The all-new Isuzu truck range. Reliability
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
Australia’s leading truck magazine, Prime Mover, continues to invest more in its products and showcases a deep pool of editorial talent with a unique mix of experience and knowledge.
Christine Clancy | CEO
With more than two decades of experience as a media professional, Christine has worked in newsrooms across Canada, Vietnam and Australia. She joined the Prime Creative Media team 12 years ago, and today oversees more than 43 titles, including a dozen print and digital transportation titles. She continues to lead a team that focuses on continuous improvement to deliver quality insights that helps the commercial road transport industry grow.
William Craske | Editor
As the Editor of Prime Mover magazine since 2018 William has reported on the commercial road freight and logistics segments extensively. During that time he has been privileged to lead a team entrusted with covering the latest developments in trucks, transport, technology and the rapidly evolving domain of international supply chains and the role of leading Australian eets.
A seasoned transport industry professional, Peter has spent more than a decade in the media industry. Starting out as a heavy vehicle mechanic, he managed a fuel tanker eet and held a range of senior marketing and management positions in the oil and chemicals industry before becoming a nationally acclaimed transport journalist.
Paul Lancaster | Journalist
Paul Lancaster is the editor of Global Trailer magazine. He has enjoyed broad career experiences spanning more than 20 years across different sectors, including law, journalism and marketing in Australia and internationally. He derives great satisfaction from creating targeted content that appeals to audiences of various backgrounds and interests.
Sean Gustini | Journalist
Having completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Media and Communications at the University of Melbourne in 2024, Sean looks forward to bringing his passion for writing and journalism to the road freight and transport industries. He previously lived in the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. In his downtime he enjoys playing the guitar and running.
Ashley Blachford | Business Development Manager
Handling placements for Prime Mover magazine, Ashley has a unique perspective on the world of truck building both domestically and internationally. Focused on delivering the best results for advertisers, Ashley works closely with the editorial team to ensure the best integration of brand messaging across both print and digital platforms.
CEO Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au
Editor William Craske william.craske@primecreative.com.au
Managing Editor, Luke Applebee Transport Group luke.applebee@primecreative.com.au
Senior Feature Peter Shields Writer peter.shields@primecreative.com.au
Business Ashley Blachford Development ashley.blachford@primecreative.com.au Manager 0425 699 819
Art Director Blake Storey blake.storey@primecreative.com.au
Design Jacqueline Buckmaster, Danielle Harris
Contributors Sean Gustini sean.gustini@primecreative.com.au
Paul Lancaster paul.lancaster@primecreative.com.au
Client Success Maria Afendoulides Manager Maria Afendoulides@primecreative.com.au
Head Of ce 379 Docklands Drive, Docklands VIC 3008 enquiries@primecreative.com.au
03 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au
Prime Mover magazine is available by subscription from the publisher. The right of refusal is reserved by the publisher.
Annual rates: AUS $110.00 (inc GST).
For overseas subscriptions, airmail postage should be added to the subscription rate.
Articles
All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.
Copyright
PRIME MOVER magazine is owned and published by Prime Creative Media. All material in PRIME MOVER magazine is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher.
The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information
Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in PRIME MOVER magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.
“People still want to buy bricks and mortar, so our business-to-business component is still the dominant area but certainly e-commerce is now a significant presence.”
FLEET FOCUS
26 Core Strength
In the shifting landscape of the current moment, FedEx Australia is shifting with it ever mindful of its history and the seismic changes of the world to come.
32 Wing and a Prayer
Rise of the Phoenix is redefining heavy-vehicle deliveries with floats that can carry up to four trucks at once on the back of its inhouse customized combinations
36 Hire Ground
The PremiAir Group has become a leading provider to the equipment hire industry, and its relationship with Isuzu Trucks continues to deliver a major contribution to its success.
TRUCK & TECH
40 In the Zone
A West Australian family-run operator is enthusiastic about their switch to Scania and the benefits which come with the Scania Zone feature.
44 Staying Power
AGM Heavy Haul has scaled the heights of heavy machinery transport for select industries and is now preparing to take on even more
NEW POWER GENERATION
52 Getting off the Grid
Centurion’s ambitious and innovative off-grid electric vehicle project sets the standard for zero emission fleets
William Craske Editor
Over the last three decades ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) have published independent safety ratings for thousands of new vehicle makes, models and variants. These independent safety ratings and gradings are used to compare the relative safety between vehicles of similar size. Earlier this year they expanded to light trucks. It’s a norm now of research for private consumers and eet buyers to consult the ANCAP ratings. ANCAP is a safety advocate, working to improve vehicle safety standards by encouraging manufacturers to prioritise effective safety systems. These ratings are arrived at through a thorough evaluation program involving, though not limited to, crash testing cars in addition to on-track and on-road performance assessments on their safety suites and technologies. The safety of the vehicle is then graded on a star rating perhaps not even Margaret Pomeranz would dare to question.
ANCAP, on its website, notes that a good balance of passive crash protection and active crash avoidance are essential to achieve a ve-star
rating. Protections afforded adults and child occupants in relation to levels of injury risk are observed in the likes of the frontal offset, full width frontal, side impact and other criteria such as oblique pole tests.
“The combination of a sound structure, good restraint systems and active safety assist technologies provides the best chance of survival in a crash,” ANCAP notes on its website. In re protection, active systems are designed to put out res, while passive ones are designed to prevent them from starting in the rst place. In the construction industry, building and facilities designers are integrating natural elements, sustainable ‘green’ components, and re protection engineering into their designs. Natural lighting through atria, skylights and re-rated glazed materials are used, sometimes in tandem. Construction designs and re code standards have been integrated to comply with prevailing building codes. To assure compliance, a majority of stakeholders, like the owners, designers, architects, engineers including the re protection engineers and building and permit authorities, are working in direct collaboration with each other. Nuclear reactors resist catastrophic meltdowns likewise by a combination of preventative measures achieved across three main concerns. Passive and active safety systems; robust design features; and operational procedures. These systems work to control the nuclear reaction and remove heat, preventing the fuel from overheating and melting. No two systems can work without the aid of the third. Mutual co-dependence is intrinsic to avoiding catastrophe.
The HBO miniseries Chernobyl does a compelling job of outlining how these dependent systems at the infamous plant, in the nal analysis, did not
co-operate. A awed reactor design could not be redeemed by Soviet cost-cutting, shoddy construction, corruption, and a culture of secrecy. ANCAP, on the other hand, is good at transparency. Possibly too much so for any manufacturer who has been on the end of a one-star or less rating. As some have found out when marketing a vehicle, there is simply nowhere to hide.
At least in pop culture, one-star movies can have a second life as curios, cult items, ugly ducklings primed for rediscovery, or at the very least, grotesque failures with unintended comic value. Cars not so much.
“Structural protection and the ability to actively avoid a crash are essential to achieve a ve-star ANCAP safety rating,” ANCAP tellingly observes on its webpage. “Striking the right balance will become even more important as vehicles evolve and technology progresses to allow assisted driving, and eventually automated driving.” Skill acquisition and maintenance, as Matthew Crawford has pointed out, happens through close calls. These are the seminal encounters that make, for instance, F1 drivers and dirt bike enthusiasts, even better for their heightened experiences.
“Spared such experiences our vigilance atrophies, and the automated system must take up the slack,” Crawford writes in the excellent Why We Drive. “As this loop progresses, the automation’s underlying assumption of our incompetence becomes progressively self-ful lling.”
It’s also why great truck drivers should be paid a premium.
UP TO 22% * IN FUEL AND EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS WITH AUSTRALIA’S ONLY SELF-CHARGING HYBRID ELECTRIC TRUCK.
The Hino 300 Series Hybrid Electric utilises an electric motor and a diesel engine working in parallel, intelligently switching between the two or a combination of both - to boost efficiency. Maximum torque generated at very low rpm minimises fuel use resulting in a reduction in carbon emissions. And as the Toyota Group hydride nickel battery automatically recharges whilst on road during operations, there are no recharging requirements. That’s the power of change, that’s the Hino Hybrid Electric. Visit hino.com.au
Wettenhalls has added ten MercedesBenz Actros trucks to its fleet in its 100th year of operation. The company, which began carting cream from Colac to Melbourne before refrigerated trailers even existed, has invested in ten new Actros models for operations in Queensland and Victoria. When cruise control is activated, they use GPS data road map information to coast in neutral 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. The Head of Fleet at Wettenhalls, Marcus Prato, said 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,” said Prato.
“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, said 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 said.
Daimler Truck Australia Pacific Daimler Truck Australia Pacific Sales and Marketing Vice President, Andrew Assimo, is thrilled to see the Actros making its mark in the Wettenhalls fleet.
“We are delighted the Wettenhalls team has given us the opportunity to demonstrate how the MercedesBenz Actros can significantly reduce fuel consumption using long-proven Euro 6 technology, while providing the highest levels of safety,” he said.
The 2653 trucks that have joined the
Western Australian business, KTrans has announced a new Head of Transport & Logistics. Rod Hunt was named in a role newly created to reflect the continued growth and commitment to operational excellence per an online statement issued by KTrans last month. With over 25 years of experience in the transport and logistics sector, Hunt
brings a wealth of knowledge, having started as a business owner-operator and progressed into senior leadership across the industry.
He has led the successful delivery of major national contracts and is known for driving performance, sustainable growth, and strategic transformation. Previous to his appointment at KTrans,
Wettenhalls fleet feature a 13-litre sixcylinder OM471 engine that produces 530hp and is teamed with a 12-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT).
This year, Wettenhalls celebrates 100 years of operations.
Reginald Amezdroz was working at 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 years as Wettenhalls continues to bring its offering to new customers throughout Australia.
Hunt worked at Centurion as National Networks General Manager and at Booth Transport as WA State Manager. “Rod’s leadership style is strongly aligned with the KTrans Five Pillars, and marks an exciting step forward in our ongoing journey of strategic growth and innovation in the transport industry,” KTrans said.
New Kenworth trucks come with the reassurance of Castrol VECTON, enhancing performance and extending the life of your engine.
All Cummins-powered Australian made Kenworth’s come with the reassurance of Castrol Vecton 15W-40 CK-4/E9 as initial fill.
www.castrolvecton.com.au
Bulk Group has launched a new service in New South Wales following recent acquisitions. Bulk Group has formed Bulk Regional Express on the back of acquiring North Coast Freight (NCF) and Lormac Transport.
Craig Hurst, former owner and Managing Director of NCF and Lormac, will lead this new venture.
“This is a win for our customers and our people,” said Bulk Regional Express Managing Director Craig Hurst.
“We’re keeping the same heart, values, and regional service DNA, but now with the added backing of Bulk Group’s national infrastructure and support.”
Bulk Group CEO Lachlan Tindal added: “This move strengthens our regional capability and reaffirms our commitment to our customers in building a dependable and scalable logistics network right across Australia.”
Bulk Regional Express operates depots
in Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Grafton and Ballina. A new Tamworth depot is also due to come online early August.
Bulk Group comprises Bulk Transport Australia, Bulk 3PL & E-Commerce, Bulk Global Forwarding and Bulk Regional Express.
Last year, the business expanded its New Zealand network with the launch of three warehouses. It also opened a Northern HQ in Townsville, Queensland.
A fleet of new Kenworths powered by Euro 6 Cummins X15 engines is the key to Sadleirs’ efficient triple roadtrain operations in Western Australia. Sadleirs has invested significantly in its fleet in recent years, with a focus on reliability, efficiency and sustainability.
A key part of this strategy was the introduction of seven Kenworth T610SAR prime movers in 2024, powered by Cummins X15 Euro 6 engines rated at 565hp. Projected whole-of-life costs were the key reason the Kenworths were given the nod, said Thomas McAulay, National Assets and Facilities Manager of Sadleirs.
Resale value, durability, fuel 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 in triple roadtrain work between Perth and Karratha, a one-leg distance of 1,500km, 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,” said McAulay. “Our oldest Kenworth has done over 130,000 kilometres and we’ve had no issues.
“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.”
Sadleirs is operating the ‘Performance’ version of the Euro 6 Cummins which is evident in the power torque and curves. The X15 delivers its rated 565hp over a wide band, from 1600 to 2000rpm, while this is backed up by peak torque of 1850lb/ft which extends from 1600rpm all the way back to 1000rpm.
Sadleirs’ Kenworths are equipped with Eaton Ultra Shift 18-speed automated transmissions, driving through the 4.3:1 gears.
McAulay pointed out that the ECM download from the Kenworth shows fuel consumption of 1.58 km/litre, a running time of 90 per cent in top gear, and the average engine speed of 1322rpm.
“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 added, pointing out that rooftop wind deflectors are to be fitted.
The Euro 6 engines also fit with Sadleirs’ commitment to decarbonisation and supports its 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.
There’s a strong sense of history at Sadleirs, one of Australia’s most established logistics providers. Family-owned, the company has an incredibly long history dating back to 1829. In fact, it is the oldest familyowned logistics company in Australia. Sadleirs traces its origins to Lionel Samson & Son, by two brothers who established a merchant business in Fremantle on their arrival in Western Australia in 1829. By 1936, the company had acquired RC Sadleir, which had been established prior in 1895. While the Sadleirs Resource division is known for its impressive fleet of roadtrains powering north through Western Australia’s Pilbara and Gascoyne regions to service the mining, energy and oil and gas sites, the company’s reach goes well beyond road transport.
> Ozwide Freight celebrates 20 years with new 130-tonne-rated prime mover
Respected Brisbane transport business, Ozwide Freight has marked its 20th anniversary with a new Kenworth T909. The 600hp prime mover is rated to 130-tonnes and will be hooked up to two brand new 45-foot straight deck trailers from Krueger — its first from the Melbourne-based trailer builder.
A new dolly from Krueger is also part of the order. Designated for one of the longest of road freight tasks on the continent, the Kenworth will be running Brisbane to Perth return carrying general freight.
Because of the distances involved, the cab is fitted out with a 50-inch bunk, microwave, fridge and other creature comforts for a longstanding driver at the business. The heavily customised Kenworth T909 is the second in the 40 truck-strong fleet.
RTE provided the auxiliary air con unit, the stainless accessories, rubber roadtrain guards, tank wraps, custom lighting including backlit 20th anniversary logo to commemorate the milestone, sunvisor, exhaust stacks and headlamps.
The vanity skirts between fuel tanks and front guards were also remade and are also backlit. All up some $85,000 was spent on customisations.
In having the prime mover rated to 130-tonnes, Ozwide Freight Managing Director Luke Ashton has optimised operational flexibility so that they can add another trailer to the combination, if needed, at a future date. It also will shore up its eventual resale value.
“The T909 is a big truck and everyone loves them,” he told Prime Mover “We’ve already got one pulling a roadtrain out west and that’s held up really well.“
Ozwide Freight provides a weekly service to Perth from Brisbane. It offers full load and Less than Container Load.
“Our business is predominantly long haul into Western Australia and North
Queensland. We’re door to door — so pickup and delivery at either end,” said Ashton. “We target the mums and dads and medium size businesses and try to look after the day-to-day working parents and smaller businesses.”
The new Kenworth features a Cummins X15 engine which has been paired with an 18-speed Eaton RoadRanger.
It was purchased through Brown and Hurley. Ashton deals with Sales Representative Phil Salter.
“He’s always got my back when things go wrong,” said Ashton. “The Brown and Hurley group have been supporting us and we’ve had a good run with them for the last five plus years.
“All the sales reps are good. You come together and meet different branch managers and different workshop managers and they’re all just good people.
“They’ve been looking after me and I’ll stay where I’m getting the love.”
The twentieth anniversary has come around fast for Ashton.
“It’s one of those things,” he told Prime Mover. “It’s here before you know it. It’s gone so quick.”
Ozwide has four company-owned depots and works with four agents at other sites.
Head office is in Crestmead in south Brisbane.
“It’s hard to believe we’ve been doing it this long and survived,” said Ashton looking back. “I’m proud of what we’ve created between my wife and I, my general manager and core staff — they’re good people.”
While customers and vehicles have remained consistent, the industry is vastly different to when they sent out their first trucks.
“We’re fortunate enough that we pick and choose what we still do,” said Ashton. “Our senior management side of things is brilliant. But trying to find the middle management and operations staff is much more of a challenge these days. Everyone wants to be chief.”
At present there are ten Kenworth prime movers in the fleet. Ozwide also runs some K220s and T610s with another model set to join the range later in the year.
“We’ve actually got an even bigger truck on order.,” he said.
That truck is a Kenworth C509 which is due in November to operate on the Perth leg. Call it a pet project.
“I want to do one up — it’s something I’ve always wanted to see happen,” said Ashton.
“They’re an unreal looking truck.”
Cadbury’s parent company Mondelēz International has opened its largest in-house, semi-automated warehouse and national distribution centre. This $130 million investment, in Truganina, Victoria, marks a major milestone in the company’s journey to strengthen manufacturing and increase supply chain resilience in Australia according to Mondelēz International President – Australia, New Zealand and Japan Toby Smith.
“It was a privilege to mark the occasion alongside the Premier of Victoria, Hon Jacinta Allan, Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, Hon Danny Pearson, local member for Kororoit, Luba Grigorovitch and so many of our valued partners,
suppliers and team members who made this possible,” Smith wrote in an online statement.
The new facility brings together four sites into one 47,000m² distribution centre, increasing the company’s storage capacity by 60 per cent and creating over 200 new jobs in new warehousing, co-packing and manufacturing. This adds to the more than 1,200 Victorians already employed by Mondelēz across its sites in South Melbourne, Ringwood, Scoresby and Dandenong South, according to the Victorian Government’s site for Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions. Additionally, the location reportedly supports Mondelēz International’s
Global automotive business Tata Motors has announced an agreement to acquire IVECO for €3.8 billion. This acquisition comes as part of a plan to combine the reach, product portfolio and industrial capability of the two companies into one dynamic commercial vehicles group in the world market. The combination of these groups would reportedly position them both better to invest in and deliver innovative and sustainable mobility solutions, as well as unlock growth opportunities to create significant value for stakeholders.
The reported revenue to be earned from this acquisition is approximately €22 billion – roughly $38.9 billion AUD – split across Europe, India and the Americas. Additionally, the strategic combination of Tata Motors and IVECO will retain each company’s industrial footprint and employee communities, in order to achieve a smooth integration process and create a global customer base.
According to Tata Motors Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran this acquisition to merge both companies is an intuitive move for the success of both.
“This is a logical next step following the demerger of the Tata Motors Commercial Vehicle business and
will allow the combined group to compete on a truly global basis with two strategic home markets in India and Europe,” he said. “The combined group’s complementary businesses and greater reach will enhance our ability to invest boldly.”
Tata Motors Executive Director Girish Wagh further emphasised the benefits of combining both companies into one enterprise positioned at the forefront of the market.
“This combination is a strategic leap forward in our ambition to build a future-ready commercial vehicle ecosystem,” he said. “This partnership not only enhances our ability to serve diverse mobility needs across markets, but also reinforces our commitment to delivering sustainable transport solutions that are aligned with global megatrends.”
The IVECO Board expressed full support for its acquisition, citing the offer as serving the company’s own long-term interests. IVECO Group Chair Suzanna Haywood expressed this excitement to move forward with the deal.
“We are proud to announce this strategically significant combination, which brings together two businesses
net-zero ambitions through 100 per cent renewable electricity and one megawatt (MW) of onsite solar generation.
Smith said Mondelēz’s operations in Australia will now be consolidated through this site, demonstrating the company’s commitment to its goals and consumers.
“Every Cadbury Dairy Milk block, Pascall lolly, The Natural Confectionery Company treat and Olina’s Bakehouse biscuit made in Australia will now move through Truganina, a vote of confidence for manufacturing in Australia and a powerful example of what’s possible when bold ambition meets strong execution,” he said.
with a shared vision for sustainable mobility,” she said. “Moreover, the reinforced prospects of the new combination are strongly positive in terms of the security of employment and the industrial footprint of IVECO Group as a whole.”
IVECO Group CEO Olof Persson was also ready to scale new business horizons as a result of the acquisition.
“By joining forces with Tata Motors, we are unlocking new potential to further enhance our industrial capabilities, accelerate innovation in zero-emission transport, and expand our reach in key global markets,” he said.
As part of its ongoing expansion, South East Queensland Hauliers (SEQH) is building a new site at the Port of Brisbane. The new facility is intended to support its growth strategy at Fisherman Islands and across existing company-owned sites.
In addition to container hardstand, it will feature a new bespoke office built from converted containers.
“Given that our facility is positioned at the ‘home of containers’ at the Port of Brisbane, we thought it would be fitting to have our office made out of shipping containers,” said Nathan Craner, SEQH Deputy Managing Director. At approximately 490m², the offices allow for sufficient space as the business continues to grow. The red containers [illustrated in the above image] indicate a dedicated space for company drivers with bathrooms and a lunchroom while the staircase leads to an open-air viewing platform on top of the office.
As a full-service wharf logistics provider SEQH covers container transport, warehousing, biosecurity, customs, heavy haulage and log export packing.
At present the business has 90,000m² of company-owned land in Hemmant and 180,000m² of company-owned land in Toowoomba.
The SEQH site at the Port of Brisbane is 57,000m².
Heavy-rated container hardstand represents the first stage of the latest Fisherman Islands project.
Stage 2 is currently in the design phase however Craner said the intention is to roll out construction immediately following the completion of Stage 1.
“Expanding into the island will allow us to further develop additional warehouses in Hemmant,” he told Prime Mover.
“Having developed the A-double in 2010 to suit the geographical locations of our depots, we look forward to innovating new combinations to suit our ‘on island’ facility in the near future,” he continued.
“The first development is the electric A-triple to run
between our depot and empty container parks.”
The Port of Brisbane is supporting SEQH’s growth aspirations as it looks to increase the trade and economic activity coming through the port.
In August, SEQH conducted an on-road trial assessment with the NHVR’s Les Bruzsa and Port of Brisbane’s Nicola Murray for a new combination it is launching to support its business, shippers and potentially other carriers.
Flooring specialist, GMK Logistics, has announced a new service to the twin cities of Albury-Wodonga. The service comes on the back of continuing growth in the border region.
Wodonga itself has undergone a rise in residential housing built over the past 18 months. Median house prices have increased by an average of 9.2 per cent per annum in Wodonga compared to an increase of 7.1 percent pa in regional Victoria.
Last year, GMK Logistics moved its main depot to Epping which has made the service extremely viable as it is an hour closer to the area in transit time. At present the service to Albury-
Wodonga is active twice weekly with an intention to expand.
GMK Logistics is operating DAF LF 14-pallet curtainsiders with a 12-tonne capacity on the lane. While the task is predominantly designated for the flooring industry, it does incorporate some other general freight.
The expectation, according to GMK Logistics CEO Sarah Halpin, is that the lane will become a three- to five-day service which will result in a new vehicle being required — ideally a Euro 6 twinsteer DAF.
“It was important for GMK to continue to service our flooring customers as it’s an important part of our business,”
she told Prime Mover. “GMK have had requests to provide this service to the area as there were insufficient carriers who specialise in our industry.”
GMK Logistics currently provides services for Sommers Flooring Xtra and Sunjan Blinds in Albury, Middleton Carpets in Wodonga and Choices Flooring in Wangaratta among others. Halpin said the service is an important part of its network expansion.
“GMK are excited about the prospects and future of watching this lane grow over time,” said Halpin. “It has also given us the opportunity to put some of our drivers and fleet management through a BFM course.”
Obrienco Transport has acquired its first brand-new Kenworth. The truck, a T610SAR, was delivered by the Brown and Hurley Group just two weeks ago as the 15th truck in the Toowoombabased transporter’s fleet.
This fleet has grown immensely from seven units at the beginning of the year — now featuring a mix of prime movers and rigid bodies split across ad-hoc, less-than-truckload and contract logistics applications.
The T610SAR’s delivery also served as a milestone for Obrienco’s internal growth plans, according to National Sales and Linehaul Manager, Jack O’Brien. “I sat down with my old man [Managing Director John O’Brien] and discussed the company goals at the start of this year,” he told Prime Mover. “We decided on a reachable goal that we had to meet as well as a far-fetched goal, and we’ve now actually met that far-fetched goal. Growing from seven to 15 units in seven
months has been pretty hectic.”
Amid this rapid expansion from Obrienco, the T610SAR has already been put to work. Featuring a 600-horsepower engine, a 110-tonne rating and a straight deck, the prime mover has the capacity to pull roadtrains for general freight on ad-hoc runs up and down the east coast.
“Since the truck is in our ad-hoc fleet, it kind of just goes where we tell it to,” O’Brien explained. “So it’s mainly running on the east coast and inland. Starting in Toowoomba, it typically goes to Albury, Griffith, then down to Sydney and Melbourne, and all the way up to Cairns from Toowoomba again — one big loop.”
The loop in question clocks over 2,800 kilometres. These capabilities are matched with the T610 SAR’s allowance for manual driving, which has won many of Obrienco’s drivers over. “The drivers are loving it,” O’Brien said.
“We’ve got drivers that prefer driving manual trucks and have been doing it for years, so they love the ability to do it with the Kenworth.
“In a way, being able to provide our drivers with that option via the Kenworth is like a showcase of what we can do for them — we look after them and they look after us.”
This excitement amongst the drivers is equally fuelled by the iconic flair that Kenworths bring to regional fleets, as well as the brand’s legacy in Australian trucking as a whole.
“The Kenworth is such a staple of the Australian outback,” O’Brien added.
“It’s made to tackle these harsh and regional roads, and looks stunning while doing it — and we’re regional delivery providers.
“Additionally, we want to support businesses that build trucks here in Australia, and Kenworth does just that.” Along with the acquisition of the T610SAR, Obrienco has reached new heights in its transport operations.
“Last week we did our first drop to Tasmania, which was very exciting,” O’Brien said. “We also did our first oversize project last week, too, with the help of some of our partners.
We’re doing well in the way of growing sustainably, but we’ve got such a long way to go before we hit the ceiling.”
Hino Australia has announced a significant expansion to its range of Euro 6-compliant heavy-duty 700 Series vehicles.
The expanded range includes FH1836 4×2, FS2636 6×4 and FY3036 8×4 models which are all powered by the Hino A09C engine in A09C-VN specification with its peak power of 360hp (265kW) and 1569Nm of torque delivered from 1,100 – 1,600rpm.
“Launched in 2021, the 700 Series range now offers a solution for almost any heavy-duty application with eleven additional models on sale from October 2025,” said Daniel Petrovski, Manager of Product Strategy for Hino Australia. “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.”
The A09C-VN engine is mated to the new Hino M112 12-speed automated manual transmission (AMT), designed and manufactured under the Hino guiding principles of Quality, Durability and Reliability (QDR).
“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,” said Petrovski. “It will also appeal to rigid truck operators
who need to tow a trailer and to customers seeking a fuel-efficient high performance 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.”
Customer options are further multiplied with the availability of either leaf spring or airbag drive axle suspensions as well as multiple wheelbases to suit a variety of bodies and applications.
The nine-litre models are joined by two FS2845 models featuring the E13C 13-litre engine which produces 450hp (331kW) and 2157Nm of 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 tippers and/ or civil works customers that require regular towing of a pig or dog trailer,” said Petrovski.
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.
Both the A09C & E13C engines meet Euro 6 exhaust emissions compliance, using a combination of Selective
Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and the ever-reliable Hino Diesel Particulate Active Reduction Filter (DPR).
“The current 700 Series was launched in 2021 with Euro 6 emissions compliance, well ahead of when it was even legislated in Australia,” said Petrovski.
The Hino SmartSafe package is standard and features driver assist technologies that take an active focus on protecting the lives of drivers, passengers and other road users.
Hino SmartSafe includes a PreCollision System with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Driver Monitor (DM), Pedestrian Detection (PD), Lane Departure Warning System, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Reverse Camera and a suite of other standard safety features.
The 700 Series is supported by Hino Advantage, a suite of business solutions that are designed to reduce costs over the life of the vehicle.
This includes Hino-Connect which is standard on all 700 Series – it is an Australian-built and designed system that provides customers with realtime 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. This alert will open a case, which is managed by Hino-Connect Specialists who liaise between the customer, driver and dealer to track and oversee the progress of the repair or maintenance.
“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,” said Petrovski.
The 700 Series models come with three years or 500,000km standard warranty (whichever comes first), and the option of extending the warranty to five years.
Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) will donate engine hardware to a number of TAFE colleges across Victoria to support the training and retention of diesel technicians. A total of 32 contemporary diesel engines have been supplied to Sunraysia Institute of TAFE (Mildura and Swan Hill), The Gordon (Geelong), Chisholm Institute (Dandenong), Wodonga TAFE (Barnawartha campus) and Outer Northern Trade Centre (Lalor).
Speaking at a handover event hosted by SuniTAFE in Mildura, IAL’s Head of Aftersales, Brett Stewart, said the brand was committed to continuing its support of TAFE training.
“Demand for diesel powered commercial vehicles and capital equipment has never been higher and these machines all need service and support throughout their lifecycle,” Stewart said. “However, a persistent issue for our sector is a shortage of skilled diesel technicians in the system.
“As Australia’s truck market leader, we’re committed to ensuring this demand is met. Our TAFE institutions really are the lifeblood of this broader push, so what better place to lend a hand.”
The diesel engines supplied include a range of four and six-cylinder variants encompassing mechanical and common rail designs.
These are the same units that are used in many of Isuzu’s existing lineup of truck models and off-highway Isuzu Power Solutions (IPS) products.
“We have secured 32 diesel engines of various sizes and configurations for students to work on that are all current, ‘in-market’ models — not old or discontinued technology,” Stewart said. “As the biggest selling truck brand in the country, there’s a fair chance that many of these technicians will eventually work with Isuzu diesel engines, so having them experience the same type of technology during their TAFE training, ensures a smoother transition to workshops or out into the broader capital equipment field.”
SuniTAFE CEO, Brett Millington, said the arrival and scale of the Isuzu donation will have an immediate impact on student training.
“We’re very grateful for the immense generosity of this donation,” said Millington. “This equipment will be used in vital day-to-day training of our students and will make a significant difference in the classroom.
“We pride ourselves on the training we deliver, and this equipment will help us teach skills that are vital for our region now and into the future.”
Will Sharpe, SuniTAFE Heavy Automotive Teacher, said that diesel technician training using current
model engines and ancillaries closes the gap for real world experience.
“These engines and radiators will have a massive impact on our training in Mildura and Swan Hill,” said Sharpe. “It will give hundreds of apprentices hands-on exposure to real-world engine, diagnostics, cooling system designs, and modern common rail diesel technology.”
IAL’s Brett Stewart reinforced the notion that a career as a diesel mechanic remains a longterm proposition, with a range of employment opportunities available well into the future.
“Diesel engine technology, whether it be in trucks, off-highway applications or a range of other heavy industries, has a strong future despite perceptions,” said Stewart. “Demand is only increasing and with engine technology and overall efficiencies improving drastically, the need for trained technicians will remain strong for many decades to come.“
Stewart started as a diesel apprentice having completed all of his TAFE studies at The Gordon in Geelong.
“I forged a successful career in workshops, dealerships, and now within a leading OEM,” added Stewart.
“Having professional training is a skill for life and can lead to a range of opportunities that many people never imagined.”
Sydney-based carrier, MKD Transcorp, has boosted its prime mover and rigid fleet with 14 new trucks. The business, which began in 1999 as a one-truck operation, is now running 11 new S-Way AT 460 prime movers and three S-Way 6×2 AT 360 rigids. These units fit within a fleet of over 100 trucks and 400 trailers predominantly for refrigeration, which also allows the company to backload with perishables, providing even greater productivity. Additionally, MKD undertakes a high volume of container work, transporting from wharf to customer and wharf to distribution centres. There is some local distribution around the greater Sydney area also thrown into the mix. The company, headquartered in Chipping Norton, now employs around 215 staff including drivers, and runs its fleet on double shifts, seven days per week providing a range of interstate ambient freight services along the country’s eastern seaboard as well as to Adelaide.
The new IVECO S-Ways began their rollout into MKD’s fleet in September last year and have slotted in seamlessly. MKD Transcorp General Manager, Noel Ryles said the trucks were acquired to meet the company’s growing needs in Melbourne.
“We won a contract in Melbourne so needed to expand our fleet,” he said. “We’d been using another
European brand predominantly, but were starting to have some friction points, so decided to look elsewhere. We spoke with all the major manufacturers and decided that the IVECO S-Way was a strong fit for what we needed.”
As well as choosing the trucks based on driveline and payload, Ryles, who has worked his entire career in the transport industry including as a driver before transitioning into management, was in a great position to evaluate the options.
“Reliability is critical, as is emission performance, safety and support,” he said. “IVECO went to a lot of trouble to win our business. They’ve provided our drivers with training and all the support we’ve asked for. So far, the relationship is working well and feedback from the drivers has been very positive.”
The S-Way AT 460 prime movers have a 60,000kg GCM and feature 11.1-litre, Euro 6 (Step E) engines that produce 460hp and 2150Nm of torque, while the AT 360 rigids are rated at 27,600kg and are equipped with 8.7-litre, Euro 6 (Step E) engines outputting 360hp and 1650Nm. In both cases, the engines are coupled to IVECO’s 12-Speed Hi-Tronix AMT. Standard safety equipment includes Advanced Emergency Braking, Brake Assistance System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning
System, Electronic Stability Program with ABS (disc brakes all round) and ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation), Hill Holder and Driver Style Evaluation plus Driver Attention Support (DSE + DAS).
Another attractive feature for MKD Transcorp was ‘IVECO On’ telematics, which is a standard feature on the S-Way range.
“Full telematics is definitely something we must have on all our trucks, along with cameras and driver fatigue systems,” Ryles said.
“With customers entrusting their freight to us, it’s important we have great visibility into the location of the trucks and this increases our accountability to our clients.”
Brothers Zak and Igor Cvetkoski, who founded MKD Transcorp, own the company which is now in its 25th year.
The company’s success comes down to a simple formula according to Ryles. “Our company motto is ‘Committed to Reliability’ — we live and breathe it, and this focus on continually offering a highly reliable service to customers across all business operations, has always held us in good stead,” he said. “To a large degree, we have grown with our customers and steadily gained new contracts through referrals and recommendations. Then once you have a great reputation, you begin getting asked to tender for contracts and it builds from there.”
The trucking industry has thanked the outgoing executive officer of the Northern Territory Road Transport Association (NTRTA).
Louise Bilato finished with the NTRTA last week after serving as its Executive Officer since 2008.
Former NTRTA President Michael Swart said Bilato had been an invaluable asset to the Northern Territory and Australian transport industries.
“Her passion and knowledge have been instrumental in shaping the Australian road transport industry,” Swart said. “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.
“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.”
Bilato had overseen many responses to national disasters that have impacted the Australian transport industry such as floods in all the roadtrain jurisdictions of Australia and bushfires in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
“Louise is at home travelling the highway listening to operators on the road or Parliament House advocating for better roads. One such road she has championed has been the upgrading and sealing of the Tanami
Road which has proven time and time again it is a road of national significance to so many industries,” said Swart. “Louise is our champion of champions.”
Australian Trucking Association
CEO Mathew Munro said he had worked with Bilato over many years in his roles with the ATA, ALRTA and NatRoad.
“Louise has always been an informed and passionate advocate for road transport operators and their communities,” he said. “Her advice to the ATA on matters such as road maintenance, network resilience, driver health and wellbeing and the plethora of challenging issues that come with operating a road transport business in a remote environment has been invaluable. Louise has made an incredible contribution during her time with the NTRTA, and she will be sorely missed.”
An electric truck charging station that will potentially save 1,500 tonnes of CO² a year has gone live at Nissan Sunderland Plant.
The project is a first in the UK automotive industry, establishing an electric, endto-end supply chain that transports materials into the Nissan plant and delivers finished vehicles out. It’s also reportedly the first onsite private shared charging station of its kind in the UK.
The $2.9 million facility has seven charging stations, capable of powering up to ten electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) simultaneously. It complements the plant’s EV36Zero vision for sustainable manufacturing, bringing together electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery production.
“It is fantastic for our plant to be leading the charge to an electrified supply chain with this project,” said Michael Simpson, Vice President Supply Chain Management, Nissan AMIEO. “We welcome the support we’ve received from our partners to bring the charging station to life and we’re proud of what we have achieved.
“The charging station looks brilliant and is a big step forward in Nissan’s EV360 vision, which brings together electric
vehicles. zero carbon energy and battery manufacturing.”
The station will support 60 UK eHGV deliveries to the plant daily and represents just the start of the plant’s journey towards electrifying its supply chain.
“We’re exploring further opportunities to allow other hauliers to use the charging station as well as looking at other opportunities to maximise its full potential,” added Simpson.
The charging station will support a fleet of 25 trucks with a charging capacity of up to 360kW.
The trucks will collect parts from Nissan’s UK supply base stretching as far afield as Derby; as well as delivering finished vehicles to and from the Port of Tyne.
That equates to more than 2.4 million kilometres travelled per year, fully electrified, saving 1,500 tonnes of CO² annually.
Bringing together Nissan, Fergusons, Yusen and BCA, the project is part of the Electric Freightway consortium that is transforming sustainable freight logistics through deployment of eHGVs and highpower charging infrastructure.
Led by GRIDSERVE, Electric Freightway forms part of the Zero Emission HGV and
Infrastructure Demonstrator program, funded by the UK Government and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
“We’re working closely with the road freight sector to slash transport emissions, and our £200m zero emission HGV program is helping businesses across the country to power the electrification of its fleets,” said UK Government Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood. “It’s great to see Nissan taking advantage of our scheme which is supporting high paid jobs and putting money in the pockets of working people — all part of delivering our Plan for Change.”
The decarbonisation of transport logistics, according to Daniel Kunkel, CEO, GRIDSERVE, is much stronger and reaches far wider when done in partnership.
“This is why, as leaders of the Electric Freightway consortium, we are so pleased to support this UK first with Nissan and their haulage partners. Depot charging is critical for the electrification of HGVs, going hand in hand with future public infrastructure developments,” he said. “As a first shared usage site, this location is leading the way in sustainable freight logistics.”
Logistics provider Logistik Schmitt has received the first five of 23 MercedesBenz eActros 600 trucks. The company based in Bietigheim, Germany, is committed to advancing e-mobility in heavy-duty commercial transport. Recently it expanded its electric operations from national and regional routes to international long haul transport. Schmitt has relied on Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ battery-electric vehicles for several years, extensively testing prototypes and pre-series models. In 2019, the company tested an eActros 300 prototype on a shuttle route between its warehouse in Ötigheim and the nearby Mercedes-Benz Gaggenau plant in Rastatt.
The truck replaced a conventional diesel vehicle for transporting transmission housings, covering about 168 kilometres daily in a three-shift operation. By 2021, these prototypes were
replaced with near-series eActros 300 units for expanded logistics tasks.
Since 2023, Schmitt has operated six eActros 300 tractor units for Daimler Truck’s plant logistics. These will now be complemented by the eActros 600. The long haul eActros 600 has also been in use at Schmitt since last year, including cross-border operations between Germany and Hungary.
Since May, two eActros 600 prototypes have been running a 1,000km daily loop between Daimler Buses in Mannheim and a supplier near Leipzig, charging at the Mannheim plant and Milence’s charging park at Hermsdorfer Kreuz.
As part of Daimler Truck’s ‘Electrify Inbound Logistics’ project, Schmitt is one of 14 partners delivering parts and components to the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth using the eActros 600. The initiative recently launched with a symbolic convoy from Wörth.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks celebrated the series launch of the eActros 600 at the end of November last year at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth. Deliveries to customers began in December 2024.
The development engineers at Mercedes-Benz Trucks designed the eActros 600 to meet the same requirements for the durability of vehicles and components as a comparable conventional heavy-duty long-haul Actros.
This means up to 1.2 million kilometres in ten years of operation. After this period of use, the battery state of health should still be above 80 per cent.
In contrast to other battery cell technologies, more than 95 per cent of the installed capacity can also be used with LFP technology.
This facilitates a higher range with the same installed battery capacity.
In the shifting landscape of the current moment, FedEx Australia is shifting with it ever mindful of its history and the seismic changes of the world to come.
When markets are subject to erratic uctuations in times of uncertainty core structure is key. Building a resilient brand takes vision but also stability. This is where FedEx Australia sets itself apart. Peter Langley has been with the organisation for 30 years. Originally with TNT, he came across to FedEx Australia when the former was acquired
back in 2016. Serving as the Australasia Vice-President for the last 11 years, following nine years in Asia, he has a viewpoint that is steeped in overcoming challenges and strategic expansion when the time calls for it.
As a global business, FedEx is no more immune to trade bottlenecks and contractions in supply and demand than it is to the pressures of emerging markets. Rises in e-commerce and
environmental social governance complicate operational integrities. No footprint is forever in road transport. But the act of balancing the capacity of a vehicle and the limits of its range and size just might be. Structure certainly helps. Investments around eet must have a lasting value beyond immediate freight movements. Peter understands the vitality of continuity. After all he embodies it.
Working across several applications, without specialising in just one, the eet requires great agility and adaptability.
“We do have a very wide range of individual parcels and pallets that we’re moving and we’re trying to con gure that in different ways through our trailing equipment, so we get the best utilisation,” Peter says. “It’s not like we have a contract with BlueScope to
move around heavy weight items on dedicated legs where we’re covering the whole country. We’re mixing palletised freight with parcel freight and incompatible long lengths.”
With more than 1800 B-double and B-triple movements a week, FedEx Australia must nd exibility from the lead- and tag-trailers. Being embedded in the express segment offers advantages. The different pro les
of freight it transports are actually an ongoing bene t to the business. From single satchels to two-tonne shipments, delivering in residential areas to light industrial zones and even far- ung mining sites, FedEx Australia covers a full spectrum. While the eet is investing in lighter weight vehicles to service e-commerce, one of its rapidly growing markets, vehicle types remain essentially the same according to Peter.
“We’re in the business of delivering as fast as we can by road and by air, so we want to make sure we’ve got the reliability and we’re safely able to cover the distances,” he says. “Inasmuch as we’re looking for better cubic capacity in trailers, we also want more reliability and speed.”
As part of the larger global FedEx organisation, tenders for international regions are completed out of Europe with the Australian branch having input as to what it needs with the relevant procurement teams. It has over 100 company-owned prime movers in the local market. The latest two in the eet are Mercedes-Benz Actros 2651 6x4s which were onboarded earlier this year with ongoing strategic additions expected to enhance its network capabilities.
“They’ve got a good record in terms of reliability,” says Peter. “The MercedesBenz for a whole-of-life calculation came out on top. Like many operators we’re looking for more AMT gearbox type con gurations. It’s a mix of around town work versus the middle distance.”
The prime mover eet, which contains 60 Mercedes-Benz units and includes the Scania, Volvo and UD brands, has demonstrated remarkable consistency in the past 12 months while maintaining a stable core according to Peter.
“The stability is a direct re ection of exceptional after-sales support and the inherent quality of these products, which allows us to maintain a highly reliable and ef cient linehaul
operation,” says Peter. “We do lots of local and city runs and linehaul and intrastate where it suits. We do use contractors along the East Coast over to Perth and back. Our contracting partners also have their own vehicle types.”
In terms of eet management, there are milestones the team watches for on individual legs for each vehicle monitored by telematics. By that same token, FedEx Australia is retiring and buying units all the time as part of an ongoing cycle of asset renewals.
Back when TNT had carriers like Comet, Kwikasair and Riteway within its stable, inhouse linehaul was a core function of the business. Many years later they have moved to a hybrid model.
“Where it makes sense, we do our own otherwise we will work with a partner,” says Peter. “These are big capex decisions for those people who are running those businesses. You can’t just turn off and turn on a leg. We’re very conscious of that. We want to make sure everyone is viable. But it is a specialised business. We will continue to work with contracted partners to provide the work where it is. They run good businesses and they’re also in tune with what we want equipment-wise.”
FedEx Australia has robust conversations with their contract partners about new equipment when the option to run larger Performance-Based Standards (PBS) combinations arises. This is not all left up to contractors.
The eet runs its own PBS-compliant split axle trailers on shorter intrastate assignments. These 53-foot units operate explicitly from western Sydney across the divide into central New South Wales as substitutes for B-doubles which are not permitted given the prevailing challenges of the geography.
“The industry is focused on generating more ef ciency by determining the right maximum cube in order to operate very safely,” says Peter. “We utilise trailer manufacturers like Vawdrey, Krueger, and Freighter to help ensure we deploy high-productivity vehicles designed for safety and ef ciency in demanding conditions. Certainly, we’re making sure we’re up to date with all of our operational compliance.”
Safety best practice is considered a foundational part of how FedEx Australia ensures its eet is not only ef cient but also safe for its people and the wider community.
“Our commitment to safety is a nonnegotiable part of our operations,” adds Peter. “In every equipment choice we make, we strictly adhere to our Chain of Responsibility and load restraint responsibilities.”
Isuzu currently supplies the majority of the FedEx branded three- and ve-tonne curtainsiders seen with high frequency in metropolitan areas. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the preferred one-tonne van for servicing light industrial, residential deliveries and shopping centres, nal destinations
that are, despite some similarities, considered mutually exclusive.
E-commerce, the fastest growing segment of the business, is driving this. “It’s not the biggest,” says Peter. “People still want to buy bricks and mortar, so our business-to-business component is still the dominant area but certainly e-commerce is now a signi cant presence.”
FedEx Australia just recently launched 15 Fuso eCanters at its new purpose-built site in Adelaide, its rst battery electric trucks in the country. It had already, previous to this, been operating LDV electric vans in New Zealand with a range of approximately 200 kilometres. Peter expects the eCanters will achieve a comparable distance.
“More and more we want to commit to carbon neutral solutions but also our customers are asking for it,” he says. “But in getting the vehicles, we need to make sure they’re reliable and t-for-purpose.”
The 64,000m² Adelaide site which forms part of a freight and logistics hub adjacent to the airport has been commissioned for future growth. There’s provision to expand if necessary. Because the imperative is to nd the most ef ciency in the last mile, they have sortable parcels, incompatible freight and pallets at the one facility.
“If you’ve got several pallets and a mix of 50 cartons that need to be picked up and then distributed around Australia or internationally, we want to be able to do that with one pickup,” explains Peter. “That’s why, if it makes sense, we put everything under one roof. That way we can mix and match between vehicles and that’s certainly what’s happening in Adelaide. It’s been designed that way.”
Domestic air freight, international air freight and road freight are handled out of the same facility with different con gurations of vehicles to avoid triple handling freight.
“If you have a 400kg pallet and three parcels that need to be delivered to your address then we endeavour to have one vehicle come to your facility in the AM and do that delivery,” says Peter.
“That’s where we’re looking to handle it as fast as we can and safely as we can and then get it away so we can deliver it into the different cities and country areas around Australia.”
Regional facilities continue to be upgraded. Any opportunity to integrate additional automation especially when it will lead to reduced injuries is seized upon. The aim, internally, is to be able to provide its customers in the country with the same experience as those in the inner city.
“We’re looking to cover the country, but we also have that international connection,” says Peter. “We’ve got a lot of customers that do their domestic work and also their international, so it is a true one stop shop. You get full end-to-end visibility and we’re able to customise a solution.”
FedEx Australia has heavily invested in a drive through pallet dimensioning system. These can now be found in Australian capital city sites and transhipment points. Load weights are captured by the forklift itself and then driven through dimensioning tunnels. Green lights con rm the mass and dimension is legal. It’s another way to load the vehicles with greater accuracy and cut down on multiple handling.
“We pull it off a local city bulk vehicle and drive through these dimensioning tunnels and have the weights captured all electronically and we drop it at the scheduling area and then the local forklift can load it as appropriate,” says Peter. “It really does mean we get the people and plant separation we’re after and we get all the data we need, and it’s all done at speed, so we get the right throughput.”
In a dynamic marketplace with US tariffs effecting different industries, the FedEx Australia model must be resolute. Nor is it functioning on borrowed glory from its global parent. Both internationally and inside Australia, FedEx is capable of moving with these machinations in trade, as they have the resources and infrastructure already in place.
“Domestically, we’re seeing trade patterns change and we’re able to move with great agility to take that on,” says Peter. “Having that capability to move as ef ciently as possible means that we can keep our costs down and therefore pricing which enables us to service more customers. The industry and the whole trade pattern, domestically or internationally, are changing so much you just need to be able to move with it.”
Rise of the Phoenix is rede ning heavy-vehicle deliveries with oats that can carry up to four trucks at once on the back of its inhouse customised combinations.
FScott Fitzgerald once said there were no second acts when it came to American high society.
The team behind the Brisbanebased transport company Rise of the Phoenix, as the name suggests, are not one to be limited by rst acts. At least not in Australia where it has become a leader in its segment. It was in the days leading up to
Christmas 2013 that John and Froniga Riani decided it was time to get out of Melbourne. Wanting a sea change and, at a minimum, some warmer weather, they uprooted their lives for the Gold Coast. From the proverbial ashes they have built a family juggernaut oating heavy vehicles around the country.
A partnership with truck dealer CMV was where the business started to take
off. Froniga, who is a lawyer by trade and serves as Managing Director, recalls they were initially happy being a small ve truck eet.
“We took pride in being trustworthy and dependable and clients picked up on that to the point they invited us to tender,” she says of VGA in the early days. Content to stay in their “little lane” they, however, declined. But the
offers kept on coming. Eventually, as John recalls, they accepted.
“We tendered for a lot of things under the impression ‘we’re not going to get it anyway,’” he says. “We ended up winning all of the contracts that we’d thrown our hat in the ring for.”
All of a sudden, the business was in a position in which it needed to grow quickly. That soon meant accumulating equipment. An engineer by trade, John designs all of the eet’s trailers for the unique format in which they carry trucks. It also gives them a
distinct advantage not being sti ed by downtime of having to wait for a third-party to design and manufacture their equipment. One of John’s previous businesses specialised in building car carrying equipment and the cab frames for the subcontractors who worked for all the majors in the segment including Prixcar, CEVA and Autocare. That background facilitated key connections with sales managers and dealer principals and invaluable inside knowledge of the industry.
“John understands the trailers on a different level because we’re using the trailers in practical applications that we design and build,” says Froniga. “I don’t think we would have had the same head start had we not had John doing most of the work himself.”
She adds, “That really helped us to grow very quickly.”
Then COVID hit. And so did the truck sales boom to meet skyrocketing transport needs. The business doubled, each year, over the next three years. With its head of ce in the Brisbane suburb of Richlands, Rise of the Phoenix now runs 40 prime movers and 100 trailers with 14 additional trailers scheduled for deployment before Christmas.
Last year the business began working for truck dealer CJD in Western Australia. For their heavy combinations it was decided they would evaluate the new DAF XG, having been given an opportunity to trial the demo truck. They promptly ordered two units. PACCAR Australia undertook extensive
testing on the new DAF XG platform. Being involved in that process had parallels with how Rise of the Phoenix also approaches operations.
“It’s very much the same,” says John. “We’re always improving on what we have today. Bringing the units up to speed makes life easier for the driver and operations and for the freight.”
The eet has taken delivery of the rst of two new DAF XG660s with another two to be purchased before the end of the year once they arrive at a target spec. For the moment, John says the 3200Nm of torque delivered by the PACCAR PX-15 engine is suf cient.
“We tested the DAF XG on a couple of long trips. Bearing in mind that they are spec’d for Tautliners and tankers running 100 kilometres an hour and our operations are very different,” says John. “There were some tweaks made to ratios to give us that little bit more.”
The DAF XG came with a 3.4 diff ratio and John had it modi ed to 3:93. They also went to a 3:78 ratio on a new DAF XF because it was shouldering smaller loads.
“They’re very good, DAF, at trying to nd the right truck and application for us,” says Froniga. “When we were ready to buy some trucks, they advised us to wait for the XG. They’ve been absolutely brilliant.”
The new truck made an immediate impression on John.
“The driver comfort on the few runs it performed for us was awesome,” he says. “The windscreen is very big. We were impressed by the vision out of it. The interior is well appointed.”
As the rst batch of cabs were built to 2.5 metre widths, the new ADR permitted dimension of 2.55-metres now enables for a super single tyre out of the factory.
“Our PBS favours the super single,” adds Froniga. “We’re already tweaking before we get the next one.”
Working for VGA allowed the business to expand into cabovers where previous to that they had been mainly running Macks. The majority of the eet is cabover because it needs the length.
“Every metre we can take, we use it to carry one of the longer trucks,” says John.
Gross combination mass is, more surprisingly, not the primary consideration of the eet when moving these large combinations interstate. Wind drag is. This one factor limits the entire eet to running at 90km/hr.
“Our wind drag is phenomenal,” says Froniga. “It’s like having a big parachute out back. Our load is by extremes very different to any other out there on the road.”
At the minute they provide a B-triple solution for carrying up to four trucks at once. Very soon they will be able to carry six trucks at 42 metres predominantly for their Perth run. The new quad quad tri B-triple with hydraulic decks is slated to debut later this year.
While the NHVR have been good to deal with, individual road managers are not always, especially, Froniga explains, as her eet needs to get every new unit approved, turn by turn, given anything over 4.6-metres high is no longer gazetted.
“It’s an onerous process and it’s not for the light-hearted that’s for sure,” she says. “The hardest part for us is the legal side of things.”
Their longest wait time for a permit was 460 days. That prompted a 180 degree adjustment in philosophy that resulted in giving precedence to trailer designs to prompt faster access.
“We went away from the 30-metre four truck carrying combination and we started managing so many different combinations” says John. “Now we have designs for up to 800 different units because we have to pivot from access delays.”
Having what can be best called a sui generis spec also provides the OEMs a unique platform to test out their best new vehicles. Not only is it an opportunity to capture datasets that no one else is likely to replicate but they are getting rst crack on prototype trucks such as the DAF XG660, Volvo FH780 and the Scania
R770. This in turn assists Rise of the Phoenix organise customisations for future trucks. John likens it to breaking the ice for the next combination.
“It’s good R&D for both of us,” adds Froniga. “Because we oat massive trucks that no one else can and we oat at capacity four prime movers we need to educate our partners in the increased oating potential as we’re so different.”
One of their policies is to purchase trucks for their eet from their customers where possible. They are now carrying for a growing client base and most of the major OEMs in Australia including DAF, Kenworth, Volvo, Mack, Isuzu, Daimler and Scania as well as some of the body builders.
Rise of the Phoenix has approvals for 800 different combinations.
“On occasion we might have a Volvo rocking up to deliver something into CJD but it’s ne at least they know that we’re buying their product for their corridor,” says Froniga. “We want to make sure that we’re taking and giving in equal parts.”
John admits it would probably be easier to use one brand even just for maintenance and PBS approvals.
“We initially wondered why carriers stick to one brand and now we are growing I see why they do that,” he chuckles. “But all of our trucks are under gold contracts with a complete bumper to bumper warranty. We try not to put a spanner on our trucks.”
The business is now interested in expanding its niche to enter the
oversize market. In order to better utilise the equipment they are also carrying heavy plant equipment to consolidate productivity to remain within the boundaries of what they know.
Having extra capacity on the trailers is not lost on some of the bigger eets, who are engaging with Rise of the Phoenix as a measure to reduce their emissions.
“Because we carry more on less, we have a lower footprint obviously by considerable amounts compared to taking one unit at a time,” says Froniga. “That has made it quite bene cial for us. If we’re utilising our units completely in both directions, then that helps our client as well to have their quotas met
for their CO2 and emissions targets.”
This has led subsequently to recent requests to transport whole quad dog combinations out of Melbourne. Quality service at a reasonable price point is, as a blueprint for continued success, no secret. For companies in pursuit of sustainable growth like Rise of the Phoenix it’s attached a level of prestige that they are understandably proud of.
“Some people get FOMO and ask our clients who their carrier is, and we meet people along the way,” says Froniga. “If we take an odd truck delivery to a place we don’t normally deal with and they get to know us, they tend to invite us back. That’s how we’ve grown organically over the years — but very fast.”
The PremiAir Group has become a leading provider to the equipment hire industry, and its relationship with Isuzu Trucks continues to deliver a major contribution to its success.
The PremiAir Group has grown to now be located in more than thirty locations spread across the east coast, providing essential services to its customers including the hire, sales, maintenance and repair of a broad range of equipment. This includes compressors, generators, lighting towers and specialised vehicles such as truckmounted attenuators which provide a safer environment for road workers having to contend with sharing their space with traf c. In support of those hire and sales functions, the PremiAir service division has well equipped vans and trained technicians for on-site scheduled servicing and emergency breakdown response.
A quali ed tter and turner, Peter Xiberras early in his career chose to specialise in the service and repair of air compressors, initially operating as a one-man business from his father’s former milking shed on the family farm in Richmond in Sydney’s northwest. Peter’s commitment to rst class workmanship and his professional presentation, in combination with his dedication to customer service, saw the operation soon outgrow its original humble premises as Peter identi ed there was a demand for more than the simple servicing and repair of compressors. This led him and wife Carmen to move into the equipment hire business supplying to ever broadening industry categories including on-site supply of diesel fuel and lubricants.
PremiAir Fuels is a sector of the PremiAir Group which has grown signi cantly during the past few years by delivering diesel fuel to end users including bulk tanks at locations such as farms and construction sites, as well as to on-hire PremiAir equipment such as portable lighting towers and generators. It also offers the most straightforward way of refuelling a truck which has run out of fuel on the side of a road.
“The fuel business was started to complement our hire customers,” says
Theo Woollett, PremiAir’s Queensland State Manager. “The last thing we want is having somebody with a generator ringing to let us know it’s run out of fuel. We want to be a one stop shop and the fuel division has got bigger and bigger.”
PremiAir has a large number of trucks, some for hire and others, such as tilt trays and prime movers, play a fundamental role in the hire operations, delivering and picking up various pieces of equipment such as generators at the commencement and ending of a hire period. In addition to its prime movers PremiAir also has its own semi- and B-double trailers as well as some versatile crane trucks.
The predominant truck brand is Isuzu, accounting for around 70 units within the overall truck fleet, and for a simple reason according to Theo.
“They’re the right fit for the bill,” he says. The continuous expansion of the PremiAir Group has led to additional equipment and vehicles being added all the time to meet the increasing needs of an increasing cohort of customers.
A specialised truck design available for hire for traffic control and roadworks is the TCT (Traffic Cone Truck) which is fitted with a bespoke rear tray which includes storage for traffic signs and cones as well as an overhead fall restraint safety device for the workers
operating from a fold down platform placing or picking up the cones. These vehicles deliver an increased level of safety for the workers and markedly reduce the amount of time traffic is disrupted.
Also available for hire from PremiAir are front and rear loading refuse compactors aimed mainly at councils and event organisers, with capacities between eight and 24 cubic metres. Theo describes the typical compactor customer as, “someone who has one and it’s not working.” Skip loaders with the capacity of two two-metre bins or a single four-metre bin are also available for short- and long-term hire.
Motorsport is integral in the promotion of the PremiAir businesses and Peter Xiberras has twice won the Australian Top Fuel Championship driving his 11,000hp dragster, but in typical fashion he was always looking for the next challenge, so in 2022 Peter and PremiAir became involved in the Supercars Championship with the acquisition of a then struggling team which has rapidly transitioned to become a top ten contender in the ultra-competitive Supercars series. Peter has taken the tough decision to park the dragster operation temporarily to enable him to concentrate on the growing business and the development of the Supercars team. Peter has not ruled out a return to drag racing. His best elapsed time to date has been 3.74 seconds for the international standard distance of 1,000 feet (304.8 metres) that Top Fuel dragsters race over from a standing start. Peter’s fastest speed at the end of a race has been an eye-popping 322.88 miles per hour (519.62 km/hr). In 2025 Isuzu Trucks became a major team sponsor of the two Chevrolet Camaros contesting the Supercars Championship, following a successful initial modest involvement with the team in 2024. This increase in involvement is evidenced by Isuzu Trucks now being the dominant part of the race cars’ livery. A unique element of the arrangement
is the Isuzu Technician Placement Program which enables eight technicians from Isuzu’s dealer network to join the PremiAir/Isuzu Trucks race team at various raceways on selected weekends, providing the opportunity for them to gain valuable hands-on experience in the high pressure realm of race car preparation and pit stops. “The technician program has great bene ts for our Dealer Network technicians, giving them insights and new skills that they can take back to their roles within the Isuzu network, all of which ow through to providing a better service for our customers,”
says John Walker, Head of Marketing and Customer Experience at Isuzu Australia. “PremiAir Racing shares our commitment to excellence, and in the competitive world of Supercars, it offers a fantastic opportunity for Isuzu Trucks and Isuzu Power Solutions to engage with our mutual audiences.”
PremiAir Racing owner Peter Xiberras recognises the importance of the longstanding relationship between Isuzu and his out t.
“Our eet of Isuzu Trucks, which is delivering for our business out on the road, is a testament to that partnership,” he says.
An increasing number of customers realise the advantages of hiring equipment for when it is actually needed, rather than tying up capital in gear which may sit idle for weeks or months. PremiAir employs experienced specialists in their elds who are able to understand their clients’ needs due to their own backgrounds in various sectors such as portable power supply using generators.
“I’d reckon the majority of the time people are ringing us to help solve their issues,” says Theo. “So we’re really problem solvers who happen to be in the hire industry.”
A West Australian family-run operator is enthusiastic about their switch to Scania and the bene ts which come with the Scania Zone feature.
Hawkins & Co was established by Joe Hawkins just over 50 years ago.
Today, under the guidance of Joe’s son Dave and Dave’s son Troy, the successful company continues to grow by providing a diverse offering across multiple services to its metropolitan and regional clients ranging from transport to warehousing, and storage of bulk products.
The transport work is done utilising a comprehensive eet of trailers which can be adapted to suit general
freight, OSOM and bulk products using side and end tippers, at tops, curtainsiders, live bottom bulk trailers, and oats. The exibility provided by such a selection of combinations is an important factor for JJ Hawkins to offer the best solution for each job of each client and assists in keeping the company relatively immune from changes in any particular market.
“Within the 27.5 metre length limit we can run two B-trailers or a twotrailer roadtrain at 36.5 metres,” says Dave Hawkins. “Sometimes we run,
for example, a prime mover towing a semi-trailer and B-double with a dolly keeping it under 36 metres.”
The heaviest loads are up to 120-tonnes gross weight and JJ Hawkins & Co transports all types of freight, from roadbase to general freight and machinery and bulk agricultural products such as grain and fertiliser.
In the eet of 24 prime movers, ten are from Scania which has become the brand of choice including another recently delivered R 620 V8. JJ Hawkins operates its own vehicle workshop but has
found good value in committing to the maintenance contracts offered by Scania.
“All our Scanias are on a maintenance contract and always will be,” says Dave. “When we changed to Scania, we took new direction of not keeping something until it dies”.
Changing over every four and a half years equates to an average of around 650,000 kilometres for each Scania.
“We have been pleased with the Scanias’ performance,” says Dave. “We are replacing the earliest trucks now, after four and half years, and they have been
on a Scania repair and maintenance contract since new. Historically, we kept our trucks much longer, but we can see the bene t of turning them over earlier and replacing them with new trucks with the latest systems. We’ve done millions of kilometres collectively in the Scanias with very few problems, but if I do have one, I just call the Scania assistance line, and they deal with it pretty quickly. They’re very good, actually.”
The decision to replace the Scania prime movers when they reach four and a half years produces bene ts for not just JJ
Hawkins & Co as the original owners.
“It offers Scania the chance to resell that truck and get a reasonable dollar for it, and the next person will get a reasonable use out of it before there are any problems,” says Dave. “I try to think about the next people because obviously I want to get the best deal out of Scania, and I’ve got to help them at the same time to achieve that. To date I’ve only traded in three Scanias, but I was almost in tears thinking why am I getting rid of these things? They’re still perfect!”
Reliability is de nitely one important factor, but operating costs are kept in check by the Scanias’ exceptional fuel ef ciency.
“The R 620 V8s have been returning about 1.8 to 1.9 km per litre in our heavy applications, which is far better than some of our older trucks, albeit with much higher Ks under them,” says Dave. “But the difference is signi cant, and I watch it every day. It means we use about 100-litres of diesel less per 1,000km trip, and there’s the cost saving there of course, but no trip time penalty.”
The Scanias’ reduction hubs and the V8s’ torque are a good combination when working on unsealed desert roads or even
in farmers’ paddocks.
“The hub reduction and gearing with the four bag air suspension works better than the eight bag set-ups, in my opinion,” says Dave. “A driver will tell me they can look at the ground and go into places they wouldn’t have dared to previously.”
The PR blurb says Scania Zone is a ‘position-based telematics system for real-time vehicle adjustments in prede ned zones, allowing operators to set speed conditions for the vehicles connected through the Scania Fleet Management Portal’. The practical reality, according to Dave Hawkins, delivers even wider bene ts.
“It’s not just about setting speed limits
to avoid speeding nes, but it gives our drivers and our management con dence that a moment of inattention won’t lead to a ne or cause an incident,” he says.
The feature is particularly useful for school zones where the speed limit is reduced at drop-off and pick-up times, because the Scania Zone allows the operator to set the limits by time as well as location.
“Safety has always been a top priority for our business and with Scania Zone, we are working to ensure our trucks operate safely and responsibly,” says Dave. “Especially in areas where children and families are present,
it offers peace-of-mind to me as a business operator while also ensuring compliance. From a corporate perspective, our trucks are painted bright red and are well signed so if we’re seen to be doing the wrong thing people notice, but Scania Zone helps reduce this potential. We don’t want to get calls complaining about drivers and we’re enhancing our reputation as
The drivers have readily accepted the Scania Zone feature because they recognise its safety benefits and it can save them from speeding fines.
“Scania Zone is better than just relying, for example, on speed sign recognition systems,” Dave says. “We can also set it for our yards or customers’ yards if they have a speed limit, to ensure we don’t upset a client by driving too fast through their premises. So, from a safety perspective, I think it’s great.”
The Scania Zone feature goes well beyond school zone limit issues. There is a particular country town the JJ Hawkins & Co trucks travel through regularly and there is no alternative route so they have to share the road
limit below the posted limit, which is good,” he explains. “There’s another shire council that has limited the hours that trucks can pass through, so we load that into the Scania Zone as well, to ensure we don’t do the wrong thing.”
The family company is very supportive of its community and the visit of The Big Red Truck is well received by the students at the local primary school.
As the trucks are progressively renewed
it where we can see what’s going on,” he says. “The contract maintenance is great —they know when each truck is coming up due for service and we just have to book in.”
Dave adds, “I would say predominantly the Scanias are doing a good job for us and I’m very happy with them. They do a good job fuelwise which we can monitor through the Scania portal. I’m a big fan of
AGM Heavy Haul has scaled the heights of heavy machinery transport for select industries and is now preparing to take on even more.
AGM Heavy Haul is a transport out t born with a unique industry perspective.
Its founder and driving force, Lawrence ‘Lawrie’ Mills, had previously
enjoyed over a decade of experience in the mining and construction sectors as a dedicated sales representative. This exposure equipped him with an in-depth understanding of the major
players in the industry, as Lawrie had both handled the commercial side of the businesses with OEMs as well as the logistical side of distributing heavy machinery and other equipment to
customers. As part of this understanding, Lawrie had noticed what he perceived to be a gap in the market – particularly in the form of communication among heavy machinery carriers and those who transported them – that was waiting to be lled. He took a chance to ll the niche himself by establishing AGM Heavy Haul, which has been going strong for 18 years.
In these 18 years, Lawrie has ingratiated the business with members of his family, who recognise the distinctive role it plays in the market when compared to competitors. Lawrie’s son, Luke, who serves as AGM Heavy Haul’s Operations Manager, calls this point of difference the company’s superpower. “Because my dad had his experience on the sales side of the industry, he understands the minutiae of what goes within it,” he explains. “That combination of transport knowledge with sales knowledge works so well and
truly sets us apart in the industry.”
Luke says that this experience enables AGM Heavy Haul to be intrinsically involved in every step of the process of transporting heavy machinery. As well as ascertaining an operational sweet spot, Lawrie and Luke have applied their industry nous to scale the business to ensure it remains competitive while also retaining a speci c internal culture that some larger corporations may not be able to guarantee.
AGM Heavy Haul promotes four core principles — accountability, integrity, respect and transparency — which all come together to de ne the business as one that industry partners and customers can rely on for quality service. In this sense, according to Luke, the principles are fundamental to AGM Heavy Haul’s business strategy. “These principles basically sum up why we’re trusted by some of the big
players in the industry to keep doing what we’re doing,” he says. “Each of the values are re ected in the business we conduct.”
Luke explains that these principles help to retain clarity between transport OEMs and sales representatives to get business done. This process clearly works, as it has facilitated major growth in the out t over the years.
AGM Heavy Haul currently sports a eet of ten prime movers which are largely dedicated to transport construction and mining machinery. Each truck is built to move a wide variety of haulage, the weight of which can span anywhere from one to 100 tonnes depending on the customer requirement. While these prime movers are built to withstand the bulk of Australia’s harsh weather conditions, AGM Heavy Haul is also supported by a vast network of subcontractor eets, enabling the business to operate in
every state and territory in the country.
Due to this national capability, AGM Heavy Haul’s transport methods are shaped by its customers, something that Luke and the team take great pride in.
“Our operations are very ‘off-the-cuff’ in the sense that it truly depends on what each customer needs moved and when,” he says. “Depending on the customer, we’re involved in a range of movements including wharf cartage, branch-to-branch transport, direct-tosite deliveries and storage. AGM Heavy Haul’s exible operations can leave the out t with very little time before a project is underway. Luke elaborates on this further. Because of AGM Heavy Haul’s accommodating nature, the company’s operations work in a very unique way when compared to the moving of general freight.
“We’re not going to or from designated hubs,” he says. “We go here, there and everywhere for our customers — it’s constantly changing.”
Luke and Lawrie have compared what they do to a constantly moving target
— customers’ plans can change on a whim, and AGM Heavy Haul has to roll with these punches at all times.
The accommodating nature of the business also extends to that of driver comfort, which each prime mover has been carefully ordered to
prioritise. AGM Heavy Haul maintains constant communication with its drivers to understand how to make their experience in the trucks better, a process which is particularly important as the business has recently trialled trucks from different manufacturers.
“We used to primarily run Freightliners, but we’ve now moved over to Volvos and Kenworths,” Luke says. “The new vehicles, plus the amount of time that drivers spend in them, makes it critical that they feel safe and comfortable on the road.”
The trucks’ specially-ordered large truck cabs t an array of amenities like quality mattresses, microwaves, television sets and refrigerators, to name a few.
“Our drivers can be on the road for several days at a time depending on scheduling and workload,” Luke adds. “It’s essentially their home. We want it to feel like more than a workspace where we can.”
AGM Heavy Haul has expanded under its current business strategy to great success, as seen in its frequent collaborations with various OEMs across a wide variety of construction and mining equipment.
In the face of this success, AGM Heavy Haul is developing an appetite to transport even heavier haulage for the industry — a transition marked by various equipment acquisitions and an upskilling process for the eet.
“We’re de nitely getting into the heavier spec stuff now,” Luke reveals.
“We’re continuing to expand and diversify our eet to meet the growing needs of our customers across a broader range of project requirements.”
This, along with other incoming announcements in AGM Heavy Haul’s chamber — like a new major facility whose details remain under wraps for the time being — position the business well for the near future. As Luke takes on more of his father’s business operations and plans for the road ahead, it is ultimately the legacy of AGM Heavy Haul that he wants to uphold.
“I’m really trying to responsibly scale the business to maintain that quality and service we’re known for, while being able to take on more,” Luke says. “I’m just focusing on building more of what my father started.”
QMR Recyclers, a family company based in Queensland, has unveiled an A-double pulled by a new DAF XG660.
What is the remedy for moving 500 tonnes of metal a month half the length the state the size of Queensland? A brand-new high productivity unit would be the answer if you asked QMR Recyclers. The Yatala-based business which transports scrap metal between its head of ce and Central Queensland, where it has a feeding yard in Rockhampton, has recently deployed an all-black A-double to its operations. Until now, they have
been relying on single tippers and B-doubles from a eet of 25 trucks.
“This particular truck combination has been purpose built to transfer metal internally between yards and to do it with the most net weight that we could achieve,” says Jackson Chambers, QMR Recyclers General Manager.
While the business specialises in the collection, processing, and export of ferrous and non-ferrous metals it also provides demolition site cleanups and cash for scrap services, as part of its
end-to-end solutions with transport a major component.
“That’s essentially our business model and the reason for the truck,” says Jackson.
The aforementioned truck is a new DAF XG660, the rst of its kind in the eet which is principally represented by the DAF and Kenworth brands courtesy of a strong alignment with Brown and Hurley. A DAF XF, the rst purchased from the marque, joined the eet in 2014.
An intense duty cycle is expected of the new DAF XG which will complete the 670-kilometre journey, before it is loaded and returns south the next day. That cycle is going to be repeated throughout the week.
In Yatala, where the business maintains a state-of-the-art facility, recycling materials are sheared, baled, packaged, and sorted for export and then onsold in containers all over southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
In addition to several tippers, the eet also features many atbeds and oats that can be seen running to the Port of Brisbane when they are not predisposed servicing local businesses. Anticipation and hope, so goes the axiom, are born twins. QMR Recyclers began talking to the engineers at Smedley’s about access permits and route pre-approvals 18 months before the unit was launched.
“Route access up the Bruce Highway was a priority,” says Jackson. “Now they can go door-to-door without having to go to Gattan and split up the trailers — for us that was really pivotal.”
Because QMR Recyclers frequents many mining sites, the A-double combination also broadens its customer reach.
There’s opportunity for us to service some other customers further out west in Roma and other regional locations from time to time,” adds Chambers.
Once Tefco Trailers were commissioned to build the A-double set, the opportunity arose to match the trailers with a new vehicle. The search for a new prime mover began in earnest. According
to Jackson he looked at several trucks and spoke extensively to Mark Holden at Brown and Hurley about the DAF product and a Kenworth K220.
“We spoke about fuel economy, safety and driver comfort and tare weights and the truck that would tick all those boxes,” says Jackson. “The tare weight the DAF afforded the task really stood out to us. Based on the capex that we’ve done we’re hoping there’s going to be a pretty big savings there in the long-term.”
The 15-litre Euro 6 compliant PACCAR PX-15 powerplant features patented architecture which allows it to operate at higher cylinder pressures. Generating up to 660 horsepower at 1800rpm and 3200Nm of torque between 900-1400rpm, the performance capabilities be t the gruelling work required of it. The roomy cabin is generously appointed and designed to accommodate freedom of movement for operators. At 2040mm, the standing height ts Andre the Giant.
“The size of the cab is another plus,” notes Jackson. “It’s one of the biggest cabs in the market. My colleague and 2IC is 6’6 tall and he can jump in the cab — it’s massive.”
Featuring the latest in infotainment systems, the dashboard conceals a handy retractable table ideal for eating or writing. Internally, the cabin is a major point of difference for Jacson. He said some other brands felt very dated in comparison, noting the layout and the screens set the vehicle apart.
“When you’re doing that kind of work - linehaul work - enhanced driver comfort is always optimal,” he adds.
“Getting out of the truck you don’t feel like you’ve gotten beaten up.”
The company was founded in 2003 by Jackson’s father Nick Chambers. In 2022 the company expanded into Western Australia and purchased a property to support its Perth operations last year. The familyowned venture also involves Jackson Chambers’ three brothers, whom are all working in the WA Recyclers operation. There are 60 full time staff between both businesses.
In recent years signi cant growth has resulted in a massive expansion of its 20,000m² Yatala facility.
The colour scheme for the business is black. All their bins around the country and even the company cars are black. This is the rst time that they’ve decided to have the black highlights on a truck with the dark charcoal cab.
“In trying to make the new truck stand out we’ve added a few extra bells and whistles to the truck, and we really wanted to make it a marketing statement and a bit of a showpiece for the company,” says Jackson.
”The DAF XG is a terri c truck. I drove it for a test drive myself. Between the trucks of the earlier generation the difference is night and day,” says Jackson. “We’re really excited about it, knowing we’ve got something that is reliable and is going to work for us for a long time.”
The business already has plans for another roadtrain set to be built next year for the WA operation and is considering another DAF XG to haul it.
The availability of its own 12-speed Automated Manual Transmission will add to the applications suited to the Hino 700 Series.
The Hino M112 automated manual transmission was launched in Japan in 2019 along with the current Hino 700 Series trucks but was not included as an option for the Australian market when the 700 Series was launched here in 2021. It may seem like a long but worthwhile wait, when the 12-speed AMT enters the Australian market in late 2025. The integration of the M112 into its line up creates the situation where Hino is the only Japanese truck manufacturer in Australia currently offering a complete proprietary driveline in the Heavy Duty space, which should appeal to customers preferring a homogenous driveline, and
will also strengthen Hino’s own OEM component supply chain by having the transmission manufactured in-house. The development of the M112 transmission has been based around the proven Hino MZ12 12-speed synchromesh manual and automated manual transmissions. Following extensive re-engineering aimed at speeding up gear shift speeds and further improving durability the transmission is now in a constant mesh format which uses three main gears, high and low ranges, and a splitter to achieve its 12 forward speeds. The physical shifts are achieved via the Gear Selector Unit located on the top of the gearbox and side mounted solenoid
valves that control the compressed air actuated range and splitter shifts. A countershaft brake ensures that gearshifts are as smooth and as quick as possible by synchronising the transmission’s shaft speeds, delivering smooth upshifts and decisive down shifting. The clutch operation is similarly electronically controlled via the Concentric Slave Cylinder. Constructed using robust alloy housings, the M112 is 96kgs lighter than the alternate Allison full automatic. In the cab, instead of a typical quadrant shifter mounted on the engine hump, a dash-mounted rotary switch is used to select Drive or Reverse, plus there is a ‘Slow’ function position to assist with
docking or connecting trailers by giving the driver more control over the truck’s speed. The control stalk on the lefthand side of the steering column has a button on its end to enable automatic or manual gear changing and gives the driver the option of manually initiating sequential up or down shifts or leaving the transmission in ‘auto’ mode where the transmission’s control unit makes the shifting decisions.
The use of the control stalk quickly becomes intuitive, thanks in part to the proximity of the engine brake wand on same side of the steering column. The engine brake for 9.0 litre engines has two positions, the rst activates the engine braking, while the second position is engine braking plus the automatic initiation of downshifts to increase the effectiveness of the engine brake. On 13.0-litre models three stages of engine braking are available, the rst two are differing levels of engine braking, while the third position will allow for autonomous downshifting to maximise the effectiveness of engine braking and to save wear on service brake components. The same transmission is used behind both the 9.0-litre and 13.0-litre engines, with the same rst gear ratio of 10.127:1 and the single overdrive top gear delivering a 0.795 ratio. The inclusion of the AMT opens up quite a few
additional applications for the Hino 700, many of which it may not have had a suitable offering for previously. Trucks with a full automatic are restricted to 36 tonnes GVM, but the 12-speed AMT versions can go up to 45 tonnes GVM. This makes them ideal for applications such as council tippers which occasionally have to pull trailers, a requirement frequently found in local government tender speci cations.
The AMT has several advantages over six-speed automatics by performing better when ascending hills and delivering stronger engine brake ef ciency when descending them. There should also be a fuel ef ciency bene t, particularly in trucks travelling 500 or 600 kilometres per day.
Hino 700s with the 9.0-litre engine and 12-speed AMT combination will t well in applications such as tilt trays, van bodies, local delivery, hooklifts, prime movers, and tippers. There remains a strong case for full automatics in certain speci c applications including side loader refuse collection.
The availability of a live drive rear-ofengine PTO plus the 12-speed AMT’s transmission PTO will appear to operators of trucks equipped with the likes of vacuum pumpers.
“This transmission will also appeal to rigid truck operators who need to tow a trailer and to customers seeking a fuel
ef cient high performance rigid truck for highway and hilly operations,” says Daniel Petrovski, Manager of Product Strategy at Hino Australia. “With its wider gear ratio selection, the two pedal 12-speed AMT will be an excellent choice for heavy rigid operators with extra urban and regional applications.”
The availability of the 12-speed AMT also complements the Hino strategy to transition some applications from Series 500 Wide Cab models to the expanded range of Hino 700 Series trucks. A factor in this rationalising of the Hino portfolio is the acknowledged impending supply shortage of some Hino 500 Series models. With the addition of the new AMTequipped models, Hino can now offer multiple two-pedal options for 300-plus horsepower Heavy Duty customers with Allison 4440 and Allison 3200 true automatic transmissions, plus the Hino M112 12-speed AMT and the 16-speed ZF Traxon AMT. The expanded offering will assist customers in selecting what is the best driveline combination for their speci c applications. Hino trucks equipped with the 12-speed AMT have already been subjected to thousands of kilometres of local testing prior to becoming available through the Hino dealer network.
Centurion’s ambitious and innovative o -grid electric vehicle project sets the standard for zero emission eets.
Established in 1971, Perthbased Centurion has grown to become one of Australia’s largest independently owned and operated logistics and transport companies. It operates across a range of sectors with particular expertise in providing services for the resource hubs and remote communities of Australia. Centurion has 5,000 pieces of equipment including almost 1,000 trucks and employs 2,400 people across 34 locations.
Centurion’s innovative off-grid electric vehicle project achieved another milestone in July with an additional ten Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 trucks joining the 20 which began operating from Centurion’s Perth facility earlier in the year. Centurion’s fully off-grid battery electric truck project draws its renewable energy from the total of 4.4mW solar arrays located on the roof areas of its Perth Airport depot. The completed infrastructure project is spread across two sites at the complex designated North and South. The North charging site was commissioned in February this year and the South charging site in July. Now totalling 30 trucks the MercedesBenz eActros 300 eet includes ve 4x2 prime movers, ve 4x2 rigids and twenty 6x2 rigids. The eActros trucks are deployed performing pick up and deliveries for Centurion customers across the wider Perth metropolitan area, frequently operating up to 100 kilometres from base and being loaded in both directions.
These “ rst and last mile” pick-up and delivery services had been outsourced by Centurion for the past 15 years and management recognised the opportunity for the application for EV technology as the catalyst for bringing these services back in-house.
The project has been developed in partnership with ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency) under the Future Fuels Program and includes 15 dual-port slow and fast chargers, drawing from the solar-charged total of 10.3mWh of battery storage located on
site. Centurion’s diesel fuel supplier bp supplied the Tritium vehicle chargers, while local company Switch Batteries provided the design, implementation and general expertise for the batteries, the basic components of which are manufactured in China. To guarantee vehicle energy security under all conditions, two back-up generators have been installed which run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in keeping with the environmental credentials of the overall project.
The $36 million project has been delivered on time and on budget by Centurion in partnership with Daimler Truck, project managers Cape Dunstans, Switch Batteries and bp Australia, and has been made possible through $15.8 million in funding from ARENA, as part of the $500 million Driving the Nation Fund the government agency has allocated to invest in cheaper and cleaner transport.
“The project is now fully operational, and it marks a signi cant milestone in progressing our decarbonisation
journey,” says Justin Cardaci, CEO of Centurion. “Completing this important infrastructure milestone and having the full electric truck eet operational is a great outcome for Centurion and it shows that with the right partnerships and investment sustainable freight solutions are achievable today. 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.”
Cape Dunstans has delivered the solar component of the project and provided management of the installation of the charging and battery storage facilities. Working at a ‘brown eld’ situation Ralton Benn of Cape Dunstans handled a key requirement of the installation which was the need to achieve zero operational disruption of the busy depot, so directional underground drilling was employed for the two kilometres of electrical cables and conduits rather than digging trenches
which would have affected vehicle access around the depot.
The practical concept of the North side installation is built around overnight charging and the solar array feeds into the battery unit which stores energy generated from the solar roof panels until the trucks return from a day’s operation, typically with between 20 and 50 per cent of battery charge remaining. These trucks are usually on a duty cycle of daytime operations and are redeployed the next morning after being recharged from the batteries overnight.
The recently commissioned South charging site services up to ten trucks at a time with its mix of 75kW and 150kW chargers. The transport operations using the South facility are geared around a duty cycle for those trucks to go out in the morning, be back in the afternoon, connect for a one or two hour ‘top up’ charge, and then back to work in the evening. It’s still early days and much is still being learned about operating the EV eet to maximise its ef ciency.
“The current thinking of the eet managers includes the types of routes that they do, stoppage time, and travel time between pickups and deliveries,” says Hamish McHaf e who is Centurion’s Group Manager of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability.
“As the project gets more and more embedded into the business, we’ll be making decisions based on residual vehicle battery capacity. Trucks with higher levels remaining will go to Southside for a quick top up, while the North side charging locations will be reserved for the trucks which will be returning with less battery charge.”
Centurion has quite an ambitious net zero strategy which ts in with the organisation’s overall environmental philosophy.
“If you look at our eet over the past 10-12 years we’ve been very quick to adopt the latest Euro standards,” says Justin. “We’ve been strengthening relationships with OEMs over the past decade and seeing what new technology they could bring forward
has probably enabled us to say this is de nitely the path for us that we see value in”.
Requiring such a sizable investment, the 100 per cent off-grid transport solution has not been developed on a whim, but has required a wellresearched and planned strategy.
“We started watching the electric truck development approximately six years ago with Daimler’s preproduction vehicles, then trialled our rst electric truck (a Fuso eCanter) in 2021. Two years ago, we saw real value and real opportunity with a 100 per cent offgrid project” says Justin.
A key piece of work over the next six months will be the study of driver and charging patterns, and a transparent data system will be in place under the ARENA agreement.
“Everyone knows the market is probably a bit more challenging at the moment,” says Justin. “For us, we are very clear of what our strengths are and the business we want to do and
also pretty clear about the business we don’t want to do. For us it’s continuing to work with our customers to provide that remote regional support.”
It was never anticipated that a project such as this would deliver comparative cost parity, but Centurion expects to be able to eventually further bene t from evolving technologies and wider access to electrical power, whether on-grid or off-grid.
“As a business case stands up we’ll deploy more electric trucks,” says Justin. “This is about learning, and a quick learning cycle will get us to parity and we accept that. If you look at our business over time, we know who we want to be, we’re committed to where we want to be, and understand the purpose of why we might want to do something. This isn’t a ag waving exercise for us, this is about being real. This is a real project, getting a real understanding about where we can deploy this technology elsewhere in the business.”
While battery electric vehicles are still a wait and see option for many carriers, some eets have dived into the deep end conscious of fashioning a new approach to their last mile logistics.
For eets who have invested heavily in battery electric vehicles, many of the myths around EV viability, at least in commercial applications, are fast being dispelled. Companies such as All Purpose Transport and ANC have progressed past the early adopter stage with signi cant advances in operations and expertise to represent edge cases that
don’t so much evolve the current market but rede ne it when it comes to the traditional role of investment, partner role and points of difference for customers. ANC is closing in on a milestone. Only 18 months ago they had just three battery electric vehicles in the eet. The technology was rst generation and had been acquired through a direct
investment to test and learn. But after receiving ARENA funding to support their mission to create a sustainable delivery model for customers in the last mile, they accelerated deployment.
Today, the business has nearly 100 electric vehicles in its integrated eet. ANC, according to Chief Growth & Sustainability Of cer Mo Abbas, doesn’t
own a single one of them.
“Our delivery drivers own them,” he says. “We create the right incentives for them to buy them outright and own them.”
Notwithstanding the elimination of fuel combustion emissions, BEVs are one vector for helping to bring a new class of professionals into the industry. ANC and other carriers are now recognising
this as a potential outcome. This future demographic is mostly blue-collar workers, migrants to Australia, and young people trying to forge new small business enterprises. For the contractors making a commitment to buy a battery electric vehicle, ANC will prioritise them work over drivers with internal combustion engines. Mo likens it to how Uber operates with ve-star rated drivers being assigned fares over four-star drivers.
“In our case, if you make the purchase and you own the green vehicle, we’ll give you more work and more incentive to earn more over anyone else who has a diesel equivalent,” he says. “So, we prioritise a green vehicle over a brown vehicle. We give them rst right of refusal on new scopes of work that might be easier or might be more nancially lucrative.”
Some funds from ARENA are redirected to subsidise their capital purchase for subcontractors to make asset acquisition cheaper. That can be achieved through bulk purchasing.
“They can purchase the vehicles substantially cheaper than they can secure the vehicle from the market,” says Mo. “We get deep discounts on the upfront capital cost, and we’ve got partnerships with energy providers and charging providers, which makes it easier for them to charge anywhere they like at a much lower cost than anyone else.”
The platform business model, synonymous with e-commerce, is a feature of the early adopter model in the battery electric eet domain. In Brisbane,
All Purpose Transport is rolling out something similar. Its eet has grown to 40 electric vehicles in little more than 12 months.
“What we’ve got now is some stability in the EV space whereas the equipment we bought back in 2019 is now end of life,” says Paul Kahlert, Chief Executive Of cer. “The big learnings we got there was while the equipment was hellishly expensive the end of life is the end of life. There’s not a market there for second-hand Frankenstein machines.”
One of the few bene ts to arise from COVID was the instant asset write-off
scheme which allowed businesses to eliminate those rst generation EV purchases off the balance sheet. With subsequent generations the BEV vehicles are becoming more reliable as All Purpose, which presently runs JAC and Hyundai light electric trucks and Ford and LDV electric vans, has found. Having OEM adjacent product helps.
“They are not modi ed vehicles and that’s been a big advantage to us,” says Paul. “We’ve now got good quality, reliability and dealer support.”
Previously, dealer support was limited. Now they can take a Ford eTransit to any Ford dealer in Australia where it can get xed and repaired and put back on the road.
“Also, if there is a fault with the equipment, Ford is very good a providing a replacement vehicle while the other equipment is repaired,” says Paul. “Beforehand it was on us to go out and get hire equipment and it was another cost to the whole operation as well.”
All Purpose Transport initially outlaid ten charging points at their depot in Berrinba. They’ve also got charging options at pickup points at IKEA stores and warehouses.
“What we’ve found, of the ten charging points we’ve put in, probably 60-70 per cent of them are used overnight,” says
Paul. “Now because of their size, the vehicles are going back to our owner drivers’ homes where they have set up charging.”
Some of these drivers have installed solar and batteries. During the day they ll up the battery before emptying it into the van overnight. From a running perspective, according to Paul, it’s reducing their vehicle’s running costs. “From a commercial point of view, it’s a good thing for them because they can offset those costs against their tax,” he says. “Setting up charging infrastructure for their business which is what they’re doing at home is all tax deductible as well.”
In Western Australia, Goldstar Transport were the rst carrier to introduce an electric truck into operations with the rst-generation Fuso eCanter
The business sent a cohort including Managing Director Sean Carren to the United States and Europe to get a better understanding of what was happening at the time in battery electric vehicles.
Sean views it as an opportunity to engage with the 25 and under demographic that road transport has struggled to attract in recent years.
“It’s about appealing to a different demographic in the transport realm and bringing them into the transport industry,” he says. “One of the challenges that you have with this is getting people on board. That younger demographic is really enthusiastic about the EV journey.”
Range anxiety, as it was at Goldstar Transport, is often a concern prone to a battery electric debutant in a eet. They were determined not to get caught out for lack of curiosity. A test, early on in deployment, was undertaken to drain the battery just to see how far the truck could travel under load and what would happen when it did and how to deal with such a scenario.
“It met with signi cant resistance through the process of rolling out that vehicle,” says Sean. “By the time we nished the trial everybody wanted to keep it.”
But it remains up to the transport provider to nd customers willing to share the commercial burden of
early adoption. Capital expenditure can be daunting. Solutions need to be built that can recover the cost of these investments which are almost three times that of an equivalent diesel truck. Though prices are slowly moving towards parity, there must be integration of many operational parts.
“Getting the right EV with the right person for the right task and you’ll end up with a successful outcome,” says Sean. “You’ll make a difference to the environment.”
He adds, “Without the people you won’t make it work.”
Infrastructure is no less a critical consideration for BEV integration. Mo acknowledges there are many barriers to the commercial application of battery electric vehicles in the country but believes the edge cases, of which ANC is one, can, all the same, empower momentum within the market. It’s for this reason he doesn’t attend electric vehicle summits any longer with much of the dialogue at the events circumventing around the one theme: it’s hard. Whether it be infrastructure, charging outlets or the barriers of insurance.
“It’s absolutely true and we’ve faced into all of those complexities,” he says. “How do we solve some of those? How do we turn barriers into opportunities? Public access charging for large format vehicles like vans and trucks, absolutely that’s challenging but we’re making do with what we have and we’re continuing to agitate at a local government level and at an ARENA level to solve some of those remaining barriers.”
While the bulk of their volume is on the eastern seaboard between New South Wales and Victoria, the eet has BEVs operating in all the major markets.
For the month of May, ANC reported it had moved 1.9 million kilograms of freight emissions free. That equates to ten per cent of all client deliveries. Broken down even further, the data reveals that they delivered 37,000 parcels on the BEV eet which travelled over 160,000 kilometres.
“For the month of June, we trended up from that with 13.3 per cent of
consignments EV deliveries,” says Mo. “We deployed a few more vehicles in Victoria. I’m con dent at the other end of the scale we’ll get north of 15 per cent in deliveries.”
Measured against inhouse targets, these are, at the very least, encouraging signs of gradual scale with plans in place to pivot where needed. The rst three vehicles in the ANC EV eet provided key discoveries of which they could put to use. For one, they didn’t have the right vehicle con guration for the freight pro le of the client. The LDV electric vans they were using were recon gured for last mile needs. Originally, the van had a 12-cubicmetre capacity featuring a 1.3-tonne payload with single rear ground tyres on a standard car licence. At that stage
it was really just a van that didn’t have an internal combustion engine. ANC modi ed the cab chassis so it would have dual rear tyres, additional traction stability, increased to an 88kWh battery for added range and 1.5 tonne payload then put a lightweight pantech body on it. That increased the 12-cubic-metre capacity to 20 cubic metres.
“In last mile, ef ciency and scale are paramount so you can do more product deliveries, take more vehicles off the road, and give clients the ability to shrink their eet size, making the economics of going green easier for them,” explains Mo. “That’s an ideal vehicle for us now. We’ll make another modi cation based on what we’ve learnt now to give us even more payload and cubic capacity. We’ve
An estimated 165 charging hubs will be needed to support an electri ed road freight industry according to a report released by AECOM. The report ‘Electrifying Road Freight’, a rst of its kind, commissioned by Australian Renewable Energy Agency outlines future pathways to transitioning the commercial road transport to electric vehicles. Since 2023, there has been a ve-fold increase in truck brands offering battery electric trucks in the market. Part of this sudden saturation is being driven by big box retailers such as Woolworths, Bunnings, IKEA and Coles as part of their CSR obligations particularly when it comes to the output of Scope 3 emissions. Collaboration and partnerships between corporates and their carrying partners is helping to support the adoption of lower emission trucks including the aggregation of loads to increase utilisation. One key recommendation in the report is to establish targeted funding and market support mechanisms to encourage freight eet electri cation and charging solutions to grow market capacity and con dence. As much of the industry is made up of small rms, the report recognised that many operators do not have access to a centralised depot or vehicle facility to charge overnight.
“A transition plan that relies on depot conversions would likely miss a large portion of the market,” the report stated. “This may cause future challenges as BEVs purchased by larger eets may not be attractive to smaller operators in the used vehicle market or could impact the residual value of eet vehicles.”
In accord, an onus to develop solutions allowing for operators to charge freight vehicles at other facilities either under a shared facility approach, or through access agreements with other facilities would be a necessary component of the transition. The study has developed a new assessment methodology,
standardised this vehicle now across our eet.”
ANC also runs 27 JAC N90 trucks with a payload of up to 9-tonnes. These are the latest generation in the series and arrived late last year.
At ANC, the customer solution is approached in a three-act structure — learn, plan and execute. For existing clients who want to pursue a BEV strategy, customers are advised to put a toe in the water according to Mo.
“Let’s not go crazy on day one and poach the whole eet,” he says. “Let’s take a percentage of your eet, let’s learn about your ESG goals, let’s understand what it is you want to achieve, and let’s understand your current carbon footprint and your emissions. Let’s plan to grow.”
drawing on freight movement datasets, energy forecast datasets, stakeholder input, and subject matter expert input to quantify energy demand in a fully electric freight future. While charging infrastructure likely remains a barrier to adoption without focused collaboration, including planning and support between government and industry, the report tables 21 discreet actions across ve key themes from demonstration projects, strategy & policy, market support and shaping, funding electri cation, infrastructure delivery. But it also cautions a strategic and phased approach to electri cation in light of the present ecosystem of eet cycling. It being imperative to align the transition to EVs with eet replacement dynamics, to minimise operational disruption, reduce upfront costs, and ensure that charging infrastructure and grid upgrades are delivered in time to support demand. A poorly coordinated transition could lead to infrastructure bottlenecks, underutilisation of new technologies, and increased costs for operators required to replace vehicles prematurely.
Initial use cases are, not surprisingly, primarily for urban freight given the back-to-base operating model. As such charging is expected to primarily occur at centralised depots, or at drivers’ individual homes. Hence the rise of a platform operating system provided by the supply side in contracted drivers especially while overnight charging remains the primary charging delivery systems allowing for relatively slower charging speeds.
“Feedback from industry has suggested that electri cation must also see support from clients,” the report states, noting that many freight vehicles spend extended time periods at client sites. “Clients themselves will need to be supported both nancially and to access knowledge as to how to best provide suitable charging equipment.”
There’s always a jumping off point. For a business with say, ve per cent Scope 3 emissions, they would look to deploy ve battery electric vehicles.
“Let’s prove to you that some of your deeply held assumptions might not be correct,” he says. “Then you scale up from there.”
Part of it is about nding ways to make the EV delivery relevant to the customer. “All of our EVs carry a badge. It’s signi cant in size. You can’t miss it. It says I’m an EV. We thank the customer and thank them for trying to make a difference. So that makes them feel good about the purchase. That in turn makes it relevant for the drive who we call a delivery professional. The driver gets treated well and that puts further incentive on them because it’s a virtuous circle, the more sales we can create for the merchant, the more deliveries we get, the more work the driver gets, the better the customer feels and the better for the environment and local community.”
All Purpose now has EVs travelling as far south as Byron Bay, as far west as Toowoomba and as far north as Noosa on a regular basis. Of its 40 EVs only eight are trucks. The rest are high cube vans which have similar volume capacity to the small trucks.
“What we’re nding now is you can charge those at shopping centres or at bp or at Ampol and you can get access because they’re very narrow spaces when it comes to charging,” says Paul. “The
trucks can’t necessarily get into charge because of their width but the vans don’t have an issue with the space provided.”
To service Byron Bay, the driver on that route, will drive down to Coolangatta. At the airport there is a fast charge. From there, the driver proceeds to Byron Bay and returns via Coolangatta for a fast charge and then onto Brisbane to preload for the next day.
All Purpose have been working on a target of 59 days to get 93 per cent of deliveries done for IKEA via their battery electric vehicles. As the vehicles are managed under fatigue management topup charging works within the parameters of rest breaks.
“Because you’re operating under these rules anyway, the allocators are actually building the runs, dropping them near a charging point and therefore the driver is then taking his mandatory rest while he’s doing it [charging]”, says Paul. “In the case of 15 minutes that’s a fast charge. He bangs in 20kW of electricity in those 15 minutes and what it gets him is another 50 or 100 kilometres. He can then sit down and get a full battery in that half hour on a fast charge. Then in the afternoon he tops it up on the way back.”
As a result, eet managers are now scheduling the charging with the rest breaks. The driver, in turn, looks to nd the closest charge point.
All Purpose Transport’s operations including its 18,000m2 warehouse all run independently ‘off-grid’ during
daylight hours. That reduces their emissions by 56 tonne C02 a month. While it’s not on par with what they produce in total as a eet it’s a good start. In the last 12 months a big shift has taken place in the reporting of ESG requirements for large global companies. IKEA is one of them. Their carrier partners are required to report their C02 usage downstream of that. Power capture such as solar, commercial battery, recycled water, are now the rule rather than the exception at most depots and warehouses. One of All Purpose’s customers have opened a new warehouse and involved it in the decision-making process of where to locate the EV charging station.
“A lot of people make the mistake of putting the EV chargers in the carpark,” says Paul. “That’s completely useless for us. So logically, the best place for an EV charger is to be at the loading point. Therefore, what they’ve done is put three-phase plugs in all of the loading points. It’s not dock height but level oor, but they’ve put three-phase plugs along the wall there in preparation to retro t a charger.”
While vehicles are sitting there being loaded, which takes about 45 minutes, it permits an opportunistic charge for the driver. Staff, under this model, can utilise the chargers for Teslas and other EV passenger cars during the day but at nighttime the trucks can bene t from access by having two different types of charging scenarios.
All Purpose is already in conversations to replicate something similar with another customer on the south side with a view of swinging a truck in there and paying a fee for service. Charge Fox, for instance, uses an RFID card. IKEA has installed charge station in a third-party warehouse. The chargers, however, are charge as you go. That encourages third parties to come into the warehouse to use the charging facilities.
“They then get a commercial return on that as well,” says Paul. “What you’re starting to see is when people are designing warehouses they’re thinking where do I put the EV plugs.”
CFC’s Group Manager of Corporate A airs and Sustainability, Hamish McHa e, talks Centurion’s o -grid electri cation e orts, hurdles to energy transition and more.
Prime Mover: What are Centurion’s next steps towards the electri cation of its operations across Australia?
Hamish McHaffie: The next steps are likely to be in the context of the larger capacity trucks that will be coming on the market in the coming years. There’s going to be an opportunity for Centurion to look at what those large-capacity trucks will be able to service — in terms of what can be achieved with regards to distance that the trucks can travel and tonnes they can carry — potentially what it would like for Centurion’s Southwest operations in Western Australia. We’re also starting to think about how to bring electri cation into Centurion’s Queensland-based operations. We’ll also align with OEM activities as their timing to market will be a key factor in our approach to electri cation across Australia.
PM: How quickly are the processes and systems involved in this scale of electri cation evolving or advancing?
HM: It depends on the operation, as there are going to be off-grid and on-grid solutions. For Centurion’s electri cation project, we went with the off-grid solution to accelerate our program and to develop a project that wouldn’t be held up in approvals with connecting to the local grid network. The reality with Australia is there’s going to be both grid-connected and off-grid systems, in particular when thinking of solutions for more remote parts of the country. The scale of these systems will differ — they won’t all need to be substantial charging hubs like we’ll see in the metro areas. I’m sure we’ll nd that smaller, more
bespoke applications will have a place in the evolving electri cation technology for the transport sector. Governments and fuel suppliers are also going to play a signi cant role in the scale and speed of electri cation too. Electri cation strategies will be speci c and tailored towards the amount of activity for the operating environment.
PM: In a similar vein, what do you think are the biggest hurdles preventing eet operators from making a transition to electri cation?
HM: A large element of it is the cost of the trucks and depending on the application, the cost of the energy. In some situations, operators are purchasing a truck for a third of the price of an electric one. Again, depending on the application, energy storage and charging infrastructure can be fairly expensive. Obviously, the level of scale for an electri cation also plays a major role in the cost factor — for example eet solutions might be a stretch for many businesses, however, pilot projects of one or two trucks charging from the grid, are a great starting point.
PM: Can you expand further on Ralton Benn’s idea of the importance of people in eet electri cation processes?
HM: Effective stakeholder management is key for a successful project, including the development of operating practices and integrating new approaches to eet management. It’s important to support stakeholders and understand all their respective roles in managing eet electri cation
— from guring out the best solution to manage costs, to integrating the solution with existing operations — all these aspects have been critical. Without supportive stakeholders, you cannot get the best outcome for integrating the technology. Depot, eet and asset managers, drivers, maintenance teams — everyone has important and valuable contributions.
PM: What advice would you give to any eets looking to make this transition to electri cation?
HM: It would be for a business to prioritise the right solution based on service demand and the technological solutions available. There is a whole range of solutions available when switching over to electri cation. I don’t think it’s a good idea to rush in selecting the rst truck and charger available, because ultimately that decision needs to be integrated into a business’s wider energy transition strategy. Once you think of these smaller decisions in the context of the larger ones, your mission and strategy become much clearer.
A semi traverses a bridge in Canada.
Josh Diyn is the Assistant Chief Engineer at the NHVR and brings a practical approach to his role, having worked in resources industries as well as truck body builders.
Performance-Based Standards (PBS) allows the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to test cutting edge equipment not available to other international jurisdictions. Josh Diyn is on the frontier of these developments.
Prime Mover: What attracted you to the role with the NHVR?
Josh Diyn: I’m big on dynamics and what we do in the Of ce of the Chief Engineer is a lot of dynamics involving simulation and performance assessment. We’re working with a huge variety of different vehicles, operators, and designers. It’s innovative work helping people get access and investigating new ways to improve safety. When I started it was just Les Bruzsa [NHVR Chief Engineer] and I came on to give him a hand and since then, because we’ve had so much work coming in, we’ve built the team to nine engineers.
PM: You get to work with innovations which arguably lead the world. Is there anything internationally that has grabbed your attention?
JD: Les and I were recently in Canada for the Heavy Vehicle Transport and Technology Symposium. Leading researchers from North America and Europe were there presenting all the interesting latest and greatest stuff that’s going on. Les gave his presentation on PBS in Australia and there were a lot of comments about how good it is to get an immediate sustainability outcome because you don’t need the infrastructure required by electric vehicles. For a lot of these North American and European people their research was just pumping huge amounts of work into EVs requiring massive investments in infrastructure. They were impressed with how we can get an immediate 30-ish per cent improvement by switching
to a High Productivity Vehicle. In Canada, we looked at the integration of technology, not just on the truck but into regulatory factors and we’re doing some of that here using AI and cameras.
PM: Is there anything of particular note?
JD: The investment that’s going into simulation prior to build is huge, so there is now a much greater interest and a greater trust in the use of modelling. PBS in a sense relies very much upon engineers’ modelling on desktops and using simulation programs for calculations. But there is sometimes still some reluctance to allow the vehicle access on a particular road, so we’ll be asked to run some modelling and then do a eld test.
PM: Will that help with factors such as bridge assessments?
JD: One of the things holding Canada
back for access was bridge assessment. They were using a lot of technology in order to gure ways around that but, once they got to a bridge, it was still similar to what we’ve got here in that it can be still an unknown. We have structural engineering teams performing huge amounts of bridge assessments across Australia and we may be at the forefront of a lot of these things, but our investment is not at the same level as what’s going on over there.
PM: Is there a change in focus occurring?
JD: By utilising a greater integration of on-board technology, autonomous platooning is the big talk of the town for many researchers, whether or not it actually comes through in a practical reality. Such integration was something I saw being rolled out on a much bigger scale over there, using things like LIDAR [Light Detection And Ranging] technology for assisting on-road scanning and performing estimates of masses on the vehicle and linking that in with bridge warnings. Big data was an area that also had a bit of interest. Trucks talking to each other across different trucks, operators, and routes, by having their telematics feed into each other and integrating AI on-board. I nd all that stuff very interesting, but I think I would like to see it tried and tested in simulations. Some of these ideas are nice but they don’t always work. We’re in a good spot because we get to test this stuff in Australia through PBS in a way that some other countries can’t.
PM: What else has got you excited?
JD: Another thing I took inspiration from in Canada was split or spread axles on trailers. Here they are few and far between, but over there they’re commonplace. Canada’s heavy vehicle sector is very bridge-orientated. I questioned one of the researchers about platooning and why not just expand out to an A-double or a B-double or triple and their response was the ‘bridge guys will never allow it’.
PM: From an engineering perspective what do you see as the challenges over the next few years?
JD: I think the use of AI is probably a big one in the sense of guring it out, using it well, but still not outsourcing our critical thinking skills. That may work in some situations, but I think one of the challenges is getting engineers who understand how and where to apply their critical thinking and using AI as a tool. It’s like a screwdriver. It doesn’t build the thing for you.
PM: What makes a good engineer?
JD: Good engineers are disciplined, exible and are able to be adaptable, which requires critical thinking and a exible mindset. You don’t really get that from behind a computer. It requires a bit of mentoring and industry work. The challenge is having a culture of engineers who are good critical thinkers, self-re ective, questioning their own work, and don’t just take what the computer spits out. Does that actually accord with reality? It’s probably a challenge
that’s always been there, but it’s just taken on a different colour with the rise of AI.
PM: Will AI play an increased role?
JD: Something which excites me about what I’ve seen with AI is its use for goal seeking performance, so large scale simulations involving PBS can show if the vehicle has met certain performance markers and will gain certain access, bringing productivity bene ts. I’m excited in seeing what’s to come in the use of AI to have a large-scale goal seeking simulation approach, where you tell it ‘hey I want to meet this particular capability’ and run all the different variations such as axle spacing and making sure we meet the requirements of factors such as swept paths. We’ll run hundreds of thousands of simulations for law changes and similar things here but it’s all brute force: check this permutation, then check the next permutation and then the next. AI can pick up which one it should focus on. It’s a good thing if used well.
While the commercial road transport industry is seemingly struggling to attract fresh and hard-working blood, Rhys Rutland has proven to be an exception — rising through the ranks of Josies Transport with no end in sight.
Rhys Rutland is something of a man out of time. While serving the trucking sector with great success as a youthful newcomer, the work ethic he practices is born from what seem to be more traditional views of the industry. These views on the world of trucking and those within it were largely shaped by Rhys’ upbringing.
Rhys, not unlike what was once more typical of the transport domain, hails from an operational pedigree: his father was an interstate truck driver while his great uncle once owned his own
transport out t in Bendigo, Victoria. These gures lived and breathed their work around Rhys, instilling in him a deep respect and pride for the job that helped instill a steadfast commitment.
“My earliest memories of the transport industry are those of my father,” Rhys recalls. “He drove for several years to support his kids and the family. I’d spend holidays with him in the truck, and it was in those moments that I saw how much effort the role truly required. It’s an entire lifestyle that does come at a cost.”
From that point, Rhys became attracted to trucks and keen to meet the challenges
that come with operating them.
“Where I come from, there is real pride in being an operator and the hard work that comes with handling big machinery that is out there to support Australians around the country,” he says. “My father taught me that working hard would give you a leg-up in life and that’s true to this day.”
Lessons were learned and soon turned into a relentless ambition. After weighing up career paths he arrived at Josies Transport Group, a general freight specialist based in Lara, Victoria, where he worked as a driver.
A critical lesson in the merits of maintaining discipline was chief among the virtues he adopted, echoing wisdom passed down from his father. Rhys honed his passion for the job into a strict schedule, which would allow him to uphold both his work responsibilities and his own personal commitments. The devoted approach boosted performance. Con dence, too, while his hard work provided further opportunities for growth.
“I got a lot of con dence when receiving positive feedback from old school operators who were not too dissimilar to the guys I grew up around as a kid,” he says. “The way I operated back then, and the way I operate now, align with what the industry requires.”
By the same token, when opportunities to learn and improve present themselves, Rhys draws on discipline to stay focused, learn and execute them accordingly.
“When things got hard and when I made mistakes, I doubled down on the work that had to be done to improve myself,” he says. “That’s how I got better.”
As a younger employee, something else became apparent: he was an anomaly among his peers. Everyone else was much older. To Rhys, he diagnosed the demographic shortfall as a lack of resilience.
“I felt like so many of the younger people that came through the industry with me didn’t have the ability to take any negative feedback in a productive way, while they were all chasing positive feedback at the same time,” he re ects. “It never allowed them to develop. On the other hand, I would challenge what I thought was wrong, but I took my shortcomings as chances to grow — embracing feedback as an opportunity.” He adds, “That behaviour is so integral to being successful — being able to take something on the chin and be better because of it.”
Additionally, Rhys felt that his own reverence for the bygone era of the trucking world and its operators was out of place with those around him.
“I think back to the old-school operators I was around when I was a kid,” he recalls. “Those guys knew how to pull a truck apart and put it back together again. People were interested and proud. But it’s not like that any more. Truck driving just seems like a means to an end to many younger people instead of a respected career.”
After a little over a year as a full-time driver at Josies Transport, Rhys was offered a Junior Fleet Controller position, supporting two senior allocators and making critical decisions for the business. Two years in this position led Rhys to an opportunity at the end of 2021, where he became a Driver Personnel Manager. This undertaking marked a pivotal shift in his career development.
“Taking this role came with a particular change in myself,” he recalls. “As a full time manager, I started to see more in myself that others had already seen in me. I think I really became a leader in the work I was doing, and with that came a great sense of pride and responsibility to give back to the team at Josies Transport.”
At the time he was entrusted to become a senior gure in the eet room, the business underwent major transitions including the completion of an acquisition, the construction of a new site and the industry-wide challenge of COVID-19. All of it a test. Over seven months, Rhys worked tirelessly to secure operators, move unprecedented amounts of volume and procure the necessary resources for transport before being approached for the role of Transport Manager. Two years in this position led to a one-year stint as the General Manager of Operations at the start of 2024. And in February of this year, Rhys was awarded the role of General Manager of Josies Transport — a demanding role which the 28-year-old has embraced. The industry, according to Rhys, is in dire need of fresh blood. “Although the transport industry has become quite challenging for the right reasons, such as its added legislation and mandatory regulatory
requirements, the spirit behind it has been disappearing for quite some time,” he says. “We need young drivers who love what they do and give it their all. There needs to be more rigour around the job.”
Pigeonholing drivers merely as applicants who have sat a one- to two-day course is part of a bigger issue according to Rhys.
“A truck driver needs to wholly commit to the role with a sense of pride, through formal industry training and education,” he says. “From this, the industry will generate better quality operators and reduce public risk. We need this now more than ever as Australia’s need for trucks keeps growing.”
To the prospective next wave of young truck drivers coming through, Rhys offers some advice as someone not far into their own career.
“Anything that’s worthwhile is never easy,” he says. “This perspective got me to where I am today and is necessary for success. Hard work and a tenacious attitude will shine above all else.”
NEMANJA MILETIC
In the world of freight transport, the humble trailer is nally getting a tech-savvy upgrade. Across Australia, a quiet innovation is gaining traction: electric trailer axles. They are not just adding horsepower—they are changing the rules of road ef ciency and sustainability.
Before Australian highways caught wind of the idea, Europe was already paving the way. The TRANSFORMERS project in the EU was a forward-thinking initiative aimed at making freight transport more energy-ef cient and sustainable. It focused on redesigning trucks and trailers to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions — hopefully, without needing to change existing EU regulations. Apart from experimenting with adaptive aerodynamics, it did
include a trailer-mounted electric system that recovers energy during braking and provides extra power when needed. The TRANSFORMERS project involved 13 partners from six European countries and took place between 2013-2017. Electric trailer axles integrate electric motors directly into the axle assembly, allowing trailers to become active participants in propulsion and energy management. Unlike traditional passive trailers, e-axle-equipped trailers can:
• Recover energy through regenerative braking
• Provide supplemental torque to assist the prime mover
• Power auxiliary systems like refrigeration units.
There are two main types:
• Recuperating e-axles: Converting
kinetic energy to electrical during motion.
• Drive and retarding e-axles: Provide propulsion and braking support. E-axles vary in design and complexity:
• Motor types: Synchronous motors are simpler but less ef cient; asynchronous motors offer variable speed and better energy use; Switched Reluctance Motors (SRMs), as used on TRAKr, are more compact and cost effective.
• Cooling systems: Options include water, air, or oil cooling, each with trade-offs in weight, cost, and ef ciency.
• Drive styles: Single-motor setups require gearboxes; dual-motor systems allow direct drive to each side.
Australia’s transport industry is experimenting with new electric axles on trailers. While fully electric prime movers remain a long-term prospect, electric trailer axles (e-axles) have emerged as a viable transitional technology that delivers measurable ef ciency gains without requiring full vehicle electri cation.
Core bene ts for eet operators are:
• Improved fuel ef ciency: Reduced load strain on prime movers translates to lower diesel consumption.
• Reduced emissions: reduced carbon footprint.
• Regenerative Braking: Captures energy on descents and during
braking; acting as additional ‘retarder’. Retardation from the rear offers stability bene ts by reducing trailer ‘over-run’.
• Refrigeration Support: Enables selfpowered cooling units without diesel generators.
• Accessories power: Batteries could provide energy for any electric accessory (e.g. tailgate, forklift, air blower, heating element, etc.). However, there are impediments to the trailer electri cation. To name some:
• Regulatory Boundaries: There is no current heavy vehicle registration category for a driven trailer. The ADRs de ne a trailer as a pulled vehicle. Yet, recent pilot programs are exploring rule amendments and broader utility (e.g. HVIA initiative).
• Overseas developed technology: The European designs are mainly available in wide-single tyres (often called ‘super-singles’). Despite obvious bene ts, Australian regulations limit the allowable axle mass for wide single tyres, making
them a tough sell for operators. Fleet managers and advocacy groups are now pushing for updated laws — ones that re ect modern tyre technology, not legacy assumptions. At least in urban areas.
Some notable Australian early adopters should be applauded:
Primary Connect, Woolworths’ logistics arm, already has 25 refrigerated trailers tted with SAF-Holland’s TRAKr e-axles. These units power refrigeration van cooling systems independently, cutting diesel use and emissions in chilled freight.
A partnership between QTRS, an Australian supplier of transport refrigeration equipment and services, SolarEdge e-Mobility, a European provider of e-motors and TMC, Australian axles and suspensions supplier, has resulted in Australia’s rst solar-powered e-axle trailer being trialled on Queensland roads.
In Western Australia, companies like Ace Off-Grid Electrics and Mobile Audio Engineering are retro tting
traditional trailers with electric braking systems, regenerative capabilities, and auxiliary battery setups.
The future of smart trailers in Australia looks bright—and electric. Industry giants like BPW, ZF, and SAF-Holland are doubling down on R&D, while regulatory bodies consider modernising laws that unlock wider adoption. This will result in:
• More hybrid-electric eets, using trailers to boost ef ciency and lower emissions.
• Integrated data systems, turning trailers into rolling sensors and energy hubs.
• Semi-autonomous trailers, leveraging AI to optimise braking, weight distribution, and energy ow. As one insider quipped, “The trailer used to be a drag. Now, it’s intelligent, responsive and electric.”
ARTSA-Institute Life Member, Nemanja Miletic is the Product, Engineering and Technical Manager of SAF-Holland Australia.
By any measure, Australia’s economy is powered by its roads. From farm gates to factory oors, the national road freight sector is the invisible engine behind supply chains, regional development, and urban commerce. Yet, while the nation debates energy policy, housing, and digital transformation, we’ve all but ignored a quieter crisis: the declining productivity of Australia’s truck eet. If we’re serious about lifting national productivity, this is where we must start.
The Truck Industry Council’s submission to the National Productivity Roundtable lays bare a disturbing truth: we are hauling the future, on vehicles built in the past. One in five trucks will be more than 27 years old by 2030. A third of the national fleet will be over 23 years old. These are not just numbers, they are a rolling liability for productivity, safety, and sustainability. Why does this matter? Because old trucks break down more often, consume more fuel, and lack basic modern safety technologies. In contrast, ADR80/04 (Euro VI) compliant trucks, the global benchmark, are cleaner, safer, and smarter. They come equipped with predictive maintenance systems, autonomous emergency braking, electronic stability control, and digital diagnostics.
The data tells a compelling story. Trucks over 20 years old are up to five times more likely to be involved in a serious crash. Their downtime is 40–60 per cent higher. Their maintenance costs can be nearly double those of modern trucks. These inefficiencies compound across a national network. Every hour lost to a breakdown, every crash that sidelines a driver, or blocks a road, every delivery that misses its window, these are direct hits to Australia’s economic output. And yet, the policy conversation remains fixated on pricing levers, tweaks to road user charges, minor reforms to infrastructure cost recovery. These are important but inadequate. We are trying to run a modern economy with an outdated freight fleet, hamstrung by structural and regulatory inertia. There are four levers the government can pull, urgently and decisively. First, we must modernise the national truck fleet. This won’t happen on goodwill alone. The capital cost of fleet renewal is high, and many operators, especially small to mediumsized businesses, are already squeezed by thin margins and distorted freight contracts. The government should consider targeted retirement schemes, accelerated depreciation incentives, or direct grants for clean, high-productivity trucks. This is not about handouts. It’s about removing economic drag from the supply chain. Second, harmonise mass and dimension regulations across jurisdictions. Right now, a truck that is permitted in New South Wales may be illegal in Victoria, or Queensland. These inconsistencies are a productivity killer. Worse still, current regulations are biased toward protecting road assets rather than encouraging performance-based vehicle design. The outcome? Safer, cleaner, more ef cient trucks are effectively penalised, not promoted. Third, x the market failures in freight
contracting. Many operators are caught between powerful freight buyers and low-margin contracts that leave no room for reinvestment. If we want safer roads and cleaner trucks, we need pricing mechanisms that re ect the true cost of service and reward investment in productivity and safety. Time-based delivery charges, emissions-linked road pricing, and productivity-based access charges are all tools that could help rebalance the market.
Fourth, embed safety technologies as standard. Crashes are not just personal tragedies; they are productivity catastrophes. Lost hours, damaged goods, insurance claims, and operational disruption all ripple through the economy. Mandating proven safety systems, like AEB, lane departure warnings, fatigue monitoring, and ESC, would cut crash rates and maximise fleet utilisation. This is not a wish list. It is a call to action grounded in data, economic logic, and national interest. The Truck Industry Council’s 2025 National Truck Plan provides a clear roadmap. The question is whether governments have the will to follow it. Australia stands at a crossroads. We can keep patching a system built for a bygone era, or we can invest in a freight future that is faster, safer, cleaner, and more productive. The productivity of our economy rides on the back of trucks. It’s time to make sure all those trucks are fit for purpose.
The Albanese Government, in collaboration with states and industry, has an opportunity to lead a generational shift. The reward is not just lower freight costs. It is a more resilient economy, safer roads, and a cleaner environment. That’s a future worth driving toward.
Tony McMullan CEO, Truck Industry Council
The transport, freight, and logistics sector is the engine room of Australia’s economy — moving goods, connecting communities, and underpinning every supply chain from agriculture to retail. Yet despite its critical role, the industry continues to be sidelined in national policy discussions, hampered by outdated regulations, skills shortages, and fragmented infrastructure planning. It’s time for a reset.
Australia’s heavy vehicle licensing system remains inconsistent and outdated. Despite multiple reviews —dating back to 1996 and again in 2013 — there is still no nationally standardised training and licencing framework. This failure not only undermines safety but also deters new entrants from joining the industry. Reform must be fast-tracked to ensure drivers are properly trained, assessed, and supported from day one. The average age of a truck driver in Australia is now over 47.
Without urgent investment in skills development and training pathways, the industry faces a protracted workforce crisis. We need nationally funded programs that promote transport careers to younger Australians, including school-based apprenticeships, TAFE partnerships, and targeted incentives for women and underrepresented groups. The future
of freight depends on a pipeline of skilled, motivated professionals. Australia’s freight task is growing, but our infrastructure is not keeping pace. Better integration between road, rail, and port networks is essential to reduce congestion, lower emissions, and improve delivery times. Policy must prioritise investment in intermodal hubs, last mile connectivity, and digital freight corridors that enable seamless movement of goods across modes and borders.
The industry is not asking to cut corners. It is asking for smarter regulation that supports both productivity and safety. This includes reforming the Heavy Vehicle National Law to re ect modern operating conditions, reducing red tape, and enabling the use of high-productivity vehicles where appropriate. Safety outcomes improve when operators are empowered with the right tools, training, and technology — not when they’re buried in bureaucracy. Despite its $140+ billion contribution to the national economy, the transport sector still lacks a dedicated voice at the Cabinet table. While the current Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, has demonstrated commendable leadership and commitment to the sector, the breadth of her portfolio means that transport-speci c issues often compete
for attention among other priorities. A dedicated Federal Minister for Transport – focused solely on freight, logistics, and supply chain resilience – is essential to ensure that the unique challenges and opportunities of this vital industry are addressed with the urgency and strategic focus they deserve. Such a role would elevate transport policy to a national priority, enabling more responsive decisionmaking, better coordination across jurisdictions, and stronger advocacy for the sector’s needs within government. The road freight industry is not asking for special treatment. It is asking for recognition, reform, and respect. We need governments – federal and state – to move beyond consultation and deliver real outcomes. That means implementing national heavy vehicle licensing reform, investing in skills and training to attract the next generation, prioritising intermodal infrastructure and connectivity, supporting productivity through smarter regulation, and appointing a dedicated Federal Transport Minister.
The time for talk is over. The time for action is now. Let’s work together to build a safer, more ef cient, and more resilient transport system — one that re ects the vital role this industry plays in every Australian life.
Peter Anderson CEO, VTA
The challenges facing many operators in the Australian road transport industry are re ected in the Truck Industry Council’s sales results for the month of July 2025. The costs of doing business continue to escalate with the national minimum wage increased by 3.5 per cent since 1 July, at the same time as the superannuation guarantee rose to 12 per cent. Other rising costs include ASIC fees, tolls and the effects of having interest on tax debts no longer considered deductable. It seems the only factors not increasing are rates, and as a concerning number of transport operators close their doors or have them closed by secured creditors it is no wonder that many operators are reluctant to invest in new equipment.
It should be kept in mind that 2024 was the third straight year for record truck sales in Australia and 2025’s results are being compared with a relatively strong base.
July’s TIC results show a total of 2,867 new units, compared with 3,020 during July 2024 (-5.1 per cent) and the overall year-to-date (YTD) total of 19,930 is 3,058 less than for the same period last year (-13.3 per cent).
The Heavy Duty truck category achieved 1,118 new units, 132 less than for the corresponding month in 2024 (-10.6 per cent), taking the YTD to 8,261 units, 1,758 less than at the end of last July (-17.5 per cent).
Medium Duty trucks ticked up 531 new units during this July, 91 less than July last year (-14.6 per cent) and taking the YTD to 4,229 which is 430 less when compared with the corresponding period in 2024 (-9.2 per cent).
The Light Duty category went slightly against the July trend with 1,218 new units for the month, 71 more than during July 2024 (+6.2 per cent), which took the YTD to 7,440 which is still 870 less than for the rst seven months of last year (-10.5 per cent).
The sales of large vans reached 763 for July, 114 less than for the same month in 2024 (-13 per cent) and the YTD of 6,282 for the category at the end of July 2025 shows 324 less (-4.9 per cent).
In the USA the Trump administration, through its EPA, is proposing to scrap the nation’s green-house gas (GHG) targets, leaving engine manufacturers either delighted or dismayed, depending on what efforts they have put so far into meeting the
