Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 301 i Owner Driver

THE JANUARY 16 fatal accident on the Newell Highway north of Dubbo, New South Wales, where two people died and another 10 were injured, has again brought the call from trigger-happy politicians to take aim at trucks and suggest further restrictions be placed on an already over-scrutinised industry. The accident came about when a semi-trailer carrying concrete barriers hit a line of stationary cars and a B-double which were queued at road works about 20km north of Dubbo. It is understood that the semi-trailer driver did not heed the 40km/h warning signs early enough and failed to slow down sufficiently in time to enable a safe stopping distance when he came over a crest towards the road works. Some truck drivers familiar with the area informed Owner//Driver that the crest…

FOLLOWING THE success of the National Transport Insurance (NTI) 1946 International K5 restoration last year, which raised much-needed funds for motor neurone disease, the insurer has put the call out to the trucking industry for help finding their next project. NTI says in order to be considered, the truck needs to be available for restoration and, at the very least, have a cab and chassis. The insurer suggests that the truck may be sitting in a backyard or possibly seen in a truck graveyard somewhere. “We’d also like you to tell us where you think the truck should live once it has been restored to its former glory. Maybe a heritage museum or regional town centre?” NTI says. “Our aim is for the truck to be restored, donated to the…

IN DECEMBER last year a video filmed in North Fremantle showing two cyclists being passed closely by a truck. The cyclist involved in the incident reportedly received a lot of abusive messages as debate about who was at fault raged on. The truck was also accused by many of not obeying Western Australia’s one metre rule, requiring vehicles to allow cyclists one metre of space in a 60km/h zone and 1.5m at speeds higher than 60km/h. A second video in January showed a road train closely passing cyclists on Canning Road in Kalamunda, stirring another online debate. The majority of commentary on the video sided with the truck driver, with many calling to have cyclists banned from major truck arterials where it’s not always possible to provide the 1.5 metres…

IT IS THE time of year again. Across most businesses, half-yearly budgets are being assessed and contracts evaluated for profitability rolling into the new year. It might not come as a surprise to you that alongside these assessments, around this time of year NatRoad receives a notable increase in redundancy enquiries. While workplace relation laws do not stop employers from making workers redundant, there are steps that need to be followed to ensure that you aren’t left in a difficult situation. Sometimes these steps include ensuring you’ve calculated and arranged payment of additional monies, such as leave balances and any redundancy pay entitlements. Redundancy is defined as a situation where an employer decides that the job the employee was doing does not need to be done by anyone. It is…

I’VE BEEN thinking about how electronic work diaries (EWD) will be with us sooner rather than later. For an old bloke like me, the thought of having to work this sort of thing is a bit mindboggling. Yeah, I’m a bit of a dinosaur, but I know plenty of younger operators that really worry about compulsory EWDs as well. That’s not on the cards yet, but you don’t have to be a genius to foresee mandatory tracking and EWDs as commonplace in transport one day. The cost to small operators, who are the backbone of the industry and make up at least 70 per cent of the numbers, will be another thing that makes it even harder to attract skilled young drivers into our industry. And I wonder if all…

WINNERS 2018 Various artists Universal Music www.getmusic.com.au This 34-track double CD is a sample of Australia’s established and fresh country talent. All 2018 Country Music Awards of Australia finalists are here, including the January 27 winners. Sister trio The McClymonts, who scored three gongs at Tamworth, perform the upbeat ‘House’, while Travis Collins and Amber Lawrence sing their winning collaboration ‘Our Backyard’. Alternative country album winner Kasey Chambers sings ‘Satellite’ and teams with Paul Kelly for bluegrass track ‘Hey’. Tom Curtain, with guest vocalist Luke O’Shea, struck gold with ‘Never Never Land’, while rising star Aleyce Simmonds sings ‘Some Things Never Change’. Other winners include Ashleigh Dallas, Brad Butcher and Shane Nicholson. WILD & FREE Vanessa Delaine Independent www.vanessadelaine.com New Zealand-bred Australian singer-songwriter Vanessa Delaine has been under the radar…

IT’S MID-MORNING on a brick-hard stretch of dirt an hour or so out of Charleville. Already, the air is a furnace. That heavy, sapping heat, sucking moisture from every pore. In the mirrors, bleached dust blooms into cauldron clouds, and all around it seems nature has once again decreed a scorched earth summer for much of south-west Queensland. Christmas is less than a fortnight away and, for many farming families in this part of the world, life remains fiercely tough. Few probably have greater understanding of just how tough than Brian Egan. Co-founder of the Aussie Helpers Charity based in Charleville, Brian and wife Nerida have, for the past 15 years or so, dedicated themselves to alleviating at least some of the stress of a drought-stricken existence. Or, more simply…

MAKING CHANGES to national rules based on the road safety statistics of New South Wales will not be fair, the South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) says. SARTA executive officer Steve Shearer questions the validity of statements made by industry representative bodies and other members who are calling for national policy reform following a spate of truck crashes in NSW recently. The Australian Logistics Council (ALC), the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and Toll Group MD Michael Byrne have demanded government action that addresses the issue of road safety on a national level and not just in NSW, which saw more crashes during the recent holiday period compared with other states and territories. “Why should the rest of the country march to the beat of the NSW drum … when it…

THE NHVR has approved a user-friendly exemption to allow drivers of fatigue-related heavy vehicles additional time for personal use. NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto says the Personal Use Exemption would allow operators more flexibility with up to one hour of personal use of a heavy vehicle outside their regulated driving hours. “We undertook extensive consultation with the heavy vehicle industry last September and October on a proposal to allow personal use of a heavy vehicle,” Petroccitto explains. “This allows us to expand on a similar scheme which currently exists in NSW to Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.” The exemption must be used for private or noncommercial activities, such as reaching suitable sleeping accommodation and restocking supplies for a trip. The NHVR received 60 submissions during the month-long consultation…

MENTAL HEALTH and suicide prevention organisation OzHelp will extend its life-saving programs to the transport industry to help vulnerable drivers. OzHelp will aim to improve the wellbeing of professional drivers and other personnel through mental health support and practical skill programs – a task earlier handled by the Trans-Help Foundation. “After seeing what OzHelp have provided to other industries, Trans-Help has decided to close their doors and make way for OzHelp to provide their services to the transport industry, taking it to a new level,” Trans-Help founder Di Carroll says. OzHelp has had a strong presence in the construction and mining industries. “Over time we have seen increased demand for accessible evidence-based mental health services and suicide prevention education programs in many Australian workplaces,” OzHelp CEO Tony Holland says. OzHelp…

IT IS ASTOUNDING how out of touch some of our nation’s politicians and some in our industry are on the problem of increased deaths from truck crashes. After a spate of horrific truck crashes and official statistics showing a huge spike in truck crash deaths, there was a rush of empty and ill-advised words on the problem. NSW Minister for Transport Melinda Pavey led the way, trumpeting technology where drivers “get an electric shock if they look away from the windscreen for more than two seconds”. This attracted marked criticism not just from drivers but from the general public, appalled that a government minister could consider this an appropriate way for the nation’s drivers to be treated. Ms Pavey also seemed entirely out of touch with the realities of life…

RMS not concerned with safety My name’s Joe. I have travelled and worked driving heavy vehicles mostly up and down the Newell Highway for nearly 30 years. So I have a pretty good relationship with the inspectors at Forbes and Dubbo; a bit of a regular. Like most of my fellow drivers I have been on the end of fines that sometimes seem ridiculous: not marking the day, forgot to put my driver’s base in, etc. With the increasing accidents in our industry I have to have a say about something I found out recently from the boys at Forbes. Since they have put in the weighbridge there I was noticing they don’t check my work diary, licence registration or load much anymore. They weigh me then wave me on.…

ANOTHER FESTIVE season has been and gone. Millions of Aussies have had a ball but too many others have been savaged by tragedy. I’m referring particularly to those souls who have suffered from road trauma. Richard Blackburn, editor of News Corp’s motoring lift-out, made a comment posted in Queensland’s Courier-Mail on January 4 in the article ‘Pollies speeding to wrong solution’. Richard is critical of policing “soft targets” – international tourists; drivers exceeding the posted speed limits by small amounts and such trivialities. To that end I am in agreement. However, a lot of the rest of his comments I feel are missing the point. Richard seems to be suggesting that the take-up of new vehicles on offer with more up-to-date technology is an avenue that needs addressing in the…

AFTER TRYING his hand at a long list of ventures, Alf Di Salvo has found success as a car carrier in Cairns in Queensland’s tropical north. The size of his fleet fluctuates with demand, but today he runs a 2016 Scania G440 as a seven-car carrier and an Isuzu 750 as a four-car carrier. He also has two Isuzu 600 tilt tray tow trucks. Customer service has been a key to his success. “It’s okay having customers but you’ve got to keep them happy,” Alf says. “You’ve got to provide a service and don’t be outrageous with your prices. And you know you’ve got a customer for life.” Alf, who trades as Alfies Towing, likes car carrying because his customers are always happy. “They’re happy when I’m picking up cars…

SPIRIT OF THE HUME TRUCK DISPLAY February 17 & 18, 2018. Broadford, Victoria Held at The Common in Piper St, Broadford. Admission 1 day pass $10, 2 day pass $15. Children under 14 free. Feature event buffet dinner dance on Saturday, February 17 at the Broadford Shire Hall - $40 pp, with guest speaker and auction. For further info call HCVCA president Alan Taylor on 0425 718 191, email spiritofthehume@hotmail.com or see the HCVCA website or the event’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/spiritofthehume EAST GIPPSLAND CONVOY FOR KIDS March 3, 2018, Lakes Entrance, Vic Convoys start at Traralgon and Orbost at 7.30am en route to the Great Lakes Airfield at Lakes Entrance. All trucks welcome. Show ‘n’ Shine, charity auction, live music, carnival rides, face painting, merch stalls. All proceeds to…

It wasn’t quite as big as the all-time record of 2007, but it wasn’t far off either, with 36,825 new trucks and heavy vans hitting the Australian market in 2017. Strongest of all was the heavy-duty sector with a touch over 12,000 deliveries, followed by light-duty with 11,628 units, and a comparatively lacklustre medium-duty category notching 7312. But when the numbers are dissected, who was able to make the most of a big year for business and who wasn’t? Starting at the top, no one will be knocked off their chair by the fact that Isuzu was once again the overall market leader, delivering 8898 trucks across all three categories and, in the process, notching 29 consecutive years at the head of the Australian market. Truly an incredible achievement. Barring…

SO, THE HOLIDAYS are over, and you are back at your job. How are you feeling? Are you thinking of quitting your job to start your own business but unsure if it’s the right decision? What are you scared of? Are you worried about failing? Going broke? Losing your house? Don’t want to disappoint your loved ones? Or are you scared that you cannot live up to your expectations? Not everyone wants to own a truck. But if you feel it is the right thing to do for yourself and your family, then go for it. I am telling you it won’t be easy and you will work harder than you have ever in your life, however the rewards are great. The rewards are not just the money, which in…

THE TRUCKRIGHT Industry Vehicle (TIV) was my dream – to have a working truck to promote the road transport industry and road safety. It took a long time to become a reality. I started trying at Finemores, pushed harder at Toll, but could not find the one person there I needed to make it happen. So I left after 29 years of working at Luya Julius, Finemores and then Toll. My boss at the time said, “You will not get anyone to support your road safety aims.” I wrote to 30 transport companies detailing my efforts up to then and my aims. I did not think it fair to get a job and then say, “I want to do this”. The advice was right of course, though I did get…

DID YOU know there is more to fibre than just healthy bowels? Fibre-rich foods can help lower cholesterol levels and prevent or manage Type 2 diabetes. In addition, high-fibre foods promote the feeling of fullness and assist with weight loss. Fibre is also a marker for nutrition as it is often found in foods higher in vitamins and minerals. For these reasons it is important to ensure we are meeting our fibre target through eating wholefoods naturally high in fibre rather than relying on supplements. It is generally recommended that adults aim for at least 25-30* grams of fibre each day. Rich sources of fibre include wholegrain varieties of bread, cereal, pasta, rice, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and pulses. Fibre is famous for its positive effects on digestive and…

IT WAS a strange sight. Here I was in the middle of nowhere, rumbling down a dirt road through the lashing rain. I swung out to turn into the gateway of the quarry when I noticed a bloke standing beside his car in the rain just inside the gate. I rolled to a stop and stuck my head out the window. “How’re ya going?” Old mate was a little damp, his hair was plastered to his head and rain trickled down his face, but he smiled benignly. “Nice truck,” he said, before handing me a magazine. “Just spreading the word.” I must admit that the gateway of a rural quarry was the last place I’d expect to encounter a Jehovah’s Witness. But, with the good Lord on his side, I…

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT Joe Satriani Sony/Legacywww.satriani.com What Happens Next is electric guitar maestro Joe Satriani’s 16th instrumental solo album, not counting his participation in two releases with rock supergroup Chickenfoot. A couple of mates help out on What Happens Next – bassist Glenn Hughes (ex-Deep Purple) and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith – resulting in a strong power trio album. Satriani again makes up for the lack of vocals with superb melodies on each of the 12 tracks. ‘Thunder High On The Mountain’ starts with grungy riffs before he moves into an elegant lead guitar interlude. ‘Smooth Soul’ is another multi-faceted track, starting out as a slow, bluesy piece and ending with an impressive lead and rhythm rock guitar crescendo. ‘Energy’ is a heavy rocker, ‘Super Funky Badass’…

WELL, TO steal the words of a grouse song, it’s a case of: “Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you.” We have a clown in Western Australia making aspersions about Professor Ann Williamson, when Prof Williamson has only ever analysed the insanity that we call road transport and has the intestinal fortitude to tell it how it is. So why does some ‘Johnny-come-lately’ or ‘modern-day load agent’ who doesn’t employ truck drivers feel the need to denigrate someone who only seeks to protect our industry from people who only see things the way they always have been. That person seems intent on making vile comments about someone who could buy and sell her a dozen times over with…