Prime Mover February 2019

®

Februar y 2019

Ceravolo Orchards A Better Future

FEBRUARY 2019 $11.00

ISSN 1838-2320 02

9 771838 232000

Industry Fleet: Sydney Sideloaders Launch: Hino 500 Series Feature: Abcor Personality: Augmented Intelligence Team Leader

Innovation Fleet: Australia Post Technology: UD Trucks Automation Test Drive: Isuzu NPS Final Mile: Fuso Built Ready Canter

T H E P E O P L E & P R O D U C T S T H AT M A K E T R A N S P O RT M O V E

ISUZU TRUCKS

Thirty years and * still number one.

*Currently 30 years leadership (1989-2018) according to T-Mark industry statistics. FSA/ISZ12212

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Februar y 2019

Ceravolo Orchards A Better Future

MEET THE TEAM

Australia’s leading truck magazine, Prime Mover, continues to invest more in its products and showcases a deep pool of editorial talent with a unique mix of experience and knowledge.

FEBRUARY 2019 $11.00

ISSN 1838-2320

John Murphy | Managing Director

John has been the nation’s foremost authority in commercial road transport media for almost two decades and is the driving force behind Prime Creative Media becoming Australia’s biggest specialist B2B publishing and events company. Committed to servicing the transport and logistics industry, John continues to work tirelessly to represent it in a positive light and is widely considered a true champion for the growth of the Australian trucking and manufacturing industry.

Luke Applebee | Managing Editor, Transport Group

Luke has a background in copywriting and content marketing, working with a range of businesses from solar and engineering to freight forwarding and 3PL. With a special focus on digital marketing and content creation, Luke has a strong strategic edge and can draw on years of experience in social media campaign management.

9 771838 232000

02

Industry Fleet: Sydney Sideloaders Launch: Hino 500 Series Feature: Abcor Personality: Augmented Intelligence Team Leader

Innovation Fleet: Australia Post Technology: UD Trucks Automation Test Drive: Isuzu NPS Final Mile: Fuso Built Ready Canter

T H E P E O P L E & P R O D U C T S T H AT M A K E T R A N S P O RT M O V E

managing director

John Murphy john.murphy@primecreative.com.au

editor William Craske

william.craske@primecreative.com.au managing editor,

transport group

Luke Applebee luke.applebee@primecreative.com.au

senior feature Peter Shields writer peter.shields@primecreative.com.au

Terry Wogan terry.wogan@primecreative.com.au

0417 474 752 advertising sales

business

Sarah Leptos

development sarah.leptos@primecreative.com.au manager

0403 485 140

William Craske | Editor

In his 15-year career as a journalist, William has reported knowledgeably on sports, entertainment and agriculture. He has held senior positions in marketing and publicity across theatrical and home entertainment, and also has experience in B2B content creation and social-media strategy for the logistics sector.

Peter Shields | Senior Feature Writer A seasoned transport industry professional, Peter has spent more than a decade in the media industry. Starting out as a heavy vehicle mechanic, he managed a fuel tanker fleet and held a range of senior marketing and management positions in the oil and chemicals industry before becoming a nationally acclaimed transport journalist.

art director Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

design

Blake Storey, Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty

journalist Paul Matthei paul.matthei@primecreative.com.au

publication co-ordinator

Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

client success manager

Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au

head office 11-15 Buckhurst Street

South Melbourne VIC 3205

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Sarah Leptos | Business Development Manager

Sarah comes from a corporate background, having worked very closely engaging and growing some of Australia’s small to medium sized businesses whilst working in financial services. She has experience in client relationship management and business development with a strong focus on investing time into improving client business growth.

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articles

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copyright

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THE ALL-NEW STREET SMART TRUCK HAS ARRIVED.

XAVIER_HINO36074

AUSTRALIA’S SAFEST MEDIUM DUTY JAPANESE TRUCK. VISIT HINO.COM.AU

CONTENTS

Prime Mover February 2019

40 36

54

24

44

COVER STORY “Apples are very heavy so we work right on our limits of 24 and 25 tonnes all the time. It’s not so much the mileage we do but how we are forced to do it with return journeys daily through the hills on a single trailer. It’s tough going.”

32

STACK EXCHANGE

Prime Feature Stories FLEET

24 A Better Future Tech savvy agricultural company, Ceravolo Orchards, with its exacting transport task, asks a lot of its trucks. As the destination for the first S-series cab in Scania’s New Truck Generation in Australia it has wasted no time discovering the state of the art capabilities of the powerful S 650 V8.

32 Stack Exchange As a specialist in containerised cargo, Sydney Sideloaders, keeps a hectic schedule working on the waterfront of one of the busiest ports in the world. To ensure its fleet of prime movers is revitalised and raring to go six days a week the company invests in the Agility Program from Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

TRUCK AND TECH

36 Closing the Gap Hino is on the hunt for a much larger slice of the Australian medium-duty truck market. To this end, the company has pulled out all stops in the development of its all-new 500 Series Standard Cab range. Prime Mover went to Japan to find out more.

TEST DRIVE

48 Off the Road Again The combination of Isuzu’s innovative compartmentalised Servicepack bodies fitted on its 4x4 running gear with up to

7.5 tonne GVM has taken another significant step with the integration of a two pedal automated transmission and can now access work sites in much more demanding terrain while keeping its occupants comfortable and safe.

FINAL MILE

52 Body of Work The Fuso Built Ready Canter range now extends across six models and can be wheeled straight out of dealerships to get customers working immediately.

Regular Run 08 From the Editor 10 Prime Mover News 60 Personality 66 Australian Road Transport Suppliers Association 69 Australian Trucking Association 70 Australian Logistics Council 71 National Road Transport Association 72 Truck Industry Council 73 Victorian Transport Association 74 Peter Shields’ Number Crunch

FROM THE EDITOR

Ancient wisdom

William Craske Editor

8

febr u a r y 2019

”Make it new!” was a kind of catchphrase associated with poet Ezra Pound, a gauntlet thrown down to others in his field, to innovate and break with the mould. In the commercial sector, it might be said, that this idea was taken one step further by computer engineer Howard Aiken. “The problem in this business,” he said, “isn’t to keep people from stealing your ideas, it’s making them steal your ideas.”

The very utility of something – the wheel, concrete, the compass, and the microchip – has, over centuries, shaped our conception of what is possible in engineering and how best to reproduce it for demand.

Two thousand years ago, the ancient Greeks won a decisive battle during the Persian Wars that altered or rather saved, as it was then in its infancy, western civilisation. Three years prior to the battle of Salamis, general Themistocles, persuaded the then Athens Assembly to commission a build of 200 triremes, an ancient seafaring vessel, now understood to have been funded by silver mines discovered in Laurion. The unique innovation of the trireme design still baffles many ancient scholars, engineers and historians of today.

These galleys used by the ancient Greeks with three files of oarsmen on each side of the vessel had a two pronged bronze ram fitted at the waterline of the prow for rupturing the length of an enemy ship. Despite being heavily outnumbered by Xerxes’ superior naval force, the Greeks, in a tactical triumph, lured the invading Persian fleet into the narrows between Salamis and the isle of Pysttaleia, where the heavier ships with an uncommon ratio of weight, speed

and propulsion helped by having the oarsmen arranged on top of each other, made short work of the invading forces. “So complex was the ancient design of vessel, oar and sail that in the sixteenth century when the Venetian shipwrights attempted to duplicate the Athenian method of oarage, the result was mostly unseaworthy galleys,” notes historian Victor Davis Hanson. “Modern engineers have still not mastered the ancient design, despite the use of advanced computer technology and some 2,500 years of nautical expertise.”

Talk by historians of the stability, strength and feasibility of the ancient trireme would not be out of place at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show, where the latest heavy vehicles made new, borrowed and bettered from prototypes and successful predecessors, will offer unprecedented gains in power and efficiencies just without the future of modern western civilisation riding on them. The double masted trireme relied upon a hypozomata.

This cable stretched down the middle of the hull to prevent sagging under load, itself an essential part of the structural design for bracing the vessel for impacts and reducing work on the joints in heavy seas, increasing life span and thus reducing service time.

Without it the vessels were unable to go to sea. Export of hypozomata from Athens was a capital offence.

Now that’s some serious technology.

Turn the page, we’ve got more inside.

Welcome to 2019.

There’s no need to step out of your comfort zone.

The new Actros offers maximum comfort for driving, working and living. Every element of the cab has been designed to reduce fatigue and simplify operation, from the climatised suspension seats and newly designed beds to the driver assist and safety systems.

To find out how you can stay safe, secure and comfortable on the road, visit mercedes-benz.com.au/actros, or contact your local authorised Mercedes-Benz Trucks Dealer.

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PRIME NEWS

> IAL celebrates 30 years of excellence

Tipping over: Isuzu tallies 10,000 in sales, a record.

Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) has announced its achievement of an unprecedented 30th consecutive year as Australia’s highest selling truck brand. Beyond the 30-year milestone, Isuzu Trucks also posted impressive sales figures for 2018 with a record annual retail sales volume of 10,027 trucks – surpassing the brand’s previous record of 9,223 units in 2008.

Isuzu’s popular 8x4 FY Series also broke new ground in 2018 with sales volume of 643 units, smashing the previous record of 420 units set in 2017, representing a 53 per cent increase in volume.

The total market broke through the 2007 high-water mark of 38,131 units with 41,628 sales recorded in 2018, up 13 per cent on the total for 2017 and 8.4 per cent on the previous 2007 total market best volume.

“We’re extremely gratified with our achievement of thirty consecutive years of truck market leadership and I’m particularly proud of all the people across both Isuzu and our dealer 10

febr u a r y 2019

network par excellence that have helped make this a reality over the past three decades,” said IAL Director and CEO Phil Taylor.

“We also acknowledge the hard work of everyone in the industry on a recordbreaking total market result.

“It’s taken 11 long years to re-capture the positive business conditions of 2007 and 2008 and I believe that this result is a wider indication of the underlying strength of the economy.

“For Isuzu to have achieved an all-time sales high in a record-breaking market is significant, and the collective effort should be celebrated.

“We see strong signs of continued growth and anticipate that 2019 and beyond will deliver results in-line with the 2018 market,” he said.

IAL’s Administration, Sales, Product Development, Service, Parts and aftersales operations recently came together under the one roof at a new purpose-built truck distribution facility in Melbourne, another key milestone of 2018 according to IAL’s Managing

Director, Hiroko-Yaguchi.

“Our new facility provides us with the environment for enhanced and more immediate collaboration and communication between the various operations of IAL,” said Yaguchi.

“I’m positive this operational consolidation will provide an excellent launching pad into 2019 and well beyond.

“With so many competitors in our local truck market it’s vital that we continually analyse and improve our service provision and be the driving force of innovation in the Australian road transport industry,” she said.

With continued investment in its people and infrastructure, as well as a sharpened strategic approach, Isuzu Trucks is laying the foundation for further future success and ensuring that its endeavours reap rewards for both owners and operators of Isuzu trucks, and the committed team charged with selling and supporting the product in the Australian market.”

For more information contact Dana on 1300 00 DANA or visit us at www.Dana.com.au Find us on

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PRIME NEWS

> Moama truck driver recognised for life saving heroics Truck driver Brett Hood has become the fourth recipient for 2018 of the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian award following his courageous actions that saved the life of a woman in mid-October. Based in Moama, Hood, who operates commercial vehicles for McColl’s Transport was on a delivery to Brisbane when he came across a crash site outside Warwick in which a man had lost control of his vehicle injuring both occupants.

Hood is reported to have immediately alerted emergency services and tended to the man’s girlfriend who was trapped inside the vehicle.

He applied pressure to a “severe laceration to her leg” per a statement released by the ATA to prevent further blood loss as they waited for an ambulance. She was later airlifted to hospital.

In praising Hood’s efforts, emergency services believe his intervention helped to avert a fatality.

Joe Boras, McColl’s Transport National

Work Health & Safety Manager, who nominated Hood for the Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian Award said he was a model team member.

“Brett is an asset to our company. Our work requires flexibility of us all, due to changes in customers’ requirements that occur in the dairy industry, but Brett is one of those drivers that is happy to do any job anytime,” said Boras.

ATA Chairman, Geoff Crouch said Hood’s brave actions were well beyond the call of duty.

“Brett Hood displayed all the characteristics of a true hero. He was selfless in the way he came to the aid of the couple and saved the life of this woman,” he said.

“There is no doubt he deserves the title of Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian.

“It is stories like Mr Hood’s that demonstrate the importance of first aid training and is another example of how the Australian trucking industry steps up in times of need.”

Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand

Brett Hood.

Managing Director, Stephen Roche said his company took great pride in joining the ATA in recognising people such as Brett Hood.

“The Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian award is our way of recognising his prompt, lifesaving actions,” he said. “Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardians are a true asset to the trucking community and deserve to be praised for the way they respond to adversity.”

> Truck sales record smashed in 2018 The final tally for Australia’s truck and van sales for 2018 has smashed the record set in the pre-Global Financial Crisis (GFC) year of 2007. The new record of 41,628 units eclipsed the previous mark of 38,131 units in 2007 by a substantial 3,497 units, representing an 8.4 per cent increase.

It’s the first time the combined truck and van market has cracked 40,000 units and also the first instance of a truck manufacturer exceeding 10,000 sales in a calendar year in this country with commercial vehicle manufacturer, Isuzu Australia, selling 10,027 units in 2018.

While a new overall market record was set last year, there were also a number of other records broken earlier in the year due to strong first, second and third quarter sales. However, the bullish 12

febr u a r y 2019

Tony McMullan.

run of sales largely tapered off in the fourth quarter with the only exception being the light-duty truck segment, posting record sales in December 2018 which significantly boosted

its fourth quarter performance.

Despite the general slowing of sales in the fourth quarter, 2018 saw all segments with the exception of vans post double digit percentage growth over 2017 sales. According to the Chief Executive Officer of TIC, Tony McMullan, 2018 was a watershed year for truck sales in Australia.

“It was pleasing to see 2018 finish by setting a new all-time sales record for new truck sales in Australia, finally eclipsing the pre-GFC peak set in 2007,” said McMullan.“It was equally pleasing to see that new truck and van sales broke through the 40,000 mark for the first time, with the final figure of 41,628 sales surpassing industry expectations.”

For further details on December sales see Number Crunch on Page 78.

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PRIME NEWS

> Kenworth releases new T610 Aero Roof Sleeper Cab

Inside the Kenworth T610 aero roof sleeper cab.

Commercial vehicle manufacturer, Kenworth, has released a 600mm aero roof sleeper cab for the T610 model. This complements the existing day-cab of 760mm mid-roof and 860 sleeper cab options.

Touted by Kenworth as being the most compact sleeper in the T610 range, the 600mm sleeper cab option is suitable for a variety of applications with a payload capacity up to 26 metre B-double configurations including tippers, tankers and refrigerated trailers.

“As a conventional model, the T610 with 600mm sleeper option is unique in its ability to offer both a sleeper and a bullbar in combination with full-length 34 pallet trailer sets and still fit within the 26m B-double envelope,” said Brad May, PACCAR Australia’s Director Sales and Marketing.

“The new sleeper option provides maximum productivity, optimal fuel 14

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efficiency supported by the T610’s aerodynamic lines, while reducing costs incurred by road damage,” he said. “With more head room, the new sleeper provides comfortable resting facilities to aid in managing driver fatigue, and offers a great option for those doing shuttle work.

It really is an efficient, safe and productive alternative”.

According to Kenworth the more open and relaxed cabin makes it easier for the driver to move around in and during rest breaks. The 600mm aero roof sleeper offers left and right hand sleeper vents, open shelving, foam mattress with hinged pan for under bunk storage, a windscreen privacy curtain and sleeper blackout curtain.

An optional under-bunk storage drawer and 42L fridge are also available.

In a statement Kenworth said the T610 is the result of 100,000 Australian design hours and more than ten million

kilometres of testing and validation.

To date it remains the single largest investment in product development the brand has made in Australia.

“The T610 builds on a proven approach honed over many years, starting in 1975 with the first Australian designed and manufactured Kenworth, the W900SAR and later the development and evolution of other iconic models such as the aerodynamic T600, and the K series range,” Kenworth said in a statement.

“It is the culmination of nearly 50 years of Australian design and application engineering experience, integrating with a parallel development program drawing on the global resources of PACCAR.” “The T610 delivers Kenworth’s most innovative, durable and productive truck yet, designed and manufactured right here in Australia for local conditions and applications.”

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This proven technology provides up to 35% more mileage compared to previous designs, as well as tyres that perform reliably in wet or dry conditions, wear evenly over their lifetime and have the durability and resistance to cracking that Australian long-haul routes demand.

goodyear.com.au * Comparative tests made by Goodyear Innovative Center Luxembourg on size 315/80R22.5 between July 2011 and June 2013 show that new Goodyear KMAX S and KMAX D steer and drive tyres offer an improvement in mileage potential up to 30% and 35% respectively vs. Goodyear RHS II and RHD II + tyres.

PRIME NEWS

> SmartCap fatigue tech trial launches in Port of Brisbane The Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) and Port of Brisbane (PBPL) have commenced a 12-month pilot of the new ‘SmartCap’ technology as part of its two-year Heavy Vehicle Safety Around Ports project.

SmartCap is a wearable technology that measures fatigue, according to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). Specifically, it is a headband mounted into a cap that measures changes in a person’s electroencephalogram (EEG – measures electrical activity in the brain) and provides accurate measurements of alertness in real-time to operators and drivers. Six transport companies – with a total of 60 drivers – are participating in the pilot. The transport companies are: Australian Container Freight Service (ACFS), Buccini Transport, Chalmers Industries, Daryl Dickenson Transport, South East Queensland Hauliers and Visa Global Logistics.

NHVR Safety Director, Greg Fill, said the

project received $302,000 in funding under the NHVR’s 2018-19 Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative Fund, supported by the Federal Government.

“We receive a lot of questions about the role that new technology will play in the future of heavy vehicle safety,” said Fill.

“I look forward to see the results of the projects being trialled by the QTA and the Port of Brisbane and the feedback on the SmartCap technology.”

Gary Mahon, CEO of the QTA, said learnings will be shared with other Australian ports.

“It’s exciting to trial the use of this product at the Port of Brisbane. The port roads have a high number of heavy vehicles using their network, making it an ideal location for the pilot,” he said. “It’s also great that we are able to offer industry the opportunity to use new technologies, and with SmartCap being a Brisbane-based business it demonstrates that Queensland industry is making the safety of their

workforce a priority.”

Peter Keyte, PBPL Chief Operating Officer, said the SmartCap pilot was an opportunity for the broader port community to reinforce its commitment in helping to make Brisbane Australia’s safest port.

“Road safety is a major focus at the Port and I’d like to thank the port community for its support, and for working with us to show leadership in this space. This is the first of a number of initiatives that will be rolled out under the two-year project and we’ll continue to work with the port community as it progresses.”

The Heavy Vehicle Safety Around Ports project has identified fatigue as a key safety issue to address. While a significant issue for all road users, it is also a workplace safety issue for road transport operators.

Next year, as part of the two-year project, a health and wellbeing campaign will also be rolled out across the port precinct.

> New Kenworths running as quad road trains for Toll Transport and logistics company, Toll, has deployed a new fleet of Kenworths in far north Queensland running lead and zinc concentrates from the Cannington mine to Yurbi Rail Siding near Cloncurry before it is moved onto Townsville. The five new 8x6 Kenworth T659 Day Cab Tri-Drives will be used in quad road train side tipper application to also move copper concentrate from the Capricorn site.

A Cummins X15 600hp engine has been paired to an Eaton FO-22E318B-MXP Ultrashift Plus that features Cummins ADEPT technology and Eaton’s DualMode. The Kenworths, five in total, will operate around 175 tonne gross concessional mass, but can be approved to go higher, subject to application analysis according to PACCAR Australia.

The trailers were built and designed by Mick Murray Welding, a Townsvillebased manufacturer.

“The design was intended to support 16

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Kenworth T659 8x6 tri-drives in quad road train.

a payload increase of around 10 per cent over current units, while meeting the regulatory requirements to haul concentrates that can be classified as dangerous goods,” said a Toll spokesperson.

“As well as achieving the payload increase, our drivers have been impressed with the added safety and technology features on the prime mover and trailers; making them feel safer while operating a multi-combination at 164.2 tonnes Gross Combination Mass (GCM)” “The design also includes a unique lid system that improves the safe operation for loading and unloading

compared to previous builds.”

The Kenworth T659 comes equipped with a Knorr Bremse full-integrated safety suite, ABS Brakes, Electronic Stability Program, Trailer Response Module, Lane Departure Warning and Active Cruise Braking with Collision Mitigation.

PACCAR confirmed it worked with CHJ Engineering to provide ROPS mounted brackets which were fitted in production so as to avoid disassembly of the trucks in post-production. The truck also has a full complement of LED lights including headlights, all market lights, beacon lights, tail lights and mirror mounted read flood loading lights.

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PRIME NEWS

> New B-double route part of Toowoomba Second Range Crossing The Queensland Government has opened the western section of the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing (TSRC) it has announced. A major infrastructure project for Queensland’ largest inland city, Toowoomba, the completion of the section between Cranley and Gore Highway prior to Christmas allows access to residents and visitors to Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley regions southwest of Brisbane.

Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Infrastructure Minister Michael McCormack said with work to be completed on the eastern section at Ballard throughout the first half of 2019, another 41-kilometre-long toll road passing between Toowoomba’s northern side is set to link Warrego Highway at Helidon Spa in the east and Gore Highway at Athol in the west.

“People now have an opportunity to see the results of the hard work and skilled engineering that has supported the delivery of this world-class road project,” he said.

The opened section of TSRC between Charlton and Cranley will provide a new connection for light commercial

Michael McCormack.

vehicles between the logistics hub at Charlton and the central business district according to John Witheriff, Nexus Infrastructure Chairman.

“This section is also a B-double route, providing access from the Charlton to the New England Highway for travel north from Toowoomba,” he said.

Mark Bailey, Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the project would deliver economic benefits over decades to come.

“The Second Range Crossing is projected to contribute more than $2.4 billion in economic and productivity gains for Toowoomba businesses and industry over the next 30 years,” he said.

“Local participation from the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley region on the project was measured at just over 80 per cent in

the total dollar value of contracts with up to 1800 direct and indirect jobs forecast to be created during the construction, operation and maintenance stages of the project,” said Bailey.

“The local economic benefits are clear, but the wider freight industry also stands to gain from this visionary project.”

Bailey said the TSRC provides access to the newly opened truck stop and decoupling pad on Nass Road at Charlton through traffic signals installed at the Warrego Highway-Nass Road intersection.

“This will enable operators to reconfigure vehicles on the pad before travelling east of Charlton, check their loads and take a break,” he said.

Tolls will be announced closer to the completion of the whole road.

In December commercial vehicles were given access to the Nass Road truck stop and decoupling pad at Charlton.

When Toowoomba Regional Council completes the upgrade at Griffith Street it will be designated as a multicombination vehicle route with as-ofright access for B-doubles to the New England Highway.

> Scania and Rio Tinto trial autonomous truck in WA mine Commercial vehicle manufacturer, Scania, is testing a new generation autonomous transport system at Rio Tinto’s Dampier Salt operations in Western Australia.

The first phase of the trial started August 2018, involving a Scania XT 8x4 autonomous tipper working separately from Dampier’s active operations.During this initial stage, a safety driver reportedly rides in the vehicle to observe the truck’s performance and will intervene if required.

In subsequent phases, Scania expects additional autonomous trucks will be added to develop vehicle-awareness and intelligent fleet supervisory controls.

“We’re pleased to be trialling this technology in trucks that are smaller than our traditional haul trucks,” said Rio Tinto Head of Productivity & Technical Support, 18

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Rob Atkinson. “This has the potential to give us more flexibility in the way we operate in a number of areas across Rio Tinto. We have seen automation create safer and more efficient operations in our business and this is a next step in evaluating options for delivering further improvements through the use of technology.

“Mining sites given their high vehicle utilisation rates are ideal for testing new autonomous technology,” said Head of Scania Mining, Bjorn Winblad.

“The industry can reap the safety and productivity benefits of automation, and the experience gained here will be instrumental in developing fully autonomous solutions for other transport applications. It is very encouraging to

Scania XT 8x4 runs driverless.

note the truck has been performing in a safe manner and in accordance with expectations with regards to the operations.”

According to Scania, Rio Tinto has pioneered the use of automation in the mining industry, with the largest fleet of driverless trucks, the world’s first fully-autonomous heavy haul, and fully autonomous production drills.

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GLOB AL NEWS

> Nikola raises $289 million ahead of Australian expansion plans

Nikola Tre prompts preorder frenzy.

Hydrogen electric truck manufacturer, Nikola, reports it has raised another $US210 million following the announcement of its new Nikola Tre. The European style cabover commercial vehicle has attracted $US380 million in pre-orders ahead of its European launch in April, 2019.

It now boasts $US12 billion preorders worldwide as it works towards

its ambitious plan to have hydrogen coverage in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia by 2028. Each hydrogen station is expected to produce up to eight tonnes of fuel daily with room to expand to 32 tonnes per day.

Energy company Nel ASA will provide engineering, electrolysis and fuelling equipment. Nikola anticipates each of its truck will consume around 50-75

kilograms of hydrogen per day.

The company, whose objective is to produce hydrogen through zero emission methods, will allow all hydrogen vehicles to fill at its stations.

Diesel will finally be on its way out, according to Trevor Milton, Nikola CEO when the Nikola Tre arrives in Europe.

“Now that we are funded and oversubscribed, we are kicking it into high gear and preparing for Nikola World 2019,” he said. “At Nikola World, you will see the USA Nikola Two prototype in action and be able to step foot in our European Nikola Tre. “We also have a few surprises for the show from our powersports division and other new product announcements.”

Nikola’s European stations are earmarked to come online by 2022.

The company confirmed its objective is to provide coverage for most of the European market by 2030.

> Volvo Trucks signs milestone deal with Norwegian company In what is being called a landmark deal by Volvo Trucks, the commercial vehicle manufacturer has announced it has agreed to provide an autonomous transport solution for Brønnøy Kalk AS. The Norway-based company will use six driverless Volvo FH trucks to transport limestone from pit to port, a five-kilometre journey through a network of tunnels between the mine site and crusher.

The agreement, reportedly a first of its kind for Volvo Trucks, involves a deal whereby the customer buys a total transport service and pays per tonne delivered. An operator of a wheel loader will manage the autonomous Volvo FH trucks from hub to hub in a controlled environment near Velfjord in Norway.

While tests for the operation have been ongoing, they are set to continue into the latter half of 2019 when it is anticipated the commercial solution will become fully operational. It’s a first for Volvo Trucks who will be selling the transport solution rather than just autonomous trucks to Brønnøy Kalk. Raymond Langfjord, 20

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Managing Director of the mine said it was an important first step given competition in the resources sector was always tough. “We are continuously looking to increase our efficiency and productivity long-term, and we have a clear vision of taking advantage of new opportunities in technology and digital solutions,” he said. “We were searching for a reliable and innovative partner that shares our focus on sustainability and safety.

Going autonomous will greatly increase our competitiveness in a tough global market,” said Langfjord.

Volvo Trucks, according to its President Claes Nilsson, is providing an

autonomous solution that will meet the challenges of its customers in terms of safety, reliability and profitability.

“Global transport needs are continuously changing at a very high pace and the industry is demanding new and advanced solutions to stay ahead,” he said. “Our aim is to be the leader of the development of products and services to respond to these demands.”

Sasko Cuklev, Volvo Trucks Director Autonomous Solutions, said, “This is all about collaborating to develop new solutions, providing greater flexibility and efficiency as well as increased productivity.”

Driverless Volvo FH.

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THE INSURANCE MINDSET

Mervyn Rea Mervyn Rea has been working in insurance and risk management for over 30 years, all with Zurich, across Ireland, UK, Europe and Australia. As Head of Risk Engineering, he leads a team of experienced Risk Engineering specialists, helping customers understand and manage their insurable and uninsurable risks. Merv and his team have experience across a wide range of industries and sectors, including road, rail and marine transport logistics.

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ROBOTS AT THE WHEEL? DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH Like many Prime Mover readers, I grew up watching David Hasselhoff in Knight Rider. Week after week, I loved that ‘the Hoff’ could outwit the criminals in tidy storylines that had the baddies locked away at the end of the episode. But what I liked best was KITT, his sophisticated, intelligent driverless vehicle. Not a day went by that I didn’t imagine how good life would be if I had my own KITT car on call.

A few years ago in Adelaide, I was lucky enough to be involved in the first test of driverless vehicles in the Southern Hemisphere. The assembled delegates, all big names and powerhouses in the insurance and motoring industries, keenly watched as the drivers switched the vehicles into driverless mode and executed a range of commands like overtaking, changing lanes, emergency braking and using on- and off-ramps.

Since then, the excitement about driverless vehicles has continued to escalate. It’s not just their potential to create financial savings across the sector that has manufacturers and industry players so interested – providing efficiencies is one thing, but also their ability to protect human safety is

paramount. You can understand why, when you consider that around 98 per cent of vehicle incidents are caused by human error1.

The idea of driverless vehicles also keys directly in to the popular culture we grew up with – where KITT and other futuristic robots operate with minimal human intervention. This makes a driverless future seem almost inevitable.

But it’s my view that this just isn’t going to happen. Or at least, not any time soon.

Because the technology behind driverless vehicles can’t necessarily compete with a real, live human driver. It can’t offer a 100 per cent solution. Not every road environment will suit driverless vehicle sensors. To date, in every trial of driverless cars around the world, drivers are considered essential to take control of the vehicle if required. And while the tests I saw in Adelaide went smoothly, others have not.

That’s not to say that technology won’t play a significant role in our industry.

Already, there are some wonderful systems out there that help with operational procedures and mandatory requirements that can also be used to improve a driver’s overall performance.

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These systems can gather data around risk-related behaviours like acceleration, harsh braking, sharp cornering and speeding. This data can then be used to support better driving, and to lower vehicle maintenance costs. One other technology, developed by a company called Seeing Machines, can map a driver’s eye movements and identify instances of fatigue or distraction – significantly reducing the potential for a crash, and the many downstream impacts of that.

These types of solutions are fast becoming an essential part of a holistic riskmanagement approach for transport operators. Truly enlightened companies recognise and treat vehicles as an extension of the workplace and introduce policies, procedures, and awareness of employees who operate as mobile workers. The companies develop feedback loops and train their employees to be aware of safety features and hazards in the same way traditional employers would with workers at a fixed location.

By improving driver conditions in this way, transport operators can also solve another key issue facing our industry

– our ability to retain good, reliable, qualified, and experienced drivers, and to attract new drivers to the industry.

Spending money on innovation is a big ask of businesses that are already challenged by tight margins. It’s not just the purchase of the hardware, software, and installation, but the ongoing monitoring, maintenance and optimisation of the systems that adds to the cost. However, choosing the right package with the right technical solution really needs to be viewed as an investment.

We know that every time an insurance company pays $1 of a claim, there can be as much as $3 in uninsured costs to the business. These costs can include the effect on driver morale, absenteeism, financing vehicles while off the road, excesses, lost orders, administration and claim investigation costs. If companies can use technology to reduce these costs, and to prevent incidents, they can operate in the best interests of all involved. Considering the real difficulty in finding and retaining good drivers, the spend on technology is an investment in the people who literally

drive the business forward.

We’ve already seen companies that have used technology well and have been able to reduce their crashes by 20 per cent or more, while at the same time, reducing their fleet running costs, such as fuel and maintenance, by 10 per cent. They’ve used data to improve driver performance and the experience the driver has while at work. A qualified, professional driver will make the roads safer, reduce fatalities, improve the company’s profitability, deliver better service to customers and make the journey more pleasurable and refreshing too.

For now, cost and risk reduction are the highest priorities for maximising the return on investment in technology in the transport industry. One day we may have autonomous vehicles that decrease the need for drivers, but I believe that time is still a long way off. Operating heavy vehicles requires a high degree of skill, expertise and judgement that machines are unlikely to be able to replicate in the near future.

Even machines as impressive as Knight Rider’s KITT.

1. Crashes are no accident flyer, U.S. General Services Administration Office of Motor Vehicle Management. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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COVER STORY

A

BETT FUTURE

TECH SAVVY AGRICULTURAL COMPANY, CERAVOLO ORCHARDS, WITH ITS EXACTING TRANSPORT TASK, ASKS A LOT OF ITS TRUCKS. AS THE DESTINATION FOR THE FIRST S-SERIES CAB IN SCANIA’S NEW TRUCK GENERATION IN AUSTRALIA IT HAS WASTED NO TIME DISCOVERING THE STATE OF THE ART CAPABILITIES OF THE POWERFUL S 650 V8.

I

n little over a decade, between the years 1950 and 1961, nearly 30,000 Italian immigrants came by ship to South Australia. Antonio Ceravolo Snr was one of them. When he arrived from Calabria, Italy in 1950, he was carrying only a scuffed wooden suitcase, in which contained all of his worldly possessions.

Two years later his wife and five children followed. In the interim of those postwar years, separated from his family, he worked, driven by the promise of a better future. Another five children would be born in Australia. By 1956, as broadcast television entered the country, eldest boy Ralph in partnership with his father, had purchased a homestead in the Mount Lofty Ranges north of Adelaide where the family established a farm growing vegetables in Ashton. The hilly, terrain was not dissimilar to the undulating landscape Ralph’s ancestors had worked for generations on the boot shaped peninsula of southwest Italy. The property, affectionately known as ‘goat’s country’, is home to Ceravolo Orchards and its juice brand Ashton Valley Fresh. Ralph’s son Tony now runs the family business with his wife Sandra and his brother Joe and

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sister-in-law Anna, along with three of their children, Joyce, Raffael and Joseph.

The focus of the operation has changed since Tony quit school at 16 to help his father, whose back, after years of crippling work starting every day at sunup, began to show signs of strain. Tony, however, was more drawn to fruit and has since developed that side of the business into its major revenue stream, harvesting apples, cherries, nectarines, strawberries and pears.

According to Tony, conditions in the ranges are ideal for growing fruit where rainfall is plentiful and the chill hours, a period at night where the temperature drops below eight degrees, is most agreeable.

“It’s very good for helping buds blossom,” he says. “It’s the near perfect climate for nurturing fruit trees.”

Additional properties, making for eight in total over 300 hectares, have since been purchased in the surrounding areas. Most are flatter, making it easier to plant crops and manoeuvre tractors. At Myponga they maintain a strawberry farm, with cultivated orchards on other sites in Woodside, Nairne and Echunga. Now boasting a packing shed, a wholesale business and a juice plant, it’s little wonder Ceravolo

Orchards has flourished into one of the biggest fruit companies in South Australia.

The road transport fleet, not surprisingly, has grown to reflect these recent expansions in the businesses. Ceravolo Orchards bought its first Scania truck – an 113M 310hp – in 1998. A few years later it added extra power with an R 500 V8, which Tony says is still going strong.

The fleet of five Scanias cart fruit into the packing shed. From there they proceed to the wholesale market and on to the distribution centre for its major customers, supermarket chain Coles. Insofar as the majority of the transport job is confined to local distribution, Ceravolo Orchards also delivers into Melbourne and Orange, NSW. Ashton is a centralised location for accessing its farms, which are mostly within a half hour radius. The roads are winding and extend across sprawling hills that bring with it certain challenges the Scania S 650, with the roomy ergonomics of the cab, is particularly suited.

“The cabover is a lot better for the roads we are traveling on,” says Tony. “We’re at the mercy of our environment which is hilly and quite steep in parts. The ergonomics of the S 650 are designed to let you sit a little

ER

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COVER STORY

Operations Manager Sandra and her husband Director Tony Ceravolo.

more forward and closer to the window.

Looking out you can see everything. You wouldn’t think it would make much difference but it’s amazing how much more you can see.”

Given the topography of the circuitous roads to and from home base hauling B-doubles is not an option even though the S 650, according to Tony, can pull another trailer without the driver knowing the difference.

“Apples are very heavy so we work right on our limits of 24 and 25 tonnes all the time,” he says. “It’s not so much the mileage we do but how we are forced to do it with return journeys daily through the hills on a single trailer. It’s tough going.”

The Scania Retarder and exhaust brake help with the steady descending of grades at maximum capacity. Tony lauds the gear changes on the new model, calling it quick, responsive and very intelligent.

“No matter the speed you’re doing in traffic the adaptive cruise of the new Scania brakes automatically when a car appears in front before you can even get your foot on the pedal,” he says. “The reaction time of the truck is incredible. It’s close to a passenger car.”

In addition to the new S 650, Ceravolo Orchards runs two new 730s, a 580 and the aforementioned 500. Tony flew to Sydney last year for the Scania launch event, where he ordered the new prime 26

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mover in cherry red, which is now uniform across the entire fleet.

“Tony loves his Scanias,” says Operations Manager Sandra Ceravolo. “He talks to people with trucks and tells them ‘buy a Scania you’ll never go back.’ He’s very much a forward thinker and he loves the way Scania is a forward moving company, always a market leader with an eye on the future.”

Recognised in November with the Leader Award at the 2018 South Australia Food Industry Awards, Tony according to his wife, prides himself on innovation, knowing the latest technologies and finding shrewd business solutions through the best new equipment. At its Ashton Valley Fresh site the company operates on a zero waste policy. The skins of the apples, which are used for juicing, are gathered up into a tipper and used as cow feed.

“Basically, nothing is wasted. We’re looking at palletising when there’s another drought for farmers because it’s a high nutrient product, high in fibre,” Sandra says. “The challenge is it needs to be produced locally.

It ends up as zero waste because there’s so many people affected by the drought.”

By palletising the pulp, according to Sandra, the product can be stored longer for future reserves. The tipper work, again, has been assigned to a Scania commercial vehicle.

“We originally had another brand of

truck and we said never again,” Sandra says. “It had no comfort. The truck was only on short stints but even then it was unpleasant.”

It’s one of a multitude of projects the company is currently working on. After hailstorms damaged widespread crops across the region in 2017, Ceravolo Orchards installed an Aseptic-filler at its juice factory, following two years of research. It will help process crushed juice of damaged fruit for local growers to stem oversupply in the market.

“They weren’t going to get any money for it if they sent it anywhere else,” Sandra says. “We basically gave the local growers an income from it because it was an agreed price and the price would be fixed. If they chose to go elsewhere they would get a lot less money for it. It was to avoid flooding the market and decreasing the price astronomically a bin.”

Sandra says Tony is committed to bettering his business and improving the skills of those around him.

“He’s a natural leader and he values engaging with the next generation. He wants to hear their ideas and makes them aware their contribution is important,” she says. “Tony is a very forward thinker and he’s always conceiving new approaches to improve business, how to make our lives simpler and always investing in new projects and equipment to stay

ahead of the curve.”

Apple packing machines sort and grade produce to limit external defects and dullness of colour. It’s all programmed.

Ceravolo Orchards produce most varieties including staples such as Granny Smith, Pink Ladies, Royal Galas, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious and unique varieties such as the Kanzi – an apple that does not discolour after it is cut open, and an Australian developed apple, the Bravo, which has a deep cherry red colour. A machine called Inspectra, will take around 800 photos of each apple during the sorting process. Based on percentages of marking and colour, the machine, which acts as an internal vision sorter, removes flawed apples that are designated for the juicing plant.

“The Inspectra can tell you internally if there’s discolouration in the apple, the sugar level and the firmness of the apple with a pressure test,” she says. “That’s how far ahead the technology has moved.

People have no idea how advanced the fruit and veg industries have become.”

For cherries, a new punnet machine has also been installed. As it automatically seals the fruit it provides an advantage for health, safety and efficiency as customers, Sandra says, are happier purchasing a punnet for convenience over cherries that have been handled by someone else.

Ceravolo Orchards has upgraded another sorting machine similar to the Inspectra, which determines the softness and cracks of a cherry. In collaboration with one of their suppliers, Hills Cider Company, the

Roomy ergonomics of the Scania S 650 cab is suited to the daily challenges of the Adelaide Hills.

two companies have built a cellar door in which people can experience the farm to final product on location. Miss Match Brewing Co. will handle craft beer and Adelaide Hills Distillery the spirits.

“We’ve diversified in a number of ways.

We believe we have to in this day and age.

What you do you’ve got to do well but you can’t just do one thing,” Sandra says. “You need to be able to have multiple avenues so that if something doesn’t go right you need another avenue to sell your product.”

These prudent investments in technology are crucial to empowering the quality control. For Ceravolo Orchards, that’s even more reason to insure the produce arrives in the same condition it was picked. The Scania S 650 provides Tony with confidence his fruit won’t get damaged in transit.

“I believe the Scania gives you a superior ride. It’s very soft on the food in back,” he says. “We’ve never had anything move on these trucks. All our vehicles are on airbags.”

Operation of the truck requires scarce use of the brakes according to Tony even at traffic lights where the S 650 virtually stops itself helping to save on fuel and maintenance. As a farming operation, Ceravolo Orchards uses excavators and spray units which need to be transported often.

“Even for those jobs these trucks are brilliant. You’re in and out of the truck all the time and the ease of access is very good.”

The S 650 delivered to Tony was the first S-cab to arrive in Australia. The cabin has a 15-tonne load rating while he interior

has been decked out per Tony’s request. He didn’t mind waiting for the leather interior with red stitching and a red rim around it.

All controls, including lights, mirrors and windows are contained on the arm piece to maximise comfort. Tony says the Scania prime movers react to considerate driving, with slow take offs and gentle braking likely to ensure they last well beyond a traditional service life. He says his drivers respect the Scania vehicles because they are such a lovely truck to drive.

“I’ve got a couple of boys who drive the S 650 and when they get in it they never want to get out of it,” Tony says. “All of my drivers love Scanias. They won’t let me buy anything else.”

Last year Sandra and Tony celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They have five children. Joyce and Joseph work at the juice plant and Ralph Jnr, who works at the wholesale market. Staff numbers fluctuate between 50 and 150 depending on the season. For Sandra, joining the Ceravolo clan, from Adelaide where she met Tony, was tantamount to joining the business.

Back in 1988 when she moved to the hills the first fruit saplings planted by Antonio and Ralph Ceravolo had long matured and were already a major part of the business under husband Tony’s guidance.

Sandra, not one for cold climates having grown up in the city, says she was happy to heave heavy cabbages and cauliflower but the marriage, and its chances of survival, hinged on broccoli. More to the point her resistance in picking the leafy vegetable at first light in the freezing cold given it deteriorates rapidly in the heat of the day. She laughs about her line in the sand moment.

“I’m fortunate the fruit growing became the main focus of the business,” she says.

“There’s so much going on it’s hard to keep up.”

The Scania can often be heard echoing in the sun kissed green hills during summer.

But it’s not the rumble of the V8 engine that announces its presence at Ashton.

Tony blasts the air horn, an unsung safety feature of the S 650, scattering rainbow lorikeets that come to graze at leisure while suspended from the net covered cherry trees. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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FLEET

NOT

BY ACCIDENT WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST TRANSPORT NETWORKS IN THE COUNTRY, AUSTRALIA POST, MUST LEAD WITH A SAFETY FIRST PHILOSOPHY. TO SPREAD ITS PUBLIC SAFETY CAMPAIGN ‘STAY ALERT!’ SIGNAGE HAS BEEN ADDED TO ITS TRUCKS, TRAILERS AND VANS TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF OTHER ROAD USERS GIVEN THREE POSTIES ARE INJURED EVERY DAY AT WORK ON AUSTRALIAN ROADS.

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W

hen it comes to safety, achieving the highest levels possible is a non-negotiable for Australia Post. As the company operates 20,500 delivery vehicles on the road every day it’s a priority that all return home safely, making it vital that it reinforces the message of its current campaign ‘Stay Alert! There’s a Life Riding on it’. The average age of the Australia Post transport fleet is around five and a half years. It’s young by most world standards. Vehicles in the company, Australia’s largest parcel and bulk mail carrier, are prone to high turnover as it continues its pursuit of the latest offerings in technology from its transport manufacturing partners. It selects commercial vehicles, according to Terry Bickerton, Australia Post National Fleet Manager, based on its vehicle safety minimum requirements. These include lane departure, anti-lock-braking systems (ABS), among others, subject to availability. From there they work backwards through the subsequent considerations.

“There are a lot of things that come into play, not only do we need to move freight and keep our people safe but we’ve also got to provide an efficient and reliable service for our customers,” he

said. “Safety is our priority and we look closely at ergonomics, environmental factors, capacity and compatibility with our network.”

Australia Post operates the largest fleet of Fuso trucks in the country. The company, according to Terry, has chosen Fuso for its large support network, efficiency and suitability, balancing weight capacity and horsepower, for navigating suburban settings.

“Fuso meets our requirements when it comes to safety, reliability, price and sustainability,” he says. “It also has service intervals of 30,000 kilometres meaning it affords us better productivity as the vehicle is off the road less.”

The 6x4 drive configuration of the Fuso FV series is equipped with a transom window in the passenger door making it ideal for a daily regime of deliveries and pickups.

“We have a great relationship with both Mercedes-Benz and Fuso for our medium and heavy rigid fleet as well as our van fleet,” says Terry.

The size of its national operations make it necessary for Australia Post to tender for new vehicles every 12 months. In the final mile van fleet, Australia Post has partnered with Mercedes-Benz Vans.

With Sprinter and Vito models already in wide use, the company is keenly

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FLEET

Australia Post runs the biggest fleet of Fuso FVs in the country.

awaiting the new VS30 Mercedes-Benz due to arrive in 2019. The vans will be fitted with key safety features such as collision prevention assist, brake-disc for wet conditions, adaptive electronic stability and full automatic transmission according to James Dixon, Australia Post, General Manager Transport and Aviation.

“When purchasing vans we look at those that offer the highest level of safety and efficiency. This is key in reducing driver fatigue and assisting our drivers to navigate through peak hour congestion and suburban streets,” he said. “Our delivery vehicles travel significant kilometres each year, so we work closely with manufacturers to provide a complete maintenance package which includes high levels of on the road time.”

Australia Post uses telematics systems to provide depth data on acceleration and breaking patterns, distanced travelled, roads traversed and driver behaviour.

Data is then used proactively to analyse the fleet.

Renewing the fleet requires capital expenditure in the tens of millions of dollars according to Terry, who says it ultimately safeguards the vehicles.

“We do high kilometres so we try and keep the prime movers refreshed. Part 30

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of that is working closely with the manufacturer to manage what the ideal exit point is for that vehicle to give us the best return on the sale of the asset,” he says. “That way we’ve spent the

Australia Post operates 20,500 delivery vehicles on the road daily.

least amount of money on repair and maintenance and it’s provided us the best reliability.”

Even though the fleet purchases up to 100 Rigid trucks a year, Australia Post will sell between 25 to 40 prime movers annually and another 50 to 60 trailers simply to keep the network refreshed.

“That sweet spot is what we aim for across the board. We do the same thing with Rigid trucks and we do the same thing with trailers,” Terry says. “Our axle providers support the axles and guarantee and warranty it for us to one million kilometres.”

At 1 million kilometres, explains Terry, each axle set is refreshed and worked through to 2 million or 2.5 million kilometres, which is the equivalent to around 10 to 15 years depending on its individual cycle. Trailers are run in various configurations from drop decks, mezzanine floor drop decks, curtainsiders, Pantechs, A-doubles, B-doubles, singles, skels, dog trailers and Performance-Based-Standards (PBS)-

approved trailers. PBS combinations, explains Terry, are on the increase within the fleet.

“We keep exploring the limits for high capacity vehicles but obviously some of the PBS schedules need to fit within our operational requirements,” he says. “Sometimes they’re a match and sometimes they’re not. We use those which are a match.”

Not long ago Australia Post put to work a series of 26-pallet single trailers in Victoria. In early 2018 they started running A-doubles between its main facilities. They’re currently in ongoing discussions with the likes of Roads and Maritime Services, VicRoads and the Australian Technology Network (ATN) to increase its usage of A-double combinations. Terry pores over SAP, the intensive data source he uses for a comprehensive analysis of the vehicles. Economics, from an emissions performance, such as fuel economy, represent along with safety and reliability, the chief pillars of the fleet’s

“Safety is our priority and we look closely at ergonomics, environmental factors, capacity and compatibility with our network.”

Terry Bickerton Australia Post National Fleet Manager

operational requirements.

Plans for the national mail carrier to transition into electric vehicles are already in effect. With a commitment to reduce their carbon emissions 25 per cent by 2020, Australia Post is investing in safe and sustainable alternatives to the traditional delivery methods.

Currently it has 2000 electric bicycles and 150 three-wheeled electric delivery vehicles (eDVs) on the road making Australia Post the largest user of electric vehicles in the country. The company will hit a milestone as it plans on having a further 1000 eDVs operational in 2019.

Referred to affectionately as Evees by the posties, the three-wheeled vehicles plug into a single-phase outlet. As Australia

Post has solar panels at many of its facilities, the company is in talks with several global companies to determine how best to use solar power to charge the new vehicles.

“The addition of the 1000 EDVs next year means we’ll be able to remove a large number of motorcycles from the roads,” said Terry. “The rounds for these will be chosen based on the suitability of the eDV.” Volume of Parcels, according to Terry, is also another key determinant.

“The eDV can carry up to a 100 small parcels, and deliver the greatest benefit for our people and our customers. We want these vehicles delivering in regions where volume is high.”

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FLEET

STACK EXCHANGE AS A SPECIALIST IN CONTAINERISED CARGO, SYDNEY SIDELOADERS, KEEPS A HECTIC SCHEDULE WORKING ON THE WATERFRONT OF ONE OF THE BUSIEST PORTS IN THE WORLD. TO ENSURE ITS FLEET OF PRIME MOVERS IS REVITALISED AND RARING TO GO SIX DAYS A WEEK THE COMPANY INVESTS IN THE AGILITY PROGRAM FROM MERCEDES-BENZ TRUCKS.

T

he first European settlers rutted their boats over the clay banks of Botany Bay some 247 years ago. Supplies of corn, wheat flour, fresh water and rum were waning on the 368 tonne Endeavour as it anchored in a shallow channel that has long since been dredged to accommodate colossal container ships that arrive now daily from parts of the world that were still considered largely unknown in 1770. Port Botany receives, on average, 1439 vessels a year and handles 2.32 million containers.

It’s along this waterfront, where new Mercedes-Benz Actros 2651s, often hauling 40x9 6ft containers, are a regular sight for

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local company Sydney Sideloaders.

With its headquarters located mere minutes away from the hotspot of the wharf where 70 per cent of its freight task arrives as imports, Sydney Sideloaders works with bond containers, hazardous goods and more commonly takes care of medical supplies from Asia, refrigerated containers and tiles that it delivers into the ACT on Tautliners. Daily runs begin at 4am Sunday to Friday. These are prescheduled 48 hours in advance to cope with the relentless activity of the supply chain.

Established as a business by Chris and Tony Divis in 2008, Sydney Sideloaders

has since outgrown its yard near Port Botany, which was granted a 99-year lease in 2013 when NSW Ports came to an arrangement with the NSW Government.

An experienced truck driver himself, Chris joined the transport industry when he finished school in 1983. Brother Tony is a banker by trade and handles accounts and finances. According to Chris, who started out driving Pantechs, the prescheduling required of container operations now differs greatly from his earliest experiences in the industry.

“In those days there was no time slotting,” Chris says. “It was first in best dressed.”

Now with each job preloaded, freight goes

Images: Alexander Tempel

out before dawn, having been allocated two days in advance through a timespotting system. Chris says the business designates certain trucks for the waterfront run essentially sling-shotting backwards and forwards with containers it brings to the yard where they will await a sideloader which will pick them up and take them back out again. The yard, according to Chris, is mainly used for staging where a Reach Stacker loads containers to summits of 30 feet ensuring, subsequently, none of the returning trucks are delayed going into the wharf. Turnaround takes about an hour. Of that time 15 minutes is devoted to getting out of the yard. The cumulative impact of this daily regiment frees up enough time to do one an extra container.

Over width cargo, known as out-ofgauge cargo, forms part of the weekly undertaking. It’s unpacked off of open top containers, split it up onto low loaders in the yard where they are sent out again.

“We run very effectively because of the size of our yard. It’s not real big,” Chris

says. “It’s a quarantine yard and it’s a bond yard. There’s a whole range of services that we provide and because of this we have to run it efficiently to make it all work.”

The location, which Chris says they have since outgrown, took many years to secure.

When it finally became available over 10 years ago he jumped at it. Just 600 metres from the one of the gates at Port Botany and less than 1.5 kilometres from DP World, the yard enjoys a prime position – as it needs to. According to Chris drivers are limited to an hour, maximum, to get a container off the wharf.

“It helps with turnaround and we’re right amongst it. People out in the western suburbs do it a lot harder than what we do here. I’ve always been a firm believer you need to be closer to the waterfront especially with the demands of timeslotting,” he says. “But it takes a driver all of three minutes to bring it back to our Yard Lift and go back again. As it is we don’t plan on going anywhere soon.”

One of his earliest memories is having

to sleep in the cab overnight at White Bay, Chris recalls, as he waited two days to gather a container off the wharf. Time in the truck is still often spent more torpid than in transit. That’s the nature of container work.

Moving red line hazardous cargo, a service in which Sydney Sideloaders specialises, requires it to be collected inside of 12 hours, legally, following discharge of the vessel. As paucity of time makes greater demands of organisational structures and scheduling, the equipment needs to work, without fail. Reliability is a must when it comes to running commercial vehicles for Sydney Sideloaders. As the company provides what Chris calls “out of the ordinary stuff,” it invests in the MercedesBenz Actros 2651. Less than 10 per cent of the fleet, Chris estimates, is older than 10 years. That also includes the trailers. He says the company has been able to achieve this by going on the Agility Program. The trucks he most recently replaced were only three years old, with very low mileage. As p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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Chris Divis, Sydney Sideloaders Director.

sideloaders weigh in around 10 tonnes the extra power afforded by the 510hp engine is vital for pulling the excess weight.

“We could probably get away with a 460hp but I’m a firm believer that you don’t make trucks struggle. I like to have enough horsepower there to do the job properly,” Chris says. “Rather than saving a couple of thousand dollars to get the cheaper option I’d prefer it to buy the one that’s going to do it comfortably.”

As for its prime movers, Sydney Sideloaders opts to stick to one brand. On its country runs the Mercedes-Benz Actros 2653 is its truck of choice, as it sees further gains in the more powerful engine and an improved fuel burn, especially when running back empty. The fleet consists of 20 Actros prime movers in total. Only six trucks of the older model remain and these will be replaced, starting next year, according to Chris.

“For the local trucks we do an analysis on what the trucks are doing and what kilometres they accumulate during the course of the year. We take on an Agility Program for every truck allowing for 75,000 kilometres-a-year for the trucks on local consignment,” he says. “Our current contracts are taken over four years and we have a guaranteed future value from Mercedes-Benz on the buy-back. The truck is fully maintained by them.”

Accident damage, windscreens and general wear and tear, are, under the agreement, 34

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the responsibility of Sydney Sideloaders.

After four years, according to Chris, the business is attentive to the worth of each truck and what it will fetch as a repurchase from Daimler. If it’s in good condition Sydney Sideloaders will often choose to keep it.

“We can on-sell it privately for whatever the market value is if it’s greater than the guaranteed future value,” Chris says. “So that’s the benefit of Agility, you’re not tied into having to give it back to them. For instance if Daimler give you $100,000 and the truck’s market value is $150,000 you’re more than welcome to go sell it privately, pay the amount and then pocket the change. Then the contract will start again and you’ll just sign up for another contract with the next truck.”

As each contract is on a fixed cost, Chris understands from the outset the outlay required every month. That way, he says, there’s no surprises.

“We had a mixed fleet of trucks that we owned. But our maintenance bill to keep them on the road was far greater than what we’re paying now,” he recalls. “Plus our downtime was astronomical. It was detrimental to have our drivers standing around doing nothing while our trucks were off the road. We had mechanics always in the workshops. This way I don’t need a workshop. I don’t need anything else. The trucks are fully maintained by Mercedes-Benz and the only reason they

are parked up is because a driver maybe sick or on annual leave.”

According to Chris, Sydney Sideloaders maintains a firm policy of one truck, one driver. Drivers are, under this practice, responsible for anything inside the cab. The expectation is that they keep the interior in exceptional condition. Quality control Chris likens to the old white glove test.

“I keep telling them if I can get in there with a white shirt and get out of there with a white shirt then they have passed the test,” he says. “They look after the inside and that’s considered their property. They sign off on whatever goes on the inside of the truck whether it’s a hazardous bag or anything like that. And we attract a better class of driver for it, too, because of the fact they are, as trucks go, the top end of truck in the market at the moment.”

Now that he no longer has trucks parked up in the yard because they won’t start and little need for a workshop, Chris says the trucks are always on the road, working to the demands of the growing business.

Service, when he does need it is, prompt, well resourced and ready to go.

“No matter which of the dealerships you

go to they’re always available providing service that is second-to-none,” he says.

“I’m happier. The drivers are happier.

They can’t complain about something not working.”

Just as the Agility Program facilitates updates to the fleet every three to four years, Chris says it also helps retain drivers as they appreciate the improved technology and comforts of the Actros vehicles.

“Driver behaviour is a big thing. If you’re no longer fighting with an old rig, battling to keep it on the road, sweating it out in peak hour traffic but rather in air-conditioned comfort, connected to Bluetooth talking to your wife, in time you will notice the difference.”

As a result, every Actros according to Chris always has someone assigned to it. The high performing trucks also assist the business in attracting clients.

“Being the cleanest trucks on the market helps with the multinationals because they’re right into the green way and cutting down their carbon footprint at the moment,” he says. “So that helps us.

Being the safest trucks on the road, they’ve

all got cameras in them facing the driver and facing forward so it’s all about driver behaviour and how you’re perceived in the industry and at that level we’re pretty much up there. There’s no carbon footprint.”

Drivers, having already passed a required test from Sydney Sideloaders, can access the driver training program offered by Mercedes-Benz Trucks, who will fly someone out from Melbourne or one of the dealerships to ensure operators understand the new features of the truck and its capabilities in order to exploit fuel efficiency and optimal performance.

“I had drivers that would swear by American gear and you put them into these trucks and they said forget about that. This is like driving a car. It’s more comfortable. At the end of the day they park it up and feel like they haven’t been driving. They’re fully automated. They do everything for them. It’s very positive from a drivers’ point of view.”

As the trucks are often laden with a sideloader, the excellent manoeuvrability and visibility is a prerequisite for getting onto the docks, without issue.

“No one was really into sideloaders when we first started, but the market for them have since levelled out,” Chris says. “As we grow with the importers, they get bigger, they go to bigger warehouses replete with docks. We basically grow with the companies we have been working with for years. We don’t usually go out and source clients, they come to us as they can see the level of service provided and the image of the company, too. Our customers don’t get any old trucks rolling up or breaking down and leaving oil all over the place.”

Sydney Sideloaders, according to Chris, looks to portray an of image to match its premium service for customers that require the stability it offers.

“That’s the market we target. We work for multi-nationals which helps because we have that name and that image,” he says.

“We’re not just a transport company that runs around at the cheapest price. It’s all interfacing with our clients, container tracking, container checking, POD instantaneously. It’s all of these services we’re at the forefront of just to give our clients the edge. The Mercedes-Benz Actros are part of that.”

The Agility Program allows updates to be made to the fleet every three to four years. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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CLOSING

THE G HINO IS ON THE HUNT FOR A MUCH LARGER SLICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN MEDIUM-DUTY TRUCK MARKET. TO THIS END, THE COMPANY HAS PULLED OUT ALL STOPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS ALL-NEW 500 SERIES STANDARD CAB RANGE. PRIME MOVER RECENTLY VISITED JAPAN TO DISCOVER ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF THIS POTENTIALLY GAME-CHANGING NEW MODEL.

Single and dual-cab variants in various wheelbase lengths make up the 500 Series Standard Cab range.

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While Japan has a comprehensive network of multi-lane freeways the majority of heavy trucks are 8x4 rigids.

AP J

apan is a land of stark contrasts.

On the one hand there are places where nothing much has changed for centuries. A great example is the Ishikawa Brewery in Tokyo that makes sake and beer using the same time-honoured methods that were first used when it was established in 1863. The brewery is owned by the Ishikawa family, now in its 18th generation, which first settled around the time a bloke named Cook stumbled upon Australia.

Yet many other parts of the sprawling city of Tokyo are hi-tech and modern.

Wall-to-wall apartment blocks blink with aeronautical lights; and petrol stations due to space constraints have bowsers mounted in the ceiling with the retractable hoses reaching down like stalactites.

Then there’s the whizz-bang road network consisting of multi-lane freeways, which to this foreign observer seem eminently suitable for high productivity vehicles like semi-trailers or even B-doubles.

The reality is, though, that in contrast to Australia where B-doubles are commonplace, in Japan heavy-duty 8x4 rigid trucks rule the roost, accompanied by a smattering of semi-trailers and definitely no B-doubles or other high productivity combinations like those seen Down Under. It seems the need for manoeuvrability in restricted depots and on the narrow, winding roads that traverse the mountainous regions of the country overrides the benefits of having longer vehicles which could ostensibly carry as much freight as two of the rigid trucks that are commonplace in Japan at present.

There is another transport-related contrast between the two countries: Hino has, for the past 44 years, been the sales leader in Japan while Hino Australia has been aspiring to be this country’s market leader for nearly as long.

So with a light- and medium-duty product portfolio that’s now far stronger than ever before, Hino is positioning itself to make p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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some serious ground on the market leader in this country. Perhaps the ultimate goal is to replicate the sales success achieved by the parent company.

To this end, last November Hino Motor Sales Australia (HMSA) transported a group of journalists to Japan where much was shared about the development, production and testing of the all-new 500 Series Standard Cab models.

During the course of the trip, Hino General Manager of Brand and Franchise Development, Bill Gillespie, outlined the company’s aim to substantially increase its share of the medium-duty market.

“We are on-track to attain an overall sales figure of 5600 units for 2018 with a goal of achieving 6000 units next year,” Bill said.

“Our medium-duty target for next year is 2500 units, comprising 1500 Standard Cab and 1000 Wide Cab 500 Series trucks.

“We believe Hino’s ‘Value Story’ is an important element to communicate to new and repeat customers,” he added. “We have deliberately up-specced the new 500 Series Standard Cab to enable us to stay ahead of the curve. This will help us achieve our goal of a 50/50 split of private and fleet sales.”

Keen to elaborate on the many facets of Hino’s Value Story that can be seen in the new 500 Series Standard Cab was Hino Japan’s Chief Engineer, Koyu Goto.

Koyu, whose current responsibility is with product planning and development of Hino’s medium-duty trucks, has been concentrating his efforts on the new 500 Series Standard Cab for the last three years.

He began by thanking the media contingent for their attendance and also for their patience in waiting for the all-new model to arrive, given the 15-year period since the previous model was released.

His presentation included three key themes that encompass Hino’s aim for the new model as ‘the truck that will be selected by customers all over the world.’

The three themes he outlined are satisfaction and delight in driving; solutions for the management; and safe operation.

Critically, Koyu was eager to point out that

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Cab dimensions have been enlarged to suit drivers up to 193cm (6’4”) tall. Air suspended ISRI driver’s chair is standard.

Satisfaction and delight in driving refers to the exterior and interior designs and features which have a direct impact on the driver... we worked on achieving an advanced and dynamic form while also making sure it was at harmony with the city environment in which these trucks generally work.”

Koyu Goto Hino Japan’s Chief Engineer

Hino’s new 500 Series Standard Cab has been designed to an unprecedented level with the Australian driver in mind.

“Satisfaction and delight in driving refers to the exterior and interior designs and features which have a direct impact on the driver,” he said. “With the exterior styling we worked on achieving an advanced and dynamic form while also making sure it was at harmony with the city environment in which these trucks generally work.”

An important element of the exterior in terms of both form and function are the new UN-R48-certified LED headlamp assemblies, which give the new truck a strikingly modern appearance. These incorporate the safety benefits of turn signals, daytime running lights (DRLs) and fog/ cornering lights in the one stylish package and provide the biggest external differentiation from the previous series with its separate triangular indicator lights.

Upon opening the door, the new interior is an even bigger surprise – in more ways than one – with what in our opinion is the most modern car-like interior we’ve seen in a Japanese medium-duty truck to date.

For example, there is a tri-colour scheme of dark maroon, black and camel and the steering wheel has cruise control and audio function switches incorporated into both horizontal spokes.

And the cab dimensions are bigger as it’s been specifically designed to accommodate Australian drivers up to 193cm (6’4”) tall whereas the previous model was designed for drivers no taller than 179cm (5’10”). To manage this the cab has been lengthened by 48mm and heightened by 15mm.

This has also helped with extra room in the Australian Design Rule 42 (ADR42) compliant ‘sleeping quarters’ behind the seats.

Furthering driver comfort and convenience

is the standard ISRI NTS-2 air-suspended drivers chair with integrated seatbelt. This can be replicated on the passenger side as an option.

Another highlight is the comprehensive array of LED room lights set into the headlining which literally transform the darkest night into bright daylight inside the cab.

The instrument cluster is all new, too, with easy to read large diameter speedo and tacho, each incorporating an air pressure gauge at the bottom. Between the main dials resides a 7.0-inch Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) which features ECO Tree, a system that evaluates driving style and notifies the driver via a novel shaded zone at the top which changes hue from green (ecodriving) to blue (acceleration) to help the driver maximise ecodriving time.

The pièce de résistance of the interior package sits smack bang in the middle of the dash. It is a new 6.5-inch touch-screen multimedia unit with wi-fi connectivity that enables over-theair updates of software as they become available. The unit also features a curated Hino Application (app) Store, which enables the operator to further personalise their drive by selecting apps for music, audiobooks or other useful information such as weather conditions or maps. In addition, the screen displays the view from the standard reversing camera.

With the second theme of Solution for the Management, Koyu said the new A05C engine was a significant step forward in terms of power and torque levels as well as higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions, not to mention enhanced durability.

The A05 is a four-cylinder derivative of the six-cylinder A09 which powers the heavy-duty 700 Series in Japan and the heavy-duty 500 Series Wide Cab models in Australia.

As such, the A05 engine has the same robust construction including 90mm diameter crankshaft journals and high-rigidity engine block. These bode well for a long, trouble free service life.

In terms of performance, the A05 comes with three different ratings depending on the model. The FC 1124 and FD 1124 models share ratings of 240hp at 2,300rpm and 794Nm of torque at 1,400rpm, while the FE 1424 crew models harness 240hp at 2,300rpm and 833Nm at 1,400rpm. Meanwhile, the range-topping FD 1126 and FE 1426 models sport 260hp at 2,300rpm and a healthy 882Nm at 1400rpm.

“With 10 to 20 per cent more torque than the previous engine, the high torque output at lower revs is further evidence of the A05’s heavy-duty foundation,” Koyu said. “While reducing rpm improves fuel efficiency it also reduces stress on the engine and ultimately improves reliability and durability.”

He then proceeded to explain an exciting development on the new engine, namely a Jacobs Engine Brake – better known as Jake brake – that was previously only available in heavy-duty trucks.

“This is the first time a Japanese medium-duty truck below 15 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass has been fitted with a ‘fair dinkum’ engine brake as standard,” Koyu explained with a grin. “This provides a full 50Nm more retarding torque than was available with the previous J07 engine and, combined with the downhill

descent control, sets a new benchmark in this class of truck.”

The third and arguably most important theme Koyu expanded on was Safe Operation. In this area Hino’s new 500 Series Standard Cab delivers in spades.

The comprehensive list of standard active safety features includes Pre-Collision Safety System (PCS), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Scanning Cruise II (Adaptive Cruise Control) and Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS). In many cases these safety systems have been adapted for Hino’s use from the systems found in Toyota passenger cars and light commercials.

PCS uses two components – an Extremely High Frequency Radar mounted in the front bumper and an image sensor Hino calls Safety Eye situated low in the windscreen. These work together to detect vehicles and pedestrians and, if the system determines a collision is imminent, will autonomously apply the brakes to bring the vehicle to a stop.

The cab also features a number of safety inclusions such as the UN-R29 certified Emergency Guard Impact Safety, which is a side intrusion beam in the doors. This is complemented by a driver’s airbag, pre-tensioning seatbelts and a collapsible steering column.

All up the new Hino 500 Series Standard Cab represents a quantum leap in all areas compared to its predecessor. While 15 years in the making is a long time, we reckon it was well worth the wait. It sets the scene for medium-duty trucks in Australia for the next decade or more.

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ON THE

LEVEL FOR DECADES VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS HAVE ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES TO MAKE CARS AND TRUCKS CAPABLE OF BETTER PROTECTING THEIR OCCUPANTS IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. NOW UD TRUCKS’ FOCUS HAS WIDENED TO ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS THAT AIM TO PREVENT CRASHES FROM HAPPENING AT ALL WITH THE BONUS ADVANTAGES OF IMPROVED FUEL ECONOMY AND REDUCED DRIVER FATIGUE.

W

e pass through the security gate at UD Trucks factory near Tokyo and are greeted in the foyer area by an endearing little robot. There is not a human receptionist in sight and our group is thoroughly captivated by the ‘personality’ of a machine made from plastics, metals and silicone chips. It’s fitting as we are in Japan to see UD Trucks’ first foray into autonomous commercial vehicles and 40

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silicone chips perform key functions in the trucks, just as they do in the robot.

During the past few years Prime Mover has done some first-hand reporting on autonomous trucks in Europe and North America but this brief interaction with a robot somehow seems to personalise the experience.

As part of the global Volvo Group, UD Trucks in Japan has the palpable expectation that, while initially it is a technology taker in the autonomous

commercial vehicle space, the experience and expertise of the UD people will be taking the concept into very different and far reaching directions.

To date, the most common perception of an autonomous truck has been for a prime mover and trailer to be at Level 4 on the autonomy scale and operating on public roads, especially freeways. There are numerous, but not insurmountable, challenges with that scenario. The reality is that there are far more opportunities

On the market since 2017 the new Quon’s electronic architecture enables more data to be extracted from the truck than previously and the demonstration shows the effect of the highly precise automation’s abilities to perform such tasks as starting, stopping, steering around obstacles and reversing into difficult spaces. and applications using rigid trucks in controlled areas such as mines and port precincts where the safety aspects can be totally managed and the freight task involves highly repetitive short distance travel.

UD Truck’s first demonstration of its Level 4 automated truck takes place on a cold December day in an open area of the UD Experience Centre. Temporary barrier structures have been erected to simulate various infrastructure items including loading docks, entry gates and other structures.

The 6x4 Quon rigid used for this demonstration has been fitted with an array of cameras as well as GPS, radar and 3D Lidar to monitor and interpret the surroundings and any potential obstacles. While operating in its Level 4 autonomous mode the truck has a positioning accuracy of less than 25mm, which would rival the skills of just about any competent human driver. The electronic devices associated with the Level 4 autonomy have been sourced from parent Volvo and are the same as fitted to the autonomous and platooning FH Volvo that Prime Mover experienced in Sweden during June 2018.

On the market since 2017 the new Quon’s electronic architecture enables more data to be extracted from the truck than previously and the demonstration shows the effect of the highly precise automation’s abilities to perform such tasks as starting, stopping, steering around obstacles and reversing into difficult spaces. The driver in the cab on this day is truly only along for the ride and his arms are held in a ‘stick ‘em up’

pose well away from the steering wheel throughout the 20 minutes or so that the truck manoeuvres around the course.

Volvo Group’s development of high connectivity and practical automation isn’t merely confined to trucks. Major projects are well advanced involving construction equipment as well as buses.

At present the complexity of shared public roads combined with less than suitable infrastructure present significant challenges to the wider implementation of autonomous vehicles. UD Trucks are not necessarily stepping back from on-road applications, especially in the area of on-highway platooning.

The pragmatic approach to having a focus on engineering autonomous solutions to suit defined locations such as mines, ports and even freight distribution centres will translate into a much more accelerated development

and implementation of new and existing technologies.

Regardless of the level of autonomy, the technology offered to markets has to be foolproof and also has to be affordable to deliver an economic value to the owners of the vehicles. A current example comes from Volvo and the sugar cane industry in Brazil where the implementation of trucks equipped with connective and autonomous technology ensures that they are perfectly aligned with the discharge chute from the cane harvesters and at the same time are driving on the defined wheel tracks to avoid damage to the seedlings coming up for next year’s crop. Even the most competent and experienced drivers at times have difficulty matching the harvesters’ speed and avoiding crushing the young plants. The result from adapting the autonomous features of the trucks has been that crop losses have been reduced by 12 per cent annually and the seven trucks in the pilot program are about to be expanded to a fleet of 25 over the next few months.

Volvo Group’s CAST or Common Architecture and Shared Technology is a major factor in Volvo Group becoming the leader in this type of technology.

CAST provides the various divisions of the Volvo Group including UD Trucks and Mack with an extremely efficient way

Silicone chips perform the same functions in the UD Trucks robot as they do in the Quon. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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to utilise resources and amortise costs as well as broadening the intellectual input, as experts including customers, in differing situations, are able to collaborate to achieve beneficial results for the broader operations.

In Japan UD Trucks have benefitted from CAST to gain a head start in the autonomous technology race and in just a few months have been able to quickly adapt technology from Sweden to UD vehicles in order to be able to present a practical demonstration of a truck that thinks for itself.

Volvo Group’s Vice President of Vehicle Automation Henrik Färnstrand is on hand in Japan to explain how straightforward the adaptation to the UD Quon has been.

“We just took it from an FH and put it into the UD Quon,” Henrik says. “It was done in four months and the software

Software adaptation between Sweden and the Quon was completed in four months.

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was installed in less than one week.”

In co-operation with the other three local heavy truck manufacturers UD Trucks is participating in the Japanese government’s highway platoon projects.

The object is to improve the accuracy and safety of automation technologies particularly vehicle-to-vehicle communication across the various OEM brands. Technology relative to the connection protocol is shared between the OEMs but their various proprietary technologies for the systems controlling the vehicles remain independent and strongly protected.

Connectivity and digitalisation are the key enablers in automation and both come with certain challenges around the quality of the data, not so much from the vehicles themselves but from vehicle to infrastructure communications. Cyber security is also a factor to be considered.

Volvo Group had its first connected truck in 1993 and UD had its first connected truck in Japan in 2006. UD Trucks currently have around 50,000 connected trucks in Japan with the ambition to expand this to 150,000 by 2025.

Connectivity testing is being carried out in Australia with between 80 to 90 trucks involved and there is also an assessment program currently taking place in South Africa. Volvo Group globally has 800,000 connected assets including trucks, mining equipment and buses and aims to have two million by 2015.

“Automation, connectivity and electromobility are the three pillars of our innovation roadmap,” says Douglas Nakano Senior Vice President of UD Trucks Technology. “UD Trucks is proud to be an active partner of the logistics industry and we aim to drive innovation with our customers.”

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TRUCK & TECH

RAISING THE

BAR THE SECOND IN OUR TWO-PART SERIES ON BULLBAR MANUFACTURING FOCUSES ON ABCOR, A MELBOURNEBASED ENGINEERING FIRM LOOKING TO TAKE BULLBAR MANUFACTURING TO NEW HEIGHTS OF SOPHISTICATION WITH AUTOMATED PRODUCTION. THE COMPANY IN 2017 SECURED A CONTRACT FOR THE EXCLUSIVE SUPPLY OF GENUINE ACCESSORY BARS FOR ISUZU N AND F SERIES TRUCKS.

S

teadily evolving, the customisation and improved integration of design elements have been hallmarks of global truck production for decades. While many features of truck design are universal in that the vehicle, in its basic form, is largely suitable for many markets, some aspects are rather more region specific. Such is the case with the humble bullbar, which is something of an Aussie institution, born out of the necessity to protect the front end of vehicles from damage caused by the unfortunate but inevitable meeting of machine and marsupial on country roads.

While initial designs were rudimentary and perhaps less than visually alluring, as time went on the aesthetic appeal of blending the bullbar with the lines of the vehicle was brought into sharper focus, resulting in an accessory that not only protects the vehicle but also adds to the overall attractiveness of the package. However, since the major truck manufacturers are based in northern hemisphere

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countries where bullbars are generally not considered necessary, the design and manufacture of them has largely remained a local aftermarket effort encompassing a number of players vying for the business of the various truck manufacturers.

Yet one company, Abcor, has taken bullbar manufacturing to the next level, entering into an agreement with Isuzu Japan via their Japan-based genuine accessory division ICL Company Limited to design, manufacture and supply unique bullbars specifically for Isuzu N and F Series trucks.

The company left no stone unturned in its quest to secure the contract, proving to Isuzu Japan and ICL that it was capable of meeting the incredibly high standards demanded. The upshot was that the bars produced by Abcor are actually certified as genuine Isuzu parts.

Founded in 1971 as Preston General Engineering, Abcor has a strong focus on world-leading design in addition to top-shelf engineering and manufacturing skills. The company employs more than

300 people across automotive, truck and defence divisions. In 2017 Abcor was awarded a five-year supplier contract with Isuzu to produce the high-tech bull bars for the Australian and New Zealand markets, with potential to export to other Isuzu markets globally. The deal represents the culmination of a long and detailed development program of more than two years duration involving collaboration between Abcor, Isuzu Australia, ICL and Isuzu Japan.

“The partnership approach was important for both Isuzu and us,” says Abcor Director, John Kaias. “Our engineers worked sideby-side with Isuzu engineers in Japan to ensure the product design, manufacture and performance were outstanding. To do this our engineers travelled to Japan on three separate occasions. It was vital to integrate the bullbar performance and styling with the truck and for the final product to be endorsed by Isuzu Japan as a genuine part.”

To fulfil the contract, Abcor invested

heavily in new equipment at its multimillion dollar automated production facility in the suburb of Campbellfield north of Melbourne and employed an additional 22 staff. New tooling for the highly specialised manufacturing and assembly line was supplied by a local automotive toolmaker providing work for other Victorian businesses in the struggling automotive industry.

“Bullbars are a highly specialised accessory and must meet stringent design rules,” Kaias says. “Our production utilises the latest world-leading manufacturing techniques including robotic welding and polishing to produce these world class bullbars.”

The company has made a sizeable investment in both personnel and tooling according to Dawie Aker, Abcor Chief Executive Officer, who outlines the painstaking procedures that comprise the embryonic design stage right through to the finer details of the finished product for Isuzu.

“After our company had been selected our engineering team worked closely with Isuzu Japan’s engineering team to finesse both the styling and the mechanical interface with the vehicle,” he explains.

“In terms of airbag deployment and crash integrity the vehicle must perform exactly the same after bullbar fitment as before.

The results are determined using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) as well as physical crash testing.”

Critically, Dawie says that the design criteria called for the main section of the bar to be a one-piece pressing rather than the traditional extruded channel.

Furthermore, the upper section of the bar including the uprights would be fabricated separately and bolted to the lower bar. The benefit of this method of construction is that in the event of damage either section can be replaced individually. Additionally, if a full-blown bullbar is not needed, the main bar without the top section can be installed as a traditional bumper bar.

“We developed this design that is stamped

from a single sheet of aluminium – 5.0mm for the N Series and 8.0mm for the F Series – using a 1,000 tonne press and a very large two-stage die,” Dawie says. “The tooling is very expensive for that sized product, however, in order to achieve the required strength – which is well in excess of any fabricated bar – this was the

Robotic manufacturing ensures 100 per cent accurate repeatability which was necessary for Abcor to achieve its goals.

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Abcor Group Owners and joint Managing Directors John and James Kaias.

direction we needed to take. As far as we know there is no other bullbar or bumper section produced this way anywhere in the world.”

When it came to the top section of the bar, there was a similarly stringent design and testing process that effectively ensured peak levels of form and function while dispelling any doubts as to whether a bolted together bar would be as strong as a one-piece item.

“The two-piece design is more expensive to produce due to the extra materials and hardware bolts but a design criterion of Isuzu Japan and Isuzu Australia was that this product is a genuine accessory that needed to be substantially different from aftermarket offerings.

“Early in the piece there was some discussion surrounding the performance or strength of the bolted joint compared with a welded joint,” Dawie says. “But subsequent testing proved that it was the same if not better than a welded joint.”

One of the biggest challenges involved with mass-production fabrication is keeping each unit dimensionally accurate. With manual welding this is virtually impossible to achieve as minor discrepancies caused by natural human erring along with the ‘pulling’ 46

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or distortion that occurs due to the heat of welding inevitably leads to slight differences in tolerances. There is also the chance of slight variations in raw materials that can affect the dimensions of the finished product. Given it is massproducing a genuine Isuzu accessory, which is regarded as integral to the vehicle, Abcor has to ensure each unit is identical and the only way to achieve this is through robotic welding.

“We invested over $5million in production technology including robotic welding, linishing and polishing machines along with a very complex assembly process to ensure zero-tolerance repeatability,” Dawie says. “Because of this we could take a bar off a truck in Perth and install it on the same model truck in Japan and it would fit perfectly.

“This is the first bullbar in the truck industry that has had the seed planted, fertilised and grown from the parent company and we are very proud of this achievement, as are ICL and Isuzu in Japan and Australia.”

While accuracy of build is the main benefit of the automated processes, Dawie explains that it also dramatically improves the company’s ability to meet production targets due to the diminished

reliance on human resources to get the job done. He says the number of times the bars are touched by human hands in the production process is minimal.

“We’ve chosen the automated manufacturing path to achieve consistency in the product but also sustainable manufacturing capability,” he says. “When you rely on manual labour and three people are off sick but you still need to pump out a certain number of bars per day, it just doesn’t work.”

For Abcor, the ground-breaking journey of automated bullbar manufacturing started nearly four years ago. While it involved a massive capital outlay and significant changes to personnel training and numbers, the end result is that the company has achieved the lofty goal of being able to mass-produce the products with the certainty that each unit meets the stringent requirements of ICL as well as Isuzu Japan and Australia, and is therefore classified as a fully integrated genuine part.

The process has involved melding the company’s core strengths of technical engineering product development and production technology to achieve an outcome that would not otherwise have been possible.

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To use Shell Rimula call us on 1300 134 205 or visit shell.com.au/rimula.

TEST DRIVE

OFF THE ROAD AGAIN

THE COMBINATION OF ISUZU’S INNOVATIVE COMPARTMENTALISED SERVICEPACK BODIES FITTED ON ITS 4X4 RUNNING GEAR WITH UP TO 7.5 TONNE GVMS HAS TAKEN ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT STEP WITH THE INTEGRATION OF A TWO PEDAL AUTOMATED TRANSMISSION AND CAN NOW ACCESS WORK SITES IN MUCH MORE DEMANDING TERRAIN WHILE KEEPING ITS OCCUPANTS COMFORTABLE AND SAFE.

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or the single cab application the powder coated steel service body has nine storage compartments with the automatic locks integrated into the cab’s central locking system. Every compartment is equipped with its own LED lighting operated by

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sensor switches on each locker’s door and controlled by a master switch on the dash. The total storage volume of the lockers is four cubic metres. Between the two banks of lockers is a central storage area that is 2.26metres long and 1.17 metres wide and has five tie-down

anchors in its chequerplate floor. A removable wooden transverse panel acts as a tailgate to retain items such as bags of cement. Crew cab models have seven compartments and a single barn door in place of the wooden panel.

The single cab model is supplied

Total storage volume of the lockers on the Servicepack is four cubic metres.

complete with a Palfinger PC1500 hydraulic crane, which has a maximum lifting capacity of 990kgs at its shortest extension and 270kgs when it is at its fully extended range of 4.2metres.

The Palfinger adds significantly to the versatility of the NPS and when being operated maintains the truck’s platform stability by the use of extendable stabiliser legs.

The provision of the AMT in the NPS range provides emergency services such as bush fire brigades, resource

exploration operations and remote field service operators with a reliable and rugged on- and off-road vehicle with the advantage of two-pedal operation.

Regular off-roaders may not consider this a big deal but for categories such as volunteer fire fighters where the drivers may not have a wealth of experience in rough conditions this is a significant advantage. And for those who regularly venture off sealed surfaces either for industrial or recreational purposes the two pedal operation adds another level

of convenience and control.

Our assessment of the NPS 4x4 tales place over two phases – the first in an abandoned quarry in the Victorian countryside and alternating between crew and single cab versions, and a longer test drive in a single cab over several days spread across Sydney metropolitan traffic, the M1 freeway and the Central Coast hinterland where fortunately some rain has fallen overnight providing the opportunity to splash some mud onto the Isuzu. The Isuzu’s climbing abilities are on par with 4WD SUVs, which can be quite surprising in a seven and a half tonne truck. Fording water hazards is easy too due to the traction and ground clearance.

The suspended driver’s seat works well at providing long term comfort both on and off road although the same can’t be said about the solidly mounted passenger’s seat. The canvas seat covers and the very heavy rubber floor mat are an indication that this truck has been designed to operate in rugged conditions. The full sized mirrors are an asset on the road but can be somewhat vulnerable when off-road and are best folded in when tackling narrow tracks.

For safely backing up there is a reversing camera and a rear mounted microphone.

Front protection is in the form of a polished aluminium bullbar which provides good looks and does such a good job of shielding the vulnerable lights that the indicators are all but hidden which has required additional LED indicator lights to be incorporated in the bar itself.

Isuzu is the first OEM to offer a two pedal 4x4 in the Australian market and the engineers have learned from their experience over the past three years including with the two-wheel drive N series. Recalibrations specifically to suit the dual range 4x4 application under conditions likely to be encountered in Australia have been developed as well as the installation of wet clutch fluid coupling in place of the torque convertor used to connect the 4x2 engines to p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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TEST DRIVE

Isuzu is the first OEM to offer a two pedal 4x4 in the Australian market.

the transmissions.

On the road the AMT in the 4x4 is well behaved and at no time did it seem to be confused as to which gear it should be selecting. Upshifts are smooth and unhurried and the addition of a kick down switch operated via a detent under the accelerator pedal translates into swift downshifts, which are great for maintaining momentum. The five speed gearbox doesn’t have synchromesh on first gear so steep take-offs in high range are best achieved by stopping and pressing the small ‘first gear start’ button on the stubby selector lever. An ‘economy’ mode switch encourages the AMT to upshift at lower engine revs to save fuel. To best suit Australia’s often high ambient temperatures the transmission is now fitted with its own fluid cooler and a warning system that indicates if too much heat is being generated when operating off road. The Isuzu engineers tell us that if this is to happen it is most likely when a driver stays in too high a gear, requiring the fluid coupling to slip more than usual.

An instructional sticker on windscreen provides the actions to be taken if the transmission light and buzzer are activated and this is as basic as selecting low range or even first gear for a short period of time.

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Selecting low range using a dash mounted switch takes away the selfshifting attributes of the transmission and it essentially becomes a clutch-less manual with the driver required to select up and down gear changes via the lever. In off-road situations this is a great feature and provides much better driver control. On descents the improved engine exhaust brake comes into its own and helps deliver an almost ‘no-pedal’ driving style. The exhaust brake in conjunction with being able to regulate vehicle speed and engine RPM using the shifter provides excellent driver control.

Selecting low range disables the anti-lock braking system (ABS) to further enhance the driver’s control in situations of poor traction. The rear axle features a limited slip centre and the front free-wheeling hubs are very easy to engage by hand.

The four-cylinder 4HK1 engine displaces 5.2 litres and uses a maintenance free diesel oxidation catalyst to meet the emission regulations. The maximum power of 114 kW (153HP) is developed at 2,600rpm and the maximum torque of 419Nm is spread between 1,600 and 2,600rpm. Achieving the broad torque band is assisted by use of the electronically controlled variable nozzle turbocharger and an air-to-air inter-cooler. Service intervals

are now extended to 12 months of 20,000 kilometres.

Isuzu have switched to Bridgestone tyres on the 4x4 models and the new rubber offers an improved tread pattern much better suited to muddy and sandy conditions. The L330 Bridgestone rubber also gives the NPS a 200kg higher load capacity and maximises the steer axle’s 3,100kg weight limit. The more aggressive tread pattern doesn’t seem to increase road noise on sealed highways.

With its GVM of 7,500kgs and a towing capacity of 3,500kgs the NPS doesn’t fit into the ‘small’ truck category with its total gross concessional mass of 11,000kgs. However, it can be specified with a 4,500kgs GVM to be legal for drivers with passenger car licences. It’s a shame the three tonne reduction in payload in order to suit drivers who don’t have a Light Rigid licence as a minimum takes away much of the Isuzu’s capabilities. In fire-fighting parlance that 3,000kgs translates to 3,000 litres of potentially propertyand life-saving water.

As with the rest of the 2018 Isuzu N series range the NPS is equipped with a new audio-visual system featuring a 6.2inch touchscreen that is much brighter and has better resolution than the previous DAVE unit. This latest unit runs on the Android Automotive operating system and includes USB 3.0 connection, Bluetooth V4 and an AM/FM/Digital radio receiver. As an indicator of progress there isn’t a CD player but there is an internet radio function that can be accessed using the Wi-Fi of a tethered smartphone. The satellite navigation system has provision for the truck’s specifications to be entered with factors including height and weight to ensure correct access and to take into account any restrictions on a route.

The NPS 4x4 Servicepack combination is an example of Isuzu’s approach to building trucks with reliable technologies that work together to assist the operators to perform their own functions more effectively regardless of the road conditions, or even if there is no road at all.

LONG TERM

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Textar pads and linings provide the optimum combination of long service life, low wear and frictional stability. So put your foot down and insist on premium quality. Insist on Textar.

For your nearest stockist call our customer service team: 1800 061 729 Distributed by HELLA Australia

FINAL MILE

BODY OF WORK THE FUSO BUILT READY CANTER RANGE NOW EXTENDS ACROSS SIX MODELS AND CAN BE WHEELED STRAIGHT OUT OF DEALERSHIPS TO GET CUSTOMERS WORKING IMMEDIATELY.

T

he feature advantage of the Built Ready Canter range is they can be purchased with various bodies already fitted to suit a number of applications which saves customers from potentially long wait times and the complications of dealing with separate body builders. The Built Ready Canter tippers are sourced directly from Japan, while all the other Built Ready bodies have been developed with leading truck body builders and are made in Australia.

Spending some wheel time in examples across the full spectrum of the Ready Built range brings us to the conclusion 52

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that Fuso have tapped into the market in a very smart way by offering tough trucks that are up to their respective tasks yet are extraordinarily easy to drive.

The units with manual transmissions present no more challenge to drive than a manual car especially with the hill start anti-roll back function, which holds the brakes until the clutch pedal begins to be released. The Duonic AMT models also now have hill hold feature, which works off a time delay once the accelerator is applied. Both systems enhance safe driving in heavy traffic and also allow the driver to concentrate on other matters rather than getting the

pedal functions perfectly synchronised when starting off uphill, especially when loaded.

The dual clutch Duonic automated manual transmission is intuitive and smooth and almost instantly selects the most appropriate gear for the conditions at the same time as maximising fuel efficiency from the power and torque characteristics of the 3.0 litre engine. The dual clutch engineering is sophisticated and refined and exhibits none of the sometimes confused operation that plagued some European vehicle manufacturers in the earlier days of this technology.

Duonic AMT models now come with hill hold feature that works off a time delay prompted by acceleration.

The most popular model in the Built Ready range is the 515 Wide Cab Pantech, which is a great fit for suburban deliveries and the small truck rental market. The bodies are available in either 20mm fiberglass reinforced plastic panels or lighter honeycomb fiberglass construction. Both styles use aluminium for the roof. The package also features a 3mm chequerplate floor, an interior LED light, square tube internal tie rails and a D’Hollandia tuck-away electro-hydraulic tailgate lift.

Independent front suspension, a tight turning circle and the six-speed Duonic transmission contribute to a car-like driving experience.

Operators requiring refrigerated transport are offered the 515 Canter

City Cab and Thermo King fridge/ freezer combination. The Thermo King v500max refrigeration unit has 240volt standby power and can operate as low as minus 20 degrees. Helping to maintain temperature are the styrene sandwich walls and roof as well as cold curtains fitted to the rear and side openings.

The Canter 515 Wide Cab and City Cab versions are available with an alloy tray that is just over 4.5 metres long and is replete with drop sides, removable racks, rope rails and integrated access steps. Fitting into both the transport and ‘tradie’ applications this Canter presents a very viable alternative to ute and trailer combinations with its larger load area dimensions and higher weight capacity.

The Canter 615 City Cab tipper has its capacity increased by 500kg and is now the only ‘narrow’ Japanese tipper to be available with a 6-tonne gross vehicle mass (GVM). This is made possible due to the tippers’ integrated strengthened box section chassis which support the tipper body and lifting mechanism, obviating the need for a separate subframe which saves weight, adds to payload and assists stability by slightly lowering the centre of gravity.

The 815 Canter Wide cab tipper has also undergone a recent upgrade, adding 1,000kg to its payload and 14 per cent

more to its cubic capacity effectively raising it to 2.4 cubic metres. The lifting ram operates with a higher pressure and provides a five-degree increase in the tip angle and now takes it to 60 degrees.

The GVM of the 815 model is 7,500kgs with a 4,500kg certification available to enable it to be operated by passenger car licence holders. The GVM of 11,000kgs makes it suitable to tow trailer-mounted excavators. All Canter tippers are equipped with limited slip differentials and rear lug tyres to optimise traction in slippery conditions.

The Fuso Built Ready cab-chassis are covered by Fuso’s five-year vehicle manufacturer warranty, while the bodies are covered by a one-year manufacturer warranty.

In developing its Ready Built range Fuso has aimed to make it easier for its customers to do business across quite a wide range of applications.

“We know that our customers would rather be out there getting the job done than waiting for a body to be built up,” Fuso Director Justin Whitford tells us.

“We have been working on this program for quite some time because we wanted to get this right.”

By all accounts and from our own experience with the range, Whitford and his team have certainly achieved that.

The 515 Wide Cab Pantech is the most popular model in the Built Ready range.

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

PA C L E A S E

AHEAD WITH THE RENT PACLEASE OFFERS FIXED PRICE FULL SERVICE LEASE AND REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS FOR COMMERCIAL ROAD TRANSPORT COMPANIES IN MATCHING LIVERY, PLUS RENTAL UNITS FOR CUSTOMERS LIKE LONG STANDING PARTNER TRANSFORCE LOGISTICS.

F

irst launched in 2015, PacLease offers customised full service lease and repair and maintenance contracts for the truck industry.

Transforce Logistics, one of PacLease’ first customers, runs general freight out of Dubbo in New South Wales. Established in 2013, the company offers dedicated services on interstate and intrastate linehaul. It’s a requirement, given the nature of its operations, for it to have access to an expansive dealer network such as the one offered by PacLease.

“One of the benefits of the PacLease proposal is the dealer network it offers and also the continued reliability and serviceability of the PACCAR product,” says Steve Fieldus, Transforce Logistics Managing Director. “That for us is critical.”

While the supply chain never stops, its demands can vary depending on

economic climates, international markets and seasonal product.

Because of this, the company, according to Steve, takes advantage where it can of having a fixed price schedule every month.

“We know exactly where our costs are with the fixed price of the truck including the servicing of that vehicle,” he says.

“That gives us peace of mind for the next five years.”

With a total of 13 prime movers in its fleet, Transforce Logistics operates three DAF and three Kenworth trucks as part of its full service lease agreement with PacLease. The trucks, regardless of breakdowns or servicing requirements, are all budgeted on a plan that includes preventative maintenance. All servicing is performed entirely by PacLease agents.

Any after sales support or subsequent repairs required of it is included and covered under the contract says Steve.

“For us it’s about having new or late model equipment and an assurity around the monthly costs of operating prime movers and Rigid trucks,” he says.

With dedicated support to understand the daily needs and tasks of its customers, PacLease representatives identify the right programs and services in which to specify the best trucks. During peak business seasons, high quality units are available to meet demands.

With brand unity of increasing importance to transport businesses both big and small, PacLease will finish rental trucks in the livery of its customer so that it fits with the fleet.

“All of our PacLease trucks have our fleet markings,” says Steve. “Its sticker orientated signage and at the end of the term we can peel it all off and we’re back to plain white vehicles and we can hand it back and get another one.”

Kenworth prime mover at work for Transforce Logistics.

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TAILORED TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS Full Service Leasing Commercial Truck Rental Contract Maintenance Preventive Maintenance Substitute Rental Vehicles Telematics Solutions

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

PA C C A R F I NA N C I A L

PERSONAL BEST PACCAR FINANCIAL IS DEDICATED TO FINDING THE RIGHT FINANCE SOLUTION FOR AUSTRALIA’S TRANSPORT BUSINESSES. ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES IS MARTIN’S STOCK HAULAGE WHO CAN ATTEST TO THE COMPANY’S PERSONALISED SERVICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY. One of the 86 strong fleet of Kenworths at work for Martin’s Stock Haulage.

W

ith 86 prime movers Martin’s Stock Haulage runs one of the bigger livestock transport operations in Australia. Based in Scone, New South Wales, the family business maintains depots out of Dubbo and Oakey carting cattle and sheep up and down the Newell Highway where it will divert livestock to South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.

Company Director, Gordon Martin, 80, has partnered with PACCAR Financial, for the best part of two decades. “We’ve had some tough times, and that’s the nature of the industry we’re in, but PACCAR Financial is always there to support us.”

It was a loan from his sister that allowed Gordon to finance his first truck when he established Martin’s Stock Haulage in the Hunter Valley back in 1958. He

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understands the crucial importance of timely financial assistance.

PACCAR Financial values loyalty and long-term relationships and has financed owners of Kenworth, and later DAF trucks, in Australia for 40 years. It finances trucks and trailers exclusively for customers of PACCAR, and as part of the PACCAR group, has a vested interest in the growth and sustainability of the Australian road transport industry.

PACCAR Financial’s industry leading service levels mean they are trusted to provide the support and information needed to make an informed finance decision. The company offers a wide range of traditional finance products such as Chattel Mortgage and Hire Purchase Agreements. With the addition of its rental and leasing arm, PacLease, it is able to rent trucks to all operators for those peak periods – even just for

a day, or while a rig is in for overhaul.

PacLease also offers full service lease and maintenance packages allowing you to maximise uptime and productivity so that drivers can continue making their deliveries and supporting your customers.

PACCAR Financial’s boutique offering also means they can structure loans as required, offer seasonal payments for those in the agriculture industry, or make available credit limits to allow for growth. Consistent and reliable, PACCAR Financial continues to support transport companies regardless of economic cycles.

Martin adds, “PACCAR Financial supports us when circumstances need it.

We haven’t had to rely on it but they are always open for us to talk to them should we need it,” he says. “The particular thing that I like about it is the very personal service. They’ve been very loyal to us and there’s never been a thing we’ve asked from them they haven’t honoured.”

According to Gordon, the company looks to refresh its Kenworth trucks every eight years, using Hire Purchase funding. He says the strong relationship with PACCAR Financial is because they are easy to work with and flexible. “They provide us with exceptional service. If you cross your ‘t’s and dot your ‘i’s they will go the extra mile.”

Unlike larger finance providers, customers of PACCAR Financial regularly engage with the management team who are actively trying to find the best finance solutions for Kenworth and DAF customers. PACCAR Financial’s managers understand their accessibility is key to understanding the industry and meeting the needs of its customers.

SECOND YEAR KENWORTH WARRANTY EXCLUSIVE TO PACCAR FINANCIAL*

PACCAR Financial would like to extend your Kenworth factory warranty to two years for all new on-highway Kenworth models up to 140 tonne GCM^ with unlimited kilometres.

Simply accept an all-inclusive finance quote from PACCAR Financial on a new Kenworth today to enjoy a second year Kenworth warranty.*

For more information speak to your PACCAR Financial Manager or visit www.paccarfinancial.com.au

* Normal credit assessment criteria applies. Not available in conjunction with other PACCAR Financial programs. ^

24 month Warranty available only on Kenworth on-highway trucks (all models) up to 140 tonne GCM with unlimited kilometers financed by PACCAR Financial.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

FREIGHTSAFE

T U R N C L A I M S I N TO A COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNIT Y THE FREIGHTSAFE WARRANTY IS A CRITICAL AND PROFITABLE CUSTOMER RETENTION TOOL, PROVIDING BENEFITS TO ALL PARTIES IN THE CLAIMS PROCESS FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE TO GOODS. FREIGHTSAFE ACTS AS A THIRD PARTY CLAIMS MANAGER ON BEHALF OF ITS CLIENTS AND USING ITS PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE GENERATES TARGETED DATA AND IDENTIFIES AREAS FOR OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT. PM: What kind of problems does FreightSafe solve?

FS: Carriers have understandably been reluctant to pay claims for lost and damaged freight, and have used the non-common carrier framework to keep their customers at bay. This unfortunately translates to poor carrier-customer relationships and bad publicity. The FreightSafe Warranty shifts things around by allowing carriers to offer their customers a superior service offering in responding to claims for loss or damage proactively, while actually seeing significant commercial benefit in doing so.

PM: How does this differ from a specialised insurance solution?

FS: The FreightSafe Warranty is not insurance, which is traditionally a cost in a business. Rather it provides a mechanism to manage lost or damaged freight which is structured as a profitable revenue stream. This provides consignors of freight with a solution to lodge claims, where historically they were denied. FreightSafe set up a bespoke program for each carrier to manage their claims and provide ongoing data and analytics on carriers operations.

PM: How do you go about managing all of these claims?

FS: FreightSafe is Australia’s largest claims manager to the transport industry. Acting as an extension of our client’s customer service teams, we 58

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engage directly with their customers to resolve claims. Our proprietary technology platforms allow us to manage significant volumes of claims, and still deliver exceptional outcomes, with the majority of claims finalised within seven days or less. We understand that claimants are at a sensitive stage of the relationship when lodging a claim and as a result we provide a white glove service. Our team of claims assessors are highly trained in claims resolution techniques and are supported by 12 software engineers that continue to develop our technology.

PM: What has been the response from the market to the FreightSafe Warranty offering?

FS: The FreightSafe Warranty has been implemented by many of Australia’s most innovative tier 1 and 2 providers.

These include Border Express, SCT Logistics, Followmont Transport, COPE Sensitive Freight, Blue Star Global Logistics and dozens of other wellestablished carriers.

PM: In regard to data and technology can you tell us what FreightSafe is doing in this space?

FS: FreightSafe knows that claims produce not only a commercial opportunity for our customers, but also a wealth of operational data. Using this data, FreightSafe provides their clients with a wide range of reports which allow carriers to identify, manage and improve their own operations. Claims can

actually assist carriers in understanding their businesses better. Furthermore, our paperless claims management systems, client portals for reporting and digital claim forms are all part of our standard service. Fastway Couriers, an existing client, had this to say about FreightSafe’s data: “This has empowered us to make informed decisions that have not only benefited our business, but our clients alike”.

PM: So ultimately it’s about the carriercustomer relationship. What feedback have you received on the FreightSafe Warranty from consignors of freight?

FS: Carriers generally have 70 per cent of their customers subscribe to the offering due to the value it offers and the outcomes it generates, thus highlighting the demand from consignors of freight.

Through the FreightSafe Warranty, carriers create the ultimate win-win by introducing a solution that improves their bottom line while offering their customers tangible solutions when things go wrong.

WE

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GOOD TO BE TRUE? We already do this for many of Australia’s leading transport companies including Border Express, SCT Logistics, Followmont Transport, COPE Sensitive Freight and Bluestar Global Logistics.

DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND Call Paul or Jonathan on 1300 733 033 or email info@freightsafe.com.au

PERSONALITY

FATIGUE

MANAGEMENT AT YO U R F I N G E R T I P S THE WINNING CONCEPT OF THE ‘FATIGUEHACK’ HELD AT THIS YEAR’S TRUCKING AUSTRALIA CONFERENCE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE ‘AUGMENTED INTELLIGENCE’ TEAM WHICH PROPOSED USING SENSORS ON TRUCK STEERING WHEELS TO MONITOR DRIVERS’ HEART RATES AS A WAY OF PREDICTING THE ONSET OF FATIGUE. TO EXPLAIN THE PROGRESS OF WHAT COULD BE A GAME CHANGING SOLUTION ‘AUGMENTED INTELLIGENCE’ TEAM MEMBER ANDREW HAMMOND SPEAKS EXCLUSIVELY WITH PRIME MOVER. PM: FatigueHACK was a multiteam ‘think tank’ encouraging the development of some disruptive concepts relevant to managing driver fatigue. How did the ‘Augmented Intelligence’ team get involved?

AH: We are a small group of entrepreneurs and health clinicians from the ACT and Queensland. Team member Dr Kelvin Ross knew there was some correlation between measuring heart activity and fatigue.

PM: How did you arrive at the concept of involving the steering wheel as the measuring interface?

AH: We want to be able to predict fatigue and support informed decisions about when and where to stop for rest breaks. There are wearable ECG (electrocardiogram) monitoring devices but our aim is to avoid an excess of additional equipment in the cab that the driver needs to manage, hence incorporating medical grade sensors into the rim of the steering wheel. We found the attendees at the FatigueHACK and at the subsequent ATA Technical and Maintenance Conference quite readily 60

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Andrew Hammond.

understood the concept once we pointed out the parallel with gym treadmills equipped with sensing hand pads. We have also taken into account different driving styles and where the hands are usually placed on the steering wheel itself. We temporarily fitted a prototype to the ATA’s Volvo Safety Truck for a test run around Canberra to show how practical the steering wheel application is.

PM: What other factors do you examine?

AH: Pardon the pun, but at the heart of our solution are personalised fatigue predictions and therefore we’ll create a baseline for the individual over time.

We believe it will be important to understand, as much as it is practical, what is happening as the data is being collected. For example, we plan on having a front facing camera to monitor traffic conditions which when combined with GPS data and the ECG readings could indicate that being stuck in heavy traffic for an extended period may accelerate driver fatigue.

PM: Have you had any feedback on fatigue caused by non-driving activities?

AH: Athol Carter from Fraser’s Transport operating out of Warwick asked us at TMC18 a very valid question: ‘What happens if one of our guys has been loading cattle, having repeatedly climbed up and down on the decks. We know his heart rate will be up. How would the system deal with that?’ Our system will be continually monitoring the driver, and within the model we will allow for variations in their heart rate. We’ll continually calculate and recalculate the predicted fatigue levels, so in this instance as the driver’s heart rate returns to normal over time our system will recalculate and provide advice accordingly.

how a particular driver is feeling. The driver alert functions remain active as a local system within the truck and is not fully dependent upon a continuous 4G connection. It’s important to protect drivers’ data and, again, for each driver we need to establish their exclusive baseline.

PM: Can’t existing telematics systems achieve a similar result?

AH: Telematics can provide high level data about factors such as where a truck is and how fast its going and how long the driver has been at the wheel, which is great, but there needs to be more about the actual well-being of the driver.

PM: Is there much international activity in this space?

AH: In ECG and fatigue monitoring there is work internationally in a clinical perspective and there is plenty of in-truck technology based around managing fatigue such as infrared eye monitoring cameras. As far as we know there’s not yet anyone that is merging those together to provide a solution that specifically suits the trucking industry.

PM: Where to now?

AH: We have Multiquip interested in doing a practical trial and for us that’s great because what we wanted outside of the FatigueHACK bubble was to get some

industry feedback and if the solution has some genuine elements of viability.

There is no point in us coming up with this great idea in the lab and then putting it out and having something we haven’t anticipated bringing the whole system undone. At the moment we are building a couple more prototypes with the view that at least one will go into a Multiquip truck on the Goulburn to Sydney route, which has a good variety of driving conditions.

PM: So you’re that far advanced?

AH: We are, but the caveat on that is the trial will be multi-staged. In the trial phase the sensor unit we put in will be self-contained within a steering wheel cover that will go over the wheel and a communication unit, which will be simply plugged into a cigarette lighter.

We can start to build up the data and we also want to test the practicalities of drivers who are dusty and sweaty or have grease on their hands. We’re being deliberately cautious because we have been afforded a unique opportunity with the trucking community and the last thing we want to do is go like a bull-ata-gate and then waste that opportunity.

In our day jobs our roles are all about being trusted advisors and that doesn’t happen overnight so incremental change is the way to go.

The smart steering wheel concept uses sensor pads for hands like gym treadmills.

PM: What about privacy concerns?

AH: With the drivers’ permission the EGC data is stored securely and privately in the Cloud and the information is subject to same privacy conditions as in a hospital. The aim is to give individual feedback to the depot about p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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FEDERICA GUIDI EVERY MONTH, PRIME MOVER MAGAZINE, TOGETHER WITH WOMEN IN INDUSTRY, RECOGNISES A WOMAN OF NOTE WHO IS RELENTLESS IN WORKING TO MAKE THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY A BETTER A PLACE. THIS MONTH WE SPEAK TO FEDERICA GUIDI.

Q

What first drew you to the commercial road transport industry?

A. The executive leadership at VISA Global Logistics drew me to the industry. Our Directors have exceptional business acumen and have led the company to grow exponentially in the seven years. I was also drawn to the culture of innovation at VISA. There’s always a push to achieve efficiency in our business so we can pass this on to our customers. Each piece of the VISA fleet is engineered to be the lowest possible legal and safe vehicle tare weight – introducing the potential to increase container load.

We partner with the industry’s leading production and technology arms and spend a lot of time with government bodies to supply Australian businesses with innovative transport solutions. It’s a great place to work – it’s always busy and bustling with energy.

Q. What does a standard day for you look like?

A. Every day at VISA is unique. There’s always ample challenges at hand requiring problem solving and team work. It is not your normal 9-5 job as the global freight forwarding and logistics industry never sleeps. We must always be on our toes, looking after thousands of customers’ supply chains; ensuring shipments and deliveries arrive on time. If we are doing our job well, our customers should always have their products in stock.

Q. What has been a highlight for your career so far?

A. Winning clients that have been a target for some time is always a great feeling. Successfully delivering project-

VISA Global Logistics Chief Financial Officer, Ed Conway, and Global Business Development Manager, Federica Guidi.

based work also gives me a feeling of achievement.

Q. What is the best thing about the transport industry?

A. The best thing is the transport industry’s potential for innovation to achieve efficiency and cost savings.

There’s always a better way to do things.

Q. What do you think could be improved?

A. Congestion in Australia’s major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne have hit the transport industry in these states hard. Trucks would be sitting in traffic for hours, affecting number of deliveries that can be completed in a day. This has had adverse impact on the operations and profitability of transport companies.

VISA’s Transport Team are constantly working with transport industry bodies to lobby changes in legislation to utilise

high productivity vehicles facilitating deliveries and minimising the number of trucks on the road.

Q. What do initiatives like the Women in Industry Award / Conference mean to you?

A. In the past, the transport industry has always been a male dominated industry, however, times are changing.

At VISA, it’s been a pleasure to see the growth of female representation in our transport team; both office based and drivers. One of our exceptional and inspirational female drivers is based in our Queensland intermodal facility.

Personally, it means recognising the contributions of fellow women in the industry and encouraging others to join in. Half our population are women; we have great ideas, incredible work ethic and we too have a lot to give to make the transport industry better. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

65

INSIGHT | VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION

Steering basics

PETER ANDERSON

I

recently investigated a front wheel separation. The separation was the result of a unitised bearing failure.

There was evidence of front wheel misalignment. This investigation prompted me to consider the engineering ‘basics’ for steering axles and wheels. This article describes them.

The condition of the Steering Mechanism is crucially important for long and safe truck-life. The illustration shows the basic components. A great guide to condition inspection for the steering joints and pivots is in the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual – Section 4. For example, when a front-axle wheel is lifted and rocked, the maximum acceptable back-and-forth horizontal movement at the tyre tread is 3mm. This movement could be due to bearing wear or kingpin wear. If an excessive movement exists, the

bearings need to be slightly preloaded to determine whether the movement is reduced. If not, a worn kingpin is indicated.

A preventative maintenance strategy is sensible for the steering mechanism. The frequency of replacements will again depend upon the levels of loading and the harshness of the road conditions that the mechanism experiences.

The turning geometry for a four-axle truck is shown below. All four steering wheels need to have different angles to point to the turn centre. This is the ‘Ackerman’ geometry.

The steering mechanism design is supposed to achieve it. When the truck is moved in a low-speed turn with radius R, one point on it will be the path centre. This point is determined by the ‘battle’ of tyre forces.

The front tyres push the front to the right whereas the rear tyres resist being turned, and they cause the rear of the truck to move left. This moment of forces causes the truck to rotate around the path centre. The path centre should be near to the centre of mass.

The minimum turning circuit that can be achieved depends upon the maximum wheel-cut angles and the length of the truck. Wheel-cut angles are limited by stops that are adjustable, but they are needed to

C FR OR O NE M FR RIN O G NT FO GR RC O E UP

WHEELBASE

PATH CENTRE

TURN

RADIU

SR

CORNERING FORCE FROM REAR GROUP

66

n ove fe br umbe a r y r2019 2018

TURN CENTRE

SECTOR SHAFT

PITMAN ARM

(DRAG LINK)

(STEERING ARM)

stop the wheel contacting the chassis rails to avoid tyre damage. Australian Design Rule 43/04, clause 5 specifies that the turning circle of a truck be no more than 25m. This circle is measured by making a complete circular turn and measuring the diameter across the turning circle that is traced by the outer edge of the outer front tyre (identified by the cross). Because the path centre depends upon load, the turning circle has a minor dependence on load.

A simple check on the Ackerman steering geometry can be done visually when all steerable wheels are straight ahead. Using a straight edge, a line through the centre bottom of the kingpin and track rod joint should intersect the centre-line of the truck at the wheel-base line. For a bogie rear axle group, the sight line will be projected just to the outside of the centre of the differential on the front drive axle. If the wheelbase of the truck is altered, the steering mechanism may need to be altered. For a longer wheelbase, replacement track rods (steering arms) are needed that move the track rod end-joints outwards so that the sight line still intersects the centre line of the truck at the wheelbase line. If this is not done, front axle tyre wear will increase, and the truck steering will be ‘heavy’.

CHAIRMAN’S TECHNIC AL COLUMN | INSIGHT

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Assuming they are in good condition, there are three elements to front axle group alignment, which are: Camber, Caster and Toe. KINGPIN PIVOT

TRACK-ROD PIVOT

WHEELBASE LINE

When the truck travels around a corner at speed, the lateral forces generated by the tyres must increase to provide the centripetal acceleration (cornering forces) necessary for the truck to stay on course.

The lateral tyre forces are generated when the tyres point at a different angle to the direction of travel, which is arrowed at the Path Centre in the illustration.

The steerable wheels have steering angles that are positive with respect to the direction of travel and the rear wheels have negative angles. The net effect is that the tyres generate different cornering force pointing inwards and cause the vehicle to rotate around the Path Centre. The desired situation is called Neutral Steer, when the cornering force necessary to hold the road is provided by the axle groups in proportion to the weight carried by that group. If the vehicle exhibits Understeer, the front group steering angles need to be greater than those of the rear group and for Oversteer it is vice-versa. The usability of the steering system then depends upon design factors (geometry) and tyre quality (sidewall stiffness and tread depth) and on the load distribution on the truck (balance of load between the axle groups).

There is not much point in getting the wheel alignment checked on your truck if the bearings, joints and bushes are worn!

Camber Camber concerns the angle that the wheel plane makes with the roadway as shown below. For trucks, camber mainly affects tyre wear. Because roads are never flat and because the engine operation twists the chassis at the front of the truck, it can be advantageous to set the camber on each side by cold-bending the steering axles. There is some controversy about the best settings. Different values are proposed by axle benders for different states and regions! The bend must be outside the spring seat as otherwise the springs are twisted. Left wheel camber might be ¼ to 1½°. Right wheel camber is lower.

Caster Caster is the angle between the kingpin axis (the steering axis) and a vertical axis when the steerable wheel is viewed from the side. Caster affects road tracking.

Negative caster makes the steering light and prone to wandering. Positive caster makes the steering heavier and centrering.

Typically, trucks have 3½ - 4½° of positive caster. Caster is adjusted by putting wedges between the suspension springs and the spring seat on the axle to rotate the axle away from horizontal.

POSITIVE CAMBER

POSITIVE CASTER

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NEGATIVE CAMBER

NEGATIVE CASTER

Toe Toe concerns the direction of the tyre with respect to the centre line of the vehicle when the steering wheel is in the straightahead position. It is crucial for good tyre wear that a neutral toe exists under driving conditions. Toe can be affected by suspension movement and therefore load level. Excessive toe-in or -out results in wandering steer when the road friction is uneven on the two sides. Toe is adjusted at the track road end. If the spring is not tightly clamped to the axle, axle movement can occur, which causes toe. Offset steering can also occur. It is undesirable because the driver must correct the direction with the steering wheel continually.

Note that rear axle group misalignment will tend to ‘steer’ the truck. Not all problems are at the front steering group.

Dr Peter Hart Chairman, ARTSA

NEGATIVE CAMBER

TOE-OUT

OFFSET

TOE-IN

p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

67

R S N O TI !

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BEN MAGUIRE

A

n undoubtedly favourite brand of many Aussie trucking companies, Kenworth started designing and manufacturing uniquely Australian trucks in 1971. Kenworth trucks are the mainstay of many transport businesses and some drivers won’t even climb into anything else.

Not only are the trucks unique, so are the drivers behind the wheel, or the maintenance crew under the hood.

That’s why, each year at the ATA’s Trucking Australia conference, the trucking industry comes together to recognise the incredible achievements of Australia’s Kenworth Legends.

The Kenworth Legends Lunch is a conference highlight, bringing trucking stalwarts together to share their journeys, successes and hopes for the future. Like the Kenworth brand, the Kenworth Legends are people who have shown inspirations strength, perseverance and success throughout Australia’s trucking industry.

This is about acknowledging industry leaders like Phil Russell who began working for his father’s trucking business as an apprentice in the workshop before taking over in 1970 at just 24 years of age. Two years later Phil bought his first Kenworth, a K125, with the business now operating more than 50 across the fleet.

It’s also about inspiring others to follow their dreams and take a chance, like

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The trials and triumphs of our industry legends Peter Wickham, who told us to listen to those gut instincts.

“If you buy a truck and make a quid with it, just go and buy it,” he said.

“Don’t let anyone talk you out of it.”

Peter’s trucking career kicked off in the 1960s. The family was growing potatoes on a small dairy farm and needed trucks to cart the produce to Brisbane. Fastforward 50 years and Wickham’s Freight Lines is now home to 120 Kenworths that cart goods all across Australia.

Although it’s not always easy, legends like Phil and Peter have persevered in times of struggle and triumphed in times of success. They’ve seen how much the industry has changed over the years and have passed their wisdom along to family members and industry peers.

The Legends have put in the hard yards, building their businesses from the ground up. For them trucking is not just a job. It’s a way of life. The Legends are humble, inspiring pioneers who have led the way and promoted the true Kenworth spirit. Australia’s transport industry is home to so many incredible individuals who have put their heart and soul into trucking. It’s important we recognise the contribution they have made and celebrate their successes.

Each year, the ATA hosts the Kenworth Legends Luncheon. We chat about the good times and the bad, the battles of starting a transport business, keeping it going and how things have changed along the way. We talk about obstacles

and success, the sacrifices, the rewards, the great friends they’ve made along the way; and what their hopes are for the future.

This year we will recognise the achievement of more Kenworth Legends at Trucking Australia 2019, held in Perth from 3-5 April.

These are great Australian stories of pioneering people; people who still live amongst us today. Let’s gather in Perth and honour them with the appropriate recognition they deserve.

The conference is also a chance to discover how Western Australian trucking differs from the rest of the country, build professional networks, celebrate industry excellence and join the discussion on important issues we are all facing.

This is your chance to join the nation’s trucking operators and industry stakeholders as we tackle the big issues – together.

Register for Trucking Australia 2019 now to take advantage of discounted airfares and accommodation.

Head to www.truckingaustralia.com.au

Ben Maguire CEO, ATA

p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

69

INSIGHT | VICTORIAN AUSTRALIANTRANSPORT LOGISTICS ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

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Heavy Vehicle Safety must feature in election agenda

LACHLAN BENSON PETER ANDERSON

W

ith 2019 now firmly underway, the attention of many industry bodies is squarely on influencing the policy agenda in the leadup to the Federal Election that is expected to occur in May this year.

For political parties preparing their policy platforms, a key question is whether they are truly doing everything possible to save lives on our roads – particularly when it comes to heavy vehicle safety.

We know that road safety is a key focus for both sides of politics – because they have told us so.

The report of the Inquiry into the National Road Safety Strategy – released in September and was welcomed by both major parties – recommends that the Federal Government pursue rapid deployment and accelerated uptake of proven vehicle safety technologies and innovation.

Indeed, the report specifically notes that any delay in mandating proven safety technologies in Australian vehicles “is costing lives now and will continue to do so.”

The same report also contained a recommendation to establish a Federal road safety entity to report to a Cabinetlevel Minister with responsibility for national road safety, which will help drive more consistent national outcomes in this area.

The ALP National Conference, held in Adelaide last December, noted this 70

fe br u a r y 2019

recommendation when it committed a future Labor Government to “establish a National Office of Road Safety. This dedicated unit within the Department of Infrastructure will be tasked with improving data collection, promoting best practice research, and leading the development of the next ten-year National Road Safety Strategy…”

The Labor Party also committed to “mandate proven vehicle safety technologies in new vehicles”.

This is a welcome sign – but ALC believes a commitment to further action is needed from both major parties.

Now is the ideal time to build on these measures by mandating the use of telematics in all heavy vehicles, to combat speed and fatigue issues, and allow industry participants and governments to plan safety initiatives and infrastructure - including heavy vehicle rest areas – more effectively.

With the National Transport Commission slated to commence a review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) in 2019, this is the ideal time for both sides of politics to lend their support to this critical, life-saving reform.

Indeed, last year the then-Chief Executive of the National Transport Commission, Paul Retter, specifically noted telematics as a priority area for that review to consider.

In ALC’s view, the question of mandatory telematics ties to the issue of accreditation for heavy vehicle drivers.

ALC takes the unequivocal position that heavy vehicle operators should be required to comply with an agreed set of National Operating Standards in order to operate a heavy vehicle in Australia.

A National Operating Standard would include requiring a heavy vehicle operator to have the financial capacity to operate a business and maintain their vehicles to an

acceptable standard, as well as to adopt a uniform safety management system.

This is consistent with the approach taken in other comparable jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and New Zealand.

If those nations are able to protect heavy vehicle drivers and other road users by implementing a consistent set of standards for industry participants, there is no reason why Australia cannot do likewise.

Australia insists upon adherence to a set of minimum standards for those engaged in a range of other transport careers.

Driving a heavy vehicle is a challenging occupation that demands specialist technical skills, a constant awareness of a changing road environment and potential hazards, and the ability to keep accurate records to comply with reporting requirements.

It is not unreasonable to expect those engaged in the profession to be able to demonstrate compliance with a set of minimum standards that ensure our nation’s heavy vehicle fleet is being driven and managed by dedicated professionals.

Objections to measures such as mandatory telematics and accreditation generally focus on issues of affordability, particularly for smaller operators.

These are issues, which can easily be addressed by the industry and government working cooperatively to resolve them.

They are certainly not a reason to continue delaying policy reform in this area – especially when we know there are lives at stake.

Lachlan Benson Interim CEO, Australian Logistics Council

NATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION | INSIGHT

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WARREN CLARK

I

n November 2018, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) released its National Compliance and Enforcement Policy (the Policy) which sets out the NHVR’s approach to compliance activities, investigations and enforcement. The Policy states that the NHVR and its partner agencies will enforce the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) in a nationally consistent, proportionate, fair and risk-based manner. According to the Policy, enforcement responses will be proportionate to both the duty holder’s behaviour and identified safety risk in each circumstance. The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) strongly supports this approach, but whether it becomes a reality remains to be seen.

The problem is that the HVNL is still littered with high fines for strict liability offences. The lack of proportionality associated with these penalties, especially for minor offences, is exacerbated by annual indexation. Our members frequently complain about receiving fines for minor offences which cause no safety risk. The Policy does not recognise the current constraints of the HVNL in terms of a large number of strict liability offences and how these will be dealt with under a riskbased approach.

A further problem is that the Policy does not apply to police officers, so they will continue enforcing the letter of the law.

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NatRoad doubtful about the new National Compliance and Enforcement Policy Authorised officers have a range of escalating enforcement tools at their disposal ranging from warnings and directions through to improvement notices, defect notices, infringement notices, suspensions or cancellations of licenses or registrations and ultimately, prosecutions. Infringement notices are punitive measures, whereas improvement and defect notices are remedial, requiring the duty holder to fix the issue causing the breach. The enforcement approach should favour a remedial response before punishment.

However, infringement notices are often the ‘go-to’ tool. For example, NatRoad has become aware that in NSW a SafeT-Cam will identify number plates not displayed correctly which will result in an infringement notice being issued for an unregistered vehicle – not a defect notice or a warning letter about a damaged or illegible numberplate, but a $1,392 fine including 4 demerit points for the driver and $692 for the owner for use of an unregistered vehicle.

How is the Policy going to change this situation?

Enforcement action should target the minority of operators who wilfully flout the laws and bring the whole industry into disrepute. With the new chain of responsibility provisions, NatRoad also wants to see the regulator focus on the practices of off-road parties. All parties in the chain of responsibility must believe that enforcement is likely

and therefore regulators must allocate sufficient resources to this element of the law.

The Policy mentions the principles of fairness, transparency and accountability. To meet these principles, the NHVR needs to collect and publish information on the nature and outcome of enforcement activities in jurisdictions, including prosecutions. The industry should feel confident that the NHVR is indeed applying a risk-based approach.

NatRoad applauds the good intentions of the NHVR, but until the HVNL is revised to be more risk-based and outcome focussed, NatRoad remains cynical about the words in the Policy translating into action on the road.

Warren Clark CEO, NatRoad

p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

71

INSIGHT | TRUCK VICTORIAN INDUSTRY TRANSPORT COUNCIL ASSOCIATION

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Heavy Vehicle records tumble in 2018, but it’s not all good news…

TONY MCMULLAN PETER ANDERSON

A

t December year-end 2007, a new all-time heavy vehicle sales record was set in Australia. The following year our nation’s economy fell to the effects of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and truck sales plummeted. For over a decade industry has waited for a new benchmark to be set. Finally, 11 years on, the record books can be rewritten. 2007 saw just over 38,000 heavy vehicle sales for the year. At the end of 2018 we comfortably surpassed that mark, in fact for the first time ever, the Truck Industry Council’s (TIC) T-Mark sales data shows that over 40,000 trucks and heavy vans were sold in Australia in a single calendar year.

It is worth looking at the sales results by segment to gain a better picture of how our heavy vehicle market grew to this new record in 2018. Heavy Duty truck sales have been improving over the past two years, having seen largely negative growth since the GFC. This Heavy segment captures sales for prime movers and multi-axle trucks, those trucks with three or more axles. The massive infrastructure spend by the East Coast States has fuelled new Rigid construction truck sales, while much of the increase in prime mover sales has been replacement of aging hauling units, rather than significant fleet expansion. T-Mark data shows that 2018 was a record year for Heavy Duty truck sales, just surpassing the previous record set in 2007.

The Medium Duty truck segment has 72

fe br u a r y 2019

been in decline for many years now in Australia. Operators have been moving away from these mid-size trucks into either smaller trucks that are better suited to metro distribution activities, or into larger multi-axle trucks that can carry greater loads, improving freight efficiencies. Due to the segment’s recession, we won’t see record sales for Medium trucks in the future, however the segment did hit a 10-year sales high this year, indicating strong replacement of aging existing vehicles.

The Light Duty truck and van sectors have been performing very well over the past four years, with both segments setting various new annual sales records since 2015. These record, or near record, Light Truck and van sales, have been fuelled by the explosion of on-line shopping and customer expectation of “next day”, or even “same day”, delivery.

At year-end 2018, both light truck and van sales had set new benchmarks for vehicle purchases in Australia.

The good news is that more new heavy vehicles were put onto our roads in 2018 than in any other previous year. That means more vehicles with the latest safety features, more fuel efficient engines and drivelines, better exhaust emission performance and more higher productivity vehicles.

These safer, greener, cleaner and more productive trucks offer all road users improved heavy vehicle safety, they offer all Australians cleaner air to breathe and they offer operators potential productivity benefits and reduced operating costs. However, in the 11 years since 2007, we have witnessed the age

of the Australian truck fleet steadily grow older, from 14.4 years in 2007 to 15.0 years average age in 2017, as the nation’s freight task continues to grow year-on-year. The bad news is that fleet replacement has not kept pace with this freight growth. While record sales this year are a starting point, it will in fact take more than a decade of year-on-year record sales for the truck park to return to 14.4 years average age, a number that is twice that of most European countries; a number that we as a nation should not be proud of. So why do I mention this, when many might expect celebrations are in order for these new record sales?

The answer is simple, the Australian road toll is too high and heavy vehicles are over represented in those crashes and this is partly to do with the fact that the older trucks in our nation’s truck fleet do not feature the advanced safety features found in newer trucks. TIC and our members are very conscious that more work must be done to improve heavy vehicle road safety in the years ahead and reducing the average age of the Australian truck park is a key enabler of better heavy vehicle safety outcomes.

As we approach a federal election this year, TIC calls upon all political parties to acknowledge this age issue and consider incentives that will lead to a positive reduction in our nation’s truck fleet age, an outcome that will benefit all Australians.

Tony McMullan CEO, Truck Industry Council

VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION | INSIGHT

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Get serious about fatigue PETER ANDERSON

T

he heavy vehicle industry is deep into its scrutiny of what can be done to improve facilities on our major highways to help alleviate the degree of fatigue long-distance drivers endure through their daily, and nightly work.

Long-distance drivers are under constant pressure to ensure their driving regime fits with their administrative responsibilities in logging their time behind the wheel and meeting statutory law.

However, only approximately 5 per cent of the Australian long-distance freight task is interstate, while approximately 15 per cent is intrastate work and most heavy vehicle movements begin and end within 100 kilometres from their point of origin.

Under the current Heavy Vehicle National Law long-distance drivers are highly regulated and monitored through a very strict, and repressive, administration process. They are heavily fined for breaches of this regime and it would appear that there are only a small proportion of heavy-vehicle drivers who must master the fatigue laws as they try and manage the process.

Most heavy vehicle drivers do not have to work under the same administrative regimes and are therefore looked upon differently from their long-distance cousins. There is no doubt that any accident on our roads involving a heavy vehicle delivers severe consequences. Stay alert, stay legal and stay on the road is our sound advice for all drivers.

And this is where the current debate becomes messy. Are current fatigue laws fitting into the enforcement regime or are they managing fatigue to improve safety on our roads? The anomaly between longdistance and local driving in referencing fatigue is that the local driver does not endure the same scrutiny or enforcement levels when it comes to fatigue.

12 hours behind the wheel of a heavyvehicle in a day is a hard day’s work.

Stretch it out longer and throw in customer expectations, infrastructure issues on the road and the outrageous levels of personal fines and the pressures on all heavy-vehicle drivers can be extreme.

The Heavy Vehicle National Law is under review and the Victorian Transport Association (VTA) will be highlighting the inequities in the law on fatigue as well as other issues in its representations.

But there are solutions to improving safety and managing driving fatigue issues on our roads that can be acted upon now without having to go through the arduous process of amending laws.

Country and regional driver rest areas have long been the bane of long distance drivers as they are generally constructed differently in each state, in varying positions and attract other road users that exclude the long-distance driver. There are studies under way to address these issues, which will cater for a small proportion of our industry.

But what do we make of the rest areas in metropolitan areas? Where do we park, and rest, when visiting the major cities?

Where does the local driver take his 15-minute and half hour break? Parking

a heavy-vehicle in suburban streets is difficult and, in most instances, illegal.

The causes of driver fatigue are many and at times complex to resolve overall.

The need of the industry is not just to drive behavioural change in driving and driver management but to support the individuals as we slowly change and transition through these issues It is not hard to acknowledge that every heavy-vehicle driver above 4.5 GVM (gross vehicle mass) is required, by law, to have regular and prescriptive rest breaks.

Then why do we not have regular and prescriptive rest areas for heavy-vehicle drivers flowing off our major arterials?

Today’s heavy vehicle driver in metropolitan areas is entitled to be able to stop the vehicle in a safe area and rest accordingly to ensure fatigue does not become a mitigating factor in increasing the fatigue-related safety risk.

Our road planners, statutory authorities, academics and politicians need to understand that safety on our roads is not just up to the driver. We must support the freight industry and ensure the actions to combat our road toll improve driver behaviour and deliver safer roads that are consistent and ongoing.

The VTA supports the introduction of heavy vehicle rest areas in metropolitan regions to be built and included in future road plans that will see heavy vehicle drivers better manage their fatigue regimes.

Peter Anderson CEO, Victorian Transport Association p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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PETER SHIELDS’ NUMBER CRUNCH

The year of setting records 2019 will be an interesting year for the local manufacturers and importers. Local investments in additional capacities and the resolution of some component supply problems in Europe that particularly affected Scania will see the overall industry well capable of meeting whatever demands the Australian market will have. The period leading up to the federal election is likely to put its usual dampener on truck sales but, regardless of the political result, there will be plenty of time during the last three quarters of 2019 to consolidate upon 2018’s record success.

The Australian truck and heavy van market experienced its best sales year ever in 2018, significantly exceeding the previous combined total of 38,131 units set in 2007 by achieving 41,628 units which is a 13.0 per cent increase representing an additional 4,803 units. This is the first time that the combined market has exceeded 40,000 and is also the first instance of a single manufacturer exceeding 10,000 sales in a calendar year with Isuzu celebrating its thirtieth year as Australia’s largest selling truck brand by posting 10,027 for the year.

During December the cab-chassis/prime mover sector delivered 3,067 units which is just 93 (+3.1 per cent) more than in December 2017 and an indication that growth has slowed during the final quarter of 2018. The booming sales of the previous three quarters kept the annual tally at a record 35,683 units, 4,741 or 15.3 per cent more than 2017.

Heavy Duty sales were down slightly in December at 1,186 (down 5.1 per cent on December 2017) but for the year the category’s total of 14,344 trounced 2017’s total by 2,342 (+19.5 per cent). As a proportion of total truck sales Heavy Duty contributed 40.2 per cent in 2018 – an increase from 38.8 per cent in 2017.

The Medium Duty sector had a marginal increase in December over the previous year with 693 being 26 more (+3.9 per cent). On an annual basis the category’s 8,210 for 2018 shows an additional 898 units (+12.3 per cent) over the 2017 result.

December 2018 saw Light Duty trucks set their own record for the month at 1,188 units, which was up 12.4 per cent (+131 trucks) on December 2017, the previous December record. For the full year Light Duty set another record with a total of 11,628 units having also eclipsed 2017 (which was the previous record) by 1,501 trucks (+12.9 per cent).

Heavy Vans had a marginally better year than in 2017 with 5,945 sales. It was enough to exceed the 2017 record of 5,883 by 62 vans (+1.0 per cent).

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fe br u a r y 2019

Dec-18

Change

ISUZU

952

12.7%

HINO

447

17.1%

FUSO

403

14.9%

KENWORTH

259

25.1%

VOLVO

143

16.2%

IVECO

210

30.7%

MERCEDES-BENZ

102

25.8%

MAN

88

26.7%

MACK

105

10.5%

UD TRUCKS

85

10.7%

SCANIA

69

-11.0%

FIAT

59

-6.1%

DAF

66

25.0%

FREIGHTLINER

28

-1.2%

WESTERN STAR

18

-3.9%

RENAULT

13

99.2%

HYUNDAI

11

203.2%

FORD

2

-20.4%

INTERNATIONAL

7

335.7%

DENNIS EAGLE

0

-55.3%

CAT

-67.3%

VOLKSWAGEN

-33.3%

CAB CHASSIS/PRIME

3067

15.3%

M-B VANS

150

10.5%

RENAULT VANS

98

-15.2%

FORD VANS

44

-6.4%

FIAT VANS

45

11.5%

VOLKSWAGEN VANS

26

8.2%

IVECO VANS

25

2.2%

TOTAL

3455

13.0%

BEST THE

UD TRUCKS DEAL IN TOWN

ALL NEW!

READY TO GW 26 460 RIGID TIPPER WORK READY TO WORK fit-up package includes: Hamelex white 16mÂł aluminium tipping body, includes hydraulics (PTO options available), 8mm floor, grain door, Ringfeder, electrical and air trailer connections, mesh tarp with electric motor and remote control.

209,900

NOW ONLY $

*

Includes 2-years FREE servicing **

*Available at participating UD Trucks dealerships for new Quon GW 26 460 tipper and fit-up package as listed. Stock vehicles only. Offer ends 30 June 2019. While stock lasts. The advertised price includes the price of the vehicle, GST, dealer delivery and vehicle options and accessories. It may also include any known incentives offered by the dealer. Advertised price excludes stamp duty and other government charges. Not available in conjunction with any other offers. Three axle dog trailer is not included in this offer and is for illustration purposes only. **Free scheduled servicing is available at participating UD Trucks dealerships for 2 years or 160,000kms (whichever occurs first) from the date of delivery. Excludes wear and tear items and additional work or components required. Offer ends 30 June 2019. While stock lasts.

Going the Extra Mile To find out more, contact your UD Trucks dealer on 1300 BUY A UD or visit udtrucks.com.au Going the Extra Mile

linfox has the

MPETITIve edge

australia’s FIRST certified carbon NEUTRAL diesel ENGINE OIL

“ At Linfox, we focus on being a smart, reliable business. More than that, we’re setting the benchmark for Australian fleets when it comes to social responsibility which is where Castrol plays a key role.

When it comes to diesel engine oils, Castrol VECTON 15W-40 CJ-4/E9 is both highly spec’d and highly regarded.

The culmination of Castrol’s technical expertise, it delivers up to 20% better performance*.

Plus, every litre of Castrol VECTON we buy helps reduce our carbon footprint, reducing, replacing and neutralising 2.7kg of CO2. When you think about the size of the Linfox fleet, that’s a competitive edge for all Australians.”

RAY GAMBLE, PRESIDENT OF FLEET & PROCUREMENT, LINFOX. *Measured across key areas of oil consumption, fuel efficiency, oil drain interval, component life and power.