Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 309 i Owner Driver

IF YOU BUILD it they will come’ may be a cheesy movie quote, but Dave ‘Chappo’ Chapman feels it’s a pretty fitting way to explain the origins of the increasingly popular Kenworth Klassic. The big difference between Kevin Costner’s home build baseball field, which incidentally has no planning permits, and the Kenworth Klassic is that I was happy to be watching some of Australia’s best Kenworths for three days straight. Can’t say the same for the Kevin Costner film. You wander around the Hawkesbury Showground and it’s a huge mix of shine, stainless and stories, and that’s exactly what the boys behind the event had in mind when they first concocted the concept. Now officially in its fifth year, the Kenworth Klassic may be the brainchild of a group of…

The McKoy Street intersection is well known to regular Hume Freeway drivers because an 80km/h speed limit has been in place from 7am to 7pm since 2015. Many hoped the speed limit would return to 110km/h when the roadworks were completed. But instead the 80km/h speed limit has been extended from 12 hours a day to 24, on a trial basis. The 12-hour 80km/h speed restriction was introduced to a 1km section of the freeway back in 2015 in response to 18 crashes, which injured 31 people, in the previous eight years. Regional Roads Victoria (RRV) regional director, North Eastern, Nicki Kyriakou, announced the change to the speed limit last month, saying traffic volumes are expected to increase when United Petroleum opens its new service station. “This is an area…

The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has announced a partnership with the Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) ahead of the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show (BTS). The largest transport event in the Southern Hemisphere will offer even more next year, with the annual NatRoad Conference set to be held at the Show. NatRoad chief executive Warren Clark explains the decision will bring the best from across the industry: “We are excited to partner with HVIA to deliver our next conference at the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show,” Clark says. “The conference will bring together industry leaders, public and private sector experts and allow attendees to hear from and share ideas with key stakeholders in the road transport sector. “This conference truly encompasses our vision of a harmonised road freight industry and will…

THERE ARE CERTAIN OCCURRENCES in all of our lives that we all find comfortable and relaxing, times that are just fun, amusing and uncomplicatedly enjoyable. That first sip of beer after a long day, watching the All Blacks beat the Wallabies again or when you add the last lick of tyre shine after cleaning the truck. I can now add another moment to my list of highly enjoyable occurrences – sitting in the Townsville offices of Nortrans with father and son team Rodney and Kent Battle, learning about how the family have toughed out eight decades in the toughest industry, travelling some of the toughest roads with some of Australia’s toughest trucks. Throughout the hour or so of the interview I had the privilege of learning a lot about the…

“It means we will need to rely less and less on permits.” IN A JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT on September 12, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and the Australian Road Research Board (AARB) have released what they say is a cutting edge route assessment tool for participating jurisdictions through the NHVR portal. The upgraded restricted Access Vehicle Route Assessment Tool (RAVRAT) will be provided free to local governments. NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto describes RAVRAT as being a piece of functionality that the regulator has been working collaboratively on with the AARB, the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and local governments. He admits that RAVRAT has gone through certain cycles in terms of its value and worth to local governments. “But I’m really pleased to say that the joint collaboration and…

“We know it’s a deadly recipe and it results in chronic health outcomes.” TATISTICS SHOW about 50 truck drivers die every S year in Australia. Between the years 2003 and 2015 there were 535 fatalities among workers in the road freight transport industry, representing about 15 per cent of all workplace fatalities. There were 8330 workers compensation claims for serious injuries requiring more than a week off work lodged in the transport, postal, and warehousing industry. The news got even worse in May, when Monash University released the findings of a 12-year study of health and safety in the Australian trucking industry. Titled Driving Health: Work related injury and disease in Australian truck drivers, it found that truck drivers were 13 times more likely to die at work than any…

By some estimates, the delivery of goods over the last 100 yards is the most expensive and riskiest part of the supply chain. Dense urban environments are among the most challenging with congestion, and lack of parking can make things unpredictable and demanding. Time pressure often leads to overloading of hand trucks and convertibles beyond what is ergonomically safe and productive. A single physical injury not only sets back the driver, often for weeks, but it cuts into productivity drastically as fill-ins are rarely familiar with the route or the different procedures at each stop. There is a solution that improves safety AND productivity; the innovative and award-winning Rotatruck. Its self-supporting and load-balancing design handles the hard work, making deliveries easier, quicker and safer. The Rotatruck carries the weight thanks…

Equally keen for a first stint behind the wheel of Cascadia at Anglesea was Freightliner Australia’s newly appointed sales and operations executive, Rob Griffin. A no-nonsense, straight-talking individual, Griffin spent the previous decade or so in Paccar’s ranks, including high profile stints as Kenworth national sales manager and most recently, general manager of DAF. It was his resignation from Paccar while in the DAF role, just a few weeks before the first locally assembled DAF rolled off the same Bayswater (Vic) production line as Kenworth, which caught many industry insiders by surprise. With some wondering whether his departure was caused by problems at Paccar or poached by an offer too good to refuse from Freightliner, a typically succinct Griffin says simply, “Neither.” In a good-natured explanation during a quick catch-up…

VOLVO TRUCKS has presented a surprising new transport solution from its headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, consisting of autonomous electric commercial vehicles that it says can contribute to more efficient, safer and cleaner transportation. According to Volvo Trucks, its longterm goal is to offer companies that need continuous transport services between fixed hubs a complement to today’s offerings. The organisation says growing world population and increasing urbanisation are leading to significant challenges to solve environmental issues such as congestion, pollution and noise. Rising consumption, the fast growth of e-commerce and the wide-spread shortage of drivers put higher demands on efficient transport solutions. “The full potential of the transport industry is yet to be seen. Everything suggests that the global need for transportation will continue to significantly increase in the coming decade,”…

KEEPING A FATIGUE REGULATION that prevents a rested driver from driving until they have waited seven hours is a “poor and reckless stance”, the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) says. NatRoad chief executive Warren Clark makes the comments in a statement condemning what he says is the reluctance of state and territory governments to adopt a widely-agreed industry stance. Instead, Clark says, the jurisdictions implied that the fatigue management regulations should be dealt with as part of a broader review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), expected in November. “The current law is illogical and should be changed as soon as possible,” he writes. The issue at hand is rest requirements for people working in a two-up driving arrangement – where one driver rests while the other drives, swapping…

“PACCAR GENUINE PRODUCTS ARE ALL ABOUT INSTILLING CONFIDENCE” PACCAR Parts is a global leader in the distribution, sales and marketing of aftermarket parts for heavy and medium-duty trucks, trailers and engines. Using innovative technologies and distribution processes and industry-leading quality management, PACCAR Parts provides aftersales support moving products efficiently through the supply chain. With a commitment to keeping our customers’ trucks productive and operational, PACCAR Parts delivers value for its customers through more than 57 locations, including dealerships and TRP stores, Australia-wide. Quality matters DAF and Kenworth customers can count on PACCAR Parts to supply their local dealer with dependable original equipment (OE) parts for their trucks and rely on us to back these products with full warranty, product training and dealer support. PACCAR Genuine parts are OE first fit…

“I can’t sell any trucks unless I’ve got people to drive them.” THIS YEAR’S NATROAD conference presented two days of informative presentations on the current state of the road transport industry. However, it was the session on the national truck driver shortage that had the majority of delegates nodding their heads in agreeance at the facts and figures confronting subcontractors as well as small and large fleet owners. It came in stark contrast to the preceding populist presentation from Phillip Brooks of the New South Wales Police Force, which showed damning newsreel video evidence of truck driving’s dark side. Not a session to entice any would-be truck driver to ponder a career in the industry. The shortage of quality truck drivers in the road transport industry has become an alarming…

In March 1606 a small ship called the Duyfken, owned by the Dutch East India Company, was sent south of New Guinea to explore the uncharted waters. What Captain Willem Jansz found there was a new territory – the west coast of Australia. More than 200 years later another Dutchman wanted a better life for his family that post-war Holland was struggling to provide. So Wilhelumus and Henrietta Van Der Weerden packed up their family and headed for sunny Australia with seven children. The voyage took six weeks, leaving Holland in October 1950 and arriving that November. The ship they sailed out on was half freight and half passengers, including 20 other families sailing with the Van Der Weerdens. The family arrived at Station Pier at about 7pm and after…

TRAILER BUILDER VAWDREY has donated $10,000 to the Lions Clubs International’s Need for Feed Disaster Relief, supporting drought-affected communities and farmers. Need for Feed chairman Graham Cockerell recently accepted the oversized cheque as truckloads of hay rolled off the Spirit of Tasmania in Port Melbourne. Vawdrey Australia national sales director Paul Vawdrey says he wanted to bolster financial assistance to the drought relief fund by offsetting costs associated with fuel because “we are all in this together”. “Australia’s economy and lifestyle depends greatly on the health of our agricultural community as well as our manufacturing,” Vawdrey adds. “While donors are supplying hay and supplies for the farmers, there didn’t seem to be much in the way of support for the drivers involved with the distribution, which is why I wanted…

EIGHTEEN MONTHS after loading his first stock crate, Brady Fitzpatrick has accepted the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Victoria (LRTAV) 2018 Young Driver Award. “I was pretty chuffed to be nominated and the win was a bonus on top of that,” says Brady, 35. “I suppose it’s a little bit of a reward for effort.” Brady drives a 2013 Kenworth K200 for Thomas Transport of Campbells Forest and was nominated by his employers Graeme and Diane Thomas. Luke Ewing from TGR Transport and Devin Lafranchi from IG & J Dance Livestock Transport also made the finals, which were judged during the 2018 LRTAV Conference in Bendigo in August. Devin was announced runner-up. Owner//Driver caught up with Brady at the Bendigo Livestock Exchange recently. He unloaded 400 ewes with help…

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MERCEDES-BENZ released its new Actros in Europe, just in time for the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show, which took place in Hanover, Germany in September. Mercedes-Benz says the new Actros is a truck featuring pioneering innovations in series production, which immediately pay off. The vehicle is said to increase efficiency for business owners and comfort for drivers to a previously unattained level, with fuel consumption falling noticeably while safety and vehicle availability have been increased further. The new Multimedia Cockpit has a completely updated interface between the driver and vehicle. The driver benefits from a seamlessly connected workspace with digital services and assistance systems, which can be used intuitively and support the drivers to operate even more effectively. The digital aspects are also claimed to benefit fleet managers and scheduling teams.…

AHEAD OF THE NOVEMBER launch of its new 500 Series Standard Cab, Hino has confirmed that Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) will be fitted as standard equipment to support what it says is the most comprehensive active safety package ever offered by a Japanese manufacturer in the medium duty market. Hino says it led the Japanese truck manufacturers in fitting VSC as standard to its entire 300 Series range in 2011, and this was extended to the launch of its 500 Series Wide Cab in 2017 and the 300 Series 4x4 in 2018. With its confirmation in September of VSC’s fitment to the incoming 500 Series Standard Cab, Hino says it will now be offering it as standard safety equipment on every model from its 300 Series car licence through to…

THE REACTION OF NEW SOUTH WALES authorities to recent M5 truck crashes masks issues closer to home, truck drivers’ advocate Brian Turpie states. The LongHaul Drivers Association (LHDA) president has been moved to respond to events that saw crashes with the safety barrier on the route and the resultant trucking company raids, all of which serves to further besmirch the industry’s name. In September a container-hauling semi-trailer burst into flames after hitting the barrier at Kingsgrove, resulting in at least 18 hours of traffic chaos. In a wide-ranging critique of conditions in major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, Turpie, who is doing urban work in Sydney, points to a similar incident in August saying “the chaos endured … by the M5 fiasco, the road network became gridlocked within an…

THE NATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT HALL OF FAME reunion sees hundreds, sometimes thousands, of trucking and transport legends flock to Alice Springs each year. You’ll be hard pressed finding this many truckies in one place: young and old, male and female – all with diesel in their blood and a view of the highway never far from their mind. This year’s Reunion took place on the last weekend in August, kicking off with the emotionally-charged Shell Rimula Wall of Fame ceremony, where 70-odd transport heroes were honoured for their service to the industry. Proud truckies, family members, colleagues, and volunteers gathered in the Hall of Fame for the ceremony on Saturday morning, eyes drawn to the floor-to-ceiling memorabilia lining the walls. You walk into the Wall of Fame ceremony, whether it’s…

HEAVY VEHICLE INDUSTRY AUSTRALIA (HVIA) has announced that BP Australia will return as next year’s Brisbane Truck Show’s Platinum Partner; while Bauer Trader Media is back for its 10th show as Official Media Partner. The news came ahead of the official 2019 Brisbane Truck Show launch, to be held later this year. “Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia is again privileged to have market-leading brands BP Australia and Bauer Trader Media as partners for Australia’s premier transport industry event,” Brisbane Truck Show manager Noelene Bradley says. Adam Arnold, BP Australia general manager – marketing and offer development, says the company is delighted to once again be the Platinum Partner of the Brisbane Truck Show. “This will be an outstanding event, which provides patrons with the opportunity to see the latest in industry…

AN UPGRADE TO a notorious Hume Freeway blackspot near Wodonga has received the thumbs down from many truckies and local business people, but a permanent solution could be two years away. Roadworks began in May at the intersection where McKoy Street and Old Barnawartha Road meet the Hume. It reopened on September 14 with a fixed 24-hour 80km/h speed limit on about 1km of the freeway. The roadworks were funded by United Petroleum, which is building a service station near the intersection. VicRoads also spent about $40,000 to improve safety. Even while roadworks were underway, local businesses and truckies condemned the new design, which prevents traffic travelling directly across the freeway from McKoy Street to Old Barnawartha Road, or vice versa. This traffic must instead turn left, use new U-turn…

“... it’s one of those industries that you’ve got to keep plugging away at.” FRONT PAGE STORY that appeared in the July 2017 A edition of Owner//Driver has helped propel David Wilson into being nominated, and then winning the 2018 NatRoad Professional Driver of the Year award. Wilson received his award during the gala dinner at the NatRoad annual conference, which this year was held on Queensland’s Hamilton Island on August 31 and September 1. The two other winners on the night were Angela Bawden, of SRV Road Freight Services, and Jim Pearson Transport managing director Jim Pearson. Bawden took home the award for 2018 Youth Employee of the Year while Pearson was handed the prestigious Ted Pickering Memorial Award. The awards were sponsored by National Transport Insurance (NTI). Wilson,…

THIS YEAR’S GREAT AMERICAN TRUCKING SHOW (GATS) in Dallas, Texas, had some magnificent trucks on display. Held at the Dallas Convention Centre, it’s also one of the largest venues in the country.. It wasn’t only about trucks however. New technology and health concerns surrounding truck drivers were also high on the agenda. I caught up with Rebecca Brewster, president and CEO of the American Transport Research Institute, and completed their survey on detention issues. Truckers, as always, seem to be bearing the brunt of those who use and abuse our time to help themselves, but then do not want to pay for it. I spoke with the Texas Department of Transport about truck rest areas. They explained that when they spend $15 million on one side, and hence $30 million…

THIS YEAR’S ROAD FREIGHT NSW (RFNSW) 2018 conference, held on September 13 at the Rooty Hill RSL in western Sydney, celebrated four road transport industry individuals from across NSW, and one company for its dedication to safety. RFNSW says it hosts the awards to showcase the hard work, road safety, innovation and expertise of members across the state. The five winners were: Outstanding Contribution to the NSW Trucking Industry, Leigh Smart, Formula Chemicals; NSW Transport Woman of the Year, Roslyn Anderson, Wales Truck Repairs; NSW Professional Driver of the Year, Joshua Carter, Carter Heavy Haulage; NSW Top Technical and Maintenance, Raymond ‘Reggie’ Sutton, R Sutton Transport; and NSW Best Safety Culture Award, JL Pierce Transport. Simon O’Hara, CEO of Road Freight NSW, congratulated the winners for the role they all…

TRUCK ASSIST, a branch of National Transport Insurance (NTI), has announced a partnership with rising Supercar driver Jack Le Brocq and the Tekno Autosports team. As well as sponsoring Le Brocq’s Tekno Holden Commodore, Truck Assist has restored and customised a 1946 Ford Jailbar truck. The Ford made its first public appearance at Sandown in September when the Commodore competed in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship ‘retro round’. Both the Commodore and the Ford sported the Truck Assist emblems as well as wearing the Truck Assist orange and black colour scheme. NTI CEO Tony Clark announced the partnership at Tekno’s headquarters at Yatala, south of Brisbane, prior to the Sandown event. “We’re delighted to be involved in this opportunity with Tekno,” Clark says. “It’s very exciting for us. It’s not…

IF YOU ASK FBT TRANSWEST managing director Cameron Dunn to point to the number-one factor that has got his lost time injury frequency rate (LTFIR) down to zero, he won’t point to a noticeboard of workplace health and safety policies. Nor will he point to any quick-fix gimmick on the road. He won’t even point to the safety-assured accreditation, AS4801, which covers all five of its depots, or to the 18-month slog it took him to get the business issued with a Major Hazard Facility (MHF) licence. Ask him why his business is so safe and he’ll point to his head. “Safety,” he says, “is a mindset. It’s about belief.” Belief is a word Dunn uses a lot. Belief that you can constantly do things better, even if you’re already…

FORD HAS SEEN its name rise to rare heavy-vehicle heights after winning the International Truck of the Year award at the 67th IAA Commercial Vehicles show with its Otosan F-MAX prime mover. The IAA Commercial Vehicle Show ran from September 20 to 27 in Hanover, Germany. Based in Turkey, Ford Otosan is a Ford Motor Company-Koç Holding joint venture. According to IAA, the judges marked the F-MAX up for cost due primarily to the vehicle’s “powerful and efficient” 12.7-litre E6D Ecotorq engine. The new F-MAX was designed and tested by 500 Ford Otosan engineers over a five-year period. Tests were carried out in 11 countries on four continents using 233 prototype units. This involved 15,500 hours of lab testing and five million kilometres of road testing. “Saying ‘sharing the load’…

“Fourteen-hour books put us into a zone that very few employers understand.” IF YOU ARE A TRUCK DRIVER, and if you predominantly drive trucks interstate, you are what is commonly referred to as ‘A Dying Breed’. Sure, to most people outside of trucking, it is just a label given to something that is being reduced, superseded, upgraded or perhaps replaced, but none of those case scenarios are even remotely possible, because most of those descriptors imply that an alternative is available, but as we all know, that isn’t the case. And next to nothing is being done to change that anomaly. How incredible is it that NatRoad is attempting to get into bed with Paccar? Now it must be said that they can spruik that Kenworth do indeed build the…