PowerTorque September 2025

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025 $8.95 including GST

Talk to your Daimler Trucks dealership about Cascadia today.

applies to Cascadia models up to 108t GCM. Ends 31/12/2025. Offer subject to service plan, terms and exclusions apply. Freightliner Cascadia 1942 Special Edition pack is available on

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selected Cascadia models, please reach out to your local Daimler Trucks dealership for more.

ISSUE 148

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50-YEAR CELEBRATION ADELAIDE FLEET IN FOCUS

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LEASING’S NEXT CHAPTER

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6/8/2025 11:19 am

The all-new Isuzu truck range.

Reliability redefined.

The all-new range of Isuzu trucks has arrived. With a sleek new cab design, more advanced safety features and a smoother, more comfortable drive, the new range will change the way we rely on our trucks. Forever.

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To find out more, visit your nearest Isuzu Trucks Dealer or visit isuzu.com.au

Warranty is subject to the conditions outlined in the IAL New Vehicle Warranty. For further information please visit isuzu.com.au or contact your local dealer. FSA/ISZS2610

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25/01/2021 19:08

The all-new range of Isuzu trucks has arrived. With a sleek new cab design, more advanced safety features and a smoother, more comfortable drive, the new range will change the way we rely on our trucks. Forever.

To find out more, visit your nearest Isuzu Trucks Dealer or visit isuzu.com.au

2

Warranty is subject to the conditions outlined in the IAL New Vehicle Warranty. For further information please visit isuzu.com.au or contact your local dealer. FSA/ISZS2610 POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

JUST A THOUGHT PUBLISHED BY

BIG STEPS TOWARDS A GREENER FLEET

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ABN 51 127 239 212 379 Docklands Drive, Docklands VIC 3008 Australia Telephone: 03 9690 8766 Email: enquiries@primecreative.com.au Chief Operating Officer: Christine Clancy Editor: Geoff Crockett: 0421 299 963 geoff.crockett@primecreative.com.au Assistant Editor: Alex Catalano Technical Editor: Tim Giles Contributor: Bob Woodward Correspondent: Will Shiers (UK) Advertising Manager:

n the transport world in Australia right

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now there are a series of issues that

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Driver shortages, NHVR

of its purchase, just weeks after the 50th

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party, by Indian automotive giant Tata

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Motors (from page 20).

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As we head to print for this edition

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in the past seven days.

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In the alternative fuel space, one

and fuel security are before the Federal

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Roundtable in Canberra, driven by

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Australian Trucking Association.

create an off-grid battery electric charging

The aim is simple – to create the most

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P L AT E

CLEARANCE S-Way 6x4 550 Prime Mover.

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ISSUE 148

Contents

20

FIFTY AND BEYOND

This year the Iveco organisation celebrates fifty years since its formation, a few weeks later the takeover of the Iveco Group by Indian industrial giant Tata was announced.

14

GOOD THINGS COME IN SIXES

Overseeing exciting growth in their fleet earlier this year, the story of Adelaide Trucks and Vans is one of deep immersion in the transport industry.

30 MODERN TRUCKING, TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY As Carroll Group Aus has grown, it has blended a traditional trucking industry philosophy with a state-of-the-art business model to create an effective operation.

40 PENSKE TRUCK LEASING’S NEXT CHAPTER The opening of a new site marks a big step for Penske Truck Leasing in its journey of growth.

60 SCANIA’S SUPER-STAR Scania may be making a lot of noise round electrification, but it’s certainly not turning its back on diesel. Will Shiers takes a closer look at the all-new Super 11.

66 SAFETY FIRST AT COLLINS

36 GOING OFF-GRID Centurion has taken a major step forward in the electric space, both through its depot and fleet of trucks.

ADR mandates are continuing to make fleets safer. Collins have looked to Knorr-Bremse to equip their fleet with some of the best safety systems on offer.

ISRI: DEALERS SYDNEY

MELBOURNE BRISBANE

510 Victoria Street, Wetherill Park NSW 2164 DARWIN Ph. 02 9756 6199 email isri@isri.com.au web www.isri.com.au Unit 1/569 Somerville Rd, Sunshine West VIC, 3020 PERTH Ph. 03 9311 5544 email sales@isrisunshine.com.au web www.isri.com.au 3/120 Gardens Drive, Willawong QLD 4110 Ph. 07 3275 2044 email sales@isribrisbane.com.au web www.isribrisbane.com.au MACKAY

BRISBANE NORTH NEWCASTLE/HUNTER VALLEY

Mobile Sales and Service Ph. 08 8927 0986 email info@isridarwin.com.au web www.isridarwin.com.au 408 Welshpool Road, Welshpool WA 6106 Ph. 08 9361 7646 email info@mmtisri.com.au web www.mmtisri.com.au 110-120 Maggiolo Drive, Paget QLD 4740 Ph. 07 4952 1844 email admin@isrimky.com.au web www.isriseatsmackay.com.au

1/259 Cullen Av, Eagle Farm QLD 4009 Ph. 1300 11 4774 email seats@isrinb.com.au web www.isrinb.com.au

Unit 2/13 Hinkler Ave, Rutherford NSW 2320 Ph 02 4932 0600 email sales@hvss.com.au web www.isri.com.au

m.au

.com.au

Standard Issue 28 SUPPORTING THE TRANSPORT ECONOMY The transport industry is hoping for strong outcomes for the nation’s economy following the Economic Reform Roundtable.

46 CONSIDER ALL OPTIONS NatRoad’s Warren Clark is urging regulators and government to consider further options when it comes to implementing truck driver licensing reform.

48 HAVE YOUR SAY ON LOAD REVIEW The NHVR is calling on the industry to have its say when it comes to feedback for its Load Restraint Guide review.

50 NAVIGATING HIGH-RISK DESCENTS National Transport Insurance is engaging with the transport industry to help understand how to tackle steep grades safely.

64 MEGA OPPORTUNITIES AT MEGATRAN Showcasing your business and solutions at MegaTrans could be a gamechanger – just ask gold sponsor Allotrac.

76

COMBINATIONS AND COUPLINGS

Technical expert Bob Woodward has noticed that terminology across the industry is not always correct – let’s right those wrongs.

26 DIGGING DEEP Di Martino Earthworks has been relying on its pair of Hino 700 Series trucks to get the toughest earthmoving jobs done.

ISRI SEATS

the brand behind the brands

• Supporting drivers for more than 50 years • Seating – on a higher level

02 97566199

isri@isri.com.au

www.isri.com.au

NEWS & VIEWS

UD makes NZ appointment

Self-weigh station opens

Image: NHVR

A new heavy vehicle safety station along the Pacific Highway in New South Wales has opened, allowing drivers to self-check weights.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) says the Pine Creek Heavy Vehicle Safety Station is available for drivers to self-check the mass of their loads, even during unstaffed hours.

“Remember to follow the signed directions, including to not park or attempt to adjust load onsite,” the NHVR says.

“So, if you’re heading northbound on the Pacific Highway, stop by and check your load!”

Self-checking weights outside of staffed hours was first trialled at the Pacific Highway site in April last year, with two other 24/7 sites since being trialled in NSW on the Newell Highway and at Halfway Creek on the Pacific Highway.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Image: UD Trucks

automotive brands into the country.

Michael Doeg, general manager commercial sales for Sime Motors says Zane’s leadership, deep industry knowledge, and strong alignment with Sime’s company values have been consistently evident.

“Under his guidance, UD Trucks will continue to thrive and reach new milestones,” Doeg says.

Zane brings 18 years of industry experience in the trucking and heavy commercial industry in South Africa and New Zealand.

TWAL appoints new chair The chair of Transport Women Australia Limited (TWAL), Jacquelene Brotherton, has announced her departure after almost eight years at the helm, with a new chair appointed. As part of the association’s ongoing commitment to leadership succession and sustainability, Brotherton has passed on the role to Coralie Chapman.

Throughout her time in the role, Brotherton’s efforts have been recognised numerous times, including the Excellence in Road Transport Award at the 2018 Women in Industry Awards, the Female Leadership in Transport Award at the 2018 Australian Freight Industry Awards, Wyndham City Council’s 2019 Businessperson

Image: Holcim Australia

There are changes at the top of the UD Trucks Distributors business in New Zealand, with former retail sales manager Zane Erwee stepping up into the general manager role this month.

Starting on August 1, Erwee took over the new role which will see him working alongside New Zealand’s dealer network in Wellington region and across the South Island.

UD Trucks are one of the brands brought to New Zealand by the broader Sime Motors business which imports a range of truck and

of the Year and the Australian Trucking Association’s Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry award in 2023.

TWAL says the change reflects the current capacity of each director and has been made to ensure continued leadership as the association moves forward.

Followmont opens new depot Australian transport company Followmont Transport has opened the doors on a brand new depot in Queensland. The Innisfail depot will allow Followmont to expand in Far North Queensland.

The construction of the depot first got underway in December, with the wet season threatening delays. However, Followmont has revealed the project crew stayed on track for the mid-August deadline.

“Big thanks to Richie Denton (our Site Supervisor), David Valeriano and the

team at Tully Welding Works for all their hard work,” Followmont Transport says.

“We can’t wait to get the team in and show you the final result.”

The facility includes a 800sqm warehouse, an 800sqm undercover loading area, office space and 1,800sqm of hardstand for parking and 3PL storage.

“A massive shoutout to our amazing property partners at Bootooloo Property for once again delivering the goods – their work across our network is always next level,” Followmont says.

NEWS & VIEWS

Hino Motors, Ltd. is partnering with Japanese road construction company Taisei Rotec to begin testing of unmanned autonomous vehicles in full-scale road surface durability tests.

The initiative with road construction company Taisei Rotec sees five heavy-duty Hino Profia (700 Series) prime mover and trailer combinations operate continuously without a driver on the company’s new 909m road surface testing track in Japan’s Fukushima prefecture.

It is the first time in Japan that an unmanned truck with Level 4 autonomous driving will be put into 24-hour commercial operation.

“Level 4 autonomous vehicles are capable of performing all driving tasks without human intervention and this is the first commercialised example within a designated operational area,” Hino Australia president and CEO Richard Emery says.

“This is an excellent example of the cutting-edge technology

Image: Hino Australia

Hino undertakes autonomous testing

and innovation that Hino Motors is capable of, and while the initiative is based in Japan, it is an insight into what the future holds for Australia.”

Millions committed to roads nationwide $63 million in road upgrade funding is being poured into projects across five Australian states, the federal government announced this week.

The investment will help fund 23 new projects in regional and rural Australia under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP).

In total, this will be: • $22.4 million for eight projects in New South Wales • $19.5 million for seven projects in Victoria • $15.6 million for five projects in Queensland • $4.8 million for two projects in Tasmania

Image: Jackie Davies/stock.adobe.com

• $1.4 million for one project in Western Australia “The federal government is working with local governments to deliver and maintain transport infrastructure that increases productivity and makes our communities safer,” says federal transport minister Catherine King.

“We have increased funding under the Safer Local Roads and

Infrastructure Program to make sure we continue to invest in better, safer local roads across all states and territories.

“This funding will enable local councils to improve road safety in a way that reduces the burden on them, cutting red tape and administrative burden to allow more money and time to be spent directly on projects.”

Victorian operator enters electric trial As the largest regional freight provider in Victoria, Victorian Freight Specialists (VFS) has a long history of buying lower emission trucks. Back in 2016, it was one of the first customers of the Mercedes-Benz Actros Euro 6.

Now, the Dandenong-based operator has recently started trialling the Mercedes-Benz eActros and is soon planning to put the Fuso eCanter to the test. The addition of these fully-electric trucks to its fleet signifies the next step in VFS’s sustainability journey.

“Sustainability is central for Victorian Freight Specialists,” VFS Director of Operations Chris Collins says.

“We have always purchased lower emission options where possible, well ahead of government mandates. Of course, now we have an opportunity to take that next step and integrate fully electric trucks into our fleet. We are really excited about this amazing technology.”

For Collins, it simply made sense for the major Victorian operator to trial Daimler Truck’s electric models.

The electric truck trial is another sign of growth for Daimler Truck Australia Pacific, with the OEM continuing to offer the latest zero and low-emission trucks in the local market.

Image: Daimler Truck

www.powertorque.com.au

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NEWS & VIEWS

Airport link earns billion dollar investment The New South Wales and federal governments are set to deliver a joint $1 billion upgrade package for an essential link to the Western Sydney International Airport.

Design work is underway for the upgrades to Fifteenth Avenue in Sydney’s south-west, with a contract awarded to WSP. Key features of the upgrades will include a new four-lane carriageway, with two traffic lanes in each direction, new signalised intersections and dedicated turning lanes, and a land

Volvo secures dealer partner Volvo Group Australia has announced it has finalised the acquisition of a private dealer partner, recognising the history of the site and its importance to the brand locally.

On August 1, Volvo finalised its acquisition of Truck Centre WA. The dealer business was first founded by Max Winkless, known as the father of Volvo in Australia, as a Volvo company owned dealer in 1971 when Max was Volvo Australia’s CEO. The first site opened in Kewdale in 1971, with the then global CEO of Volvo Gunnar Engellau attending to open the site alongside Max. In 1977, Max bought the WA business from Volvo Australia to become a private dealer partner.

Now, at the ripe age of 97, Max has handed back the ownership to Volvo Australia.

“We look forward to welcoming 352 passionate and committed colleagues to becoming even closer members of the Volvo family and building on the strong customer relationships Truck Centre WA have developed since 1971,” Volvo Australia president Martin Merrick says.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

reservation for future expansion.

“This is an important announcement that indicates the path forward for this essential project,” says state roads minister Jenny Aitchison.

“We know the local community is experiencing congestion and delays along Fifteenth Avenue and the surrounding roads, with typical average speeds in the peak times around 30 kilometres per hour. This is why we are starting works early and phasing our delivery to focus on the worst pinch points first.”

Image: Transport for NSW

400 trucks up for Cartage Australia

Image: CMV Group

Cartage Australia and CMV Truck & Bus are celebrating a major milestone in their long-standing partnership with the delivery of the former’s 400th Volvo.

Operating since 2004, Cartage Australia has grown its fleet massively over its more than 20 years in business, which it says has only been possible thanks to CMV. “The relationship between our organisations is built on mutual respect and a shared commitment to continuous improvement,” says CMV Group joint managing director Miles Crawford.

“Cartage Australia’s milestones

– such as the purchase of their 200th Volvo in 2019 and now their 400th in 2025 – are not just numbers; they’re a testament to the strength of our partnership and the confidence they place in CMV Truck & Bus and Volvo Group.”

Cartage Australia has now evolved into a fleet containing 118 PBS-approved vehicles, including 114 Volvos equipped with Hercules bodies.

They were early adopters of cutting-edge technologies, such as I-Shift transmission and advanced safety packages, as well as the first in Victoria to implement 5and 6-axle dog trailers.

NEWS & VIEWS

NTRTA boss moves on The industry has paid tribute to Louise Bilato after the Northern Territory Road Transport Association (NTRTA) executive officer finished in the role in August.

Bilato finished with the association after serving as its executive officer since 2008.

The trucking industry moved to thank her for her service to the sector, with former NTRTA president Michael Swart saying Bilato has been an “invaluable asset” to the industry in both the NT and across Australia.

“Her passion and knowledge have been instrumental in shaping the

Australian road transport industry,” he says.

“During her term at the wheel of the NTRTA was the introduction of the HVNL and the NHVR, which had no direct benefit to the NT, hence the stance to retain NT government control over how the NT can operate.

“Other major projects included keeping trucks on the road during COVID and recognising the importance of the transport industry’s support providers: mechanics, roadhouses, tyre suppliers and auto electricians to name a few.

Geotab introduces cold chain solution

“Mental health and driver medicals have been on her radar the full time she worked for NTRTA including return to work for injured operators within the NT and beyond.”

NHVR port operation underway

Image: Geotab

Global connected vehicle and asset solutions leader Geotab has announced a major upgrade to its cold chain solution.

The advanced solution introduces new hardware and enhanced software capabilities to provide businesses with greater visibility, control and compliance assurance for temperature-sensitive shipments.

These enhancements aim to support local industries, such as food producers and logistics operators, to maintain product integrity and reduce supply chain waste.

In Australia, cold chain

Image: ATA

breakdowns are a major contributor to food loss. A 2020 governmentand industry-sponsored study estimated that approximately 1.93 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables are lost in the cold chain each year – this amounts to roughly 25 per cent of total production.

With an estimated 526 million tonnes of food lost globally each year with an estimated 7.6 million tonnes of food lost in Australia each year, due to ineffective refrigeration, improving visibility and control across temperature-controlled supply chains is more critical than ever.

Transport operators hauling in and out of the nation’s ports can expect to see police and NHVR officers on patrol.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has announced it will be conducting Operation Quay for four weeks with NHVR Safety and Compliance Officers to work alongside police to conduct roadside inspections.

The NHVR says the aim of the operation is to boost safety and check compliance with load restraint, vehicle roadworthiness and fatigue laws.

NHVR chief operation officer Paul Salvati says it’s crucial every container is properly restrained, secured using compliant equipment, and checked before every journey.

“Heavy vehicles transporting freight in shipping containers are more likely to be involved in safety incidents in comparison to vehicles carrying general freight, with unique challenges associated with containerised cargo such as load instability and the potential for rollover,” Salvati says.

He says the operation will include Port Botany in New South Wales, the Port of Brisbane in Queensland, the Port of Melbourne in Victoria, the Port of Adelaide in South Australia and the Port of Bell Bay in Tasmania.

www.powertorque.com.au

11

NEWS & VIEWS

GMK expands border service

Image: GMK Logistics

increasing demand from flooring retailers and suppliers in the area,” the operator says.

“With a growing number of committed and dynamic flooring businesses in the region, GMK is proud to support their operations with reliable, industry-specific transport solutions.

“For over 60 years, GMK Logistics has specialised in providing end-to-end logistics services for the flooring industry, including warehousing, carpet and vinyl cutting, and nationwide transport. We are proud to extend our trusted services to Albury/Wodonga and look forward to building strong, lasting relationships with our new customers in the region.”

Victorian transport operator Total Logistic Solutions is making the electric move, taking on a new battery electric Scania 25 P. The new truck has been delivered with a 10-pallet curtainside body and powered tailgate.

Scania Australia managing director Manfred Streit was on hand for the momentous occasion to hand over the keys to the silent, smooth and sleek truck to TLS. “We are delighted to mark the presentation of this zero-tailpipe emission BEV truck to TLS,” Streit says.

“This truck will give TLS a real-world appreciation of the benefits of silent running, zero tailpipe emissions, as well as enhanced driver satisfaction.”

Receiving the Scania 25 P on the TLS end was CEO Jason McHenry and managing director Doug Painter.

The pair picked up the truck at Scania’s head office in Campbellfield, Victoria, before testing it out on the drive back to TLS headquarters at Tottenham.

Image: Scania Australia

Victorian-based flooring industry logistics operator GMK Logistics is introducing a new transport service to operate up to the New South Wales border.

The service will run to the Albury/Wodonga region with the hopes to strengthen its commitment to servicing regional Australia with specialist flooring logistics.

GMK says that Albury/ Wodonga, with a combined population of more than 100,000, gives them access to a major regional centre and key transport corridor.

“Our new service, operating twice weekly from our Melbourne depot in Epping, has been developed in direct response to

TLS adds an electric truck

Allison snares Isuzu deal Heavy vehicle transmission manufacturer Allison Transmission has confirmed it is the specified transmission provider for all 6-cylinder vehicles in Isuzu Australia’s new MY25 F Series truck range.

The major global manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions is building on its longstanding relationship with Isuzu, who has launched its first completely new range in 18 years.

Orders of the specified model groups, including a variety of medium and

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

heavy-duty trucks, will come exclusively equipped with an Allison 2000 Series, Allison 3000 Series or Allison 4000 Series transmission depending on the engine power, application or duty-cycle.

The all-new range includes Isuzu’s highest capacity vehicles on offer in the FX and FY models that come in 4×2, 6×2, 6×4 and 8×4 configurations with an Isuzu 9.8L 259kW engine and a highcapacity Allison 4430 Gen 6 transmission to accommodate engines with power ratings of up to 800hp and torque of 3,200Nm.

Image: Allison Transmission

NEWS & VIEWS

Rust named COO Queensland-based transport operator Followmont Transport has appointed Warwick Rust as its new Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately.

The experienced trucking industry member has joined Followmont after three years at Team Global Express as its General Manager – Fleet.

Prior to that role Rust served nearly 20 years at Toll Group, across a range of positions including State Manager of Queensland, National Strategic Operations Manager and

the General Manager – Fleet.

“Followmont has long been recognised not just for its operational excellence, but for its commitment to people, partnerships, and purpose.

It’s a company built on strong family values, and a reputation that speaks volumes across the sector,” Rust says.

“To be entrusted with this opportunity is both humbling and energising. It’s a privilege to work alongside a team that’s driven, capable, and committed to the communities we support.

“I look forward to contributing

Image: Followmont Transport

to Followmont’s continued growth, innovation, and legacy of service.

Excited for what’s ahead.”

Border Express opens new depot Image: Border Express

Australian logistics company Border Express has announced the next stage of its evolution through the opening of a new depot in New South Wales.

The new facility at Kooragang, in Newcastle, will allow the Victorianbased operator to strengthen its national network.

Border Express says the NSW depot is a “strategic move” to strengthen and enhance its service to

the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and Hunter Region area.

“The Kooragang facility is designed to streamline freight operations, enhance delivery times and improve service coverage across a key logistics corridor in New South Wales,” Border Express says.

The Newcastle depot follows hot on the heels of the operator’s recently opened Townsville depot.

“The newly built depot, over

4,000sqm space, features a combination of warehouse space, office and amenities, and a large main awning area to support allweather operations,” Border Express says.

“This expansion reflects our continued investment in infrastructure, people and technology to deliver fast, reliable and secure freight services to our valued customers.”

www.powertorque.com.au

13

GOOD THINGS COME IN SIXES

Overseeing exciting growth in their fleet earlier this year, the story of Adelaide Trucks & Vans is one of deep immersion in the transport industry

I

f three is the magic number, then just double the number to double the magic. It has certainly worked for Adelaide Trucks and Vans managing director Mansij Bhan so far.

More often known as ‘Money’, he says everything in his life seems to align with the number six – why ignore what the world is telling you?

ATV recently expanded their fleet of trucks with – you guessed it – six new Fuso Canter 815 models, including four tautliners, a semi prime mover and a crane semi, to bring their total fleet up to 60 vehicles.

The company works across a diverse range of industries in South Australia, servicing construction, building infrastructure projects, refrigerated transport and much more.

“Six seems to be a bit of a lucky number for me,” Money says.

“I was born on the 15th, put one and five together – you get six! Same thing for my wedding anniversary, we were married on the 24th. One of my daughters was born on November 6, and another on May 24.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

“In my mind we should always be going in sixes, six tautliners, six tray trucks, six cranes, six small trucks.”

But it’s not just luck that has propelled Money and the ATV team forward to where they are now, but a commitment to understanding the

Mansij ‘Money’ Bhan is the managing director of Adelaide Trucks & Vans.

Images: Adelaide Trucks & Vans

OPERATOR PROFILE

The ATV fleet has taken on a recent exciting investment, adding several new trucks to the operation.

South Australian market, how they can fit into it and how they can offer the best service they can.

Money arrived in Australia in 2015, bringing with him a background in both the transport and business worlds from his home country of India.

OPERATOR PROFILE

This is where the journey to the founding of ATV began.

“I chose to initially start like many people do, with one truck,” Money explains.

“This was in 2016, and I first had to look at getting my truck licences, and then look at what kind of transport is happening in the South Australian market, the kinds of runs that operators are going on.

“Compared to back in India, where a lot of driving will be local and there’s nothing like line haul, drivers are travelling much farther in Australia. So the first thing I did was start with one run, transporting plastic car parts. I pretty much did that for two years, and grew the business from there.”

Money was driving as a subcontractor for CEVA Logistics, driving a Hino on his runs while continuing to learn the ins and outs of Australian transport culture.

“During this run, I researched how the car industry was starting to move away in South Australia,” Money says.

“I found that the next big thing was

One of the Hino 700 Series which features in the ATV fleet.

going to be construction. I developed the concept of IVECO ‘Bahubali’ twin steer nine metre trucks, with 32,000 GVM. This catered to a niche market between the 23,000 and 42,000 GVM.” The ‘transport fraternity’ was certainly welcoming, and helped to point the beginnings of ATV down the right path.

“As I was meeting people, I was learning the needs of transport,” Money says.

“What does the market want? For example, when the Holden factory closed in Adelaide, the transport companies working with them are going to lose business.

“It made me realise that there’s

ATV has largely settled with Fuso as the predominant brand.

www.powertorque.com.au

15

OPERATOR PROFILE

Some of the new trucks.

one that never stops, and that’s construction. I wanted to start building my business towards that industry.”

BUILDING THE FLEET Going from one truck to the largest fleet of rigid tray tops in South Australia is no easy feat, and one that Money has worked at in the lead up to ATV being officially launched in 2021.

Identifying the right trucks for the job was a gradual process, taking some time to figure out as Money continued driving.

After trying out Iveco and UD, he ultimately looked to a different brand altogether when it came to figuring out the ATV fleet.

“The initial brand that I looked to was UD. They’ve been really nice to me, and I found them to be quite cost effective, especially with maintenance,” Money says.

“Now I’ve gone to Mitsubishi, mainly Fuso. The reasons why I choose these trucks is aftersales, service and availability of parts.

“It’s important with how fast a

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Money launched ATV in 2021.

manufacturer can change his models, to look for reliability. Euro 6 is going to be here by the end of the year, and then by the time it hits Australian roads, it will be 12 months.

“I’m looking at what we should be looking at by then, and whether the second hand value will still be there.”

The new trucks joining the fleet, including six Fuso Canter 815s, are also joined by two 18T Fuso tautliners and two truck-mounted Loadmac forklifts. Forklifts are also a key part of the ATV fleet.

ATV sees this as having the potential to enhance service for sectors

OPERATOR PROFILE

that they work closely within already, such as the building supply industry, by providing greater flexibility and efficiency when delivering products directly to building sites.

One of the biggest considerations for brand was how available the trucks would be to build out a growing fleet.

Money was conscious of where trucks would be coming from, particularly if they were imported, and how this would affect parts and servicing.

This has been one of the reasons to stick with Fuso, even though they aren’t produced locally. “I think there’s a uniqueness about how trucks hit the market in Australia,” Money says.

“If I look at the transport economy and the market, alongside the geographic location, imported trucks are mostly coming in from Japan.

They are the nearest to us after all.

Americans and Europeans are too far.

“Volvo has the advantage of being manufactured in Australia, and that’s why they’re doing very well in the prime mover space. My preference is still to buy Japanese trucks. I find they have easy to find parts.”

WORKING WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE When building a new business, success is certainly easier to find when you’re surrounded by people you trust.

Money believes in having people in ATV that have been through the transport industry as drivers themselves first, or at least having experience across the day-to-day runnings of a transport business.

He says that seeing the work from a driving perspective allows for a fuller understanding of both the culture and experience of what makes transport work.

“Most of our staff have come from a driving background,” Money says.

“One of our operations managers had been with multiple other companies beforehand, so he brought plenty of experience with him.

“Some of our drivers have been doing 20 years transporting timber, or 30 in steel. So they then grew into business development managers.”

This philosophy carries all the way up to the top with Money himself, but

Money started his transport career in Australia as a driver himself.

also with people in major roles at ATV. “One of my employees started with me as a driver, and now he’s graduated into the chair of fleet manager,” Money says.

“He also has a role looking after the workshop and repairs as well.

Our accounts guy is similar, he used to be one of the drivers, but he was interested in finance, so he did a course and took up that role.

“That’s how a lot of my team has been developed. My preference is to have people who actually have the experience out on the road in those important roles. They’ve got 20 or 30 years’ experience, they’ve been on the journey so many times.”

When beginning the early steps into industries like construction, there was a lot of work to be done to ensure

everything was working as safely as possible.

As such, a lot of work had to put into the compliance side of ATV’s work.

The work paid off however, with that focus leading to many of the contracts that ATV now continues to run. “Early on, the important part was compliance,” Money explains.

“We were working with (construction company) James Hardie on that. Once we got that done, we felt like it gave us a push in the market.

“That was when we were then able to expand into timber, into steel, and a lot of other areas of construction. That gave us a really stable foundation.

“The drivers were also able to then gain experience in those areas. We’re still growing those contacts now, and eyeing off the future.”

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17

OPERATOR PROFILE

“We want to get more into training our own drivers,” Money says.

“No one can deny that there are drivers coming from overseas looking for opportunity. We want to be able to make sure that every driver that comes to us is going to be polished behind the wheel.

“So right now, we are trying to get into developing that training for truck and forklift drivers.

“I’m not interested in handing out a licence to anyone who wants one. I’m more interested in training them on the culture of transport, the ethics of it.

“I want to make sure that all of my drivers know everything about load restraints, about straps, but then at the same time, being courteous towards the forklift drivers.

“You don’t just need to be taught how to drive, but everything that comes with it.”

There are of course challenges for the years ahead that Money and the ATV teams expect to have to deal with.

While they are looking at training pathways, the driver shortage continues to affect anyone with trucks as a part of their business.

Working out the best way to manage that will be the key to

figuring it out, he believes.

“The driver shortage will always be there, and we have to be on top of it,” Money says.

“We have to be on top of it, and as I said, we are looking at how we can deal with it through our own training.”

A continually aging fleet that needs to updated in line with new design and emissions mandates will prove to be an issue in numerous ways.

In the sense of both cost and time, having to get new trucks in to meet with the latest standards is something that Money admits will test not only ATV, but the industry as a whole.

“Vehicles that are Euro 6 and beyond are only going to be more expensive,” he says.

“Even then, trucks in Australia aren’t getting retired, so the average age of fleets keeps going up, we’re at 14 to 15 years now.

“Having to meet carbon emissions is something we’re going to have to get going quickly. We may not be able to sell the diesel trucks, so will there be government incentives surrounding that?

“It will certainly change the dynamics of the market.”

XAVIER_HINO38956.17

INTO THE FUTURE While the past four years have undoubtedly been successful for ATV, Money and the team are constantly looking at how they can sustain that success into the future.

As they take on more contracts and customers, listening to what they need and want out of their logistics has continued to act as inspiration.

Money envisions a future where ATV can offer a wide range of different services to their customers, and be the first point of call for whatever they may need within transport and logistics.

“My goal for the future is to make ATV a one stop shop for everything logistics,” he says.

“That means we do a little bit of storage, we do a bit of transportation, offering as much as we can across the space to our customers.”

Another key pillar of future growth for ATV will be developing strong training pathways for their new and current drivers and forklift operators, Money says.

He says it’s a process they’ve been investigating, but could become something that offers them a way to expand the runs they do and customers they take on.

The future is looking bright for ATV.

18

POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

Images: Iveco

CHANGES AHEAD FOR IVECO, AFTER 50 YEARS OF OPERATION

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the Iveco Group.

This year the Iveco organisation celebrates 50 years since its formation.

Just a few weeks after its celebrations in Turin, Italy, the takeover of the Iveco Group by Indian industrial giant Tata was announced.

PowerTorque’s Technical Editor, Tim Giles, was at the global celebrations of the milestone and reports on the festivities and the future where Iveco and Tata’s talents are combined

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

T

he 50xBeyond celebrating 50 years of the Iveco Group event took place in a former industrial complex, the OGR, now an exhibition space, in the heart of Turin, Italy. A full day of celebrations saw a series of presentations about the history of the brand, but also an exploration of the philosophies behind the brand.

“50xBeyond is a joyful celebration and a living expression of Iveco’s ‘spirito in movimento’, honouring five decades of radical innovation and setting the stage for our future,” says Luca Sra, President, Truck Business Unit, Iveco Group.

“Throughout its history, Iveco has constantly evolved, anticipating the needs of our customers and meeting them through our pioneering spirit.

“Always looking to the future, we have shaped the transport industry with groundbreaking advancements and vehicles that embody innovation, design and sustainability. Now we are ready for the next phase with our line-up that stands out for its unique combination of best-inclass innovation, reliability and sustainability. The road ahead will be even bolder, smarter, and more human. We will move forward in the spirit of progress, the spirit in motion that will drive Iveco into the future.”

To offer a little background to the story, the name Iveco is an acronym based on the company’s overall development, and it was formed as the Industrial Vehicles Corporation in 1975. It started as a merger between the Fiat truck brand which was based

The evolution of the engines was on display.

Luca Sra, amongst other Iveco officials, celebrating the milestone.

in Turin, OM which was based in Brescia, Italy, Lancia Special Vehicles, UNIC, a French truck manufacturer and Magirus Deutz, also a truck manufacturer, based in Germany.

The corporation has developed

through a number of different iterations over the last 50 years. The first five years saw a series of rationalisations amongst the models offered by the different manufacturers as they were all renewed as Iveco branded product, during a process of alignment, manufacturing using common components throughout the group’s vehicles.

The truck ranges produced by Fiat, UNIC and Magirus Deutz were slowly integrated into a single Iveco product offering over the first five years.

By 1980 the engines used in the trucks came, mainly, from a common platform, as did the basic cabins used by the trucks. Another innovation, during this period, in 1978, was the design and production of the Iveco Daily Van. At the same time the company’s European operation effectively merged with Ford’s European truck division

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

The electric Iveco S-eWay.

and although the name Iveco Ford lasted for some time, the organisation effectively became an Iveco branded truck other time. The only legacy of the Ford name remains in the large dealership group and a model incorporating the name Cargo in the Eurocargo. The company also took over the Astra all-wheel drive truck brand in Piacenza, bringing it in as part of the Iveco Group.

1990 saw the purchase of a controlling interest in the Spanish truck builder Pegaso. A year later Iveco purchased the struggling Seddon Atkinson truck manufacturer in the UK. In 1992 Iveco purchased yet another struggling truck maker,

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

when it purchased International Trucks Australia and formed Iveco Trucks Australia.

The first 20 years of the Iveco name were a long period of acquisition and merger, eventually creating the existing Iveco brand globally. There have also been some ownership changes over that time. Iveco Trucks became part of the larger Fiat Industrial organisation in 2011, alongside Case New Holland and Fiat Powertrain Industrial. Then in 2021, Iveco Group demerged from the overarching CNH Industrial, giving us the Iveco Group which has existed until now and celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.

ENTER TATA A few weeks after the 50xBeyond event, Indian automotive manufacturer Tata Motors announced it had reached a definitive agreement on Tata’s acquisition of the Iveco Group. The deal, valuing Iveco at $6.8 billion will see it become a subsidiary of Tata, TML CV, owning the Iveco shares, once the sale of the Iveco defence industry business has been finalised.

A day after the Tata announcement, Leonardo released a press statement confirming it has signed an agreement to acquire Iveco Defence for $3 billion.

The transaction is part of Leonardo’s plan to strengthen its role, alongside partner RheinMetall, as a leading defence equipment manufacturer in Europe.

According to Tata Motors Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the acquisition of Iveco is, “a logical continuation of the spin-off of Tata’s commercial vehicle division. It enables the combined group to compete globally with strategic home markets in India and Europe. The combined operations provide greater reach and strengthen our investment capacity.”

Rumours about the acquisition were already circulating as the 50xBeyond event was taking place.

The new combined organisation accounts for the sale of 540,000 vehicles annually, with a combined turnover of approximately $39 billion.

Production will be divided between Europe (50 per cent), India (35 per cent), and the Americas (15 per cent).

“By joining forces with Tata Motors, we can strengthen our industrial strength, accelerate innovation in zeroemission mobility, and expand our global reach,” said Olof Persson after the announcement. “This enables us to better serve customers and create long-term value.”

According to Iveco all of the loose ends will be finalised in the first half of 2026.

The implication of the sale for Iveco in Australia will take a much longer time to flow through. The acquisition is unlikely to affect the current situation.

The effects of the ownership can be expected to seen when new product from the combined group comes through the joint development process,

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

The big story was the reveal of the new Iveco eJolly van.

from the enlarged research and development funding within the newly formed group.

Plenty on display for the gearheads.

BEYOND 50 “Turning 50 is not just a time to look back.,” said Olof Persson, CEO of Iveco Group, at the 50xBeyond event. “I mean, it’s actually a springboard into the future, and after all these years, we are more agile, we are more focused, and we are more driven than ever.

“Over the past few years, we have made huge investments in product innovation, in product development, in customer service, and what we want is actually to become a more premium company, in every respect. We want to get that message across, so this next chapter is all about growth.

“It is in alternative use, digital services, and what matters most, that is, helping our customers to succeed. I would say that, at the heart of everything we do, it is you,

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23

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

The view from behind of the new Iveco eJolly van.

our customers. If our customers, are satisfied, we are satisfied.”

The 50th Anniversary event was an opportunity for Persson to announce the unveiling of the next stage in the current process, going forward.

One of the new products on show was the Iveco S-eWay, the electric version of S-Way prime mover, which is currently on the market. The new model includes the Iveco LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery system, with a warranty of up to 10 years and 1.2 million km.

It comes with a claimed range of up to 600km on a single charge. It is designed to be the zero-emission alternative from Iveco aimed at regional and long-haul freight tasks.

The design includes an e-Axle developed by Iveco’s sister brand FPT Industrial. Iveco says it produces a continuous 480kW of power, which is transmitted directly to the wheels, eliminating the energy losses typical of traditional drivelines.

New Zealand may have to wait for quite a while to see any S-eWays, as this first iteration of the electric prime mover is currently only offered in a 4x2 configuration and is fitted with a full pneumatic suspension.

The electric battery technology is fitted in three transversal LFP

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

battery packs and will deliver a energy capacity of 603kWh. The time needed when charging the battery configuration from 20 per cent to 80 per cent is reckoned to be 60 minutes using 350kW DC fast charging, and is designed for a lifetime of 12 years with 70 per cent capacity retention.

The S-eWay prime mover joins the other new releases for Europe from the truck makers, with an elongated Aero Cab, using the relaxed prime mover dimensions regulations to improve aerodynamic efficiency and the pneumatic front axle is rated at nine tonnes.

ALL-NEW MODEL The other revelation at the Beyond50 event was the introduction of two allnew models from Iveco, the eJolly and the eSuperJolly. These are two van models taking the brand further into zero emission territory.

These new models have not been developed in the same way as the Daily platform, but instead result from Iveco’s partnership with Stellantis Pro One, a joint project to develop light commercial vehicles which includes Citroen, Fiat Professional, Peugeot, Vauxhall/Opel and Ram Trucks.

The two ‘Jollys’ will mean that Iveco can offer battery electric light

commercial vehicles all of the way from 2.8 tonnes GCM all of the way up to 7.2 tonnes, completing a fully electric portfolio of light commercial vehicles.

The eJolly is available in Europe from 2.8 to 3.1 tonnes GVMs and the eSuperJolly at 3.5 to 4.25 tonnes. The two new vans will be produced in Italy in the Iveco plant in Suzzara, alongside the Daily and electrified in the nearby Brescia facility.

The eJolly will be available in two configurations, a 49 kWh battery pack offering up to 224 km of range, or a 75 kWh pack that extends the distance up to 352 km, depending on usage.

The eJolly also includes an ePTO (400V) for customised bodywork and conversions, from refrigerated units to mobile workshops.

In the eSuperJolly, there’s a 200kW motor and 410Nm of torque on tap.

Meanwhile, the 110 kWh high-density battery is said to achieve a range of up to 420km, and can recover 100 km of range in just 15 minutes of charging.

There is no information as to whether the two new models will make it down under, but the push in our market towards electrification may make the eJolly and eSuperJolly an attractive added option for the Iveco dealers in Australia.

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Images: Hino Australia

OPERATOR PROFILE

Di Martino Earthworks looks to Hino to support its earthmoving jobs.

DIGGING DEEP

Di Martino Earthworks has been relying on its pair of Hino 700 Series trucks to get the toughest earthmoving jobs done

B

ig things often start small — and for Rocco Di Martino, it began with a single excavator and a few extra jobs on the side.

At the time, he was working in landscaping, but as demand grew and projects became more complex, he made the leap and launched his own earthworks business in 2016.

Word soon got around Melbourne, the business grew quickly, and the need for a truck and heavier equipment was rising.

It was around a year later when Rocco brought his brother Louie on board to help, looking after operations and now as a partner in the business.

Today, Di Martino Earthworks has grown to become one of Melbourne’s most sought-after and go-to solutions

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

for site and civil works. Whether it’s bulk earthworks, drilling, or full-site preparation, Di Martino has it covered.

The business now has 250 clients they work with throughout the year, with a mix of developers, builders, plumbers, concreters and landscapers.

TAKING ON THE EXTRA LOAD Rocco’s family owned trucks, and that’s where he got familiar with the Hino brand. While he chose to start out with another brand of truck, the service fell short of expectations.

After chatting to a few mates who let him know that Hino looks after you, the call was made to go with Hino.

“I rang Prestige Hino in Dandenong, and the salesperson, Brad, was really helpful,” Rocco says.

“I wanted to know what happens if something goes wrong. Warranty, service, that stuff matters. That’s where I found Hino was great.”

For Rocco, it was the Prestige Hino approach that impressed him from the get-go.

“Any good salesman isn’t trying to sell you something you don’t need; they just ask the right questions,” he says.

“Brad did exactly that. What do you want to do with it? What are your expectations?’ I told him what I needed for earthmoving. Brad suggested I test drive the Hino 700 Series. It made a big difference to be able to try before buying. It sealed the deal.”

Even more impressive has been the ongoing after-sales support and

OPERATOR PROFILE

service Rocco has received from the team. Down the track, when the 700 Series had a turbo issue and was still under warranty, Hino got straight onto the problem.

“I rang, and they said, ‘no worries, we’ll sort it out.’ They got it picked up within an hour and a half and took it to Dandenong,” Rocco says.

Not long after, it was back on the road with a brand-new turbo.

FIT FOR THE JOB The reliability, performance and safety of the Hino 700 Series has seen it prove itself as a dependable and durable workhorse for Rocco.

Testament to its performance is one of Di Martino’s biggest undertakings ever: a triple basement in Caulfield, which is three levels down.

The trucks were pivotal in helping to remove around 27,000 cubic metres of material.

“I like the wheelbase length; it’s a good fit for what we do,” Rocco explains.

“Ours has a five-metre-long bin, about 400–500mm longer than usual, but still easy to get into driveways.”

Di Martino also runs a twin-steer tipper with a longer wheelbase, but it

The trucks feature tipper bodies.

still enables the drivers to get into tight spots.

Rocco is impressed with the tech, particularly the features of Hino’s SmartSafe package like lane departure warning and fatigue monitoring.

“As someone who’s not driving it every day anymore, that gives me confidence that the boys are staying safe,” he says.

“They’re easy trucks to drive and turn. Just really usable.”

It’s clear that Di Martino Earthworks is a business on the rise. Built on strong relationships, reliable service,

and a dedication to getting the job done right, they’ve continued to grow alongside their clients year after year.

“We’ve got clients from the first year I started who still call us now,” Rocco says.

“Some of their projects have grown with them, so we’ve grown with those clients too.”

For Rocco, Hino has been a choice that’s helped set the business up for growth.

“They’re easy to drive, good, safe trucks. For price point, service, usability, they’re spot on.”

One of the trucks at work.

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INSIDE INDUSTRY

Image: themorningglory/stock.adobe.com

Safer roads are on the transport agenda.

SUPPORTING THE TRANSPORT ECONOMY The transport industry is hoping for strong outcomes for the nation’s economy following the Economic Reform Roundtable.

A

s interested parties await the results of the federal government’s Economic Reform Roundtable, there’s hope that transport will be one of the big winners.

Held across the end of August, the roundtable is a chance for the nation’s ministers to discuss how to make our economy more productive.

All corners of the industry, including transport associations, had their say on how the government can best support transport and strengthen it economically.

The Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association, for instance, has called on the federal government to adopt a voluntary accreditation model developed by Australia’s rural freight sector to save the economy up to $1.1 billion each year.

In its submission to the economic reform roundtable, the association championed the 6-Star Trucking model, a practical and industry-led framework that rewards operators who go beyond baseline standards in fatigue, maintenance, animal welfare,

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

biosecurity and training.

Economic modelling indicates potential national savings between $422 million and $1.1 billion per year, based on data from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) and Austroads.

ALRTA President Gerard Johnson says the model offers exactly what the Treasurer is looking for: productivity gains that are specific, scalable and budget positive.

“This is not theory; it’s real-world reform,” Johnson says.

“We’re talking about safer roads, lower premiums, fewer crashes and stronger supply chains.

“The 6-Star model has been designed by industry with real-world conditions in mind. What we need now is national support to put it into action.”

The submission also calls for a national High Productivity Vehicle (HPV) framework to replace fragmented access rules, a co-designed National Truckwash and Biosecurity Infrastructure Plan, a Rural

Driver Training Academy to address workforce gaps and formally recognise rural freight driving as a skilled occupation and investment in disasterresilient freight corridors to futureproof food and supply chains.

Johnson says rural freight had long been overlooked in big-picture reform, despite its role in supporting Australia’s $90 billion agricultural economy and more than 300,000 supply chain jobs.

“We’re not looking for special treatment. We’re offering a clear set of practical solutions that deliver for farmers, exporters and consumers alike,” he says.

“If this roundtable is serious about resilience and productivity, rural freight has to be in the room.”

“A national High Productivity Vehicle (HPV) framework will benefit all rural freight — including grain, fertiliser, fodder, and produce — by enabling a safer, modernised high productivity fleet with consistent access,” adds ALRTA executive director Anthony Boyle.

“Unlocking freight productivity

INSIDE INDUSTRY

across the vital industries that support the government’s productivity agenda, including transport. Members of the trucking industry participated in the forum and discussed ways to grow productivity across the freight sector.

From freight movements through the supply chain to intermodal transport, import and exports and alleviating regulatory barriers, the roundtable brought together members to focus on ways to finally give transport productivity the boost it needs.

“The federal government is serious about tackling the structural challenges in our transport and construction sectors that can stifle productivity, so we can better support innovation and investment across both industries, with the skilled workforce to match,” King says.

“I had the privilege of chairing both roundtables and thank all of the industry representatives that contributed to discussions and committed to action.

“I look forward to continuing to work with industry and across government to drive productivity in Australia’s transport and construction sectors.”

ATA CEO Mat Munro was also a part of these roundtables, providing a national trucking perspective to the transport minister.

“The Government held a similar

The Economic Reform Roundtable took place in late August.

roundtable ahead of the 2022 Jobs and Skills Summit, and it was successful in highlighting the transport sector’s workforce issues,” Munro says.

“At the transport roundtable, the ATA will press for increased access for longer truck combinations, more support for people who want to train as drivers and carbon reduction measures.

“We will also take up the Treasurer’s call for budget positive submissions, with our plan to develop a road user charging system for electric vehicles.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for the Economic Reform Roundtable to be held in a press conference in June, saying it will tackle ways to improve productivity.

“I have asked the Treasurer Jim Chalmers to convene a roundtable to support and shape our government’s growth and productivity agenda,” Albanese said.

“At Parliament House in August, we will bring together a group of leaders from the business community, the union movement and civil society.

“We want to build the broadest possible base of support for further economic reform.

“Our plan for economic growth and productivity is about Australians earning more and keeping more of what they earn.”

Image: Jason Bennee/stock.adobe.com

requires national leadership and interoperability – from digital compliance tools to automated access.

We support federal investment in the Austroads-led automated access system and a consistent HPV framework to enable safe, modern high productivity vehicles across livestock and rural freight.

“Freight corridors are more than infrastructure – they’re economic connectors that underpin trade, emergency response, and social cohesion.

“We support elevating freight policy through bipartisan recognition and the appointment of a dedicated ministerial or departmental lead – consistent with longstanding industry calls to reflect the sector’s economic importance and support long-term, strategic reform.”

The ALRTA says the federal government can build economic resilience by: • Creating a national truckwash and biosecurity infrastructure plan, particularly relevant in the case of livestock transport to prevent the spread of disease • Strengthening fuel security and emergency freight continuity to help safeguard national food security • Creating a rural driver training academy to help address workforce shortages, support migration planning, and improve safety and welfare outcomes • Invest in disaster-resilient freight corridors in order to safeguard critical road and rail infrastructure from floods, cyberattacks, fuel shortages, and animal disease outbreaks.

The Australian Trucking Assocation (ATA) also supports the ALRTA’s proposed ‘six-star trucking model’, which it believes to be a ‘practical, industry-led framework designed to reward operators who go beyond baseline standards in fatigue, maintenance, animal welfare, biosecurity and training’.

Prior to the roundtable in July, consultation was held with members of the trucking industry by federal transport minister Catherine King.

The two roundtables were hosted

by King and focused on identifying practical implementable reforms

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29

OPERATOR PROFILE

Images: Carroll Group Aus

MODERN TRUCKING, TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY

As Carroll Group Aus has grown, it has blended a traditional trucking industry philosophy with a stateof-the-art business model to create an effective operation. Tim Giles meets its founder, Troy Carroll

C

arroll Group Aus has proved it is possible to combine both a modern and a more traditional approach to the trucking business and make it work to its advantage, as a growing road transport business.

The culture comes from generational experience in the industry, but the organisation brings in young team members to create an operation to function in a contemporary business environment.

“My father used to drive trucks,” explains Troy Carroll, Managing Director of Carroll Group Aus. “He used to have a truck sales business, and he sold trucks his whole life, but he would also drive trucks from Toowoomba to the Rocklea markets every night. After working in the truck yard, he’d jump in the truck and do two trips to Brisbane.”

Before heading into the trucking industry, Troy had a successful motorbike racing career. He won 24

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Australian Motorcycle Championships in his racing career, and later took on running the Monster Kawasaki Racing Team, which, of course, involved a prime mover and trailer. By this point, Troy’s father had sold his truck sales business and retired so took up the job of driving the semi for the team.

“When I sold the race team out at the end of the seven years I decided to go for a drive in the truck myself,”

Road trains are a key part of the operation.

Meet the Carroll Group, or perhaps more importantly, their fleet.

says Troy. “I realised the reason why I love trucks, is driving on open roads, it made me want to make a business out of it.

“I’ve got that same work ethic as my father, where we just get going and make it happen. We went out and bought a second truck, and then my old man actually bought one as well, because he had nothing to do. He would basically subby to me, we knew

OPERATOR PROFILE

what we had to do to make it all work, so that’s where it started.

“We were doing general freight – my first ever load was through another contractor. There was a Santos load, and after that my goal in life was to have a contract direct with Santos, and now we do. We’ve also got contracts with Rio Tinto, Metro, Halliburton, Schlumberger, all the big players in the oil and gas, and mining business. Now, we also do a lot of general freight, and that’s now a very aggressively growing part of our businesses.

“This development has just been a by-product of the people we have employed, that have worked in the freight industry before. Oil and gas, and mining is quite sporadic. We needed something to keep the trucks ticking over and not have to worry too much about it.”

The business has grown to a point where it now has 53 employees, as well as ISO accreditation 9001, plus 14001 and 45001. The business has also moved several times to larger and larger operating bases.

“We hold ISO standards because they’re international standards for quality, environment and safety. For us, it helps us with the tenders that we go for,” says Troy. “Obviously, it’s just showing that we’re not just a general transport carrier, we are trying to hold to the highest standards we can.

“It shows that you are serious about what you’re doing. We don’t leave any stone unturned, no matter what we do. It’s a protection of the quality for our clients, also to ensure our staff feel okay, even down to the things like having filtered water for the staff.

“Then there’s the environmental stuff, like recycling our trucks. We had a vision to go to all Euro 6 by 2025, and by the the end of 2025, we’re probably going to be about 80 per cent there.

We want to lower emissions and make sure that we’re making this business generational, and my kids can take it over.”

DEVELOPING BUSINESS For a period of time the structure of the business was 75 per cent oil and gas and then 25 per cent general freight. However, in more recent years that split has changed to a situation where the businesses is split 50/50 between the two different freight tasks. The development of this part of the business set off another phase of growth for the operation, as it became a larger and larger proportion of the work handled by the Carroll group.

At the moment, the growth continues for the warehousing and distribution side of the business and this is driving the acquisition of new trucks and trailers. When PowerTorque visited the Carroll depot they had just

received five new prime movers and five road train sets.

“We’ve just invested again and the warehousing has come along since COVID,” says Troy. “Before that we only had trucks and we had a little office down on the Gold Coast. Then, during the COVID period, we noticed a huge increase in demurrage, detentions, and controls on containers and trying to get a truck into the port.

“I had a little warehouse at the time, just for our own general stuff, with the pallet racking full.

“We had pallets stacked three high, and we couldn’t get any semi trailers in. We could just get the forklift in.

“That, to me, was a sign that people definitely needed extra storage. And then the wait times, you go to some of the places on the port, and your truck would be there, and then they’d shuffle your truck back and put two of theirs in front, at the same time you’re charging the client, five or six hours demurrage and it wasn’t their fault.

“We got rid of the little place we had, and we moved to Yatala and took on 2,000sqm there. That was a big jump for us. However, as soon as we opened the doors, we’d fill it up.”

The new storage worked quite well and there was room to park all of the trucks in the yard. Then a transport yard next door became available and the business took on another 2,000sqm

Carroll transports a lot of oil and gas.

www.powertorque.com.au

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OPERATOR PROFILE

The current facility.

of storage. Yet again, when the new storage was opened, it also filled up almost immediately.

“At this point, I got the idea that if I can hold freight, I can start to control the freight as well,” says Troy. “This was when we went in to tender with Rio Tinto, for the inbound containers and storage. We were successful with that one, but we did bring a lot to the table, a lot of new technology, so they could actually see everything live all of the time, their containers, their spreadsheets and the freight, they can actually go onto their own portal, and they can bring everything up, and they can see the ins and outs of an item, and can see where it is, absolutely live.

“We had brought that into it but, it’s a double-edged sword. Sometimes you give too much information. There’s nowhere to hide. We are open and transparent that way, we do our best, and it’s been quite successful for us.”

The Carroll Group is hauling containers out of Brisbane Port, breaking them down at the depot, then redistributing and rearranging loads and running them out to the Rio Tinto sites. The main site, in Berrinba, the freight hub on the southern side of Brisbane, handles about 2,000 containers a year. These numbers are at a level within the capacity of the current set-up, which currently handles both inbound and outbound.

The freight being handled is mainly Rio Tinto’s equipment, from drill rods to wellheads, anything used in the oil and gas resources industry. The business has grown steadily with the ongoing expansion of the resources industry, which has happened in the last 20 or so years.

The demand for these services has plateaued in the last year or so, with major floods over the Christmas break and with the cyclone in March adding

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

to flooding in Central Queensland.

The damage to road infrastructure from these weather events has slowed production and therefore limited demand for transport.

“Whole roads have been lifted and bridges are gone,” says Troy. “So that isn’t going to take a week or two to fix, it’s going to take months. I think it’s going to slow the development of those roads out there. The first trips are probably going to be very slow trips, rough trips. We don’t know what to expect when it all turns back on again.”

DEVELOPING FLEET The fleet runs a mixture of prime movers, and this year the operation has added a number of MAN trucks, one 640hp and the rest at 580hp.

These are for a contract running north from Brisbane, up the Bruce Highway, where fuel efficiency is paramount.

However, for loads heading into Western Queensland, Kenworths are the preferred option.

“For the American running gear and for Kenworth, you can get repairs anywhere, but with the European stuff it’s a little bit more difficult,” says Troy.

“You could be down two days before you get a part for them. Our Volvos

A good chunk of the fleet is Volvo.

and Western Stars, they go out to the Mount Isa area. Again, because they’re big trucks, they’re triple rated and very good on fuel compared to the Kenworth.

“However, Kenworth are getting a lot better. We’re just trying to look at the efficiencies again on the doubles and triples, depending on what the freight is which is going out there. We can run an A-double out of Brisbane, we have all the permits now to run A-doubles up the Bruce Highway and out west. We can run the 30m A-double from home base here, but the dog trailer for a 36.5m combination has to be added at Gatton. When we go to triples the extra trailer can be added at Roma.

“The PBS combinations have definitely helped business down here in Brisbane, to be able to run out to delivery sites like they can out of Adelaide or Perth. Being able to have that ability to run two trailers out is good. Even for the drivers, they don’t have to do all of those dog runs.”

Kenworth prime movers in the fleet are mainly T610 models and specified at 600hp, 130 tonnes GCM with a Neway rear suspension. The trucks are named after family members and decorated with modern scrolling.

These trucks represent the traditional values within the business. At the same time the modern European trucks hauling in and out of the warehousing and distribution business represent the contemporary nature of the philosophy within the business.

For Troy the A-double has achieved what it was supposed to have achieved, actually substantially reducing

OPERATOR PROFILE

early 70s, working as a support driver who comes in when the guys are sick.

He loads trailers for us and gets them ready to go, so that when the drivers are feeling better, they can get in and they can shoot off.”

GROWTH

The trucks are named after various Carroll family members.

the number of trucks on the road.

However, for Carroll Group Aus the 30 metre restriction does mean the trucks are carrying 40 pallets instead of 45.

The efficiency gains from a simplified operation, generally, is adding to the advantage that the trucks can carry more weight on them as well, running at 85 tonnes GCM. Many of the trucks do run loaded both ways, depending on where they’re going, and the fleet does run Australia-wide, wherever the industry takes it.

DRIVING TEAM There’s not a driver shortage for Carroll Group, they pay an hourly rate, and have a stable driving workforce.

“Once people come along and drive

Kenworth included.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

for us, they find we’ve got a bit of a different mindset,” says Troy. “Safety is a huge issue for us and all our trucks are tracked, trailers and trucks. We’ve got all this new technology coming in. Even the drivers’ pre-starts in the morning, are all done by an app on their phone. Any faults come straight through to the office.

“I still hold a good relationship with all the drivers, as well. If they’ve got an issue, like I tell them all the time, if it’s not getting resolved, they can come straight to me and I will help out. I want to make sure they’re happy.

“A lot of my drivers have come to me, left, then come back again. One of the youngest guys is probably just 30, we’ve got an older driver in his

Some combinations end up truly massive!

“We’re a project based company,” says Troy. “We did a project not long ago where they needed 80 trailers moved in 14 days, up into the Territory. On that, my guys just hunkered down and said, ‘Okay, we’ll do it’.

“They moved the 80 trailers within the timeframe. We had all sorts of conditions up there. It was raining and we couldn’t get onto the site, but we actually got it there on time. Although we’ve only got X amount of trucks, we can engage subcontractors, and we’ve got good subcontractors too.

“There’s a rapid induction system, that we’ve got throughout the business.

It holds all of our subcontractors.

They’ve all got to abide by what we believe in, our values and our rules.

On that project, we turned it on, and we got everything up there for that campaign. Then the second time around we got 36 trailers there in three days. We had to load them all in three days and get them up to the same place. That was pretty special.

“I think my operations team was really a bit wired at the end of it, because all the situations that were happening, but they did it. They were professional and got it done.”

Images: Centurion/Daimler Truck

OPERATOR PROFILE

Centurion has used its ARENA funding to power off-grid electric truck charging.

GOING OFF-GRID Centurion has taken a major step forward in the electric space, both through its depot and fleet of trucks

W

hen it comes to electric trucking, Western Australian transport operator Centurion is leading the way.

Initially receiving funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) in 2023, as of late July, it’s offgrid battery electric vehicle project is now fully operational.

The major milestone in local sustainable freight transport has seen Centurion commission two of Australia’s first fully off-grid, 100 per cent renewable energy, battery electric truck projects.

Centurion’s Perth Airport depot operates two charging sites, named North and South. The North charging site was commissioned back in February and the South charging site is now live as of July, adding a further 10 Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 battery electric trucks to service the Perth metropolitan area.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Centurion’s off-grid charging sites are powered by solar.

This addition brings the Hazelmere fleet to 30 electric trucks, all fuelled by onsite green energy supply. South site energy infrastructure includes 2.2MW of rooftop solar, 3.44MWh of battery storage, 75kW and 150kW chargers, and a back-up generator operating on HVO.

The total project specifications include 30 eActros 300 battery electric trucks, including 25 rigid trucks and five prime movers, 4.4MW of rooftop solar, 10.3MWh of battery storage and 15 dual-port slow and fast chargers.

On top of this, fully off-grid charging infrastructure and back-up generation

OPERATOR PROFILE

using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is also at the site.

“The project is now fully operational, and it marks a significant milestone in progressing our decarbonisation journey,” Centurion CEO Justin Cardaci says.

“Completing this important infrastructure milestone and having the full electric truck fleet operational is a great outcome for Centurion. It shows that with the right partnerships and investment, sustainable freight solutions are achievable today.

“Centurion actively seeks to deploy technology where its ready to displace the diesel transport equivalent and the ARENA funding certainly helps support the economics of this project.

“We’re not only reducing emissions but also providing electric trucks fuelled by green energy that can deliver a high-quality reliable service for our customers.”

The $36 million project was delivered in partnership with Daimler Truck, Cape Dunstans, Switch Batteries and bp Australia, and made possible through $15.8 million in funding from ARENA. Centurion says this project demonstrates how industry

collaboration, renewable energy and innovation can drive meaningful change in Australia’s transport and logistics sector, reducing emissions while maintaining operational performance.

KEEPING THE CHARGE With the two sites now fully operational, Centurion had to figure out how they were going to utilise and manage their uses.

Holding different capacities and charging times dictated which site the different parts of the electric fleet would use.

“The concept of the North site is all built around overnight charging,” says CFC Group Manager of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Hamish McHaffie.

“It holds the energy store that it gets from the solar array, stores that energy until the trucks return after a day’s operation, which are typically returning in that sort of 20 to 50 per cent type range.

“They go and charge overnight, and then they’re redeployed in the morning on their duty cycle of daytime operations. Depending on the level of charge they come back at, they’ll be

on charge for 10 to 11 and a half hours at most.”

With the two sites set up, Hamish believes that this will offer Centurion greater flexibility in managing their electric fleet.

There will be different operating needs depending on the time of day that they run and the kind of work they are doing. The South site will again offer a point of difference to the charging in the North site.

“The South charging site will work as our higher capacity site,” Hamish says.

“It now services up to 10 trucks at a time. That solar array is all geared around a duty cycle for those trucks charging there.

“They can go out, operate in the morning, come back in the afternoon, jump on charge, use the sun and that direct generation to charge up and then be redeployed in the evening or nighttime.

“Potentially there will be trucks that will come back later in the day that we will use that battery storage for, where we can put them on and give them a quick squirt and then send them back on their way.

“We can put a truck on the South

Power from the solar panels is stored in batteries, which are then used to power the grid.

www.powertorque.com.au

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OPERATOR PROFILE

There are currently 30 eActros models in the Centurion fleet.

site, give it a quick top up and then we save the North site charging locations for the trucks that will be returning with the least amount of battery charge.”

While the capacity of Centurion’s solar panels is quite substantial, it is an energy form that still comes with its limitations.

With keen awareness of this, Centurion is confident through testing that the storage capabilities of its charging sites will overcome even the most overcast and rainy winter days.

“We’ve designed the project in a way from the outset and in our discussions with ARENA, to give us energy security throughout the winter,” Hamish says.

“We modelled out very early on what the charge we could store would look like during winter periods, and how that would need to translate to the size of the solar array we would need to build.

“In some cases, this could be up to seven or eight times what is required on a typical summer, sunshine-filled day, but we know now we’ve got that security.

“We operate our backup generators on HVO, so biofuels have also become a key component to the grand credentials of the project.”

Hamish says while the project carried risk to it, especially with the adoption of electric vehicles, taking on a challenge was one of its drivers.

“A big driver for us was the

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

excitement that we’re taking a bit of a risk,” Hamish says.

“Because we’ve got to be able to create a system that has energy security, we have to make sure we’re not relying on the grid.

“We’ve been able to accelerate the introduction of electric trucks into the fleet by having it off grid. Knowing that we’re using green energy with solar and battery charging going into the trucks is a positive too.”

AN ELECTRIC FUTURE Looking towards the future, Justin believes that Centurion is continuing along the innovative path they’ve forged in the past.

The off-grid charging sites are the

All green, all electric.

next step towards lowering their emissions.

“If you look at our fleet over the 10 to 12 years, we’ve been very quick to adopt the latest Euro standards,” Justin says.

“We’ve had to be understanding that as our business is growing, our carbon footprint also grows significantly. We’ve been really strengthening our relationships with the OEMs over the last decade.

“Seeing the new technology they’ve been bringing forward has probably enabled us to see that as a path for us that we see value on.”

The eActros has been a popular model in fleets looking to boost their electric trucking presence, with the eActros 600 being named the 2025 International Truck of the Year by a jury of 24 editors and senior journalists from the commercial vehicle press in Europe.

The International Truck of the Year is presented to a truck launched in the previous 12 months that has made the largest contribution to road transport efficiency.

It was just the second time an electric truck was named the winner of the award.

In addition to its trio of lithiumion batteries and reduced noise capacity, the eActros also features two liquid-cooled motors integrated into the driver axle.

It has 536hp (400kW) peak

The trucks operate out of the Perth-based Hazelmere depot.

power output and 443hp (330kW) continuous output.

A five-stage recuperation braking system works like an engine brake to both spare the service brakes and recoup electricity, which is fed back into the batteries.

It also comes with Lane-Keeping Assist, Attention Assist and Stability Control Assist, and tyre pressure monitoring, with the ability to use front and side radars – and a front camera – to automatically brake for pedestrians and other vehicles if the driver is distracted.

Centurion says it has been thrilled with the performance of the trucks so far, and have been able to get great insight as to how they work in conjunction with the off-grid charging.

“Feedback in terms of driver performance has been fantastic,” Justin says.

“The Daimler Portal does have the ability to give us some of the insights about driver behaviour and the way they’re performing,” Hamish adds.

“It hasn’t been a major focus of ours just yet, as we’ve mainly wanted to get the trucks out there and make sure that the energy infrastructure is live and operating and giving us the security of energy that we need.

“We want to get these trucks used by our various customers and learn the various requirements for them in the Perth metro area. Now that everything’s working, that’s the next step.

“How the driver behaviour piece works with charging optimisation is something we’ve continued to think about. We might find out that a battery

isn’t performing the way it should be, or one particular driver is always coming back with a lot less charge.

“We’ve also got the knowledge sharing agreement with ARENA to make sure we’re learning these lessons, so having the data management systems in place is an important and exciting part of the project.”

Centurion is not only looking ahead at how it can change its fleet of trucks, but also the evolution of its drivers too.

They have developed a key partnership with an inclusive employment pathway to bring people who may struggle with employment into the world of transport.

“We really deliberately went out and looked for a different group of drivers. It’s another area that’s been exciting for us,” Justin says.

“We’ve got a partnership with the Western Australian All Abilities Football Association, so we’ve been offering neurodiverse people employment opportunities.

“One of our drivers, Blake, has been employed through this. Seeing how proud he is of his truck and really enjoying every part of the job has rubbed off on the rest of the drivers, it has been awesome.”

The next step for the project is to optimise the integration of the green energy and electric truck fleet into Centurion’s wider operations at the Perth Airport depot.

This project will generate significant learnings, and Centurion, in conjunction with ARENA, will be seeking to share this knowledge across the industry.

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TRUCK LEASING

Images: Prime Creative Media

PENSKE TRUCK LEASING’S NEXT CHAPTER

Penske Truck Leasing has added new MANs to its rental fleet.

The opening of a new site marks a big step for the growth of Penske Truck Leasing

T

he remaining months of 2025 are set to be filled with excitement for Penske Truck Leasing, as they mark a big step in their growth.

Adding to the six locations they have so far, a new dedicated facility is officially opening in Pakenham in Melbourne’s south-east, with the keys being handed over at the start of September.

It is an important milestone in the branch’s growth, according to Penske Truck Leasing Managing Director Adrian Beach.

It will be the first standalone Penske Truck Leasing Branch in the southern hemisphere.

“We’re all very excited about it,” Adrian says.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

“For the first 11 years in Australia, we’ve been co-located in other Penske facilities. Some of those are retail truck dealerships, like in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth, while others are off-highway dealerships like our Altona and Adelaide locations.

“It’s great being in a retail truck dealership, with parts and technicians around for support and warranty work.

Being in the off-highway dealerships adds some complexity. We can do much of the work on-site with our own technicians, but we still spend time going back and forth to the retail dealerships for heavy jobs and warranty work.

“In order to further grow the business, we needed to look at other

pockets of Australia that require our equipment and services. Accessing the east side market of Melbourne required a solo approach.”

The location of the new facility was strategically selected to capitalise on the emerging growth of the area and the expansion of Pakenham as a transportation hub. Adrian says this was an intentional decision to help connect with their customers that operate in the area.

“We have a brand new facility in an important industrial market with brand new equipment, where many of our existing customers are already based,” he says.

“No more need to drive nearly an hour through tunnels and over bridges

TRUCK LEASING

while paying tolls to get to Altona or Westar. If they’re in Dandenong or Bayswater or nearby, it’s only taking them 15 to 20 minutes to drop off a truck for service or pick up a shortterm rental truck.

“Our existing lease customers on this side of town will be thrilled to get service, support, and additional rental trucks right in Pakenham.”

It’s not just Penske Truck Leasing that’s moving into the area either – plenty of Melbourne-based transport businesses are looking to the southeast as a growth corridor.

The area is developing into a little truck hub, which Adrian says can only work to their advantage.

“When we first looked at the site, there wasn’t really much around,” he says.

“There was some construction happening, but the exact plot that we’re on didn’t really have any neighbours. It just looked like a big empty field.

“That was 18 months ago, and now that it’s ready to go, you look around and there’s buildings all over the place. They’ve just mushroomed.

“We got lucky to get in when we did – if we were shopping around in Pakenham right now we certainly wouldn’t have as many options.”

While the choosing of a location and the construction process has been much anticipated, the Penske Truck Leasing team hasn’t wasted any time in getting hands on deck.

Adrian said the staff set to run the Pakenham location are chomping at the bit to start taking on a new challenge.

“Josh Richards, our Victorian state rental manager is out there running the

The new trucks have been decorated with a special livery.

place. He’s a great guy to be doing it,” he says.

“We’ve already hired a new technician who lives out in Pakenham.

He has MAN experience so he’s ready to hit the ground running. We’ve also got a lease sales representative, a business development manager who lives on the east side and will office in the new facility.

“Right off the bat we’re prepared with sales, service, and management.

As the fleet grows, we’ll add a second technician and additional rental staff.

We’re hoping the service department will really set us apart.”

RENTAL FLEET ADDITIONS With the opening of the Pakenham site, there will be new trucks available to Penske Truck Leasing customers.

PowerTorque got to take a closer look at the MAN TGX and TGS 540s (pictured) that will be joining the rental fleet.

Even just from a drive around the yard, it’s easy to get a sense of the power and reliability that the new MANs will offer Penske Truck Leasing customers.

They have even been done up in a brand new livery to mark the opening of the Pakenham location, which Adrian says is particularly special.

“We’re hoping the TGXs and TGSs grab a lot of attention on the road,” he laughs.

“You’re going to be seeing them all over town. We’re going to have three variants of MAN,the new Western Star 48X and some Hino 500 curtainsiders.

“They’ll all be new trucks right out of the box, with additional equipment transferring over from Altona once the

The finer details of the trucks.

new site gains some traction.”

Part of the power of the Pakenham project comes in what it means for Penske Truck Leasing in the future.

As the first standalone branch, its success could mean more popping up across Australia, particularly in locations without an existing Penske presence.

“We certainly didn’t build the Pakenham site for 2025 or 2026. This is for the next 10 to 15 years and beyond,” Adrian says.

“What it does give us is another method of entering a new market.

In Sydney, being co-located in the Chipping Norton MAN and Western Star dealership is great. But if we want a second location in Sydney, we may have to go alone like we’re doing in Pakenham.

In addition to these possibilities, the growth of the Penske dealer network across Australia means possible growth around the country.

“The dealer network keeps growing,” Adrian says.

“Tas Trucks in Tasmania was just a Hino dealership but they’ve recently joined the Penske family and are now an official MAN and Western Star dealership. I suspect there will be discussions about a partnership at some point. Watch that space.

“It’s really exciting. We haven’t opened a new location since Covid so it’s great to once again be in growth mode. Now we have more than one proven way to enter a market.”

www.powertorque.com.au

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

Images: Hino Australia

MERGING INTO A NEW LANE

The latest updates from Hino provided PowerTorque with all the details on how its next 12 months will play out

F

ollowing the changes to its model range and production at the end of last year, 2026 beckons as another big one for Hino in Australia.

In a definitive agreement that involves Daimler Truck, Mitsubishi Fuso, Hino and Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino are set to merge on equal footing to create a new company.

The combined business will integrate more than 40,000 employees together, as the two companies will cooperate on commercial vehicle development, procurement and production, with Daimler Truck and Toyota each aiming to own 25 per cent of the integrated company.

The business will then be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with current Mitsubishi Fuso CEO Karl Deppen being named the CEO of the new holding company.

“Today is a great day for all our

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

stakeholders. We are shaping the industry by bundling our strengths,” he says.

“With a strong new company we combine our two trusted brands, our resources, competencies and expertise to even better support our customers in their transportation needs in the future. I feel honoured and excited to be the designated leader of the new company and am grateful for the trust and encouragement from Toyota and Daimler Truck to make it happen.”

From an Australian perspective, Hino Australia President and CEO Richard Emery says the move has been a long time coming.

“Despite the delay, a lot has been done in the background in preparation for the integration,” Richard says.

“It is slated to begin on April 1, 2026. That’s evidence of the work that has been done in the background.

“As an important market for Hino, we have been supporting HML in

Hino is expanding its Euro 6 offerings.

that planning and preparation. We’re excited about the opportunity will bring for Hino, especially in Australia.”

MODEL RANGE CHANGES As a part of a new model range update, Hino is expanding its range of Euro 6-compliant heavy duty 700 Series vehicles.

The 700 Series was first launched in 2021, and has now expanded to offer a solution for a wide array of heavy-duty applications. Eleven additional models are set to go on sale from October onwards.

“The expanded range increases our exclusively two-pedal range with a host of axle and wheelbase configurations appealing to even more customer applications and operating requirements,” Hino Product Strategy Manager Daniel Petrovski says.

This will include new FH1836 4x2, FS2636 6x4 and FY3036 8x4 models, which are all powered by

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

the Hino A09C engine in A09C-VN specification. Its peak power is 360hp (265kW) and 1569Nm of torque, delivered from 1100 to 1600rpm.

The A09C-VN engine is mated to the new Hino M112 12-speed automated manual transmission.

“With its wide gear ratio and selection spread, the two-pedal 12-speed AMT will be an excellent choice for heavy rigid operations in extra urban and regional applications,” Daniel says.

“It will also appeal to rigid truck operators who need to tow a trailer and to customers seeking a fuelefficient rigid truck solution for highway and hilly operations.

“With the addition of the new AMT models, Hino will now offer multiple two-pedal options for our 300-plus horsepower heavy-duty customers with Allison 4440 and Allison 3200 true automatic transmissions, plus the Hino M112 and ZF Traxon AMT variations.”

The nine litre models are joined by two FS2845 models featuring the E13C 13 litre engine which produces 450hp (331kW) and 2157Nm or torque and is mated to the new M112 Hino 12-speed AMT. “The FS2845 is available with an airbag or leaf spring drive axle and will fill a gap in the market for council tipper and civil works customers that require regular towing of a pig or dog trailer,” Daniel says.

Hino will also offer a new FS2848 12-speed AMT airbag suspension

model that will suit fleet operators looking for a single trailer prime mover.

“The current 700 Series was launched in 2021 with Euro 6 emissions compliance, well ahead of when it was even legislated in Australia,” Daniel says.

Like all 700 Series, Hino says the new models will feature the most comprehensive safety package ever offered in a Hino truck. The Hino SmartSafe package is standard, and offers a comprehensive safety suite featuring driver assist.

Hino SmartSafe also includes a PreCollision System with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Driver Monitor, Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning System, Vehicle Stability Control, Reverse Camera and a suite of other standard safety features.

Like all Hino products, the 700

Series is also supported by Hino Advantage, a suite of business solutions designed to reduce costs over the life of the vehicle.

This include Hino-Connect, which is built standard into all 700 Series. It is an Australian-built and designed system that provides customers with real-time vehicle and driver performance data, fuel usage reports, maintenance tracking and fleet security alerts.

In an Australian first, Hino-Connect allows direct communications with drivers through the Multimedia Unit in the unlikely event of a severe vehicle fault.

“Other Hino Advantage solutions include Hino SmartSafe, Capped Price Servicing, Hino Genuine Parts, 24/7 Hino Roadside Assist, our finance options and customer support provisions via our Customer Care Centre,” Daniel says.

The merger is set to be one of the largest in the global trucking industry.

www.powertorque.com.au

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INSIDE INDUSTRY

CHECK OUT OUR CAREER FACT SHEETS The truck driver shortage is still a key concern for the transport, writes ATA CEO Matthew Munro

44

ATA CEO Mathew Munro

With our friends from Transport Women Australia, Beck’s Transport Training and Divall’s Earthmoving and Bulk Haulage, our team handed out fact sheets to close to 500 students.

The first fact sheet, Earn more before you’re 25, compares truck driving to other career options out of year 12 like becoming a car mechanic, a police officer or doing a business degree.

It points out that truck drivers can earn $88,000 a year or more in their 20s, with a quick start and ample overtime for long distance drivers.

In contrast, first year apprentice mechanics earn $29,500 a year and fully qualified car mechanics earn some $53,700.

An early career business graduate might earn about the same amount as a truck driver, but that requires three years of full time study and $51,000 in student debt that needs to be paid back.

Image: ATA

T

ruck driving is one of Australia’s top five occupations with a skill shortage. More than 26,000 positions are unfilled.

The skill shortage has serious consequences.

Trucking business owners and managers tell me they have equipment standing idle. They are not investing in new, safer and more productive trucks because they are not certain they can find employees to drive them.

At the same time, potential drivers are missing out on opportunities for great jobs or even long-term careers.

You’ve only got to look at our 2025 Professional Driver of the Year, Brad Train, to see where trucking can take you.

In his early 20s, Brad worked on a cattle station in the Northern Territory and watched the road trains head past to a more interesting life.

Today, he’s renowned for floating heavy equipment and delivering it in immaculate condition. He checks and mentors new drivers and, in his spare time, has become an accomplished Muay Thai fighter.

Now there’s a career. It certainly beats responding to endless emails hoping they find you well, because truck driving can offer a life of travel, adventure and earn-while-you-learn opportunities, without years of study and crushing student debt.

With the support of our Foundation Sponsors, bp, NTI and Volvo Trucks, the ATA has launched the first wave of our new career fact sheets, to provide students, parents and career counsellors with information about how truck driving jobs compare.

We launched the fact sheets in mid-August at the 2025 Canberra CareersXpo, attended by thousands of high school and secondary college students from the ACT and regional NSW.

Our second fact sheet, Your future path, traces a driver’s journey from a car licence to a multi-combination licence and their minimum hourly earnings. The hourly award rates start off at more than $26 an hour for an LR or MR driver, but more experienced drivers with an MC licence earn much more.

In addition to the fact sheets, our InRoads Workforce website features information about how to recruit more broadly.

Australia is changing; employers need to look beyond the drivers who are already in the industry to recruiting and training staff who are keen to make a go of it.

The site includes our inclusive recruitment booklet, which features guidance about how to write job ads that attract people who are new to the industry and how to run better interviews. It even includes a job ad template.

POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

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7/8/2025 3:44 pm

INSIDE INDUSTRY

CONSIDER ALL OPTIONS NatRoad’s Warren Clark is urging regulators and government to consider further options when it comes to implementing truck driver licensing reform

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Image: NatRoad

R

eforms to Australia’s heavy vehicle licensing system are long overdue. While we are starting to see some welcome progress, with options for a nationally standardised training and licensing framework now being put to industry, the rate of change is too slow. If we want skilled, safe and well-prepared truck drivers on the road, the federal government needs to keep pace and stay open to the positive reforms already being put in place at state level.

NatRoad has long called for a national competency-based truck driver standard to provide clear training pathways for operators and aspiring drivers, while keeping all road users safe. There is clearly an unacceptable safety risk when drivers with incompatible experience and/ or lack of familiarity with Australia’s roads, rules and conditions are at the wheel of a heavy vehicle. We’re seeing the tragic results of putting inexperienced drivers in charge of heavy vehicles all too often.

While progress has been slow, it is encouraging to see the federal government taking action, with Austroads’ reforms to the National Heavy Vehicle Driver Competency Framework (NHVDCF) aimed at creating the national standard we have been calling for. There are two licensing pathways being looked at: one based on supervised training hours and the other on demonstrated driving experience.

These proposed methods are a positive step towards creating the national training and assessment model the industry needs, where drivers are tested and assessed on their ability to handle a truck in a range of conditions rather than basing their qualification on the period of time they have held their licence.

Having a nationally administered training and accreditation system will

NatRoad CEO Warren Clark.

also go a long way to helping address the dire truck driver shortage by providing clearer training pathways for those wanting a career in the industry.

This will be essential to attract younger people and a more diverse and skilled workforce to fill the driving positions being left vacant by older drivers as they move into retirement. We already have 28,000 unfilled driver positions in this country, and that’s expected to blow out to 78,000 by 2029.

The proposed reforms are welcome and will see more competent heavy vehicle drivers on the road. However, while changes are still being developed, the federal government must remain open to considering other approaches. For example, South Australia has already enacted changes to its licencing system, including the requirement for overseas licence holders (except New Zealand) to have held an Australian Heavy Rigid or

Heavy Combination licence for at least a year before being eligible to apply for an Multi Combination licence.

Unfortunately, it appears Austroads is limited to considering only two alternatives: it can’t include others like the South Australian pathway. NatRoad believes all options should be on the table, and we think the reform process would be best served by adding the South Australian licensing model as another alternative.

Heavy vehicle licensing reform has stagnated for far too long, so it is critical that we get this right. To do that all viable alternatives should be on the table. How we get there isn’t important, what matters most is that we end up with a safe and effective national licensing framework for the road freight industry that provides clear and effective pathways for new drivers to the industry and keeps all road users safe.

INSIDE INDUSTRY

HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE LOAD REVIEW The NHVR is calling on the industry to have its say when it comes to feedback for its Load Restraint Guide review, writes Director of Policy Implementation Peter Austin

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

updates and assist in gathering feedback.

The aim of this update is to improve how the guide supports safe loading outcomes, compliance with loading requirements and to promote a safe, productive and efficient heavy vehicle industry. The review will focus on improving how loading requirements and performance standards are explained and applied in the guide, which will ensure the next edition is clearer and most practical to use.

The regulator is inviting industry feedback.

Image: Katja/stock.adobe.com

T

he National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has rebranded and reformatted the Load Restraint Guide (LRG) to enhance its usability, with a review of the guide currently underway to ensure it continues to meet the needs of industry.

The LRG is an important resource that is used across the heavy vehicle industry to support safe and compliant loading and load restraint practices.

Within the guide, there is a broad range of technical information and detailed diagrams to help determine the restraint required for loads transported on heavy vehicles.

Originally published back in the ‘90s with several updates since, the guide is one of the most widely used safety documents in the heavy vehicle industry. It plays a crucial role in ensuring heavy vehicle loads are transported safely.

This year, the guide went through a re-brand where images were refreshed and inconsistencies corrected, including reformatting the guide to make it more user-friendly. You can view the updated guide on our website.

Although the changes made were relatively minor and primarily cosmetic, the 2018 version of the guide remains current and valid for use as well.

The guide is an extensive document and to ensure it continues to remain current and reflect safe load restraint practices, a review into the guide has commenced to ensure the needs of our evolving industry are met.

The Review of the Load Restraint Guide - Discussion Paper provides information on what changes have been considered and the rationale supporting those decisions. This paper will assist industry in understanding the scope and direction of potential

An important consideration we are applying in the review is how the guide supports training and education across the heavy vehicle industry. The guide is widely used by registered training organisations, transport companies and safety professionals to educate drivers, loaders and workers on safe and compliant load restraint practices. Making sure the content is clear, up to date and practical so that it helps trainers deliver consistent messaging and supports learners in applying guidance on the job.

The NHVR is seeking feedback from anyone that may have an interest in the safe loading of heavy vehicles; this includes operators, loaders, packers, receivers, manufacturers and engineers. We are also interested in hearing from people and businesses that support industry through

the delivery of training or who manufacture load restraint equipment, vehicle structures or who designs them. Your feedback can cover a variety of topics like structure, layout and overall usability.

Feedback provided during this consultation period will help identify ways the guide can better support training outcomes, whether that be through clearer explanations, improved diagrams or more relatable examples. Enhancing the guide’s usability in learning and development settings will contribute to safer and more consistent loading practices across industry. As the industry continues to evolve, it’s important that the guide remains aligned with how people learn and apply safety information.

This is a great opportunity for industry, engineers and other interested parties to get involved and contribute feedback through our consultation channels.

The guide was created for a range of different industry sectors, and we want to ensure it continues to be a reliable source of information. That’s why we’re seeking feedback from as many corners of the industry as possible.

Feedback should be provided to nhvr.regulatorystandards@nhvr. gov.au. If your feedback includes attachments or is longer than three pages, we encourage you to include a short summary of your key points.

We encourage you to share your practical experiences and suggestions to help ensure the updated guide is clear, consistent and useful for all who rely on it. Should you have any questions regarding your submission or a general query on the guide, please reach out to our team via the email address above for assistance.

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High-risk descents are in focus at NTI.

S

teep descents are a hot-button topic in the transport industry, with no shortage of online debate after any high-profile incidents. The consequences for the parties involved can often be severe with serious injury and death resulting not only for truck occupants but also for other road users.

It is with this context that NTI has collaborated with transport operators to create and release a package of resources around managing steep descents. The work builds on their prior collaboration for NTI’s ‘Spilt Milk’ project, which saw dairy processors and carriers collaborate to build a library of industry safety and training resources.

These resources were created through NTI’s long established National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) partnering with Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) and the National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP).

As with the ‘Spilt Milk’ resource library, these new steep descent resources have been made freely available to industry. As NTI’s Transport Research Manager Adam Gibson can often be quoted saying “safety isn’t a competition”, there’s much more to be gained by improving safety knowledge and working conditions, which can lead to improved outcomes more widely across industry.

The steep descent resources consist of three videos, each with a supporting guide or poster. The first video outlines key considerations for a driver facing any steep descent – but before that, one key dependency is the assumption that a driver has been informed of a steep descent on a new run.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Image: Alexander/stock.adobe.com

INSIDE INDUSTRY

NAVIGATING HIGH-RISK DESCENTS National Transport Insurance is engaging with the transport industry to help explain how to tackle steep grades safely

This assumption sent Mr Gibson down a rabbit hole, identifying a shortcoming on data held by road managers, but also more broadly a lack of publicly available lists or data around steep descents.

Following this, Mr Gibson proposed a work program to Austroads, the trans-Tasman research and standardssetting body for road agencies, to address this short-coming. Austroads recently announced that this project would form part of their FY25-26 work program.

“We’re really optimistic about the potential outcomes of collaborating with Austroads,” he says.

“The intent is for that work to largely build on the second and third videos released by NTI, which focus on providing critical information on specific descents.

“Each of these two video talks about where the hill is, where is the last safe place before the top to stop, how steep the hill is and any other unique hazards.”

The outcome of this was videos on two quite obscure hills; Firstly in Koetong in North-East Victoria and secondly Powers Hill in South Gippsland. While these are key routes in the dairy farm pick-up industry, they’re certainly not of the profile of a Mt Ousley or the Southeast Freeway descent into Adelaide.

Mr Gibson is confident that the same approach will translate will into these higher profile descents.

“What we did was imagine a driver who has a regular run down that hill but is unable to drive it on a particular day, so they’re handing their truck to a colleague. That new driver knows how to drive down hills, they just

don’t know this hill. So imagine the discussion that takes place between those drivers in the next two to three minutes - that is what we want to capture in these videos,” he explains.

Each of the hill-specific videos is supported with a simple, single-page summary of the key information, or ‘Hill on a Page’. It outlines the location of the descent, its grade, speed limits, locations of arrester beds in a simple, consistent visual format.

It is hoped that the future Austroads’ project will see similar ‘user focussed’ summaries made available for all steep descents on key freight routes across Australia and New Zealand, with the same information also being made available digitally through journey planning and telematics systems so that no driver has to face going down a hill ‘blind’ in the future.

The resources are available on the NRSPP website on the Spilt Milk project page:

This article and any links within contain general information only and you should obtain your own professional advice based on your personal and business circumstances.

NTI bears no responsibility, and shall not be held liable, for any loss, damage or injury arising directly or indirectly from your use of or reliance on the information in this article.

Furthermore, NTI makes no representation or warranty that acting on the information contained in this article will result in any legal, statutory or safety outcomes.

Insurance to keep on

When making decisions about our insurance, consider the PDS and TMD on nti.com.au. National Transport Insurance is an equal joint venture administered on behalf of the insurers (CGU Insurance ABN 11 000 016 722 AFSL 227681 & Vero Insurance ABN 48 005 297 807 AFSL 230859) by its manager NTI Limited ABN 84 000 746 109 AFSL 237246. 04/2025

OPERATOR PROFILE

FINDING PAYLOAD AND POWER Images: Isuzu Australia

Melbourne-based VIP Towing & Transport has been able to expand their service off the back of investment in their Isuzu fleet

VIP Towing & Transport make use of a range of Isuzu models.

M

oving from owner-operator to business director of a sizeable heavy vehicle fleet is no simple task. But with hard work and progressive growth, there’s no doubt it can be achieved.

This is the case for VIP Towing & Transport and its founder, Adrian Frangiosa, who turned a one-man towing operation into a familyowned business specialising in industrial and heavy construction

equipment transport.

Adrian understands that prompt delivery, transparent pricing, and strong communication are the keys to winning clients in the competitive Greater Melbourne marketplace, along with keeping the family close. Adrian’s wife, Teresa, tackles administration while their son, Lucas, pilots a truck part-time.

“I established the business in 2012, starting off with just one vehicle. Since then, I’ve built VIP Towing & Transport steadily through hard work and dedication into a 15-truck operation,” Adrian says.

“The business specialises in transportation for the construction industry. We’ve got two divisions: a heavy haulage division that looks after site machinery, excavators, and a lot of road maintenance machinery, and a second division, which is trucks with tilt trays bringing in smaller gear, forklifts, and shipping containers.”

THE RIGHT RIG Founder Adrian Frangiosa.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

VIP Towing & Transport run a mixed fleet primarily comprised of Isuzu trucks, with the new additions

OPERATOR PROFILE

standard licence holders, with ample capacity to carry materials and tow up to an additional 4,000 kg.

IN WITH THE NEW

The VIP fleet is up to 15 trucks.

including an FRD 110-260 Auto, two FVY 240-300 Autos collected in 2024 and an NLR 45-150 Traypack from Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range collected earlier this year.

These join an FRR 110-260 Auto flat tray, an FYJ 300-350 for heavy-duty transport and several prime movers already in the fleet.

The two FVY 240-300 Autos – one with a flat top and the other with a tilt tray – are used for transporting heavy machinery, demountable buildings, and building materials to construction sites.

These hefty medium-duty trucks have an optimal power-to-payload combination, sitting at 24,000 kg GVM (36,000 kg GCM) matched with beefy six-cylinder Isuzu 6HK1-TCS engines that output 221 kW of power (300 PS) @ 2,400 rpm and 981 Nm of torque @ 1,450 rpm.

Loads are smoothly supported by Hendrickson rear airbag suspension and 6-speed Allison 3500 automatic transmission which assists VIP Towing drivers to focus on navigating Melbourne traffic.

“Isuzu has a proven combination of payload and power for our application.

We’ve had them before; they work well

and fit us perfectly,” Adrian says.

“I have found over the years that Isuzu trucks are very driver-friendly.

Their service intervals are good, and the trucks are reasonably priced to maintain.”

MODELS FOR MILES On the other hand, VIP Towing’s new FRD 110-260 Auto was chosen for its handy size. Its relatively compact chassis footprint – just over seven metres in length on a mediumwheelbase model – combined with another of Isuzu’s six-cylinder turbocharged engines provides plenty of grunt to get things moving while being easy to manoeuvre on crowded job sites.

Their new NLR Traypack, a step down in size but a step up in productivity, plays a supporting role as a service truck for VIP Towing and takes care of lighter duties such as delivering smaller machinery and gear on short notice.

Isuzu’s NLR Traypack is available in both 5-speed manual transmission and 6-speed automated manual transmission (AMT), with a GVM of 4,500 kg and generous GCM of 8,000 kg that makes the NLR suitable for

With each truck covering roughly 65,000 km per year, it’s important to Adrian that his fleet is maintained in prime condition so he has peace of mind about his driver’s safety.

He also looks to turn over older vehicles at seven to eight years.

Adrian explains that new equipment and technology help retain his loyal team of long-term employees and promote the company’s safety-first culture.

“We have been progressively switching to automatic transmissions over the past four years as we retire old trucks and purchase new trucks for driver comfort and ease of use,” Adrian says.

Keeping the fleet smartly maintained and on the road is the Geelong Isuzu dealership, which VIP Towing & Transport depends on for their servicing.

Adrian says he appreciates the in-depth product knowledge and diagnostic techniques that service technicians at Geelong Isuzu provide.

“Consistent servicing is vital to our business; we see it as a major step in keeping the trucks covered by their warranty and safe for our drivers,” Adrian says.

“And Isuzu trucks are so reliable that if you stay up to date with servicing, there won’t be a problem.”

Adrian now expects to bring in two new trucks yearly to meet growing demand. With an all-new model lineup with safer road use and driver wellbeing at its core coming later this year from Isuzu Trucks, Adrian’s business plans appear to be wellsupported into the future.

Geelong Isuzu will also have an important role to play in supporting this fleet expansion.

“Whether it’s delivering a new truck to our business or picking up one of the trucks for servicing Geelong Isuzu have been supportive.

“It’s a fantastic relationship we’ve got, and I’ve recommended them to many people who have asked me where I got my trucks.”

www.powertorque.com.au

53

TECH KNOW

DRIVING CONFIDENCE IN THE WORKSHOP In today’s fast-paced and highly regulated commercial transport landscape, reliability, safety, and innovation are critical

ZF [PRO]SERVICE: FUTUREPROOFING WORKSHOPS With nearly 100,000 Trailer Electronic Braking (TEBS) modules in operation and most city buses are equipped with ZF’s industry-leading Ecomat and EcoLife transmissions – each with their own unique servicing requirements – having access to advanced diagnostic

ZF’s [pro]Service offers a comprehensive training program.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

ZF offers parts for bot trucking and bus applications.

equipment and specialised training is essential to ensure proper servicing and support.

To further support the evolving needs of commercial vehicle workshops, ZF has established ZF [pro]Service, a next-generation workshop concept designed to prepare businesses for future demands.

ZF [pro]Service brings together the former ZF Service Point, ZF [pro]Tech (CV variant), and WABCO Service

Images: ZF Group

R

eliability, safety and innovation are just some of the reasons why so many fleets, workshops, and distributors continue to trust ZF. ZF isn’t just one of the world’s largest Commercial Vehicle components supplier – it is a global technology company trusted by leading automotive OEMs and major commercial vehicle manufacturers across the globe.

With a strong track record of developing systems that make driving safer and reduce the risk of accidents, ZF offers one of the industry’s broadest product portfolio, from individual components to full system-wide solutions, and a comprehensive aftermarket ecosystem.

Partner programs, creating a unified platform that delivers end-to-end support.

Backed by comprehensive technical support and training from ZF, [pro] Service workshop partners are able to access ZF’s class-leading aftermarket product portfolio through ZF’s trusted distribution partners across Australia.

Successful workshop repairs also depend on having up-to-date repair and maintenance information (RMI), vehicle diagnostic data, up-to-date training on new technologies, and more.

A key feature of ZF [pro]Service is its comprehensive training program, which is available both in-person or online. These sessions are designed for workshop employees, managers, and owners, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to become the go-to experts, and best-in-class service and repair locations for the entire ZF product range.

“With ZF [pro]Service, ZF is empowering commercial vehicle workshops to prepare for the future.

From a single source, workshops can now have access to the complete ZF range, diagnostics, training, and technical support,” says Damon Baffico,

TECH KNOW

Head of Sales CV AM and OE Trailer Oceania at ZF. The ZF [pro]Service program includes dedicated service modules for trucks, buses, and trailers, with a focus on WABCO brake systems and ZF driveline technology. It also provides support for a wide range of steering, suspension, shock absorbers, clutches, and brake pads offered under ZF’s premium brands: LEMFÖRDER, SACHS, and TRW. Globally, the ZF [pro]Service network comprises approximately 3,800 partners globally and continues to grow. In Australia, more than 30 [pro]Service partners are already part of the network, with more workshops expressing interest in joining the program.

FROM OE TO AFTERMARKET: ONE TRUSTED PARTNER As a division of the ZF Group, ZF Aftermarket ensures that ZF’s worldleading OE expertise, knowledge, and innovation is consistently carried forward into the aftermarket.

This means that the same OE-quality products trusted by vehicle manufacturers are available to the independent aftermarket, providing complete confidence in fit,

performance, and durability.

These solutions don’t just meet industry standards; they exceed them for maximum safety, reliability, and performance.

ZF’s aftermarket range for trucks, trailers and buses is class-leading, built on the strength of its trusted brands – ZF, LEMFÖRDER, SACHS, TRW, and WABCO. Available from ZF are transmission service parts, axle components, repair services, and transmission oils.

LEMFÖRDER chassis and steering components for commercial vehicles can be used a direct replacement, or to up-spec trucks to increase payloads, reduce fuel consumption, and optimise driver dynamics.

SACHS aftermarket shock absorbers are produced to match the stringent original equipment specifications and fit a wide range of trucks, trailers, and buses to produce industry-leading performance.

ZF Aftermarket also supplies OE-quality SACHS clutches and clutch components which deliver durable, comfortable performance under heavy-duty conditions, minimising wear, downtime, and operating costs.

TRW has been serving the commercial vehicle market since

1906, offering a comprehensive range of steering gear systems, as well as braking, linkage and suspension components.

WABCO meanwhile delivers advanced air brake and efficiency technologies for commercial vehicles, with ABS/EBS, air dryers, compressors, valves, and actuators – all engineered to OE standards.

But ZF’s commitment goes beyond parts. Through its comprehensive aftermarket ecosystem, ZF supports fleets and workshops with tailored solutions including exchange units, local repair services, technical training, product data, diagnostics solutions, and service information.

In an industry facing rapid change and growing regulatory and operational pressures, ZF stands out as a reliable, forward-thinking partner.

With over a century of experience and a clear vision for the future, ZF empowers today’s commercial vehicle operators while driving tomorrow’s innovations in safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

From OE innovation to aftermarket excellence, ZF delivers the quality, expertise, and support to maximise uptime and ultimately keep the world’s commercial vehicles moving.

ZF supplies a wide variety of brands and parts through its aftermarket.

www.powertorque.com.au

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Images: Jackie Davies and Scott Donkinstock.adobe.com

INSIDE INDUSTRY

BACKING IN SAFER ROADS The federal government is investing significantly in Australia’s roads to make freight routes safer for all

T

wo new rest areas and upgrades including toilets and picnic shelters to two existing rest areas are among a long list of projects to be funded in the latest round of roads-related government spending announced in August.

A total of 27 new projects will be brought to life under the auspices of the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP) and the Heavy Vehicle Rest Area (HVRA) initiative.

The Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP) is funding 23 new projects that focus on road safety, productivity, bridge renewal, road resilience, road sustainability or heavy vehicle rest areas.

This includes: • $22.4 million to deliver eight projects in New South Wales

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

• $19.5 million to deliver seven projects in Victoria • $15.7 million to deliver five projects in Queensland • $4.8 million to deliver two projects in Tasmania • $1.5 million to deliver one project in Western Australia.

Another four projects are being funded through Heavy Vehicle Rest Area (HVRA) initiative.

These projects, jointly funded by the Australian Government and state governments, will provide truck drivers with essential facilities so they can take a break from driving.

The projects included in this round of HVRA funding are: • New parking, toilet blocks and picnic shelters at the Kyeamba Rest Area between Yass and Albury.

• A new female toilet block at the

Millions are being invested in key freight routes.

Nhill Trailer Exchange in western Victoria.

• Construction of two new rest areas at Wiawera and Black Springs in South Australia, with each featuring space for four vehicles, sheltered tables and seating.

These amenities are being delivered as part of the $140 million HVRA initiative, which has now provided funding for 25 new and upgraded heavy vehicle rest areas.

Heavy vehicle drivers can suggest potential locations for rest stops via the Heavy Vehicle Rest Areas Survey.

Federal transport minister Catherine King says it is important that truckies have their say on the survey.

“Experienced truckies know their routes like the back of their hand, so we’re asking them to tell us where they want upgrades and where new

INSIDE INDUSTRY

facilities are needed,” King says.

Heavy Vehicle Rest Area Steering Committee chair Glenn Sterle says fit for purpose facilities like the ones being funded through the Heavy Vehicle Rest Area initiative mean safer trips and a more productive transport sector.

“I’d like to thank the steering committee for working with the Government to identify projects which make a real difference to Australian truckies,” Sterle says.

The Burdekin Shire Council will widen approximately 900 metres of existing road network to 14 metres width, and will include new kerb and channel, pavement and asphalt surfacing.

Four intersections will be upgraded, as well underground drainage, including 369 metres of drainage culverts, six manholes and 12 inlet pits. The upgrades will accommodate access for restricted access vehicles (B-Doubles and A-Doubles) within the Ayr Industrial Estate.

The Mount Isa City Council will deliver a new heavy vehicle wash bay and facilities at Barkly Highway at Kalkadoon.

Lastly in the state, two replacement bridges will be constructed to support

traffic on Kelsey Creek Road.

The proposed scope is to replace both timber bridges with precast concrete bridges to a similar length and width which will facilitate heavy vehicle access on Kelsey Creek Road and improve resilience of this road link.

In New South Wales, the Lake Macquarie City Council will rehabilitate 645 metres of Wyee Road, Wyee from Ruttleys Road to Wyee Creek, including pavement reconstruction, drainage upgrades and safety enhancements including construction of 1.5m-2m shoulders, 110m of new safety barrier and replacement of 150m of safety barrier with new barrier, and construct a sealed stopping bay to accommodate heavy vehicles.

Meanwhile in Victoria, the Wellington Shire Council will strengthen Delta Bridge to T44 loading so it can accommodate heavy vehicles and OSOM vehicles.

This will include the installation of new, compliant barriers, and the bridge deck will be widened to 7.2m between barriers to meet current standards.

“The federal government is working with local governments to deliver

and maintain transport infrastructure that increases productivity and makes our communities safer,” says federal transport minister Catherine King.

“We have increased funding under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program to make sure we continue to invest in better, safer local roads across all states and territories of Australia.

“This funding will enable local councils to improve road safety in a way that reduces the burden on them, cutting red tape and administrative burden to allow more money and time to be spent directly on projects.”

All 23 projects will be delivered by local governments and will receive funding for upgrades including improving road safety.

This will include the realignment of roads, shoulder sealing, rumble strips, safety barriers and median changes, widening and sealing roads for heavy vehicle access, new or upgraded heavy vehicle rest areas, replacing and/or strengthening bridges, culverts and causeways, upgrading/raising roads to improve flood resilience, and additional road links between communities to reduce risk of isolation from other communities during an emergency.

New South Wales has received the biggest roads stipend.

www.powertorque.com.au

57

OPERATOR PROFILE

Images: Daimler Truck Australia Pacific

The new trucks have gone straight to work.

WETTENHALLS’ CENTENARY MODELS JOIN FLEET The cold chain specialists have expanded their fleet as they celebrate 100 years of service

I

n celebration of 100 years in operation, haulage business Wettenhalls has added 10 new Mercedes-Benz Actros models to its fleet.

The company, which began carting cream from Colac to Melbourne before refrigerated trailers even existed, has invested in 10 Actros models for operations in Queensland and Victoria.

Reginald Amezdroz was working at a western Victorian dairy as a cream tester and boiler attendant when he saw an opportunity to buy a truck and deliver the company’s product to Melbourne starting in 1925.

A lot has changed through the decades, and Wettenhalls no longer needs to add ice to keep its fresh cargo cool like it did in its starting years back in 1925.

Now, the Wettenhalls’ Actros models feature a raft of technology to reduce emissions, save fuel and operate as safely as possible.

When cruise control is activated, they use GPS data and road map information to coast in neutral

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whenever possible to save fuel and also change gears at the optimum moment.

Two Wettenhalls’ 2653 Actros models with single trailers have been delivering bread out of Brisbane since April, while eight of the same trucks have been added to its Melbourne operations for use as A doubles.

The first two trucks immediately recorded best-in-fleet fuel efficiency for that particular application, demonstrating the sort of fuel economy expected of the MercedesBenz Actros.

Wettenhalls’ head of fleet Marcus Prato says he is pleased to welcome the Mercedes-Benz trucks into the fleet.

“It’s early days, but we are seeing positive gains in fuel consumption and drivers are enjoying the comfort levels,” he says.

“The advanced safety features the Actros offers and support locations were key drivers in Wettenhalls’ purchasing decision.”

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific president and CEO Daniel

Whitehead says he is excited to see the Mercedes-Benz Actros join the Wettenhalls fleet.

“To see Mercedes-Benz trucks in Wettenhalls colours is very exciting wherever you’re from, but it is particularly special for those of us from western Victoria who understand how iconic this company is in the region,” he says.

Daimler Truck Australia Pacific Sales and Marketing vice president Andrew Assimo is also thrilled to see the Actros making its mark in the Wettenhalls fleet, particularly in such large numbers.

“We are delighted the Wettenhalls team has given us the opportunity to demonstrate how the Mercedes-Benz Actros can significantly reduce fuel consumption using long-proven Euro 6 technology, while providing the highest levels of safety,” he says.

The 2653 trucks that have joined the Wettenhalls fleet feature a 13-litre six-cylinder OM471 engine that produces 530hp and is teamed with a 12-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT).

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GOING GLOBAL

SCANIA’S

Images: Tom Cunningham and Scania

SUPER-STAR

Scania hasn’t given up on diesel yet.

Scania may be making a lot of noise around electrification, but it’s certainly not turning its back on diesel. Will Shiers takes a closer look at the all-new Super 11

A

few years ago, I genuinely thought we’d seen the last of all-new diesel engines. It felt like the lion’s share of the OEMs’ R&D budgets had been diverted into electrification, with internal combustion left to quietly tick over until retirement. But I was wrong.

We’ve since seen a flurry of new

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

engine launches, and Scania’s Super 11 is the latest reminder that diesel’s far from finished.

While not a clean-sheet engine, the Super 11 is a new displacement within Scania’s modular platform – a 10.8-litre inline five, created to plug the obvious gap between the 9- and 13-litre engines. That hole had been

left open for rivals to exploit, but no longer. “The 10.8-litre segment is one where we haven’t necessarily been represented for a little while,” admitted Phil Rootham, head of product for Scania UK. “Plugging that gap is about a longer-term strategy, as well as delivering consumption and technical benefits here and now.”

GOING GLOBAL

Launched publicly at the UK’s Road Transport Expo in June, the Super 11 is aimed squarely at operators running at lower gross weights – regional rigids, 4-axle tippers, and vocational applications where every kg of payload and every litre of diesel makes a difference.

“The smaller end of the truck market will be one of the first to transition to electric,” said Rootham.

“But there’s still a large swathe of rigid and construction applications where a diesel engine is absolutely the right tool for the job. The Super 11 gives us a strategically important engine for these use cases.”

At launch, the Super 11 comes in three output ratings: 350hp, 390hp, and 430hp. Torque peaks at 2,200Nm – the same as the entry-level 420hp Super 13 – but the key difference lies in the weight and efficiency. The new engine is 85kg lighter than the 13-litre, and only 10kg heavier than Scania’s 9-litre. According to Scania, operators can expect 6–7 per cent better fuel economy than the 9-litre and 5–6 per cent over the 13-litre at weights below 35 tonnes.

“There’s certainly a huge opportunity,” Rootham told me.

“Vehicles that are consistently running in the low-to-mid 30s, tonnes-wise, are perfect candidates for this engine. That could be regional rigid haulage with high mileage but lower payloads, or 4-axle tippers where weight saving translates directly into revenuegenerating payload.”

Rootham adds that the move to an 11-litre engine isn’t just about squeezing out marginal gains in fuel

economy, it’s also about smarter truck specification.

“That segment has crept into 13-litre displacement,” he said.

“But we remember the days when 9 litres were the norm. The Super 11 bridges that gap really nicely, and offers up to 430hp, which is plenty at 32 tonnes.”

From a technical standpoint, the Super 11 is as modern as it gets. It introduces a number of innovations that will almost certainly trickle through to other Scania platforms in the coming years. For instance, it uses a revised exhaust layout that enables AdBlue dosing directly into a mixing cup just behind the turbocharger. “You’re doing it at the hottest and most turbulent part of the exhaust, which gives fantastic atomisation,” Rootham explained. “The headline figure is 10 per cent AdBlue usage, compared with 12 per cent on the 13-litre.”

That reduction is enabled in part by another new feature: a variable valve engine brake that replaces the traditional butterfly valve used to generate backpressure.

This not only delivers improved retardation - 230kW as standard, rising to 344kW in the high-performance variant – but also assists in faster warm-up times, better

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thermal management, and a cleaner overall emissions profile.

“It allows for more effective thermal management, quicker warm-up, and delivers strong engine braking,” said Rootham. “We use the engine brake not just to slow the vehicle but to help speed-match during shifts.”

Speaking of shifts, the Super 11 is exclusively paired with Scania’s latest-generation Opticruise transmission. The combination is designed to be smooth and responsive, and early test drives suggest the pairing is a strong one.

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www.powertorque.com.au

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GOING GLOBAL

The Super 11 is a beast of an engine.

While I’ve yet to drive the truck personally, several colleagues have, and they’ve reported that the gearbox delivers rapid, intuitive changes – aided by the engine brake when needed – and that even tricky lowspeed manoeuvres feel controlled and well-calibrated.

But perhaps the biggest

The Super 11 is aimed at operators running lower gross weights.

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engineering achievement lies in the engine’s refinement. Fivecylinder diesels are not naturally the most balanced configuration, but Scania has put significant effort into addressing this. “You wouldn’t notice any difference in engine pitch compared with a 6-cylinder,” said Rootham. “It’s typically Scania, with

lots of low-down torque starting at 950rpm and continuing through to around 1,300rpm. That traditional feel is absolutely retained.”

To suppress vibration and noise, Scania employs a combination of asymmetric crank pin spacing, tailored injection strategies and balance shafts. “We’re phasing the firing events slightly differently to isolate vibrations, and then managing the remainder with balance shafts.

It’s really smooth,” said Rootham.

From launch, the Super 11 will be available in P-, G- and R-series cabs. L-series variants may follow, depending on cooling package development. The engine is fully compatible with HVO from day one, and some variants are certified for FAME biodiesel as well, ensuring that operators with sustainability goals have options beyond fossil diesel.

Will it sell in large numbers? Time will tell. “We never really know until it’s out there in the field,” Rootham admitted. “But based on the success of the Super 13, I’d be confident we’ll deliver what we’ve promised.

GOING GLOBAL

The Super 11 will be available in several of Scania’s most popular models.

Especially in the construction sector, it looks like a really strong proposition.”

And while this engine has launched in Europe, the thinking behind it is universal. Not every application is ready for electrification, and not every fleet wants it. Diesel still dominates the heavy-duty sector,

and for good reason. It’s proven, efficient, and increasingly compatible with renewable fuels.

Despite all the noise around zerotailpipe-emission trucks, the reality is more complicated. Only three per cent of new truck sales in Europe last year were electric. Full electrification is on its way, yes – but it’s not coming

overnight. The road to net zero won’t be a straight line. It will take a mix of technologies: batteries, hydrogen, and yes, better diesels – whether powered by HVO, synthetic fuels or plain old fossil. Scania’s Super 11 is proof that combustion still has life left in it. And clearly, it’s not the only ones who think so.

WHO’S THE SUPER 11 BUILT FOR?

Scania’s all-new 10.8-litre Super 11 is designed for operators whose vehicles typically run in the 30 to 35-tonne bracket, a space where a 13-litre may be overkill, but a 9-litre starts to feel stretched. That makes it a strong fit for construction tasks, particularly 8x4 tippers and hooklifts, where shedding 85kg from the driveline can add directly to the payload and bottom line.

It also makes sense for rigid applications covering high urban mileage, where smooth drivability, reduced AdBlue use and fuel savings are key. Fleets operating 4x2 prime movers with light or cubic loads may also find the Super 11 hits the sweet spot for their needs.

In short, this engine is aimed at anyone who wants Scania’s Super platform performance, with all the latest tech and efficiency gains, in a more compact, payload-conscious format that still delivers on torque and refinement.

SUPER 11 POWER RATINGS

350hp (1,800Nm) @ 950rpm to 1,360rpm 390hp (2,000Nm) @ 950rpm to 1,360rpm The engine is HVO compatible.

430hp (2,200Nm) @ 950rpm to 1,360rpm

www.powertorque.com.au

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INSIDE INDUSTRY

MEGA OPPORTUNITIES AT MEGATRANS

Images: Prime Creative Media

Showcasing your business and solutions at MegaTrans could be a gamechanger – just ask gold sponsor Allotrac

MegaTrans 2026 is set for September 16-17, once again in Melbourne.

A

s Australia’s largest and most influential supply chain and logistics trade show, the upcoming MegaTrans 2026 is set to have plenty on offer for exhibitors and attendees alike.

Scheduled for 16-17 September 2026 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, it is expected to draw thousands of supply chain professionals, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators under one roof.

“MegaTrans is more than just an expo – it’s where the industry comes to connect, collaborate and shape what’s next,” says Prime Creative Media General Manager of Events Siobhan Rocks.

“We’re excited to welcome back exhibitors and partners for what promises to be our biggest and most impactful event yet.”

Telematics solutions leader

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Allotrac is just one of many leading the charge into what they say is one of their favourite events on the calendar.

Next year, the spotlight will once again be on The Sustainable Supply Chain of the Future. Leaders from freight, logistics, warehouse operations, transport technology, infrastructure, manufacturing and beyond will gather in Melbourne to exchange ideas, spark collaborations and see the latest innovations up close.

Allotrac CEO Joel Kotaminidis says that it offers a unique niche in the event space, particularly for businesses in the software side of the supply chain and logistics space.

“MegaTrans is a unique event – it always seems to attract a real high calibre of attendees,” Kotamanidis says.

“In our experience there’s a lot of influential companies coming to

the events that wouldn’t be at other similar shows. There’s a lot of people who have a much larger solution capability.

“If your business is looking for efficiency improvements or benefits within their company, there’s a million and one different things they can see at MegaTrans.

“We find that it’s geared around tech, and it’s geared around great solutions.”

As one of the gold sponsors for MegaTrans 2026, the team at Allotrac have been long-time attendees of the premier event.

It’s not just those specifically in the logistics space, Kotamanidis says, that can benefit from attending or exhibiting at the event.

Anyone who works with trucks or in the transport space can find solutions, businesses and connections in places they may not expect.

INSIDE INDUSTRY

There are still plenty of opportunities available - scan the QR code below for more info.

“We normally talk to nearly anyone who has a very transport focus as a key part of their company,” Kotamanidis says.

“So, either they’re very, very large transport companies or manufacturers with a large need for transport solutions as part of their delivery of their product.

“That’s what we’re finding. People looking to transport better or supply chain better. We then get to have those conversations in the best environment.

“We’ll have people coming to us in safety talks, saying they heard about our solutions through people we’ve spoken to at MegaTrans. It’s a chance to get to much more attention on your business and your product.”

While the next edition is still 12 months away, Allotrac is already looking at what they will have on show for the MegaTrans attendees.

Kotamanidis says it is an opportunity that can’t go to waste, particularly with some of the recent advancements in technology they have been able to integrate into their telematics solutions.

“We’ll be coming down to Melbourne with a lot of new AI tech, and really pushing what we can achieve with operational efficiency gains through AI,” he says.

“By this time next year, we’ll have built up our voice technology with our AI too. Imagine a whole fleet of Ais that all talk to each other. We’ll have customer service agents that are fully

AI, not just through a chatbot, but also through audio.

“The other thing that we’ll be looking to launch is our tap on glass payment solution. That will be used if you need to take payments from your customers on delivery, there’s integration through our app that allows any device to be a credit card acceptance terminal.”

LEADING IN TELEMATICS As a growing business in the telematics space, Allotrac is continuing to explore the areas of opportunity and expansion within transport and supply chain technology.

While the development of AI has been on the minds of almost everyone in the space, there are still ongoing issues that remain in focus.

The compliance side of transport and logistics continues to be important in maintaining the safety of drivers and fleets across the country, which Allotrac is keenly aware of.

“Identifying things that may become potential issues in compliance is important to us,” Kotamanidis says.

“Having the ability to easily identify those issues and building out a dynamic safety module can really help. Through our app for instance, we’re able to look at load restraint, and can specify it to the specific type of vehicle and product.

“On the safety side, we’ve noticed how hard it can be to onboard with new products, so we’ve made requirements

when you invite a user. You can build out an onboarding checklist for a new driver so they can then get the correct optimisation.”

With more than 10 years in business, there have been plenty of changes in customers’ expectations as Allotrac has continued to grow.

However, their approach to their solutions has remained the same.

“We build from customers’ needs,” Kotamanidis says.

“What we try and do is look for potential problems, and look for solutions to what people want, and build our solutions off the back of our knowledge on top of that.

“The core crux of our product is all built from industry. Industry determines our roadmap, our feature set. We want to understand what our customers are doing so we can then understand their needs.”

MegaTrans 2026 is where your next big customer, partner or breakthrough could be waiting.

Don’t miss out on booking a prime position. Secure your place today and join Australia’s most powerful supply chain event:

www.powertorque.com.au

65

OPERATOR PROFILE

SAFETY FIRST AT COLLINS

Images: Prime Creative Media

Collins is based in Adelaide.

ADR mandates are continuing to make fleets safer. Collins have looked to Knorr-Bremse to equip their fleet with some of the best safety systems on offer

T

he fleet at Collins Transport is one of the most iconic and wellmaintained groups of trucks and trailers you can find across the country.

Pushing around 200 trucks and 480 trailers, the operation is based out of Adelaide but handles transport between its home city, Melbourne and Sydney.

The business was founded by John Collins 60 years ago, and has now carried down to the third generation of the Collins family.

Part of the continued success that the transport operator has found has been thanks to its focuses on safety and efficiency – a big part of its core values.

One look at the certifications that Collins holds exemplifies this. Being a refrigerated transport specialist, and key part of the cold chain, means no shortcuts in ensuring products make their way from place to place with care.

In recent years, the Collins team has

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looked at the benefits that PBS vehicles can offer to the fleet, and results have been strong so far.

“Since about three years ago, we started to go down the PBS track with our vehicles,” says Collins National Workshop Manager Carl Hamilton.

“It’s had several benefits. From a business side of things, it allows us to run high productivity vehicles. So that, on its own, is a plus.

“We’ve grown the B triple fleet through that, as well as double road trains, A doubles. With the new trucks included, those types of higher productivity units are probably the larger part of our fleet now.

“They all operate under the PBS system.

“As the fleet has expanded into more PBS units, from an operations point of view, we get more freight carried for less kilometres travelled.”

Carl’s role has him overseeing 60 staff in the Collins workshop in

Adelaide, with techs including diesel mechanics for the trucks as well as those specialising in trailers.

All of the maintenance and mechanical work is done on-site, with the workshop well-equipped to handle any issue that may arise.

While working with more complex combinations in the PBS space comes with its challenges, Carl says it’s all a matter of adjusting and learning the best approaches.

“From a workshop point of view, we’re learning more about resetting our preventative maintenance schedules, because everything’s working a little bit harder,” he says.

“For example, a truck that we were used to, once upon a time, might have done a million kilometres, might only do 800,000 now. We’ve still got a mixture of a fleet with B doubles, B triples and road trains.

“We’re just still working that out now, and we’re nearly on top of that as

OPERATOR PROFILE

The Collins fleet is pushing 200 trucks.

far as preventative maintenance, which is critical to us.

“We don’t like any of our trucks breaking down, so we try to be on top of everything from starter motors and alternators and gearboxes, right through to the engine.

“That’s the focus of the next 12 months – getting all of those processes more accurate than they are now.”

EXPANDING FLEET SAFETY When looking at how to best continue to make the trucks and trailers in the fleet safer, Carl and the workshop team looked to Knorr-Bremse’s safety solutions.

Safety solutions such as Electronic Stability Program (ESP) became compulsory for many heavy vehicles from January 2022, and from February

2025 was also expanded to cover goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes (ADR 35/07).

This is in addition to Advanced Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS), which are now mandatory in new heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) as of February 1, 2025 (ADR 97/00).

For trailers, Knorr-Bremse also offers Trailer Electronic Braking Systems (TEBS), which include the functionality of Roll Stability Program (RSP).

Knowing this, the Collins team had to ensure not only that their fleet was up to standard, but also equipped with all the best safety solutions available.

“We’ve had Knorr-Bremse’s solutions on our trailers for quite a while, and we found great safety benefits from them,” Carl explains.

“When electronic braking systems became mandatory, we took a lot more interest in it, and started looking at the trucks and trailers that didn’t have EBS yet. I’m talking across the whole fleet, because there’s a fair bit of older equipment in it.

As the fleet has grown, more PBS trucks have become a part of it.

www.powertorque.com.au

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OPERATOR PROFILE

“As we got more involved with getting that installed and started renewing and purchasing equipment, we did a bit of a campaign where we backtracked a little bit and fit a lot more of our trailers with Knorr-Bremse systems.

“Now the majority of our fleet is EBS equipped, and it’s all Knorr -Bremse.”

The next step after identifying the need for installation of the KnorrBremse systems was to organise new trucks and trailers to get fitted with them, and for the older equipment to be retrofitted.

“We did it all in house with our workshop guys,” Carl explains.

“Not every bit of our equipment is fitted with it, because we’ve got a large number of trailers. But all the equipment that we use on high productivity routes is definitely fitted with.

“We do pretty much everything in house for anything we need in the workshop. I’d say that means we’ve got a good team of mechanics.

“The EBS is quite sensitive, which is a good thing. When you first feel the Roll Stability Program cutting in, if you’ve never been used to it before, it’s actually a quite different feeling.

“From a company and a driver point of view, now that we’re used to it, we’re happy to have it on, happy to have it working, and happy to have safer trucks and trailers.”

While it has been a relatively seamless transition to working with Knorr-Bremse systems on the trucks and trailers, Carl says it did still involve a learning process for the team when it came to how to best maintain their equipment.

Working to perform preventative maintenance means the Collins workshop team is always thinking ahead to ensure nothing goes wrong out on the road.

“We had to learn and get some training done,” Carl says.

“Now that everything’s up and running, fault codes have been cleared, it’s all quite easy to maintain.

“It’s now a part of our service process. When a trailer comes in for service, we can plug in and check if there are any fault codes.”

With the amount of PBS vehicles

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National Workshop Manager, Carl Hamilton.

in the fleet, there is plenty more that Collins has to consider when it comes to the safety of their trucks.

Among other things, this includes fatigue management technology as well as other advanced safety systems.

“We’ve got Guardian cameras inside all of our trucks for fatigue management,” Carl says.

“And for all of our later model trucks, and for certain PBS routes we’re using AEBS on the vehicles with a camera and radar on the front. Apart from collision mitigation this system also has cruise control, lane departure warning – all those sort of things that offer safety to our drivers.

“That’s actually mandatory on some routes, but not on others. But we’re fitting that to all of our trucks now and that’s working well too.”

WORKSHOP CHALLENGES More transport businesses across the country are increasingly facing the challenge of driver and staff shortages.

The driving workforce continues to get older, with Australia having one of the highest percentage of drivers over 55 in the world. Add this onto tens of thousands of vacant driving roles across the country, and you have a major problem.

The same can be seen when it comes to diesel mechanic roles. There is an increasingly growing skills gap, while other industries which require mechanical workers can be seen as

more attractive to prospective young apprentices.

Carl says the Collins workshop is always taking on new apprentices with the hope of growing their skills and keeping them on the team.

“Mostly we grow our own people,” he says.

“We’ve got a very large number of apprentices, and that’s both juniors and adults. It’s probably more adult apprentices than junior apprentices.

“Because we’ve got so many different areas within the business, that’s including truck drivers, forklift drivers, wash bay and trade assistance, we’re always having a look at those areas too.”

Carl says there are often key traits that most of his diesel and trailer mechanics share that the Collins workshop looks for.

“In particular for the workshop, I’m always looking for reliability and trustworthiness,” he says.

“If they’re have those qualities, you just look at them and go, I think that person might be good in our workshop.

“In terms of the age profile, we’ve got some adult apprentices that are in their 40s and some in their 20s, and then we’ve got some young guys that have really just started, but are really eager to learn.

“Most of our mechanics are grown from within, and we take great pride in that.”

“I absolutely love it.

Truck Radio is awesome – our whole team’s onboard now!”

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TECH KNOW

Images: Sadleirs

You can’t miss Sadleirs’ iconic green fleet.

SADLEIRS HITS TOP GEAR A fleet of new Kenworths powered by Euro 6 Cummins X15 engines is the key to Sadleirs’ efficient triple roadtrain operations in Western Australia

T

here’s a strong sense of history at Sadleirs, one of Australia’s most established logistics providers.

Projected whole-of-life costs were the key reason the Kenworths were given the nod, says Thomas McAulay, National Assets and Facilities Manager for Sadleirs.

Resale value, durability, fuel

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burn, service support and driver acceptance were among the factors that figured strongly in the analysis of which trucks to purchase.

Significantly, Sadleirs is looking at a lifespan of 10 to 15 years for the T610s.

All seven Kenworths are operating on triple roadtrain work between Perth and Karratha, a one-

leg distance of 1,500 km, hauling freight for the Barrow Island oil fields.

“We’re running at gross weights of around 100 tonnes from Perth to Karratha and around 80 tonnes on the return trip,” Thomas says.

“Our oldest Kenworth has done over 130,000 km and we’ve had no issues.”

TECH KNOW

X15 PERFORMANCE “The Euro 6 Cummins is impressive.

Reliability has been very good to date, the drivers love the performance and we’ve had very good support from Cummins,” Thomas says.

Sadleirs is operating the ‘Performance’ version of the Euro 6 Cummins which is evident in the power and torque curves.

The X15 delivers its rated 565 hp over a wide band, from 1600 to 2000 rpm, while this is backed up by peak torque of 1850 lb ft which extends from 1600 rpm all the way back to 1000 rpm.

Sadleirs’ Kenworths are equipped with Eaton UltraShift 18-speed automated transmissions, driving through to 4.3:1 rears.

Thomas points out that the ECM download from the Kenworth shows fuel consumption of 1.58 litres/100 km, a running time of 90 per cent in top gear, and average engine speed of 1322 rpm.

“Fuel consumption is very good, in line with our expectations for the X15, and it will only improve when we fine-tune the aerodynamics,” he adds, pointing out that rooftop wind deflectors are to be fitted.

The Euro 6 engines also fit with Sadleirs’ commitment to decarbonisation and support its

National Assets and Facilities Manager, Thomas McAulay.

aspirational aim of achieving net-zero emissions by 2035. The X15 is EGRfree and utilises a standard wastegate turbocharger for Euro 6. Single module aftertreatment technology integrates both the diesel particulate filter (DPF) and AdBlue selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system.

LOWER COST MAINTENANCE While Sadleirs relies on OEM servicing of its European trucks, Thomas McAulay is utilising Sadleirs’ own

workshop to service the Kenworths which he believes will result in lower cost maintenance over the life of the trucks.

“We have a workshop team of 10 and Cummins has been involved in a familiarisation program with our technicians,” he says..

Cummins’ support, led by Geoff Ironmonger, is rated highly by Thomas.

“When we’ve wanted something from Cummins, the response has been quick.”

Sadleirs is powered by Euro 6 Cummins X15 engines.

www.powertorque.com.au

71

TECH KNOW

A REVOLUTION FOR YOUR FILTER MEDIA The next level of filter media solutions are here to safeguard your investment and keep your equipment working

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

NanoNet is revolutionising filter media.

meets their unique needs, beneficial to OEMs and their end users.

In addition to the technical benefits, NanoNet N3 also supports Fleetguard’s environmental commitment by using fewer raw materials and less energy to manufacture.

One of the biggest benefits to a fleet is the protection it offers in all filtration applications, particularly well-suited to damage from dirty fuel supplies.

The testing process before releasing NanoNet+ to the market supported these advancements.

It was initially developed with the performance advancements of stage 1 and 2 fuel products in mind, and with the aim to offer fleets time and cost savings through extending service intervals for your filters.

NanoNet+ offers your operations longer lasting filters when fuel quality is degraded, resulting in fewer filter changes and lower maintenance costs over time.

Throughout testing, NanoNet+ demonstrated that it had superior life and improved efficiency when dealing

Image: Fleetguard

F

leetguard is offering the next step in filtration and media solutions with its most advanced technology yet.

The NanoNet+ filtration technology is the fruit of the company’s more than 30-year history of developing media formulations, and is continuing to build upon when it was first introduced to the aftermarket in 2019.

NanoNet N3 filtration technology was introduced earlier this year, manufactured in-house and including a unique gradient mesh structure media. It features an increased particle retention capability and higher capacity design to provide superior asset protection and a longer product life.

Just what does a solution like NanoNet+ offer for your fleet? It starts with the filter itself.

Filter media, the critical material within a filter that captures and removes contaminants, forms the backbone of the filtration process – the heart of a filter. Think of it like a filter’s engine. The N3 is the most advanced filter media that Fleetguard has created yet, offering flexibility well beyond what has been achievable in the past.

It enables filtration solutions to be fine-tuned to meet each customer’s application or commercial requirements. The unique gradient mesh structure features an increased particle retention capability and higher capacity design to provide superior asset protection and a longer product life.

Delivering far greater contaminant holding capability, this media allows Fleetguard to optimise the size of a filter, increase service intervals, or a combination of both.

This flexibility offers original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) a customised filtration solution that

with problem fuels like carboxylates and biodiesel, providing higher capacity. In specific applications including CMI HHP mining, it offered >50 per cent life improvement over NN within same space claim.

Other positives from the testing process included appropriate levels of particle efficiency and protection, higher fuel water separation efficiency, increased performance in fuel water separation of a stage 1 application and protection against shredded or migrated Microglass fibers from exiting the filter.

The NanoNet+ also demonstrated the ability to commonise between applications that currently use 4um and 5um NN. Visit www.fleetguard.com for more information, or scan the QR code below.

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TECH KNOW

AVOIDING TIPPER AIR SPRING DAMAGE Dumping tipper springs can be key to ensuring their continued operation without issue – the folks at Hendrickson offer their advice

An example of a collapsed tipper air spring.

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The AK-136-1 pressure retention valve.

Images: Hendrickson

I

n some truck and trailer applications, particularly tippers, it is necessary to dump the suspension during certain operations, such as tipping.

Dumping the suspension lowers the air springs onto the bump stops, resulting in improved stability during dynamic load shifts. However, moving the trailer or raising the chassis while the air springs are deflated could damage the air springs.

The problem occurs because the bellows will collapse onto the air spring piston if the air spring is extended without any air pressure.

If the air spring is then compressed while the bellows are in contact with the piston, the rubber can be pinched and damaged.

To prevent this from occurring, a system that ensures a minimum pressure in the air springs, even with the suspension dumped, must be installed into the air circuit. This is not as simple as screwing a residual pressure valve into the exhaust port of the HCV. Valve manufacturers have purposely designed the valves to prevent people simply adding regulators to the exhaust port because that would inhibit HCV operation.

In most cases, the accessible exhaust ports on HCVs are used only for raise/lower functions and not for dumping. For example, both Haldex and Barksdale valves release air for

the dump function through a large, dedicated vent on the side of the valve, not the standard exhaust port.

So, how can residual pressure be maintained without compromising HCV function? There are a few proven solutions: SEPARATE PILOT VALVE SYSTEM A method some truck manufacturers use is to bypass the HCV dump function and install a separate pilot valve, which is controlled by the cabin dump switch via a solenoid. A pressure regulator or check valve is then fitted to the exhaust side of the pilot valve, ensuring the air springs retain enough pressure to hold their shape, even when dumped.

PRESSURE RETENTION VALVE SETUP Another effective method is to use a pair of quick exhaust valves combined with a pressure regulator between the HCV and the air springs. A suitable pressure retention valve is available from Hendrickson as part number AK-136-1.

This system allows the HCV full control over ride height under normal conditions. However, while dumping,

air is rapidly expelled via the quick exhaust valves, down to a minimum pressure set by the regulator. This setup not only protects the air springs but can also improve dump response times.

PRESSURE SETTING CONSIDERATIONS The minimum residual pressure typically ranges from 0.3 to 0.7 bar (4 to 10 psi), depending on the application. For lighter chassis, setting the pressure too high may cause the suspension to lift or float while dumped. An adjustable regulator is preferred over a fixed check valve for this reason, as it allows fine-tuning to suit specific operational needs.

Regardless of the method used, it’s essential that: • The air springs retain enough pressure to maintain their shape when dumped.

• The system does not interfere with normal HCV operation.

Following these guidelines will ensure that the air springs remain reliable and durable, even in demanding applications like tipper operations.

POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Powertor

INTRAAX

®

Lightweight, Integrated Trailer Air Suspension / Axle / Brake System

ZMD

™

ZERO MAINTENANCE DAMPING™

TIREMAAX PRO-LB ™

Load-Based Tyre Pressure Control System

Reduces

Maintenance

Actual product performance may vary depending upon vehicle configuration, operation, service and other factors. ©2025 Hendrickson USA, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks shown are owned by Hendrickson USA, L.L.C., or one of its affiliates, in one or more countries.

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Tel: +61 3 8792 3600 hendrickson.com.au

6/15/2025 12:42:26 PM

TECH KNOW

Image: fotobeam/stock.adobe.com

COMBINATIONS AND COUPLINGS

It has never been more important to get all the terminology right.

Technical expert Bob Woodward has noticed that terminology across the industry is not always correct – let’s right those wrongs

I

regularly observe statements and references on various media platforms that are not technically correct like: A B-triple is not a road train; or, coupling a semi-trailer to a turntable.

A B-double is a prime mover towing two semi-trailers, each semitrailer being connected to the towing vehicle by a fifth wheel coupling and, a road train is any combination that is towing two or more trailers and that combination is not a B-double. Hence the broad definition of a B-triple is a road train; the B-triple being a specific configuration that operates under the banner of a road train.

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Whilst in general it may not seem important, when technical argument results in arbitration, the correct technical reference is most important. One example of a dispute with a service provider over who had coupled a prime mover and semitrailer that had separated and resulted on a dropped trailer on a public road.

In the dispute a damage claim was made against the service provider, in the hearing the claimant stated that the kingpin wasn’t coupled correctly to the turntable. In short, the claim was dismissed because a kingpin doesn’t (and cannot) connect to a turntable; the kingpin connects to a fifth wheel.

Technical terminology has gone amiss.

A turntable, commonly a ball-race bearing, is used to provide a stabilised mounting of a fifth wheel. The turntable is mounted between the baseplate and the fifth wheel.

The modern fifth wheel, specifically for motorized trucks, was invented by Charles H. Martin and Hermann Farr in 1915. Their invention, the Martin Rocking Fifth Wheel, revolutionised the coupling of tractors and trailers.

I don’t know how many trailers have dropped over more than the 110 years because of unsecure connection, but there certainly seems to have been an increase recently.

A driver’s license is a privilege not a right! For the issue of a heavy combination license it is assumed that the holder has demonstrated competence. But competence and confidence don’t always work in unison. Confidence is a feeling of self-assurance and belief in one’s abilities, while competence is the actual ability to perform a task or fulfill a role effectively. A person can be confident without being competent, and vice versa. Operating as a professional driver requires numerous competencies each and every day, these competencies are not optional in delivering a safe operational outcome.

The driver has many responsibilities.

The mechanical connection interface between a fifth wheel and kingpin is an engineering achievement and the performance of the quickconnect coupling is reliant on general maintenance including adjustment as specified by the manufacturer; and, then following the manufacturers’ coupling procedure in the exact procedural detail. Variations of configurations, B-doubles and road trains, typically result in multiple fifth wheel couplings and pin couplings.

Whether it’s a fifth wheel coupling or an automatic pin coupling, the Standards require that the coupling includes an automatic primary and secondary locking device that is visually identifiable to confirm that the connection is appropriately engaged and locked. Coupling and uncoupling a fifth wheel or pin coupling requires competence, step by step, to be a part of each and every function.

Many industry associates have advised of multiple recent events of dropped trailers, most of these events would seem to be low speed and occur prior to the combination departing a depot, but not always.

One event of a dropped multi-trailer combination at highway speed resulted in a significant amount of roadside turf being bulldozed into a large dirt heap, fortunately, no persons nor third party equipment was impacted. The broader issue being that this particular fifth wheel was fitted with visible indicator technology, the driver reportedly made contact with operations advising issues with the indicators only to be

Image: Penske Australia New Zealand

TECH KNOW

told, okay, just keep going! If ever in doubt about a fifth wheel connection – disconnect the trailer, inspect and re-couple. If there is further doubt call technical support for an inspection.

Don’t risk the unknown.

Broadly, the problem is not because of a lack of proven process nor training material; all fifth wheel coupling suppliers provide comprehensive coupling connection guidelines.

Modern drop-deck trailers do result in limitations for direct access to inspect the coupling connection; this is especially so with the fifth wheel mounting between a leading trailer and towed trailer of B-configuration combinations (B-double, B-triple, AB-triple etc). But there are known solutions – permanently mounted lighting source directed into the throat of the fifth wheel coupling and a mirror mounted on a telescopic handle. It may seem impractical but it does provide an avenue for the positive visual confirmation that is necessary to ensure connection compliance.

Too much technology with add-on complexity defeats practicality.

Fifth wheel and kingpin technology is practical, a quick-connect mechanical coupling using a simple procedural process, however it is the people input factor into these procedures that introduces the problems. Shortcuts become the norm (normalisation of deviation) and then connection failures start. The main problem being, if you don’t look you definitely won’t see and therein lies the

Do you know what sets a B-triple apart from a road train?

problem of confidence (I don’t need to look) versus competence (approved procedures followed step by step, every time).

In attempt to address connection failures, fifth wheel suppliers have responded with available options for the installation of multiple electronic sensors on fifth wheels to assist operators in confirming that the connection is correct and positive.

These developments are made to limit the scope for people failure by adding another level of complexity (sensors, etc.) then those who failed at stage one, the confidence phase, rely on the technology complexities of the new system to provide the competence.

These same people don’t even do a visual inspection and the journey to fail begins. So, then yet another level of complex interlocks is considered/ developed as industry responds by developing even more intervention technology with increasing complexity with diminishing practicality because of a failed process.

However, the coupling connection failures continue unnecessarily, then suppliers go looking for the next generation of intervention, prevent drive off, all the while the lack of competence displayed by people continues unchecked.

If in doubt as to the recommended procedure for coupling style of fifth wheel in your fleet or operation, contact the OEM supplier who will be willing to provide the appropriate information.

www.powertorque.com.au

77

TECH KNOW

KEEP YOUR WORKPLACE COOL AND COMFORTABLE Take control of your environment with the new Alemlube evaporative coolers and industrial ceiling fans, designed to be cost-effective and energy efficient

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POWERTORQUE September/October 2025

Keep your workshop cool with Alemube.

of non-turbulent airflow over long distances, vertically or horizontally, using very low amounts of electricity.

The AAP-CF-7E High Volume Low Speed Industrial Ceiling Fan has 7.3m diameter blades and is suitable for cooling areas up to 1,800sqm.

It can be used in isolation for workstation spot cooling or as a multifan system across large floor areas with high ceilings, ensuring you get the optimum airflow for any facility.

Whisper quiet, yet powerful, this fan not only cools large areas, it can also be used to displace fumes and other workshop odours as well. This fan has a 415V 3 phase motor power supply for plug and play installation and has an airflow of up to 13,800m3/min.

Powerful and maintenance-free, the motor and blades move significantly high volumes of air at a low speed, providing superior performance and efficiency.

Also available in the range are

Images: Alemlube

T

he powerful Alemlube cooling units are perfectly suited to warehouses and workshops where traditional cooling methods are impractical or cost prohibitive.

Strong in performance, the AAPKA24 evaporative cooler generates up to 12,000 cubic metres of airflow per hour, whereas the AAPKA30 unit generates an impressive airflow of up to 23,000 cubic metres per hour.

Evaporative coolers are an environmentally friendly and extremely energy efficient cooling method as they cool without the use of chemicals or refrigerants and with lower electricity usage. Delivering a natural cooling of water with a consistent breeze, they combine a variable airflow and water evaporation.

As the outside air blows through the unit, the water is evaporated and the heat in the air is absorbed, lowering the air temperature.

The fans will pick up the relative humidity of the day and adjust your water consumption while the fan settings are adjustable to meet your optimum conditions. A smart energy efficient system, it allows you to control your workshop conditions.

The simplicity of the design provides low maintenance and high performance. The polyethylene housing is sturdy, being both rust and leak proof, so you don’t need to worry about upkeep.

Conveniently on wheels, the Alemlube evaporative air coolers are designed for mobility and ease of use.

Whether it is a workplace that heats up through the day, or a hard-to-cool area, move the powerful Alemlube coolers to wherever you need them.

If you need to manage large spaces without air-conditioning, then Alemlube’s range of four industrial ceiling fans move large amounts

models with blades from 4m to up to 7.3m in diametre, with the ability to move up to 13,800m3 per minute.

This range of powerful cooling fans are the perfect choice for facilities that require maximum airflow and longterm reliability. The industrial ceiling fans’ blades are made from high strength aircraft aluminium alloy and are coated in PVDF. The patented air foil design, with its special reinforcing rib support system, increases the strength of the fan blades and avoids the fantail from sagging and fatigue of connecting components.

Our models comply to Australian and European CE Standards, promising that safety and quality are ensured.

Protect your staff and work areas from the heat and keep your large facilities cool in summer with the Alemlube Automotive Premium range of superior performance and efficient Evaporative Air Coolers and Industrial Ceiling Fans.

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