Prime Mover June 2020

®

June 2020

Supagas

Giant Steps

JUNE 2020 $11.00

ISSN 1838-2320 05

9 771838 232000

Industry Fleet: Way4ward Transport Feature: PUD Axle Configurations Showcase: SAF-Holland’s ELI-te Personality: Bill Gillespie

Innovation Technology: Dynamic Excavations Fleet: JD Refrigerated Transport Test Drive: Freightliner Cascadia Final Mile: Peugeot Partner

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

N O W

S H O W I N G

A T

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D A I M L E R

T R U C K

D E A L E R S H I P

N E A R

Y O U

PRESENTS THE

STARRING COLUMBIA

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June 2020

Supagas

MEET THE TEAM

Giant Steps

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.

John Murphy | CEO

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.

JUNE 2020 $11.00

ISSN 1838-2320 05

9 771838 232000

Industry Fleet: Way4ward Transport Feature: PUD Axle Configurations Showcase: SAF-Holland’s ELI-te Personality: Bill Gillespie

Innovation Technology: Dynamic Excavations Fleet: JD Refrigerated Transport Test Drive: Freightliner Cascadia Final Mile: Peugeot Partner

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

ceo John Murphy john.murphy@primecreative.com.au editor William Craske

william.craske@primecreative.com.au

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.

managing editor,

transport group

Luke Applebee luke.applebee@primecreative.com.au

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

business

Ash Blachford

development ash.blachford@primecreative.com.au manager

0403 485 140

art director Blake Storey blake.storey@primecreative.com.au 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.

design production

manager

Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

client success manager

Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au

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.

Ashley Blachford | Business Development Manager

Handling placements for Prime Mover magazine, Ashley has a unique perspective on the world of truck building both domestically and internationally. Focused on delivering the best results for advertisers, Ashley works closely with the editorial team to ensure the best integration of brand messaging across both print and digital platforms.

www.primemovermag.com.au

Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty,

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

Peter Shields | Senior Feature Writer

design

head office 11-15 Buckhurst Street

South Melbourne VIC 3205

P: 03 9690 8766

F: 03 9682 0044 enquiries@primecreative.com.au

subscriptions

03 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au Prime Mover magazine is available by subscription from the publisher.

The right of refusal is reserved by the publisher.

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articles

All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher.

The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

copyright

PRIME MOVER magazine is owned and published by Prime Creative Media.

All material in PRIME MOVER magazine is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher.

The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

The opinions expressed in PRIME MOVER magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

CONTENTS

Prime Mover June 2020

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46

36

22 54

COVER STORY “Fuso themselves and Stillwell Trucks have been absolutely fantastic with the implementation of this new fleet. We haven’t had a set plan in place as we adapt our model and they’ve been able to adapt with us.”

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PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD

Prime Feature Stories FLEET FOCUS

22 Giant Steps Fleet replacement for applications in dangerous goods is made an even tougher task during the height of a global pandemic when economies of scale force assets into lines of work they weren’t initially specified for. National energy carrier, Supagas, through Fuso and Stillwell Trucks, hasn’t let such a major dilemma get in its way.

28 Paradise by the Dashboard Fledgling grocery fleet, Way4ward Transport, an independent business that services a major supermarket contract in the Queensland tropics, has been going from strength to strength in its last mile delivery operations.

TRUCK & TECH

42 Rear Window Tailoring the spec to the application is key to every successful trucking venture. For metropolitan pickup and delivery roles, 6x2 and 8x2 units can be a compelling choice.

46 Moving with the Beat Utilising highly specialised water jetting and vacuum pumping equipment mounted on a pair of Isuzu FVD 165300 trucks, Dynamic Excavations performs non-destructive

digging operations to assist councils with maintenance and repair work on essential services.

TEST DRIVE

54 Beast Mode Anyone who gets close to the Freightliner Cascadia can’t help but be impressed, unless, of course, you’re the competition.

Regular Run 06 From the Editor 08 Prime Mover News 58 Final Mile 60 Personality 62 Prime Movers & Shakers 64 Australian Road Transport Suppliers’ Association 67 Australian Logistics Council 68 Trucking Industry Council 69 Victorian Transport Association 70 Peter Shields’ Number Crunch

FROM THE EDITOR

Quarantine the Past

William Craske Editor

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Since the first state of emergency was declared in the country, the future, at least as we knew it in the substantive world before COVID-19 (BC19), now appears to be on hold. For many businesses both big and small whose ambitions for the calendar year have been revised, key performance indicators reconsidered and long-term ambitions temporarily derailed, the path forward especially for companies that operate independently from government, must seem like a spacecraft trapped in orbit without permission to land. On top of the epidemic that has upset economies, nation states and political applecarts, Toll Group, which operates as a multinational including Australia, has been forced to contend with at least two cyberattacks amid speculation of its liquidity and ownership. Dealing effectively with outside threats given the immensity of the freight task at hand, which is unlike anything seen in two generations, might be akin to slaying a dragon with an arm tied behind your back. By all reports the company is, despite the adversity, forging ahead effectively, by informing and servicing its customers with adroit precision. Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.

It’s the motto of Clint Eastwood’s gunnery sergeant in Heartbreak Ridge and for many businesses inside and out of commercial road transport it remains no less true. The first cyberattack on Toll did not go unnoticed by rival businesses, some of whom smartly intensified precautions to avoid a similar fate. It helped Ron Finemore Transport, whose dress rehearsals for such a disruption, helped put it in a better position to deal with the coronavirus crisis as others in

the industry were caught napping. At Linfox, a few years back, the company opted for a flatter leadership approach to respond quicker so that expeditious decisions that warranted action weren’t lost in administrative red tape. So fast-changing has been the freight environment that one CEO at a major carrier described it to me as a “series of ongoing one-offs.”

Many a failed professional football coach lived the lesson, no matter how successful they had been previously, of hewing to a rigid line of thinking and action.

Abraham Lincoln when asked what he would do if the facts he had on hand, suddenly changed, said, “Well, I change my response”.

Great leaders avoid becoming shrew captives of the present.

In periods of great upheaval where decision-making is subject to extreme external pressures lasting legacies often take shape. In combat it is said that mistakes are inevitable, victory is not. It’s learning from these mistakes in less time than the other side where the inroads are made, lives are saved and defeat can be avoided.

Once the rapidly changing theatre of COVID-19 begins to level out many industry leaders, politicians, bosses, and managers will be remembered, on the other side, for how they carried themselves during this time. Some of them will have done so with grace and dignity. A few might have made a discovery or a breakthrough that they will come to refine, perhaps even perfect, once what formerly seemed like an out of reach future catches up to their mastery of the situation.

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PRIME NEWS

> Australia to boost fuel security and establish national oil reserve The Australian Government is boosting the nation’s long-term fuel security by taking advantage of dramatic falls in global oil prices and building on a historic agreement with the US to access their Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

Under the new measures, Australia will establish its first Government-owned oil reserves for domestic fuel security. This will include a deal with the US to store Australian Government owned crude oil in the US SPR. Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor, said the Government would also work with the private sector to consider options for improving domestic fuel security, and would work with refineries on temporary measures to ease the stockpiles of jet fuel by amending fuel standards under the Fuel Quality Standards Act. “The Government is taking action to improve Australia’s fuel security and enhance our ability to withstand global shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, when they reach our shores,” said Taylor.

“Australians can be reassured there is plenty of fuel in the country and we are extremely well placed to keep supplies

flowing through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The new measures will take advantage of the current low prices for oil and Australia’s privileged position of access to the SPR, which is amongst the world’s most cost-effective longterm oil storage facilities. This work is a down payment on a stronger and more secure fuel supply for Australian households, motorists, industry and the national economy.

The announcement according to Taylor delivers immediate and medium-term measures that form a framework for a highly successful and domesticallycentred approach to fuel security, that he said will underpin national economic prosperity for the next decade and beyond.

Global oil prices have hit new lows due mainly to a significant drop in demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of cost-effective long-term storage options.

Australia has been negotiating access to the SPR since 2018, with Minister Taylor and US Energy Secretary, Dan Brouillette, signing the first arrangement of its kind to facilitate the deal in March of this year.

Australia will spend $94 million to buy oil at the current low global prices and has access to hold oil in the US SPR for an initial period of ten years.

Taylor said the Government would shortly launch a process to work with the private sector to identify the best options for further strengthening fuel security in Australia. Terms of reference to guide this process will be released in due course and will focus on investment options, supporting the refining sector and assessing the most effective stimulatory options.

To help refineries, the Government will work on a temporary change in fuel standards to provide refiners with more flexibility to adapt their operations to manage the changes in demand and oil prices as a result of COVID-19. Any change will be closely managed to ensure refiners have increased flexibility while motorists and the environment are protected.

“The temporary change provides Australian refineries with flexibility and can assist them to shore up their viability by helping them resolve some storage and supply issues,” said Taylor.

Australia has established its first Government owned oil reserves.

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PRIME NEWS

Scania intends to reach out to 10,000 of its trucks in Australia.

> Scania launches Prime program for older commercial vehicles Owners and operators of older Scania trucks have been encouraged to visit one of the commercial vehicle manufacturer’s workshops for a health check. A special lube service will be included as part of the new Scania Prime program announced in which Scania Australia aims to reach out to 10,000 Scania trucks currently in service that are five years old or older and not operating under one of its maintenance contracts.

Scania National Aftersales Manager, Patrik Tharna said the company trained technicians had the know-how and tools to ensure the older trucks remained in prime condition using genuine Scania replacement and service parts.

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“In the current environment where trucking is deemed an essential service and where on-time deliveries are more crucial than ever, operators and drivers cannot afford to suffer unplanned stoppages,” he said. “The Scania Prime concept will be good news for all of our old Scania friends. We’re starting with an offer of a lube service and health check for just $379 inclusive of GST.” The Scania Prime lube offer includes Scania LDF3 synthetic lubricant replacement, new Scania oil filter and a multi-point vehicle health check.

In addition, the vehicle operator also receives a 20 per cent discount voucher for fitted genuine parts and labour carried out by Scania’s company-owned workshops around

Australia on a future visit.

Tharna said with many operators presently worried about their business continuity, it was the perfect time for Scania to offer owners and operators of its older vehicles the opportunity for an affordable lube service and health check.

“It’s our way of showing how we continue to care for all Scania family members throughout their long working lives. Scanias enjoy very long working lives as a result of our legendary durability and reliability,” he said. “We want to maintain all Scanias in prime condition. The Scania Prime lube service is just the first of a range of services aimed at older trucks that we plan to roll out in the near future.”

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PRIME NEWS

> Newly appointed Penske boss talks disruption, recovery Being handed the reigns of the recently re-branded Penske Australia could not have come at more challenging period for Hamish Christie-Johnston but amid the rolling lockdowns the new Managing Director offers clarity in regard to the factors that matter most in the coming weeks. Formerly responsible for Penske Power Systems which handles the Detroit, Allison Transmission and MTU engine and power system brands, Christie-Johnston now finds flagship truck brands MAN, Western Star and Dennis Eagle under his remit.

The current period of disruption has accentuated the contrasting fortunes of road transport categories according to Christie-Johnston. There are those in the general freight sector currently inundated with work and others who work in speciality areas that are starved of it.

“In this dichotomy there is a real difference in the experience our customers are having right now and we are very conscious of that and trying to work with all of them to help them through this period regardless of whether they’re busier or quieter,” he told Prime Mover. “A lot of our focus for

Hamish Christie-Johnston.

the past few weeks has been about how we service our road transport operators and keep them on the road by providing a very responsive service to them.

“Some of them have been very busy so they are not wanting to get a lot of service work done at the moment because they are flat out, but that’s the nature of the beast.”

One branch of the Penske group responsive to the shifts in demand is the rental and leasing operation. Market dictates have prompted a temporary rethink for many businesses in handling surges in capacity according to

Christie-Johnston.

“These last few weeks have been very interesting for us to just observe the utilisation of the rental fleet,” he said.

“In Australia we’ve got 300 trucks on rent or lease and the demand has been very strong – much stronger than we would ordinarily expect at this time of year. That is mainly demonstration of the heightened volume happening with groceries. Transport requirements for fuel and aviation fuel have obviously been down and we expect that to stabilise somewhat in the coming months.”

Christie-Johnston added that the truck and transport industries will continue to play an important role both now and as the economy recovers.

“It’s all about confidence right now.

We’ve seen the flattening of the curve in terms of new cases and maybe there’s an expectation emerging now that we will see the state governments start to relax the settings in the coming weeks and we’ll go into a period which is survivable for businesses,” he said.

“That will probably go for a period of time and then we will see the economy claw its way back.”

THE ORIGINAL ENGINE OIL

> Qube launches renewables business unit Transport and logistics company, Qube, has established Qube Renewables with wholly-owned entity, LCR Group, to provide services to companies investing in the construction and maintenance of hybrid renewable technologies. Qube Renewables is reported to combine Qube’s expertise with stevedoring, logistics and renewable solar handling with LCR Group’s specialisation in crane and lift hire, heavy haulage and wind farm component logistics.

The LCR Group renewable service, according to Qube, includes liaising with manufacturers, contractual negotiations, crane hire, heavy haulage, erection, post-project agreements, maintenance, and storage.

“Qube Renewables, as part of the entire Qube network, has the distinct ability to manage inventory, vessel charter, global freight forwarding and customs clearance,” Qube said in a statement.

“Stevedoring, break-bulk and container

Qube Renewables will leverage expertise in stevedoring, logistics and solar handling.

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handling, as well as warehousing, distribution, and storage.”

Qube Renewables claims to be the only Australia-based logistics provider that can deliver fully integrated hybrid renewable solutions. The Qube Renewables Team, through LCR Group, coordinated and managed the logistics handling of all aspects of AGL’s Coopers Gap Wind Farm project from cargo arrival, port operations, lifting services at port and site, plus delivered 1,230 over-dimensional loads of components via LCR’s heavy haulage services.

The Farm is located 250km north-west of Brisbane and at time of completion became Australia’s largest capacity wind farm with the capacity to power up to 264,000 average Australian homes.

“To make the transport of each turbine component possible, each component travelled more than 300 kilometres and moving each of these components, primarily throughout the night along some of Queensland’s major roads,” Qube said. “The project is estimated to have an investment in excess of $850 million and boasts 123 turbines, making the Coopers Gap Wind Farm one of the largest wind farms in Australia.”

PRIME NEWS

> PFD Food Services join forces with Woolworths Unprecedented demand for home delivery services prompted by consumer social distancing has seen PFD Food Services partner with Woolworths. The supermarket retailer has announced the temporary fulfillment of orders for its B2B customers will be assigned to PFD Food Services as part of a strategy to ease stock constraints brought about by the surge in demand for online groceries.

“It provides us with access to PFD Foods’ current product range and stock, and their order fulfilment and last mile solutions through our website,”

Woolworths said in a statement.

Woolworths confirmed that its B2B customers would, under the arrangement, be able to order from the PFD product range, which includes a selected range of bakery, freezer, meat, poultry, seafood and pantry staples.

Brad Banducci Woolworths Group CEO said it was important for the company to assist essential services that are still operating, such as day care centres, schools, disability services and nursing homes.

“By partnering with PFD we can help these businesses to place bulk orders

which meet their requirements through our online service,” he said. “This partnership will also ensure we can continue to focus on increasing capacity within our traditional online business at a time when demand has never been higher for home delivery.”

PFD Food Services CEO Kerry Smith said the partnership with Woolworths would provide additional support to their business and ensure the delivery of food and groceries to essential businesses who “continue to operate to support the community during these challenging times.”

> Elite support certification bestowed upon new Daimler Trucks dealers A pair of Daimler Trucks dealerships in Victoria and South Australia, according to a recent announcement, have achieved Elite Support certification.

Fuso Port Melbourne and Daimler Trucks Adelaide satisfied the 129 stringent criteria that enable dealerships to achieve Elite Support certification Daimler Trucks confirmed in a statement.

A joint initiative by Daimler Truck and Bus and the Daimler Truck dealer network, Elite Support which offers

Daimler Trucks Adelaide.

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a premium in-dealership experience, aims to deliver a new level of service for Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and Fuso customers across Australia and New Zealand. Its points of difference include maximising vehicle uptime with rapid diagnosis through Express Assessment, consistent communication and robust parts availability.

The dealer, as part of the Express Assessment, communicates primary diagnosis, parts availability check and provides an estimate of cost and repair time within two hours of the service write-up.

Elite Support was first introduced

by Daimler Trucks North America in partnership with its dealership network.

The program arrived in Australia back in 2017 and is being implemented across the network as dealerships move through the rigorous certification process.

According to Daimler Trucks, many of the Elite-accredited dealers across Australia attribute involvement in the initiative as improving their customer satisfaction levels and helping them run better businesses.

“We are thrilled to see Daimler Trucks Adelaide and Fuso Port Melbourne achieve Elite Support Certification and offer their customers an even higher level of service,” said Daniel Whitehead

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific President and CEO. “All dealerships who achieve this important certification are required to make a wide range of investments and improvements across their businesses,” said Whitehead. “It is not easy, but the end result is a better experience for our customers.”

Daimler Trucks Adelaide Continuous Improvement Coordinator, Leroy Tricker, says the Elite certification process helped grow his team.

“Achieving Elite Support certification has been a hugely satisfying achievement, not only professionally but personally as well,” he said. “As a team we are now looking forward to growing as a continuously improving dealership as part of an evergrowing network.”

Fuso Port Melbourne Continuous Improvement Coordinator, James Ferguson, said the dealership is excited to achieve Elite Support certification status.

“There is no better satisfaction then being rewarded for hard work. Being recognised nationally as an Elite Support certified dealer allows us to demonstrate a positive point of difference to the customer and to our working team,” he said in a statement.

There are now seven Daimler Trucks dealerships with Elite Support certification across Australia and New Zealand.

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PRIME NEWS

> CouriersPlease names first Chief Commercial Officer Parcel delivery specialist, CouriersPlease, has named its first-ever Chief Commercial Officer as part of a restructure in which the company has merged its sales and marketing teams.

Former Victorian State Manager Paul Roper has been appointed to the role with the aim of further aligning the company’s outputs to create more cohesion.

CouriersPlease said the newly created role is part of recent structural changes at the business. With 25 years of experience in logistics and transportation, Roper offers expertise in global business development, sales management and designing efficient supply chain models to maximise customer value. In his 19 years at DHL Express, Roper has spent 13 years overseas, with postings in New Zealand, Fiji, Malaysia and Singapore – holding various roles including National Sales Manager (New Zealand & Malaysia), General Manager South Pacific as well as Global Multinational Customer Director South Asia.

Roper previously worked as Network Manager of Global Operations at Toll and International General Manager at

TNT Express. At present Roper’s team oversees after-hours point-to-point delivery, which is expected to launch before July.

CouriersPlease said it will enable consumers to receive twilight or weekend delivery, allowing retailers to keep trading after their stores have closed for the day. Roper said he was thrilled to step into the new role to oversee structural changes and enhancements over the coming months.

“I have a keen interest in exploring and investigating digital marketing strategies and understanding how technology can play a role in improving specific commercial areas,” he said. “We will continue to challenge ourselves and the way we can improve and innovate our services and offerings for consumers and businesses. I’m looking forward to delivering many new initiatives in the months ahead.”

CouriersPlease CEO Mark McGinley said Roper had a wealth of knowledge from his longstanding career in the industry.

“In the short time Paul has been in this role, we have already seen him deliver strong results – signing off major

Paul Roper.

customers this month and the huge success we are having on our returns solution, Boomerang,” he said. “We’re excited about the future of CP and the strong team we have to execute this.”

As CouriersPlease Chief Commercial Officer, Roper, according to a company statement, will be responsible for supporting revenue generation across all channels within the company as well as supporting key customer acquisition nationally. The merging of the sales and marketing team as part of the restructure has been initiated to effect a closer relationship with joint accountability for revenue generation.

>SCT Logistics owner steps down The owner and founder of integrated rail and logistics provider, SCT Logistics has announced, that after two decades he will be stepping down as Chairman.

After 50 years working in the transport industry, Peter Smith will step aside and remain on the board as a nonexecutive director.

Mark Stone, who up until recently held a position as the CEO of the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, has been announced as the new Chairman.

In a statement Stone, who was also recently appointed the Chairman of Goulburn Valley Water, said he was pleased to deepen his association with SCT Logistics.

“I have worked with SCT for a number 16

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of years through their association with the Victorian Chamber and relish the opportunity to Chair such a dynamic and innovative company,” he said.

Smith, whose road fleet business is largely established to complement its freight rail operations, helped pioneer rail privatisation.

He has developed over five decades a unique perspective of the industry.

“The fundamentals of moving freight from A to B whichever the mode is the same today as they were when I started”, he said. “You just need to look after your customers, hire the best people, be as innovative as you can and do the job smarter than the next bloke.

“I am fortunate to be able to work

with my boys, with a loyal group of Directors and the incredibly committed Management team we have at SCT today.”

He recognised that change within any business is necessary and welcomed Stone to the role.

“I am excited to announce Mark Stone AM as our new Chairman. Having dealt with Mark for a number of years I have no doubt that he will represent our company well, re-energise our Corporate board and provide solid management oversight,” he said.

SCT Logisitcs acknowledged Stone as highly regarded in business and political circles and formerly welcomed him to the SCT Group.

PRIME NEWS

> Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge frozen by Government Australian truck owners and operators will save hundreds of dollars a year according to the Federal Government after it announced that it would freeze the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge at current levels. The Government, it said, was taking decisive action to support freight operators working hard to keep shelves stocked and essential goods moving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Road User Charge, according to Michael McCormack Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, which is set to recover the heavy vehicle share of road maintenance and improvements, will remain at 25.8 cents per litre for diesel in 2020-21 as opposed to the proposed scheduled increase of 2.5 per cent. McCormack said the Federal Government would

continue to help industry through these challenging times.

“Our response demonstrates our commitment to supporting the heavy vehicle industry as we put Australia in the best position possible to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak,” he said.

“Australia’s heavy vehicle industry is crucial to sustaining our economy and distributing critical goods during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He said the freeze will ease some of the current pressures on the industry.

“It is so important we help maintain the supply and flow of medicines and medical equipment and food and essential items to our supermarket shelves at this time. Road freight is absolutely critical to this,” he said.

Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said Scott Buchholz.

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all levels of Government are continuing to work together, along with industry and regulators such as the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, to minimise any unnecessary barriers to freight movement.

“Following the closure of some State and Territory borders, the Federal Government has been coordinating national action to make sure essential workers who aren’t travelling in trains or trucks such as safety inspectors, mechanics and maintenance crew, are able to get to where they need to be with limited disruptions,” he said.

“The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and the National Cabinet have also approved an exemption for roadhouses, dedicated truck stop facilities and truck driver lounges to remain open so Australia’s heavy vehicle drivers have access to showers, restrooms and facilities to undertake their mandated fatigue management breaks. This is critical to keeping freight moving during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Buchholz.

“I have been working very closely with industry throughout this pandemic, hearing from operators large and small,” he said.

In a statement Bucholz said the Government acknowledged the transport sector has had two speeds during this pandemic.

“There are those that have been working relentlessly with greater amounts of freight to move, while many other operators across the supply chain have experienced the opposite and suffered as a result of COVID-19,” he said.

“These measures go some way in demonstrating all levels of Government recognise the pressure on the transport industry at this time.

“The Government has the back of these hard working Australian men and women of the transport industry who continue to work so hard to ensure critical supplies reach Australians when and where they need them.”

Mystgold Freightliner Coronado.

> Mystgold hot-seats Freightliners to meet delivery demands Townsville-based freight specialist, Mystgold, has, as it rises to the current challenges facing supermarket delivery services, added additional staff and taken to running its fleet of trucks day and night. With a dozen Freightliner Coronado 114s transporting milk and bread and goods on a Woolworths contract to remote places like Mt Isa and Mossman and other wide ranging destinations across North Queensland, Mystgold, according to owner Chris McMurray, is seeing unprecedented demand as stock shipments have surged during the unique market induced by the current coronavirus pandemic.

“The trucks just don’t stop,” McMurray said. “We have been doing a lot of hotseating to meet the demand. The trucks are working during the day with one driver and then all night with another.”

After the COVID-19 shutdown hurt many parts of the local economy including a noticeable decline in local courier services, McMurray has been able to offer some of these drivers work in his fleet of 38 commercial vehicles.

“I’ve known guys who have done courier work around town for a very long time and all of a sudden, they had no work at all with all of the shutdowns.

They have been hit hard,” he said.

“It has been great to be able to give work to some of those guys.”

The Coronados, despite the extra work, have not missed a beat according to McMurray.

“I haven’t been able to fault them at all, they have been good for my business,” he said.

The arrival of the Freightliner Cascadia has been cause for excitement among the Mystgold team which will take delivery of a demo vehicle in the coming weeks.

“We can’t wait to get into that truck to try it for ourselves,” said McMurray.

“The drivers are pretty excited about that.”

McMurray said his team of drivers, many of whom have been long time servants at the company, have noticed greater consideration from the general public for trucks on the road.

He speculates that temporary empty shelves at supermarkets might have

helped people realise the vital role trucks play in the supply chain.

“Our drivers have noticed a big difference out on the road. Car drivers are being much more courteous, moving over to let trucks through, or not sitting in front holding them up,” he said.

“It seems that they are aware that our drivers are out there driving all night to make sure they have milk and bread for breakfast when they wake up. The public really seem to be noticing trucks and the role that they play.”

The company, which employees 72 staff, was named the 2018 Woolworths Carrier of the Year, and is now operating day and night to keep supermarket shelves full.

Despite anticipating an eventual decline in consumer demand, McMurray said it had yet to happen over the last six weeks and there was little chance things would change anytime soon.

“The demand has been unbelievable.

I have never seen anything like it,” he said. “We are still seeing big numbers even now. It has been a huge challenge but we have gotten it all done.” p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

19

GLOB NEWS GLOB ALALNEWS

> Truck giants join forces on hydrogen tech Large scale production and commercialisation of hydrogen fuel cells has been given a boost by a joint venture between two of the world’s biggest commercial vehicle manufacturers.

Daimler Truck AG and Volvo Group have announced the signing of a preliminary non-binding agreement to establish the new joint venture. The intention is to develop, produce and commercialise fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicle applications and other use cases according to a media release that confirmed Daimler will consolidate all its current fuel cell activities in the joint venture. Volvo Group will acquire 50 per cent in the joint venture for the sum estimated to be worth $1.35 billion on a cash and debt free basis.

As energy is emitted from batteries or by converting hydrogen on board into electricity, CO2-neutral transport can be accomplished through electric drive trains said Chairman of the Board of Management Daimler Truck AG Martin Daum.

“For trucks to cope with heavy loads and long distances, fuel cells are one important answer and a technology where Daimler

has built up significant expertise through its Mercedes-Benz fuel cell unit over the last two decades,” he said. “This joint initiative with the Volvo Group is a milestone in bringing fuel cell powered trucks and buses onto our roads.”

Using hydrogen as a carrier of green electricity to power electric trucks in long haul operations is one important part of the puzzle according to Volvo Group President and CEO Martin Lundstedt.

“Combining the Volvo Group and Daimler’s experience in this area to accelerate the rate of development is good both for our customers and for society as a whole,” he said. “By forming this joint venture, we are clearly showing that we believe in hydrogen fuel cells for commercial vehicles. But for this vision to become reality, other companies and institutions also need to support and contribute to this development, not least in order to establish the fuel infrastructure needed.”

The joint venture will operate as an independent and autonomous entity, with Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group continuing to be competitors in all other areas of business.

It is anticipated that costs for both companies will be decreased by joining forces while accelerating the market introduction of fuel cell systems in products used for heavy-duty transport and demanding long haul applications. In the context of the current economic downturn cooperation has become even more necessary between the companies in order to meet a common goal which follows European Green Deal objectives to turn a 27 country bloc to a low carbon economy, at a cost estimated to be more than $1.7 trillion within the next decade.

To enable the joint venture, Daimler Trucks is bringing together all group-wide fuel cell activities in a new Daimler Truck fuel cell unit.

Kirchheim-Nabern assembly line.

> Hino and Toyota collaborate on zero emissions truck Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) have agreed to jointly develop a heavy-duty fuel cell truck, and to proceed with initiatives toward its practical use through verification tests and other means.

Through their respective Environmental Challenges, Hino and Toyota have both indicated their intentions to take proactive measures towards resolving global environmental issues. The two companies have set ambitious goals to reduce CO2 emissions by 2050 and are both developing electric vehicle technologies for widespread use in society. In order to achieve further reductions in CO2 emissions, major improvements will be required in the environmental performance of heavyduty trucks, which account for about 60 per cent of the total CO2 emissions from 20

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commercial vehicles in Japan.

For the electrification of commercial vehicles, the optimum powertrain, Hino claims, must be adopted to ensure both outstanding environmental performance and just-right practicality as a business vehicle in terms of cruising range, load capacity, and other aspects depending on the usage. The heavy-duty fuel cell truck in this joint development project is based on Hino Profia (known in Australia as the Hino 700 Series).

The chassis is specially designed with the optimum packaging for a fuel cell vehicle, and steps are being taken through comprehensive weight reduction to ensure a sufficient load capacity. Two Toyota fuel cell stacks specified for the powertrain have been newly developed for Toyota’s next Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle and includes vehicle

driving control that applies to heavy-duty hybrid vehicle technologies, developed

by Hino.

Toyota and Hino have both positioned hydrogen as an important energy source for the future and have worked together on developing technologies and spreading and innovating fuel cell vehicles for over fifteen years since their joint demonstration trials of the fuel cell bus in 2003.

“This is an exciting project for Hino at a global level,” said Hino Australia Product Strategy Manager, Daniel Petrovski. “Here in Australia, Hino is committed to the Hino Environmental Challenge 2050 and has proven to be a leader in the reduction of emissions of commercial vehicles.

“We were the first truck manufacturer in Australia to introduce a hybrid commercial vehicle, the Hino 300 Series Hybrid, in 2007,” he said.

COVER STORY

GIA STEPS 22

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NT

Fleet replacement for applications in dangerous goods is made an even tougher task during the height of a global pandemic when economies of scale force assets into lines of work they weren’t initially specified for. National energy carrier, Supagas, through Fuso and Stillwell Trucks, hasn’t let such a major dilemma get in its way.

T

o the power conscious, strictly speaking in commercial vehicle language, the Fuso Shogun offers ample horsepower in a comfort ride easy on both the driver and just as crucially the cargo. For dangerous goods carriers like Supagas, a national gas and services supplier equipped with the latest cutting-edge equipment of which it has, along with its facilities, a major presence in every state, moving industrial cylinders and bulk tankers means cushioned suspension and surfeit safety features. It comes as no surprise then that

the Shogun is high on its list of future acquisitions.

The company, which counts over 500 commercial assets among the expansive national fleet, recently installed a new modification on its trays which have been specified to ensure, among other measures of effectiveness, the driver has less to do.

Extra jobs outside the purview of operating the vehicle itself over long hours function to encourage fatigue.

As a dangerous goods carrier, load restraint remains a critical aspect of the Supagas operation. It moves in addition to bulk tankers of LPG, gas cylinders,

which it shuttles to customers across a host of industries including, crucially at the minute, hospitals and health care businesses.

A new tray design successfully applied in its Victorian operation is being migrated gradually across the country including the company head office in Ingleburn, New South Wales. For the improved safety of moving industrial cylinders, Supagas has installed a self-locking system as part of the new tray design on many of its tray trucksand semi-trailers. The design uses the gates as a locking mechanism to secure the stillage which slides under it. It also helps

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23

COVER STORY

One of three new bogie-axle equipped tankers recently delivered.

dispense with the time-consuming effort of applying straps when securing the load according to Erol Arican Supagas National Operations Director.

“As it doesn’t solely rely on the judgement of the operator, it saves a lot of time and ensures the load is secure before it leaves the site,” he says. “An individual performs many tasks throughout the day and by the end of the day he can be tired. Having a mechanical system that locks in place further reduces that small margin for error.

Michael Hannah and Erol Arican inspect a Fuso Fighter at Supagas head office in NSW. 24

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No one ends the workday feeling the same as they started it. This way the process of securing the load doesn’t fall squarely on the individual who already performs many other tasks.”

The rollout of the new system, which saves an hour loading time on a 45-foot single trailer, commenced last month. By the end of the year it is anticipated that it will be standard equipment across the national semi-trailer fleet according to Erol.

“The aim is to retrofit some of the existing

fleet with the self-locking systems and where possible replace the older fleet,” he says. “Vehicle access is a critical part of our business. We’ve headed down the pathway of modernising the fleet and to preference vehicles fitted with lane departure warning systems, ABS and EBS.” A project of this scope takes some planning and time to make happen across the 42 different sites where Supagas maintains its branches. It was also one of the reasons the company last year brought in National Fleet Manager Michael Hannah. A highly sought-after industry veteran, Michael has come on board to help shape the composition of the fleet as the company pursues a fleet replacement program at the unenviable height of a global pandemic.

For now, it means moving the goalposts to suit the economic climate and adapting to the current needs of its customers.

One place Michael has identified within the business, where it can perhaps effect the biggest gain in efficiency and cost cutting, is in their repair and maintenance spending.

To date, Supagas runs more than 40 Fuso commercial vehicles and has another 28 currently on order. Each has been secured with a strategic service plan. Before COVID-19 hit the company was looking

at replacing between 36-38 vehicles. That number has since been revised according to Michael.

“We needed to get into a routine to decide on replacements and when that would happen and stick to it. The business itself heavily invests in equipment to ensure they are up to standard and compliant with all state legislation and all federal regulations,” he says. “For us, going with a newer fleet and the Fuso range with their service plan makes perfect sense.”

Supagas has taken delivery of three new bogie-axle equipped tankers with another five in the works at the moment and 18 rigid tray trucks. These have only just begun trickling into operations. Under what is dubbed a ‘re-horse’ process, the barrel is removed from an older 24,000 litre LPG tanker, and refurbished, before it is placed onto a new truck. In the most recent case this was achieved with a 400hp Fuso FV54 through Stillwell Trucks in Milperra. The re-horse process generally takes about 12 weeks and extends the asset life seven years according to Erol.

“The rigid tankers each can have its own unique requirements. There’s no one supplier who ticks a box for everything you need for a variety of reasons. It depends on which supplier is going to have the most appropriate chassis and this is determined further by its dimensions, its payload or the braking and chassis support structure.

This has got to be assessed to ensure our tanker will fit on that vehicle,” he says.

“That’s why it can be quite complex for us doing those assessments.”

Comparing the service intervals, maintenance requirements and horsepower ratio for each application in direct contrast with multiple models is all part of the process. Fuso ticked the most boxes under this demanding approach. As it’s only a matter of time before EBS is mandatory on all tankers, the Fuso Shogun with its suite of safety options, is next on the shopping list after Daimler Trucks made provision for chassis extensions last November.

The drivers, according to Michael, have not been backward in asking when the new trucks arrive.

“They really enjoy the new Fuso especially in regards to the FV range for the tankers.

Fully automatic transmission. Spacious cabs. I enjoy driving them myself,” he says. “They’re comfy and the views from the cab have been improved. Blind spots are minimal. The standard safety features like reverse camera and adaptive cruise are essential in our line of work.”

Investments in the latest assets were made to meet both growth and demand as well as to accommodate the replacement regime underway for the existing fleet. Some of the new equipment that was delivered was originally earmarked for the hospitality operations. Lockdowns placed on people movements have meant staff dedicated to the distribution network that involves delivering gas heaters to restaurants, cafes and pubs have had to be redeployed into the company’s health services supply chain in which Supagas provides oxygen and gas.

It has been a major challenge, according to Erol, but they have risen to it.

“The hospitality team has been mobilised

masks and portable concentrators for oxygen therapy patients bound for hospitals, nursing homes and medical centres.

“Customarily that kind of application would be associated with a van of some sort,” says Michael. “Having it reconfigured onto a truck the team gets more payload, more feasibility and utilisation.”

The philosophy here is if it can address the needs of a medical run than it can also meet the requirements of safely moving industrial gas. These sudden and necessary changes in priorities across the fleet are suited especially to the Fuso trucks given the flexibility they offer the Supagas operations.

“Fuso themselves and Stillwell Trucks have been absolutely fantastic with the implementation of this new fleet. We haven’t had a set plan in place as we adapt our model and they’ve been able to adapt with us,” says Michael. “They’ve never

Fuso FV54.

to support the medical team,” he says.

“We’ve done a lot of movements like that within the business to ensure that we maintain our staff and redeploy their skillsets in different areas.”

Just recently the business took delivery of a Fuso 515 originally destined to work as a flat tray truck. It will now feature a redesigned, closed-off section housing

once said we can’t do that. Instead, it’s always been, ‘yes, we can make it happen’.

At this moment in time, where things do change at the drop of the hat and you throw in COVID-19 on top of it, that’s very important. It fits with our mantra.”

He adds, “At Supagas we’ve got a, ‘Yes we can’ attitude and it’s a matter of just taking it by the horns and doing it.” p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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COVER STORY

The fleet includes almost every type of vehicle and application from roadtrains to heavy and light rigids to semis, utes, sedans and a litany of different trailer designs, modified for specific tasks whether its helium for balloons, dry ice and specialty gasses comprised of distinct parts to suit the requests made by the likes of university laboratories.

“We’re quite unique in that we offer a combined package where most of our competitors would do one or the other,” says Erol. “We do our product ranges very effectively.”

In the winter peak period vehicle movements, which can include up to 150 subcontractors, amount to an estimated 2.3 million kilometres per month. The fleet, at present, is in the midst of two different pilot programs. As part of its evaluation of in-cab aids, Supagas is trialling a system from DriveCam that records geoforces where the footage of sudden stops or aberrant movements is captured, through a four-camera system, for review later by fleet management.

Aggressive braking resultant from inadequate separation with the vehicle in front, is, to hone in on one area, an example of how driver behaviour can be better served by the technology.

“It gives us a real window into driver behaviour and we can provide live footage to the driver to show them what is happening and why it might be of concern,” says Erol. “From a driver’s perspective, in the heat of the moment he probably doesn’t realise it but when you can stand back and have a look it can give you a different perspective.”

The trial involves 15 vehicles and is being assessed as to whether it is rolled out across the entire fleet or in certain specialty areas of the fleet. In addition to this, there’s also another program involving off-road fuel usage the team is evaluating for the fuel rebate. Using GPS, off-road diesel usage is monitored as soon as the PTO is engaged on the bulk tanker and it starts to pump gas.

The measurement taken forms part of the tanker fleet’s off-road fuel rebate according to Michael.

“The GPS hooks into the engine 26

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Supagas operates over 40 Fuso commercial vehicles across Australia.

management system and all that time is recorded. It also picks up on the driver when he engages hazard lights,” he explains. “We can claim all that fuel whatever percentage it is, and we don’t have to do anything other than download a report. As soon as the PTO is engaged it sends a signal and records the time. The same principle applies to the hazard lights.”

Where some businesses have real-time temperature monitoring of their produce in cold chain carrying applications, Supagas, as the business ramped up risk mitigation for staff and clients in response to the coronavirus crisis, monitored the temperatures of its drivers.

The exacting practice continues to this day.

“We’ve got temperature monitoring on all of our drivers who have had to apply social distancing and take on a zerocontact policy for all our POP deliveries,” says Erol. “We’ve limited customers coming on site to minimise those more customary interactions.”

More seismic changes at the business took place in 2017 when Taiyo Nippon Santo Corporation consolidated Renegade Gas in NSW and Supagas Holdings, originally established by the Haddrell family in Victoria in 1968. That merger has been in effect for the better part of the last two years giving the business a true national footprint according to Erol.

“Previously the two companies collaborated together. But we were independent. We had independent boards, with management collaborating to provide support to each other which meant we had different operating systems, different structures, different suppliers, different equipment specifications as well,” he says. “By having this merger we’ve been able to look at our suppliers and Fuso represents an opportunity where we can group all of our purchases together and look at our specifications and try to have the best of both worlds.”

It’s also about having a fleet design and specification, Erol explains, that now surpasses what the company had previously.

“That’s where we needed different structures and different processes in place,” he says. “Michael has been a key element in that ongoing process.”

Even so, the business ethos insofar as it varies amazingly little under the recent changes, was built on solid values. Nearly 40 per cent of the senior management team, Michael estimates, have been at the company for close to 20 years.

“We’ve got guys who have been here for over 30 years and yet the new changes have been taken on well and implemented successfully as the business strives ahead,” he says. “That comes from a strong management team.”

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FLEET FOCUS

PARADI DASH BY THE

James Fulcher.

28

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SE BOARD

Fledgling grocery fleet, Way4ward Transport, an independent business that services a major supermarket contract in the Queensland tropics, has been going from strength to strength in its last mile delivery operations.

T

he merchant history of Townsville, then known as Cleveland Bay, when it first came of age, commences sometime around 1872. It was James Burns, who, partnering with future state premier Robert Philip, founded a trading company that would go on to dominate shipping throughout the South Pacific.

It was daily occurrence outside the new store on the waterfront to see ten to 20 bullock drays and as many horse wagons bound for goldfields in Charters Towers, Ravenswood and Etheridge. Burns, Philip & Co soon expanded its shipping network to Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and New Guinea.

Today the city of Townsville is undergoing a $30 million port expansion project, not far from that original merchant store. With a university, military base and constant influx of tourists given its central proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, the tropical capital of North Queensland as it has come to be known, has, outside the wet season, an official population of 195,000. Nearly nine per cent of this shifting populace works in accommodation or food services including the crew at Way4ward

Transport, a final mile delivery business that makes home deliveries on a major supermarket contract with a fleet of 14 light commercial vehicles.

Restrictions that have limited people movements during the coronavirus lockdowns has precipitated a rise in online deliveries, which for Way4ward, has in turn increased its vehicle movements across the city as it keeps

LCVs. Of these mobile assets currently at his disposal the four Hino 300s and a Hino 500, used primarily on a bread delivery contract, are the standouts. He likens them to tanks.

“They keep on going and go and go and go,” he says. “In our line of work, they are a pleasure for us to run given the minimal issues they bring to our business.”

“For me Hino is the epitome of all the trucks we are operating because of its reliability. The other vehicles from Europe go into limp mode and are off the road a lot more often.”

James Fulcher Way4ward Founder and Owner

up with demand. As a niche operation, the business performs close to 2000 deliveries a week with the entire fleet up and running. It’s a rare occurrence, as most fleet managers will attest, when there isn’t at least one commercial vehicle that requires attention in the shop. Rarer still that vehicle is a Hino according to Way4ward Transport owner James Fulcher, who oversees an existing small fleet of European and Japanese

Part of James’ responsibility is to run, maintain and insure the vehicles.

Honeycombs Sales & Service is the preferred local Hino dealer and servicing is capped at 20,000km intervals.

Deliveries commence around 5am after the drivers have been dispatched from stores across the distribution network.

The trucks, during off-peak, average somewhere between 12 and 20 drops.

Over the last month, however, that has p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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FLEET FOCUS

A Hino 500 is dedicated to a bread contract working seven days a week.

increased dramatically to approximately 30 drops a day. Operations have surged in recent weeks as last mile services adapt to rising ecommerce orders with more consumers confined to their homes as part of regulatory efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Increased truck movements for refrigerated goods in hot conditions are testing. The Townsville climate is mostly hot. Humidity often exceeds 80 per cent in the summer. The Hinos, however, have demonstrated their suitability in the conditions which can approach the sweltering.

“For me Hino is the epitome of all the trucks we are operating because of its reliability. The other vehicles from Europe go into limp mode and are off 30

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the road a lot more often,” says James.

“For this kind of business and in this part of the world with the heat it just seems to run better.”

That also applies to the refrigeration units which are handled more efficiently by the Hino vehicles according to James who confirms that they feature superior fridge temperature control.

The two-pallet Hino 300 in operation

by Way4ward come with adjustable refrigeration temperature control, temperature monitoring display for the insulated aluminium enclosed tray in a comfortable large cab offering a premium body with Alloy Rice-grain floor and magnetic door-stays. Its powered by a 4.0 litre 150 horsepower turbo diesel engine.

“However it is that they set up the trucks specifically to maximise the refrigeration it seems to work better with the Hino,” says James. “If I had my way as to what the fleet would eventually look like in future and we expand the delivery network, I’d consolidate it around Hino commercial vehicles.”

A Hino 500 was purchased, based in part on James’ positive experience with the Hino 300s, for a local bread contract.

The deliveries go to a set client base of commercial businesses seven days a week. This includes supermarkets, a correctional facility, the hospital, fast food establishments and a distribution point on Magnetic Island – making it one of the most picturesque delivery routes in the country. James pilots this truck himself, starting most days at 2.30am.

The Hino 500 he says has hardly missed a beat for the last three years.

When James took over the business in 2014, he had previously been working as a delivery driver, grounds perhaps to justify his high praise for the vehicle’s turning circle which he describes as “phenomenal.”

Born in Melbourne, James moved to England at the age of ten and returned in 2012 to Townsville where he accepted the opportunity to work as a driver. Two years later the main contractor wanted someone local in the area to oversee the home delivery business. James was approached. A carpenter by trade, he had never run his own team before. By his own admission he calls it a once in a lifetime opportunity which he wasted little time jumping at. When he sat down with management to understand operational procedures, he discovered much of the training had been flawed and not in adherence to some of the guidelines which were outdated. Many of the drivers at the time were not aware of this. For James, it was the first point of order as the new boss. He set about administering these new procedures which included rules for parking vehicles off-premises. It helped him gain respect among the team.

“The biggest success was bringing in my own drivers and training them from scratch. Once that happened the other drivers who had been with us before I took over began to understand it and they caught up quicker.”

James Fulcher Way4ward Founder and Owner

“The biggest challenge was essentially behavioural. That meant getting people out of old habits and showing them the importance of doing things the right way,” he says.

“I had to explain to the drivers that we had been doing things wrong and share with them what had been outlined in detail for me.”

At that time he was allowed to bed in to the operations using three of the five trucks on hand as he got a better handle on his new role. Following a whirlwind period of inducting new drivers and upskilling those he inherited, often sitting with them during a delivery run and explaining the changes that were required and how best to make them

habit forming, he learned a lot about himself and the machinations of the business. No one reverses, as a rule, onto residential premises any longer.

“The biggest success was bringing in my own drivers and training them from scratch,” he says. “Once that happened the other drivers who had been with us before I took over began to understand it and they caught up quicker.”

All drivers comply to fatigue management regulations and observe strict new conduct under government standards for essential businesses, of which Way4ward is most definitely one.

They know this from customer feedback.

“We’ve never felt so appreciated,” James says. “I’ve not received many complaints

over the last five years. My team is phenomenal.”

Prior to COVID-19 the drivers would enter customer premises and ask them where they would like their shopping.

Post COVID-19 means that deliveries are strictly left at the front door to ensure drivers maintain a 1.5 metre distance under social distancing policy. The driver then takes a photo to confirm delivery.

“This coronavirus crisis has brought about big changes to our business as I imagine it has to all services still running at this strange time in history,” he says.

“We’ve been more mindful about the processes now in place and educating the team on using hand sanitisers, antibacterial wipes and disinfectant.”

With the local populace increasingly reliant on the business, it has proven, beyond a doubt, for James, that the Hino trucks are reliable no matter how challenging the conditions.

“Even though the trucks are getting worked harder and more often, we’ve now got a higher level of confidence,” he says. “That’s no small thing for any business at this time.”

James oversees a fleet of 14 LCVs including five Hino commercial vehicles.

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

31

FLEET FOCUS

A Schmitz Cargobull built B-double pulled by a Kenworth K200.

COLD

COMFORT Founded in 1999, Eades Transport was originally a heavy haulage and general freight company that quickly moved into the temperature-controlled space. Today, the company’s fleet is comprised almost entirely of refrigerated trucks and trailers.

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A

delaide-based refrigerated logistics company, Eades Transport, was started by Darrell Eades with one truck back in the final year of the 20th century.

Prior to this he was a diesel mechanic with International Trucks at Regency Park in Adelaide. The story of his

apprenticeship with the company is an interesting one as he tells it.

“I was 15 years old when I started and I became a qualified tradesman at 19,” Darrell says. “I was the youngest ever apprentice at the International Trucks dealership where I worked.”

After finishing his time Darrell travelled over to Western Australia and spent some three years swinging spanners in the mines before deciding to buy his own truck.

“I always wanted to have my own truck and possibly even a fleet of trucks for some silly reason,” he laughs. “It’s been a lot of years, a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs and a lot of stress, but it’s been a good experience.”

His first truck was a Kenworth K145 8x4 rigid tilt-tray which, along with subsequently purchased prime movers and low loaders, was used to carry heavy machinery and general freight including hay. Interestingly, it was while Darrell was hauling hay that the opportunity presented to break into refrigerated transport.

“There were only two of us at the time, myself and my driver, who is now my Operations Manager, and we were carting hay which was labour intensive and not very profitable,” Darrell explains. “I was offered a job carting chicken products for Ingham’s in a refrigerated trailer so I jumped at it and it turned out to be a lot easier and paid better money than the hay.”

He adds, “Before long we were transporting Ingham’s chicken to a number of cold storage facilities and then Woolworths offered me some work which I grabbed with both hands.”

Darrell says there was much less complication when hauling loads for the larger companies back in the early years of this century compared with today.

“They would assign you a load, you’d do the work, give them the invoice, get paid and the job was done,” he says. “Here we are all these years later with significant relationships and written contracts with some of the large companies. It’s all very formal now.”

As the company’s reputation grew, so did the workload. This has resulted in the fleet going from small to large in a relatively short space of time. One refrigerated trailer soon became two.

Now there are 47 refrigerated trailers with an additional five refrigerated body trucks.

Darrell’s strong relationship with Woolworths has continued to this day with refrigerated haulage for the supermarket giant now making up close to 30 per cent of the company’s local workload.

Other work includes meat and seafood haulage to the four biggest capital cities of Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.

He asserts that attention to detail and providing top service are the main factors in the success of his business.

“If you provide consistently high levels of service you can charge sustainable rates which is the key to success in this game,” he says. “We have a few good customers who we have been servicing

for nearly the whole time we’ve been in business. You have to try to and keep your customer base at no more than 30 per cent for each customer because factors change over time and the work can drop off for a variety of reasons. The good jobs often don’t last forever.”

The days of really good rates, he adds, are long gone, thanks to the fierce competition in the industry. That said, he remains optimistic that operators who provide top service can still charge sustainable rates.

“Back in the day I used to travel from the Adelaide Hills to Adelaide in 45 minutes and I was charging for that load nearly the same as what I now charge from Adelaide to Melbourne,” Darrell says.

The fleet of 47 refrigerated trailers encompasses several brands including FTE, Maxi-CUBE and Schmitz Cargobull.

One of the rigids is a Scania with a Schmitz Cargobull body which, according to Darrell, has proven exceptionally good with its thermal efficiency in helping reduce the fuel bill.

So impressed was Darrell with his first Schmitz Cargobull refrigerated body that when the offer arose for him to trial a B-double set – the first one to be built locally by the company – he was more than happy to accept.

“Schmitz Cargobull’s Account Manager Andy Dinicol suggested we trial the new B-double set for a month on my Aldi contract so I accepted the offer and they built the trailers to the spec I needed for the contract,” Darrell says.

“At the time my contract was up for renewal and after the one-month trial period the contract had been renewed and I was more than happy to purchase the B-double set.”

The combination is a typical Australian B-double spec, comprising a 12-pallet tri-axle lead trailer with roll-back body in front of a 22-pallet tri-axle tag trailer, both fitted with barn doors and Thermo King SLXi-400 fridge units.

Darrell’s Aldi contract involves delivering to three country stores including Nurioopta, Berri and Mount Gambier p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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363 days per year.

His experience contracting to date for Aldi has been exceptional.

“They are very thorough and professional in what they do and easy to communicate with,” he says.

Speaking about overall running costs and the added fuel costs refrigerated carriers have to cover to keep the freight cool, Darrell says he has been pleasantly surprised at how little fuel the Thermo Kings use to maintain the set point inside the Schmitz Cargobull B-double.

“The fuel savings with the Schmitz Cargobull units are amazing,” he says.

“We often load the trailers on Friday afternoon and they sit in the yard with the fridge engines ticking over all weekend till the drivers leave on the Sunday evening. With the A-trailer, which has a smaller fuel tank than the B, its lucky to use a quarter of a tank over that period,” he says.

Darrell puts this down to the high degree of thermal efficiency built into the bodies, thanks largely to what he deems as the superior quality insulation material and construction techniques used by Schmitz Cargobull.

“They hold the temperature inside very well which means the fridge engines don’t need to work as hard to maintain the setting,” he says.

He also likes the smart appearance of the trailers and the fact that they tow reliably out on the highway.

“They look good, they’re good to tow down the road and overall I’m really happy with them,” he says. “I’m also happy with the floors which are forklift rated and have a grippy surface which minimises wheelspin when loading and unloading.”

While the fridge units have the option of stop/start operation, Darrell says he runs them on continuous for peace of mind in protecting valuable cargo.

“Due to the fact that we carry a lot of high-value seafood and meat where it’s not uncommon to have $200,000 worth of product on a B-double, I don’t want to risk it with the stop/start operation,” he says. “I just like to run them continuously which ensures a consistent 34

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Darrell Eades.

temperature is maintained at all times.”

Darrell reveals a certain fondness, when it comes to prime movers, for brands of North American origin — specifically Mack and Kenworth.

“We have a handful of Mack SuperLiners and quite a number of Kenworths, mostly K200 Aerodyne cab-overs but also four conventionals,” he elaborates.

“The conventionals are a ‘94 model T600 and an ’88 T650 on local work and a T950 and T909 that pull roadtrains between Adelaide and Perth.”

Both the T600 and the T650 commercial vehicles according to Darrell are powered

by Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines while a few of the earlier Aerodynes are punched by C-15 Caterpillar engines.

The rest of the Aerodynes and the T950 and T909 sport Cummins 15-litre ISXe5 engines equipped with Selective Catalytic

Reduction emissions control systems.

Meanwhile the Mack Super-Liners that are also used to pull roadtrains across the Nullarbor feature the big-bore 685hp MP10 engines.

“I recently sold one of the Super-Liners that was running to Perth and it had done 1.4 million kilometres,” Darrell says. “The only thing that had needed repair on the engine over that time was a cylinder head.”

In the final wrap, Darrell agrees that having equipment like the Mack and Kenworth prime movers that are built to go the distance is key to the success of his business. He generally runs them for four years and over that time the durability of these vehicles makes for a predictable whole-of-life cost that ensures the long-term profitability of the business.

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FLEET FOCUS

SUD The Mobile Tyre Shop provides on-site tyre fitting across the major capital cities of Australia. A fleet of fully equipped Renault Trafic and Renault Master vans does the heavy lifting in an operation that quite literally brings the tyre shop to the customer.

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n this modern era where time is often tight, not having to spend precious resources travelling to and from a tyre retailer’s premises, in addition to waiting for the tyres to be fitted, can be an attractive option. This was the premise behind Travis Osborne’s motivation to set up his business, Mobile Tyre Shop, which has proven to be a highly successful venture since its inception in 2012. Clientele, according to Travis, consists of major fleet companies, fleet management operators, car rental companies and traditional retail ‘Mum and Dad’ customers.

“We provide an online site where the customer can choose the brand and size of tyre and then book an appointment either the same day or on another suitable date,” he explains. “Then one of the technicians in our van network is assigned the job and comes to the customer’s home or workplace with the new tyres and fits them on the spot.”

Retailing and fitting premium, midrange and budget brands of tyres is the primary focus, however, the company can also respond to customer requests for roadside assistance in the case of a flat or damaged tyre.

“Essentially if the customer’s choice of tyre is available in the capital city where they are located, we can fit them the same day,” Travis says.

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The Mobile Tyre Shop has branches in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and has been in operation since 2012. Over the ensuing eight years the modus operandi has been steadily refined, and nowhere is this more evident than in the choice of vehicle, which is the veritable backbone of the business.

Each van is equipped with tyre fitting and balancing machines, an air compressor, pneumatic jacks, various tools and the ability to carry up to 30 tyres.

“Anything that can be done in a ‘bricks and mortar’ tyre shop we can do in a customer’s driveway with our mobile service,” Travis says. “It’s a very successful business model and we’re currently working closely with Renault to boost our vehicle numbers in response to the steady growth in demand for our services.”

The company has been using Renault vans – primarily the Master but also some Trafic units – for the past four years. Prior to this, the Mobile Tyre Shop operated another brand of van but has since found the Renault vans to be superior for a number of reasons explains Travis.

“From a price perspective they stack up very well and their front-wheeldrive (FWD) configuration facilitates

The majority of the drivers use a six-speed AMT transmission for inner city work.

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IMPACT

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

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Extra headroom in the cargo bay is a must for balancing and fitting tyres.

a lower floor height which is essential considering our technicians spend a fair bit of time standing in the back when fitting and balancing the tyres,” he says.

“The headroom as well as the lower cargo floor height when getting in and out were very important factors to us.”

The Renault Master LWB FWD van features cargo bay internal height and length measurements of 1,894mm and 3,733mm giving a capacious load volume of 13 cubic metres. It also has a generous 1,380mm between the wheel arches and a loading sill height of 543mm when fully laden.

Riding on a 4,332mm wheelbase, the Renault Master LWB FWD has an unladen overall height of 2,488mm and overall width including mirrors of 2,470mm. The sliding door aperture height and width are 1,780mm and 1,270mm respectively, while the rear door opening has respective height and width measurements of 1,820mm and 1,580mm. Minimum ground clearance is listed as 214mm.

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Powering the van is a Euro-5 compliant 2.3 litre four-cylinder diesel engine featuring turbocharging and intercooling. Power and torque vary somewhat depending on transmission choice. Six-speed AMT (automated manual transmission) versions produce 110kW at 3,500rpm and 350Nm of torque at 1,500rpm, while six-speed manual variants have 120kW at 3,500rpm and 360Nm at 1,500rpm on tap.

Kerb weight is just shy of two tonnes at 1,970kg and the payload capacity is 1,540kg, adding up to a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3,510kg. The Renault Master can legally tow a braked trailer with an aggregate mass of up to 2,500kg.

Brakes consist of 302mm x 28mm ventilated front discs and 305mm x 12mm solid rear discs. Wheels comprise 16-inch 6.5 J16 steel rims fitted with 225/65 R16 tyres.

Travis explains that while most of the fleet features the AMT, there are some employees who, when given the option,

choose a manual transmission over the auto.

“The majority of the fleet is auto because of the inner suburban locations where most of them operate,” Travis says.

“However, we do have some technicians who work in the outer suburbs and prefer a manual transmission.”

The large geographical areas the company services extend well beyond the bounds of some of the capital cities. Travis refers to Brisbane and Sydney more typical of these sprawling operational environments.

“In Queensland we cover all the way from the NSW border to Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast and in the greater Sydney region we travel as far as Penrith in the west, Newcastle to the north and Wollongong to the south,” he says.

Helping in this respect is the fact that each technician is assigned a companyowned van that they are allowed to take home and encouraged to look after as their own, which means they tend to work in the areas surrounding their

of suitable goods. According to Travis, the main challenge he faces is educating customers about the advantages his business offers over a traditional tyre outlet.

“Each of our technicians is fully trained and police checked and our vehicles are equipped with the best fitout possible so that when we turn up at the most expensive house in Brisbane or a corporate office there is nothing left to chance,” he says.

“We genuinely believe our vans are world class in their design and fitout.”

Apart from the attractive pricing and features that suited the operation, Travis says another important factor in choosing the Renault brand was the national consistency of the company.

“What came to the fore for us was the ability of Renault to deal with us on a national scale with the same product and pricing in each capital city,” he explains. “Renault understood our business model from the start and were very keen to work closely with us in helping us to grow and have the right number of vehicles in the fleet.”

In sum, Renault has been able to offer the Mobile Tyre Shop the right vehicle specification at the right price and with an efficient servicing regime that minimises downtime. Quick turnarounds for vehicle servicing are vital.

“What we’ve found is that they can service the vans in a very short period so the vehicle is only off the road for an hour and a half which means the technician can stay at the dealership while the service is carried out,” Travis says.

home base. Travis elaborates that as the company grows and more technicians are employed, the goal is to reduce the total number of kilometres collectively covered by having more strategically located employees to do the work.

“Each technician is very much dependent on their van. It is essentially their mobile office and workshop and they are the ‘store’ manager,” he says. “They take great pride in their vehicles.”

In terms of how the work is allocated to each tech, Travis says the company runs a national call centre and support office based in Melbourne with the online business allocating the work through the automated processes.

“We have invested heavily in our online processes which enables us to provide our customers with a premium service from the initial step of choosing a tyre brand to the logistics of having them fitted to the vehicle,” Travis says. “The first step involves giving the customer the information as to which brands of tyre are available close to where they are located.

“Once the sale has been completed the instructions are delivered to the technician’s phone including the closest warehouse where the tyres need to be picked up and the customer’s address. This enables the product to be delivered and fitted as soon as possible.”

While the company is in the tyre business, it is essentially, a digital technology company given the primary driver behind the operation is balancing customer needs with the availability p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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The new T610SAR is the first Kenworth to be used in the company’s operations.

ABSOLUTE

POWER Cold chain specialist, JD Refrigerated Transport, will pit its two newest heavy vehicles against each other hauling recently built B-doubles into north Queensland.

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risbane cold carrier, JD Transport, started out in 2011 with three-pallet trucks made by Fuso servicing home deliveries. That soon transitioned into a 14-pallet vehicle and was for Managing Director Joe Joseph, all the proof he needed to confirm the business could consolidate its freight task. Since then operations have gone to another level.

Joe recently took delivery of a newly specc’d Kenworth, the first ever used in the operation. It will be matched with a brand new Mirrorless MercedesBenz Actros 2663 on a 1000-kilometre linehaul task. From Bowen, the vehicles will carry fresh produce to the Brisbane markets at Rocklea, where JD Refrigerated Transport maintains a storage facility and depot. The administrative headquarters of the

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business are located not far away in Newfarm.

Designed and built by FTE Trailers, the B-doubles will be loaded with equipment on the return leg. Most of the JD Refrigerated Transport fleet consists, to date, of Actros 2653s pulling single trailers. For the longer trip, however, Joe saw the need to invest in more raw power.

“I’d always wanted a Kenworth and I thought if we’re ever going to do it with one of their trucks then the time is now,” he says. “Ever since it arrived the feedback has been fantastic. Our biggest form of advertising is the fleet and our people. Our drivers and fleet look sharp.

That’s our greatest billboard.”

The Kenworth T610SAR marks the first bonneted American truck purchased by the business and in a subtle change of

branding, reverses the company colour scheme in a unique blue livery provided

by Fleet Imaging.

JD Transport tracks and monitors its trailers via satellite and uses wireless probes to report core temperature of the produce for the entire journey. Prior to the new contract most of the work for the rising business was confined to southeast Queensland and parts of northern NSW. For the second B-double, JD Refrigerated Transport has also added a new Mirrorless Actros 5663. It makes the sixth Mercedes-Benz in his operation and is running head-to-head on the linehaul run with the Kenworth T610SAR. “We’re running both vehicles doing the exact same thing to assess their operational efficiency, driver satisfaction, safety, fuel economy and we’ll be able to

line up all of these different operational parameters like for like,” Joe says. “The time for talk is over. I’ve listened to all the reps and the theory. Now I get to line up the trucks side by side and make up my own mind based upon real world conditions.”

According to Joe, the contract will dovetail into another season for the remaining five months servicing a supplier in Glen Innes and regional northern New South Wales.

“Those trucks will be working all year round. I’m super proud of the new B-doubles. They’re high trailers with 34 spaces each of produce,” he says.

“There’s a hell of a lot of work that has gone into those new trucks both behind the scenes and over the growth of the business.”

With the acquisition of the B-doubles, Joe decided it was time to increase the company’s coverage at the supervisory level. In addition to taking the driver

count to 22 by hiring on four new drivers, he has added another operations managerial role to oblige the growth that has stemmed from landing new contracts.

As a member of the Queensland Trucking Association, JD Refrigerated Transport recently signed up to the ‘Eyes on Fatigue’ project. At present the company has two trucks evaluating the Guardian fatigue management technology from Seeing Machines.

“If they work out for us then we’ll roll them out across the entire fleet,” he says. “These trucks have an outward forward-facing camera, they’ve got sideview cameras and they’ve got rear cameras. Apart from the obvious safety and insurance benefits, we can monitor the trucks at the point of delivery. For instance, in a supermarket DC, if we don’t know exactly where it is then we pull up one of the cameras and watch the vehicle backing onto the dock.”

Recent events, namely the extra demand on essential food delivery businesses eventuating from changes coronavirus has made to consumer buying behaviour, has seen the company up its freight task by nearly ten per cent. The sector, however, is limited to how much it can scale up despite surges in demand, given the nature of planting and harvesting. As part of COVID-19 risk mitigation, JD Refrigerated Transport put into place exclusion zones so drivers weren’t crossing paths as well as staggered start times. Personal handovers of manifests are also prohibited.

The first week operating under new conditions caused by the pandemic were daunting according to Joe. By the second week the team, who were proud to be providing an essential service, hit their stride.

“Our team really stepped up and the management team stayed close. We were on the frontlines so to speak and I think they appreciated that as well,” he says.

“Some of the practices that we’ve been forced through necessity to mandate across the business will stay with us for some time.”

As a result of the current and changing

economic and social climate, the dynamics of the industry are changing.

For home delivery services it’s something of a perfect storm as companies once reticent to try their hand at it have done so or are about to explains Joe. “You’ve got wholesalers, where it was taboo to bypass the retailer and go direct to the consumer, are now doing it,” he says. “I don’t know a wholesale business that isn’t trying direct into the home now. Life as we know it has changed.”

Wholesale businesses that would traditionally supply pubs, clubs hotels, cruise ships and restaurants, that have lost upwards of 70 per cent of their business are looking elsewhere. They’ve had to, according to Joe, who points to prepared boxes of fruit and veg that are going from wholesale outfits straight into the home. The model is changing and with it the rulebook has gone out the window.

“Necessity, they say, is the mother of all invention. If you chop away 70 to 80 per cent of someone’s business, you are forcing them to look at these other avenues. Whether it was a mainstay of what it was or the perception that wholesale supplied retail and retail supplied the consumer that might have also played a part of it,” he says. “If you want to look for a silver lining in this situation that might be it.”

Joseph points to the recent exponential growth in the export sector which has been hit hardest by freight embargoes and travel restrictions.

“I feel for a lot of businesses that have been putting a lot of effort into it. The loss of momentum will make it harder for them to bounce back as quickly,” he says. “For some of our clients cruise ships were a major destination. They’ve now copped a brand tarnishing during this as well. It’s hard to know what will happen.

“I’ve been saying this for the last 15 years. Size is no longer what predicates your abilities to survive. It’s actually your agility which is more important in this day and age. The ability to turn on a dime is crucial. You have got to be able to react.” p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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REAR

Tailoring the spec to the application is key to every successful trucking venture.

For metropolitan pickup and delivery, 6x2 and 8x2 units can be a compelling choice.

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t a casual glance it can be difficult to pick the difference between 6x2 and 6x4 (and 8x2 and 8x4) trucks. While both have tandem or bogie rear axles that externally look much the same, a quick check underneath reveals either two drive axles connected by an inter-axle drive shaft 42

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(bogie-drive) if it’s a 6x4; or if it’s a 6x2 in Australia, the forward rear axle is usually the drive axle, paired with a beam axle similar to those found on trailers. This type of 6x2 is called a ‘tag’ axle arrangement.

Another iteration of the 6x2 scenario, known as a ‘pusher’ axle setup, sees the drive axle at the rear and the lazy in front,

with the ‘pusher’ terminology stemming from the ‘pushing’ position of the rear drive axle behind the lazy axle. This style of truck is popular in Europe where electronically controlled air suspension enables the lazy axle to be lifted clear of the road when travelling unladen, thus further reducing tyre wear and fuel use.

WINDOW

Goldstar Transport uses MAN TGS 26480 6x2s on a grocery contract.

Put simply, both 6x2 and 8x2 configured trucks have two rear axles, one driven and one lazy, while the 8x2 has the benefit of an extra steer axle which allows 11 tonnes to be carried by the twin steer axle group provided load-sharing suspension (such as that used on the 8x2 Scania) is fitted. Non load-sharing front suspension twin-steers are limited to 10 tonnes, while single steer trucks are limited to 6.5 tonnes on the steer axle.

For quite a number of years in this country the 6x2 body truck has been the standard horse for many local pickup and delivery (PUD) roles that don’t involve off-tarmac operation.

Leading the charge with sales of this type of vehicle is Australia’s overall truck market leader, Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL). The company has significantly developed and refined its 6x2 offerings over the last two decades, with its most popular 6x2 model in recent years being the FVL 240-300, the Auto model in particular.

“I believe we have the right formula for the Australian market, and especially the “bread and butter” choice of body for this spec: a 14-pallet curtainsider, with or without a hydraulic tail-lift,” says Simon Humphries, Chief Engineer, Product Strategy at Isuzu Australia Limited.

“This is the key reason we deemed it essential to include the FVL Auto in our FreightPack Ready-To-Work range last year.”

According to Simon, the Isuzu FVL formula for success is spearheaded

by Isuzu’s renowned reliability and performance, with the FVL’s 6HK1 engine rated at 300hp (221kW) accompanied by 981Nm of torque.

“Both of these outputs are at the head of the pack compared with the next three volume competitors with a similar price point,” Simon explains, adding that there are higher power and torque 6x2 models on sale, including Isuzu’s FXL 240-350, but they are all significantly more expensive.

He also describes the Allison MD3500 six-speed automatic as “bulletproof and matched beautifully with the 6HK1 engine to produce effortless performance, even when fully laden.”

Simon also makes mention of Isuzu’s cab design and low interior noise levels, citing superior visibility, strength and driver

comfort as key components that help minimise fatigue over a hard day’s work.

“Interior noise levels of the Isuzu fullsize FV cab are significantly lower than its Japanese competitors, as measured by calibrated sound meters under equivalent conditions,” he says. “While the standard air-suspended ISRI 6860 driver’s seat with integrated seatbelt is the best on the market.”

Other noteworthy standard features of the FVL 6x2 are driver and passenger airbag, Michelin tyres, Meritor axles with Stemco oil-filled hubs on both the steer and lazy axles, and Meritor Q-Plus drum brakes with ABS on all axles.

“This axle and brake package is common to many heavy trucks, and their light weight also contributes to a very handy payload advantage when compared to other equivalent Japanese and European brands,” Simon says.

Victorian-based operator Glen Cameron Group runs a large fleet of 6x2 trucks and according to Shane Coates, Glen Cameron Group’s Asset Manager, the 6x2 configuration is ideal for the majority of the company’s PUD work.

There are, however, some specific contracts where the 6x2 is not entirely suitable, and the solution for Shane has been to recruit Scania 8x2 units.

The main issue that arises with 6x2 body trucks running close to their maximum gross weight is keeping the steer axle weight legal at all times. This can prove quite a challenge in multi-drop and pickup applications where the truck is either leaving fully loaded from the depot and being unloaded incrementally at a number of locations, or conversely, being loaded from empty with heavy pallets from different locations in a multiple pickup operation.

The problem arises when heavy pallets (weighing between 750-1,000kg) are located at the front of the body with p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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Isuzu has helped pioneer and popularise the 6x2 through its FVL range.

no weight behind the rear axles to counterbalance the load. This inevitably throws too much weight onto the steer axle, causing it to exceed the 6.5 tonne limit.

Ever mindful of its obligations to run legally and safely at all times, Glen Cameron Group turned to Scania, which is currently the only truck maker offering the 8x2 spec in Australia.

Glen Cameron Group opts for the Scania 8x2 rigid on PUD services.

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The company has a rigid truck fleet numbering around 200, with the majority of these having 6x2 axle configurations and either 12 or 14 pallet bodies.

“For most of our applications the 6x2 configuration is fine but there are a number of instances where it doesn’t suit,” Shane says. “The first is when you want to carry a lot more payload than 12 tonnes and the second is where you have multi-drop/ multi-pickup runs where the truck will be travelling with a number of heavy pallets in the front half of the body during its operation cycle. Thirdly, with temperature-controlled applications such as our Cadbury Mondelez contract, where the 500kg weight of the refrigeration unit mounted on the front of the body bears directly on the front axles of the 8x2 trucks.”

While some operators remain sceptical of the 6x2 and 8x2 rigid configurations due to perceived traction issues, Shane says that for the type of work Cameron’s does there have been no concerns whatsoever.

“Most of our trucks are in and out of distribution centres where the lazy axle configuration works fine, which means we gain the benefits of a lower initial

purchase cost, lower tare weight and lower fuel consumption compared to equivalent 6x4 and 8x4 units,” he says, adding that the issue of diminishing loads during the day was what prompted the company to first consider the Scania 8x2 several years back.

“With the 8x2, we can have a fully loaded truck where we can pull six pallets off the back and still be legal on the steer axles,” he says. “This is usually not possible with a 6x2 truck.”

While the 8x2 carries a significant price premium over an equivalent 6x2 unit according to Shane, the company considers it a necessary investment to ensure compliant operations across the fleet.

“It was a big investment, but for us this was imperative to ensure compliance with our diminishing load rigid truck operations typified by our Cadbury Mondelez contract,” he says.

While Shane is content with the 6x2 and 8x2 configured rigid trucks, he is ‘less than enamoured’ with 6x2 prime movers.

Having trialled and evaluated some 6x2 prime movers side-by-side with 6x4 units, he has come to the conclusion that any benefits the 6x2 prime movers offer are outweighed by the negatives.

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“We trialled a few 6x2 prime movers but the driver feedback wasn’t positive, particularly in terms of traction issues on wet roads and over gutters and the like,” says Shane. “We also didn’t find a measurable difference in fuel economy of the 6x2 prime movers compared to equivalent 6x4 units.”

Perhaps the biggest drawback though, according to Shane, was the considerably lower resale value of 6x2 units over 6x4 prime movers.

“They were a bit cheaper to buy but we found that they negatively impacted our exit position because they weren’t very popular in the second-hand marketplace,” he says. “The residual value at the end of ownership is an important consideration for us and in this respect we found that the 6x2 prime mover just didn’t stack up.”

Overall, Shane believes the benefits of the lazy axle concept are clearly demonstrated in 6x2 and 8x2 rigid applications, which is why Glen Cameron Group opts for

these configurations for the majority of its distribution centre PUD operations.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Goldstar Transport based in the Perth suburb of Kewdale has a positive story to tell about its four MAN TGS 26480 6x2 prime movers used for Woolworths grocery distribution work around Perth.

In fact, Goldstar Transport Asset Manager, David Pedrotti, says the company couldn’t be happier with its four units, the initial two of which were put into service in 2017.

“They’re faultless, we haven’t touched them,” he says. “The fuel economy is great – I really can’t speak highly enough of them. It’s a pleasure to have them in the fleet.”

David notes the trucks which are used for single trailer grocery distribution around the Perth metro area are averaging around 2.3km/litre (6.5mpg). The units are at times called upon to haul B-double combinations, a task which they also

handle with relative ease, he adds.

The MAN 6x2 prime movers are also highly regarded by the drivers who are especially impressed with the cab comfort and power. He says they have had no traction issues that he is aware of with the 6x2 configuration in the grocery operation.

“Having 480hp to pull a single trailer is probably overkill but the fuel economy they are getting is outstanding,” David says. “I’d be happy to have a fleet of MAN trucks on our Coca Cola delivery contract.”

The use of 6x2 and 8x2 trucks for specific applications is now considered a progressive step by a number of operators.

Technology like traction control and airbag rear suspension, where the pressure can be varied to exert more weight on the drive axle, means the old bugbear of loss of traction is largely a thing of the past.

All things considered, in the modern trucking environment where efficiency is everything, 6x2 and 8x2 trucks in suitable applications can make a tangible difference to the bottom line.

MOV WITH THE TRUCK & TECH

Isuzu FVD 165-300 with 1.9 tonne excavator.

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ING B E AT

Utilising highly specialised water jetting and vacuum pumping equipment mounted on a pair of Isuzu FVD 165-300 trucks, Dynamic Excavations performs non-destructive digging operations to assist councils with maintenance and repair work on essential services.

D

ynamic Excavations was founded on the Gold Coast in 2003 with a view to resolving a long-standing issue that was endemic in the building and civil construction industries. For many years the company’s director, Andy Smith, saw contractors struggle – and often fail with disastrous consequences – to accurately locate delicate and expensive underground services while delivering their works.

Andy knew there was an easier, safer and far more accurate way, so he launched Dynamic Excavations and pioneered the groundbreaking hydro-excavation solution in the Gold Coast region.

From that day forward the business has been characterised by continual change and progress, typified by diversification of its repertoire to include specialised technical services such as CCTV inspections and recording, truck and asset monitoring, underground services location and mapping, in addition to non-destructive digging.

The company has since significantly expanded its footprint on the

east coast of Australia, having established additional facilities in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and the Sunshine Coast.

By way of explanation, hydro-excavation is a two-part process using highly pressurised water jetting to penetrate and break up the earth and a highvolume vacuum pump to suck up the dirt and water slurry that is then collected in the truck-mounted tank and subsequently disposed of at a specialised waste management site. This method is widely acknowledged as the safest for excavating around delicate underground services including mains power, sewer, telecommunication and fibre optic cables.

Isuzu trucks have been a mainstay of the operation’s fleet over the last 17 years and the latest pair of FVD 165-300 4x2 units have been purpose-built with an extra-long wheelbase to accommodate the hydro-vac equipment and tank at the rear and a compact excavator and fold down ramps at the front.

As a result, the unit is fully equipped to perform both the hydro-excavation and p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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TRUCK & TECH

On a job for the Gold Coast City Council.

other tasks requiring an excavator such as backfilling and lifting valves or other heavy items required for the jobs.

“The airbag rear suspension and the longer wheelbase were two essential requirements for us,” said Dynamic Excavations’ Chief Financial Officer, Brad Allen, in reference to the two

Lee Gray.

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new Isuzus. “While the majority of our fleet of vacuum trucks are the standard format, these two each carry a 1.9-tonne excavator. To accommodate this, we used a shorter 3,000-litre tank and installed a cradle setup to carry the excavator and its attachments. There are also two large rectangular fresh water tanks, mounted each side of the main tank, to supply water for the jetting guns.”

The new units are kept busy, according to Brad, doing emergency callouts and scheduled maintenance work right across the vast region managed by Gold Coast City Council.

“They are the busiest trucks in our fleet due to their versatility,” he says. “They work non-stop on council callouts and planned maintenance jobs all over the place.”

The trucks were supplied by Gold Coast Isuzu while the tanks and pumping equipment were supplied and fitted

by STG Global at Yatala on Brisbane’s southside. Brad says the company has supplied this type of equipment for the bulk of the vacuum truck fleet.

“Ideally, we’d like to build another two of these trucks for our southern states branches to service the council work,” he says. “Because they do such a great job they are always in demand.”

Brad has glowing praise for the Isuzu trucks, saying they have been totally reliable and capable in handling the busy and often heavy workload.

“Most of the fleet is Isuzu and we find running the same brand across the board is the best solution for our needs,” he says. “We have roadside assistance plans for changing flat tyres and that works well. Gold Coast Isuzu does all the scheduled maintenance and are good to deal with. We also buy the trucks for our other branches from them and have the bodies fitted by STG Global.”

Having the right operator for this type of specialised equipment is paramount.

According to Brad, Lee Gray is one of the company’s longest serving and most experienced operators who takes immense pride in both his work and the appearance of the truck. Lee has been employed by Dynamic Excavations for the last seven years and has worked his way up through the ranks.

“I’m now doing primarily Gold Coast City Council work with the excavator and hydro-vac truck,” Lee says. “It’s a tidy bit of kit and it works really well.”

He explains the Isuzu FVD 165-300 has plenty of power and is the right size for most of the jobs he does, although the

long wheelbase means negotiating tight turns and narrow streets, which does require extra care.

“The previous truck I drove was a bit shorter but that meant all the equipment wasn’t laid out as well as this one,” he says. “The extra storage boxes are great – everything is where I need it to be.

“The only issues I’ve had with the truck were the radio and the chrome on the grille which bubbled in one small area.

But Isuzu were straight onto it and had it fixed in no time. Apart from that, it’s been trouble free.”

Having previously only driven manuals, Lee admits to initially being less than enthusiastic about the prospect of driving an automatic. However, he was pleasantly surprised at the responsiveness of the six-speed Allison automatic coupled with the 300hp engine.

“It has a power mode so when you push the button it really gets up and goes,” he

“While the majority of our fleet of vacuum trucks are the standard format, these two each carry a 1.9-tonne excavator. To accommodate this, we used a shorter 3,000-litre tank and installed a cradle setup to carry the excavator and its attachments.

There are also two large rectangular fresh water tanks, mounted each side of the main tank, to supply water for the jetting guns.”

Brad Allen Dynamic Excavations’ Chief Financial Officer

says. “It’s proved itself in every way.”

The 4x2 is more suited to negotiating the tight streets where a 6x2 or 6x4 would struggle. A lot of the bounce common to the application has been offset by the rear air suspension.

“It really is a comfortable truck to drive,” he says. “The interior is easy to keep clean and the cab is a very

pleasant environment when driving between jobs.”

Isuzu has a strong reputation for manufacturing robust and reliable medium-duty trucks in a range of sizes to suit most applications and for Dynamic Excavations, the Isuzu FVD 165-300 is just the ticket for its hydroexcavation operations.

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TRUCK & TECH

THE

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FIFTH

ELEMENT The ELI-te fifth wheel assistant from SAF-Holland offers increased productivity through better safety practice. Dyers Transport has been one of the first formidable freight operations to put it to use across the entirety of its fleet.

E

Dyers runs a range of DAF commercial vehicles equipped with ELI-te.

fficiency and ease of operation remain primary considerations for heavy vehicle operators whose tasks are many and enduring in a society so currently reliant on their safe arrivals and departures.

While the exceeding prioritisation of best practice management in road transport operations has been greatly beneficial to driver health it has also brought with it fleet efficiencies thanks to reductions in disruptive events like the unsuccessful coupling of trailers.

Dropped loads can cost thousands of dollars and as commercial vehicle equipment specialist, SAF-Holland, recognises, there’s no room for failure. With better safety also comes a healthier bottom line. To help promote consistent and thorough driver coupling inspections, it offers a fifth wheel coupling assistant it calls ELI-te, an abbreviation for electronic lock indicator — technology enhanced. It offers a significant advantage to fleets looking to provide their drivers with user friendly assistance that enhances coupling efficiency, driver confidence and safety. The optional system, offered on the popular FW35 series of Holland fifth wheels, is highly versatile. At present it can be supplied as factory fit on the new FW351. The FW331 fifth wheels are also part of a retrofit kit that includes instruction manual, drilling template, drill bits and ELI-te system components.

Dyers first trialled the technology on a couple of units in 2018. Soon welcomed by the drivers it was initially foisted upon, ELI-te later became a mandatory

tool to augment driver safety protocols according to Dyers Workshop Manager Troy Malcholm.

“It was originally adopted by us here for the drivers so that if there was a safety issue they’d soon know about it,” he says. “Once they all got used to it they started bringing it up in conversation and they certainly noticed, during the initial introductory phase, its absence.”

Based in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Dyers has installed the ELI-te across its entire operation. Since 1997 the company has increased its contract distribution fleet to 150 dedicated trucks across three states. A preferred carrier for the likes of IGA and Foodland, its Bairnsdale-based operations run primarily DAF commercial vehicles fulfilling demanding cold chain orders for supermarkets as a direct result of the forced closure of many restaurants, bistros and pub dining rooms under social distancing regulations. Like most transport companies currently operating on the surging grocery supply chain, Dyers has never been busier.

No Christmas peak, at least in recent memory, can rival the sheer scale of pressures derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has many freight specialists stretched thin. Under these circumstances the entire supply chain is put under additional pressure. Even more reason then, at this sustained pace, for safety procedures to be adhered to closely including trailer coupling, a routine which must be completed daily, often multiple times.

“The ELI-te provides an extra situational awareness that is always welcome in p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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TRUCK & TECH

For Dyers the ELI-te forms part of a threecheck system required of all drivers at the point of departure.

this line of work where everyone is so pressed for time. Especially given how busy things have gotten in recent weeks with the current situation,” says Troy.

Gone are the days with which a driver points a flashlight to validate the coupling. When the kingpin is properly seeded in the fifth wheels lock jaws, ELIte shines four glowing white LED lights into the lock. This assists the driver in confirming the connection is solid and secure. These high-intensity LED lights are strategically aimed at the kingpin and lock for enhanced visibility during the inspection process, especially in poor weather and low-light conditions.

Red lights, however, flash on the side of the coupling to assist the driver in quickly recognising what might be a potentially costly mistake before attempting a tug test or driving away.

As it helps prevent potential mistakes before they happen, the ELI-te system also increases confidence levels of drivers who are often required do to much more than just drive busy schedules. For Dyers the ELI-te forms part of a three-check system required of all drivers at the point of departure.

“It serves as one of the preventative measures we have put in place and invested in,” says Troy. “The more backups and risk mitigation we can introduce to our trailer coupling the better. If it’s better for our drivers then its better, in all likelihood, for the business.”

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Dyers has not shirked on their investment either having decided last month to install ELI-te on it’s A-trailers going forward.

“The first two of these are now in operation and we’re working through some design elements with regard to power and exhaust for the moment,” Troy says. “ELI-te functions as part of our overarching goal to create further awareness among staff and drivers across the organisation in accident prevention.

It’s another simple-to-use safety aspect for the driver in his pretrips.”

Just as the LED lights and sensors are strategically positioned under the top plate for maximum function, reliability and protection, all of the electronics are mounted on the fifth wheel itself. The sealed one-piece harness connects the LED lamps, cables, sensors and logic module and the entire system is joined to the prime mover through a simple one cable connection.

Dyers favours DAF commercial vehicles

in its refrigeration applications.

Reduced repair costs remain one of the key factors for Troy who confirms the business has recently ordered nine of the new Euro 6 DAF trucks from the Gippsland Truck Centre. Their arrival is imminent.

“We’ve always gone with DAF. From a costing side we like their value proposition and new generation offering is replete with the latest safety features which we highly value.”

The ELI-te option for the FW35 series requires minimal maintenance and is backed, according to SAF-Holland by a 2-year warranty. With scalable connectivity for local or remote performance monitoring, SAF-Holland’s fifth wheel assistant, what’s more, permits the user to expand the system capabilities and includes the likes of audible alerts and GPS, dash cam or telematics integration. Trend analyses also offers actionable data for informed fleets such as Dyers.

Built to withstand real world environments so that the circuitry and components are not impacted by the grease contamination that affect common sensors, ELI-te is a robust system according to Troy.

“We’ve found it extremely reliable,” he says. “All of our trucks have it fitted now regardless.”

Rare incidents of a failed coupling have dropped in step with its use across the fleet. Troy says it has assisted in making operations more productive.

“Less accidents naturally mean less costs,” he says.

Red lights flash to alert drivers of a failed coupling attempt.

White LEDs illuminate to confirm a successful coupling has been made.

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TEST DRIVE

BEAST M O D E Anyone who gets close to the Freightliner Cascadia can’t help but be impressed, unless, of course, you’re the competition.

T

he Freightliner Cascadia was launched in the US in 2007 and was the focus of a major update in 2016. In excess of 200,000 Cascadia’s have been built to date and the Cleveland plant in Charlotte, North Carolina currently produces America’s most popular heavy duty truck at the rate of 106 per day. The Cascadia holds an enviable 40 per cent share of the US Class 8 market which is the equivalent to our own Heavy Duty sector and after comprehensive engineering attention and exhaustive testing regimes, America’s most advanced conventional cab truck is at last available in Australia and New Zealand.

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Australian road transport is unique for its heavy gross weights, relatively high average speeds and our climate’s high ambient temperatures. Some manufacturers in the past have found to their own detriment that something which may work satisfactorily in North America or Europe can be left struggling here. Freightliner may have North America’s most successful truck in the Cascadia but there has never been any indication of it being foisted onto the Australian market without exhaustive assessments to ensure it was absolutely fit for purpose and suitable for Australian applications. Backing

Freightliner’s admirable intentions has been an astonishing $100m investment in developing the right hand drive models destined for Australia and New Zealand.

It’s obvious the money has been well spent and, all things being equal, should ultimately return Daimler Trucks a healthy dividend. However, the money hasn’t been just directed at engineering or simply creating a mirror-image dashboard to suit the relocated steering gear. A sizeable chunk has also been spent on testing and evaluation and subsequently addressing any areas found to be wanting.

Customers can no longer be used as test beds or canaries in a mine, and the North

American Cascadia models had already undergone millions of miles in testing prior to the genesis of the Australian version. In recognition of our tougher requirements the RHD trucks have been pounded even harder in testing than the US models just in case any potential shortcomings were missed.

“There is no such thing as a world truck,” says Martin Daum, Chairman of the Board of Management, Daimler Truck AG at the local launch of the Cascadia. “We listened to our customers in Australia and New Zealand and developed this truck specifically for them.”

Crucially, any lessons learned from the more arduous testing regime were incorporated into the Australian production models.

“We made some changes and are

extremely confident this truck is ready to start saving money for our customers and delivering an on-road experience we know drivers will love,” says Stephen Downes, Freightliner Australia Pacific Director. Downes, along with local Daimler Trucks CEO Daniel Whitehead, throughout the process of developing the Cascadia for Australia has been consistently confident in the Cascadia’s abilities.

Prime Mover has met with one US operator who bought their first Freightliner prime mover in 1985 and has purchased more than 22,000 examples of the brand since and has more than 4,500 Cascadia’s in its current fleet. Based in Salt Lake City, CR England operates on a sufficient scale to regularly purchase from the ‘other’ brands in order to assess comparison metrics and to validate their own commitment to the Freightliner marque.

Full size wind tunnel testing has fostered development of an efficient overall aero package plus some little aerodynamic enhancements, similar to those found on NASCAR vehicles, which collectively contribute to the Cascadia’s ability to cheat the wind and consequently save fuel. The symmetrical design of the alloy cab makes for a more robust cab regardless of which side the driver sits and the structure meets the ECE R29 cab strength criteria. With steel doors, the separate firewall contributes to a better

manufacturing process. Solid design elements in the manufacturing has, to our ear, resulted in a cab free from squeaks or rattles.

The DT12 automated transmission accounts for more than 80 per cent of Cascadia truck orders in North America, offering an enhanced integration with the Detroit Diesel engines and providing a significant contribution to the Cascadia’s fuel economy while making the driver’s task much easier. The transmission’s eCoast feature saves fuel by disengaging the driveline when cruise control is activated and there is no input from the driver via the accelerator pedal. As a safety precaution the eCoast will not engage on slopes greater than 3.5 per cent and has an automatic Hill Start Aid function which holds the truck for three seconds to avoid rollback. The DT12’s Cruise Descent Control helps control the truck’s speed when descending a grade and there’s a ‘creep mode’ to assist in manoeuvring and trailer connecting.

The Intelligent Powertrain Management system uses topographical mapping to maximise coasting opportunities and avoid situations such as unnecessary downshifts just as the truck is cresting a hill. For Australian operators who still prefer a manual transmission the Eaton 18-speed is available but not in the UltraShift AMT version.

In terms of electronic driver aids the Cascadia is more a connected p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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TEST DRIVE

AUSTRALIAN ENGINE RATINGS

DD13 RATINGS 450hp at 1625rpm and 1650lb.ft at 975rpm 470hp at 1625rpm and 1650lb.ft at 975rpm 505hp at 1625rpm and 1850lb.ft at 975rpm DD16 ratings 500hp at 1800rpm and 1850lb.ft at 1120rpm 530hp at 1800rpm and 1850lb.ft at 1120rpm 560hp at 1800rpm and 1850lb.ft at 1120rpm 560hp at 1800rpm and 2050lb.ft at 1120rpm 600hp at 1800rpm and 1850lb.ft at 1120rpm 600hp at 1800rpm and 2050lb.ft at 1120rpm technological platform than a simple truck. The Cascadia can match the best of European commercial vehicles with its multitude of sophisticated, yet intuitive to use, electronics-based systems which assist the driver in the overall operation of the truck, the safety of the occupants and other road users, and also for comfort and entertainment.

For Australia, Freightliner has taken the decision to make a host of advanced safety features standard equipment including the fully-integrated Detroit Assurance 5.0 which uses a radar and a high definition camera for Active Emergency Braking and to facilitate the Active Cruise Control. Tailgate warning, lane departure warning, intelligent (self-dipping) high beam and automatic wipers and headlamps are all standard equipment, as are the expected antiskid disc brakes, traction control and Electronic Stability Control.

The Cascadia is the first truck in Australia to be equipped with Detroit Connect which provides an impressive level of telematic connectivity which enables vehicle updates to be performed remotely as well as fault code diagnosis and even repair recommendations. The Sideguard Assist system uses two short-range radars (one aiming forward and one aiming back) on the kerbside to warn the driver of potential collisions between the trailer and objects such as power poles when turning left (Trailer Sweep Assist) and also warns the driver if they are about to merge left into an already occupied lane (Turn Assist). At the front, the forward56

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facing radar and camera system has the capability to detect a pedestrian and quickly bring the truck to a complete stop with no input from the driver.

Meanwhile, the Intelligent Powertrain Management uses GPS and ‘road reading’ to minimise fuel use without compromising point-to-point travel times. This extensive use of electronics doesn’t intimidate the driver by any means and contributes to a genuine sense of confidence that the truck is being driven efficiently and safely with a human being in control.

The power choices are the first Detroit DD16 sixteen litre engine to be offered in Australia as well as the thirteen litre DD13 engine. These new-generation engines differ substantially from the existing DD13 and DD15 units and surpass Euro 6 emission standards by meeting the stricter US GHG17 standards using an enhanced SCR system, a small degree of EGR and a diesel particulate filter, which historically in the USA, requires no manual regeneration ‘burns’.

There is significant torque delivery from the DD13 at low rpms, thanks to its asymmetric turbo, which is built in-house at the Detroit factory. The DD16’s flat torque curve is in part thanks to the turbo compounding feature already seen here on the DD15 which scavenges energy that would otherwise be lost down the exhaust system and feeds it back into the engine via a gear train.

Initially the Cascadia is available locally in either 116 or 126 inch BBC (bumper to back of cab) dimensions with the choice

of a day cab or several sleepers with the 36 inch sleeper ideally applicable to 26 metre B-double applications, plus 48 inch and low 60 inch options and a high-roof 60 incher. The inner spring mattresses in the sleepers are quality Sealy Posturepedic items and there is a twin bunk option.

Freightliner has worked with Teague, the interior design firm responsible for much of the interior of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, to deliver work and sleep spaces of aircraft quality with on-point ergonomics. The stylish wrap around dashboard has a car type instrument cluster directly in front of the driver and there are cup-holders and in-dash storage, in-door pockets and two overhead cabinets in the day cab, with more storage options in the sleepers. Seat trims include standard Laredo leather, and customers can also opt for a range of vinyl or cloth materials as well as Isri seats.

The local Cascadia features a lightweight aluminium bumper designed by Freightliner and manufactured in Australia which meets current FUPD requirements. Freightliner has also worked with local bullbar manufacturers in the development of additional protection without compromising safety or aerodynamics.

Freightliner claims this is the most advanced conventional truck in Australia and that’s hard to dispute across a number of factors including fuel efficiency, driver comfort, connectivity and what is undoubtedly the most advanced safety technology ever available in Australia in a conventional cabin truck.

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Launched in Australia late last year, the new Peugeot Partner offers a range of technological advances that small van users can benefit from every day.

M

any Australians may not be aware of Peugeot’s long history in the light commercial vehicle business, yet in Europe the company is a leader in the fields of technology, safety and performance for buyers of small and medium vans.

If the Partner looks somewhat familiar, it’s because it’s the twin of the latest generation Citroen Berlingo which is not being offered in Australia in 2020.

Nevertheless, the good news is that behind the badge, the Peugeot Partner is exactly as potentially disappointed Berlingo customers would hope. Just as friendly to drive, cheap to run, it’s also just as practical to use only now with the added benefits of a new generation chassis, new generation safety systems and a new generation of in-car technology.

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“Peugeot re-entered the Australian light commercial vehicle market last year with the highly lauded and awarded Expert medium-sized van, and the addition of the compact Partner significantly broadens our range,” says Peugeot Commercial Vehicles Manager Lyndon Healey. “The ‘twinning’ of the Partner and Berlingo products in design and build means that the Partner will be ideal as a Berlingo replacement for Australian customers.”

Driver-friendly, the Peugeot Partner is a practical size, comfortable and easy to park. Importantly, the Partner is also equipped with the latest safety systems and technology including six airbags and four-wheel disc brakes. In short, it delivers the workplace safety requirements for fleet and government operators.

The Peugeot Partner currently offers two

body lengths, three engines and two transmissions.

Powered by a three-cylinder turbo PureTech 1.2-litre petrol engine, which produces up to 96kW and 230Nm of torque coupled with an eight speed automatic transmission, this combination returns a fuel economy result of 6.3-litres per 100km thanks, in part, to the stop-start system. The PureTech is also available in an 81 kW specification.

Four-time World Engine of the Year Award-winners, the PureTech engines provide power and torque that belie their small capacity. The automatic transmission is sporty, and even comes with F1-style paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Long wheelbase versions of the Partner are powered by a 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine mated to

NER a five-speed manual transmission. The BlueHDi diesel engine provides 230Nm of peak torque at just 1,750 rpm, meaning it has heaps of lowdown grunt and uses only 5.0-litres per 100km on the combined test cycle.

Uniquely in the compact van market, the automatic versions of the Partner are equipped with a three-abreast front seat layout, which is a significant advantage for small business owners who may sometimes need seats for two passengers as well as the driver. This versatility will also be handy for personal applications such as school runs.

The Partner is built on Peugeot’s EMP2 modular chassis (which underpins the Peugeot 3008 and 5008 SUVs, and 508 prestige sedan and Sportwagon) so it rides and handles more like a medium-sized car than a van. The benefits are many: low interior noise, a most comfortable ride and reduced driver fatigue. It also means the Peugeot Partner comes standard with advanced

technologies and safety equipment previously only expected in passenger vehicles including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Speed Sign Recognition and Lane Departure Assist.

All Partner models are also fitted with an 8-inch touch screen providing easy access to key functions such as radio, navigation, vehicle settings and telephone. Additional entertainment simply requires a mobile phone to access Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

The Partner is also fitted with Peugeot’s class-leading Surround Rear Vision system. Using two cameras, views of the van’s immediate surroundings are displayed on a screen positioned in place of the rear-view mirror. With Surround Rear Vision, buyers benefit from the additional security of a fully panelled body, with no compromise to visibility.

A glazed full-size solid bulkhead is standard on all models, further improving safety and reducing noise,

and the petrol auto variant has a flip-up section on the passenger side which allows extra-long loads to protrude through into the passenger footwell.

To accommodate this, the squab of the passenger seat is raised upwards (leaving the middle seat free) which is handy if two people and a big load need to take a short journey.

Width between the wheel arches is 1229mm, so it will accommodate an 1165mm square Australian pallet. A tight 10.9m kerb-to-kerb turning radius provides excellent manoeuvrability.

The list of cutting-edge technology available is impressive, much of which is new in this small van segment.

Depending on the version, the new Partner has an electric parking brake, driver attention warning, active safety brake, a tow-bar stabiliser, automatic headlight dipping, blind spot monitoring and hands-free entry and engine start – great news for tool-oftrade and small business alike. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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PERSONALITY

P R E P A R AT I O N

F O R

T H E

NEXT LIFE Bill Gillespie is General Manager of Brand and Franchise Development at Hino Trucks, a role that helps provide him with a special insight into the current truck market.

Damien Scully and Bill Gillespie at truck handover event in 2019.

With over 30 years experience in the automotive industry, Bill Gillespie has held executive positions at Toyota, Nissan, Peugeot and Kia and been involved in motorsport both on and off the track. He joined Hino in 2014 and brings an acute understanding of the customer buying experience as the General Manager of Brand and Franchise Development. Here he offers thoughts on the unique set of challenges affecting the market in these uncommon times.

PM: You’re at the forefront of managing the Hino organisation’s challenges as Australia begins to emerge from the shutdown brought about by COVID-19.

How is the impact of the global pandemic affecting the local Hino operation?

BG: Our parts warehouse is still operating so we can continue to offer full parts support to our dealers and our customers.

We are still air freighting urgent items in from Japan but there is less air freight due to less planes actually flying. Elsewhere, it’s pretty much business as usual.

Obviously we can’t go and see the dealers or our customers face to face but we are doing a lot of contact electronically.

Business in that sense is working pretty well, except for lack of personal contact.

PM: How are Hino’s stock levels?

BG: Parts levels are good and vehicle levels are OK. We’ve got to be very careful because trying to forecast the truck market at the moment is a little difficult and we’ve probably got visibility through until the end of June. After that, if business slows then the market may have an uncertain July, August and September

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and it might come back again in the fourth quarter, so we have just got to be careful with production orders in terms of what we order for Australia. At this point, we have enough overall stock and stock of individual models. Where it may get difficult is with a couple of models that might just run out faster than everything else. Otherwise I think we are in pretty good shape.

PM: What level of capacity are the Hino factories in Japan operating at?

BG: The plant at Koga, which produces the 500 Series and 700 Series Hino trucks, is operating normally. They are being careful monitoring supply around the world because some of the bigger markets have got a bit slower and they will adjust output accordingly. The 300 Series is produced at the Hamura facility and they produce some Toyota products there as well. They are also still operating normally at this point.

PM: Is the Japanese government providing assistance?

BG: They have a stimulus package similar to ours, albeit on a per capita basis not as large as Australia’s. They have a one trillion yen stimulus package and I think they are trying to retain as much as possible a ‘business as usual’ situation, but there is no doubt automotive manufacturing around the world has been affected in a very serious way. The retail car business has declined badly but the truck business is different because the big customers still need trucks and they realise that in a few months’ time they are going to want new stock. It’s a period of uncertainty and the next 60-90 days are probably going to form what the rest of the year might look like. For most people it will likely affect 2020-21 as well — just how much will depend on how quickly we can get this virus locked down.

PM: Will there be negative effects due to the exchange rates?

BG: Unfortunately the exchange rate between the Australian dollar and the Japanese yen over the last 12 months has dropped 15 per cent. We have

Bill Gillespie.

to try to make some forecasts but it isn’t possible for a factory to keep selling trucks or cars at a price when the currency is devaluing that much.

We’ll do our best to try to cushion that over the next six to 12 months, but it certainly will affect the pricing of all Japanese-sourced vehicles.

PM: Can we still expect some new Hino models over the next 18 months?

BG: We have a new 300 Series due later this year. Final timing is being worked on given the current pandemic, but certainly we’re going to start launching pricing and full spec to the market quite soon. And, if things go to plan, the new 700 Series will be launched here in late 2020 and early 2021.

PM: Are they comprehensive changes or mostly cosmetic?

BG: For both models it’s quite a significant step. We’ll have more details later.

PM: Will the changes be as extensive as we’ve seen with the latest 500 Series?

BG: Not so much with the 300 Series but the changes for the 700 Series are definitely as extensive as they were with the 500 Series. Both new products are still on track in terms of production.

PM: We’ve witnessed some radical changes in how business operates in Australia. Is it likely to be the same for new trucks?

BG: The refrigerated delivery business is ‘off the chain’. There’s not even many used ones available and I don’t think it’s going to ease off quickly. We all know that retail has been changing anyway and there are businesses which had bricks and mortar as well as online operations and now they are fully online operations. Some of those businesses are going to say, ‘well, when this finishes do I really want to open up my shop again?’

People are becoming very acclimatised to home delivery of nearly everything and are going to question why they would want to get in their cars and go to a shopping centre.

PM: Considering the first half of the current year, the Hino results from 2019 seem quite good by comparison. Do you agree?

BG: Our Hino dealers really stood up last year because the market in 2019 got pretty tough. Halfway through that year we pulled our forecast back by a couple of hundred units and we managed to hit that revised number in what wasn’t an easy market.

PM: We’re in uncharted waters in 2020.

What’s a point of difference for Hino?

BG: Thanks to the new 500 Series Standard Cab, from a fleet perspective we’re winning new business that we haven’t been able to get into previously, due in a large part to the 500’s safety features. In terms of the features and benefits including safety, we have a great product and are gaining some really good fleet sales. Two of our large customers have recently said they couldn’t go past the safety features of the Hino 500 Series Standard Cab. We’ll have to see how Australia bounces back. We’re expecting it to be a ‘V’ shaped recovery rather than a ‘U’ shaped recovery. That’s what we’re banking on.

The next 60 days will provide us with a strong indication of the rest of the year’s results. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

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PRIME MOVERS & SHAKERS

GOLDEN

GATE Just like their metropolitan comrades, rural carriers frequently face challenges in completing the final mile for deliveries or pick-ups at rural properties.

O

perators of larger road transport vehicles frequently encounter bureaucratic obstacles which deny their access despite such vehicles being capable of physically negotiating the roads leading to and from farming properties. The concept for a restricted farm gate access scheme was initiated by the Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association of NSW (LBRCA) and has been taken on as a project by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) with the aim to develop a scheme to make it easier to apply for, and approve, safe and legal access for higher productivity vehicles travelling on low volume local roads managed by councils. The framework aligns with the NSW Government’s strategic direction for heavy vehicle access and improving network connectivity.

The Farm Gate Access Project has been designed in partnership with peak industry bodies including the LBRCA. The key premise in the entire project is about enabling safer, more productive and legal access for the first and last mile journeys involving rural properties.

“We are looking at local roads with limited connectivity: those local low volume roads managed by councils which go to the farm gate,” says Tara McAuley,

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Tara McAuley.

Manager Stakeholder Program Delivery – Freight at TfNSW. “We’re looking at roads that typically see less than 200 vehicles per day, and maybe only 25 of those are heavy vehicles. The kinds of properties we are looking at involve small scale primary production activity, so they only have occasional freight tasks of up to 26 return trips per year, per property. This project is specific to certain vehicle types so we’ve started with restricted access vehicles (RAV) up to, and including, 26 metre B-doubles, vehicles operating at HML, vehicles up to 4.6 metres in height and vehicles under the Livestock Loading or Grain Harvest management schemes.

At this stage we are not considering roadtrains.”

A tertiary qualified engineer, Tara has been with TfNSW since 2006, back

when it was known as RMS. Tara has represented the state authority at several international transport symposiums and has been an active member of various committees related to diversity and inclusion, Women in Infrastructure and as a regional leader on the NSW Transport Young Professionals Committee. LBRCA President Paul Pulver and LBRCA CEO Bec Coleman represent industry on the project’s steering committee.

“If we get caught with the wrong truck on the wrong road the farmer isn’t liable,” says Paul Pulver. “Hopefully this will lead to legalising access that may have been already used for years. We can put safety initiatives in to make it safer in relation to factors such as school buses and speed restrictions.”

To get the project underway a third-party

risk assessment tool has been developed with three main elements.

“Firstly we have the procedure. This is essentially our end-to-end process of desiring a need for access, to receiving approval for access or otherwise. It calls out the scope, roles and responsibilities, and any risks that are identified in the framework,” says Tara.

The next step is a checklist which can be completed online or in hard copy and has been developed with an ease of use in mind. The checklist includes a series of questions, the responses to which determine the level of risk. Risks, once identified, can be mitigated to a lower level depending on the conditions the applicant nominates.

“Finally there is the Practitioners’ Guide which is a simple compilation of best practice when completing the assessment and is written with non-technical third parties in mind. The Practitioners’ Guide provides transparency over acceptable and manageable risk,” says Tara. “As a package this works together to give councils confidence that applicants have gone through the correct steps in accordance with Ausroads criteria and using key policy documents to carry out a sound technical route assessment even though the applicant may be of a non-technical background. Essentially what we want to do is package this up and give it to council with your access permit and give Farm Gate aims to improve access for first and last mile journeys on rural properties.

them the evidence this is low risk on a low volume road.”

The provision to expand the scheme is built into the framework.

“If there are many requests for a particular road it pops up an alert and it says there’s obviously a need for access so council let’s have the conversation about increasing access to that road,” Tara explains.

The 12 month pilot was launched on June 1, 2019, involving 18 councils and has been essentially about testing the framework to make sure it was fit-forpurpose before a broader roll out across NSW. Both the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and TfNSW supported the pilot by waiving their fees for applicants.

Constructive Solutions, which is a civil engineering and environmental engineering consulting agency, has been engaged by TfNSW to carry out formal evaluations of the project at the six, nine and 12 month stages.

“The evaluations are across three stages,” says Tara. “Firstly, about the pilot’s establishment, and understanding the benefits which are available from the project for each of the participating council areas by improving farm access.

The second stage is about contacting stakeholders including councils to obtain any relevant data and figuring out where we currently sit within those pilot councils in relation to access. For stage three we are planning on having

Paul Pulver.

two regional workshops with key stakeholders, particularly councils, to bring it together prior to completion of the pilot.”

Barriers to success which have so far been identified include the drought and the consequent lower demand for transport, and other natural disasters including bushfires and floods.

“Roadtrain access is not part of this project but it may be in the future,” says Tara.

“We want to look at incremental access recognising the vehicles we have selected are probably the next step. But we do know some participating councils, such as Moree, are really keen to have this sort of checklist used for roadtrains. Understanding the capacity and ability of some of the bridges and other structures on council roads is a constraint. The LBRCA has been really great about connecting us with some farmers who are keen for access so we’re doing more of that.”

According to Tara, the pilot is essentially a risk calculator tool that includes sight distances at intersections. It can be used to demonstrate to councils that a different vehicle is not necessarily less safe in these low risk-low volume situations.

“As part of the NSW heavy vehicle access policy framework we very clearly define our strategic direction and what we are after is unlocking the local road network as well as regional and state roads,” Tara says. “We’re also looking at the safety and legality of our access across the network and supporting councils in assisting with their decisions.” p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

63

INSIGHT | VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION INSTITUTE

Rollover roundabouts

PETER HART

R

oad safety risk exists at intersections for freightcarrying heavy vehicles.

Trucks need time and space to safely travel through an uncontrolled intersection. The most dangerous activity is to turn right because finding a suitable space in the oncoming traffic is difficult on a busy road. If the truck is a combination, the trailer will cut-in so the starting position on the road is likely to encroach into the lanes of other road users. This disrupts the overtaking traffic flow. Roundabouts remove these challenges.

While roundabouts make intersections safer for heavy vehicles, they bring a new risk of rollover. This risk arises because

the truck driver no longer needs to stop when turning. In fact, the rollover risk even exists for trucks going straight because the through lanes are bent!

I recently investigated a truck rollover at a roundabout on a major highway that skirts a rural city in Victoria.

The roundabout is new. It had been inserted into the highway to replace a dangerous Tee-intersection. The roundabout is justifiable, but it has created a significant hazard for heavy combination vehicle drivers.

I considered the design of the roundabout and whether it could have been made safer for heavy vehicles. The main considerations are the alignment of the road through the roundabout, visibility, the distance between arms, road camber on the inner lane, road surface friction and roundabout diameter. The heavy vehicle driver has control of vehicle speed. So what is a safe speed? Too slow and cars may take dangerous paths around the truck; too fast and the truck rolls over. This article attempts to identify some speed rules

A raised concrete encroachment zone increases rollover risk.

64

jde u ncee mbe 2020r 2018

that come from the basic physics of the situation.

The road owners usually design roundabouts according to guidelines in the AustRoads Guide to Road Design Part 4B, Roundabouts. This guide anticipates that the trailer on a semi could cut in by 1.5m when the heavy vehicle turns right at the roundabout. Consequently, an encroachment zone around the island is recommended where heavy vehicles are expected. The recommended encroachment profile has a step of 80-90mm to discourage car drivers from going onto the raised lip around the island. An example is shown in the below photo.

One consequence of the raised lip is that the right-side wheels of the heavy vehicle could be about 120mm higher than the left-side wheels when the vehicle turns right. This is equivalent to a six per cent cross slope and it increases the rollover risk.

Roundabouts on highways will often have dual lanes. The Austroads guide notes that the larger the diameter of the central island, the faster the entry speed is likely to be. For example, if the roundabout is in an 80km/h signposted road, the desirable diameter of the centre island is 48m. Speed control features are desirable at 80 km/h and above. The design speed on the inner lane is 60 km/h (Table 4.1 in the AustRoads guide). However, a heavy vehicle going around at this speed could roll over.

Roundabouts on main roads often have advisory speed signs. For a double-lane roundabout on an arterial road, the advisory speed is often signposted at 40 km/h. For some heavy articulated vehicles this is an unsafe speed.

Back to the rollover I investigated; the diagram on the next page illustrates the

ARTSA TECHNIC AL COLUMN

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Roundabout island diameter (m)

The safe speed for many heavy vehicles should be lower than 30 km/h.

roundabout after it was inserted into the rural highway. The original alignment of the highway is shown by a red-dotted line. The sign-posted speed limit on the highway is 80 km/h. Notice that the path through the roundabout now has an S-bend. What was a relatively safe curve in the highway for heavy vehicles, is now treacherous.

A simple index of rollover risk is the Static Rollover Threshold. The SRT = Track Width/Height of the Centre of Mass doubled. For laden trucks, a satisfactory value of SRT is 0.35 or greater. The vehicle will rollover if the lateral acceleration exceeds the SRT. The limiting cornering speed is calculated as follows: V² = SRTx9.806xR. R is the radius of the curve in the road.

This formula over-estimates the safe speed when there is an adverse cross-slope, which is often the case at a roundabout. S-bends also make things worse. For tankers and concrete agitators, S-bends result in the liquid load being on the wrong side for stability when the tanker gets into the roundabout. Trucks carrying livestock are also vulnerable. Even trucks with fixed loads may lean the wrong way when the van reaches the roundabout.

S-bends are a problem!

For the roundabout shown below, the radius R is about 47m. Assuming the effective SRT = 0.3, the rollover speed is 42 km/h! The layout of the roundabout

Rollover speed assuming an SRT=0.3

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Likely location

100

45

Major divided highway

90

43

Major divided highway

80

41

70

38

60

36

Main urban road

50

33

Main urban road

40

30

30

27

20

23

Residential street

15

21

Residential street

could have been laid out to avoid the S-bend. Considering that the highway carries many heavy vehicles, road design was poor. So far, I have considered rollover risk. A truck with low centreof-mass height will not rollover but it may slide sideways. There is a jack-knife risk if the driver has to use the brakes in a roundabout. Surface polishing of the bitumen increases the risk factor for this.

So what is a safe speed for a heavy truck

to go through a roundabout? Of course, that depends upon the load, the truck design and roundabout design. The Table shows the rollover speed for a semi-trailer with an assumed SRT=0.3 for several roundabout diameters. The safe speed in many instances is below 30Â km/h!

Dr. Peter Hart, ARTSA

An S-bend was created in a rural highway. It could have been avoided by thoughtful road design. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

65

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KIRK CONINGHAM

A

s the effects of the COVID-19 crisis continue to unfold, the reality is that the world that emerges on the other side may look very different. In terms of the operation of Australia’s supply chains going forward, the pandemic is likely to force industry and governments to more urgently consider some key questions. Already, there is some commentary about the extent to which Australia relies on China, both for the import of manufactured goods and as an export destination. Australia has concluded trade agreements with other key growth markets over recent years, including Japan, South Korea and Indonesia, and there are opportunities to expedite similar arrangements with India and the United Kingdom.

This would stimulate further employment growth in Australia’s key export sectors, help to further diversify and expand our supply chains and enhance their resilience.

Some of the disruptions to global supply chains witnessed in the earliest days of the COVID-19 crisis may also give Australian companies reason to consider the globallocal balance within their supply chains – and engineer an uptick in some aspects of local manufacturing that, prior to COVID-19, was thought by some to be in terminal decline.

For the road freight sector, this means now is the time to start thinking about which infrastructure projects need to be prioritised, not only to promote employment growth during their construction phase,

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Let resilience be our watchword in a post-COVID-19 world but to support Australia’s export and manufacturing efforts going forward by making our supply chains safer and more resilient. There have already been some encouraging signs of cross jurisdictional collaboration in this respect. For example, in late April, the Federal and Queensland Governments announced they were fasttracking works on 22 projects approved under the Roads Of Strategic Importance (ROSI) scheme. These projects are intended to improve safety and efficiency on key inland freight corridors in Queensland, including upgrades to bridges and intersections.

Meanwhile, in Western Australia the State Government has announced a suite of measures that will fast-track approvals for transport infrastructure projects up to a value of $20 million. More significantly, action has been taken to expedite approvals for several major road projects that will significantly advantage freight operators in both regional and metropolitan WA, including the Bunbury Outer Ring Road, the Albany Ring Road, the Fremantle Traffic Bridge, and enhancements and extensions to the Mitchell Freeway.

Of course, there remain opportunities for governments in other jurisdictions to make improvements to infrastructure projects now underway to better accommodate the needs of road freight transport operators.

The inclusion of direct access ramps for heavy vehicles at Canal Road as part of the Sydney Gateway is one obvious example which would enhance the efficiency of road freight movement between Port Botany and

the Cooks River Intermodal Terminal.

The level and sophistication of technology in our supply chains is likely to be another discussion with a renewed sense of urgency in the wake of the COVID-19 experience, particularly if the pandemic and its attendant restrictions endure for longer than initially forecast.

With consumers now more alert than ever to the importance of freight visibility and accurately tracking deliveries, operators will need to turn their minds to ensuring that their systems offer customers increasingly sophisticated ‘track and trace’ services, point of origin certainty, and at the same time ensure there is an appropriate level of interoperability between their systems and those used by their supply chain partners.

COVID-19 has unquestionably had a disruptive impact on the operation of many businesses, and this will undoubtedly alter the operation of supply chains in the months ahead.

However, the challenges also present a host of opportunities. We can boost resilience, safety and efficiency of our supply chains through enhanced infrastructure. We can expand and diversify by engaging with more partners at home and abroad. We can embrace emerging technologies to better serve existing and new clients. As an industry, we must actively pursue these opportunities to ensure a speedy recovery and a bright future in the post COVID world.

Kirk Coningham CEO, ALC p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u

67

INSIGHT | TRUCK VICTORIAN INDUSTRY TRANSPORT COUNCIL ASSOCIATION

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A clear blue sky

TONY MCMULLAN PETER ANDERSON

M

any governments around the world have, over a long period of time, introduced ever stricter noxious vehicle emission regulations to curb air pollution generated by busses, cars and trucks powered by internal combustion engines.

While by far from being the only cause of noxious air pollution, the focus of the world is slowly turning to this source, as other emitters, such as power generation, clean up their act. The first vehicle emission laws were introduced in the state of California, USA, in 1963, then Japan in 1966. Australia was one of the first countries globally to follow, introducing our first vehicle emission standards in the early ‘70s. Fast forward almost five decades to 2020 and Europe is now making plans for a Euro VII regulation with a planned implementation of 2026. Unfortunately, over the past ten years Australia has lost its way, stuck at Euro V when the USA introduced their equivalent standard in 2010, Europe in 2013 and Japan 2015.

In fact, our government has been talking about delaying Euro VI until 2027. By that stage, China, India and most of South America would have introduced Euro VI and Europe would have had Euro VII for over a year!

Now some may argue that we do not have an air pollution issue in Australia, however recent events have shown that not to be the case. If there has been one unexpected silver lining to the tragic COVID-19 crisis, it is that urban centres, such as around Wuhan 68

j u n e 2020

in China, northern Italy and Spain, have recorded vastly lower concentrations of air pollution since home isolation measures were introduced to fight the spread of the pandemic. In India the reduction of air pollution has been so great, the Himalayan mountains have been visible in the north of the country for the first time in 30 years.

Closer to home, preliminary results of the satellite data analysed by researchers from the Land and Atmosphere Remote Sensing group at the Physical Technology Center in the Polytechnic University of Valencia show that pollution levels over Brisbane and Sydney fell by approximately 30 per cent after the isolation measures were introduced.

These results do not come as a surprise to the Truck Industry Council (TIC), who has long argued that Australia’s combination of delayed uptake of current global emission standards, coupled with one of the oldest truck fleets in the developed world, could only lead to one outcome, poor air quality in our largest cities. There is substantial medical evidence linking air borne vehicle exhaust pollutants with respiratory illnesses such as asthma, while vehicle particulate matter (PM) emissions have been linked with causing cancer. There is equally damming scientific evidence that this same pollution causes acid rain that can make the waters of lakes, streams, wetlands, and other aquatic environments more acidic and at extreme levels, harm the fauna and flora in those areas. The devastation of parts of the Black Forrest in Germany was attributed primarily to acid rain.

So why is a younger truck fleet and cleaner emission standards so important? Well let me explain this with some simple numbers. Firstly, almost 25 per cent of trucks registered and operating on our roads have little, or no, exhaust emission control systems. These trucks, over 100,000 vehicles, were manufactured before 1996.

Just one of these trucks emits the pollution of 60 new Euro V trucks, or 120 new Euro VI trucks. It does not matter how well maintained those old trucks are, due to their lack of exhaust aftertreatment and basic fuel injection systems, that is the rate at which they emit noxious emissions compared to new trucks. There are a similar number of Euro V trucks on Australian roads, over 100,000. Now we all know that those old pre-1996 trucks travel less distance each year than newer Euro V trucks that have been on sale in Australia for the past nine years, so I will be generous and say that the Euro V trucks are travelling ten times the distance than the pre-1996 trucks are. The relative pollution numbers look like this: Pre-1996 100,000 trucks x 1 distance factor x 60 pollution factor = 6,000,000 units of noxious pollution per year ADR80/03 100,000 trucks x 10 distance factor x 1 pollution factor = 1,000,000 units of noxious pollution each year These old trucks are collectively generating at least six times the pollution of new trucks, and 12 times that of a new truck rated Euro VI. The lack of government action in addressing Australia’s uptake of Euro VI emission standards, as well as a reluctance to tackle our aged truck fleet, is an extremely disappointing outcome. TICs National Truck Plan proposes a range of levers that government could pull in order to tackle these issues, while at the same time improving road vehicle safety outcomes and operator productivity. If such actions were to be implemented by government, those clear blue skies that we have been experiencing recently could be a permanent fixture. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Tony McMullan CEO, Truck Industry Council

VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION | INSIGHT

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COVID-19 frames vitality of supply chains

PETER ANDERSON

I

f coronavirus has crystallised anything for Australian consumers – after they get past the health and socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic – it is the importance of safe, efficient and seamless supply chains to our way of life and standard of living.

Questions over where milk, bread, fuel and medicine comes from were once rarely asked by consumers, but as the pandemic took hold and the availability of these items were curtailed, consumers rightly started to ask.

The supply chains that service our broader community have been developing and improving for years. The introduction of forklifts, containerisation and bar code scanning have all been breakthroughs in improving the efficiency of supply chains.

We have over 40 different sectors in the road freight industry that see over 40 million tonnes of products move through our community every year. These sectors have enjoyed transformational gains in efficiency, productivity and safety, and we continually look for further improvements.

Some of the tensions stem back to the battle between industry productivity and community amenity. Lines are very blurred when looking to decide who should get the advantages of specific decisions, such as the placement of curfews or clearways. Loads must get through, and invariably heavy vehicles discriminated against by these decisions seek out the next more efficient route, often in another

municipality, starting the cycle again elsewhere.

Short sighted demands of locals to ban access to heavy vehicles does nothing for problems the transport industry faces.

Ironically, when these supply chains stop there are demands by other residents to ease restrictions.

Solutions exist to this conundrum and the answers lie firmly with a change in dialogue and the pathway upon which industry and community can work together. There is a need for shared responsibility and the application of common sense principles.

The VTA demonstrated these solutions through the development of the Cleaner Freight Initiative with the anti-truck lobby group the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group. (MTAG). We found common ground with our traditional adversary by better managing trucks in the community based upon attainment of community amenity needs and productivity improvements for industry.

The solution inserted a market lever into the curfew process to incentivise industry to move towards quieter and lower emission heavy vehicles in response for community aspirations for a reduction in carbon emissions into the air around their homes. The community compromised on curfews for a cleaner environment.

Although bureaucratic bungling meant this solution couldn’t be implemented it has shown that the value of efficient supply chains is important and that heavy vehicles are an essential element of our community.

We now have an office within the Department of Transport that is dedicated to the movement of freight. Freight

Victoria has the remit to improve the supply chain efficiencies, productivity and safety. It is charged with implementing the current ‘Delivering the Goods’ freight plan and is accountable for recommendations in this document.

Already we have seen the Port Rail Shuttle commence. We are reviewing the permit and access process and the review of the heavy vehicle licencing system will see further transformation for the better of our industry. However, more can be done.

The Principle Freight Network (PFN) needs to be delineated, improved and implemented to ensure dedicated roads are always available for freight to get through. The PFN is a major starting point for the realisation by government agencies, bodies, councils and residents that trucks are an equal member of the community and that they are essential for us to enjoy living standard we are accustomed to.

The technology that has and continues to be introduced into vehicles is groundbreaking compared to other industries, and rates and prices have never been so low. We still need to understand that training our people, defining access pathways and investing in infrastructure are the stepping-stones to a free-flowing sustainable industry.

Mainstream interest in where essential goods come from, and how they get here, will continue to sharpen, especially as investigations into the origins of COVID-19 escalate. This presents an opportunity for our industry to educate the community on supply chain intricacies, which we should fully grasp.

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

69

PETER SHIELDS’ NUMBER CRUNCH

Raiders of the Lost Arc Some economists are predicting a crunch in September when the Jobseeker and Jobkeeper allowances are scheduled to cease at around the same time as many loan payment deferrals become due. The government may also be tempted to fiddle with the GST in order to help fund the support payments along with the ambitious infrastructure projects designed to get people (and trucks) working again.

In a period of seemingly endless dire announcements in relation to the unprecedented circumstances brought about by the local and global effects on populations and economies by the COVID-19 pandemic, there was perhaps just one glimmer of a positive reversal of fortune: the Government acknowledged trucking as an essential service.

There wasn’t much choice, however. How else were the manic toiletpaper and pasta hoarders going to be able to access fresh supplies from their local supermarket unless it had been delivered there by a truck?

The Truck Industry Council statistics for April reflect the overall downturn in the Australian economy which was then losing around $4 billion per week and is predicted by Treasury to shrink by ten-12 per cent this month. Total truck sales in April of 1,932 show a decline of 20.8 per cent compared with the previous April, and the year-to-date accrual of 7,655 falls 1,757 units (-18.7 per cent) short of where the industry was at the same point in 2019.

In the Heavy Duty sector Volvo may have eclipsed traditional rival Kenworth in April (186 vs 127 trucks) but both, along with most others and regardless of market demand, will have any results during the rest of the year skewed by local and overseas factory shutdowns and component shortages. The overall Heavy Duty sector achieved 809 new trucks in April which shows a decline of 19.6 per cent on the previous April with the year-to-date total of 3,029 units being down 24.5 per cent (-963 units).

The Medium Duty result of 471 trucks is down almost 30 per cent on the previous April (-178 units) and takes the year-to-date total to 1,853 (down 392 units and -17.5 per cent).

It should come as no surprise that demand in the Light Duty category was stronger than for the rest of the market and the results are not as severe. One senior OEM executive told Prime Mover that small ready-to-work refrigerated trucks couldn’t be sourced ‘for love nor money’ as home delivery booms during the national lockdown. The sales for the month of 706 trucks is 133 less (-15.8 per cent) than in April 2019 and the year-to-date result of 2,773 is 472 less (-17.0 per cent) than for the first four months of 2019.

70

j u n e 2020

Apr-20

% Change YOY

ISUZU

458

-14.0%

HINO

393

-15.1%

FUSO

193

-25.3%

KENWORTH

188

-9.2%

VOLVO

127

-29.6%

IVECO

115

-10.9%

MERCEDES-BENZ

81

-15.9%

SCANIA

60

-22.0%

MACK

69

-33.2%

FIAT

40

-25.9%

MAN

23

18.3%

UD TRUCKS

32

-26.8%

DAF

44

9.2%

FREIGHTLINER

44

-16.7%

WESTERN STAR

23

6.0%

RENAULT

23

34.7%

HYUNDAI

6

-19.5%

INTERNATIONAL

4

-17.6%

VOLKSWAGEN

4

85.7%

DENNIS EAGLE

4

333.3%

FORD

1

-83.7%

CAB CHASSIS/PRIME

1932

-18.7%

M-B VANS

143

-5.2%

FORD VANS

45

-8.7%

VOLKSWAGEN VANS

120

-29.4%

RENAULT VANS

38

-1.0%

FIAT VANS

18

-41.5%

IVECO VANS

6

-48.2%

VANS

370

-16.1%

TOTAL

2302

-18.2%

Behind the people who keep Australia moving Everything we do, every day, relies on the people who literally keep Australia moving. From the fresh food in our supermarkets and the petrol in our cars, to delivering our online shopping purchases and keeping our essential services stocked. None of this would happen without transport workers.

And behind them is TWUSUPER, the industry super fund for the people who look after you.

1800 222 071 twusuper.com.au

TWU Nominees Pty Ltd, ABN 67 002 835 412, AFSL 239163, is the trustee of TWUSUPER ABN 77 343 563 307 and the issuer of interests in it. 56419

*

*Based on severity bands obtained using min/max fuel burn categorisations from 9 different American & European OEMs

www.castrol.com/severitytest

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