Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 353 i Owner Driver

The New South Wales government is issuing a review to look at the current toll system’s pricing inconsistencies, fairness and congestion impacts. The review comes after politicians and industry members have criticised the huge toll costs that come with using some of NSW’s most popular roads. The review will investigate the pricing inconsistencies, cost-of-living impacts, fairness and equality for road users and congestion impacts. Issues surrounding NSW’s toll system came to light when many drivers reported experiencing e-toll account blunders where they were overcharged or incorrectly charged for unpaid trips. The NSW Treasury document on the review says the pricing structure was created on a case-by-case basis, resulting in inconsistencies and customer confusion such as the e-toll problems seen in recent months. NSW shadow minister for roads John Graham is…

The Melbourne-based Maribyrnong City Council is welcoming a state government investment in traffic management cameras to help move thousands of trucks away from residential areas. Up to $350,000 will be spent on cameras that monitor truck movements to identify problem areas, especially where legislated bans restricting trucks on certain roads at certain times are breached. There will also be signs erected from next month that alert drivers that A and B-doubles aren’t allowed. The council will work with the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group, Victorian Transport Association and National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to update a guide that educates truck drivers on where they can travel in the western suburbs. Maribyrnong mayor Anthony Tran says the council has been advocating to the government for some time to get large trucks off local…

Allow me to set the scene a little here folks. Sometimes choosing which stories to write is as easy as deciding whether to have the T-bone steak or the Petit Pois (It involves green peas and poached eggs). Also, sometimes choosing can be as difficult as explaining the logbook rules to a local police officer. On other occasions I just need a little inspiration or guidance. The decision to write a story about the spectacular Star you see in the pages before you however came about through my sympathy for our North American counterparts. During my recent trip to the US I was able to experience firsthand the draconian laws that require their drivers to not only work less hours than us Australasian truckies, but they also have to survive…

“Where I was working, the gulf country, it’s hard country.” Back in the early 20th century a journalist called Frederick Barnard wrote a piece about the effectiveness of graphic illustrations in advertising. It was titled One Look is Worth a Thousand Words. It’s this piece of literature that’s widely attributed to the common phrase, ‘a picture paints a thousand words’. That phrase implies an image of something says a lot more than reading about said something. Never a truer statement has been made than on this current page and the ensuing pages. You really don’t need me to tell you how absolutely jaw-dropping this C509 is. All you have to do is look at it. Look at how staunch the big C509 is. Look at how amazing the paint job…

To state the obvious, there are four Japanese brands contesting the Australian heavy-duty truck market but, in performance terms, only one is truly capable of going head-to-head with European cab-overs in the prime mover and heavy rigid class. Fuso! Just as truly, though, it is a very odd thing in this day and age of ultra-competitive business and brutal corporate contest that Fuso is the only Japanese competitor with a genuine capacity to tackle the European brands with a modern, efficient, safe and advanced powertrain in the 500hp class. But why is Fuso the only one of four when there exists, in one form or another, the potential for higher powered versions in all Japanese brands? Well, from the outside looking in, it appears corporate complexity and executive xenophobia continue…

A sharp-eyed visitor to Volvo HQ in Brisbane has spotted a batch of trucks believed to be the first of a significant number of fully built-up FH models imported from Volvo’s factory in Saudi Arabia. Following questions from OwnerDriver several months ago, Volvo Group Australia chief Martin Merrick confirmed: “Volvo Group Australia is supplementing the supply of locally manufactured vehicles with CBU [completely built-up] units from Sweden and Saudi Arabia.” While further commenting that Volvo’s Wacol factory in Brisbane had, “experienced severe supply chain disruption during 2021,” Merrick steadfastly refuted suggestions that the fully imported trucks might impact the current and future viability of the Wacol production plant which this year celebrates 50 years of truck production. “Volvo Group is completely committed to the future of Australian manufacturing and of…

Dennis Eagle has announced that its new Elite 6 chassis, unveiled at the recent Waste 2022 Conference in Coffs Harbour, is now available in both right-hand steer and dual control variants. The UK manufacturer says the Dennis Eagle Elite 6 is specifically designed for the refuse industry, adding that the low-entry cab, combined with a superior window and mirror visibility package, yields what it says is an unmatched overall solution. “Dennis Eagle has an exceptional offering that every refuse collection operator should consider,” says Shannon Mair, head of fleet at Penske Australia. “As recognised by Transport for London, Dennis Eagle is the only truck manufacturer to be awarded a five-star direct vision standard rating. “By virtue of design, the low-entry cab allows drivers to enter and exit the vehicle with…

Heavy vehicle safety services across New South Wales will have a new home from August 1 with the transition of key regulatory functions from Transport for NSW to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). Tara McCarthy, deputy secretary of safety, environment and regulation at Transport for NSW says the transition was the next step toward nationally consistent compliance for all heavy vehicle operators travelling in NSW. “From August 1, roadside enforcement, investigations, prosecutions and scheduled heavy vehicle inspections currently provided by Transport for NSW, will be some of the services transferring to the NHVR, along with 340 Transport for NSW staff who currently support the industry,” McCarthy says. “The NSW government has worked closely with the NHVR over the past 18 months to ensure the NHVR will be able to…

It’s a common complaint – you’ve been on the road for hours and your back is playing up again, or you want lunch but the only option is fast food, or for the fourth time that morning you get cut off by another car driver in a rush. The endless stresses and strains from being behind the wheel can build to become a daily burden of physical and mental stress exacerbated by tight time pressures, a lack of facilities and abuse from the general public. At Monash University’s Driving Health project, research has been undertaken to build a picture of the health and working life of truckies in Australia to understand the pressures they face, with the final aim of developing programs to improve driver health. Part of this research…

You simply can’t miss it! The lengthy mural near Pittsworth on Queensland’s Gore Highway is a welcome sign for long-haul drivers that they’re on the home stretch of the Melbourne-Brisbane northern run. Most importantly, behind the mural’s wall sits the facility of one of Australia’s most successful trailer manufacturers – Moore Trailers. And, despite some setbacks, business is booming. According to the company’s founder Lionel Moore, the Darling Downs facility is pushing out around 10 trailers each week, with grain and gravel tippers among the most popular orders. “Side tippers for gravel and grain and roadbase, and we do a lot of dropdecks, low loaders, special flat beds that go into mine sites,” Lionel says. “All sorts of weird and wonderful things.” Moore Trailers has increased its customer base markedly…

Yet, in recent times, and just weeks apart, we took the opportunity to drive each in B-double configuration. Obviously enough, Anthem’s flagship model with its long-awaited stand-up cab and well-appointed 36-inch sleeper is primarily a linehaul runner, with a reinvigorated 535hp (398kW) MP8 engine showing plenty of punch and respectable fuel economy on a tough run from Brisbane down a wet and windswept New England Highway. On the other hand, Fuso’s flagship is a Shogun sporting an all-Daimler powertrain headed by a 510hp (380kW) engine, which gives the brand a significant performance edge over its Japanese competitors, particularly in shorthaul and regional B-double roles where the Japanese brands traditionally struggle to challenge the hold of the Europeans. Yes, Anthem and Shogun are as different as they come, but each is…

The Paris Climate Agreement has ratified that 15 per cent less CO2 should be emitted in 2025 compared to 2019. In 2030, this percentage will rise to 30 per cent. In order to achieve these objectives, road transport must also play its part by using trucks that produce less emissions. The first solutions for emission-free transport are now available in the form of fully electric trucks. The biggest challenge here is obtaining the widest possible range with the highest possible load capacity. Currently, the range of an electric truck varies from 100 to 300 kilometres. In many cases, this is sufficient for distribution and urban transport, but it is not yet a solution for national transport. Furthermore, there are some other challenges to solve in the event of a massive…

Since 2015, not-for-profit organisation Hands & Feet has been helping to feed homeless and disadvantaged people in major Australian cities. But early in its venture, CEO Brad Scott realised the group needed a way of travelling around New South Wales to distribute food packs. “We began by spending huge amounts of money on maintaining very old trucks,” Scott told OwnerDriver. “In September last year we had a stack of very old trucks that were falling apart.” Hands & Feet started as a Sydney-based charity. But, by the end of 2021, Scott wanted to continue the group’s expansion into other cities like Brisbane and Perth. To do so, he knew he needed to change how he transported the organisation’s pallets of food. It all changed when Scott rang Hyundai Trucks. He…

Hino Australia has announced that its Hino SmartSafe active safety package is now standard across its entire range of 700 Series trucks. “We have already received excellent feedback on the 4x2, 6x2 and 6x4 700 Series models since their launch in August 2021, and that positive customer response supports the inclusion of Hino SmartSafe as standard equipment on all new orders for the 700 Series FY 8x4 models,” says Daniel Petrovski, department manager of product strategy for Hino Australia. “As promised, every Hino 700 Series model offered to the Australian market will now include the full Hino SmartSafe safety package as standard equipment. “The addition of Hino SmartSafe makes the FY 8x4 models an even more enticing choice for customers who require a load share steer axle equipped 8x4 truck…

There are calls for the federal government to fund training for truck drivers who are often the first on scene at horrific traffic accidents in remote and regional Australia. New industry research has shown that over 70 per cent of truck drivers in remote areas of Australia have been first on scene at vehicle accidents, in many cases more than once. Nearly 50 per cent of these truckies said they provided first aid and site control for over an hour before medical help arrived. These statistics are said to back up the findings of the National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 that identified that 10 per cent of people killed on Australian roads crashed in remote or very remote areas. It also found that the risk to an individual of being…

The countdown is on – it is 365 days until the doors open for the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show, which will return to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre next May 18–21. The event promises the biggest line-up of trucks, trailers, components, equipment and technology in the Southern Hemisphere – the big brands under one roof. Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA), organiser of the Brisbane Truck Show, says this includes the likes of Volvo, Penske, Isuzu, Hino and Cummins who are all locked in and reportedly looking for opportunities to extend their presence. HVIA national events manager Noelene Bradley says the response from exhibitors has been overwhelming. “We are delighted and humbled by the enthusiasm of all exhibitors to return for BTS23, including those that were prevented from making it…

When a brand with such an iconic identity as Mack comes up with a hood design as brazenly, even fearlessly distinctive as Anthem, it’s as certain as a dog licking its chops – or any other part of its anatomy for that matter – that opinions will vary wildly, from politely positive to downright demeaning. Like it or loathe it, Anthem is far more than just a radical new hood and, critically, vastly more than just a replacement for the superseded Granite model. It is, in fact, a vital and certainly overdue platform for a Mack resurgence centred on the ability to provide a stand-up cab; not just for Anthem but also its more established Trident and Super-Liner siblings. And make no mistake, Mack needed a stand-up cab to put…

“Connecting with industry and connecting with customers is important to us.” The 2021 Brisbane Truck Show was an undoubted success despite COVID playing havoc within the general population, not to mention the threat of state border restrictions. But in what was a timely window of opportunity in May last year, show organiser Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) maintained its focus, determined that the show must go on. Looking ahead, a number of truck manufacturers who opted out for various reasons last year are now back on board for 2023, with Volvo Group Australia (VGA) leading the way. VGA had missed the opportunity to showcase its new models at Brisbane in 2021, but in response to questions from OwnerDriver, VGA president and chief executive Martin Merrick says he is looking ahead…

This year marks three decades since Iveco first launched its brand onto the Australian truck market. The company initially took over the operations of International Trucks, a brand that was highly coveted here but was experiencing financial difficulties at the time, so Iveco’s acquisition of Australian operations injected some much-needed stability and resourcing at the Dandenong facility. To leverage International’s prominence and high standing in the local market, the new entity was firstly known as International Trucks Australia, before changing to Iveco Trucks Australia Limited in 2002. Iveco says the investment was a win-win situation, allowing it to take over several existing and respected International models – including the iconic ACCO range – while also providing it with a platform to launch its own brand and begin building awareness among…

Scania has announced that its new Eastern Creek branch on Blue Metal Road is now open for business, despite the impact of Sydney’s inclement weather in recent months. Scania says the new, purpose-built facility offers seven state-of-the-art work bays, including two drive-through inspection pits big enough to accommodate B-double sets, and a bespoke wash-bay. “We are very excited to finally open the newest branch in Scania Australia’s company-owned network for customer business,” says Sean Corby, regional executive manager for Scania NSW and Victoria. “This second Sydney branch will help us manage the increasing service load that the growing numbers of Scania trucks and buses has been placing on our Prestons facility over the past few years. “We will be open six days per week from 7.00am–midnight, Monday to Friday, and…