Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 348 i Australasian Transport News (ATN)

The canary has been a pet bird of choice for centuries, especially in Europe. Oddly one of the newer breeds is a local initiative. The Australian plainhead, less valued for its singing than its shape and plumage, was developed from the British stock of Norwich canaries. Even more oddly, the British bred the Norwich type out, leaving Australia with the traditional bird, allowing us to rename it. Once the preserve of the super-rich three and four centuries ago, by the 19th century, the common people were breeding them and so they became a ‘sentinel species’ — those used to warn their owners of dangers, or what management-speak would describe as a ‘risk-mitigation strategy’. Birds feature strongly in this task. Legend has it that the Ancient Romans used geese to warn…

A 12-year jail sentence for a transport operator boss guilty of manslaughter represents a “scary” new benchmark in penalties for non-compliance, an industry consultant has warned. Peter Colbert was sentenced to 12.5 years’ imprisonment on August 20 having earlier been convicted over the death of driver Robert Brimson in 2014. The brakes on the truck Brimson was driving failed, causing him to crash, fatally, into a pole. The Supreme Court of South Australia found Colbert had previously been warned several times about the state of the brakes, but did nothing to address the issue. In sentencing Colbert, Supreme Court justice David Peek labelled him a risk-taker and narcissist who had misplaced arrogance, ABC News reports. SA-based chain of responsibility (COR) consultant Roxanne Mysko says the sentence should be a “wake-up…

The Federal Government has released an Inland Rail business case and an implementation report for a project destined to have a crucial impact on eastern Australian long-haul trucking. Federal infrastructure minister Warren Truss indicates the return on investment will be about 2.62 if the project is realised by 2025 at the projected cost of around $10 billion. Despite that, the business case admits the project “would not generate sufficient access revenues to cover the full costs”, though it would be “cash flow positive from commencement of operations with access revenues sufficient to cover ongoing operations and maintenance costs plus a margin”. The business case also says private-sector investment in the whole concept hinged on early and full government commitment to the project. “Without such a commitment, the risk is that…

United States supply chain expert and Tompkins International CEO Dr Jim Tompkins has identified cross border purchasing, omnichannel, customer centricity and final delivery as points to focus on in a market reality marked by overwhelming choice. Addressing sector colleagues at the Tompkins Supply Chain Leadership Forum, he says the plethora of choices facing supply chain professionals only adds to an already complex task. “Many people regard choices as a good thing. But, one must realise too few choices begets discomfort or unhappiness and too many choices leads to confusion, regret of alternatives not taken, and second guessing,” he says. “Today, the business world is more complex than it has ever been. “Adaptation to the marketplace is required in order to be successful. Therefore, choices must be made. “Most companies are…

New South Wales freight minister Duncan Gay says only the most compliant trucks and fleets will be able to contribute to the numerous infrastructure projects being undertaken across the state. In a keynote address to the Australian Logistics Council’s Supply Chain Safety and Compliance Summit, Gay also backed NSW’s rigorous approach to heavy vehicle inspections and questioned the efforts of other states. “As the ‘through state’ for the eastern seaboard of Australia, NSW carries more than 460,000 truck movements on our roads every day,” he says. “This number dwarfs other states. “That’s why in NSW we have 300 vehicle inspectors, every one of them a qualified mechanic. In some states there are fewer than 30 inspectors.” Gay says the issue of heavy vehicle safety becomes even more acute as the…

Senior freight transport executive Stephen Cleary is the new CEO of express trucking and delivery firm Kings. Cleary left as CEO of New South Wales Ports “to pursue other professional challenges and career aspirations” the privatised infrastructure coordinating company said last month. Before that he was group general manager, freight for Qantas with responsibility for Qantas Freight’s global business interests, including subsidiaries and its fleet of freighter aircraft. During this time, he was also a director of the Qantas joint venture businesses StarTrack Express and Australian air Express. “Stephen’s extensive experience in leading blue chip organisations combined with his vast knowledge of the transport industry will be a significant advantage to the group,” Kings director Mike Shannon says. “We look forward to welcoming [him] and are extremely excited to have…

Following my column last month on the Australian Trucking Association’s (ATA’s) Industry Technical Council (ITC), it feels only appropriate to use this column to shed some light on the ATA’s hard-working but somewhat unknown committees. While smaller committees are formed at various points in the year for specific events or issues, the ATA has three major committees that play a critical ongoing role developing the ATA’s responses to industry issues. These are the: • safety committee • transport and economic policy committee • skills and workforce committee. The committees include ATA members from across the country, as well as external experts from the relevant fields. These committees develop the ATA’s policy positions on the big ticket items, which are then sent to the full ATA council for discussion and agreement.…

Trucks and their engine components really are a marvel of modern engineering. Take the humble belt and tensioner. Modern belts and tensioners can last many hundreds of thousands of kilometres, which is extraordinary when you think of how many billions of times the average belt would go around its pulleys in a lifetime, and how much heat is involved with a modern engine. An expert worth listening to recommends replacing the tensioner as a matter of course every 200,000km or so. That’s the milestone he reached before breaking down because of a failed tensioner in the middle of Australia a couple of years back; and the milestone he’s recently used to replace a tensioner even though it appeared to be fine. Wayne ‘Wally’ Cox is a former winner of the…

In the previous issue, we had a brief look at Cost Analysis as a method of discovering opportunities to remove or reduce costs of purchased goods. When purchasing equipment, especially expensive capital equipment, it is worth going to a bit more trouble than getting three quotes. Unfortunately, the lowest price quoted can frequently turn out not to be the lowest cost. Buying on price alone is really a blunt instrument, if you’re in the game of buying and selling blunt instruments, go your hardest. However, if you’re buying complex capital goods, or expensive equipment that has to be depreciated over time, it may well be worth considering your total cost of ownership (TCO). TCO is “… a purchasing tool and philosophy, which is aimed at understanding the true cost of…

Another stand up from Mitsubishi ... While testing the EDR18N2 I noticed another reach truck nearby. The key was in the ignition and I just couldn’t resist a try. The 1,800kg RBS18CA is one of a range of reach trucks from 900kg to 3,000kg load capacity. The operator stands up, faces forward and operates the truck just like a conventional counterbalance unit, only it is more compact. There’s the 360-degree steering wheel to your left and conventional controls for forward/reverse, fork lift, mast rake and side shift directly ahead of you. The 1,525mm wheelbase, minimum turning radius of 1,735mm and 90-degree aisle measurement of 1,940mm with 1,100x1,100mm pallet make the RBS18CA very handy for negotiating narrow aisles. The overall length is 2,205mm and width 1,090mm. The operator is virtually at…

To Dandenong, for Iveco’s 40th birthday event at headquarters, featuring the Red Bull racing team’s Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes (pictured). The boys are both originally Victorians and were feeling a little sheepish when they finally appeared. This was partly due to feeling the cold, now that they’re Queenslanders, and partly that their transport’s satellite navigation had the wrong part of the Princes Highway punched in. This might have been a cue for crazy talk along the lines of “well, unlike rally drivers, they’re not used to finding their way on the open road”. But then, around the same time, Citroën rally driver Mads Østberg came to grief when on a reconnaissance drive in New South Wales. As his Facebook page picture shows, he hit a Kenworth. It’s fairly well…

The first outing of the national work health and safety law has seen the contractor of a trucking firm fined more than two thirds of the maximum penalty allowed. That contractor, Kenoss Contractors, was itself contracted by the Australian Capital Territory Government for road resurfacing works when a fatal accident occurred in March 2012. This has now led to a $1.1 million fine, with ACT industrial magistrate Lorraine Walker noting that the incident, while not the worst, was getting there. Despite multiple safety failures and despite his many responsibilities, project manager Munir Al-Hasani was found not to have been an ‘officer’ of Kenoss and his charges were dismissed. Walker’s reasoning is likely to be looked at closely by managers and their legal advisors, particularly in transport and logistics, given a…

Lismore-based road freight company Mills Transport is preparing to close its doors. The 91-year old business will voluntarily cease operations from the close of business on September 25, with managing director Reg Mills saying the thin margins are no longer worth the investment required to keep the business running. The family owners had “formed the view that their investment in transport was no longer supported by the returns offered by the market”, Mills says. There are no administrators or receivers involved, and Mills says all creditors will be fully paid. Likewise, all employee entitlements will be accounted for. The company has more than 100 staff. Mills says it is working with customers to help them find new freight providers, and also working with those contractors to find new jobs for…

Two on-site deaths in the past few months have put Newcastle business Crawfords Freightlines on the Transport Workers Union (TWU) radar. But the company says it is working with the union and authorities to improve safety in its transport yard. “Over the past fortnight, Crawfords Freightlines has been in contact with the TWU and we have agreed to their request for meet at our Sandgate head office to further discuss any concerns they may have,” managing director Peter Crawford says. “As a family-owned company, our number one priority continues to be the safety and wellbeing of all of our staff and contractors. “We comply with the provisions of relevant workplace safety regulations to ensure our workers’ health and safety remains paramount.” Earlier this month, a minor collision between a truck…

The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) won’t have a seat at the table when Broome-based Toll Mermaid Logistics negotiates a new enterprise agreement. This is the second knock-back this year for the union’s efforts to break its shrinking maritime shackles after its port trucking push failed in April. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has ruled the duties of the supply base operators and leading hands that will be covered by the agreement are not in line with the definition of a “waterside worker” that would naturally be represented by the MUA. Toll Mermaid Logistics managers argued, while close to the Broome wharf, the company’s three supply bases were not related to operations there. Instead, goods both enter and leave the bases via road. The MUA says most cargo ends up…

A unanimous Griffith City Council resolution has seen a conditional approval of the Widgelli intermodal transport facility in the region. To be built at the intersection of Irrigation Way and Coughlan Road on Griffith’s outskirts, council documents show the facility will cover 16 hectares of land, which runs parallel with the existing rail land that bisects the subject site. The development, which will likely include a business/industrial park will see construction of a warehouse and office building, a weighbridge, separate truck and car access, a car park, a hardstand area for the storage of shipping containers, rail infrastructure involving the construction of rail sidings and shunting areas and a stormwater detention system. The Colin Rees Group, which also owns and operates the Ettamogah hub, is undertaking the Widgelli Rail Hub…

Clayton Noble is Ceva Logistics’ new managing director of its Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) operations. Noble arrives fresh from Fuji Xerox Australia, where, as COO, he ran operational functions, including supply chain, customer support, managed services, professional services and business outsourcing services. “I am excited to join Ceva in ANZ at such an important time in the company’s evolution. Ceva already has an excellent reputation in the industry, and I look forward to helping drive further growth, built on operations excellence, outstanding customer service and the delivery of innovative solutions,” he says. Noble also has experience in senior executive positions leading supply chain and logistics functions with organisations including Dell (Asia Pacific and Japan), BAX Global and Coles Myer. He replaces Casey Fisher, who is returning to the United…

Atypical livestock transport driver doesn’t just have duties behind the wheel. More often than not, it’s just them (and perhaps a kelpie) in the cab responsible for the safe delivery of live cargo, across huge distances and through remote areas. They will coordinate the pick-up and set down of the livestock, and need to consider the animals’ welfare in addition to the daily deadlines and their own fatigue management. It’s tough, isolating work for drivers; and it’s a highly-complex and regulated space for the transport operators directing them. With remote, often unsealed, roads in common use, and the dual compliance regimes of both road safety and animal welfare, the specialisation can be a minefield of demanding customers and intrusive inspections. Adding chain of responsibility (COR) requirements into that mix only…

The challenging question of when an employer can lawfully offer staff the opportunity to become contractors will be put to the test in the High Court again after the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) lodged an appeal against the decision of the Full Federal Court in FWO versus Quest South Perth Holdings [2015]. In that decision, the court found that action by an employer to encourage its staff to become independent contractors was not unlawful. Applying this issue to the transport industry which faces an increasingly competitive market with tight margins, the upcoming High Court decision is likely to shed some light on the lawfulness of a transport operator looking to put in place new labour arrangements. FACTS Quest South Perth Holdings and Contracting Solutions entered into an agreement whereby Contracting…

Not only can companies and other business operators be prosecuted under work health and safety (WH&S) laws, but so can individuals. Further, individuals can be jailed for the most serious breaches of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. The individuals with the most onerous obligations are officers of a corporation. Officer is defined under WH&S laws by adopting the definition of officer from the Corporations Act. Officers are required to exercise ‘due diligence’ to ensure the business complies with any duty or obligation under WH&S laws. Accordingly, officers must take reasonable steps to maintain up to date knowledge of WH&S matters; understand the business operations, and the associated hazards and risks; ensure that appropriate resources and processes are available and used to eliminate or minimise health and safety risks;…

Construction equipment hirer Crane Trucks R Us has not yet entered a formal administration arrangement, but is working with at least two receivers. A related company has also been forcibly wound up, with court-appointed liquidators now working through the books and assets. Still, managing director Fred Mohammed remains confident the core business will trade profitably again. Partner with Pearce and Heers insolvency accountants Michael Dullaway confirms he has been appointed to wind up Hypoct, a company involved in the running of both Crane Trucks R Us and sister company TranzHire R Us. Mohammed is named as a director and shareholder of all three entities. Dullaway’s appointment was made by the Supreme Court of Queensland after creditor John Shephard Trailers applied to have the company wound up. The appointment was made…

Puma Energy’s leading position in the Australian bitumen supply chain has been nailed down with completion of its of BP business purchase. Puma Bitumen will look to combine BP’s technical products and experts with Puma’s global experience, infrastructure and supply networks, the parent firm says. The deal that surfaced earlier this year will see Puma own and operate BP’s Brisbane, Townsville, Altona and Hobart sites, inheriting BP’s proprietary bitumen products and 35 employees. As part of the agreement, BP will continue to supply Puma Energy with bitumen from its Kwinana refinery until Puma’s new Western Australia fuel and bitumen terminal replaces it in 2017. All operations will continue as normal, with the only immediate change being the rebranding of the business to Puma Bitumen. Puma Energy Australia general manager Ray…

A new rail operator is looking to stir up freight markets in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. Melbourne-based TransVolution has been granted full accreditation across the three states by the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator. It is now in talks with potential customers about a range of services and scales. Executive manager Daryl Minter says the company is aiming to increase the overall market for rail freight in the tri-state region. “Ask the layman on the street, and he will tell you rail is the logical answer to Australia’s growing freight task,” he says, listing off economy-wide benefits such as reduced congestion and enhanced road safety. TransVolution’s business model focuses, at least in the first instance, on filling in some of the gaps that existing operators…

S&D Logistics director Melissa Hunt has been awarded the 2015 Frank Vale Award by the Refrigerated Warehouse and Transport Association of Australia (RWTA) at the organisations’ annual national conference and expo in South Australia. Recognising young people in the Australian cold chain industry, the Frank Vale Award winner is selected from state finalists who make a positive contribution to the industry’s development. Nine nominees were assessed by state-based judging panels in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, based on their application, interview and conference presentation. Awarded at the conference’s gala dinner, Hunt, from NSW, pipped Americold’s Dane Stowers from Queensland and Stacey Lamb from Victoria to receive the award from RWTA chairman Paul Fleiszig.…

All the safety equipment training and policies available may fail to be effective without a positive management approach, the latest freight transport safety research indicates. Initial findings presented at the Australian Logistics Council’s Supply Chain Safety and Compliance Summit by University of New South Wales senior research fellow Lori Mooren point to active and responsive management, risk assessments, enforcement of rules and driver involvement as likely to be central to success in building a company safety culture. The investigation has completed a three-stage process of reviewing existing research, surveying 50 firms and doing an in depth investigation of 15 companies. A safety management approach has been formulated, and the call is now out for volunteer firms to help test it. Research to date is based on insurance claims centred on…

Joachim Drees is taking over as CEO of MAN SE after long-serving encumbent Georg Pachta-Reyhofen resigned from the position. Drees, a member of Volkswagen Truck and Bus Holding’s board of directors and manager of MAN Truck and Bus AG from April, will be joined by Jan-Henrik Lafrentz as the group’s new CFO. The changes come after Pachta-Reyhofen resigned from his position following “the continued successful development of the MAN Group as an internationally positioned enterprise focusing on transport and energy generation and MAN’s integration into the Volkswagen Group, my most important assignments have meanwhile been completed. “This has prompted me to place my executive board responsibilities in someone else’s hands,” he says. Pachta-Reyhofen joined the MAN Group in Vienna in 1986 after earning a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering and has…