Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 383 i Australasian Transport News (ATN)

It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good — and the one bringing swingeing, disheartening, dangerous drought across New South Wales, Queensland and parts of Victoria is so close to one of those that any upside is vanishingly small. All adversity requires a response and, generally, the option of doing nothing when our fellow citizens are in deep distress is one many in this country refuse to countenance. Their response, in the face of elemental forces of nature, speak to a force of a more human kind. “They”, in this case, include a huge diversity, be it sporting clubs, industry associations, social organisations, companies, and the grouping that we all have a relation to in one way or another, government. The response can only go so far without the…

Victoria has pledged to crack down on oversized and overweight vehicles after a company received one of the heaviest penalties handed down in recent years. The state’s transport authority released a statement noting the prosecution last month of the company behind an overheight and overweight vehicle intercepted near the Port of Melbourne in late 2017. The Melbourne Magistrates Court fined the company $90,000, with VicRoads manager of transport safety services Russell Greenland saying the breaches were a danger to other drivers. “This vehicle was over length and was carrying more than 15 tonnes of extra weight than the maximum allowed,” he says. “It’s our responsibility to educate drivers on the dangers of oversized, overweight and unsecured loads and stop this behaviour from happening.” In comments supplied to ATN, VicRoads director…

WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S CENTURION has burnished its national heavy haulage leadership claims with the acquisition of state rival Triton Transport Services. Triton is a specialist heavy haulage and general freight business and the deal marks the second major item of industry consolidation in little more than a month after news it was picking up part of Fuel Trans’ business in June surfaced. The acquisition, for an undisclosed amount, will complement Centurion’s existing haulage and general freight services, reinforcing the company’s position as the leading Western Australian transport and logistics business. Through the transaction, Centurion will acquire more than 250 pieces of equipment, including large Mack and Kenworth prime movers, specialist heavy haulage platforms and 100 general freight trailers, including extendable and deck-widener items from Drake Trailers, along with the team of…

THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY has showed widespread disgust online after a video surfaced on Facebook of a driver taking illegal drugs in his truck. Victoria Police has confirmed it is aware of the video and its Heavy Vehicle Unit is investigating further. Australian Trucking Association (ATA) chair Geoff Crouch is quick to slam the Victorian truck driver who videoed himself taking what appear to be illegal substances in the cab of his truck. “This is not the trucking industry I know,” Crouch says. “And I know that the 50,000 businesses and 211,000 people in our industry would be united in condemning illegal drug use as appalling, reprehensible and dangerous. “There is no excuse of taking illegal drugs. None.” Crouch says that truck drivers who take drugs will be caught, along with…

THE NATIONAL HEAVY VEHICLE REGULATOR and the New South Wales government have acted to help alleviate the burden on trucking companies aiming to provide assistance to drought-affected farmers. The NHVR is currently prioritising applications from drivers seeking permits to take loads of hay and water into drought-affected areas, as well as allowing for cash savings through its Drought Relief Access Permits scheme. Under the scheme, a heavy vehicle operator is eligible for the exemption of $73 in permit costs if either the local government area or property they are travelling to or from has been drought-declared. To ensure the NHVR staff prioritise the application, and alert local road managers to its urgency, operators are asked to ensure they write “Drought Relief Operations” in the reference field of their application. NHVR…

Changes to global emission standards have resulted in engine manufacturers requiring the next generation of oils that can survive for longer at higher temperatures. Original engine manufacturer (OEM) test standards are used to ensure oil manufacturers comply with these new engine oil requirements. Valvoline’s All Fleet PLUS E900 has been tested to these standards with formal OEM approvals, together with comprehensive proven performance in the field to ensure trouble-free operation of your equipment. The next generation of diesel engine oils have been designed to meet the latest specification, in this case API CK-4, the standard endorsed by the American Petroleum Institute (API). While reducing costly servicing is one of the key considerations for OEM’s, next-generation oils are designed to perform in higher temperatures like those found in the latest low-emission…

THE AUSTRALIAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION (ATA) has urged the Transport Workers Union (TWU) to widen its horizon on safety to encompass practical measures. Over the past decade, the union has won and lost its long-fought-for industrial instrument aimed at realising its vision of “safe rates” in the trucking industry. But the ATA’s critique is that the laser-like focus here is to the detriment of other action, such as the push towards a code of practice championed by the ATA and the Australian Logistics Council (ALC), the draft of which attracted only criticism from the union. “Unfortunately, the TWU’s focus on the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal [RSRT] means it has not participated in the very positive discussions that have occurred about road safety in recent times,” ATA CEO Ben Maguire says. “The…

Truckline has appointed Geoff Buswell to the newly created role of national sales manager. Buswell, right, joins the truck and trailer parts retailer from fellow CNH Industrial brand Iveco, where he was dealer channel director, responsible for Iveco dealers Australia-wide. GM Mick Henderson says creating the national sales manager role is the next step after a two-year growth period. “We’ve seen the establishment of our Western Australia product distribution centre at Welshpool and the development of new stores at Bunbury and Eagle Farm,” Henderson says. “Additionally, we’ve doubled the number of website users since our ecommerce launch last year and improved the efficiency of our internal processes.” “Geoff’s appointment will allow us to consolidate on and build upon these efforts to ensure continued benefits to our customers.” Buswell will be…

On October 1, new Chain of Responsibility (COR) laws will come into effect. They build on work health and safety (WHS)- style due diligence provisions. In summary, the effect of the new provisions will be to impose a ‘duty’ on all the participants in supply chain to assess the risks associated with task performing and take steps to either eliminate or mitigate those risks. PRIMARY DUTY The current obligations are framed into a positive duty, which is similar to the duty contained in the WHS laws. Each party in the supply chain will carry the burden of that duty. That duty will now be found in section 26C of the legislation and is expressed as follows: 1. Each party in the chain of responsibility for a heavy vehicle must ensure,…

Shane Batterbee (Orica Australia)John Bowden (De Bruyns Transport)Darryl Cone (Toll)Simon Christensen (BLU Logistics Solutions)Eric Christie (Visy Logistics)Phillip Crowe (Total Concrete Solutions)Robert Davis (Boral Logistics)Tim Johnes (Jets Transport)Peter Karger (Bordertown Haulage & Trading)Brad Kennedy (Western Freight Management)Chris Medway (LINX)Craig Mengel (Exodas)Adam Penelope (Australia Post)Matt Robson (K Trans WA)Keith Taylor (Borg Manufacturing Logistics)Kris Venema (K Venema)Mark Warburton (G1 Logistics)Steve Wastell (BLU Logistics Solutions)Jamie Williams (Fulton Hogan)Arch Wiegard (Arch Transport)David Winter (Linfox)…

Independent reports from Europe leave little doubt that MAN is well advanced with a completely new cab range, replacing the current TGX cab that has been in use for several decades. According to a number of sources, the new cab has been undergoing extensive on-road tests in several European countries as well as the Sierra Nevada region of Spain. While there has been some speculation the new cab might make a surprise appearance this year at Germany’s Hannover truck show in September, insiders say MAN is more likely to keep the new model under wraps until an official launch some time in 2019. Either way, it’s on its way.…

VOLVO FE ELECTRIC Vocation: Fully electrically powered truck for distribution, refuse collection and other applications in urban conditions, GVW 27 tonnes Driveline: Two electric motors with 370kW/496hp max power (260kW/349hp continuous power) with a Volvo two-speed transmission Torque: Max torque electric motors 850Nm; max torque rear axle 28kNm Energy storage: Lithium-ion batteries, 200-300kW/h Range: Up to 200km Charging: Two different charging systems are available. CCS2 : maximum charge power 150kW DC; low power charging : maximum charge power 22kW AC Charging time: From empty to fully charged batteries (300kW/h): CCS2 150kW approx. 1.5 hours; low power charging approx. 10 hours VOLVO FL ELECTRIC Vocation: Fully electrically powered truck for distribution, refuse collection and other applications in urban conditions, GVW 16…

In a cash-flow intensive business like trucking, fuel savings are the financial icing on the profitability cake. Fuel is one of the largest expenses incurred by a transport business, accounting for between 30 and 40 per cent of running costs. But it’s also something that can be managed. My job with Volvo Trucks Australia is to work with customers, gain an insight into their operation and develop tailor-made fuel efficiency strategies. I also get to spend quite a bit of time playing with Volvo’s Dynafleet telematics system, which turns out to be a very accurate and easy way of keeping tabs on fuel economy. One of the more impressive developments I’ve come across in the Volvo Trucks universe recently is I-Shift with crawler gears. Crawler functions in some automated transmissions…

CAB CHASSIS Engine: Three-litre V6 turbo diesel Power: 135kW/181hp @ 3,800rpm Torque: 400Nm @ 1,600-2,600rpm Gearbox: Five-speed automatic 4x4 system: Dual-range full-time Crawl ratio: 41.0:1 Tyre spec: 265/75R16 Kerb weight: 2,410kg GVM: 4,490kg Payload: 2,080kg (minus tray weight) Towing: 3,200kg Fuel tank capacity: 97 litres ADR fuel claim: N/A Fuel consumption: 16.1L/100km Warranty: 3 years/200,000km Price: $119,900 (excluding tray) WAGON Engine: Three-litre V6 turbo-diesel Power: 135kW/181hp @ 3,800rpm Torque: 400Nm at 1,600-2,600rpm Gearbox: Five-speed automatic 4x4 system: Dual-range full-time Kerb weight: 2,350kg GVM: 3,560kg Payload: 1,210kg Towing capacity: 3,140kg Fuel tank capacity: 97 litres ADR fuel claim: N/A Price: $109,900 (+ORC)…

Distribution and delivery service Ontime may be known for sponsoring AFL team Carlton’s coaches, but it also supports a leading female Aussie darts player. Fiona Gottwald is currently ranked No.2 in Australia and No.34 in the World Darts Federation girls’ rankings. In October 2017, Fiona competed in the darts World Cup, representing Australia among a total of 31 countries in the championships that took place in Kobe, Japan and finished in the top eight in the singles and the top 16 in the mixed doubles. Fiona is the daughter of South Australian Ontime driver, Mark. How do we score Fiona’s efforts? 180! With Sydney’s mainstream media seeming to confirm that former NSW transport minister Duncan Gay was beating a path towards chairing the national regulator, what other changes might be…

“I am satisfied that SOP-1 adequately deals with this...” TOLL HAS WON Fair Work Commission (FWC) approval to expand the use of driver-focused safety technology to other group operations. FWC deputy president Richard Clancy ruled against Transport Worker Union (TWU) objections based on personal safety concerns and enterprise agreement powers. The dispute relates to whether Toll has a right to further implement Guardian technology in its Toll Liquids (Liquids) and Toll Linehaul & Fleet Services (Linehaul) and digital video recorder (DVR) cameras in its Liquids business. The Guardian technology relies on infrared technology to track driver eye behaviour with audio and seat vibration alarms that sound immediately to alert the driver of fatigue events. The TWU safety objection focuses on questions surrounding such research as there is on the effects…

A TRUCK DRIVER lost a compensation case against a waste management company after the New South Wales District Court found a “blameless accident” had not taken place. The case centred on an incident when the driver was injured after the heavily laden truck he was driving, in wet conditions, slid down an embankment after turning a right-hand bend. The driver had alleged that the accident happened after a defective front tyre blew – causing a loud popping sound, before the vehicle pulled to the left and left the road surface. But the driver did not claim that the owner of the vehicle, JJ Richards & Sons, had been negligent – with Judge David Wilson saying in his decision that evidence showed vehicle tyres were inspected by a third party “on…

THE AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION (ACCC) has started Federal Court proceedings against Pacific National and Aurizon, alleging the companies agreed to lessen competition in intermodal freight in Queensland. The ACCC not only rejected the proposed sale of the Acacia Ridge Terminal to Pacific National, but is seeking court orders to prevent it from acquiring both the Terminal and Aurizon’s Queensland intermodal business – which was to be sold to a consortium of Pacific National and Linfox. The Commission has also applied for an injunction to prevent Aurizon from closing its Queensland intermodal business while the case is being determined. Aurizon launched a sale process for its intermodal business in the beginning of 2017, and by late July, the ACCC alleges that Aurizon and Pacific National had reached an understanding…

A REVIEW OF TRANSPORT PROJECTIONS conducted by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) has cast a shadow over many of the freight infrastructure decisions of the past half century. Graphs within Research Report 149, Forecasting Australian Transport: A Review of Past Bureau Forecasts, show most realities undershooting projections, with later ones mostly but not always being more accurate than earlier ones. The report comes at a critical time for freight transport, as much as it is with passenger transport, with industry identities and some politicians calling for better and more accurate research into the landside industry and how the modes are performing. BITRE points to six main mistake factors, involving: • Structural frameworks • Independent variables • Radical change • Accepting short-term growth trends • No error,…

NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has introduced a process for heavy vehicle operators to request free access to Safe-T-Cam images in relation to an infringement. NatRoad says it worked with RMS to streamline the process for obtaining a copy of a heavy vehicle camera image. NatRoad advocated for a cheaper, easier and simplified process to access Safe-T-Cam images to respond to infringement or court attendance notices. Previously there was no dedicated process for a customer to get a copy of a heavy vehicle camera image for a vehicle they own or were driving at the time of the alleged offence. The only way to request an image prior to this was to complete a paid application via the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act). NatRoad compliance and…

COURIERSPLEASE (CP) has appointed Tracey Baldwin as its new Queensland state manager. Baldwin, left, becomes the parcel delivery service’s first female branch manager. Her task will be to improve franchisee revenues as well as CP Queensland’s operations over the next three to five years, the firm says. Baldwin arrives with more than two decades of experience working in domestic and international logistics freight services – most recently as national business development manager at Toll Priority. She spent 14 years working at DHL Express where she climbed the ranks from sales representative to business development manager, Australian product manager then area sales manager in Western Australia. Baldwin oversees the daily operations of the business and manages the state’s 202 franchisees. She is responsible for sales, controlling profit and loss in the…

The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) needs to be pulled apart and redone, apart from the new safety provisions in what will become Chapter 1A of the law. This comprehensive rewrite will require sweeping terms of reference and an independent review team. The HVNL was assembled from 13 model laws. It never came together properly. During the drafting process, the ATA and state governments identified 1,020 problems with the law, ranging from issues of principle to minor drafting errors. Since 2012, the industry and governments have worked to streamline the chain of responsibility part of the law. The results of that work will come into force on October 1. The new safety duties will make our industry safer and will also eliminate many fiddly, unnecessary requirements. The rest of the…

2016 MAN TGX 26.560 Hi roof sleeper cab with double bunks and drawer fridge, MAN 560HP, 12sp Tipmatic transmission, MAN axles, Air suspension, Fixed greaseless T/T. Ex Factory demo, 96,000kms only. Balance of new truck warranty. Suit new truck buyer. BRISBANE stock.. QLD 0730852979 $207,500 inc GST 2015 MAN TGX D38 EX FACTORY DEMO. Hi roof sleeper cab with double bunks and drawer fridge, MAN 560HP, 12sp Tipmatic transmission, MAN axles, Air suspension, Fixed greaseless T/T. Ex Factory demo, 132,000kms only. QLD 0730852979 $199,500 inc GST 2015 MAN 26.480 TGX One owner, 235000 km’s, Bullbar, Hydraulics, Spotlights, 3.5” fixed turntable, All standard MAN features, full service history. Only ever pulled 1 trailer in metro area. WA 0409 299 822 $154,000 inc GST 2014 MAN TGM 18.340 MAN Pantech Furniture Truck…

TM Insight has carved out a niche in the last few years providing consulting services for businesses wishing to invest in – or update – their warehousing space. Increasingly, this has centred round working out the best way to take advantage of automation, and how best to navigate the complicated interaction being property and automation. Australia has been relatively slow on the uptake of automated distribution centres, compared with the US and Europe, but has put on a sudden burst of speed in the last two years, with some of the country’s biggest names in both retail and transport making huge investments in automated warehouse space. Earlier this year, Toll opened a new fashion distribution centre in Western Sydney, which, although relatively modestly sized at 32,000 square metres, can process…

As its 40th anniversary approaches, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class is about to receive the first major redesign it’s had in those four decades. The new G-Class has a bigger and lighter body to improve passenger space and fuel efficiency, while the hard edges of the boxy original have been rounded off to improve aerodynamics. More significantly, the age-old proven formula of a ladder-frame chassis with live axles front and rear has been tweaked for the first time. The new W 463 will utilise independent front suspension (IFS) to greatly improve the wagon’s on-road ride and handling characteristics, as well as the overall driver experience. Traditionalists will be happy to know there is still a G-Wagen that sticks to the original recipe and keeps its traditional body and live front axle. The…

VicRoads is working with Victoria Police to help locate 39 missing trucks and trailers after fraudsters were able to sign the vehicle registrations into the name of someone who did not own them. Police are investigating “a number of thefts and deceptions” after a third party managed to shift the vehicle registrations away from their registered operator, Hennessy Transport, earlier this year. ATN has since confirmed that five prime movers and nine trailers have been recovered so far as part of an ongoing investigation into the matter. ATN understands that the registration transfers did not all happen at once. Instead, the transfers took place in two batches, with some being transferred on March 22, and others on April 16. An Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) notice shows that liquidators…

TOLL EXPECTS TO SEE ITS BASS STRAIT trade investments become an operational reality next March. The intermodal giant states that its $311 million investment to boost trade will see shipping capacity increase significantly between the mainland and Tasmania, “supporting economic growth and rising demand for local produce”. Toll Group MD Michael Byrne says the investment includes $170 million to build two new ships and $141 million to upgrade terminals, wharves and berthing facilities in Melbourne and Burnie. “This is the largest-ever investment by a logistics business in the Bass Strait, and underpins Toll’s commitment to the Australian domestic market and the Bass Strait trade,” Byrne says. “Toll is the gateway between Tasmania and mainland Australia. We are proud to support the state’s local economy by helping businesses reach interstate and…

TRUCKING INDUSTRY observers in New South Wales are waiting on the reaction of the authorities after a truck crash killed two people and injured four others in circumstances reminiscent of January’s Dubbo incident. Two men, aged 19 and 52, died when the truck and dog crashed into the back of their Ford utility, in late July on the M1, just north of the Mooney Mooney bridge, near Gosford. According to a police report, a 30-year-old male truck driver was charged with two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and one count of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm. He was also charged with negligent driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm. His licence was suspended and he was granted conditional bail to appear in Gosford Local Court…

NINE ACTION POINTS have emerged from the recent Inland Rail Conference organised by Australian Logistics Council (ALC) and the Australasian Railway Association (ARA). The organisers say about 400 people attended the Parkes event backed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and Parkes Shire Council. Among the key ‘action priorities’ to emerge are: • Ensuring the Melbourne-Brisbane transit time of under 24 hours is adhered to – absence of reliability and certainty will undermine market confidence • Securing co-operation and active involvement of the Victorian, New South Wales and Queensland state governments to construct the project • Dealing with the ‘last mile’ issues by getting the planning and construction of links to the Port of Brisbane and the Port of Melbourne, and ensuring efficient rail linkages to key ports in…

VicRoads is making plain to owners of B-doubles they must have a permit from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to travel on Somerville Road in Yarraville. VicRoads heavy vehicle services director Eric Henderson says the requirement for permits is in place to strike a balance between the needs of industry and community concerns about safety, congestion, truck noise and emissions. “We recently identified an error on our website where Somerville Road was listed as an approved B-double truck route, when it is not,” Henderson says. “This has now been corrected. “We’re working with industry to ensure they comply with curfew and permit requirements to travel on Somerville Road. “Our Transport Safety Services Team has increased patrols to make sure that drivers are aware of the rules.” As well as…

MICHAEL MALOUF, the Geelong businessman and former Melbourne City Council CEO, has joined VicRoads as its chief executive. Malouf, left, has previously been MD of Barwon Water, director of Southern West Water and runs a management services company. “Malouf will lead VicRoads as it embarks on the biggest maintenance and road management campaign in the organisation’s history,” the roads authority notes. A Kardinia Park Stadium Trust member and former Carlton Football Club chief, Malouf comes with more than a decade of experience in local council, including as the CEO of Wyndham City Council and City of Greater Geelong Outgoing acting chief Kerry Thompson led VicRoads through a period of transformation, including the establishment of Regional Roads Victoria.…

Isuzu Australia has appointed Tony Kerr as national fleet sales manager, in the latest of a series of management moves in recent months. Kerr, right, was previously executive GM of Automotive Holdings Group (AHG) subsidiaries Genuine Truck Bodies and Vehicle Storage and Engineering Solutions. Before then he worked with Scania, bus manufacturer Volgren and predecessor companies to TNT –Comet and Kwikasair Express. Isuzu says Kerr will work to grow its fleet sales across the country in his new role – helping provide satisfactory long-term transport solutions to help customers achieve business objectives.…

The following is the first instalment of 12-part series that examines more than a dozen road freight pricing strategies that may be of interest to readers and even business development managers. The strategies are selected from some 100 pricing strategies that have been isolated and collected, over a 15-year period, from around the world through consulting and research activities. Generally, however, these strategies have been compiled from Europe, the US and Australia. Pricing Scheme 1: Network Link (Density) Pricing This pricing strategy is a useful, and even a ‘quasi efficient’ strategy for dense, or not too sparse, freight networks especially urban e-commerce or large urban customer delivery networks. Case example: A large urban distribution centre (DC) services several major customers; let’s call a selection of them A, B and C.…

Volvo Trucks launched its first all-electric trucks, the FE and FL models, in April, cementing itself as a frontrunner in the commercial electro-mobility race. At this point, the electric truck models are aimed at inner-city use, in particular the refuse collection and urban distribution areas, making the 200-300km range these vehicles offer suitable. “We’re immensely proud to present the first in a range of fully electrically powered Volvo trucks ready for regular traffic,” Volvo Trucks president Claes Nilsson says. Volvo drew from its electric bus-building experience when designing the drivetrain for the two new trucks, opting for a modular unit that can be retrofitted to existing models. “In the middle of the chassis we have the driveline, on the sides of the chassis we have installed the batteries, and under…