and attitude but how to treat the gear and look after other people’s property. Regardless of what truck James’s dad was in, it was looked after as if it was his own.

Seeing and assisting with this, along with a natural love of trucks, saw James follow in his father’s approach.

“As a kid, it was always pulling up for your halfhour break and he’d be out with the Windex doing tanks or stacks, always out there cleaning,” James says. He laughs as he recalls his dad pulling up if he knew there was rain ahead; not to avoid the rain but to get the weed sprayer out and soak the back wall with truck wash. A bit of mother nature’s natural car wash.

That attention to detail and insistence on keeping a clean rig has been the backbone of James’s career so far. It’s a lot easier to find the time and energy for that when you are driven by a passion for the industry.

Doing an unofficial apprenticeship under his dad played a huge part in getting James started. He officially started in the industry when he was the ripe old age of 12.

“Dad was doing an operations job at Midway Freight Services and I was in the yard washing the trucks,” James recalls.

“They used to let me drive the trucks around bobtail to get to the wash bay.”

Wanting to get back on the road, Ben left Midway and started driving with Zagami Transport – and

“I was still so young, probably still looked 12.”

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so did James, keeping the wash bay busy there as well.

It was here that James connected with one of the bosses, Darryl Dye, who played another mentoring role in the young fella’s career.

“Darryl was always good to me. I did some stupid things and lost my car licence, but Darryl always stuck by me,” James says.

“He’d even let me sleep in the trucks at night so I could wash them early in the morning.”

Along with time on the books as the wash boy, and school, obviously, James would spend holidays in the passenger seat with Ben. “I’d go with dad and when he pulled up for his break I’d practise backing in the parking bays,” James smiles.

“Dad would spend the first couple of hours of his break going back and forth.”

Tipper drives Once James was old enough and had stopped being a typical Aussie kid long enough to hold on to his car licence, he got his HR licence. Finally, he was on his way towards a life on the road.

After years of staring out the passenger side window as Australia passed by he was finally and ‘legally’ getting behind the wheel and getting paid to do it. At 20-years-old, James had more experience in linehaul, loading, strapping and, of course, cleaning than most. So it was with great gusto he got licensed up and jumped straight into an HR Fuso tipper.

“I hated every bit of driving tippers, but you have to do

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Above: Young James loves the Kenworth T610 he drives for Fred’s Transport. His approach and attitude may be just part of who he is but it also gets recognised and rewarded by his employers Right: Can’t forget the Queen of Clean. Most truck shows sees James’ lovely partner, Danika, hard at work Opposite top: First drive: I did say he started early, didn’t I? Baby James looks perfectly at home behind the wheel; James may have grown up around all the big gear, but it was still a proud day when his work was rewarded with promotion to Coastal Tippers’ newest Isuzu Opposite below: The big bunk T610 still earns its keep with a 34-pallet B-double set in behind

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what you have to do,” James says. Even at that age, with a lot of real work experience behind him, James displayed a mature response to the industry.

“It’s a stepping stone, washing trucks to driving them. You can’t just step into the biggest and best.”

Keep in mind, James already had his first B-double job lined up well before he had his licence, but he admits going for that tipper job was rather daunting.

“I was still so young, probably still looked 12. The bloke that took me for the initial test drive looked at me and said, ‘Nah, he doesn’t have it,” James recalls. However, he says that guy changed his mind well before the test drive had finished.

He spent a bit of time in the company’s oldest Fuso, a battered old girl that James loved. He cleaned and polished both inside and out and treated it like gold on every job they sent him on. Those traits, that had been handed down from his dad, saw him get promoted to one of the company’s newest Isuzu’s fairly quickly.

James spent that year-long HR period mastering the art of ’round town tipping work but his heart

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was always on the highway running, the on-road adventure.

As soon as he was qualified for his MC, James left the Gold Coast and headed to the New South Wales town of Yass to work alongside his dad at Adelaide Refrigerated. His B-double licence arrived and, before the ink was dry on it, James was into a Freightliner Argosy and doing his first solo B-double run from Yass to Sydney.

“It was an awesome experience because Dad was right behind me.”

Although his dad was in a 730hp (540kW) Scania, so I doubt he stayed behind James for long.

The time at Adelaide Refrigerated was another massive learning curve for James. His job was just to run the loads in and out of Sydney, doing all types of loads. The biggest challenge was the ‘bag chucker’ role.

“I was in all manner of trucks. They had Scanias and Freightliners but also had the big cab Aerodynes and 908s and that,” he says.

This gave James much varied experience. What didn’t change was his approach to the trucks he was given. He still spent any waiting or downtime

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“They taught me a lot about not just keeping a truck nice, but also looking after it.”

Top: It’s not just about the trucks, check out the well finished trailers sets that turn the Freds units into mobile works of art Above left: The Fred’s team has really seen the value in Kenworth’s T610 design, with several in the fleet now. Though in this photo they are playing second fiddle to James’s ride

cleaning. He’d get into the Sydney yard with time to kill so he’d break out the hose.

“The bosses used to give me crap because I’d clean it when I was in the yard. Even though I was giving it back (to the regular driver) at Yass, I’d still clean it,” James says.

“If the outside was okay I’d do the inside. Some blokes really appreciated it, other couldn’t give a crap.”

All of that was irrelevant to James. It was the pride he took in his job that mattered to him. In the end, though, it was noticed. That became evident when he was approached by Andrew Muscat of Muscat Haulage.

Below: Learning the art of tarping was a necessity at Muscat Haulage.

Having an immaculate unit was just a given Opposite bottom: The spoils of loving a tidy truck and looking after a tidy truck is the collection of trophies that James has picked up along the way

The nerves were more directly related to the loads as James’ background was mainly based around gates and curtains – and a year of tipping.

The move to flattops and tarps was a big step. To do so with a company renowned for high standards can be even more daunting.

“It was a compliment,” James admits, referring to the call-up from Andrew, “but I knew it would be hard work, especially with how particular they are with their gear.”

James spent the next three-and-a-half years with the Muscat family, eventually getting handed the keys to a brand new Kenworth T659.

“That was a big thing for me, they are a small family company and they handed me the keys to a brand-new truck.”

Having met the Muscats myself I questioned James as to whether it felt more like a homecoming when he joined the team. His level of attention to detail and desire to keep his truck in mint condition would be like finding the perfect last piece of the puzzle at Muscat Haulage.

He was quick to agree, but added: “I learnt a lot from my dad, but Muscat’s were next level. They have their own standards about how particular they are. They taught me a lot about not just keeping a truck nice, but also looking after it, like not driving with your arm resting on the gearstick, being extra cautious, triple checking things and basic maintenance.”

Along with gaining a lot of knowledge while working for Muscat Haulage, James also gained a lovely lady to be by his side. Those on James’ social media may know Danika as the one often photographed polishing James’ truck while he’s posing for TikTok. Finding a lady that will tolerate a truckie’s lifestyle can be a hard thing; finding one that’s willing to start a family with a linehaul trucker is even harder.

Unfortunately the ‘F’ word can often disrupt many plans; as it did for James.

“If I started a family not near my mum I wouldn’t be alive

Learning the ropes Now those in the industry who appreciate a good-looking truck will know the Muscat Haulage trucks. They are the epitome of working show trucks.

When James had a call for an interview early in 2017 he admits to a few nerves.

“Andrew invited me ’round for an interview, they were a bit hesitant because of my age and the insurance side of it but they offered me a job in their green 900,” he recalls.

“I was very, very nervous. The first week I spent with Chris [Muscat] was learning how to load steel and tarp trailers. It was extremely new to me.”

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“It’s a great truck, so much room and comfortable.” to see that family,” jokes James, so he handed back the keys to his beloved T659 and moved to the Gold Coast with Danika, keeping his mum very happy and giving James the chance to try his hand somewhere new.

Right said Fred

Top: It’s all about a professional image to everything in ‘Team Green’.

Even the corner boards are all Fred’s green

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Much to my surprise, James wasn’t being regularly chased down for jobs. He’s young, skilled, truck mad and looks after his trucks.

“I wasn’t offered a lot,” he says. “Most people were told ‘you won’t get him away from Muscats’.”

In the end, James ended up in the offices of Fred’s Transport, checking to see if it had any work based around the Gold Coast. His reputation had preceded him and Fred’s was more than happy to take the young fella on.

James jumped from a stunning T659 straight into a Kenworth T909. The driver happened to be away and James was given the truck to babysit before a dedicated T909 became available. While still waiting, he got put in one of the company’s T610 autos.

“I love the 610, it’s a great truck, so much room and comfortable,” James enthuses. The 610 was only meant to be another fill-in but when a three-week-old manual became available, James’s hand went up quicker than petrol prices on a long weekend. So, we arrive at the mouth-watering Kenworth T610 you see here.

Fred’s Transport is one of the companies leading the way

in driver appreciation, making sure it fits the trucks out to look after the guys and girls that are living in them.

James has the big bunk version of Kenworth’s T610, fitted with dual fridges, microwave, inverter, stand-up cupboards and even a TV so he doesn’t miss an episode of Lego Masters.

All of this with a 34-pallet B-double set sitting in tow. It’s a comfortable home away from home.

Then we have the outside of the big bunk T610. Just to ensure James keeps Windex in business and making certain his fatigue breaks aren’t wasted on social media, the truck has more than enough shiny bits to keep him occupied. The wrapped tanks alone can fill in a mandatory rest break.

Due to James’ work ethic and pride in his ride, you could be easily convinced James parks up when it rains. You would be wrong; the truck and James work their butts off.

James is away from home five to six nights a week, running predominantly Melbourne-Brisbane-Sydney, with excursions as far afield as Emerald in Central Queensland or Adelaide.

James could be labelled ‘the hose whisperer’. He will find somewhere to give his rig a clean-up, even if it’s just a nearby tap with his trusty bucket and sponge. Setting himself such high standards, it’s simply a case of having to do it.

“Even though I’m only doing it for myself, you feel like no one notices, but the moment you don’t wash your truck everyone’s on the two-way commenting.”

At just 26-years-old, James could be classed as young, but only on paper. He has literally grown up in the industry.

Proof of that is the photo floating around of him getting his nappies changed on the fuel tank of his dad’s Scania. Before you ask, it was the one in England when he was 12 months, not the Scania at Adelaide Refrigerated when he was 20. But I’d better check that.

Anyway, James’s passion and love for the industry has not waned. His stocks of Windex, microfibre cloths and paint polish are proof of that.

As the industry finally begins discussing the idea of an apprenticeship system, James is a testament to the product it can produce. The skills and knowledge that he has absorbed as he grew up in the passenger seat were honed and polished once he began working his way up through the ranks.

The end result is a young man with an old school attitude, a thorough respect for the industry and a passion that we need more of. A lot more.

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15/12/21 11:18 am

MYTRUCKING SUCCESS STORY

Campbell Transport, WA. Campbell Transport cut down on paperwork and overcame the challenge of dispatching jobs to drivers in remote locations, often on the road for days, with the MyTrucking driver app.

David Campbell founded Campbell Transport at the age of 22, when he bought his first truck. Now, 22 years later, the fleet has grown to 80 trucks.

Based in Western Australia, the business does bulk haulage, grain, fertiliser, has side tippers and carts livestock, as well as general freight. The three arms of the business are agriculture, mining, and general freight.

Prior to MyTrucking, owner David Campbell says it was a matter of phoning drivers, many of whom could be away for days or even weeks at a time, and working in areas with little to no mobile coverage.

“Ring them up, tell them where to go over the phone.

We couldn’t get any paperwork back for up to two weeks sometimes, it was very cumbersome.

Then everything was entered into a diary.

“We wanted the paperwork back immediately to be

able to invoice straight away, and check everything was correct, instead of going back weeks to verify things. We wanted to be able to give jobs to drivers without having to ring constantly to give them information.”

David says they discovered MyTrucking, which was the best product on the market for what they wanted to achieve.

His agriculture operations manager, Leon Whittle, attended the NatRoad Conference in Queensland.

On talking with MyTrucking owner Sara (Orsborn) both thought a trial was a good idea and, as Leon says, it just took off from there.

Leon says the software is easy to use. “It’s so friendly to use. We can see what we’ve got – no whiteboards, no paperwork. I reckon it’s a great system – I love it.”

LEON’S FAVOURITE FIVE Favourite truck?

Volvo Favourite trucking route?

East West on the Eyre Highway Best place to get a pie?

My brother’s bakery in Flora Hill, Favourite MyTrucking feature?

All of it – it’s so easy to use Favourite catchphrase?

“I will make it happen”

The biggest benefit has been the driver’s app, given the remote nature of many of their jobs.

gives me the right location number, the drivers can see exactly where they’re going.”

“A lot of places we go to have bad cellphone reception, and we sometimes have trouble contacting drivers if they’re out of range. With the app, we put a load on and bang, it’s on their phone and they know exactly what they need to do – that makes it really easy.

We can put maps on there and, as long as the client

He also rates the new Save and Repeat feature on MyTrucking. “If anyone has a job that requires multiple loads in a day, I upload the job once and at the end of the day the driver loads how many deliveries he’s done for the day himself. It saves a heap of time – and phone calls.”

info@mytrucking.com www.mytrucking.com

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TWU Michael Kaine

Idling in neutral The government is in denial over unsafe practices

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here December and January offer workers in other industries an opportunity to unwind, owner-drivers and small fleet operators know this is a period which brings into sharp focus why road transport is Australia’s deadliest industry. Surging Christmas demand meets busy roads and highways chock-a-block with holidaymakers keen to escape cities and suburbs for the school holidays.

It’s a dangerous combination, particularly given the unrelenting demands from those at the top of supply chains to keep goods moving, no matter the consequences.

And while the pressure is always immense over Christmas and the New Year, drivers this year are battling the compounding effects of the pandemic that have disproportionately smashed our industry.

Drivers weathered gruelling rolling testing requirements (including arbitrary satellite testing in some parts of Sydney and Melbourne), inconsistent border crossing information and snap changes, being locked out of truck stops and having to isolate in their trucks after lining up for hours for a COVID test (if they could manage to get one at all).

Consistent appeals from the industry for COVID relief were routinely ignored. The Transport Workers Union (TWU) partnered with the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) to develop a COVIDSafe National Transport Roadmap last year, which we believed would ease the crushing restrictions imposed on drivers. Key planks of our Roadmap included establishing consistent border rules nationwide and rolling out rapid testing locations suitable for drivers to reduce transport testing pressures.

order to cross the border – even though rapid testing was supposed to be available at border crossings.

To say our industry is exhausted is an understatement.

Yet, as we wave goodbye to 2021 and hope for a return to a “normal” 2022, we must refocus on achieving meaningful changes to our industry that will address these challenges and allow owner-drivers and small fleet operators to work successfully and sustainably.

That means tackling the pressures wealthy supermarkets, retailers, manufacturers and oil companies put on drivers to keep goods moving to unrealistic deadlines.

The net result of their deadly pursuit of profit are roads that are less safe, both for drivers and other motorists, as drivers are forced to drive fatigued and work beyond legal hours to make a decent living for themselves and their families.

But a solely top-down approach to supply chain sustainability is only half the battle, when gig economy bottom feeders are pulling the rug out from under the industry.

The likes of Amazon and Uber are trashing the social and economic conditions generations of drivers have fought to protect, pushing workers into sham contracting arrangements which deny them fair pay and workplace rights.

A road transport industry without appropriate regulation, minimum standards and training will only lead to more carnage on our roads.

Make no mistake, the gig threat isn’t limited only to food delivery – it’s an existential threat to all road freight and, if left unchecked, will smash the long-term sustainability of our industry.

SLOW, NOT RAPID

The experiences of other countries should ring alarm bells in Australia. In the United States, Amazon will soon overtake traditional transport companies like UPS to deliver more parcels each year. Amazon has proudly boasted about its ability to move stock for much cheaper than its competitors (albeit without reference to the shockingly low wages it pays its drivers).

Back at home, Amazon called the police at least three times on TWU officials investigating suspected serious safety breaches – including dangerous overloading – at its AmazonFlex sites. It did it most recently on Black Friday, a day where the pressure on drivers to move hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of parcels bought online is at its greatest.

Traditional transport companies like Toll, Global Express and StarTrack have recognised this threat, working constructively with employee and owner-drivers in recent months to lock job security protections into agreements and contracts that guards against the ‘Amazon Effect’ further destabilising road

The federal government disgracefully ignored our calls for three months. When it was finally dragged kicking and screaming to introduce parts of the plan, it still got it terribly wrong.

Rolling out rapid testing is a great example.

When the government finally approved the sale of rapid tests in shops, it did nothing to prioritise supply for essential workers.

Enormous consumer demand meant scores of drivers couldn’t find the rapid tests they needed to work safely because we didn’t have a national stockpile for the transport industry.

That’s on top of the failure to prioritise transport workers in the vaccine queue, or mandate paid vaccination leave as an industry standard so that drivers who wanted the jab could do so without losing pay.

While some politicians are shifting focus to “live with the virus”, the effects of their policy decisions are still being felt. In November, interstate drivers were still being stopped at the Western Australia border and forced to take 12-hour round trips to get a PCR test in

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

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

transport. While the industry can achieve incredible things when we work together, it takes governments prepared to entrench these safeguards in regulation to make lasting change.

Where other jurisdictions are racing ahead to attack these pressures directly, the federal government’s been idling in neutral.

Its status quo do-nothing and let-themarket-rip approach is crushing owner-driver and small fleet operator margins, pushing drivers to their very limits and killing workers in our industry at an alarming rate.

The industry is crying out for change, but the Prime Minister’s tin ear and cold heart means absolutely nothing has been done to advance meaningful reform.

The workable solutions crafted through broad industry-wide consultation between operators, the union, peak bodies and drivers in the Senate’s Without Trucks, Australia Stops report have been sitting untouched on Scott Morrison’s desk for six months now.

Since the landmark report was tabled, 46 people have been killed in truck crashes across Australia – including 17 drivers.

The slaughter on our roads must end – 2022 must be the year the federal government flicks the switch. Scott Morrison must implement the Senate’s recommendations, including by establishing an independent body to create and enforce minimum standards in our industry as a national priority.

Regulation of this kind would strike at the heart of the supply chain pressures that are crushing the industry in both directions and leaving drivers – and future generations – without a sustainable road transport industry.

Kicking the report’s recommendations into the long grass isn’t an option.

Scott Morrison must grab the opportunity to tackle the economic, social and contracting factors that are putting so much pressure on owner-drivers and accelerating this dangerous race to the bottom.

The hardworking men and women who carried us through the pandemic – and the families who rely on them to come home safely after a long day on the road – deserve nothing less.

AMAZON’S POLICE

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15/12/21 10:00 am

The legal view Sarah Marinovic

The camera does lie Mobile phone usage photos are not always accurate

M

obile phone detection cameras have been raking in fines since they were first introduced in New South Wales almost two years ago. In the first 18 months of their official operation NSW issued over $90 million in fines.

The technology is spruiked by the authorities as being highly accurate at detecting potential phone use offences.

They back this up with a ‘human check’.

Every time the camera detects a potential offence the photo is reviewed by an adjudication officer to make sure it definitely shows a mobile phone.

But as good as the system is, it’s not foolproof. Just because you’ve received a fine doesn’t mean you’re guilty of the offence.

Over the past year, we’ve been contacted regularly by people who’ve received dubious fines from these cameras. We always ask to see the photos, and what they depict shows

the system doesn’t always work. In a lot of photos it seems that any dark, rectangular object is assumed to be a phone. Even worse, several of the photos we’ve seen simply don’t show a phone, or anything that even resembles one.

Our advice to everyone who receives a fine from a mobile phone detection camera is to look at the photos before doing anything else.

High resolution images are available through the Revenue NSW website.

implemented, so the current state of play is that unless the prosecution convinces the magistrate ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ that the photos depict a phone, they have to dismiss the charge.

It’s worth having a chat with a lawyer if you think your photos are borderline. We will be able to tell you how likely it is that a magistrate would be convinced or not.

The other option to consider is asking for the photos to be reviewed. You can request that Revenue NSW review the infringement. If it’s been wrongfully issued the fine should be withdrawn. One of the best things about this option is you can request the review before going to court. This means having a chance to fix the situation without the costs and risks of a court case.

If you do ultimately have to contest the fine in court, we’ve found that the prosecution lawyers are quite fair about reviewing the case again at this stage. Where the photos aren’t enough to prove the case, they can withdraw the charge.

The main message that we’d like our readers to take home is to not assume the cameras are always accurate. It doesn’t cost anything to check the photos – and doing so could save you a fine and five demerit points.

As always, if you need some help our team at Ainsley Law is always willing to chat.

BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT

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

Another important thing to know is that it’s the prosecutor’s job to prove that the object in the photo is in fact a phone. When these laws were first being introduced there were plans to swap the responsibility from the usual situation where the prosecutor has to prove that the object is a phone, to the driver having to prove that it’s not. Thankfully this aspect of the draft legislation hasn’t been

“Any dark, rectangular object is assumed to be a phone.”

ADVERTISEMENT

WHAT IS A SOCIAL LICENSE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? I

like to think that we set a high standard for our team, our customers and the industry.

We haven’t operated successfully in truck relocations for over 30 years without earning a decent reputation that we strive to uphold in everything we do.

There’s a concept called the ‘Social License to Operate’, which basically means a business is legitimate and socially acceptable, and that it does the right thing by all stakeholders, including employees, customers and the wider industry.

You’ve probably heard of a similar concept called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), where businesses integrate a range of operating principles around social and environmental concerns. There’s a growing body of evidence that this approach provides more than a sense of satisfaction – it can also improve long-term financial performance and increase shareholder value.

A recent court decision in our industry got me

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thinking about this. It uncovered a massive case of wage theft where just one driver was awarded tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages, super, penalties and court costs. This blatant abuse of the employer/employee relationship undermines the social contract, and can even impact customers who unknowingly engage businesses like these to move their trucks.

Under National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Chain of Responsibility rules, customers or consignors are responsible, and potentially personally liable, for what contractors do. That means if you engage a truck mover that doesn’t meet required work standards and compliance (including making Award payments to drivers), you are putting your business and reputation at risk.

But how do you know the companies you do business with are doing the right thing under their Social License to Operate?

As a start, audit your truck mover. Even if you

have no reason to be suspicious, it makes sense to ask the right questions to cover yourself in case they are doing the wrong thing.

At Truck Moves Australia, we have always been happy to open our books to our customers for audits. We have nothing to hide and we are proud of our safety record and how we treat (and pay) our valued drivers.

So before your next truck move, ask for an audit. The truck movers who are holding up the high standards you demand won’t hesitate to comply. If you get any pushback, maybe it’s time to move your business to a company that respects the valuable social license they have been granted. www.truckmoves.com.au, 1300 885 799.

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operator profile

GAVIN’S GRAND

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15/12/21 8:23 am

PLAN A From driver to ownerdriver to fleet owner, Tamworth-based Gavin Sutton has experienced the ups and downs of the road transport industry.

Now he’s riding high with a mostly Volvo fleet as well as a few reliable reminders of his early days. Warren Aitken writes

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s a Kiwi, complimenting Australians is not something I do very often.

The friendly rivalry side of me will say it’s because I rarely have a valid reason to do so, to which most Aussies will retort with some coitus-based joke involving sheep – and that’s fair enough.

Today, however, I am going to compliment a true-blue Aussie. Let me introduce you to Gavin Sutton – the head honcho of Tamworth-based GST, or Gavin Sutton Transport.

The reason for my compliment is directly related to his success in the transport arena.

There’s no epic family history involved, there’s no poignant life-changing moment that steered Gavin down the path to success. It’s all about good old Aussie spirit.

Gavin is a dyed-in-yellow Australian bloke that has been hard at work since the school door shut behind him. He’s worked, he’s stumbled, he’s gotten back up and worked again. Now when he sits down to enjoy an afterwork beer on a Friday night, he’s got a fleet of 22 trucks, 50-odd trailers and a loyal staff that is as Aussie as he is. Work hard, smile a lot and see what happens; that’s been the story behind GST. Gavin is a first-generation truckie. His parents were farmers and he grew up on the land around Tamworth – a sure sign he’s not afraid of a bit of hard work. Unlike his father,

however, Gavin had a passion for trucks.

“The furthest thing from my Dad’s life was a truck,” Gavin explains.

“He was a horse man but, as soon as I turned 18, I got a job driving a little rigid.

“On my 19th birthday I got my semi licence and got a job driving a single drive Mercedes.”

That little Benz with a flat top in tow kept Gavin busy doing general freight around northern New South Wales. He spent 12 months in the old girl, building up experience. When he felt the time was right he called in on transport identity Les Howard of Howard Haulage to see about moving up to something bigger.

A quick in-house interview with Les and his son did enough to convince Howard Haulage that young Gavin would be an asset. Gavin had been looking around from the start of harvest season and was thrown the keys to one of Howard Haulage’s 3070s. He then disappeared from home for the season. Bear in mind that, back in the ’80s, the harvest season went for more like three months than the three weeks we get these days.

Rate slashers Gavin spent three years working with Howard Haulage.

“I was lucky I got advice from some old schoolers and I would take it all on board. I’d like to think that’s helped me get where I am today,” he adds.

After three years hard work, the opportunity

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Above: The big float shifts require a big truck and it doesn’t get any bigger than GST’s original Mack Titan. It’s had a bit of a spruceup over the years and it still turns heads Below: Gavin’s Original Western Star in the foreground with a couple of the company’s Kenworths. Note the colour change from HBS Earthmoving to the GST fleet Opposite: Gavin Sutton with a couple of his hard-working GST Volvos; One of the boys back in from Adelaide fuels his Euro 5 Volvo, ready to head out again

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came along for Gavin to buy his own truck, an old K123 with a 692.

“That’s how I really learnt to change gears, ’cause you never stopped changing gears,” he jokes.

The truck came with a tri-axle flattop and work, delivering steel around the local area. Sadly, Gavin pretty soon got his first interaction with the old ‘rate slashing’ business strategy of new transport companies and he lost the steel work. Again, as an archetypical battler, he adapted and evolved. He bought a tipper unit and went into another field.

After six years with the K123, a small disagreement with his tipper saw Gavin sell up and go back to a wage driver. I’m not sure on the exact disagreement details, but I believe it had something to do with Gavin wanting the tipping unit to unload while the trailer voted for laying down for a nap.

The time spent as an owner-driver was not just work but an education for Gavin. Gone were the days of opening and closing his pay packet down at the local pub, he had to learn to plan for rainy days. Quite literally so with the tipper. He also learnt a lot about managing and running his own company; skills that would see him eventually step into an operations role.

Once the owner-driver keys were hung up, though, Gavin went back on the payroll for Howard Haulage, steering its big gear

“As soon as I turned 18 I got a job driving a little rigid.”

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all over the country before the birth of his son, Jake, saw him decide to get off the interstate runs. Rather than just doing local work, he took up an operations manager role at Howard Haulage, giving up the steering wheel for the desktop.

Gavin enjoyed his role in operations, learning and developing his skills. However, to his surprise, he found he was ending up spending almost as much time out of the house as he did when he was on interstate. With that in mind, he opted to get back behind the wheel for a bit; this time, however, sticking to local work.

As much as he appreciated his time with Howard Haulage, Gavin eventually moved on. He tried his hand behind the wheel of different trucks and even got back behind the desk for another well-known Tamworth company, Carey’s Freight Lines. Gavin was forever upskilling and making new contacts. His problem-solving abilities meant there wasn’t much he couldn’t handle.

Eventually Gavin landed himself a role at HBS Earthmoving, working alongside owner Bill Hempstead, who was also a motor sport enthusiast.

Gavin was employed to help run the transport side of the business.

HBS had just purchased a second-hand 1992 Western Star and low loader to cart its own gear around to work sites. It was Gavin’s job to take care of it. With his contacts, it wasn’t long before he was finding extra work for the little Western Star, making sure it was kept very busy when it wasn’t moving HBS

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gear. Within 12 months, there was enough work that a second truck was added. This time something a bit bigger, a 1998 Mack Titan. It’s worth noting that Gavin still has these two trucks in his fleet, nearly 20 years after they bought them.

Unfortunately, in 2005, things changed again for Gavin when Bill was tragically killed in a motor racing accident. He was a very popular figure in the Tamworth area and it shook the little town to its core. With nearly 50 employees at the time, it was a tough Monday morning following the accident. This was before the advent of social media so it was left to management and a trusty toolbox meeting to let everyone know. The company needed to grieve, yet still keep working. It was a tough ask for everyone.

Gavin took over the running of the company for the next 12 months or so before Bill’s wife offered to sell him the transport side of HBS Earthmoving.

At this stage, he had added another Kenworth prime mover as well as an extra float. Seeing as it was the side of the company Gavin had built and knew inside and out, he jumped at the opportunity.

However, it took him a while before he realised that running his own transport company and still managing HBS Earthmoving was just a little too much, even for a hard worker.

Gavin handed his notice in at HBS and dedicated himself solely to the success of the newly-formed GST. With purchase of his own yard in Tamworth, there was separation from the HBS banner. However, moving the earthmoving gear was still the backbone

of the company. HBS Earthmoving had a lot of work for the local council and other companies, so there was no shortage, even getting as far as North Queensland with his moves.

Volvo move Gavin started chasing other work as well, adding a couple of flattop trailers and a couple of drop decks to the fleet as he began to branch out.

“We basically did the stuff that nobody else did, the ugly stuff,” Gavin explains.

Along with that he had a couple of the trucks

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“The Volvos are perfect for what we do.”

Top: A Volvo FH600 sets off with a road train load for long-time customers Hume Above: Gavins son, Jake Sutton, spends a bit of time in the yard himself. Here he’s loading machinery for one of GSTs tilt-tray drivers Right: There’s still some oversize loads to be done. GST keeps a couple of floats on hand for the bigger jobs

subcontracting to a company carting concrete for Hume. The service he was supplying led to Hume offering him the contract to cart all the work out of its Tamworth manufacturing plant.

With all this coming on board, Gavin’s fleet just kept growing.

In fact, it is still growing now, just as Gavin’s yard has kept growing and his staff roll call has kept growing.

The company had started with the big bonnets of the Western Star and Mack and while there are still a few conventionals in the fleet, it’s clear to see that the Volvo badge has become a success story at GST. “The Volvos are perfect for what we do,” Gavin explains. “They can get into all the sites we need a lot easier than some trucks.”

The fact that they can be hooked up to B-doubles just as easily as road trains is another strong selling point. There’s also a couple of low loaders left in the fleet but these days the majority of GST’s work is based around flattops.

Its coverage area is almost as broad as its workloads. The trucks can be seen as far south as Adelaide and as far north as the humidity allows.

This leads us all the way back to the man at the start, Gavin Sutton, and the compliment I was wanting to dish out.

Sometimes life has grand plans, sometimes we ourselves have grand plans. Sometimes, however, we just dig in and see what happens. Gavin is the personification of a hard-working ocker. For his entire working life he has simply suited up and gotten stuck into it, the end result being a hugely successful transport company.

After a couple of hours sitting and laughing with him, though, it’s fair to say all the success is just a by-product of a bloke that does his job well and enjoys what he does. Well done, Gavin.

MOORE

Moore

trailer for you r money! TRAILERS

 07 4693 1088 www.mooretrailers.com.au 48 JANUARY 2022

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15/12/21 8:23 am

HIGHWAY ADVOCATES Robert Bell

Complexity in the act Truck drivers can ill afford to lose a week’s wages for making a seemingly insignificant error

A

s one year draws to an end and another begins, most of us take this time to reflect on the previous 12 months.

And what a year it was, with COVID bringing the county to a virtual standstill. Luckily, the road transport industry kept the home fires burning in a manner of speaking.

COVID brought many challenges to the way we do things, and drivers and operators were forced to adapt to procedures and legislation piled on top of an already bulging list. We have been contacted by hundreds of drivers, all with stories of massive penalties handed out by police across multiple jurisdictions. Victoria leads the charge, with VicPol handing out $5,425 infringement notices with apparent gusto.

Other states are not far behind and we are currently representing clients all across Australia who have elected to take these penalty notices to court.

These fines should have never been issued under the particular circumstances in our opinion and it remains to be seen if the courts are of the same opinion. This brings us to another takeout for the year gone by and it relates to fines in general.

All states and territories have different procedures for electing penalty/ infringement notices, and most are relatively simple to navigate provided you have the required information.

Revenue NSW, for instance, issues all camera-related fines in NSW. It allows you to fill some details on its website to court elect. However, what it does not tell you on the website is that extremely strict time limits apply on electing fines in NSW. In general terms, once your penalty notices reach penalty reminder stage, you have lost your chance to elect. The Fines Act in NSW is complex and is no mean feat to interpret. In short, you have until your penalty reaches the reminder stage to elect. Different time limits apply to fines already partly or fully paid. Once you do either of those two things, you have a further 90 days to take it to court.

I bet most of you reading this did not know you could do that.

penalty notice for: ‘Class B/C motor vehicle in Safe -T-Cam zone on/over solid edge line’.

At the time, $1,393 and four demerits.

To put that in perspective, a week’s wages for many and a third of your three-year demerit point total. All for drifting over the fog line – something most of us do without giving it a second thought. And why would we? A majority of heavy vehicles on the road today have multiple points of articulation, plus road design and construction leaves many with little choice or alternative.

So, what makes this particular penalty notice offence so excessive?

Some would say manifestly so.

Lawyers, or those aspiring to be one, are taught all about statutory interpretation in university, with context and purpose, literal, purposive and the mischief rule all part of that mix. Of course, most of you will not need to rack up a huge HECS debt to work this one out. The legislators, in their combined wisdom, have created this particular penalty notice offence to punish naughty truck drivers for

ROBERT BELL, a former truck driver and current law undergraduate and practising paralegal, is the CEO and a director of Highway Advocates Pty Ltd. Contact Highway Advocates Pty Ltd on robert.bell@ highwayadvocates.com.au or phone 0491 263 602.

attempting to avoid a Safe-T- Cam. Anyone who does that in reality would be really flying in the literal sense as that would appear to be the only way you could get over the Armco railings and steel gantries.

And do not even try and start a truck stop conversation around what actually constitutes a ‘Safe-T-Cam zone’. We know the answer because we know what you need to know. You will not find the answer in the road rules, the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) or the Road Transport Act NSW. So where is it?

Back to the feature story now and our client ends up with a date at the local court. A fair bit of research later and we refused to enter a plea to the charge as constructed on the penalty notice. Why? Because it does not exist in legislation, at least not as provided.

All offences in NSW have a law part code, which is a number you will see on penalty notices. This allows you to search for the offence particulars on the NSW Judicial Commission website. A search for the applicable offence brings up Road Rule NSW r150. All good except for one thing. ‘Class B/C Safe-T- Cam zone’ is not captured or defined in the road rules. Therefore, the offence as constructed in the penalty notice cannot be prosecuted in court.

Courts can only deal with legislation as provided and we believe this is the first nail in the coffin for this despised offence.

It took the NSW District Court to deal with it under law and our client walked away with no conviction, no fine and no demerit points. A fine end (almost) to our first year of operation.

Remember, do not pay that fine until you talk to us at Highway Advocates Pty Ltd. And do not procrastinate either as the legal maxim ‘Audi alteram partem – no man shall be condemned unheard’ appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

“The legislators … have created this particular penalty notice offence to punish naughty truck drivers.”

FOG LINE FINE Segueing now to another camera/ fine issue, Highway Advocates Pty Ltd represented a client just recently in an NSW District Court appeal. It all started with our client receiving a

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14/12/21 5:35 pm

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 a fresh start New music from both home and across the seas

Country Corner STORYTELLER Brad Butcher

Ambition Records www.bradbutcher.com

APART Allen Stone

FLYING DREAM 1 Elbow

BOOK They Might Be Giants

ATO/PIAS www.allenstone.com

Polydor/Universal www.elbow.co.uk

Idlewild Recordings www.theymightbegiants.com

US blue-eyed soul singer Allen Stone used the COVID lockdown to revisit 11 tracks from his previous three albums, and re-record them with pared-back arrangements at Bear Creek Studios in his home state of Washington. ‘Unaware’, from his 2012 self-titled, is a protest song of sorts, questioning the “great American dream”, and he looks across to the “other side of town” on ‘Brown Eyed Lover’. Stone shows his R&B credentials up front of a basic piano backing on ‘American Privilege’, a track that unravels his country’s perceived way of life, and he admits his stubbornness on the acousticguitar backed ‘I Know That I Wasn’t Right’.

Canadian R&B artist Alessia Cara joins Allen and his minimalistic musicians for the breezy duet ‘Bed I Made’. The 12th and additional track is a surprise – a laid-back version of Bob Marley’s ‘Is This Love’.

Much-loved UK alternative band Elbow was another to turn its country’s lockdown to an advantage, recording the tracks for its ninth studio album, Flying Dream 1, at the 200-plus year-old Brighton Theatre Royal that had been closed for two years due to COVID. A band not known for regularly delivering forceful fast-paced rock tracks, Elbow has taken the isolation further in this less-is-more approach to these 10 new tracks. Lead singer Guy Garvey’s vocals have always had a Peter Gabriel-type quality, and he meanders through ‘Six Words’, a poetic track backed by swirling piano arpeggios. There’s a midpaced rhythm to ‘The Only Road’ as Garvey sings of taking his family on a road trip to the Scottish city of Inverness, and it’s a return to mellow land on ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, which happens to be the title of their 2008 album.

US alternative rockers They Might Be Giants has sprung a surprise with its 23rd album Book, giving fans the option of purchasing the CD with … a book. Known for the theme song ‘Boss Of Me’ from the long running TV show Malcolm In The Middle, They Might Be Giants has again released an album of fun tracks with offbeat lyrics. On ‘Brontosaurus’ the band is resigned to joining a circus, and there’s forthright drums and guitars pounding away in a schoolroom atmosphere on ‘Synopsis for Latecomers’. There’s a southern California rock sound to ‘Moonbeam Rays’, and the band echoes the style of Randy Newman on ‘Darling, The Dose’. There’s pure whimsical pop on ‘Part Of Me Wants To Believe You’, and it’s lyric-heavy with punchy guitar chords on ‘I Can’t Remember The Dream’, the closest the band gets to straight rock.

MOTORHEART The Darkness

THE LEGENDARY 1979 NO NUKES CONCERTS Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band

BLUES IN MONO Seasick Steve

Cooking Vinyl www.thedarknesslive.com

Sony Music www.brucespringsteen.net

Cheersquad/Magnetic South www.seasicksteve.com

THE MILLION THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED Billy Bragg

What better way to start the New Year off than with UK glam rock group The Darkness and their seventh album Motorheart. Always looking for creative lyrics, the band has a loving encounter with an alien from outer space on ‘It’s Love, Jim’, a rapid, high-octane track with lead singer Justin Hawkins reaching his falsetto heights. ‘Jussy’s Girl’ is an unashamed lean towards ’80s hard rock, and the band make their intentions clear on ‘The Power And The Glory Of Love’, a rock anthem that’s certain to be a live concert favourite. The Darkness tone the tempo but maintain the energy on ‘Sticky Situations’, a track notable for its Queenlike chorus. They hit road north to visit their favourite “citay” in ‘Welcome Tae Glasgae’, the grinding guitar riffs destined to have the head bangers bopping, and ‘You Don’t Have to be Crazy About Me …

But It Helps’ is short on words but big on impact.

Bruce Springsteen’s music had reached a wider audience by the time of his appearance at the MUSE No Nukes concerts at Madison Square Garden in 1979. While a couple of tracks on this new release, The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts, previously appeared on a triple album celebrating the event, there are 10 live tracks seeing the light of day for the first time. Most are from Springsteen & The E Street Band’s Born To Run and Darkness On The Edge Of Town albums, although he teases with previews of ‘The River’ and ‘Sherry Darling’ from his 1980 release, The River. Highlights are typical energetic performances of ‘Born To Run’, ‘Thunder Road’ and a raucous version of the Buddy Holly hit, ‘Rave On!’.

The previously released ‘Detroit Medley’ is a standout, while Jackson Browne and Rosemary Butler join in for the early ‘60s classic ‘Stay’. This double CD is also available on vinyl and Blu-ray.

Due to fan demand, Blues In Mono is now available on CD and vinyl one year after its digital release.

A surprising wait, considering Seasick Steve (Steven Gene Wold) is an old-school style artist.

Containing 12 tracks, Blues In Mono was recorded with a guitar and microphone, direct into an old tape machine with no computerised input. Hence, what you hear is what you get as the 71-year-old US bluesman tackles old favourites plus four new self-penned tracks, including ‘Well, Well, Well’, a song about love and poverty. Steve covers the late Little Walter’s ‘My Babe’, a traditional blues track, and delivers a more subdued version of Mississippi Joe Callicott’s ‘Laughing To Keep From Crying’. However, it doesn’t get any more pared back than Steve’s take of Lightnin’ Hopkins’ ‘Buddy Brown’, and he laments the effects of alcohol on ‘Whisky Headed Woman’. An appropriate accompaniment to a smooth bourbon.

Englishman Billy Bragg released 12 albums prior to The Million Things That Never Happened. This album, however, is his first in eight years. Mainly associated with modern folk, Bragg has dallied in country music previously but on this new release he would fit nicely in the alternate country genre. A case in point is ‘Should Have Seen It Coming’, a relaxed track with pedal steel backing.

‘Lonesome Ocean’ is a pianobacked ballad, and he brings out the acoustic guitar for ‘Pass It On’, a song about remembering the fallen. Bragg takes a shot at US values, namely guns and religion, on ‘The Buck Doesn’t Stop Here No More’, and there’s sprightly folk rock on ‘Ten Mysterious Photos That Can’t Be Explained’.

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Queensland singersongwriter Brad Butcher has emerged from lockdown, signing a deal with Ambition Records and releasing the compilation album Storyteller, subtitled “The Story So Far”.

Butcher, a multi-Golden Guitar winner, is a former rugby league player and mine worker, and mowed lawns to make ends meet during COVID, resulting in his effervescent song ‘Cutting People’s Grass’, which is included here.

Previously released tracks ‘Lay Your Head’, a duet with New York-based Brielle Brown, and ‘Simple Things’ with Felicity Urquhart, are among the 15 tracks, the latter from his award-winning album Travelling Salesman. The quiet ballad ‘Well Dressed Man’, another award winner, rightly takes its place in this collection – a perfect place to catch up on the music of Brad Butcher.

Cooking Vinyl Australia www.billybragg.co.uk

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But bear in mind there are plenty of tradespeople who have demonstrated a less than ideal integrity after following an apprenticeship. Take the copper belittling John. No doubt he undertook considerable training before he was allowed to don the uniform.

WILKIE’S WATCH Ken Wilkie

Plodding and pedantic “Keep searching until you find something … anything” is the mentality of certain police officers

T

o all those shiny pants who are making hot air about the shortage of people interested in taking up the role of truck drivers, take note. One of my workmates, John, undertook a job to what we Queenslanders refer to as Mexico the other week. John had taken up the role of truck driver in 1968 at the age of 21. Road transport has been his only source of income since. To have been constantly and professionally involved for how many decades, one would expect that he would be treated with some semblance of respect.

Coming out of Melbourne, John was given the going-over by Victorian police at Broadford. He was interrogated for an hour and a half. He was accused of not having rear facing reflectors on the prime mover. Because John had fixed the required red and yellow diagonals adhesively to his stainless mudguards this uniformed person claimed they did not reflect.

The diagonals were embezzled with the registered makers mark but that carried no weight with that cop.

Years ago, when I was called up for National Service, we were strongly instructed that we were saluting the uniform – not the person. And it is the same with the police force. We have to respect the uniform. But it is impossible to respect the uniform when there is an anti-truck driver prejudice and disrespect within.

John was issued with a ‘canary’ because there was, according to this disgrace to humanity, a crack in the headboard separating the top of the goose neck to the main deck of the trailer. I saw the offending crack myself. John’s co-worker Bernie checked it in broad daylight using a torch. What crack? At best it is a water stain. A look on the reverse side of the plate showed no evidence of cracking and into the bargain the metal in discussion has no load bearing role that could cause stress to the component.

Then the copper accused John of being overlength. Thank God one of the not-so-National Heavy Vehicle Regulator inspectors quashed that accusation. Talking about the Regulator – at one point in the interrogation John claimed it complied in Queensland. “You are in Victoria now,” was the comment from the copper. What national regulation?

When the ordeal was over, this

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uniformed officer then proceeded to mark John’s book in Victorian time.

Could the cop just have just been trying to impress the two young trainee constables – one of whom was a female?

Why would those of us who have spent a lifetime in this industry encourage our relatives or friends into this profession?

Another friend in the industry, Paul, saw the film Schindler’s List recently.

Paul has a very successful furniture delivery business in south-west Queensland. He is 50-plus years of age and the second generation in that line of business. The brutality and absolute immorality portrayed surprised him.

It’s an era that must never be forgotten because to forget allows the above related situation to exist without check.

That is one reason I am so critical of the not-National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. I know it does not condone what took place at Broadford but it simply cries crocodile tears when stating it has a concerns regarding the mental health of truckies.

For years, this industry has been run by those with far more influence than integrity. Of course, we all want a safer industry. Of course, I support the recognition of professionalism that an apprenticeship should foster.

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

“It is impossible to respect the uniform when there is an antitruck driver prejudice.”

SEDAN DRIVERS It always amazes me that those who hold the leadership reins of this industry just don’t understand the heavy vehicle driving job description.

No doubt each one holds a licence that allows them to drive a sedan. They are so ignorant and arrogant and in positions of influence that they think they can speak with some authority on industry driving issues.

The latest folly of suggesting reduced legal hours, or the suggestion that only basic fatigue trained drivers should be allowed to drive trucks.

If one takes a gander at figures provided by National Transport Insurance (figures produced biannually for well over a decade), it becomes obvious that road safety in general and heavy vehicle road safety especially would benefit immensely if someone in road transport shiny pants advocated comprehensive driver training to be included in the secondary school curriculum. And what a boon for the general attitude towards our industry if society could be see how concerned this industry is regarding driver competence.

I had that view when my wife and I sponsored the complete school of Year 12 students through Mount Cotton for the two years that our kids completed their secondary school studies. Too arrogant to pick up on the lead of a dumb truck driver is my summary of industry management’s response.

ILLOGICAL NONSENSE In past times it was mandatory for Bdoubles to have spray suppressant fitted.

Any idiot who got even a ‘D’ in the subject of logic in secondary school would have understood that, by the time the B-trailer tyres came along, the road had virtually been swept clear of any liquid that could be made airborne. It’s the same illogical nonsense being uttered in regard to speeding. It’s all speeding, stupid!

The discussion taking place regarding having both hands on the wheel in relation to mobile phone use. It’s the mind on the road that should be the concern.

I recently followed a couple in a sedan.

I haven’t a clue what the discussion was about but the driver’s constant gesticulating and poor attention to driving was something to behold.

Sadly, all this missing the real issue is an indictment on the integrity of our nationhood.

So I say to the management of this industry, let’s put a stop to the spin doctoring and get real. Let industry management demonstrate real concern for grass roots welfare – mental and otherwise. Demand enforcement report the true nature of breaches detected instead of the language used to denigrate our performance and paint a picture of an industry being irresponsible.

My required reading this month: They Rode into History by Max Emery.

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14/12/21 5:25 pm

industry focus

INDEPENDENCE IN A TIPPER

Kaszbuilt Constructions find a cost-saving alternative to third party providers with the purchase of a brand new Isuzu NPR 45-155 tipper

W

aterfront homes and weatherboard houses are staples of the Sutherland Shire in New South Wales, and these sometimes multimillion-dollar dwellings just so happen to be the bread and butter of Kaszbuilt Constructions’ repertoire.

However, for Kaszbuilt director Ben Kasznik and his team — with Isuzu’s NPR 45-155 tipper on call — constructing new homes isn’t just about paying the bills, it’s also a way to build something lasting for their local community.

“We love doing the renovating, extensions and top floors on residential buildings,” Ben says.

“We get to see old, beaten-up homes go through a transformation from start to finish, and at the end have something amazing to show for it.

“It’s a really good feeling, gives us pride in our work… and seeing the family and their excitement too, it’s a great part of the job.”

Like most success stories, Ben started small and dreamed big, but he’s careful to explain it hasn’t always been sunshine and sandy beaches.

Seven years ago, after a previous partnership turned sour, Ben struck out on his own under the banner Kaszbuilt Constructions. He started out with smaller jobs, growing his team slowly along the way.

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Now, with four full-time employees and regular six-figure projects rolling in, it looks like this steady-as-she-goes approach has paid off in full.

Moreover, as a savvy business owner, Ben is always on the hunt for ways to save money and boost productivity around the worksite.

The idea of adding a truck to the offering was in the back of his mind for a few years but was always pushed to the side with other pressing concerns.

In 2020 the stars finally aligned; the federal government announced the capital investment instant asset write-off and, at the same time, Ben realised just how much he was spending on skip bins per year … an eye-watering $40,000.

“I was always looking up different trucks and reading about them, but never doing anything about it,” Ben says.

“There were really two factors that drove me to buy it nine months ago — I was spending a lot of money on skip bins for site rubbish removal and the government incentive kicked in.

“I remember thinking: ‘Well what else has to happen here, for me to think it’s the right time to buy?’”

All it took was a quick call into Suttons Trucks at Arncliffe, and Ben came away with a brand new

NPR 45-155 tipper. Adding some extra sauce to his new work truck, he added an aluminium toolbox between the cab and body, H-bar racks for carting long materials and a rollout canopy that covers the entire tipper tray. For the finishing touches: tinted windows and electric blue and black Kaszbuilt signage across the truck.

“I don’t know why it took me so long to do it,” Ben confesses.

“The number of compliments it gets from people in the local industry, or just random people, whether it’s at the shops or in the carpark … even the guys at the tip say: ‘That truck looks too good to come in here!’”

Ben notes the biggest benefit the NPR tipper delivers is the freedom to use it for anything the team needs — the truck’s eight-tonne gross combined mass easily handling jobs they just couldn’t do with a ute — and wholly replacing that expensive skip bin hire.

With an all-steel body construction and volume of 2.3 cubic metres, drop sides, auto-release tailgate and auto-release body lockdown hook, loading and unloading is no trouble with the NPR tipper, whether it’s carting site rubbish or construction materials. A shovel rack and rope rails on both sides also help secure things neatly.

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ISUZU APPOINTS NEW INNOVATION MANAGER

Classed at the 4.5-tonne gross vehicle mass mark, the tipper can be driven on a standard car licence, allowing Kaszbuilt to do more of the work itselves and reducing the need for thirdparty contractors.

“We can do rubbish removal, deliveries, pickups, everything with the tipper – we’re no longer dependent on other people or other companies to get things done,” Ben explains.

“On my last few jobs, I’ve loaded the truck, driven it straight up the road to the tip and brought it back on site within half an hour, instead of coordinating skip bins and waiting a day or two for those to be filled and emptied.

“This tipper is just making our life easier at work,” he continues.

“Our workload has even ramped up since we’ve had it because we’re saving time.

“You get independence, you get better productivity, and you get major cost savings with a truck on hand.

“And best thing? This new truck was tax deductible!”

“OUR WORKLOAD HAS EVEN RAMPED UP SINCE WE’VE HAD IT BECAUSE WE’RE SAVING TIME.”

Top: The Isuzu NPR tipper is able to be driven on a car licence Above: Kaszbuilt’s Isuzu NPR 45-155 tipper – too nice a truck to be at the local tip Left: Part of the Kaszbuilt Construction team

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Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) has announced the appointment of Alex Morris as the brand’s innovation manager.

Coming under IAL’s newly formed Strategy banner, the Innovation department is primarily responsible for gathering information on technological innovations in the automotive world, namely in the CASE (connected, autonomous, shared, electric) space.

The department is also charged with the commercialisation of new technologies and business models to support Isuzu’s unsurpassed market leadership.

Morris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this critical area of the business, having spent the better part of a decade as a sought-after management and automotive consultant.

With a solid grounding in finance, procurement and management accounting, Morris spent time with global giants KPMG and EY working across the motor industry services and advisory teams in both Australia and Brazil.

Specifically, this work revolved around streamlining Mobility as a Service theory (Shared), including source to contract (S2C), procure to pay (P2P) and order to cash (O2C) processes, as well as in building financial models and business cases to assess the feasibility of new projects.

Engaging closely with OEM and dealership clients, he worked to unlock several efficiencies and enhance business performance through the re-structuring of finance and operational processes.

IAL’s chief of strategy, Grant Cooper, says the recruitment of Morris was a boon for Australia’s number-one truck brand.

“This appointment is about ensuring that IAL is best placed to capitalise on the emerging trends that will shape the future of road transport in Australia.

“IAL have been leaders in this market for over three decades, and it’s this type of forward thinking and future proofing that ensures our record remains intact.

“Moreover, the appointment of someone of Alex’s calibre is a windfall, not only for our business today, but also for the development of our future product and service offering.

“We welcome Alex to the Isuzu family and we’re excited to see the new ground he’ll forge in this vital area of the business.”

Morris said he was looking forward to exploring and responding to new technologies on behalf of the truck market leader.

“Given the shifting context of the automotive and commercial vehicle sector, I believe innovation will become increasingly important to future-proofing IAL. “I want to make tangible progress in bringing innovative products and solutions that are directly linked to improving the experience of our customers, while also positioning IAL as a more sustainable player in the road transport industry.

“My vision is to ensure a responsible and reliable rollout of new technology, resulting in a growing and upwards trajectory for the company.”

In addition, Morris said he was looking forward to understanding the key drivers that have led to Isuzu’s strong customer relationships over the past three decades.

“I have already noticed how well IAL looks after our customers, dealers and people, in line with the company’s corporate values,” he says.

“The positive culture and longstanding tenure of some of our team members is a testimony that IAL practices what it preaches.

“Ultimately this is all about providing better transport solutions for Australian businesses. It’s something I’m extremely passionate about and I can’t wait to get underway.”

Above: Alex Morris, Isuzu Australia Limited’s newlyappointed innovation manager

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14/12/21 5:21 pm

brand report

IVECO’S CHANGE OF HEART Iveco Australia’s much anticipated announcement that it will move to full importation of its heavy-duty truck range is set to close the curtain on Australia’s oldest truck manufacturing plant. Built by International Harvester and producing its first truck in 1952, the vast Dandenong (Vic) facility will inevitably cease operations mid-way through 2022.

Steve Brooks reports

R

ight now, Australia has three truck manufacturing plants. Soon, there will be two. Mid-way through 2022, the sprawling Dandenong (Vic) production facility, built in 1952 by International Harvester as a safeguard against reliance on overseas suppliers during Australia’s post-war construction boom, will build no more.

In its long history, the factory has produced almost quarter of a million trucks, or more than three times the current number of trucks built by either Paccar Australia’s Bayswater (Vic) facility or Volvo Group Australia’s Wacol (Qld) plant.

However, following a long and stellar performance during the halcyon years of International Harvester, the factory and its thousands of employees have also endured many challenging times.

In 1992, for instance, with International Harvester suffering dire economic distress, the brand’s Australian operation and its Dandenong production facility were rescued from economic oblivion by European conglomerate Iveco.

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But now, 30 years on, the Dandenong plant’s history as a truck builder is about to be closed by what Iveco Australia cites as “a global transformation process”.

News of the facility’s ultimate demise after 70 years as a local manufacturer came in a recent and carefully crafted press release announcing Iveco Australia’s “development of the Customisation & Innovation Centre (CIC) and related changes that will impact its Australian manufacturing arm”.

From the end of June 2022, Iveco’s heavyduty models will be fully imported from a manufacturing facility in Madrid, Spain.

Speculation has been rife for several years that Iveco Australia’s increasingly poor heavy-duty sales volumes – dropping to less than 3 per cent of the heavy-duty sector despite a booming 2021 market – and its earlier decision to fully import medium-duty models in addition to its light-duty line-up, would inevitably sound the death knell for the huge Dandenong facility’s viability as a truck production factory.

What’s more, the plant sits on a vast expanse

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of land in a major development area of south-eastern Melbourne, leading to further speculation that the site’s worth as a manufacturing asset is massively outweighed by its real estate value.

Even so, managing director of Iveco Australia and New Zealand Michael May would not be drawn on details regarding the plant’s future.

May was appointed to the managing director’s role at Iveco Australia in February 2020 after a successful 20-year career with Daimler Trucks Australia, eventually becoming the head of Mercedes-Benz truck operations.

An erudite and carefully considered corporate executive, his move to Iveco was a surprise for many people, not least because of the company’s negative reputation as a merrygo-round of short-lived executive appointments led by a seemingly endless stream of mediocre managing directors.

It was, however, a convincing May who forecast a progressive new era for the brand when interviewed six months after taking the reins at Iveco. Still, an intensely cautious and typically corporate response emerged when asked if his ultimate task was to wind down manufacturing and assembly at the historic Dandenong factory, cash in on the sprawling facility’s massive land value, and become a full importer?

“We have opportunities to evolve provided we can bring adaptability and flexibility to the market and what it requires,” he answered earnestly, before adding: “The door’s open for a number of possibilities but all things will be pragmatically assessed and evaluated. It will take time.”

Predictably, perhaps, he would not discuss what those possibilities might be and nowadays his role is simply described as bringing “a renewed focus to our on-highway business”.

Yet, when May was recently asked by email if the formation of CIC means that the Dandenong facility, or part thereof, will be surplus to requirements and ultimately sold, a response arrived from Ella Letiagina, Iveco Australia’s head of network, product and marketing.

“We have focused first on our staff with the early notification so as to create a smooth transition as we develop CIC,” she stated. “This evolution will enable us to better assess facility requirements.”

Likewise, when asked how many jobs are expected to be lost in the transition to CIC, her statement indicated that details are still being determined: “We currently have 300 Iveco staff in our region ANZ [Australia and New Zealand]. As we develop more detail on the needs of our future business model we will be in a position to better estimate the impact.”

Obviously enough, the company and its executives are far more forthcoming on the formation and suggested benefits of the CIC, describing it as “a business unit that will further leverage Iveco’s local engineering and manufacturing expertise, transforming the company’s focus towards the customisation and innovation of its vehicles for local markets”.

Moreover, a company statement enthuses: “The CIC is being developed to better assist Iveco customers and body-

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“This evolution will enable us to better assess facility requirements.” builders – particularly those with complex body types – to achieve a more streamlined design and body fitment process for their vehicles.”

And, Iveco will be “placed to work more closely with Europe and local partners to explore areas such as alternative propulsion solutions, digitisation, connectivity and autonomous driving”.

Drawing on the Dandenong facility’s history will be a critical benefit for the CIC initiative, May states in Iveco’s press release.

“Historically, our most unique value proposition has been our ability to customise and specialise vehicles for our market, leveraging the expertise of our local engineering team and the local facility,” he said.

But just how much of that local engineering team and local facility will still be there after the end of June this year remains to be seen.

So, too, does it remain to be seen if the creation of CIC will transform Iveco’s flagging heavy- and medium-duty fortunes in our part of the world.

Whatever, and despite the apparent inevitability of its demise, the end of the Dandenong plant’s 70 years of truck manufacturing marks the despairing departure of yet another true icon of Australian manufacturing.

Top: Iveco Australia managing director, Michael May. Bringing down the curtain on truck manufacturing at the historic Dandenong plant Opposite: Iveco’s new S-Way. The shape of things to come as Iveco moves to fully imported heavyduty models Below, L to R: The fully imported Iveco Daily has been a lightduty success story for Iveco while the EuroCargo-based ACCO will now become a critical part of Iveco’s Customisation and Innovation Centre

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test drive

ANOTHER CLASS ACT

Every now and then a new truck comes along with the ability to surprise and impress in equal measure, and we’ve found just such a truck in Hino’s revitalised range of 700-series heavy-duty models. In fact, so surprising and so impressive was a truck and dog combination recently put through its paces that we’re now thinking Hino may actually have the best Japanese heavy-duty truck in the business. Steve Brooks reports.

A

s the saying goes, ‘timing is everything’ and, if that’s the case, Hino’s introduction of its vastly renewed 700-series heavy-duty range could be a classic case of just the right truck at just the right time.

Time will tell, of course, but right now it appears Hino is in a prime position to capitalise on a range of new models that, on one hand, etch an entirely new line in the sand for the Toyotaowned truck brand and, on the other, have the potential to exploit shortcomings in a couple of its competitive countrymen, namely Isuzu and its lately-acquired corporate collaborator UD. For its part, and despite unbroken leadership of the overall Australian truck market for more than three decades, Isuzu Australia has been devoid of a genuinely competitive heavy-duty prime mover or higher horsepower rigid model, and for almost as many years the company has been anxious to fill the void.

Of course, its lacklustre Giga heavyweight was available until recently, when it was withdrawn from the market, but it was a model that largely failed to attract more than token attention and, now, further exposes a

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highly visible hole in Isuzu’s local stable.

Meantime, and despite Isuzu Motors’ acquisition of UD from Volvo, there’s no sign that UD, and its well-equipped Quon, will anytime soon become the saviour for Isuzu Australia’s heavy-duty hopes, particularly with the Japanese brand continuing to be sold through the Volvo Group Australia network.

What’s more, Quon’s performance peak remains limited to 460hp (343kW) from a Volvo 11-litre engine and with no sign of the Swedish maker conceding to the introduction of its considerably more powerful 13-litre displacement, UD’s current peak is unlikely to satisfy Isuzu’s ambitions for a true heavyduty flagship able to go toe-to-toe with the Europeans or its Japanese competitors.

Moreover, while a recent brief discussion with Isuzu Australia’s top management at least confirmed the company’s continuing dream of one day displacing Kenworth and Volvo at the top of the heavy-duty tree, it failed to outline any plans for the addition of a suitable contender for prime mover and heavy rigid roles.

As for the much-mentioned and somewhat exciting possibility of Japan’s new Giga model

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“Engine performance can feel decidedly brisk in suburban traffic streams.”

Right: Classy interior. Hino sets a new standard for the interior design and finish of Japanese trucks Below: Handling and road manners of the FS2848 truck and dog combination were exceptionally good, as was ZF’s brilliant Traxon transmission.

Likewise, the retardation effort of a Jake brake working in conjunction with a ZF Intarder was outstanding

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being developed for our market with the lively performance of a Cummins X12 engine, Isuzu’s purchase of UD has apparently seen that project shelved. Indefinitely, it seems.

All this suggests the time couldn’t be better for Hino and, similarly, Daimler’s Fuso, to make the most of Isuzu’s vacuum and, in the process, perhaps rescind the widespread reputation of UD’s Quon as the best-equipped Japanese heavyduty truck in the Australian market.

As already explained in previous reports, Hino’s new line in the heavy-duty sand is an expanded model range equipped with exceptional levels of standard equipment. Among many notables are a highly advanced safety package, the addition of Hino’s nine-litre engine in rigid versions to accompany the existing 13-litre plant, a powertrain pushing through fully automatic or automated manual transmissions, and a stylishly refurbished cab paying high regard to driver comfort and convenience.

By any measure, it’s a remarkably comprehensive range, not only far beyond anything Hino has previously offered in its heavy-duty stable, but equipped to be a truly potent competitor to equivalent Japanese and European models.

Our first on-road sample of the new line-up was supplied recently in a 6x2 2632 model punched by a 320hp (239kW) version of the nine-litre engine that, like its 13-litre brother, complies with Euro 6 emissions standards.

Fitted with a curtain-sided body grossing around 18.5 tonnes and driving through a six-speed Allison automatic, a lengthy test run over diverse routes confirmed the model’s absolute suitability for shorthaul distribution roles. However, as our report also explained, there were a couple of curious quirks with the driver monitoring system.

Quirks or not, though, we could draw only one conclusion: “There’s no denying the extraordinary advances in Hino’s new 700-series and the immense potential for a much healthier slice of the heavy-duty 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.”

A ‘hit’ indeed, with no greater example than the recent performance and manners delivered by an FS2848 six-wheeler tipper coupled to a three-axle dog trailer.

Sure, after a demanding 250km route from Hino HQ in southern Sydney down to industrial Wollongong, up the long

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Mt Ousley climb and across to Mittagong in the Southern Highlands before returning through suburban Sydney, there were a few things about the truck that, in our estimation, could further enhance the model’s significant appeal.

We’ll get to those ‘things’ shortly but, overall, this version of Hino’s reborn heavy-duty range was nothing less than a model of superb road manners and adroit operational ability, quickly generating the thought that this particular unit is possibly the best Japanese truck this commentator has ever driven.

Externally, 13-litre models such as the FS2848 are distinguished from their nine-litre siblings by four (rather than three) chrome grille slats but, of course, it’s from behind the wheel where the true character of the truck – and this truck in particular – becomes most apparent and so easily appreciated.

Smart specs Other than the extra slat in the grille of 13-litre versions, the greatly upgraded cab is common to all 700-series models and as previously reported, “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.”

From any angle though, it is an attractive, stylish

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and highly functional layout. Again referring to our previous report, ‘Mounted on a four-point air suspension arrangement, the impressively refashioned cab stands reasonably tall but wellplaced 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 features all-new instrumentation with large, high contrast speedometer and tachometer, and a central multi-information display, which contains important details such as SmartSafe settings, driving economy, gear selection and vehicle maintenance data.’

And, of course, there’s a high quality multi-media unit for the radio and all the technical titbits such as Bluetooth and reversing camera.

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

Indeed, given the high standards of comfort and

operational ease in an environment of modern and functional quality, it wouldn’t surprise if the great majority of drivers consider 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.’

Equally, the standard ‘SmartSafe’ safety package is shared across all 700-series models, featuring the modern and increasingly-accepted advances of autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian detection and ‘safety eye’ functions, a driver awareness monitoring system, vehicle stability control, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and an electronic braking system. Not quite so advanced but definitely worthwhile in any safety suite are LED headlights and daytime running lamps, and reversing camera.

Fortunately, though, some of the driver monitoring functions in the 13-litre test truck weren’t as overly active with unwarranted warnings about driver awareness or heavy acceleration as they had been in the nine-litre rigid model.

There is, however, another major safety asset in the form of a Jacobs engine brake on nine-litre models and on 13-litre versions, the combination of a Jake brake with ZF’s multi-stage Intarder hydraulic retarder. In the FS2848 truck ’n dog, the

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“The seamless and perfectly timed shifts highlighted an ideally programmed powertrain.” effectiveness of the retardation system was absolutely brilliant. Yet, as we’ve expressed before, given all the advanced safety features in the new range, it was somewhat surprising Hino didn’t adopt disc brakes.

Still, company insiders are adamant the move from a traditional S-cam design to Hino’s ‘Taper Roller’ brake system not only provides significant gains in tare weight but also delivers smoother and more consistent brake feel. And in our test run, there was certainly nothing to complain about the progressive and potent braking performance of the new Hino.

The biggest surprise of all, however, was Hino’s decision to retain peak power of the 700’s reliable 13-litre engine at the existing peak of 480hp despite being fully aware of

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Fuso’s planned addition of a 13-litre 510hp (380kW) model to its heavy-duty Shogun range. From any angle it appears a strange decision, particularly in a power-conscious market such as Australia and even more particularly, because Hino has a 500-plus version of its 13-litre engine already available in Japan.

Even so, Hino has done a superb job of tailoring an ideal powertrain to its 13-litre common rail engine’s performance peaks of 480hp (353kW) at 1,600 to 1,800rpm and 2,157Nm (1,590lb-ft) of torque from 1,000 to 1,500rpm.

In fact, with peak power and top torque on tap across a broad rev range, engine performance can feel decidedly brisk in suburban traffic streams as it feeds through the exceptionally slick steps and intuitive smarts of ZF’s super-

Top left: It’s a reasonably lofty climb into the smartly restyled cab but it’s at least made easy by well-placed steps and grab rails Opposite middle: One of very few negatives, the driver’s side mirror encroaches on vision at roundabouts and the like

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smooth 16-speed Traxon automated transmission, operated through a simple rotary knob on the left side of the dash.

On undulating country roads, though, there were also occasions when performance could feel decidedly ‘doughy’. Again, it’s hard to understand Hino’s apparent reluctance to crack 500hp (373kW) when there are so many advances in other areas.

Driving through an overdrive (0.821:1) top gear into a 3.9:1 rear axle ratio, 100km/h is notched on top of the torque band at a twitch over 1,500rpm, with the truck running on polished Alcoa wheels fitted with 295/80R22.5 tyres on the steer and 11R22.5 on the drive.

While the front end rides on taper leaf spring packs, Hino offers the choice of a Hendrickson airbag rear suspension or the Japanese maker’s own six-rod assembly on the FS2848 and wisely, perhaps, chose the latter for a truck and three-axle dog combination fitted with Hardox steel tipper bodies from Chris’s Body Builders in Melbourne.

It’s also worth noting the FS six-wheeler is available with wheelbases of 4.2, 4.5 and 6.3 metres, the latter obviously for long rigid bodies and the shorter two largely for tipper and prime mover applications.

Ups and downs Among very few disappointments with the test unit was that gross weight was on the shy side at 38.5 tonnes rather than at full weight of 45 tonnes or thereabouts. If nothing else, a higher weight would have given the exercise more real world cred. After all, the FS2848 is rated for gross weights up to 63 tonnes.

Nonetheless, there’s no denying the fundamental qualities of Hino’s top toiler and, from the outset, superb handling and road manners combined with an intuitively adept drivetrain to quickly forge a confident and highly positive opinion of the model’s many attributes, including one of the

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modern world’s best inventions for heavy trucks – hill hold! Combined with the aptitude and sweet shifts of the Traxon transmission, lift-offs from a standing start at steep intersections were totally stress-free and around town, in tight traffic, it was simply a supremely comfortable, quiet, smooth and altogether easy combination to operate.

Yet, just as its 6x2 sibling revealed in our earlier test, the wide mirror housing on the driver’s door considerably impedes right-side vision at roundabouts and the like. Hino isn’t alone in this design flaw but it’s certainly something that needs to be addressed.

However, as the demands changed to rolling hills on the run south to Wollongong, the combined attributes of adaptive cruise control and the retardation of a Jake brake working in concert with the formidable strength of a three-stage ZF Intarder were brilliantly capable of keeping road speed firmly under control. There are a couple of deceptively steep grades on the run to Wollongong but so effective was the retardation effort that even slight touches on the service brakes were rarely required.

Of course, the most demanding descent of all is the long drop down Mt Ousley where a 40km/h truck speed limit is strictly enforced, yet keeping the Hino restrained was as simple as swapping between 9th and 11th gear, and moving the retarder wand through its various stages as the different grades and traffic flow demanded. Easy!

On the uphill run, the steepest pinch saw the Traxon transmission drop to 9th gear and, after that, migrating seamlessly through higher gears.

Quite simply, this is a superb transmission that makes the most of the 13-litre engine’s relatively modest but altogether honest outputs.

At this point, though, it’s worth mentioning that throttle pressure is perhaps too soft in the final stages of travel, causing the transmission

to kick down a gear or two when it’s not necessarily required.

From Mt Ousley the truck was pointed west to the Hume Freeway before the long drag up Skyline near Mittagong where, with cruise control making all the decisions, the combination dropped back to 11th gear around 1,400rpm. Again, the seamless and perfectly timed shifts highlighted an ideally programmed powertrain.

By this stage of a reasonably demanding run, the Hino’s on-board computer was showing

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“In the FS2848 truck ’n dog, the effectiveness of the retardation system was absolutely brilliant.”

Above: While nine-litre models use a three-slat grille, a four-slat face defines a 13-litre engine under the greatly upgraded cab.

However, Hino’s decision to keep its 13-litre lump at a maximum of 480hp is surprising and somewhat disappointing

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an underwhelming fuel average of 1.6km/litre (4.52mpg) but with the toughest legs behind, the trip back to Hino headquarters from Mittagong and through Sydney’s southern suburbs saw the fuel average improve considerably, finishing a testing day at 1.9km/litre, or 5.4mpg. All things considered, it was probably a reasonable return for an engine with little more than 6,000km on the clock at the start of the exercise.

Overall, the FS2848 truck-and-dog combination firmly reinforced the initial impression that Hino’s new range of 700-series heavy-duty models is something special, far beyond anything the brand has ever offered before and further endorsing the belief that some Japanese makers are now entirely capable of going head-to-head with their continental competitors.

Yes, it’s surprising and even disappointing that Hino didn’t push its 13-litre engine to 500hp and more, and

there’s still room for improvement in things like the driver side mirror placement.

However, when the total powertrain is appraised on its collective merit, and handling, comfort, driving ease, safety and road manners are assessed as positive contributors to a remarkably smooth and effective workplace, the only conclusion is that Hino’s 700-series trucks have the features and abilities to carve a high profile and ultimately highly profitable future for the brand.

As for the suggestion that the FS2848 truck and dog combination supplied for this exercise is perhaps the best Japanese heavy-duty truck I’ve ever driven: Well, so far, it probably is.

Whether that’s still the case after driving Fuso’s 510hp Shogun flagship in the next couple of months … again, time will tell!

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tech briefs

Going autonomous in the Pilbara Mining company Mineral Resources (MRL) has announced its plan to run a fleet of 425 tonne gross combination mass (GCM), triple-trailer road trains operating across multiple convoys, with each autonomous road train convoy consisting of up to five prime mover trucks, with three trailers each, hauling the ore from the mine site to the Port of Ashburton.

MRL is forming a partnership with automation specialist, Hexagon, to develop an autonomous road train solution as part of its mining services infrastructure supply chain solution.

Mineral Resources says the autonomous road trains will form an essential part of the costefficient supply chain for the Ashburton hub iron ore project.

The autonomous road train solution integrates Hexagon’s drive-by-wire technology with an autonomous management system to orchestrate vehicle movement.

A pilot project is underway at MRL’s Yilgarn operations using 385 tonne GCM triple-trailer road trains, which have been

tailored for the specific economic constraints of iron ore and other bulk commodities.

During the next two years, the testing will continue, ramping up to 425 tonne GCM in time for the Ashburton Hub Project.

“MRL has always been at the forefront of providing innovative and low-cost mining services solutions,” says Mike Grey, MRL chief executive – mining services.

“In recent years, we have implemented a number of new technologies which have enhanced the safety and operational efficiency of our long-distance road train haulage fleet, reducing the risks of driver fatigue and increasing fleet availability. The autonomous road trains will take us to the next level again. They provide a safe, cost-efficient solution for hauling ore, which is key to unlocking stranded tonnes in the Pilbara,” says Grey.

“Being part of the MRL Group, our mining services division is in a really good position to trial all of our new technologies on our own mine sites prior to

offering additional services to our customers. Our autonomous road trains, combined with our other innovations, are all part of our growth strategy to expand our capability to provide full pit-to-ship, low-cost infrastructure solutions.

“While the tech is impressive,

autonomisation is an issue that will greatly impact drivers in coming years so while these kinds of projects might be profitable for companies the balance in AI and human interaction behind the wheel is problematic and will require critical discussion.”

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tech briefs

Cummins bolsters US hydrogen propulsion Engine-maker Cummins has opened its Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powertrain Integration Centre in West Sacramento, California. The move signals its commitment to scaling the green hydrogen economy in the United States, the company said.

The facility aims to aid development of its ‘proton-exchange membrane’ (PEM) fuel cell technology.

“Our presence in West Sacramento is important to advancing hydrogen technologies while being a central part of the decarbonisation conversation in the United States,” Cummins vice president of its New Power arm Amy Davis says.

“With the most advanced hydrogen infrastructure system in the country, California provides a great ecosystem for advancing alternative power technologies.

“Ultimately, our goal is to accelerate change in transportation, innovate for our customers and put more zeroemissions vehicles on the road. This facility will help us do exactly that.”

Cummins is investing in two types of hydrogen fuel cells: PEM fuel cells and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).

At the West Sacramento facility, the focus is PEM fuel cells, which are considered a good solution for high-power transportation applications, like heavy-duty, long-haul trucks.

When the hydrogen used to fuel a fuel cell vehicle is green, meaning it is produced using renewable electricity, the result is zero-carbon transportation.

“We’re investing heavily in alternative power solutions, particularly hydrogen fuel cells, batteries and electric drivetrains,” vice president of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies Amy Adams says.

“We have unique expertise and talent to bring these together and put trucks in our customers’ hands today.”

The new 1,672 square metre Cummins site is designed specifically for hydrogen innovation, including safety features, and will house fuel cell integration and fuel cell powertrain development and testing, controls and electrical engineering.

Cummins will be the largest tenant at the California Fuel Cell Partnership facility, which is occupied by other alternative power innovators and technology companies.

Despite doubts being expressed on the long-term viability of hydrogen fuel cell propulsion in the face of advances in battery electric power, Cummins appears in no doubt.

Recently, it hosted a ‘Hydrogen Day’, where it spruiked its technical expertise and the manufacturing and customer support capabilities to successfully bring to market a range of hydrogenrelated products at a scale for widespread adoption.

“Hydrogen technologies, particularly electrolysers, will be a fast-growing and increasingly important part

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of our business over the next few years,” Cummins chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger said at the virtual event, which was said to have drawn a registered audience of more than 3,000 analysts, media members, environmental advocates and others.

“As momentum increases worldwide for the use of hydrogen solutions, we will continue to leverage our industry-leading hydrogen technologies, our deep customer relationships and our extensive service network to enable adoption.”

Not that the company is ignoring battery electric.

“Cummins has a long history of advanced technology and engineering capabilities, and a broad portfolio of market-leading renewable hydrogen and battery electric technologies,” it says.

“To date, Cummins has deployed more than 2,000 fuel cells, 600 electrolysers and 400 battery electric powertrains globally.”

AUSTRALIA POST’S FIRST ECANTERS PUT TO WORK

Australia Post has welcomed the first of 20 electric trucks to its national delivery fleet, with three Fuso eCanters now delivering parcels to customers in Melbourne. Another 17 will be in operation during the year.

The eCanter adds to Australia Post’s existing electric delivery fleet of more than 2,100 electric delivery vehicles and 1,400 electric bicycles and follows the successful trial of the Daimler-developed truck in late 2019.

Australia Post general manager networks James Dixon says the addition of the eCanters to Australia Post’s delivery fleet was an exciting step for the organisation.

“We’re very proud to be Australia’s largest electric fleet operator, but up until this point our electric fleet has consisted solely of smaller delivery vehicles that are used for the lastmile,” Dixon says.

“We’ve trialled a range of electric trucks previously, but the Fuso eCanter is the first we’ve found that suits both Australian conditions and our unique operational needs.”

The remaining 17 eCanters will hit the streets delivering in major capital cities with the rollout of the new vehicles supported by Australia Post fleet management provider SG Fleet.

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific president and CEO Daniel Whitehead nominated Australia Post as the perfect first Australian customer for the eCanter.

“Daimler is thrilled to partner with such an iconic brand as Australia Post on a journey towards carbon neutral freight transportation in Australia,” Whitehead says.

Australia Post chief sustainability officer Susan Mizrahi noted that expanding the current electric fleet was an important part of the

Australia Post’s 2020-22 Corporate Responsibility plan and its sciencebased target to reduce emission by 15 per cent by 2025.

“This is an important milestone for our business,” Mizrahi says.

“We know that every delivery has a carbon footprint which is why we’re committed to reducing our emissions through growing our electric fleet and increasing our renewable energy production to help power these new vehicles.”

Australia Post’s committed to reducing scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent by FY2025 (from a FY2019 baseline), aligned with a well-below 2 degrees C pathway.

Any emissions generated by the electricity usage from the Fuso eCanter will be offset through the purchase of renewable energy certificates.

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MITSUBISHI FS 8X4 2007, FS52 FUSO 8x4 Crane Truck with 36002 Palfinger in Cert Crane & Remote. Very reliable *Powered By a 395Hp Turbo Diesel Engine with only 330,000ks. *18 Speed Road Ranger. *PK36002 crane (2 x hydraulic extensions) inc 4 x stabilizer legs (ie 2 per side), a steel approxH8200 8m L x35 Overall yes. QLD. 2014DIY1083333.

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FREIGHTLINER ARGOSY 101 2008, low kilometre 2008 Freightliner Argosy 110, bisalloy Hercules Tipper with sleeper cab. This has done genuine low kms - 227,000 - Build date: 11/08. This unit is in excellent condition, tipper has done little work and is in excellent condition, no. QLD. DIY1074560.

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In the event that a service on 1300 362 272 they suspect an advertisement may be fraudulent. In that a buyer suffers financial lossifas a result of responding to a private advertisement in the thisevent publication buyer suffers financial lossMedia as a result of responding private in this publication Prime Creative (The Publisher) shall to nota be held advertisement liable or responsible.

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OWD 348 65-69.indd 69

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FOR THE OWNER-DRIVER Frank Black

Wheels in motion Goodbye to 2021 as we look forward to a better deal in the New Year – COVID or no COVID

Y

ou’d struggle to find a driver anywhere in Australia who isn’t glad 2021 is finally over. I remember just how relieved we all were last January to see 2020 in the rearview mirror. None of us could have predicted what we were driving headfirst into last year.

We were locked out of truck stops, sent on wild goose chases to find open testing clinics, and forced to wait for hours to cross state borders (in one instance, it took over 24 hours for me to get the all-clear to get into Queensland). When we should have been focused on resting during our breaks we were glued to our phones, desperately searching government websites to make sure COVID rules hadn’t changed – again.

With any luck, those pandemic pressures will be a thing of the past this year thanks to our sky-high vaccination rates.

But without serious commitments from government to fix the usual challenges of life on the road – like strict deadlines from clients, slipping safety standards, serious fatigue and atrocious rest stop infrastructure – my biggest worry is that 2022 will be more of the same for owner-drivers and drivers alike.

Take financial pressures, for example. On the other side of the Christmas rush, where pressures from clients keen to move as much gear as possible is always at its more

dangerous, a quieter January gives us an opportunity to take stock of how we are tracking in any given financial year.

TAKING RISKS As an owner-driver, when your bottom line’s that scary shade of red, the pressure’s on to figure out what you’ll do to turn things around?

How will I cover my costs, let alone make a profit? Forget about taking the family away for a holiday. How will I cover my mortgage or rent or bills, let alone put some money away for a rainy day? What risks am I going to be forced to take to remedy this situation?

It’s a horrible situation to be in.

This bind often forces drivers to agree to take more trips. You work longer hours, drive tired or feel forced to take more risks to bring in enough money to tread water.

Even after all that, there’s no guarantee you’ll make any money. A Transport Workers Union survey last year of over 1,100 drivers showed 75 per cent of owner-drivers had finished a run that made them no profit.

This means the cycle of risk taking just keeps on turning.

These cost pressures don’t just hit the back pocket – they have real life consequences too.

We all know drivers who have been killed or serious injured on the road. After more than 30 years in the industry, I have had a couple

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.

of near misses and seen enough dangerous driving to scare you off getting behind the wheel ever again.

Not that those big companies at the top of supply chains care. All that matters to them is that their stock gets from depot to depot in as short a period as possible, ignoring the devastating impacts the deadly pressure they put on drivers has on our industry and the people who rely on it.

This shouldn’t be case – and it’s steadily getting worse.

So much of this risk-taking could be fixed by being honest that things desperately need to change – and that government has an important role to play.

MAKING CHANGES I’ve written over and over in this column, and even said it to politicians in parliamentary hearings, that we need a tribunal or regulator to finally fix these financial pressures.

It may get some noses out of joint, but there’s no point creating a body without the power to make change. It needs to have teeth, with the ability to set minimum rates of pay and safety standards so we don’t have to make terrible choices, like choosing whether we service our trucks or put food on the table.

This doesn’t mean owner-drivers shouldn’t have flexibility. We should be able to negotiate with clients, but a legislated minimum means we can’t be continually undercut and have our margins constantly shaved down to the point we are running on the whiff of an oily rag.

The federal government has options.

There are simple solutions in a landmark Senate report which says we need this kind of regulation to lift industry standards and clean up supply chains.

To me it’s a no-brainer. I just wish keeping us safe on the road was as much a priority for politicians as it is for us.

2021 showed just how essential we are to keep Australia running. Without drivers stepping up when everything else was shutting down, the country wouldn’t have been able to ride through the pandemic as well as it did. But we can’t be taken for granted.

As hard-working people of an essential industry, over the festive season break we should have been spoiling our family that has stood behind us and put up with our absence because we were on the road. People of other industries do – do our families not deserve it too?

When you’re taking stock of your finances this month, think about what it would mean to you and your family to finally have minimum pay and safety standards to rely on.

No more undercutting, no more deadly pressure, no more preventable injuries and deaths. A road transport industry where you’re finally paid a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. It doesn’t need to be a pipe dream.

Let’s stand together and demand better in 2022. We must force the government to put the wheels in motion to make drastic and long-lasting changes.

We owe it to ourselves, our families and future drivers to finally fix these problems once and for all.

Have a safe and happy New Year.

“It took over 24 hours for me to get the all-clear to get into Queensland.”

70 JANUARY 2022

OWD_348_070_COL_Frank Black_GB.indd 70

ownerdriver.com.au

14/12/21 5:19 pm

NatRoad

Conference 2022

Don’t miss the NatRoad Conference 2022 to reconnect with the industry.

17-19 March 2022 Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove, Queensland Have your voice heard at the NatRoad Parliament and let us know what’s keeping you up at night.

Reconnect with your mates at the many social functions in a great setting.

Hear from leaders in the industry about what is planned for the future of the industry.

Accommodation is limited, so get in quick. Early bird registration closes 4 February 2022.

Book online at www.natroadconference.com.au or give us a call on 1800 272 144.

We look forward to seeing you at the industry event of the year.

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