Big Rigs 26 April 2024

CONTACT US Fuel thieves sting truckies

THIEVES have been active around Australia, stealing fuel from trucks which is hurting truckies during the current cost-of-living crisis. is is a major problem for companies, owner-operators and small eet owners, not only because of rising costs but for other reasons too.

e problem seems to receive little publicity, often because drivers just want to get on with the job and keep Australia supplied.

A NSW operator said the biggest reason for the thefts was because many trucks don’t have locked fuel caps.

“

ese grubby fuel thieves randomly target trucks at night and easily syphon the fuel out without the driver even knowing because he, or she, is snoozing in the sleeper box,” he said.

is veteran truckie said the issue is especially widespread around Moree, Gilgandra and other close areas. In January this year Nolan’s Transport warned operators to be on guard around Gilgandra after thieves targeted its trucks in a series of brazen raids.

“We all have to get locked caps to prevent this happening,” he said.

However, a Charters Towers-based driver said locked caps were not always in the best interests of truckies.

“ ey (locked caps) are ne when you travel the main highways, byways and bitumen roads. But not so on the dirt roads,” he said.

“Every truckie who travels on these roads will tell you that the red dirt gets around the locked cap and when you stop to fuel you can’t open it anyway so you have to break into it

yourself,” he said. While on the subject of breaking into locked caps, several others agreed it isn’t a rock-solid outcome.

“If they can’t get into the tank through a locked cap they will just cut a hose to the fuel tank and syphon it and then if you don’t carry a spare hose you have to get a mechanic out; and depending on where that is, it results in other di culties,” one said.

Another said some thieves resort to other measures too: “Some will drill a hole in the tank to get the fuel which results in a massive cost to get it repaired.

“If you are in a remote location then somebody has to come out to x it, you are stuck there for some time,” he said. is was especially a common occurrence in remote parts of the NT and isolated parts of

WA. Many of the thefts were opportunistic.

“

ey see a parked truck late at night in the dark and get some fuel from it to save money,” one truckie said.

“It costs so much to ll up any vehicle these days and it is getting worse. So trucks are easy targets,” he said.

“

ese criminals front up with masks and cannot be easily identi ed. Only the stupid

ones who park a vehicle nearby which has a number plate are easily identi ed.”

Every truckie I spoke to said that any incident of fuel theft should be reported to police. ough some said that even if culprits were apprehended, the courts were lenient.

“ ey need to do jail time as fuel theft has a ow-on effect to the entire community,” one said.

Level crossing debate heats up on both sides

LIGHTING and illuminating trains more effectively must be a legal requirement to save lives at level crossings, says one of the country’s peak trucking bodies.

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA), recently released its response to the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator’s (ONRSR) draft Code of Practice on Level Crossings and Train Visibility.

“The code’s voluntary and non-binding nature is problematic for improving train illumination. Accidents at night-time represent a significant proportion of total road deaths, suggesting that decreased visibility plays a significant role in collisions,” said ATA Chair David Smith. While trucks are required by law to meet minimum lighting and illumination stan-

dards, trains are not.

“Road users and rail workers are dying, and better lighting on locomotives and wagons, such as flashing beacon lights and side lights could prevent crashes and save lives.”

However, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) hit back, saying the ATA should stop trying to blame trains for the failure of truck drivers to abide by road rules, and also

look at the unrealistic pressure on truck drivers from trucking companies.

“Tinkering with lighting on trains will not change the dangerous behaviour of drivers who think they can ‘beat the train’ at a level crossing,” said RTBU assistant national secretary Shayne Kummerfeld.

“The majority of level-crossing incidents occur during daylight hours when

road traffic volumes are higher.

“Furthermore, trains already have powerful headlights, so adding more lights would not make any positive difference to safety outcomes.”

Kummerfeld also believes that the measures being called for by the ATA would be counter-productive to safety, as they would negatively affect visibility for train drivers and track workers.

Shearer puts safety at top of his agenda

SA trucking boss Steve Shearer is calling for measures to tackle what he sees as an increasingly concerning display of “bad driving behaviour and attitudes” from some overseas drivers.

e executive director of the South Australian Road Transport Assocation believes it’s the number one issue that industry must address and had it top of his agenda for discussion at this month’s Trucking Australia conference in Canberra.

“We’re basically saying if you’ve come from an overseas country, where you were driving what they call a truck – we might all it a lorry – on a road system with minimal road rules, bugger all regulation, and an-every-man-for-himself culture, then of course you’re going to bring that attitude with you,” Shearer said.

“If you carry on that way on Australia’s highways and byways, you’re not going to t in and you’re going to cause a whole lot of drama for a lot of people, which is why we’re seeing good drivers increasingly saying, ‘I’m not doing the trip to Perth anymore,

it’s too dangerous, I have two near-misses every trip’.”

Shearer was speaking after the triple-fatality at Yalata, SA, in which three drivers were killed in a head-on crash on April 4, but stressed he wasn’t apportioning any blame. South Australia Police were still investigating the cause of that incident when this issue went to print.

“My only hope is that the Yalata fatalities are going to create the pressure that we need to get governments involved in tackling this difcult problem with us, because it is di cult. ey’ll shit themselves about being accused of being racist.

“You can hear it before you even ask them the bloody question, so they’ll just turn a blind eye and gure everyone will forget about Yalata in a few weeks until the next one.

“Maybe you could handle that if they only happened every ve years, but they don’t.”

Shearer has never seen so much anger and frustration amongst drivers on this issue.

“ e fact that a lot of it is emotive and ill-informed doesn’t change the fact that

the anger and frustration is still there, and we have to deal with it.

“ is issue is a very real, day-in, and day-out problem on the road, and if we don’t tackle it, we’re going to be in serious trouble as an industry, and as a country.”

Shearer said part of the solution involves “proper and responsible management and training” by employers, but appreciates it won’t be an easy x.

“ e most common thing you’ll hear from longer-term drivers is that these drivers think the road is their own.

“ ey’ll come straight down the centre of the Eyre Highway and they won’t move out of the way. You have to go o to the side, and they want to come around before a bend, even though you’ve told them not to.

“ ey don’t have to be uent English speakers, but they have got to understand the key dialogue between drivers and key practices about what to do and what not to do.”

Linehaul truckie Ben Stamatovich of e Drone Way fame, who drives the Nullarbor every week, took to social

media after the Yalata incident to share his frustrations.

He said it’s ridiculous that you can drive a multi-combination to Perth on the same day you rst get your MC licence.

He suggested that MC newcomers should have to do their rst 12 months doing local runs.

“

en when you get your road train licence you get a di erent coloured licence. Something needs to change. It’s not a hard law to bring into place. e future of our industry is our youth and it

has to be safe out there. We need our youth wanting to get into the industry and we need the parents of our youth to feel con dent the industry has got their back.

“If those three fatalities [at Yalata] happened on any other workplace, the whole joint would be shut down.”

As a regular east-west runner, owner-operator Andrew Salter, who specialises in oversize transport, sees the issues rsthand more than most.

“We’ve all been talking about these international drivers and who’s going to cop it,”

said Salter, who organised a convoy to Perth for drivers to pay their respects to Neville ‘Slim’ Musgrove, one of the three truckies killed at Yalata.

“I’m not saying they’re bad people - they’ve got wives, kids, they’re just like us. But every night of the week someone gets run o the road, and it’s getting worse.”

Shearer, however, is condent the issues can be xed. He said new, and hopefully more e ective, driver competency standards are in the works, as are reviews of driver-training packages in some jurisdictions.

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UK truckie shocked by the ‘easy’ tests for licences

A truckie who moved to Australia from the UK has said he was “shocked” by how easy it is to get a truck driving licence in NSW.

Richard Palmer, who is originally from Nottingham in England, worked as a truck driver for 15 years before he moved to Wollongong almost a decade ago.

When he arrived in Australia, he had to re-sit his truck driving assessments.

“I had to do my HR and my HC here, and then I did my MC only about a year ago,” he said.

“I was very surprised at how easy it is to get a licence here.”

Palmer, 45, said that in the UK, truck driving tests are carried out by a state body, as opposed to private companies.

“ e school that you train with can’t test you, you have to be tested by a government authority,” he said.

“When tests are being done over here by registered training organisations, there are a lot of holes there and a

lot of potential for it to not be done right.”

Palmer said that when he did the UK equivalent of a heavy rigid driving test, he had to undertake a ve-day training course.

When he moved to NSW, he only had to do six hours of training before his test.

“Obviously the test wasn’t

a big deal for me because I had been driving for years before this, but I was amazed by how quick the process is here,” he said.

Later, when he went to a driving school in Sydney to get his MC licence, he was in for another surprise.

“I found out reversing wasn’t part of the test, and I just went

‘What the f**k?’” he said.

“In the UK, you have to do a reversing manoeuvre in the test yard.

“You start in one bay, then you have to move the truck over 4m to the left, and then reverse it back and stop with the truck inside a 2m board.

“You have to do that successfully and you have to demonstrate that you can do an emergency stop, or you don’t even leave the test grounds.”

Although truckies going for a MC licence do have to demonstrate that they can reverse a rig during the training process, Palmer doesn’t think this is good enough.

“It’s just a ticked box from your instructor before you actually go on for the test,” he said.

“You have a new person who does your test – not your original instructor – so the person who decides whether you pass has never actually seen you reverse a truck.”

Another thing Palmer said he didn’t have to do during his MC test was splitting up trailers.

“I arrived and I hooked

two trailers up and that’s how it stayed throughout the test,” he said.

“Again, it’s a box that they tick o during the training but it’s not part of the actual test.

“In the UK, they have a yard where the examiner watches you hooking and unhooking a trailer.”

Palmer, who transports dangerous goods, said he usually feels safe on the roads –but that’s because he trusts his own judgement and ability to react to situations.

“You have to be alert 100 per cent of the time,” he said.

“I feel safe because of my own driving ability, and I won’t put myself into a position where I feel unsafe.

He added: “I had a situation recently, for example, where I hung back because I could see a driver in a B-double who was wandering across the lanes and into the emergency lane.

“ e truck was getting pulled, and the trailer was swinging around.

“He was going slower than me, but I wasn’t going to take that risk and try to overtake him.”

An experienced driver-trainer and assessor, who didn’t want to be named, agreed with Palmer that it was too easy to get a truck licence in NSW.

e trainer said there are just 15 competencies drivers need to pass for an MC licence with the rst 14 trained and assessed by the rst instructor.

en they swap out with the nal assessor doing a roughly hour-long nal competency assessment.

A Transport for NSW (TfNSW) spokesperson said it was committed to maintaining high standards in driver training and assessment to ensure that “customers get a licence to drive heavy vehicles safely”. e process is the same for all licence holders, including those from overseas.

TfNSW has used the RTObased approach to delivering the Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment program since 2014, with minimum training course times and mandates that participants log mandatory training and assessment hours before taking a nal competency assessment.

First upgrades from $140m fund

TRUCKIES in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania are the rst to bene t from upgrades under the $140 million Heavy Vehicle Rest Areas Program.

After months of deliberation – the funding was a Labor pledge leading into the May 2022 federal election – the Australian Government has announced four regions to share in the rst tranche of $6.7 million.

In Queensland, the rest area facility at the eastern approach to Roma on the Warrego Highway will be upgraded with $1.12 million and $280,000 from the Maranoa Regional Council.

In Tasmania, the truck stop upgrade on Glenstone Road/ Strong Street at Bridgewater will be funded with $360,000 from the Australian Government and $90,000 from Brighton Council.

In South Australia, the $3.8 million Salt Creek Rest Area project will deliver ve parking bays, a unisex toilet block, a metal shade structure and picnic tables.

nounce but very slow to deliver when it comes to road safety and supporting our freight network and heavy vehicle operators,” Pasin said.

“It has taken this federal Labor government two years to announce construction will begin on four projects. At this rate it will take the minister 20 years to deliver her 2022 commitment.”

Flushable toilets part of $850k x

In Victoria, 35 truck informal rest areas (TIRAs) will be sealed and green re ectors installed on four highways within Gippsland, with $2.168 million from Canberra and $542,000 from the Victorian Government.

Under the initiative, state governments and local councils are eligible to apply for Australian Government funding of up to $5 million per project.

Projects must be co-funded, with the Australian Government providing up to 80 per cent of costs for projects

e federal government is providing $3.04 million for this project while the state government is chipping in $760,000.

in regional areas, and up to 50 per cent of costs for projects in urban areas.

“We want to support our hard-working truck drivers to rest when they need to and keep freight moving safely and that’s why this government is supporting new and upgraded heavy vehicle rest areas,” said Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown.

Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Tony Pasin MP says Labor is putting heavy vehicle safety on the go-slow and failing heavy vehicle operators.

“ e Labor Government is proving to be quick to an-

“Road freight is growing at two per cent each and every year and it’s vitally important that we support heavy vehicle drivers to ensure the increasing road freight task is safe and e cient.”

Pasin said $6.7 million is half the funding expected to be announced in the 202324 year and after 10 months since the program opened for applications, proponents were left wondering where the rest of the money is.

“Labor must stop kicking this important safety need into the long grass and get on with making our roads safer and more e cient for all road users,” Pasin said.

Big Rigs understands that a second tranche of spending will be announced soon.

TWO NSW rest areas have received a combined $850,000 in upgrades, including flushable toilets, however truckies will have to share the space with caravanners and other motorists.

Works have now been completed at two sites along the Silver City Highway: the Curlwaa Rest area, about four kilometres west of Wentworth; and Seven Trees Rest Area, 82 kilometres north of Wentworth.

According to Transport for NSW (TfNSW) regional director west Alistair Lunn, the upgrades will make trips on the Silver City Highway safer and more comfortable for tourists and freight operators that use the road each day. However both sites are already popular spots for caravanners.

“Both rest areas provide ac-

cess for both heavy and light vehicles travelling in both directions and are delivering great bang for our buck,” Lunn said.

“Crews have been working hard since December 2023 to replace the single waterless composting toilets at each site with two new flushing toilets for each rest area, complete with disabled access.”

Both sites previously had no lighting, so the upgrades also include the installation of solar-powered lighting for the toilet block and surrounds.

“The rest areas have remained open during construction with temporary toilet facilities brought in for motorists’ convenience,” Lunn added.

The upgrades were funded through the Heavy Vehicle Rest Stop Improvement Program.

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Weighbridge trial paves way for others to follow

Hannifey is hoping the opening this month of two weighbridges in NSW for truckies to use outside of normal

operating hours will pave the way for others to follow.

In response to lobbying by Hannifey, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

(NHVR) has opened the Halfway Creek Heavy Vehicle Safety Station (HVSS), on the Paci c Highway, 32km south of Grafton, and

the Daroobalgie HVSS near Parkes (both the north and southbound sites).

e NHVR said it will be closely monitoring the pilot to “evaluate its e ectiveness”, and Hannifey is encouraging all drivers to get on board with the trial.

“It’s a simple thing to help us out and if we’re more compliant, the safer the roads should be,” Hannifey said.

“Yes, there is some cost to them in setting up the overhead scale readout, etc, but well worthwhile, and I thank them for the speed and e ort to get this up and running.

“If only other xes were as well accepted and could be achieved as easily.”

Hannifey also allayed fears that this was some kind of NHVR “trap”. ere will be cameras operating, but only to dissuade vandalism at the sites, he said.

“ is is absolute and guaranteed,” he added.

Roadhouse ‘harassed’ by council

THE owner of a remote roadhouse in NSW has said she is considering shutting up shop because of “harassment” from her local council.

Kim Grace, who has owned and operated the Grey Gum International Cafe on the Putty Road for the past 13 years, erected some gazebos without permission from Singleton Council.

She said the gazebos were originally covered with canvas, but after storms blew the canvas off most of them, the roofs were replaced with Colorbond steel.

“Since I put new roofs on the gazebos, the council has classified them as ‘hexagonal structures’,” Grace explained.

“I didn’t ask the council permission to build them, but they are not hurting anyone.”

She said the gazebos are

providing much-needed shade for her customers, in an exposed area.

“I said to the council, what do you want to happen?” she added.

“Do you want truckies and motorbike riders to have to sit in 45°C heat when they take a break, get heatstroke and then go back on the road?”

Grace said she was forced to pay $7300 by the council after they discovered the gazebos on her property.

“They made me get a $5500

an important role for those travelling through the area, and she goes out of her way to help people.

“We do Stop, Revive and Survive, and we’re a base for emergency crews and firefighters during bushfires,” she said.

“Helicopters use my property as a landing pad if they’re called to traffic accidents on the Putty Road.

“I provide 24/7 toilets and free overnight stopovers, and I have a satellite phone and a defibrillator. We do a really good

application, council staff inspected the site and identified a number of compliance issues, including unauthorised buildings and the management of waste and effluent that must now be addressed.

“Council has granted an extension of time to comply with these requirements.”

Grace said she’s been asked to get more reports done with a May 31 deadline, but is adamant there are no issues with waste disposal on her property.

“The council wanted us to

Hannifey said this is a proven to be a popular tool for truckies in other states, with VicRoads having adopted the practice “for some time”, and also a site at the Port of Brisbane proving popular with truckies.

NHVR chief operations

o cer Paul Salvati said the pilot is being launched in response to industry feedback, aiming to assist with road safety and bolster self-compliance within the heavy vehicle industry.

“With the weighbridges being open while unsta ed, we’d like to remind drivers to utilise these sites in a safe and productive manner.

“ roughout this pilot, we want to see these sites remain free from vandalism and damage – in the past, incidents like these resulted in many weighbridges being gated across NSW.”

e NHVR says although drivers still need to conduct a pre-departure inspection

of their vehicle to ensure it’s roadworthy, the load is restrained correctly and compliant with mass limits, it believes drivers would benet from seeing their vehicle mass to support ongoing compliance.

e regulator says that with the increase in adoption of On-Board Mass (OBM) technology on vehicles, it regularly sees drivers validating the OBM when stopped at a safety station weighbridge.

“We want to encourage heavy vehicle drivers and operators to utilise these designated weighbridge facilities to assist in their compliance,” Salvati said.

“Overloading a vehicle not only jeopardises road infrastructure but also poses signi cant safety risks to motorists.

“All parties in the supply chain have a primary duty to ensure the safety of their transport activities.”

Start with urgent x

THE issue of truck driver licensing and the lack of checks and balances is tearing us apart when we should be working together to try and find an urgent solution to the biggest crisis in the industry today.

Stop pointing the finger at a particular cohort and start asking questions about the broken system that allows some new drivers on the roads without the necessary skills. It’s simply far too easy to get a truck licence today and be driving a road train tomorrow, and it has nothing to do with what country you’re from.

Instead of jumping online and yelling at each other, here’s a radical idea: how about putting that same energy into lobbying your local member, or trucking association, and demanding change that way. The state governments and territories are the ones who should be copping your wrath right now for not getting off their shiny bums and putting the right steps in place to ensure each and every one of you all get home from work safely.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Hoping tragedy is a catalyst for change and harmony

THE last month has been tragic, the aftermath has been even more terrible.

I never met Slim, but from all accounts, he was a ne man, a wonderful husband, and a great grandfather. I would have no doubt that he would be horri ed to think that drivers have been spitting and wanting to ght other truck drivers.

I had to step in at the Epping BP when a driver spat

fatals. I’ve had more tickets than most, but I’m still here and I also understand that there is lots of issues that need addressing; everything from driver-training to pressure put on drivers by freight consigners and owners, enforcement issues, the list goes on.

My hope is that the tragedy that occurred is a catalyst so change and harmony can come to the industry, and the changes can happen.

MY HOPE IS THAT THE TRAGEDY THAT OCCURRED IS A CATALYST SO CHANGE AND HARMONY CAN COME TO THE INDUSTRY, AND THE CHANGES CAN HAPPEN. IT CAN ALL JUST START WITH EVERYONE SAYING HELLO AT THE BOWSERS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ORIGIN OF BIRTH.”

on the ground and wanted to ght two drivers, and when I stepped in to stop it, he wanted to have a go at me.

ere is no need to treat anybody like that.

Regardless of their country of birth, there are three families who are su ering great losses.

Yes, things need to change and both sides need to come together to force this change.

Is this a pivotal opportunity that these three tragic losses of life could be the catalyst for change? It needs to happen on both sides of the coin.

e transport industry’s been good to me, but it’s also been bad to me. I’ve been in

It can all just start with everyone saying hello at the bowsers, regardless of their origin of birth.

Blaming drivers from other countries is the easy way out for lots of people. at way, they never have to worry, or be part of the solution, because as far as they’re concerned, it’s drivers from other countries that create all the problems.

Hate to tell these boys and girls, there’s a lot more to it.

Let’s not forget rst we hated the Italians then we hated the Greeks. en we hated the Vietnamese, now we hate people from the subcontinents? Let’s not forget, we hated the

never et Sli ut fro all accounts he was a ne an a wonderful hus and and grandfather. age: Sa antha uggeri

Kiwis at one stage. We had Senator Glenn Sterle’s inquiry, nothings changes. Nothing ever will. e fact is, people want their groceries, and their commodities at the lowest possible cost, and they’re not prepared to pay one per cent more, which could go towards transport costs and make the whole industry safer.

Why would some young lady, or gentleman, want to enter this industry where you go o route through lack of experience, and you cop a ne the equivalent to week’s wages?

One of my new drivers just had the wife say she won’t let him go back to work, and you know what, I understand. Do the police understand

the mental health implications of knowing that there is a taskforce set up on the side of the road that you will no doubt get mixed up in, and more than likely cop some type of infringement from?

Let’s not forget that one in ve transport drivers su er some type of mental anguish and illness.

IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE.

• Since writing this letter, Darren has started a Facebook group – search for Mates on Wheels – in a bid to encourage truckies to work together to nd a solution to challenges.

‘It’s an industry wide issue’

WITH appropriate rest areas and changeover sites often scarce, among the countless other challenges truckies face, it’s not surprising that truck driving is often listed as one of the most dangerous professions.

A recent court ruling saw the now defunct Scott’s Refrigerated Logistics ned $800,000 for workplace health and safety breaches that contributed to a line haul driver’s death at a notorious changeover site in Clybucca, NSW.

When Scott’s driver Darren Bowden left for work one evening in July 2021, tragically he never returned.

Bowden, who was 51 years of age, lost his life when he was struck by a truck travelling in the northbound lane on Macleay Valley Way in Clybucca, while swapping trailers with a colleague at around 12.30am.

SafeWork NSW alleged that Scott’s should have performed a risk assessment at the site that took into account the speed, volume and proximity of tra c at the location; lighting and visibility; the condition of the road surface; and the location’s size.

It said Scott’s should have enforced a safe system of work for the changeover, provided workers with adequate information, training and instruction on the risk of being struck during changeovers, and ensured they wore adequate high-visibility clothing at changeover locations.

Scott’s required its truck drivers to park at designated locations across Australia to conduct changeovers. e company had designated a BP service station as its Clybucca changeover site, but when the service station closed in 2016, drivers began swapping trailers on the shoulder of the adjacent road.

e court heard that changeovers at this site were

being performed in poor lighting conditions without hi-vis vests; with the designated work site migrating onto a dangerous stretch of road, with a posted speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour.

According to court documents, Scott’s was aware of what was happening but continued to direct workers to conduct changeovers there.

In interviews with SafeWork NSW inspectors, other workers had reported safety concerns about the Clybucca changeover site.

NSW District Court Judge Wendy Strathdee heard that while Scott’s policies required line haul drivers to be provided with and wear approved high-visibility vests, some workers were not provided with these vests and others complied with the rule “to varying degrees”. e court also heard that about 140 changeovers took place on this stretch of road each week.

e person behind the wheel of the truck that struck Bowden was a co-worker, who had previously complained to his employer that the Clybucca changeover site was crowded and unsafe. Following that conversation, he began conducting changeovers at an alternative site. He was actually travelling past the Clybucca site to that alternative location for a changeover when the incident occurred.

Nearly three years on from the incident, Bowden’s partner Cara Szellemes says she’s still coming to terms with the loss.

“I knew he was in a dangerous job and there were a lot of di erent things that could unfold. But this sort of accident happening was the last thing I would have thought of,” she said.

“When his supervisor and his CEO showed up at the door and sat us down to tell us what had happened, it was the most devastating day of my life. And I’m still living with

the impact of that.

“It’s had an impact on every area of my life. It’s such a waste because he was really t and healthy, really looked after himself, he was very safety conscious, and he was very active in the union too for his entire career.”

Szellemes said that Bowden had worked for Scott’s for a number of years and chose to do changeovers so he could be home on weekends so they could spend time together. “And that was his choice. My preference probably would’ve been di erent from a safety point of view. Because when you’re doing those overnight changeovers, it can take a toll.”

While Bowden had spoken of the Clybucca changeover site to Szellemes, it wasn’t until she visited the site after his passing that she realised just how dangerous it was.

“He hadn’t really ever told me it was super dangerous or anything like that. My understanding was that it was at a service station but I didn’t realise the service station had been closed for years. When I found out the drivers were literally pulling up on the side of the road, I was quite shocked by that,” she explained.

“I’ve been to that stretch of road to lay owers as a memorial. Even just having my car parked on the side of the road,

with the speed of vehicles coming across that stretch, you really had to look.

“Now, imagine eight trucks parked on either side, travelling at 100km/h on a narrow stretch of road. ere were a lot of near misses.”

Once one of the country’s largest trucking eets, which transported temperature-controlled freight across Australia, Scott’s went into external administration in February 2023.

is happened after charges were laid by SafeWork NSW – and the liquidators did not appear at the trial. is has raised questions over whether or not the $800,000 will ever actually be paid.

“I’m glad the judge came down with a conviction, although in the grand scheme of things, I don’t know really how it will impact change because obviously the company has gone into administration,” Szellemes added.

“Any amount of money is a drop in the ocean compared to the loss of someone whose life is priceless. If it ever is actually paid, one would hope it goes towards a ecting some sort of positive change.

“Unless there’s actual change across the board, I feel like any amount is really not going to make a di erence. In terms of Scott’s’ liability, it’s pretty evident that there was negligence going on. But at the same time, it’s not just a Scott’s issue, this is an industry wide issue.

“I don’t know what it will take to transform the way these businesses operate. It seems like a hard problem to solve but surely there is some sort of solution.”

Szellemes believes that much more needs to be done to ensure truck drivers aren’t being put into these sorts of dangerous situations. “How many more people need to die before something changes?”

According to the local Kempsey Shire Council, the out of service petrol station where the incident occurred was being used as a changeover site at the discretion of the haulage operator.

“As the road authority, council has not issued any approval for the site to be used in this way. Following the incident and resident complaints about noise and safety, council

installed ‘No Stopping’ zones at this location in October 2022. As far as we are aware the site is no longer used as a changeover site,” said Kempsey Shire Council director of operations and planning, Michael Jackson.

He says the council relies on NSW Police to ensure any haulage vehicle changeovers, or parking within its local roads, is undertaken in accordance with NSW’s road rules – adding that the safety of these operations is the responsibility of haulage operators.

Jackson says that changeover sites currently used by trucks within the shire are at the Paci c Motorway rest area, approximately 9km south of the Stuarts Point Interchange, and the South Kempsey interchange service centre.

When Big Rigs approached Transport for NSW (TfNSW) for comment, a spokesperson said, “Transport for NSW does not designate truck changeover sites, however, we recommend all commercial operators encourage their workers to do so in the safest way possible.

“ e NSW Government is aware of the di culties truck

THEY HAVE FAILED THEIR DUTY OF CARE. THEY ARE NEGLIGENT BY THE FACT THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS AND I NOT ING ROD HANNIFEY

drivers face when trying to nd a safe and reliable area to rest, park, shower and access services. Transport has several rest stop improvement projects underway at various phases of investigation, planning, design and delivery.”

But high pro le truck driver and trucking safety advocate Rod Hannifey says he’s been asking for more rest areas on the Paci c Highway for the past 20 years – and still not much has been done.

“I said you are aware of the fact that people are doing changeovers at Clybucca then, before the road was done up, and the volume is going to increase when you nally nish it, and there should be provision for a changeover site on the Paci c Highway,” said

Hannifey, adding that this should have been considered when the road was built.

Hannifey says he’s lost count of the number of times he’s raised the issue with TfNSW. “Why isn’t TfNSW a party in the chain of responsibility in this action?” he asked.

“ ey have failed their duty of care. ey are negligent by the fact they were aware of this and did nothing. It’s not like it’s only yesterday we started doing changeovers in the road transport industry. ey built one on the Hume so they know the need exists. ey are aware of how much that gets used and how busy it is.

“ ey know B-doubles operate – depot to depot – and all of those factors mean that from where I sit, they were negligent by not doing anything about it at all.”

Hannifey says the dangers lie in the fact that there isn’t a proper facility for changeovers, especially at peak hour at night. “ e alternative would have been to do the Kempsey changeover right and tack on to that site. But Kempsey is not big enough.

“ at’s another failure. When the opportunity came they could have simply tacked on to that site and that would have been something instead of ‘Oh, let’s just stick our head in the sand and hope the problem goes away’, and that’s how I believe they’re treating it –get somebody else to build it.

“I can’t convince them that our lives are worth anything to them. I know it’s a substantial amount of money. But why aren’t truck drivers’ lives worth investing in? at’s the question.”

Commenting on the court ruling against Scott’s, National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) executive director statutory compliance, Raymond Hassall, said the legal action taken was legitimate, although rarely undertaken. “Findings of guilt can play an important role in general deterrence,” he said.

“ e NHVR places the highest priority on driver safety and advocates for choosing a site that is safe for changeover,

taking into account surrounding conditions. is approach is important for minimising risks to drivers and the broader community.”

A spokesperson for SafeWork NSW also told Big Rigs of the signi cant risks associated with conducting changeovers or undertaking maintenance at the roadside, with the risk increasing by the speed, volume and proximity of tra c in the location.

Providing advice for employers, SafeWork NSW said, “Where the need for change-

over cannot be eliminated, keep workers safe by undertaking a site-speci c risk assessment. is needs to take into consideration the area’s size and proximity to plant and vehicular tra c, as well as lighting and visibility, any overhead wires or slopes, and the general conditions of the area.”

According to SafeWork NSW, companies should develop and enforce a safe system of work to ensure workers are separated from moving plant and vehicles; and drivers should be provided with infor-

mation, training, and instructions in relation to the risks of being struck by tra c during changeovers.

“Workers have the right to cease unsafe work if they have reasonable concern of a serious risk to their health and safety,” SafeWork NSW continued. “ ey will need to inform their employer or the person conducting the business or undertaking that they have ceased work. If the issues remain unresolved, they can contact SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50 or via SafeWork’s SpeakUp App.”

Remembering a Legend

Grieving widow Delphine Mugridge thanks the industry for the overwhelming support, and vows to create a legacy for Slim that will benefit all truckies.

NEVILLE Mugridge, universally known as Slim, had tried to retire twice before, his beloved widow Delphine tells Big Rigs.

But the big-hearted 77-yearold, one of three drivers who tragically lost their lives on the Eyre Highway near Yalata, SA, on April 4, just wasn’t the type to sit still for too long.

With a “perfect front garden and lawn” that needed little in the way of upkeep, there just wasn’t enough to do around the house for the t, healthy truckie who still had diesel coursing through the veins after a lifetime behind the wheel.

“He just got bored and missed going to work,” said Delphine from their Adelaide home.

“He had perfect health, so he decided to buy a caravan [last October] and a Ford Ranger and go back to work to pay for it, and then we would travel Australia together.”

When his long-time employer Vic Magro gave him the keys to a near-new Kenworth Legend 900 for a weekly general freight-run from Two Wells, SA, to Perth, the deal was sealed.

“Nev was known as the Legend and this truck had Legend written on the back,” Delphine said.

“He was the only one that drove it and liked to keep it in mint condition as if he owned it. He just loved it.”

ere was never a question that TML Transport was where Slim was headed. He worked it out recently he’d worked for the Magro family for near on 40 years, on and o . He learnt from the best in

Vic Magro, said Delphine, and the family has treated him like one of their own too, she added.

“ at’s apparent with the support I’ve had from them now. ey’re just good honest people. He could banter with Vic and have a laugh, and then get on with the job. ey had a great rapport.”

Delphine and Slim had only been married since 2019, but their love story goes back a lot further than that.

ey were boyfriend and girlfriend as teenagers but were torn apart by Delphine’s mother who always felt her daughter “could do a lot better” than a youngster with “slicked back hair and a tattoo”.

ey went their separate ways – both getting married and having children – before being reunited in 2014 after 43 years apart.

A counsellor she’d been seeing to help her deal with the breakup of her last marriage advised her to get back in touch.

“She asked me if there was anybody who was nice to me when I was young growing up and I said, ‘Well, there was this one guy [Slim] who I didn’t break up with, we were just torn apart’.

“She said, ‘Well, I think you need to nd him to have closure so you can get on with the rest of your life.”

“So, I put an ad in the Adelaide paper and tracked him down.

“He rang me and o ered me a roof over my head for a couple of weeks to get my head together when he heard about what was going on.

“I was only meant to come down for two weeks, and the

rest is history.” It was like the 43 years had not even been there.”

Engaged in 2015, they were married in October 2019 in a quiet ceremony before close friends and family at home on Delphine’s 70th birthday.

Delphine said Slim has always been the same big-hearted, kind and generous man she fell so hard for as a teen.

“Honestly, he would give his last dollar away. I’d seen him a couple of times go to Perth with nothing in his wallet because he’d given someone $500.

“Often, he wouldn’t get it back, but that’s what he was like. He was a giver, not a taker.

“He had the kindest heart. He would never bad-mouth anybody, even if he’d had a dispute with them.

“He used to say, “ ey’re still human beings’.”

“He was gru on the out-

side, but deep-down inside he was just a soft guy; and all he wanted in life was to be happily married with a family.”

Sadly, grandfather-of-eight Slim had become estranged to his own four children, one of whom had died in 2010, said Delphine.

She tried to reunite Slim with his family, but Delphine’s three sons (Matthew, 39, twins Chris and Daniel, 37) – and their three children (Ace, 5, Freya, 6, Lucy, four months) –had since lled the gap.

“He just accepted my boys as his boys.”

Delphine didn’t try to stop Slim from going back to driving full-time because she knew that was his passion, but she always worried about his safety.

Just a few weeks before the April 4 tragedy at Yalata, Slim told Delphine his concerns about the standard of driving he was now seeing on the Nullarbor.

He recently recounted the story of another driver who’d called him up on the two-way to pull back so he could pass.

“Nev said, ‘No way, you’re going across a double-white line and there’s a bend up ahead, I’m

not backing o . You back o .”

Slim, being Slim, however, would still be friends with any driver who showed him respect and was willing to listen, said Delphine, and he was always the rst to o er to help anyone struggling to reverse the trailers at the Northam hook-up area.

e night before the tragedy, Delphine had chatted on the phone to Slim, as she always did, before he took a seven-hour sleep.

She thought it odd that she hadn’t heard from him the next morning, as per their usual routine.

“He usually rang me rst thing to make sure I was alright. I’d always ask him where he was when he rang me because I used to worry.”

Instead, she’d spotted some news on the internet about an accident on the Eyre but before she got a chance to text to let him know, a sta member from TML Transport called to say she was at the front gate, and could she let her in.

“When I saw her face, I

thought he’d been involved in this accident.”

Delphine paid tribute to the Magro family for their support in the heartbreaking days that followed. ey also organised a GoFundMe page to help with costs and had raised more than $46,000 at deadline for this issue.

Her sons are also taking turns to check in on her, and Delphine draws more strength from the outpouring of well-wishers paying their respects.

“I’d like to thank everybody for the support I have received and the dedication to Nev and the good memories they had of him and total respect he’s got.

“He would to be totally astounded by how much support that he’s received, and that people are wishing him well in heaven.

“I don’t think he realised that he had so many friends out there and people saying so many good things about him.”

Delphine also asked that the industry spare a thought for the other two families who lost loved ones at Yalata.

“ ey’re going through exactly what I’m going through. ey’ve still lost a family member they’ll never see and never be able to tell them they love them again.”

Delphine is now determined to build a legacy for Slim and lobby to make the roads safer for all truckies.

“If it takes my dying breath I’m going to try and get the change,” she said.

“ ere is already a Facebook site that’s been set up called STOP e Carnage, Time For Truckies To Be Heard and has already got over 3000 members.

“A policeman told me to start with my local member. I gure if every one of us send a letter to our local member there would be more than one who would go to parliament with it, and then hopefully we can get the ball rolling.”

More coverage on page 14

Sam rallies friends for Slim

From page 12

IT was a tting nal meeting place for Slim’s mates to gather to swap stories and celebrate the life of this much-loved ‘Legend’ of the highways.

e Kleening Zone on the outskirts of Perth, the venue for a special Lights on for Slim tribute on April 8, was where he’d wash the Nullarbor dust o his prized rig, along with dozens of other east-west runners who traversed the ‘paddock’ each week.

It was more than just your run-of-the-mill truck wash for Slim. He’d become part of the furniture – and family.

Each week, he’d park his truck in his favourite spot and park himself in his favourite seat in the customer waiting area.

e biggest allure was the paternal bond he’d formed with Samantha Ruggeri, daughter of owner Jamie.

Sam, said widow Delphine, was like the daughter he never had.

ey rst met when Sam’s father Jamie bought the business 15 years ago and became fast friends.

“From the start he always looked out for me and protected me and that’s how we became so close,” said Sam.

“He was most de nitely like a father/pop gure to me.”

Sam described Slim as the most kind, generous and humble man, who would help anyone with anything, however he could.

“I loved the simple times we spent together, listening to one of the stories he had to tell me – I really loved his stories. He was a character, full of wit, humour and quirky remarks.

“My favourite memory of all was just seeing him walk through our door every week with a smile on his face, saying: ‘Hello darlin’”

An emotional Sam was determined to give her best friend the send-o he deserved.

e Lights on for Slim event was quickly organised via social media and word spread like wild re, with more than 50 trucks and

close to 200 people gathering from near and far to pay their respects.

“It was de nitely an emotional afternoon and night,” Sam said.

“It was really amazing to celebrate him with all the people in Perth who knew and loved him. e turnout was amazing to see.”

Long-time friend, truckie Andrew Salter, who runs his own oversize transport

company, was one of those drivers who made the long 2700km haul from Adelaide to Perth to farewell Slim.

ey’d known each other for around 35 years.

“He was a good bloke with a heart of gold,” Andrew said. “You could argue with him one day, and if you broke down the next day he wouldn’t drive past. He’d pull up and help.”

As for his driving skills, Andrew reckons he’d “run rings around” most 25-yearolds today. “He’d be the last one out of Perth and the rst one into Adelaide, doing everything legal. I thought he was a machine, he never stopped. He was just incredible.

“I think it was just oldschool values and an attitude of let’s just go and get the job done. He also always took a lot of pride in what he did.”

Andrew said he’d never seen him polish the Legend 900 so much – he loved that truck.

ere was never any chance an emotional Andrew would miss the Lights on for Slim event in Perth.

He rounded up an impressive convoy of supporters across from Port Augusta and wife Joanne organised a commemorative wreath to be nailed to a tree at the Yalata crash site in the early

hours of the morning as they passed through.

“When we got into Perth, Sam had put the word out and got all the truckies to come around that night.

“We played a bit of music and had a few drinks together. It was a good night and a bit of relief for a lot of good friends who knew they probably wouldn’t make it to the funeral – it gave them a bit of closure. I think Slim would have been really surprised about how many people’s lives he actually touched.”

Boss Lewis Magro said Slim would be sorely missed and was a big part of the Magro family.

He’d known him for 40 years, stretching back to the days he rst started working with his father Vic.

“Slim came from the era of fast trucks and bad manners to the era of controlled trucks and 200 per cent compliance so he’s gone through the changes of transport for the last 40 years,” Lewis said.

“He hasn’t just jumped out after 10 years and gone, ‘I’ve had enough of this shit’.

“ ere was no one with more experience than Slim.”

Sam said one of her favourite Slim quotes was: ‘I’m the Legend driving a Legend’. “I used to smile and think, ‘ at you are, my friend’.”

Truckies’ families also launch online fundraisers for costs

THE trucking community has also rallied to support the families of Yadwindeer Singh Bhatti, 45, and recently married Pankaj Siyag, 25, of Sydney, who were killed in the Yalata crash.

Yadwindeer’s widow Ramandeep Singh Bhatti launched a GoFundMe page to help her family make ends meet and farewell her husband.

At deadline for this issue, $81,949 of a $200,000 target had been raised.

Siyag’s younger brother Jaideep started a similar fundraiser and had raised $59,668 at the time this issue went to print.

“Pankaj was a beloved son, brother, and friend, and his

sudden departure has left us devastated,” wrote Jaideep.

“He was recently married, and his wife, now alone in Australia, is facing an unimaginable loss without any family support in this foreign land.

“As we grapple with this immense loss, we are faced with the challenging task of bringing Pankaj’s body back home to India, so he can rest in peace surrounded by his loved ones. The expenses associated with transporting his body from Australia to India are significant, and we humbly ask for your support during this difficult time.”

On her fundraising page, Ramandeep paid a heartbreaking tribute to her “gentle” husband.

“His sudden loss has shown us how important it is to cherish and enjoy every, single moment, every second — just like he did, and I hope that it teaches us how to keep the memories of those around us whom we love most alive forever,” she said.

“His smile, gentle nature, goofiness, and love will be remembered after the end of time.

“When he kissed us all and said his final goodbye before leaving, none of us knew that he wasn’t going to come back and embrace us again.”

She said her husband’s sudden death has left the family “shaken up and unable to provide for his last rites”.

“We’ve been left unprepared and unable to look into the future with five mouths to feed.”

Raymond Hassall, NHVR executive director statutory compliance, also paid his respects to the three drivers.

“Our thoughts are with the families and colleagues of those who have been affected by the tragic incident on the Eyre Highway on April 4,” Hassall said. “South Australian Police are leading the investigation into the incident, and we will work closely with them as required.”

SAPOL said its major crash officers are investigating the cause of the crash. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

TikTok star with a message

IF you spend much time on social media, you’ll probably have come across Aaron Farquhar.

e interstate driver has amassed over 51,000 followers on TikTok and 77,000 on Facebook – and has plans to become “Australia’s most famous truckie”.

Aaron started making content during the pandemic, when he had a bit of extra time on his hands.

e 37-year-old’s rst video quickly went viral, racking up 10 million views on Facebook and 1.5 million on TikTok.

“It got shared around everywhere, and that’s when I thought – OK, maybe truckie comedy is something people are interested in,” he told Big Rigs.

Since then, Aaron has been making comedic videos under the name “Aaron, the Typical Trucker” on Facebook and “ e Typical Trucker” on TikTok.

While he enjoys making people laugh, he has some more serious goals too.

“When I rst started making comedy videos for social media, I was in a bit of a rough place mentally,” he said.

“As an interstate truck driver, I was nding it hard to have a life outside work, because I had so little time at home.

“I just wanted to show what we deal with on the road.

“I’m passionate about the mental health of drivers and I want to use my platform to build a community for truckies.”

Aaron, who transports cars between dealerships in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane for automotive logistics company PrixCar, also wants to raise awareness of truckie etiquette and help to improve safety on the roads.

“I want to get the message out about things like when a truck is overtaking you, just slow down about 10km/h and let them pass you,” he said.

“Or when you get to a roundabout – you don’t have to stay in your lane, if you need to – lane check, get in the middle so people know not to come up beside you.”

Part of improving safety is bridging the divide between truckies and the NHVR, he argued.

“I want to break that stigma about the NHVR – that it’s us vs them,” he said.

“

ey aren’t there to raise revenue or make our lives a living hell.

“

ey are there for a good

reason, because truckies are dying nearly every week in Australia.

“I’ve seen some of the trucks out on the road and I’ve seen how some people drive and I’m surprised there aren’t more accidents.”

e western Sydney native said he has received backlash for some of his videos in the past, and he is open to learning and growing from criticism.

“I care what people think about me,” he said.

“I don’t like when people dislike me.

“If I do something wrong or I have been disrespectful, I am willing to change that.”

Aaron’s ultimate goal is to

Social media highlights

Take a look at some of Aaron’s most popular videos so far…

1. A Trucker’s Typical Day, Sydney’s M7: 1.3m views

In one of Aaron’s most popular videos ever, he gives a glimpse into the chaos that is the conversation on the UHF while driving down the M7.

2. Why do Truckers Kick Their Tyres: 999.5k views

Aaron shows his fans why truckies really kick their tyres – and it’s not what you think...

be a reality TV star.

“I wanted to go on Big Brother last year – that’s where I could really showcase my personality and who I am,” he said.

“

ey ended up doing the typical Love Island type show, which a lot of Aussies don’t want – they want real people.

“Put me in a house with a vegan or a woke person and you’ll have a lot of laughs!

“I know how to debate people, but I am understanding of other people’s cultures, sexualities and religions.”

He was recently approached to appear on Outback Truckers, which he said he’d love to do one day – but it wasn’t the right time.

“I made an announcement

3. The One Question Every Trucker is Sick of Hearing: 162k views

Aaron shares the one question that drives him mad, that he always hears on the UHF – “Can I get a radio check please?”

I JUST WANTED TO SHOW WHAT WE DEAL WITH ON THE ROAD. I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF DRIVERS AND I WANT TO USE MY PLATFORM TO BUILD A COMMUNITY FOR TRUCKIES.”

AARON FARQUHAR

these days, but not many of them are making engaging content.

“ ey like to sit back and watch but not many of them have that creative side,” he said.

“If they do make creative content, they start to veer o in the wrong direction.

“ ey use it to make money or get credit for themselves or criticise drivers.”

Aaron acknowledged that he also wants to make money to support himself and his family, but has plans to put some of the money he’s raised into care packages for drivers.

that I was going to be on the show as an April Fool’s joke, and I really was approached by the producer,” he said.

“It just couldn’t work with my current commitments, but who knows what the future may hold.”

Aaron also dreams of making his own truckie reality TV show.

“I’m constantly contacting production companies trying to get someone to look into a new reality-based truckie show.

“Something more along the lines of our funny banter, real life issues and family life. Hopefully I can eventually get something like that looked at.”

Aaron said more and more truckies are getting on TikTok

4. Interstate Truckie Pros & Cons: 60.4k views

Aaron speaks honestly about the upsides and downsides of driving interstate.

“I want to make packs with toothpaste, soap shampoo etc and hand them out to drivers so they can keep them in their trucks,” he said.

“Just something to give back.”

Although he works long hours and acknowledges that there are plenty of issues in the trucking industry, Aaron still loves his job.

“I work 80 hours a week – I pull up, have a shower, have a feed, go to sleep and then I do it all again.

“People might think truck drivers are just a bum in the seat but without us, nothing gets where it needs to go.

“It’s a hard job but I love it, and I’m passionate about making a di erence in the industry.”

5. When the Planner Sends Tomorrow’s Load: 52.4k views

Aaron’s got a nice easy day tomorrow – but it seems like his colleague is out of luck, as he can hear him screaming in the background.

Big turnout for vintage run

Some fickle Victorian weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of participants in the biennial jaunt down memory lane.

BEFORE dawn they gathered, lling the car park of the old Ford factory at Campbelleld on the northern edge of Melbourne, and the starting point of Crawlin’ the Hume. is, the sixth run attracted 300 registrations and from all over they came, the Victorian ‘locals’ being joined by trucks from around the country.

Of course, as is the want with these events, the radar showed swathes of rain sweeping across the state, but these blokes come from hardy stock.

Brian Smith has done every run from inception. Owning a model T Ford tray truck, named ‘Apples’, Brian is usually the rst to leave Melbourne and the last to arrive at Albury. When asked about the impending bad weather, Brian smiles and says: “I’ll take it as it comes.”

Donny McGregor from Sunbury is on the road with his Louis and intends getting there and back on this day – we hope he did.

While 300 trucks turn up for the event and their drivers have a great day, it would be remiss to not mention the work behind the scenes that goes

Vin O’Neil has a 1959 Austin tray truck which he drove down from Sandy Creek, near Albury – just to drive back up there again.

into making it happen. Chief cook and bottle washer, Rob French is aided and abetted by a number of folk who go above and beyond.

You would think that parking up before the event would be easy. Scott ‘Hu y’ Hu had to have the use of the car park agreed to by no less than Ford of America. “It only cost us $1 to lease it from 5-11am, but you should have seen the legal contract we had to sign. I went through a bit of mental torment; I can tell you!”

Peter Rowlands spent a day and a half putting signage out on the highway for attendees to follow. Je Johnston organised the trophies and Jenny (no last name unfortunately) held

the fabric together. With blow-ins it was expected that close to 400 trucks would make the run this day. It is believed that this would be a world record for a vintage truck run.

Ask anyone why they’ve attended and the responses are all similar: “Keeping the history alive. e camaraderie. Remembering the old days and long forgotten towns. How bad the old Hume was.”

e breadth of trucks is also astounding, from rusty (but hopefully reliable) old bangers to museum pieces. From Brian’s T-model to pristine Kenworths, Macks and any other brand you can think of.

Whatever is being driven, there’s no hierarchy on this day; it’s all for one and one for all. If someone breaks down – and they do – there will be plenty pulling up to help. Can’t get it going? Someone will have space on a trailer to load it aboard. is drive by necessity takes in part of the new Hume Highway but wherever possible the drive reverts to the old road, passing through those towns that used to cater to the thousands of trucks that passed their doors each night.

Some towns have reinvented themselves from relying on

‘truckie trade’ but there are others that have faded into the annals of highway history. is is brought home when passing some of the now derelict roadhouses that thrived in days gone by.

ese towns have not forgotten the trucks though, and people poured out of their homes, set up marquees, sat atop utes, brought out tables, chairs and more than one lounge suite to enjoy the passing parade. Some were young and loud. Others were old and you could almost see their eyes moisten as the parade rolled by.

Drivers pulled up in groups of two or three – or a dozen or more whenever the fancy took them, and talked over a co ee about this trip and no doubt about the camaraderie of the old days being recreated by Crawlin’ the Hume.

At Winton raceway they gathered for a lunch break and thousands of locals came to see this rolling history. en onwards through Glenrowan, Wangaratta, Chiltern, Barnawartha and on to Albury where most would stay for dinner and a well-deserved beer at the Albury Racetrack.

Here I run into Bruce Gunter of Haulin’ the Hume and Copy Southbound fame (or is

it notoriety). Bruce has driven his circa 1958 630 Diamond T to the run.

George Gould from Bribie Island restored the truck and upon his passing, Bruce managed to obtain it.

George used to drive for one Alan Hancock who died in a head on accident at Avenel in an identical truck. Alan carted for Unilever out of Sydney and had been a great friend of Bruce’s parents. Bruce has returned the truck to Alan’s colours, including the Sydney – Melbourne on the bumper and Lux and Rinso soap powder logos on the doors. Every truck tells a story.

Yes, the rain did come in spurts throughout the day, but not in the torrents expected and even Brian Smith arrived reasonably dry. It would take a tsunami to stop this lot from Crawlin the Hume, and even then, I reckon they’d give it a go.

From considering retirement from the event a couple of years ago, Rob French and his band of dedicated helpers are already planning 2026.

If you can’t wait that long, sister event Haulin’ the Hume from Sydney to Yass will be on next April.

More pics on page 20

Reliving the good old days

From page 18

THE convoy traced the route of the old highway passing through locations and towns once well-travelled by trucks, including Pretty Sally, Kilmore, Benalla, Glenrowan, Wangaratta, and Chiltern, with crowds lining the streets of the now-bypassed towns to greet and wave to the trucks as they passed through.

e convoy paused for a lunch stop at the Winton Motor Raceway which drew quite a crowd of onlookers, with a dinner held (and no doubt a few tales swapped) in Albury on the Saturday night, with plans afoot to make the next Crawlin the Hume event, in 2026 bigger and better.

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SHELL Rimula has partnered with Big Rigs in a big way – so there’s even more reasons to send in your best truck shots.

Each month, the Big Rigs team will choose a #PicOfTheMonth, with the lucky winner receiving a $500 Shell Coles Express Gift Card.

Keep an eye out for our regular posts on the Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper Facebook page, calling

for your best truck photos and add yours in the comments, or email them to kayla.walsh@ primecreative.com.au.

Don’t forget to include a brief note about the truck and where the photo was taken. We’ll feature some of the best photos in each edition of Big Rigs Newspaper, with one winner announced each month.

Keep those amazing truck pics coming!

When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going

APRIL

Lockington Vintage Rally

April 27–28, 2024

Lockington, VIC

Facebook: Lockington

Vintage Rally

THERE are so many great truck shows and events coming up soon – here are some dates for your diaries.

Enjoy a great day out at Lockington & District Living Heritage Complex, surrounded by trucks, vintage tractors, engines, motorcycles, cars, and farm machinery. Entry is $10 per person, with primary school-aged children free. Free entry for rally exhibitors. Proof of insurance must be shown.

North Coast Trucking Social Club Memorial Ceremony

April 27, 2024

South Kempsey, NSW

Facebook: North Coast Trucking Social Club e ceremony will take place

at the South Kempsey Interchange at 10am on April 27. An informal convoy will leave South Street, South Kempsey at 9am, driving through Kempsey CBD and then on to Frederickton, nishing up at the South Kempsey Interchange. Light refreshments will be provided following the ceremony, and for those interested a remembrance dinner will be held at the Kempsey Heights Bowling Club at 6pm.

MAY

Sydney TruckFest

May 3–5, 2024

Clarendon, NSW

sydneytruckfest.com.au

Held at Hawkesbury Showground, Sydney TruckFest is a major celebration of the trucking industry, showcasing the latest developments in transport technology, equipment, accessories and much more. ere is a dedicated section for older vehicles, but the focus is

THE 2024 Colac Truck and Ute Show went down a treat, with over 100 trucks and as many as 4000 people descending on Colac Showgrounds in Victoria on Saturday April 6. Truckies travelled from far and wide to display their rigs, with chairperson of the organising committee Daniel Williams telling Big Rigs that the judging panel had their work cut out for them.

But it looks like the judges had a soft spot for one particular model of truck, as Zac Cornwill scooped the top prize of Truck of the Show with his 2023 Kenworth W900 SAR Legend and Land Transport’s 2020 SAR Legend wasn’t far behind, winning second place.

Both first and second place for Best Truck 0-5 Years were also SAR Legends, owned by Mick Lenehan and Josh Dowie. Williams said that there was a “great atmosphere” in the showgrounds on the day, with plenty of family fun.

“We had live music from 11am to 6pm, and plenty of kids’ entertainment, from jumping castles to face paint-

ing to mini golf,” he said.

“It was a real family-friendly day and there was something for everyone.

“The way we set up this year was much better than last year, and we got a lot of positive feedback.”

The Colac Truck and Ute Show is a collaboration of the Colac Fire Brigade and Colac SES Unit to raise funds for equipment and facility upgrades.

“We are still getting invoices coming in, but we estimate that we’ve raised about $25,000,” said Williams.

AWARD WINNERS

Truck of the Show

1. Zac Cornwill - 2023

Kenworth W900 SAR

Legend

2. Land Transport - 2022

Kenworth W900 SAR

Legend

Best Truck 0-5 years

1. Mick Lenehan - 2023

Kenworth W900 SAR

Legend

2. Josh Dowie - 2023

Kenworth W900 SAR

Legend

Best Truck 5-10 years

1. Alistair Goodman - 2017

Kenworth T909

on highlighting new vehicles and advancements. ere is also a Show and Shine this year, open to trucks of every size, shape, year and model.

Heritage Truck Association

Truck Show

May 18–19, 2024

Rocklea, Qld

Facebook: Heritage Truck Association Australia Inc Held at Rocklea Showgrounds, this display of veteran, vintage and heritage trucks, vintage tractors, stationary working engines and vintage cars will interest any vehicle enthusiast. Attendees can also expect trade stalls, a ra e and food and drink. Entry $5 adults, children under 14 free. For further information phone Mark on 0448 111 105, or John on 0477 499 530.

Transport Women Australia

Ltd – Living the Dream Conference

May 30– June 1, 2024 Essendon Fields, VIC transportwomen.com.au/ events e conference kicks o with a pre-conference tour of Paccar, which includes lunch, and a concurrent session with Healthy Heads in Truck and Sheds. Cindy Parker (director of operations at Americold LLC) has been announced as a keynote speaker. Ellen Voie, founder of Women in Trucking from Wisconsin, will also be speaking at the event. An awards dinner is on June 1.

JUNE

Alexandra Truck, Ute & Rod Show

June 9, 2024

Alexandra, VIC alexandratruckshow.com.au

e Alexandra Truck Show is back on the long weekend in

June this year, with a Sunday Show ‘n’ Shine on the town’s main street, as well as live music, a Victorian woodchop tournament, exhibitions, trade displays, kids’ amusements and a ra e. Come down on Saturday for the local markets, a convoy and truck drivers’ memorial service at 2pm and sponsors’ dinner at 6pm. For more details email trucks@alexandratruckshow.com.au or phone Gordon Simpson on 0409 577 212.

JULY

Camp Quality Adelaide Convoy for Kids

Jul 6, 2023

Victoria Park, Adelaide, SA fundraise.campquality.org.au

To celebrate National Female Truckies’ Day this year, WiTA and Camp Quality are teaming up to host a day “for the little kids AND the BIG kids”. Supporters will cheer on Camp Quality’s rst ever Adelaide convoy, as they travel a 40km route around Adelaide and Port Adelaide, starting and nishing at Victoria Park. e event venue will also host a free family fun day, packed with entertainment and experiences including food vans, kids’ rides, face painting, live music, and more.

2. Bradley McClean - 2017

Kenworth T900 Legend

Best Truck 10-20 years

1. Anthony Latorre - 2013

Kenworth K200

2. Mick Morris

Attendees can check out the trucks and motorbikes on display at a Show ‘n’ Shine after the convoy.

AUGUST

Casino Truck Show

August 3, 2024

Casino, NSW casinotruckshow.com.au

Expect hundreds of trucks from all over Australia, as well as live music, trade stalls and more. Truck registrations ($30 each) from 6am at the Casino Industrial Area on the east side of the town. e Highway Lights Parade will roll through Johnston Street and Centre Street from 10am. Award presentations will take place at 2pm, with over $12,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. For further info email info@ casinotruckshow.com.au or Darren Goodwin at dtgood win1@yahoo.com.au or phone (02) 6660 0300.

SEPTEMBER

American Iron Echuca Truck Display

September 7-8, 2024

Echuca Rotary Park, VIC campaspe.vic.gov.au

All makes and models of trucks are welcome at the American Iron Echuca Truck Display. Attendees can look forward to modi ed tractor/mini tractor pull demonstrations, on-site camping and catering, club merchandise and trade stalls, as well as live music by Van-yt.

MEGATRANS

September 18 -19, 2024

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, VIC megatrans.com.au Leaders from across the supply chain will gather in Melbourne to discuss the future of the logistics industry at MegaTrans, an integrated trade expo and conference reserved for companies o ering advanced technology technologies and services. Experts from across Australia will gather to discuss the issues that are shaping the future of the sustainable supply chain, including workplace diversity and real estate planning.

Have you got an event you’d like included in the next Save the Date? Email all the details to kayla.walsh@primecreative. com.au

UNIQUELY

FOR DRIVERS... THERE’S ONLY ONE CHOICE

We’re not all made the same and neither is a Kenworth. With a huge range of options, a Kenworth can be customised for the driver and the task at hand. Drive something to be proud of; a truck that’s uniquely yours.

kenworth.com.au

From humble beginnings

VOLWRECK began its humble beginnings in the northern suburbs of Melbourne way back in 2001.

Operating from its Glenbarry Road site in Campbelleld, Volwreck brings a high level of customer service and industry knowledge to the transport industry, servicing customers and companies throughout Australia.

Directors John Lirosi and Graeme Troutbeck, who gained their knowledge of Volvos through their apprenticeships with Volvo itself, commenced the business with the focus solely on dismantling old Volvo trucks.

But selling second-hand

parts saw John and Graeme expand the business into new aftermarket truck and trailer parts.

With Volvo still at the core of Volwreck’s business, they also supply numerous parts for a wide range of European trucks, including Mercedes-Benz, DAF, MAN, Iveco and Renault – importing from Europe and Asia for the Australian market.

Volwreck stocks a wide range of parts from various brands such as Diesel Technic, Sampa, Vaden, Sachs, Wabco, Meritor, etc. If they don’t have it in stock, they are happy to source it for you.

e team at Volwreck prides itself with providing excellent customer service – with a team of four sales reps who aim to answer all customers queries as soon as possible.

Same-day delivery is also an important factor for the business, to get parts to where they’re needed as soon as possible.

Volwreck strives to make the customer service experience an excellent one. is is why their customers come back time after time.

However, there is also another side to Volwreck.

e company lends a helping hand to our Aussie farmers too, transporting hay and supplies all over Australia to where it is needed through the Need

for Feed programme run by the Lions Club. Graeme is always so happy to jump in the company’s Volvo truck and lend a hand during a crisis.

If you wish to support this worthy cause, please head over to Need for Feed’s website at needforfeed.org/donate.html.

Need for Feed is happy to accept all donations big

or small. From hay through to non-perishable household goods, animal feed, and money donations to assist with their e orts.

For more information about Volwreck or to get in touch, visit volwreck.com.au, call 03 9357 7081, email info@vol wreck.com.au or like us on our Facebook page.

Distracted driving is a growing safety issue

THERE’S a growing trend of drivers using their mobile phones to text, browse the web or read emails – they have a 10 times higher risk of causing a collision than their non-distracted counterparts on the road.

Worse still, more than one-third of drivers admit to using their phones illegally while driving. If a driver takes their eyes o the road for two seconds or more, it doubles the risk of having a crash – in that time they will have travelled 28 metres, or the length of a cricket pitch. e alarming facts on the dangers of distracted driving, reported by Victoria’s Tra c Accident Commission, are sobering.

However, distracted driving is not the only factor contributing to crash statistics.

Fatigue is a major killer on Australian roads, with tired driving reported to be a contributing factor in up to a fth of all crashes in the state. With 30 people each year dying because of fatigue, while a further 200 su er serious injuries, more must be done. More can be done.

Fatigue and distracted

driving, then, are real problems for eet managers, who must meet regulatory requirements for occupational health and safety – along with general community expectations – that their drivers are well rested and not using their phones or other devices while on the road. For professional drivers, the vehicle is their workplace,

and ensuring their safety is important.

Technology has a major safety role to play

Video telematics, such as Teletrac Navman’s Type-approved IQ Camera, uses arti cial intelligence to spot when a driver is looking at their phone, peering too long

at something they’re passing, or even closing their eyes a little too much for comfort.

e drowsy driving detection feature is designed to warn the driver if they look tired. When the driver is detected closing their eyes for too much longer than a regular blink. Likewise, the IQ Camera also looks for times when drivers might be

Fully integrated into TN360, our diverse range of cameras deliver you real-time footage and data to help you improve safety, streamline coaching and protect drivers Now that’s choice

using their mobile or another handheld device.

For each of these features, an audible alert is played for the driver, and a real-time noti cation for the back ofce to help with intermediate intervention and prevent the possibility of future collisions.

e data recorded alongside the footage helps provide a solid foundation for coaching

and training, bucking trends before they become habits.

Taken together, the system works to combat fatigued and distracted driving, contributing to the safety of both the vehicle operator and other road users who may be impacted by impaired driving.

Video telematics also plays a signi cant safety role by alerting the driver to other potentially harmful behaviours, such as harsh braking, tailgating, or exceeding the posted speed limit.

Understanding behaviour provides a bigger, less considered bene t – cost cutting. By reducing the excessive or harsh usage of your vehicles, general wear and tear costs and fuel rates steadily decrease as drivers become more cautious on the road.

Technology has a big role to play for eet operators wanting to minimise the impact of fatigued or distracted driving.

Using Teletrac Navman’s IQ Camera video telematics can help to improve the safety of your drivers and the community, leading to safer roads and a safe arrival home for all.

Here’s how balanced wheels equal fuel savings

ATLAS Balance Rings presented at the national Big Wheels Conference at Coogee in March. is proved a winning combination of skills.

Experts in wheel alignment, Big Wheels Truck Alignment has been aligning trucks for over 30 years; from small delivery vans and 4WDs to huge mining trucks, cranes and everything in between. But what happens when some of the best aligners in the business can’t x the problem despite their evident expertise?

It may be about balance

Consider this case study. A busy Remondis rubbish truck, after ve visits, just couldn’t be aligned and the drive was so bad, that the owner was refusing to drive it. Franchisee owner Danny from Dandenong then recommended and tted Euro Atlas Balance Rings. e owner called back only 45 minutes later… and reported that “the change is absolutely ** amazing.”

Matt Swan from Big Wheels in Geelong (pictured above right) is a good businessperson, a truck driver, and also a diesel mechanic, so understands customer’s needs. Knowing his wheel alignment customers would bene t from cost and comfort with Atlas Balance Rings, Matt gained the customer’s permission and then gifted Atlas Balance

Rings to two of his customers. One was a transport company, and the other was a 220bus company in Geelong. e transport driver almost immediately reported, “It’s unreal how smooth it is now!”

Impressive fuel savings

Big Wheels Geelong look after DRT in Geelong and ts Atlas Balance Rings to many rigs. ey recently ran a fuel test on a new FTE Quad Fridge Van, running multiple weekly Mel-

bourne to Sydney hauls. Now that it’s fully tted out with Atlas Balance Rings; there is extra tyre life, but also 70 litres in savings per trip! So across 52 weeks, with 5-6 trips per week, that’s a saving of around 21,840 litres of diesel.

Savings for New Zealand drivers are even more impressive. Typically, diesel costs are higher, and the mountainous roads make any kind of haulage challenging. Paul Rudd from Reliable Distributors,

Auckland reported, “After tting the Atlas Balance Rings to our 104KW it has changed the truck – it’s more positive on the road, takes the wander out of the drive combined with a good wheel alignment, I’d recommend these as a good move.”

How about saving the planet?

In the early days of Atlas Balance Rings, the founder found

this pile of dumped tyres (pictured below) in NSW, and became even more committed to saving drivers’ money and reducing wasted resources.

How much might Atlas Balance Rings have reduced this pile from the get-go?

Let’s add reduced use of fossil fuels by tyre manufacturers, reduced emissions, less diesel, less waste to manage, and better use of resources with recycled materials.

That’s confidence!

After tting balance rings to thousands of trucks in Australia, New Zealand, and worldwide; the stories from happy owners and operators are legion. Atlas knows, with absolute con dence, that you will save; including avoiding an aching back and tiring painful drives. It’s interesting that as humans, we are often concerned with rigs looking good with expensive shiny accessories, rather than investing a tiny amount relatively-speaking (a set of rings starts from $550 plus GST. Note that price rises are necessary from May 1, so you may need to contact Atlas Balance Company quickly).

With a 365-day money-back guarantee (and a ve-year product warranty), Atlas Balance dares drivers anywhere, hauling anything –on roads of any condition – to try them. Your bookkeeper, who often is also your partner in this industry, will be so glad you did.

For more information, visit atlasbalance.com.au or call 1300 228 527.

e latest Black Magic light bar range is engineered to provide unrivalled performance in even the most demanding conditions. Equipped with state-of-the-art LED technol-

WITH a commitment to innovation and delivering superior products, HELLA has once again raised the bar with this exceptional range of light bars. Combining cutting-edge technology, robust construction, and outstanding performance, the Black Magic light bars are set to revolutionise the driving journey, on and o -road.

ogy, these light bars deliver an impressive output of lumens (up to 20,000), ensuring exceptional brightness and long-range visibility. Whether traversing rugged terrains or navigating through challenging weather conditions, the Black Magic light bars provide

drivers with enhanced safety and con dence wherever their journey takes them.

Ideally suited to the harsh Australian landscape, HELLA Black Magic light bars are built tough, to withstand extreme conditions.

Constructed with highquality materials and featuring robust housing, these light bars are resistant to shocks, vibrations, and even water ingress. e Black Magic range is engineered to be dustproof and waterproof, ensuring durability and reliability for every adventure, no matter how rough the terrain.

Additionally, the range offers a wide variety of options to suit di erent driver needs. Available in various lengths and beam patterns, these light bars can be customised to provide optimal lighting solutions for di erent applications. From long-distance spot beams for high-speed o -road driving to wide-angle ood beams for illuminating a wider area during camping or working scenarios, the Black Magic ranges o er versatility and exibility to cater to diverse requirements.

HELLA’s dedication to user experience is evident in the user-friendly design of these light bars. Easy installation and adjustable mounting brackets make tting these light bars a hassle-free process.

Additionally, the low-prole design and sleek aesthetics of the Black Magic range seamlessly integrate with the aesthetics of di erent vehicles, enhancing their overall appearance.

With their unparalleled performance, durability, versatility, and user-friendly design,

HELLA’s

Magic light bars set a new standard in the industry.

Whether exploring remote trails, tackling challenging terrains, or simply adding a touch of style to your vehicle, the Black Magic light bars are the go-to choice for everyone; o -roaders, heavy vehicles or on-road 4WDs.

With HELLA’s commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, Black Magic light bars illuminate the way forward, leading the charge in the Australian lighting market.

PROFESSIONAL drivers face many challenges throughout the course of their work as they juggle tight delivery schedules and guide their trucks through heavy tra c, often travelling on roads not designed for large vehicles.

Given the carrying capacity of trucks, especially in the heavier weight classes, their braking systems are critical. Many of these trucks will be operating at near full GVM which could be 20t for smaller rigs, through to well over 60t GCM in the case of B-doubles.

ese hefty weights mean that commercial vehicles take much longer to stop and unfortunately many motorists are ignorant of this, treating trucks in the same way as they would regular passenger vehicles. Cars cutting in front of trucks on the approach to trafc lights or at T-intersections are common gripes of professional drivers, because they can lead to dangerous braking situations.

Data from Transport for NSW indicates that a B-double travelling at just 40km/h can take up to 44 metres to stop; if travelling at 60km/h, that same truck would need approximately 90 metres to come

Regular truck brake inspections are critical Combined focus on quality

IN the world of heavy vehicle manufacturing, where reliability, durability, and safety are non-negotiable, the importance of quality components cannot be overstated.

Among these crucial components, wheels stand out as the foundation upon which the entire vehicle rests. Recognising this, industry leaders like Sloanebuilt and Alcoa Wheels have forged a partnership rooted in a shared commitment to excellence.

At the heart of this partnership lies a dedication to quality that has endured for years. Sloanebuilt, a repu-

to a standstill. In comparison, a car travelling at 40km/h needs around 27 metres to stop, or if travelling at 60km/h, around 56 metres is needed.

Because of these operating conditions, it’s vital that the braking systems of heavy vehicles are regularly inspected. Drivers should also be aware of the symptoms of poorly performing brakes. is may include: pulling left or right when applying the brakes, vibrations including through the pedal, hard or low pedal feel, unusual noises on application or an illuminated brake warning light.

Things to check for:

• Ensure brake uid levels are correct and changed at OEM-speci ed intervals

• Inspect brake pads, rotors and calipers for wear or damage

• Check brake shoes and drums for wear, damage and adjustment

• Check brake lines and air hoses to ensure there are no kinks, perished rubbers or other damage

• Ensure that brake components are properly lubricated to prevent corrosion and to provide free operation

• Clean brake components to remove corrosion and debris build-up as required

The Bendix ProTrans commercial vehicle range

If consumables do need replacing, Bendix o ers an extensive range covering light, medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles and trailing stock, as well as buses and coaches. Available products include disc brake pads, brake shoe kits and the special heavy-duty ProTrans HD disc brake pads, designed for extreme applications.

ProTrans – engineered excellence

Range-wide advantages of ProTrans include improved surface technology, high temperature resistance and reduced wear rates which all contribute to reliable and high-performance braking as well as reduced running costs. A further bene t of the range is reduced brake noise, while mechanics and workshops will also appreciate the easy installation aspects of the product.

At the heart of the range is Bendix’s adoption of high-quality friction materials which are essential to meet the

braking requirements of modern commercial vehicles – the pads provide a strong, predictable friction level regardless of the temperature, speed or axle load. ere’s also titanium bedding-in technology to ensure a positive pedal feel right from new.

Bendix understands the enormous forces in play when heavy vehicles brake under load and has developed products that have been extensively tested in Australia’s most dicult operating environments to meet these needs. e range also meets ECE Regulation 90 (ECE-R90). is measure spec-

i es the design, construction, performance requirements and test protocols for strict European regulations, this includes testing for braking capabilities, speed sensitivity, cold performance and other parameters.

Meeting extreme demands with ProTrans HD disc brake pads

For even higher demand applications such as agitator and compactor work, or inner-city bus routes with frequent start and stop cycles, Bendix o ers ProTrans HD disc brake pads. is range features a heavy-duty formulation designed to

cope with the elevated temperatures found during constant braking conditions and under full GVM.

A further bene t of ProTrans HD disc brake pads are their low wear performance, leading to extended servicing intervals. And for convenience and ease of installation, all required hardware is included in each kit, making them ‘readyto- t’ for technicians.

ProTrans brake shoe kits

e performance values of Bendix’s ProTrans range extends to its brake shoe kits, which are manufactured to the highest quality standards in an IATF 16949 and QS9000-accredited facility.

Bene ts of the kits include electro hardened journal ends, indented webbing for additional strength and steel rivets.

For greater performance and extended drum life, each shoe is radius ground after riveting/ bonding. e range also meets or exceeds the performance characteristics of industry leading OE shoes.

For convenience and ease of tment, all ProTrans brake shoe kits include all required components such as springs, pins, retainers and rollers.

table name in trailer manufacturing, understands that every aspect of a vehicle must meet the highest standards to ensure performance, safety, and customer satisfaction. Alcoa Wheels, renowned for its superior wheel solutions, shares this ethos wholeheartedly. Together, they exemplify how a focus on quality can drive success and foster enduring relationships built on trust.

Sloanebuilt’s journey from its humble beginnings to its current status as a powerhouse in the tipper market is a testament to its unwavering commitment to qual-

ity and innovation. With a legacy steeped in community service and a state-of-theart facility, Sloanebuilt has earned a reputation for producing premium trailer and tipper bodies renowned for their longevity and superior performance.

Hannah Elborough, Sloanebuilt’s executive marketing representative, said, “Our market di erentiation results from our quality consciousness, passion to make a di erence and responsiveness to the needs of our local market, customers, and suppliers. is adaptability and customer-centric approach have been instrumental in our growth and sustainability.”

At the core of this success lies its partnership with Alcoa Wheels, which has solidi ed its position as a trusted partner for heavy vehicle manufacturers worldwide.

Sloanebuilt builds approximately 350 trailers per year. In 2023 speci cally, they had a productive year, constructing a total of 392 trailers, including rigid bodies and trailers. ey hold the majority of the market share in the tipper segment, showcasing their expertise in this area.

At the heart of Sloanebuilt’s success lies its dedication to excellence in its operations. From its robust manufacturing processes to its customer-centric approach, Sloanebuilt strives to exceed expectations. Central to this commitment is its longstanding partnership with Alcoa Wheels.

e alignment of Sloanebuilt and Alcoa Wheels goes beyond mere business transactions; it is a testament to a shared vision for the future of heavy vehicle manufacturing. By prioritising quality in every wheel produced, Alcoa

Wheels provides Sloanebuilt and its customers with peace of mind, knowing that they can rely on wheels that are built to last.

Alcoa Wheels, a global leader renowned for its innovative products and exceptional customer support, perfectly complements Sloanebuilt’s ethos. “ e partnership between Sloanebuilt and Alcoa Wheels is not just about products; it’s about shared values and a mutual commitment to excellence,” remarked Elborough.

In today’s fast-paced world, where corners are often cut to pursue short-term gains, the enduring partnership between Sloanebuilt and Alcoa Wheels is a beacon of integrity and excellence. It reminds us that quality cannot be compromised when ensuring safety and performance on the road.

As we look to the future of heavy vehicle manufacturing, let us remember the lessons embodied by Sloanebuilt and Alcoa Wheels. Let us prioritise quality above all else, knowing that it is not just a responsibility to ourselves and our customers but a commitment to the safety and wellbeing of all who share the road.

To combat the extreme pressures that heavy duty vehicles such as Cement Agitators, Garbage Compactors or City Route buses are exposed to, Bendix has created Bendix Protrans™HD. Protrans™HD has a heavy-duty formulation designed to cope with high temperatures found in constant braking and full GVM loading which requires a higher performance brake pad.

Aussie innovation: Where reliability meets the road

COMMON complaints about steering in heavy vehicles are steering rattles, heavy steering, binding, wandering or drag. is can quite often lead to vibration or rattles travelling through to the column as acoustic vibrations, and this sometimes leads to unnecessary column replacement.

Columns do at times need to be replaced or remanufactured due to wear and tear or unnecessary loads being placed onto the steering wheel and column with utilising the wheel as a grab handle.

e director of Complete Steering Australia (CSA), Michael Pendergast, having been in the heavy vehicle steering industry for in excess of 36 years, has used this experience and knowledge to identify ways to overcome common steering complaints.

Standard corrections like

sector lash, and eliminating free play in linkages, all lead to a need to minimise all free movement between the steering wheel and the steering gear. is has highlighted the need for a complete redesign of heavy vehicle I-Shafts for Australian conditions.

CSA undertook the task of designing and now manufacturing I-shafts to suit the needs of most heavy and medium duty vehicles.

e design incorporates:

• Precise machining of sliding components for smoother,

closer tolerances

• Treatment of sliding components for extended working life whilst retaining close tolerances

• Anti-rattle design

• Designed for smoother, quieter operation

• Minimal sliding forces required

• Nil rotating backlash

• Greaseable, replaceable universals

• Retro t to heavy and medium truck applications

CSA has spent many years developing, testing and trialling this product in many applications on road and o road. CSA has received exceptional response and feedback from eets, single operators and workshops across Australia.

Some of their feedback has included quotes such as:

“It has stopped all bump feedback through the column

and wheel.”

“It’s lightened the steering and does not have any hard spots.”

“It’s never steered this good.”

“Wow, steers like a new truck should with no rattles through the column.”

e design parameters provide nil rotational backlash, and includes an anti-rattle design which reduces the transmission of steering chatter through the column.

e metallurgic treatment of the sliding components extends the working life while retaining close tolerances.

e Heavy Duty I-Shaft also has an adaptive system allowing customised assembly, length and uni-phasing.

e low slip load attributes to a smoother steering feel while providing longer lasting durable components.

CSA’s ingenuity and tenac-

ity has resulted in an innovative design which has now been proven in the eld in all types of road conditions, e ectively reducing rattling columns, smoother steering and bump feedback through

centres across Australia.

Mention this editorial to receive xed price tment for the month of May when you purchase an I-Shaft from CSA direct in Melbourne or Brisbane. Phone 1300

the wheel providing smoother steering with less driver fatigue.

e CSA I-Shaft is now available through all Paccar Parts and TRP Dealers and CSA approved diagnostic 270

Truck parts warehouse opens in logistics hub

DAIMLER Truck has opened a truck-dedicated parts warehouse in the logistics hub of Truganina in Melbourne’s west.

Situated on a prime 30,000sqm site, the vestar energy rated facility will handle parts for the Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Freightliner and Fuso brands, as well as Alliance Truck Parts.

Until now, Daimler Truck parts were kept at a warehouse shared with Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.

e new 20,000sqm facility features a solar array able to produce

125,000kWh of energy each year, as well as a 45,000-litre rainwater tank, motion sensing energy ecient LED lights, double glazed windows and electric vehicle charging stations.

It was recently opened by Head of Daimler Truck overseas, Andreas von Wallfeld, DB Schenker Australia and New Zealand cluster CEO, Craig Davison, and Daimler Truck Australia Paci c president and CEO, Daniel Whitehead.

Whitehead said the introduction of the new warehouse represents a big

step forward. “ is dedicated truck and bus parts warehouse is at the centre of our commitment to our customers across Australia and New Zealand,” Whitehead said.

“It will allow us to better meet their speci c needs, which are very di erent to those of passenger car customers.”

Whitehead said the warehouse development ts in with the sustainability goals of Daimler Truck.

“It was a great opportunity to specify a design that incorporated a raft of environmental elements

ranging from double glazed windows to an impressive solar power array,” he said.

“Daimler Truck is a sustainability leader with our pioneering fully-electric Fuso eCanter and Mercedes-Benz eActros and eEconic trucks, so it is only tting that our parts warehouse is designed accordingly.”

e new parts warehouse, which can dispatch 1500 parts a day, was developed with a custom optimised layout to exceed customer needs.

Daimler Truck Australia Paci c aftersales and net-

work operations vice president, Antonio Briceño, said the signi cance of the new parts warehouse cannot be overstated.

“ is state-of-the-art, ve-star energy rated facility, with a layout designed for e ciency, enables us to best support our customers now and well into the future,” he said.

“We are very excited to continue our partnership with DB Schenker, who will operate the new facility. eir considerable global experience and resources will no doubt set us up to deliver the best possible

service to our customers.”

e warehouse features four recessed loading docks, 70,000 individual bin locations, a 4200sqm two-level mezzanine and a 440sqm o ce.

In addition, the warehouse incorporates customised racking to store large truck cabs. A super awning of approximately 3300sqm was constructed so that parts could be loaded and unloaded in full protection from the weather.

e warehouse itself has a high clearance section, with additional pallet storage above 10m in height.

Lost friend inspires change

Despite having never been to WA before her current role driving super quads, this FIFO truckie hasn’t looked back since taking the plunge.

FROM behind the wheel of a new 700hp Volvo prime mover, with 140 tonnes and 100 tyres going down the road, Elaine Jackson, 51, says she’s absolutely “loving it!” out in the west.

Based in Mount Gambier, SA, she ies into Port Hedland to carry out her role with Qube Bulk, doing four weeks on and two weeks o . Her run is 400 kilometres each way, from the camp near Port Hedland to the Woodie Woodie manganese mine site.

Prior to her outback road train work, Elaine had spent about 10 years driving log trucks. Her most recent role in logging was with Tabeel Trading Nominees (TTN) in Mount Gambier, where in December 2022 she was named their truck driver of the year and, shortly after, given the keys to a brand new 770hp Scania.

But it was the tragic passing of a dear friend to cancer about 12 months ago that made her see things from a di erent perspective: “After my friend passed away at 56 years old, I thought to myself, tomorrow is never guaranteed so it was now or never. It had always been my dream to try FIFO in the big rigs and I just needed to do this for myself,” she said.

Fast forward to late last year, when Elaine applied for a job at Qube Bulk. “ ey called to tell me I was successful and when did I want to start. I asked when

they wanted me and the answer was yesterday! I wanted to spend Christmas with my family and my 95 year old grandmother, so we could all celebrate my 4 month old granddaughter’s rst Christmas – so I ew out to start with Qube on December 28th.”

With a 40-acre hobby farm complete with sheep and cattle at home, Elaine says her partner Anthony Winter eld (who is a log truck driver himself) was very supportive, with the family o ering to help out at the property if it was needed. “ ey all said you do whatever you need to do.”

Prior to hitting the road solo, Elaine spent three

weeks training with other drivers and four days travelling to the Woodie Woodie mine site with a trainer.

“Before starting with Qube Bulk, the biggest combination I’d ever driven was a B-double but they weren’t too concerned about that because all the training was provided. e rst day the trainer drove, then I drove with him in the passenger seat.”

e Qube truck Elaine currently drives is a twin steer tri-drive prime mover, with the super quad measuring 60 metres.

“It’s very stable and tracks very well,” she said. “It’s probably more stable than the B-doubles I was in because it’s longer and has more pivot points. It’s all spring suspension on the trailers and dollies, whereas back home when I was in the B-double log trucks, it was all airbag suspension so they rolled around a little bit more. Even the turning capacity of the quad, so long as your second trailer is clear of the turning/ pivot point before you turn, the other trailers just track around with it.”

ough the trip to the Woodie Woodie mine site is her main run, there are a lot of ood-ways along the route that see their fair share of drivers.

“ ere was about six weeks recently where we couldn’t cart from Woodie Woodie because we couldn’t get to the mine; so I was going to the Wonmunna iron ore mine, down south towards Newman instead.”

e manganese she hauls from Woodie Woodie is mixed with iron ore as part of the steel making process, making it stronger – and heavier.

“We cart it both in crushed

and in rock form, after it gets loaded by a big bucket loader. ese loaders have on-board scales that tell me the weight as it’s tipped into my trailers.

ese weights are pre-set by the company to legal requirements and are written on the sides of the trailers for the loader operators.”

e truck operates around the clock, 24 hours a day, 6 days a week – with the seventh day put aside for servicing.

“All up, it takes about 12-14.5 hours to complete the Woodie Woodie run. I share this run with two other drivers, with the other driver taking over when I get out. I work with them for two weeks at a time, then the other driver ies in and I run with them for the next two weeks before I y out.”

When Elaine rst got in the truck just four months ago, there were only 4000km on the clock – now the truck has done over 100,000 kilometres.

“I was very lucky to get into a nice brand new truck,

TOMORROW IS NEVER GUARANTEED SO IT WAS NOW OR NEVER. IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN MY DREAM TO TRY FIFO IN THE BIG RIGS AND I JUST NEEDED TO DO THIS FOR MYSELF.”

ELAINE JACKSON

and the fellas I share it with keep it really clean and tidy too. It’s a pretty dusty environment we operate in, so they’ll often give the truck a good clean and a wash.”

Talking about the most challenging stretch of road along her route, Elaine called out the spot she and fellow truckies in the area have nicknamed “Everest” – a public road called Ripon Hills Road out from Marble Bar.

“It’s a long and steep incline and because we’re towing 140 tonne up there, 1013km/h is all you can do. And if you miss your gear

changes, you can get caught out. ere have been a few drivers who’ve been stuck and had to get towed over. “Touch wood, I haven’t had to do that yet, but I have had to tow a loaded truck out over another hill on the Great Northern Highway near area C. I was shitting myself getting there but was so pumped up once it was all done!”

For all its challenges, including the long hours, time away from home and family, and navigating some of the country’s most treacherous terrain, Elaine says she’s really enjoying the role at Qube Bulk.

“It’s the freedom. You’re out there by yourself, taking it all in. e scenery outside is amazing and you get to see all sorts of di erent wildlife. e views out there are truly spectacular and they change every day. e sunrises and the sunsets, it warms your heart driving out there, I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve certainly fallen in love with the place.”

Reunion with daughter

THERE were emotional scenes at a north Queensland roadhouse parking area when veteran Western Australian small eet operator Mike Vanstroe saw his daughter Kylee and granddaughter Charli for the rst time in four years.

e reunion happened around noon on a sunny Easter Saturday at Townsville’s BP Cluden roadhouse – and Big Rigs came along unexpectedly soon after.

I saw the ashy blue 2015 Mack Super-Liner parked there and asked Mike if I could snap a picture.

“You sure can. I have been a driver for 46 years and have never had anybody pull me up and ask to do a story,” he said.

I noticed that Mike, 66, who is based at York in WA, seemed quite emotional and he soon told me why.

“I have three grandchildren and haven’t seen Charli or Kylie for four years. It is great to catch up with them as well as my son-in-law Joel. e others all live in WA,” he said.

Kylie, her husband Joel, and Charli (aged nine), live in Townsville which is far away from where Vanstroe lives and works.

York is the oldest inland WA town and is situated on the Avon River, 97km east of Perth in the Wheatbelt. He had driven the Mack on the marathon 4737km journey from the WA capital to Mackay.

I asked Mike when and where he last saw his daughter and granddaughter. “It was back in January

2020 when I ew them to Perth and we went to Adventure World,” he said.

is knowledgeable road transport identity owns Kimberley Creek Contracting together with his beautiful wife Beth and has seven trucks which include Western Stars, Volvos and Macks.

He currently employs four drivers including his son An-

thony who drives the Western Star 4900.

However, while he concedes it can be di cult to nd good reliable drivers, he qualied that statement.

“If you treat them well and look after them they are usually okay, but there are some, it doesn’t matter how good you are to them, they are never pleased,” he said.

Mike’s regular run is Perth to Broome every Saturday with a triple road train.

So this job travelling far away to the tropics of North Queensland proved an opportunistic time for him to see his loved ones on such a special time at Easter.

“I never get over this way but got a job hauling a conveyor belt from Perth to Mackay.

e last time I was here was 10 years ago. It has been a challenge getting it here as the roads in Queensland are bad compared to in WA,” he said.

Born at Box Hill in Victoria, his rst job was in 1978 driving a 1976 International Acco 3070 running the Hume.

In 1985 he moved to Queensland and 25 years ago made the move to WA which has been positive.

I asked him what his favourite roadhouse was and he quickly nominated Andy’s Roadhouse just south of Ingham.

“I stopped o there the other day and had a good yarn to Andy Barra who has been there for more than 40 years. e burger I had was delicious. I try not to stop at roadhouses for healthy eating

reasons,” he said, but needed to fuel up.

Having said that he added his trucks were equipped with a microwave, fridge and inverter.

“ is Mack today doesn’t have a passenger seat, instead he has his 75 litre Engel so that can t in and I buy a week’s supply of ‘Light and Easy’ meals’ for trips and eat them alongside the road. It suits me,” Mike said.

He added that the worst road he had been on by far was between Cunnamulla and Rockhampton. “It was along two di erent highways but wasn’t good,” he said.

He had a backload from Gordonvale to WA which was a restored 2007 Kenworth.

“Every nut and bolt on it has been replaced and some custom stainless, it looks good,” he said.

In conclusion I asked Mike how the industry had changed over the decades.

“ e fatigue laws over here are more strict than WA and everyone’s in hurry,” he said.

“But many of the older truckie mates have passed on and that is sad, but part of life.”

Queensland truckie loves driving this Kenworth T908

pressed to find a more contented truckie than Ryan Friend who works for Richmond Freighters in the Queensland outback.

Aged 40, Ryan lives at Richmond which is 500km from Townsville along the Flinders Highway. I saw him tending to his load near his Kenworth T908 just before dark earlier this month at the Port Access Road

breakdown pad in Townsville. He loves the Kenworth and says, “It is a great truck and I just love driving it. My boss Scott Hinze is tops to work for and I’m really happy in the job.

“I came down from Richmond empty and have a load of timber from Townsville to Cloncurry,” he said.

Ryan, who has been in the industry for over 20 years, likes

stopping at the Hughenden Puma Roadhouse, where he says his favourite food is steak and veggies.

To my surprise, Ryan told me that I had snapped his pic when covering a “hog n dog” event in Richmond 22 years ago.

“I remember it well because I was aged 18 at the time,” he said.

Although Ryan isn’t into fe-

FOR SALE OR LEASE

ral pig hunting these days, he does enjoy fishing.

“When I have a break I fish the creeks around here in Townsville but haven’t had much luck lately,” he said.

Ryan’s eyes did light up when I told him that another driver caught a large barramundi in a waterway not far from the BP Cluden Roadhouse last week.

“I will be trying to catch a fish there when I can,” he said.

Ryan added that he rates the worst road he travels on as the Flinders Highway between Hughenden and Cloncurry.

After our 15-minute chin wag, I left with no doubt that this Richmond driver has a very apt surname.

Rest area parking problem

Numerous drivers have complained about the number of vans and cars taking up parking space at a rest area east of Norseman in SA.

“I pulled up there at 2am and there wasn’t any space available with vans and cars parked everywhere,” one said.

He was due for a fatigue break so drove onto another rest area further along.

“One van driver was trying to reverse in with not much luck. He couldn’t back his bum onto a toilet seat,” the angry truckie said.

Many readers may nd that statement humorous however it isn’t when you are the truckie desperate for a sleep.

Carting grapes

A wine loving colleague of Spy was delighted when he stopped at a truck stop at Noondoo, 20km east of Dirranbandi, and spotted a Kenworth parked up.

e driver of the Victorian based Leslie Refrigerated Transport Kenworth was very friendly and was happy to have a pic of his truck snapped but didn’t want to be in it himself.

“I am carting grapes from Mildura to Brisbane,” he said.

My mate asked him how long the trip would take and his coy answer was simply, “I can’t tell you that.”

Dirranbandi is a rural town on the border of Queensland and New South Wales.

Leslie Refrigerated Transport o ers refrigerated transport services to and from Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane and many other cities and towns across Australia.

Harmony at rest area

It is common knowledge that a lot of our truckies don’t like the habits of most caravan and motorhome travellers.

Not surprising when often tired truckies pull up at a rest area to see no parking spaces because they’ve all been taken up by caravans.

Driving habits of van and motorhome road users is another issue which raises the angst level.

So it was with great delight that Spy heard about a group of such grey nomads who got on particularly well with truckies. ey are also users of the above-mentioned rest area at Noondoo.

Harmony prevailed and I hear they all had a good chat and were even o ered a cuppa by the van people.

Our daily bread delay

It certainly wasn’t a case of the Bible verse “give us this day, our daily bread” at the entrance to a large shopping centre.

A driver had delivered two huge trollies loaded with bread and found the front door to the centre was closed.

He tried to ring centre management and was put through the third degree and didn’t get in for around 30 minutes.

Heaps of people were sitting and standing outside waiting to shop as the supermarket there had advised online that it was opening at 8am.

But in fact it didn’t open until 9am. e driver was irate and after some time was directed to the back entrance.

e delay had an e ect on the driver’s busy schedule.

Signs confusing

After heavy rain around Rolleston in Queensland, trafc was held up when “road closed signs” were beside the highway.

Whilst there had been heavy downpours the day before it was sunny and clear that day.

A WA driver who was in the area saw there were no police or tra c controllers on site to advise people not to proceed.

Anyway this veteran continued with caution and soon after came to the section of the highway with some water across it.

“But there was only about 5cm of water and not any problem for trucks driving through. However I reckon it would have been metres over a few days previously,” he said. e point he makes is that drivers di er in opinion about whether to obey the signs or drive along and decide if it is safe to cross.

Some feel that authorities should endeavour to monitor the road conditions and remove such signs when needed.

Top breakfast

Many drivers these days take their own food on trips and cook it on a gas burner or microwave.

Spy got a call from an interstate NSW small eet operator who usually does just that.

But on this occasion, he had travelled the 375km highway between Charters Towers and Clermont.

He stopped at the BP Clermont and ordered breakfast which he was delighted with.

“It was great and I have never seen so much bacon on a plate. ey even have their own truckies’ room,” he said.

I mentioned to this champion that it is a very boring drive along that section of the Gregory Development Road and his answer was quite surprising.

“ at is a short journey for me. I had stopped about halfway the night before at the Belyando Roadhouse and slept there for a fatigue break,” he said.

Rocky Cape Roadhouse

Quite a few truckies who negotiate Tasmania’s busy Bass Highway have told me they like stopping at the Rocky Cape Roadhouse. I checked it out when in Tassie recently and found the service was good, and the food reasonably priced.

ere is parking next to it and across the road and several truckies I yarned to said it was a good place to stop.

It is strategically located along a northern route along which hundreds of trucks travel on daily.

This roadhouse is tops

On the subject of roadhouses I stopped o at the Mobil Roadhouse at Guthalungra beside the Bruce Highway between Home Hill and Bowen recently and found it tops.

It is located about 45km south of Bowen and serves up good food, the sta were friendly and there was parking nearby.

e Elliott River Bridge is about 100m away and the area abounds with creeks which are inhabited by some of the biggest mud crabs you will nd.

Next to the roadhouse is a rest area with a shaded table and clean unisex public toilets.

Lots of trucks stop at the roadhouse including many carrying fruit and veggies grown at Gumlu and the Burdekin.

Tree clean up

In the aftermath of Cyclone Kirrily earlier this year, Townsville City Council gangs were busy collecting fallen trees and branches outside houses in the

North Queensland capital.

Winds over 100kmph resulted in parts of trees being blown o in most suburbs.

Council advised residents that any green debris left on footpaths would be collected on the back of trucks and disposed of.

It was just after 7am when one such gang was hard at work in my street.

I saw Council lads Craig, Danny and Trevor loading up a large number of branches from a footpath next to me and snapped their pic.

is was a complex operation with tra c controllers on hand and a bobcat to lift heavier branches onto the trucks.

Iconic wheelie bins survive

Residents of a north-west Tasmanian town are pushing to have Australia’s rst heritage-listed rubbish bins amid concerns about the future of an “iconic” town feature.

When Spy was in Tasmania recently many residents were furious that the council was considering removing the

iconic wheelie bins at

Penguin town.

e 12 Penguin themed bins were rst placed in the town in 1980 and have become a tourist attraction.

e local council announced it would roll out new infrastructure and one of the reasons was the di culty in the bins being empties by trucks.

Kate Johnson from the Adelaide Hills region of SA posed for a picture near the bins.

“

ese are a wonderful attraction and should stay,” she said.

Accelerating harmony across our state borders

IN a move aimed at improving safety and e ciency in Queensland’s transport industry, the Sunshine State has welcomed the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to deliver heavy vehicle regulatory services.

As most would be aware, on April 20, responsibility for the delivery of heavy vehicle safety services shifted from the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), to the NHVR.

e Queensland transition marked a pivotal moment in Australia’s transport landscape, promising a streamlined approach to heavy vehicle regulation.

By centralising regulatory functions under one authority, the NHVR aims to accelerate harmonisation across state borders, facilitating smoother

operations for the heavy vehicle industry.

e transition will result in improved safety outcomes for all road users and reduce the regulatory burden for businesses.

With our expertise and resources, there is now enhanced oversight and enforcement capabilities in Queensland, leading to safer roads and ultimately more e cient freight movements.

e integration of Queensland into the NHVR allows for greater consistency and a more uni ed approach to heavy vehicle regulation, with industry bene ting from a borderless operating model. ere is now a single point of interaction for consistent, reliable information about the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and issues facing drivers and businesses.

e transition has strengthened Queensland’s on-road presence, with NHVR Safety and Compliance O cers (SCOs) working roadside and at heavy vehicle inspection sites across the state.

Our enthusiastic new team is partly made up of sta who

BY CENTRALISING

REGULATORY FUNCTIONS UNDER ONE AUTHORITY, THE NHVR AIMS TO ACCELERATE HARMONISATION ACROSS STATE BORDERS, FACILITATING SMOOTHER OPERATIONS FOR THE HEAVY VEHICLE INDUSTRY.”

have transferred from TMR and who make a welcome addition to the NHVR.

Our SCOs are authorised to stop heavy vehicles and check drivers are complying with the HVNL as well as some other heavy vehicle related state-based laws.

ey will check compliance with mass, dimension, load restraint, vehicle standards, access conditions, driver fatigue and work diaries, as well some state requirements like dangerous goods, licensing and registration.

It is our commitment to

provide nationally consistent education and enforcement and undertake more complex Chain of Responsibility and primary duty investigations into duty holders across the supply chain.

e NHVR has always placed priority on educating industry on how to comply with the HVNL, whether it’s

via our on-road compliance activities or industry engagement.

However, we have also assumed responsibility for issuing infringements and prosecuting for serious o ences inQueensland, in addition to issuing defect notices where heavy vehicles do not comply with safety standards.

At the NHVR, we recognise the importance of utilising our regulatory powers for those who are consistently doing the wrong thing on our roads, and we won’t hesitate to enforce the HVNL where required.

On a nal note, we would like to remind industry that the NHVR is now responsible for Programmed Vehicle Inspections (PVI) in Queensland, including at regional and remote PVI locations.

Industry can continue booking a PVI through existing TMR channels, but eet bookings must be organised through the NHVR Contact Centre.

is nal transition will allow the NHVR to establish a safer road network not only in Queensland, but nationwide.

Not only are we simplifying compliance for drivers and operators, but the transition strengthens Australia’s position as a leader in transport, safety and innovation.

For more information on the transition, visit nhvr. gov.au/about-us/national-ser vices-transition

•Hole Pattern: 160x100

•D-Value: 330 kN

•DC-Value: 145 kN

•S-Load: 2.500 Kg

•Weight: 42 Kg

Driver training fuels economic engine

employment in freight and logistics roles.

The Driver Delivery program, a flagship initiative of this partnership, has garnered significant investment from the Victorian Government, resulting in the training and placement of nearly 400 skilled drivers on Victorian roads.

THE recent announcement of an additional $1 million investment by the Victorian Government into training heavy vehicle drivers is not

This isn’t just about filling vacancies; it’s about ensuring that our supply chains are manned by competent professionals who can navigate

One of the primary objectives of investing in truck driver training is to enhance road safety. By providing comprehensive training and instilling a culture of safety consciousness, we can mitigate the risks associated with heavy vehicle operations, thereby safeguarding lives and minimising accidents.

Moreover, addressing skill shortages in the trucking industry is paramount to ensuring the efficient movement of goods and materials, thus

sionals who will drive innovation and sustainability in the industry.

The partnership between government and industry exemplifies a collaborative approach towards addressing shared challenges and harnessing opportunities for growth.

The unwavering support of Victorian Minister for Ports and Freight and Roads and Road Safety, Melissa Horne, underscores the

Don’t we have a duty of care?

IT’S every Bored Neurotic Housewife’s mission in life is to nurture their loved ones, so the use of the term ‘duty of care’ would seem a reasonable expectation in this journey.

Anyone in your path through life has a duty of care to you.

Anyone in the supply chain has a duty of care to you and other road users.

Anything in life, the provider has a duty of care…except, it seems, if you are a truck driver.

In recent weeks there have been too many drivers lost to accidents that simply shouldn’t have happened.

Equally, there have been many Facebook and other social media posts, some factual and, more than ever, the ignorant fake IDs that love to stir up trouble where it’s uncalled for and inappropriate.

Yes, there is a huge, undeniable problem with the skillset of many new drivers that come to operate in Australian conditions they are not used to driving in. This has been an issue for a long time.

grate others because ‘the system’ allows less skilled drivers on our roads.

It’s so sad when someone dies, especially suddenly. Like any family, and yes truckies are a family, unique and with its own quirks, but nonetheless a family, there will be accusations, innuendo and outright nastiness spoken during these times.

Emotions – tangible, palpable, real… but grown-ups can generally acknowledge their emotions and keep them in check.

Social media – well that’s a whole different world. Too many don’t keep anything in check; factual or real. Herein lies the problem.

Words spoken, written, and read in haste can never be taken back and will always be a part of that person’s memory.

Why has the truck never been acknowledged as the ‘workplace’ of a driver in an accident? Because the crossed t’s and dotted i’s on the current pieces of compliance paper would show the lack of ‘duty of care’.

What does the frustrated truckie go and do? Heads to Facebook and starts inflaming situations with stupid posts, with flagrant disregard to hon-

The unions don’t do anything about it unless you are a gig worker, or drive an Uber. Associations can’t do anything about it as it’s up to ministers to change the minimum requirements. Governments won’t do anything about it as it “could impact reciprocal arrangements for Australians driving in other countries”.

esty or integrity. One poster, in particular, took exception to the age of one of the drivers we recently lost on SA’s Eyre Highway at Yalata.

As at the time of writing, all the circumstances of the horrific crash at Yalata have not been disclosed, but this keyboard warrior decided the crash was as a result of one of the drivers being “too old” to hold their licence; clearly a keyboard doctor that knew about this man’s health better than any real specialist did.

The wife of one of the driv-

ers is on one of these groups and she exclaimed her dismay at the posts. At that stage, she hadn’t even had the accident confirmed to her. Imagine the added distress to all those that lost their loved one of having to deal with the speculation and insinuations during their intense time of grief.

Have we really come to a point in life that social media is more important that plain common sense or decency?

Facebook is now a tool used by politicians who relish and delight in the way the trucking

industry tears itself apart from the inside out. They can see that truckies don’t back each other and, with so many splinter groups, it is easy to divide and conquer.

Duty of Care. Don’t drivers, owner-drivers and small business have a duty of care to themselves to ensure a cohesive industry as well?

Forget big business and the associations – think about yourselves. We need to work together to achieve better outcomes. Talk and work WITH each other again, not deni-

The old adage “shit sticks”, and in many cases it sticks unjustly. Hasn’t it stuck to the drivers and their families in this industry long enough?

How can we expect non-industry people to understand the difficulties and pain endured by the industry if we can’t be decent to our own?

Is social media vigilantism acceptable in any form? NEVER.

Duty of care is a family thing. Most families close ranks in times of crisis, where’s ours?

An event not to be missed

WITH ATA TA24 over, and what an amazing event, now on to what we believe is an event not to be missed; the Transport Women Australia Limited Living The Dream conference in Melbourne from May 30 to June 1.

Our fabulous speakers are lined up and our fantastic sponsors are locked in and super supportive as always, with many long-term ones returning and new ones signing up.

The nominations for the Young Gunnette Award are closed and the judges are ready, the Trish Pickering Memorial Award recipient has been chosen, as we are going early this year to coincide with our conference.

Our two speakers from the US have booked their flights and are excited about coming down under.

Ellen Voie from Women in

Trucking USA has joined us several times before, but Cindy Parker from Americold in Arkansas is on her first trip. Your can listen to her interview with Simon Smith on Australian Truck Radio to get a head start on her story.

We have added Natalie Loughborough to the line-up as Emcee for day one. Natalie is the executive director of the National Transport Research Organisation.

We have several panels including Viva Energy Australia, National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, Trish Pickering Memorial Recipients, Wodonga

TAFE, and Daimler Truck Australia Pacific to name a few.

Other speakers include Cara Walsh (NTI), Jane Humphreys (Volvo), Sal Petroccitto OAM (NHVR), Hannah Bloomfield Excellence IT), and Kate Cuthbertson (RT Health).

We have some exciting things to announce at the conference as well as updates on our current projects. A panel from your board including one of our Founders, Samantha Palmer, and a current subcommittee member. We will have Branthem on site to video select parts of the con-

ference and Awards Dinner.

Plus, our coffee, health, juice, and massage booths will be back. We are still looking for a sponsor for the massage booth, but they will be there to keep us calm on the days of conference.

We have our two pre-conference sessions, the PACCAR Factory Tour and Lunch plus the Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds, Managing for Team Wellbeing with the Black Dog Institute.

These are both open to 25 people and the factory tour especially are filling fast, so do not miss out. Register for

the conference and then email chair@transportwomen.com. au with the pre-conference activity of your choice in the subject heading.

Our Dream Maker Award nominations are open until June 30, and we are hoping for a huge number this year, they will be announced at the Transport Women Unite Red Ball in Alice Springs in August.

For all TWAL enquiries please contact chair@transportwomen.com.au or visit our website transportwomen. com.au, or give me a call on 0417 422 319.

Bright future for young apprentice technician

SONNY King has always been interested in trucks thanks to his grandfather Billy, who was a light vehicle mechanic.

“I used to help him in his workshop on weekends when I was younger, and I learned a lot from him,” he said.

“My grandfather got me interested in the industry, and I know there’s always going to be a need for trucks in Australia so I saw a future there.”

When Sonny nished Year 11, he was o ered an apprenticeship with Westar Truck Centre in Campbell eld, Victoria.

Now aged 19, he’s still working for them while studying to become a diesel technician.

“My work sends me to the Kangan Institute in Melbourne for week blocks as part of my apprenticeship,” he explained.

“I’m now in my third year studying Heavy Diesel Automotive at Kangan, and my fourth year will be just working with Westar.

I WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MAN PRODUCTS, SO I REACHED OUT TO MY EMPLOYERS AND STARTED DOING ONLINE COURSES, AND I’M ACTUALLY DOING IN-PERSON TRAINING AT ONE OF OUR OTHER BRANCHES.”

Sonny enjoys the balance of classroom-based learning at the Kangan Institute and hands-on experience at Westar.

“I always end up going to Kangan with my own ideas of the product and how things work, but they teach me other ways of doing things,” he said.

Everyone in Sonny’s class also works for Westar, though not necessarily in the same branch.

“Kangan has mainstream students and it has ‘key cli-

“After that, I’ll be o cially quali ed as a diesel technician.”

ents’,” he explained.

“Westar is a key client so everyone from my class is sent there as a group.

“We all know each other and there’s a good mix of people in there.

“My teacher James is great - he actually used to work for Westar himself.”

e Melbourne native is particularly interested in new

3 steps to getting new employees

systems on Western Star and MAN trucks.

“Out of all the products that we work on, I nd them the most interesting,” he said.

“I think MAN’s engineering is quite amazing and they are going the right way about things, to create a stable product.

“I wanted to learn more about MAN products, so I

reached out to my employers and started doing online courses, and I’m actually doing in-person training at one of our other branches this week.”

Sonny is also interested in developing diagnostic skills to further explore the electrical systems of trucks.

“When I started my apprenticeship, I was mainly

doing light repairs and as I progressed I got into doing diagnostic work.

“I’ve found that I really enjoy that so I want to further my diagnostic skills.

“I’ve been told it’s a very handy skillset to have.”

He is keen to learn more about electric trucks, as he believes they will play an increasingly prominent role in the trucking industry in the future.

“I’m interested in how things are going in the EV world, and it’s something they have the facilities to cover at the Kangan Institute,” he said.

“It’s de nitely something I want to look into.”

Sonny encourages other young people to consider an apprenticeship in the road transport sector.

“It’s an industry that’s not going anywhere – there will always be opportunities available,” he said.

“ ere’s such a wide variety of things to learn and ways to upskill.

“I think there’s a bright future in doing a heavy diesel apprenticeship.”

Business owner takes plunge

A 53-year-old who got his multi-combination licence last year has said he was “petri ed” heading o on his rst trip – but he’s had a very positive experience working as a truckie so far.

Craig Jarvie runs his own construction business but always wanted to drive trucks, and last year he nally took the plunge.

“I always thought it would be good fun to have a go,” he told Big Rigs.

“I have quite a few friends who were interstate truck drivers and I’d hear their stories from the road, and it sounded interesting.

“I also do a bit of motorsport and I thought being able to drive a truck would add another feather to my cap.”

Craig, who is based in Melbourne, did his heavy rigid (non-synchromesh) and his heavy combination training with Armstrong’s Driver Education before completing his multi-combination training with Yugo Driving School last November.

“I got my heavy rigid, non-synchro licence to start with because I wanted to leave my options open to drive any sort of truck, not just an auto,” he said.

“When I went for my

non-synchro licence they said I was the rst person in quite a while to do it – apparently most people are just learning automatic these days.”

Craig was lucky enough to have a friend who owned a transport company – JL Transport in Dandenong South – so he started driving for them on his heavy rigid licence. “I drove for them for 12 months, on my days o from my 9 to 5, just to gain some

experience,” he said.

“ en when I got my MC, I asked if they had any trips or changeovers coming up and next thing I knew, I was in a truck doing my rst changeover!”

Craig said he was “petried” the rst time he drove from Victoria to NSW in a truck.

“I was only in a single with a RoadRanger, going to Bathurst,” he remembered.

“I had sweat pouring out from under my arms, I was just so nervous.

“I just wanted to do everything correctly and I was already thinking about my logbook.

“It took me a couple of hours to settle in and relax, and after that I was ne.”

e new truckie now does occasional runs from Melbourne to Sydney, transporting general freight.

He’s enjoying the work so far and has had nothing but positive interactions with other drivers.

“

ere are some really good drivers on the roads, and I’ve had some great chats,” he said.

“I’ve always found people in the yards to be more than helpful, once they understand that I’m new to this.

“Maybe I would feel differently if I was driving trucks

Be

ve days a week, but I have to say I haven’t had a bad experience yet.”

He thinks one of the keys to succeeding when you’re new to the trucking industry is leaving your ego at the door.

“When I go somewhere, I am open about the fact that I’m new to this industry and I always ask ‘Is there anything I should know?’” he said.

“I haven’t been to some of these places before so I ask a lot of questions – like ‘Where should I sleep for the night?

What’s the best way in?’

“I like to plan my trip in advance, so I’ll go on Google Maps and look at the area I’m driving to.

“I don’t have that arrogance of ‘I’ll just work it out when I get there.’”

In the future, Craig would like to take a step back from construction and spend more time trucking.

“At the moment, truck driving is my ‘side hustle’ but in a few years I would love to semi-retire and drive a truck six months of the year,” he said.

“I’m hoping to do some grain carting or drive road trains in the outback.

“I really enjoy travelling and camping in the outback, there is so much to see there. I think that’s a great way of keeping things interesting.”

a family owned business, operating since 1976. We currently have the following positions available: OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS (Brisbane based only)

You will be required to work on a rotating roster including Days-Nights-Weekends

• Maintaining an impressive Fleet On offer arepermanent full time and roster positions including paid leave entitlements and public holidays. Drivers will need to be available to be scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week.

The successful Applicant will:

• Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years)

• Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint

• Be professional

• Be reliable

To apply for the Operations/Driver positions please contact Operations Manager or by emailing your resume to

WORKSHOP MECHANICS & TYRE FITTERS WANTED (Brisbane based only)

To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to Workshop Manager via email to employment@kseaster.com.au

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