Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 400 i Australasian Transport News (ATN)

Linfox’s Intermodal and Bevchain arms are new components in a growing strategic relationship with supermarket chain Coles. Amongst the contract wins is a renewal with Coles in New South Wales, securing a long-term contract to deliver primary and secondary transport across the state. "For more than 60 years, Linfox has earned the trust of some of Australia and New Zealand’s best-known brands," CEO Mark Mazurek says. "We are extremely proud of our customer relationships, some of which date back to Linfox’s early days in the 1960s. "Coles is one of those customers and I am very delighted to announce that Linfox has renewed several partnerships with them in recent months." The logistics giant benefited from its intermodal diversification, selected by Coles to provide rail services into far north Queensland. The…

Severe injuries caused by a defective truck seat has seen a driver awarded more than half a million dollars in compensation. The Queensland Supreme Court awarded James Anthony Griffin, 38, damages for injury and consequential loss and harm while working for Burleigh Marr Distributions. The court heard the use of the seat culminated in an acute disc prolapse and permanent disability as a result of a spinal injury. Griffin started driving a Fuso in August 2013 that had already travelled about 559,000km, driving about 3,000km a week between Townsville and Rockhampton. He testified that he complained to his supervisor, Townsville depot manager Neil Sayers, of the seat "bottoming out" and causing discomfort on about a weekly basis between August 20 and mid-October 2013 and again from late October to March…

McColl’s Transport has linked with Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) for a Water on Wheels initiative designed to deliver recycled brewing water to farmers affected by drought. The start of the pilot program saw about 25,000 litres of water delivered to a Southern Downs farm recently. Free non-potable water used at CUB’s Yatala plant will be delivered to farms within 50km of the Newell or Pacific highways in Queensland and NSW, to be used on crops or livestock as the drought persists. McColl’s fleet comprises a specialised bulk tanker division catering for the task. "We have hundreds of drivers travelling throughout Australia to farms every week to pick up milk supplies," McColl’s Group business development manager Andrew Thompson says. "We have seen first-hand how dry many parts of Queensland and…

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is seeking feedback on a draft road freight plan addressing heavy vehicle access and productivity. The Draft Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan 2020–2025 (HVPP) calls for a coordinated approach to addressing Australia’s growing freight task, based on three key objectives: • provide access certainty and consistency • partner with local government to build capability • state department Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has opened a Freight Data Hub (FDH), to applause from the Australian Logistics Council (ALC). The department says its goal is "to deliver freight policy and infrastructure more effectively and efficiently by using data to spur innovation and economic growth”. "Publishing freight data will support evidence-based policy, improve transparency and accountability and provide a platform for innovation." The hub has four main aspects: a…

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) leads tributes for Barker Trailers co-founder Ernie Barker after his recent passing. Together with his brother, Arthur, Ernie Barker manufactured the first custom Barker Trailer in 1974 and founded the business that has grown from humble beginnings to employing about 200 people across two Victorian sites, in Woodend and Maryborough. "Ernie Barker had great influence in the industry during his time, and his passing signifies the end of an era for Barker Trailers," ATA Geoff Crouch says. "Ernie was an industry pioneer and a highly skilled tradesman with great technical knowledge and a commitment to the craft of building high quality trailers." ATA notes that, under Barker’s leadership, the company had been involved in improving industry safety and productivity via the Industry Technical Council and…

With a vision to be the most recognised logistics provider in Australia’s resource-rich remote communities, WA heavy haulage specialist Centurion has been doing plenty of heavy lifting in the past decade. Established in 1971 by brothers Frank and Carl Cardaci, the family-owned company’s exponential growth since its 40th birthday nine years ago really paints the picture: its staff count has doubled from 500 to 1,000 and assets from 850 to 2,000. It’s testament to a firm with roots in a state where some contemporaries struggled to adapt to the aftermath of the mining boom. “We got away from the dedicated models traditionally used with shared users in terms of linehauls and facilities.” The year 2011 was significant because it ushered in the addition of Bis’ Oilfield and General Transport (OGT)…

Craige Whitton recently celebrated 15 years at Northline; more than a decade of those spent at the helm of the ambitious logistics firm. The last time ATN visited – December 2013 – the firm with South Australian roots was celebrating its 30th birthday. Back then, its Smithfield depot in Sydney was up and running and the wheels were in motion for its Brisbane facility. Six years later, those pieces, and more, of the puzzle continue to come together as part of a wider blueprint to cement itself as a global player. While Northline’s customer-base remains largely Australian, these customers increasingly rely on overseas markets as supply partners for their businesses in Australia, while export opportunities also continue to grow, Whitton explains. Underpinning an end-to-end supply chain focus for its customers,…

The ZED70 – an acronym for Zero Emission Drive 70 – runs a 100 per cent electric drivetrain that utilises a 700Nm electric ‘permanent magnet’ motor powered by a bank of lithium-ion batteries with a total capacity of 88kWh – although a battery capacity upgrade to 115kWh is available. Regenerative braking is utilised, and the battery life cycle is listed at more than 10 years. Zero Automotive claims a theoretical range of up to 350km, with a four-hour charge time. However, the Australian company says a one-hour full charge option will also be available shortly. The vehicle’s operating temperature ranges from -20°C to 55°C and to protect all the important bits, battery and motor subframes have been strengthened and are now more “structurally rigid”, while the batteries are housed in…

Masami (Mat) Ozono is a proud Japanese man who for more than 40 years has inched his way up the ladder of executive engineering appointments at UD. Fortunately for me, his English is good and more fortunately for UD and its leagues of customers, his experience and passion for the brand are profound. Even better, and somewhat outside the square of standard Japanese response, he doesn’t appear at all shy about delivering a sharp answer to a blunt question. Anyway, as senior manager of product management and planning, Ozono has been at the pointy end of UD’s Croner development program since the decision was taken in 2013 to design and build a replacement for the brand’s long-serving Condor medium-duty range. In a surprising development, however, it eventually became apparent that…

The rigid truck market is facing a tilt from an unexpected quarter next year, with Scania Australia to enter the fray armed with safety equipment and a 7.0-litre Euro 6 engine. The Swedish firm acknowledges this with the smallest truck engine Scania has offered in decades, in terms of both displacement and external dimensions. It insists the engines are ideal for urban and regional distribution applications but underlines that comfort and safety is the key to its push into a market marked by what it believes is in need of upgrading. Thus the DC07 range includes steering wheel and side curtain rollover airbag protection, a quiet engine, modern suspension delivering and “segment-leading” ergonomics and instrumentation, including in-dash weight scales readouts for each axle set. The formerly quiet medium-duty segment is…

Coles Group has been busy updating most of its IT systems over the past 18 months in a bid to reduce costs while delivering a better shopping experience for customers. The Smarter Selling strategy will include increased automation of manual tasks both in stores and in support functions and faster checkouts, using artificial intelligence for quicker and more accurate stock ordering as well as reducing energy use, and smarter planning in distribution centres to improve availability. Coles’ supply chain management and finance and procurement functions are being migrated to SAP (Systems Applications and Products) technology. Its legacy core finance system has been moved to the SAP S/4HANA platform, which is set to improve speed and stability of its financial systems. Coles has also implemented the SAP Ariba procurement solution. The…

Western Australia was cut off for road freight from the rest of the country for a period earlier this month due to bushfire in the south and floods in the centre and north. The Great Northern Highway has now reopened to all vehicles after being closed due to Cyclone Blake tracking towards Marble Bar in the north. Flooding had also closed the Great Central Road in both directions from Laverton to the NT border, whilst the Eyre Highway was closed due to catastrophic fire conditions and damage to the road surface in Western Australia, with the traffic stopped at the border with South Australia. After reopening the Eyre Highway on January 10, the SA police force (Sapol) urged drivers to resist the temptation to "try to make up for lost…

A late flurry of activity has seen Simon National Carriers ushers in eight new additions to its fleet in time for Christmas, including a milestone 300th prime mover. Six Volvo FH540s and two Mercedes-Benz Actros 2653s are now on east coast intercapital work for the firm. "Recent experience with the current generation FH540s reinforced our long-term view that Volvo has a robust, reliable product that meets our needs for B-double work, along with occasional back-up road train work between our branches," CEO David Simon tells ATN. "We’ve also been impressed by the performance of a Mercedes test truck and look forward to seeing how these trucks perform for us over the medium term." Amongst the Volvo delivery is fleet unit ‘V300’ (pictured) – Simon’s 301st prime mover over 53 years…

A recent National Heavy Vehicle Regulator-led operation targeting fatigue showed 93.9 per cent of truck drivers are complying with fatigue regulations aimed at keeping everyone safe on our roads, the NHVR reveals. NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto says Operation Wake Up intercepted 4,096 drivers over an eight-day period in December at more than 80 locations and mobile patrols across Australia. "Driving tired is one of the most significant causes of crashes on our roads and professional truck drivers need to carefully manage their rest hours to make sure everyone gets home safe," Petroccitto says. "I’m encouraged to see that the compliance rate has increased from the 93 per cent recorded during a similar operation in May and that vast majority of drivers are doing the right thing, however we will continue…

New South Wales transport minister Andrew Constance has put a shot across the bows of stevedores at Port Botany over their unrestrained terminal access charges. Constance is the first state or federal minister to indicate publically a significant disquiet at the impact they are having on port users and the container logistics supply chain, including container trucking and rail haulage. He says stevedores at Port Botany have been warned against slapping higher port surcharges on transport operators and exporters who are battling crippling drought in NSW. Stiffening the position, he adds that it would be "completely unacceptable for stevedores to increase their infrastructure levies anytime soon". "This is a critical time for our agricultural exporters as they face unprecedented drought conditions," Constance says. "Our farmers and their communities are doing…

The National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo is Australia’s major showcase for heavy equipment, specialised vehicles, mowers, attachments and other equipment for public space management and supporting services. For the fifth year the Expo is being held at the popular Panthers Penrith venue, and with a huge number of high-quality exhibitors, the expo looks certain to set new visitor attendance records. This great event attracts growing numbers of visitors from throughout New South Wales, interstate and overseas. Panthers has everything needed to make a visit well worthwhile and memorable, with easy accessibility, free entry and plenty of free parking, as well as lots of great food, hospitality and entertainment. Each year, exhibitors mount larger and more engaging displays in the quest for taking out prestigious trophies for the best stand.…

Family-run Simpson’s Fuel has expanded into fuel cartage, growing by 30 per cent over the last three years. The fourth-generation company based in Alexandra, Victoria, has been going from strength to strength since its early days as a general freight carrier. Established by Ian Simpson upon migrating from Scotland, the business soon changed track to fuel, providing petrol for Commonwealth Oil Refineries (COR) which later became BP Australia. Simpsons became a fuel distributor for Caltex Australia in 1985 when BP pulled out of country Victoria, seeing its customer base grow to 1,200 today. Run by Ian’s son Gordon and grandchildren Cameron and Sarah, the company was the first to purchase a performance based standards (PBS) 20m rigid dog and tanker to carry 46,000 litres of diesel on each run –…

■ AUGUST 2012 It’s the sort of thing that causes the forces of law and order palpitations. Or is this a kind of backhanded compliment to them? Six months into the Great NSW Trucking Crackdown and what should turn up on eBay from Balmoral in Queensland? Why, a speed-limiter tampering device. The message was pretty sunny, as befits the item location - “hi all up for sale is a black box to increase top speed of big rigs will suit any truck it comes with all wiring and instructions this is the best box on the market happy bidding no returns buyer must pay within 24hrs end auction and pay own postage costs”. Sold after one bid for $500. If this isn’t some elaborate sting - Jeff and Renee, you…

More and more companies are looking to have their very own branding message on their fleets. Branding and advertising on fleet vehicles can boost name recognition significantly as the vehicle is moving along the highway, parked in front of a business, or out and about. There is a growing demand for this type of mobile advertising on fleets but what a lot of fleet owners don’t know is that paint is rarely used in the process. Nowadays, it is all about self-adhesive vinyl film, printed with large format printers and applied directly to equipment by skilled manufacturer-certified installers. This is not just a good branding tool as it also helps protect multi-thousand-dollar investments from road grime and general wear and tear, and in some cases makes it easier to keep…

Commercial asset valuation and disposal company Hilco Global has been in Australia since 2011. Back then, it was focused around distressed retail, where it helped in the disposal of goods for companies that were involved with retail gear selling out of shops. Later, it set up a valuation practice, helping to evaluate plant machinery or businesses that were buying other businesses. In July 2019, Adam Scharer and Michael Hayes teamed up with Hilco Global and Macquarie Bank to launch Hilco Global Australasia, an industrial and commercial asset valuation and disposal company that specialises in online auctions and negotiated sales within Australia and South East Asia. Working with businesses in transport, manufacturing, earthmoving, agriculture, mining and construction industries, Scharer and Hayes, who are the chief executive officer and chief operating officer…

Coles has entered an exclusive partnership with British online food retailer Ocado to provide a better online grocery shopping experience for consumers. Coles will launch a new website and build two highly automated fulfilment centres in Melbourne and Sydney at a cost of as much as $150 million. The Ocado Smart Platform (OSP) technology will help enhance customer experience, supported by end-to-end proprietary software applications and technology solutions due for the Australian market by the 2023 financial year. It is expected to double its home-delivery capacity. The technology is run by an army of small robots that pluck individual grocery items from storage towers and load them onto boxes. The partnership provides a unique opportunity for Coles to deliver a best-in-class customer experience driven by greater range, improved product availability…

There may have been fewer new commercial vehicles sold last year than the year before but 2019’s totals indicate a market more on a downward glide than falling over a cliff’s edge. Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark figures for December showed 37,960 went to buyers for the full year, down from 2018’s bumper crop of 41,628 but still a healthy 1,135 units above 2017’s 36,825. There were some devils in the detail, however. Isuzu was never going to match 2018’s stunning leap across the range into five figures but that 10,027 slid to 8,621 last year, down 277 on 2017’s total. Month-on-month (MOM) sales for the market leader, at 634, fell 98 units from November’s 732 and was also below October’s 684. It’s still “daylight second” but the Hino crowd…

Dutch heavy haulage specialist Mammoet has started transporting the first heavy components for the new BHP South Flank iron ore mine currently under construction in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. About 1,900 items including prefabricated and modular mine processing plant units of various sizes will be transported from Port Hedland to the new mine site, located 340km away. The US$3.6 billion (A$5.5 billion) South Flank project will replace production from BHP’s Yandi mine, which is nearing the end of its life. Production is expected to start in 2021. Once complete, it will be one of WA’s largest iron ore processing facilities. "Mammoet has a deep and long-standing expertise providing services to the mining industry," the firm says. "With existing operational branches based in Port Hedland and Karratha, Mammoet is highly equipped…

A total of 369 transport, postal and warehousing businesses hit the wall in the 2018–19 financial year, keeping the yearly trend relatively flat but still positive, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) data shows. Overall it represents 10 less than the 379 insolvencies recorded in 2017–18. The result can be viewed as a positive against long-term trends, however, this being the second-lowest since ASIC insolvency reports started in 2004–05, and below the average of 452. The lowest was in 2004–05 at 276, and peaked in 2011–12 at 607. Transport, postal and warehousing remains the fifth-most vulnerable out of 24 industry categories, comprising 4.9 per cent of the 7,498 insolvencies recorded. It follows other business and personal services (28.2 per cent), construction (21.4 per cent), accommodation and food services (15.5 per…

Workplace watchdog SafeWork NSW warns operators to never rely on trailer hydraulics or other lowering devices to prevent a ramp from falling, after the recent death of a truck driver. The 55-year-old was fatally injured after being crushed by a hydraulic-powered ramp on a trailer connected to the prime mover he was driving, an incident report explains. The incident occurred as the truck driver was attempting to unload two vehicles from the trailer in an industrial area in Ingleburn. After removing the safety chains from the ramps, one of the ramps fell, fatally crushing the driver. SafeWork notes businesses must implement ‘reasonably practicable’ control measures to manage the risks associated with hydraulic systems – and always assume a loading ramp can fall on a person at any time unless properly…

Fuso eCanter: Melbourne test drive In case you haven’t noticed, the world is changing – big time. And while contemptuous politicians might think it clever to carry a lump of coal into parliament, the raw reality is that fossil fuels are increasingly on the nose with urban society. Fortunately, some of the world’s leading automotive corporations are ignoring political ineptitude with giant strides in development of clean energy. None more, perhaps, than Daimler with potential game-changers like Fuso’s remarkable electric eCanter. Here’s our video report after driving the urban specialist in and around Melbourne Freightliner: A brave new world Reporting from Freightliner facilities across the United States, we take a close look at the right-hand drive development work heralding the upcoming launch of Freightliner’s exciting new Cascadia conventional. This is…

Victorian bulk haulage company Mt Noorat Freighters uses pneumatic transfer via its own custom-built blowers to deliver stockfeed to mills. The Terang-based family business in south-west Victoria has become specialists in raw materials carting as the industry demands better equipment. Director Tony Maloney, pictured, says the company has grown significantly over the last seven years since ATN’s visit due to its investment in technology. “With the technology the demands are to be able to move stock feed without damaging the feed and keeping it clean and not having cross-contamination between stock feeds,” Maloney says. “So, to have technology when you load the feed into the trailers whether it’s tippers or tankers, you have to make sure that it can empty out cleanly and efficiently. “We pretty much do most of…

A decade’s relationship between All Purpose Transport (APT) and homeware firm Ikea is behind the advent of Queensland’s first electric delivery truck entering service. In hindsight, it was a likely outcome as delivery firm All Purpose has made a virtue of innovation, particularly in personnel development, while environmentally sensitive Ikea has already linked with fleet delivery service ANC in New South Wales for a commercial electric vehicle (CEV) effort there. In both cases, the CEV in question is a modified Hino 917 glider with the SEA-Drive 120a power system that was converted from diesel to electric, has a 200–250km range, four-hour charging rate and a 3.5 tonne carrying capacity. “We led the way with workforce development and now we are leading the way with last mile emission free deliveries,” ATP…

Senior Volvo Group Australia (VGA) executives have confirmed that the Australian introduction of new UD Croner and Quon 8x4 models will go ahead as planned, despite the startling announcement in late December of a ‘strategic alliance’ that will see Isuzu acquire UD in its entirety. The ‘Quest for Croner’ feature story which appears here was written long before news of the deal was made public. In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, there was initial speculation that both Croner and the Quon eight-wheeler – both extensively engineered for the Australian market – might fail to see the light of a Down Under day. However, our sources have unequivocally stated that Croner will be launched as planned in the third quarter of 2020, followed quickly by the introduction of an impressive…

It is both a tad sad and somewhat satisfying to sample a small slice of Thailand’s automotive manufacturing industry. In this case, Volvo Group’s highly efficient Thai-Swedish Assembly (TSA) facility in the province of Samutprakarn, little more than an hour’s drive from central Bangkok. Sad, because it is a sharp reminder of the fact that apart from the enduring exceptions of a couple of high-class truck production facilities, namely Volvo Group Australia’s Wacol (Qld) plant and Paccar Australia’s Bayswater (Vic) facility, the Australian automotive manufacturing industry is all but buried. Holden, Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi. All gone, while on the truck front it’s hard to believe a bountiful manufacturing future awaits a struggling Iveco at its historic, sprawling Dandenong (Vic) premises. On the other hand, satisfying, because it demonstrates the profound…

ATN: G’day, Darren. Since the AMA Group takeover of Wales Bus & Truck Repairs, how have things been settling in for you in your new role? DW: Fantastic! We have a great team around us with a passion for the heavy motor industry and repair industry. I can’t speak highly enough of the dedication and commitment that our guys (and girls) have shown in the transition stage. I have been in the industry for over 30 years and I think that I have learnt more in the past six months from our people than I have in many years. The workload is intense, but I am enjoying it. ATN: What has been the response from your trucking and bus clients to the takeover and expansion plans? DW: The response…

With the exception of a small community of doomsday preppers who had sealed themselves in bunkers under the desert, it is impossible to ignore the rise in popularity of the dual-cab ute. And that’s a shame because, ironically, there’s a thriving segment at the pointy end of the one-tonne market that would really appeal to people who believe Armageddon is upon us. The highly accomplished Ford Ranger Raptor took one-tonne toughness and off-the-shelf all-terrain ability to a new level and, despite a hefty asking price, people have been flocking to its combination of athleticism and gruff looks. A handful of rivals have responded with toughened versions of more prosaic model lines, including Toyota’s Hilux Rugged X and the HSV SportsCat, but nothing has yet challenged Ford’s hulk and won. And…

Contrary to early indications that it was about to be ousted by a buoyant Volvo, Kenworth in 2019 retained its crown as the most popular heavy-duty truck on the Australian market. Despite the closeness of a contest which at one stage saw just a few dozen trucks separating the two powerhouse brands, Kenworth finished the year with a modest buffer of 111 units over its Swedish rival. For the record, Kenworth ended 2019 with 2,350 deliveries for a heavy-duty stake of 18.5 per cent, with Volvo notching 2,239 units and a 17.6 per cent slice. In the big picture though, Volvo Group Australia (Volvo, Mack and UD) again took the gong with a collective 3,737 units to record a formidable 29.3 per cent of the total heavy-duty category. Paccar’s Kenworth…