Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 322 i Owner Driver

Stressed out truckie I’ve been driving road trains in the Northern Territory for 22 years and I’ve never had a drama with cars until now that I’ve moved to Melbourne. I’m not sure about it all so I’m writing to you to see your opinion. I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem with cars in the Territory because the speed limit is 130km/h and it’s mostly single lane and they don’t hold you up at all. I’m driving a B-double from Melbourne to Nhill five days a week and by the end of the week I’m mentally drained because the car drivers think they are doing the speed limit, like I thought I was until I found out that my new car that I bought in 2018 is 5km/h…

Southern Pacific Sands is based on a high-quality silica sand deposit across 2,500 acres in Ningi, Queensland. Southern Pacific Sands is a trusted name for washed and classified sands, and soil products among a wide range of businesses and industries. Being just 40 kilometres away from Brisbane means Southern Pacific Sands has convenient road access throughout the Brisbane metropolitan area, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast regions, as well as to the bulk loading facilities at the Port of Brisbane. Southern Pacific Sands has a proven track record of delivery of a diverse range of quality specialty sands to south-east Queensland and beyond. To complete this task, the Company relies on its fleet of vehicles including Truck and Dog tippers, tankers and concrete vehicles. Currently, the business owns and operates four…

AUSSIE ROCK BAND Hoodoo Gurus will take to the stage during the family fun day at Shellharbour Airport following the i98FM Illawarra Convoy on November 17. It will be the 15th running of the charity fund-raising event. The live music line-up also includes pop duo The Veronicas, country rock star Jayne Denham and local indie surf rock band Swells. The Hoodoo Gurus, known for their chart hits ’What’s My Scene?’ and ‘I Want You Back’, have been wowing Australian audiences since 1981. The Veronicas recently released a new single, ‘Think Of Me’, as a precursor to their long-awaited fourth album. Jayne Denham recently returned from the Women In Trucking Accelerate Conference in Dallas, Texas where she was invited to be the event’s ambassador for the next 12 months. “It was…

THE ROAD NETWORK surrounding Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is rapidly expanding, and to match the increase in tourism and general traffic, those roads are constantly being upgraded. To help meet this demand, licences have been issued for new quarries to provide the necessary sands and aggregates – including to Sunshine Coast company Cordwell’s Resources. Family-owned since 1965, Cordwell’s provides a variety of services ranging from production and haulage through to testing – and now, what is known as a start-up quarry. Cordwell’s Quarry has a licence to extract a whopping one million tonnes per year – but having just kicked off, it’s aiming for about 200,000–300,000 tonnes this year. Those numbers are certainly nothing to sneer at, and not something it would be able to achieve with subpar equipment. So, Cordwell’s…

VOLVO AND SCANIA are the star performers in a 2019 heavy-duty truck market, which continues to stay strong despite a cooling economy and softening demand for light and medium-duty trucks. Figures released by the Truck Industry Council (TIC) for the nine months to the end of September show Volvo inching its way ever closer to Kenworth’s crown as leader of the heavy-duty truck market. At the end of September, Volvo had narrowed the gap to just 32 units with Kenworth notching 1,688 deliveries for the year and Volvo gliding further into the slipstream with 1,656 units. For the year to the end of September, Kenworth held 17.8 per cent of the heavy-duty sector and Volvo, 17.4 per cent. However, the most telling factor in the hunt for heavy-duty honours is…

SCANIA AUSTRALIA has announced the signing of another memorandum of understanding with a supplier to bring greater access for its truck and bus customers to low-emission alternative and renewable fuels. The MOU was signed between Scania and Refuelling Solutions on October 4 in Melbourne, with the aim of assisting the distribution of biodiesel to a greater number of users of this low emission fuel. Scania says the partnership has evolved as part of its strategy to remove barriers to all types of operators considering making the shift towards a sustainable transport system, with the adoption of low emission fuel being the first and most significant step in the short term. “We have been seeking partners who are committed to supplying alternative and renewable fuels of a high, consistent and reliable…

HANKOOK TYRE AUSTRALIA has unveiled the first Truck Masters store in Australia as part of its global strategy of moving downstream into retail tyre sales. Millard Service Centre, located between Brisbane and the Gold Coast (near Yatala Pies), has been a long term Hankook customer and part of the Hankook Masters’ program for several years. As part of their recent renovation, owners Kate and Francis Morrissey reportedly decided to continue their partnership with Hankook and become the first Hankook Truck Masters store in Australia. Marc Sibbald, sales director at Hankook, says he was excited to announce this fantastic step in the growth of Hankook TBR tyre sales in Australia. “Truck tyres make up more than 10 per cent of our sales in Australia,” Sibbald says. “To see the Truck Masters’…

THE AUSTRALIAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION (ATA) has called for greater federal funding targeting regional and outback blackspots in the Northern Territory. ATA CEO Ben Maguire notes there is a “clear and pressing need” to address road safety in the NT after meeting with NT senator Sam McMahon. “Government statistics have found that blackspot funding, on average, reduces the number of crashes causing death and injury by 30 per cent,” Maguire says. NT Road Transport Association (NTRTA) executive officer Louise Bilato says regional road safety is crucial for the Territory. “Road infrastructure is critical to the Territory’s economy and community,” Bilato says. “We urgently need to invest in more road safety projects in regional and remote communities.” McMahon notes she will be meeting with key figures before the end of the year…

IT’S SMACK BANG in the middle of truck show season that one of our most important convoys occurs. Thankfully, unlike 2018, on the October long weekend I wasn’t riding camels in Broome when the annual Lights On The Hill Memorial (LOTH) Convoy was run. This year I was lucky enough to be roadside to witness our industry come together to acknowledge the lives that have sadly been lost and to celebrate the drivers of the past. The LOTH convoy once again roll into Gatton in southeast Queensland but this time from two new departure points. The eastern convoy assembled at Nolan’s brand-new state-of-the-art depot in Willawong, Brisbane, while the western convoy left from the United Fuels on the outskirts of Toowoomba. I bet those who offered up the free tolls…

Thanks to the generosity of Truckline, we are giving away a Truckline Backpack and Cap bundle as a prize for each Letter of the Month in Owner//Driver’s December 2019 edition, as well as the January and February 2020 editions. The winning letter will be chosen by the Owner//Driver team. Truckline is Australia’s largest retailer of aftermarket truck and trailer parts. “We’re looking forward to seeing the lucky few enjoying summer festivities with their backpacks and caps,” says Truckline general manager Martin Hinkley. Martin joined the company in April this year after a period working for fellow-CNH Industrial brand Iveco, and brings nearly 20 years of industry knowledge with him. He says the Truckline Backpack is a much sought-after bit of kit. To score one of three Truckline Backpack and Cap…

WELCOME EVERYONE to my very first Mills & Boon love story. It’s not going to be one of those trashy Fifty Shades of Grey kind of stories, mainly because the object of affection is just one shade of grey, but also because that would just be a little too creepy for a trucking magazine. It is a love story but it’s also kind of a ‘true blue’ battler story. In fact, it’s more a battler story than a love story but I was trying to appeal to the broader audience with my opening line. Now in order to have a good battler-love story you need a hardened protagonist that’s been there and done that. A tough Aussie battler that’s weathered the weather, survived the tough times and seems to always…

How does a truck and trailer rental and leasing company grow to be supplying and managing over 8,000 vehicles? By focusing on each vehicle and each customer individually and doing the best that it can to make it a successful experience for everyone. This approach and these results are behind the move by TR Group, earlier this year, to purchase Victoria’s largest heavy commercial rental company, Semi Skel Hire (SSH). Having now owned the business for three months, and running with the name TR Semi Skel Hire, TR Group is applying its experience and skills to create a business in keeping with what it already knows and has. “This includes plans to open a new facility in Brisbane shortly and to move to a new site in Melbourne in 2020,…

HERE’S SOMETHING TO HELP keep things in perspective when it comes to truck safety. Light vehicles cause 80 per cent of heavy vehicle crashes on average, according to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. On the other hand, elements of the truck and dog sector in NSW and Victoria are behaving poorly on safety compliance. And drilling down further on the maintenance side of things, brakes in Sydney and drawbars in Melbourne are a particular problem. These seemed to be the main pictures coming out of the annual “What the Inspectors See” session at the Australian Trucking Association’s (ATA) Technology and Maintenance Conference (TMC) held in Melbourne in October. Last calendar year in NSW, 10 per cent of all infringement notices were in the “soil/aggregate” category. Those notices were issued via…

IN THE AGE of Chain of Responsibility (COR), when you’re hauling 50 tonnes of high-consequence dangerous goods, everyone up and down the line needs proof that you’re doing it safely. With the rise of digital technologies and satellite connectivity, the ability to monitor trucks operating far from base is nothing new. Today’s challenge has shifted away from simply attaining vehicle monitoring, to choosing the right kind of monitoring, understanding all the data generated and then using it to make everyone’s life easier. This is the challenge high-profile dangerous goods haulier Rocky’s Own is tackling with three handpicked technologies: DriveCam from San Diego, California; Seeing Machines from Canberra; and SkyNet Satellite Communications from Brisbane. Real time truck ops Rocky’s Own CEO Bryan Smith and national operations fleet manager Rod Carige have…

IN ITS PURSUIT of a sustainable corporate strategy, Daimler Trucks & Buses is aiming to offer only new vehicles that are CO2-neutral in driving operation (“tank-to-wheel”) in the triad markets of Europe, Japan and NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) by 2039. However, by 2022, Daimler Trucks & Buses has announced plans to include series-produced vehicles with battery-electric drive in its vehicle portfolio in its main sales regions Europe, USA and Japan. By the end of the next decade, Daimler Trucks & Buses says it will extend its range of vehicles with hydrogen-powered series production vehicles. Last month Daimler Trucks & Buses celebrated the world premiere of the Fuso brand fuel-cell prototype “Vision F-Cell” at the Tokyo Motor Show in Japan, which is says further strengthens its activity in the…

THE AUSTRALIAN Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) NSW branch has expressed support for reforms to mobile phone detection while driving. In a submission to a NSW parliamentary inquiry it also stresses the importance of a well-funded education campaign to facilitate medium to long-term cultural change. “ARTIO NSW congratulates the NSW Government on introducing legislation into the NSW parliament to give effect to these reforms,” ARTIO NSW secretary/treasurer Hugh McMaster says. “This follows a six-month trial on two arterial roads in Sydney in which over 100,000 instances of illegal mobile phone use were detected. “The trial also showed the technology, which has not been used elsewhere in the world, was accurate, thus providing a sound basis for more effective enforcement.” ARTIO NSW commended the ALP and Greens for expressing support for…

AN EX-ARMY mother of two and a plain-talking truck driver are among the winners of the National Transport Insurance (NTI) Faces of Transport Competition. NTI announced that Glen (Yogi) Kendall from Western Australia and Kerri Connors from Tasmania will be inducted into its Hall of Fame for their long-standing commitment to the industry. Jonathon Lowien from Queensland won Best on Ground for his outstanding ability as a young driver, while Georgia Easton took out the award for Best Industry Rep. NTI CEO Tony Clark notes the Faces of Transport Competition shines a spotlight on hard-working individuals. “This year we’ve received more than 2,000 nominations from members of the industry nominating their friends, colleagues, and loved ones to be one of four Faces of Transport,” Clark says. ‘We are passionate about…

IF YOU’RE THINKING commercial vehicles have begun looking a lot cleaner around South Australia during the last few years, Matt Corbitt may be partly responsible. Matt operates an Autosmart Australia franchise out of Adelaide, which has progressed nicely since he bought into it five years ago. But back to the beginning. Autosmart started out in the UK 40 years ago, expanding into Australia 10 years later. Dave Buckley, a successful Australian franchisee, eventually founded Autosmart Australia under licence from the UK parent company. Matt had just dropped his two sons Bradley and Riley off at school and was tackling business paperwork when Owner//Driver caught up with him in Adelaide. Such is the flexibility that comes with being an owner-operator, he enjoys family time and rarely spends more than five nights…

THEY SAY OPPOSITES ATTRACT, and that’s certainly the case for Chris and Tracy Penfold when it comes to their interest in trucks. Chris is a third generation truck tragic. He lives and breathes the big rigs, especially his beloved International variety. He’s got a combined pool room and bar full of memorabilia, which is more or less a shrine to the brand and the industry (as well as family). On the other hand all that Tracy knew about trucks before she teamed up with Chris three years ago was that “they have wheels”. But Tracy is a fast learner and with her business college qualifications now runs the books for D & J Transport’s five vehicles, which include the ute she does a lot of courier deliveries and parts pick-ups…

The National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo has become Australia’s largest platform for earthmoving equipment manufacturers, distributors and service providers to introduce, show and demonstrate their innovations in one exciting and convenient location. Manufacturers from all over the world, including event gold sponsor Komatsu, have chosen the 2020 National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo to release some of their latest equipment. If you want to be at the forefront of all the industry action, there’s no better place to be. For exhibitors, there’s no better way to meet thousands of potential new customers by introducing your products, sales team and support personnel. Events like the National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo are often a starting point for great supplier-customer relationships and give sellers a unique opportunity to explore and better…

A FEW YEARS BACK at the Tokyo Motor Show, Daimler’s Japanese juggernaut Fuso had heads turning with an electrically-driven concept truck sporting a swag of futuristic features. Fuso called the truck ‘Vision One’ and appropriately perhaps, one of its many technological highlights was a digital mirror system of outboard cameras feeding images onto ‘mirrors’ mounted on the A-pillars inside the cab. While European reports several years earlier had confirmed Daimler’s development of a high-tech alternative to conventional glass mirrors, Fuso’s preview of the system now known simply as ‘MirrorCam’ was the first sight for many people, including a small bunch of Australian truck writers at the 2017 Tokyo show. In just a minute or two inside the cab, it was easy to be impressed with the technology and the potential.…

The ATA’s Technical Advisory Procedure on Compliant Brake Chambers/Actuators, the most recent one dated September this year, is clearly an important and useful guide for any operator. For example it contains this stark warning: “Brake chambers are often seen as a commodity. This view is wrong. They are of high importance in achieving effective braking, but the lowest cost items often do not live up to expectations.” It lists a dozen makes which have been submitted by manufacturers and approved by the Industry Technical Committee of the ATA. Another supplier is currently in the process of having their certification and performance documentation checked before being added to the list.…

“The shortage of technicians is not a new problem and it is industry wide.” HINO MOTOR SALES AUSTRALIA (HMSA) has announced a new international recruitment program to address the national shortage of skilled heavy vehicle mechanics. Based on the success its individual dealers have experienced, Hino says it has devised a new recruitment program to draw skilled workers from the Philippines and train them locally. “While some Hino dealerships have been successfully recruiting overseas technicians for over 10 years, we believe we are one of the first truck manufacturers in Australia to undertake a company-wide program such as this,” says Greg Bleasel, general manager – product support, Hino Motor Sales Australia. “The shortage of technicians is not a new problem and it is industry wide, so much so that heavy…