Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 412 i Deals On Wheels Australia

The Brisbane Truck Show Awards will undergo a revamp in 2017 by showcasing the past two year’s best design, engineering and manufacturing achievements, influenced by a culture of innovation and safety. Presented by show organiser Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) with the support of Platinum Partner BP Australia, this year’s awards will be judged by a cohort of the country’s leading transport and equipment journalists and will highlight the industry’s latest product and service innovations. Australia’s heavy vehicle industry directly employs more than 36,000 people and manufactures, services and repairs some of the world’s most efficient, safe, innovative and technologically advanced vehicles, including global brands Volvo, Mack, Kenworth and Iveco. With nominations closing at the end of March, the judges will have a busy time assessing what could potentially be…

The best times in trucking as a driver have passed. In my experience, rolling into a depot with aching cheeks is usually a symptom of a dodgy driver’s seat after a long trip down a rough road. But as I passed through the gates of the Scott’s Refrigerated Freightways Melbourne depot in the wee hours of the morning recently, it was my other cheeks that were indeed aching – the ones on my face. And it was all Maurie Stewart’s fault. I met up with Maurie in Adelaide just two days after his 80th birthday on the eve of his second, and allegedly final, retirement. After 60 years on the road, Maurie was hanging up the keys and leaving life on the highway behind. I had the privilege of working…

The curtain won’t go loose, and it’s easy to use. With most industries under the pump in the modern era, saving a few seconds or minutes in any process has become almost an obsession. It’s no different for the road transport industry. Deadlines need to be met – while at the same time maintaining a safe working regime. Freighter, part of the MaxiTrans group, has come up with a product to meet both needs in the form of the T-Liner Mark II. Aimed at customers who are looking for a more cost-effective trailer, the T-Liner Mark II’s major talking point is the reduction from 22 buckles to six. And that, according to Freighter general manager Mario Colosimo, equates to a saving of roughly 10 minutes per drop. Freighter has combined…

In a paddock of stubble on a Riverina farm near Mangoplah, New South Wales, Dave Willis introduces Deals On Wheels to his favourite truck. It is a 1970 Mack F700 he has affectionately dubbed ‘The Pizza Oven’. Today it is attached to a tipper loaded with wheat. Dave is a mechanic, grain carrier and one of the organisers of the biennial Kyabram Mack Muster. It is no surprise that his favourite truck is a Mack – it is the only brand he owns. But why does he prefer the Pizza Oven to his other workhorse, a V8 1983 Mack Superliner which once carted fuel for Joe Bromage? And what about his restored show ponies – the 1967 V8 R600 Flintstone, and the blue-and-white 1970 F700 he calls ‘Forever Young’? “That…

The Euro 5 X15 uses the same hardware and SCR emissions technology as the existing ISXe5. It’s now history, but when Kenworth lost Cat and Detroit engines from its power portfolio, there was no shortage of sceptics predicting the truck maker’s tumble from the top of the heavy-duty ladder. Looking back, the scepticism was not unjustified. After all, Kenworth had, for many years, made good mileage of its ability to keep the customer satisfied with a custom-built truck offering the choice of three hugely successful engine brands – Cat, Cummins and Detroit – each with its own legions of loyal supporters. What’s more, there was no shortage of fierce competition between the three engine makers, with the contest between Cat and Cummins particularly blatant and brutal. Here were two engine…

That’s a big call. But with more than 250 classic commercial vehicles travelling some of Australia’s most historic stretches of road, and scores of old highway drivers sharing tales of yesteryear, Haulin’ the Hume will be hard to beat. Organised by Bruce Gunter and a hard-working committee, Haulin’ the Hume raises funds for Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect). The run begins at Hawkesbury Showgrounds, Clarendon, with trucks leaving from 6am on Saturday, April 8. The vehicles will travel bypassed sections of the old Hume Highway, over Razorback Mountain, and through Picton, Mittagong and Berrima before stopping at Goulburn Recreation Centre for lunch. This will be a great chance to get a close-up look at the old trucks. The run will continue in the afternoon over the Cullerin Range and through Gunning…