Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 471 i Deals On Wheels Australia

Commercial vehicle sales looked to be building again in August after easing off at the start of the financial year. Having hit the year’s high-water mark in June of 4,741, then slipping as they traditionally do, to 3,296, figures pushed upwards to 3,520, Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark figures showed. The year to date was 26,736, monstering 2020’s Covid uncertainty-hit 21,955 and up on still bullish 2019’s 25,380 but below 2018’s boom-time 27,159. Market leader Isuzu did what market leaders should, heading the charge after hitting four figures in June with 1,085, rising to 889 from 756 in July. Hino followed the trend, scoring 521 from 464 and 761 the month before that. Fuso’s rebound was shallower, recording 410 on 398 and 568, counting back. Heavy-duty August’s heavy-duty figure of…

You are legally liable under COR regulations From moving sensitive, critical goods and equipment such as food and medical supplies, to getting household items and other consumables to house-bound customers, the national transport supply chain has never been busier. With many industries operating under extraordinary pressures and challenges, Isuzu Trucks knows that operators can easily be distracted from their compliance responsibilities… which have not changed. Such obligations include adhering to Chain of Responsibility (COR) regulations—whether you’re running a smaller business or a large corporation. According to Isuzu’s Future of Trucking research report, many small- and medium-sized fleet owners and managers either have no COR plans or processes in place, or remain unaware that COR obligations apply to them. In fact, 35% of small truck fleets are completely unprepared for, or…

A recent court case highlights how a company with a strong safety record can still be susceptible to shortcomings, with Centurion Transport’s example a timely reminder to industry operators to re-evaluate their risk control measures. Centurion expressed its grief at the death of a company employee after a tyre explosion and outlined the steps it has taken to reduce similar future hazards. The Queensland Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor (OWHSP) had earlier reported the company was sentenced at the Wynnum Magistrates Court on July 23 for breaching the Work Health and Safety Act relating to its primary health and safety duty. Magistrate Sarra fined Centurion $200,000 but did not record a conviction. Centurion told ATN the death of its employee at the Port of Brisbane was a…

The next chapter in the struggle for parcels market share has begun, with the Toll Global Express (TGE) sale to private equity firm Allegro Funds complete. This also marks the first official day of Christine Holgate’s tenure as CEO, with the former Australia Post boss pitted against her former employer and parcels market leader having been sacked by the government-owned enterprise for political reasons. “It is a privilege to be joining as the group chief executive officer, and I am honoured to be a part of the Toll Global Express team and lead the company’s transformation,” Holgate said. “I recognise that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us to improve our service promise to our customers and ensure our business has a sustainable future. “Please be assured…

CTI Logistics has executed a significant annual results rebound. The Western Australian-based national transport and logistics group scored an $8.17 million profit on a revenue rise from operations up 11.1% to $239 million. “During the year the company has invested in growing our national freight operations in Sydney, Adelaide and Perth, including the relocation of two transport depots in Perth and Sydney and a warehouse in South Australia,” CTI directors stated in the annual report. “Investment has continued in information technology at GMK (specialised flooring logistics) and warehousing divisions to enhance our operating systems and performance as well as a cyber security investment in ongoing managed services to protect our IT systems network. “Despite the challenging market conditions, operating cash flow has remained strong at $31,087,414 for the year, being…

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) has issued a safety alert after a July 2021 incident involving a truck driver who began feeling unwell after transporting grain to a feedlot with his semi-trailer. With investigations continuing, it appears that, for reasons yet to be established, during the transportation he was exposed to a fumigant that produced phosphine gas, which is commonly used to control insect infestations in grain. Fumigants, including aluminium phosphide, are used in the agriculture industry to kill pests such as grain weevils, the work safety watchdog noted. Aluminium phosphide is a solid fumigant that reacts with moisture in the air to release highly toxic phosphine gas. “If the manufacturer’s directions aren’t followed, there is a serious risk to those who transport or store the grain,” WHSQ said.…

A multi-national logistics company has been issued with an improvement notice after an investigation uncovered evidence of falsified records and insufficient fatigue management, compliance and auditing practices, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) reported. NHVR investigators completed an extensive safety duties investigation after receiving a report through the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line. Evidence found the company, whose identity was not disclosed publicly, had scheduled drivers to drive between Adelaide, Melbourne and regional New South Wales without sufficient rest hours. Multiple drivers had falsified their National Driver Work Diary pages by recording rest breaks during work hours. NHVR director of investigations Steve Underwood said these activities were a serious breach of fatigue management regulations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law. “Alarmingly, the company’s tight scheduling and insufficient auditing allowed…

Iveco has enacted a number of positional changes, with the aim of allowing the company to further streamline operations and better respond to customer needs. Head of sales – truck and van Glen Dyer has assumed responsibility for the bus and special vehicles portfolio. The newly-created position of head of customer services was filled by Margot Baker, who began with Iveco in 2016 and previously held the role of legal counsel. Head of network development Ella Letiagina’s role was expanded to include product and marketing. In the product department, Iveco stalwart Marco Quaranta has assumed the position of strategic relations and industry relations manager with a focus on propulsion, while experienced product manager Emiliano Foieri has been promoted to product management lead.…

Young drivers don’t know enough about how to stay safe around trucks. That’s the key finding from a new research paper from the road safety experts at the University of Newcastle. The research was funded by the ATA. Young people aged 17–25 make up 12% of the population but account for 19% of Australia’s road fatalities. This research is an important step forward in developing effective road safety communication and behavioural change projects. It confirms our understanding that young people are overrepresented in road crashes and identifies the risk factors that are likely to increase collision risks between young drivers and trucks. The university’s head of its School of Psychological Sciences, professor Kristen Pammer, said the research suggests increased collision risk between trucks and young drivers is likely due to…

The most consistent thing about our National Cabinet is its ability to act inconsistently. That’s why the announcement that the states and territories had accepted an industry package of streamlined Covid-19 measures to keep road freight moving means there’s still much more to do. State and territory governments agreeing to an updated Freight Movement Protocol and Code is one thing, but nothing sticks until it’s written into their respective health orders. Prior to this, NatRoad wrote to state transport ministers to asking them to consider a Five-Point Plan of practical measures for border passes, checkpoints and Covid testing. Although some requests have been taken on, the fundamental problem of national inconsistency remains. For example, at the time of writing, freight drivers crossing into Queensland and New South Wales needed proof…

Australia Post had added 20 Fuso eCanter electric trucks to its fleet, with the first arrivals said to be hitting the road in October. The post office has forged ahead with fleet electricfication, mostly with electric trikes, claiming it is the largest operator of electric vehicles in Australia with more than 3,000 electric vehicles (EVs) currently in use. It said it is the first local customer of the eCanter, as part of a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. “With the significant growth in parcel volumes, more vehicles are required in our network.” Australia Post general manager networks James Dixon said. “It makes good sense to add electric vehicles as part of this requirement. “Not only will these eCanters fit our needs in this delivery category, but they will also…

Hino Australia has officially opened its new purpose-built, 9,272 square metre parts distribution centre (PDC) in Sydney’s Horsley Park. A significant increase in the ‘truck park’ of Hino trucks has contributed to parts sales growing 24% over the last five years, which had bought the previous PDC in Caringbah close to capacity. “This new facility will optimise our supply chain network to provide faster service and improve inventory levels, resulting in a higher supply rate, which will ultimately support the forecasted growth of parts sales,” Hino Australia vice president product support Greg Bleasel said. The maker said it worked with a leading international storage solutions provider to design and install a storage solution that includes small parts storage, single and double depth pallet racking and open-faced cantilever racking. “This new…

A US innovation promises to take prime movers out of the rollover equation but it may face difficulty being accepted here. Dubbed the Tractor Anti-Rollover System (TARS) by start-up Axicle Engineering, headed by former Tesla staffer and aerospace engineer Steve Krug and reportedly backed by a team formerly from SpaceX and Tesla, it is designed to unhitch the semi-trailer when sensors identify an impending rollover. The idea is that the trailer then falls while the prime mover stays upright. “Axicle’s fifth wheel contains two independent latching mechanisms that are used to secure it to the tractor at an optimal distance apart,” the company explained. “The clamping systems only release when their corresponding pyrotechnic actuators are triggered during a rollover condition. “From there, gravity simply separates the trailer from the vehicle.”…

Volvo has bought Chinese company JMC Heavy Duty Vehicle for the purpose of building Volvo trucks for the China market, starting in 2022. Volvo agreed to acquire the subsidiary of Jiangling Motors, which includes a manufacturing site in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, China, for some RMB800 million (A$170 million). The Swedish company says the objective is to start production of the new heavy-duty Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX trucks in Taiyuan for customers in China from the end of 2022. According to the company, Volvo Trucks has been active in the Chinese market since 1934. During the last couple of years, the strong growth of logistics services, including e-commerce, has led to a surge in the sales of Volvo trucks in the country. In 2020, more than 4,500 heavy-duty…

The FH is smoother more intelligent and more efficient Disruptions will be with us for a while It takes only a short step into the past to see how sharply the Covid era has impacted Volvo’s present. Mid-way through 2020, when the economic and social ramifications of the global pandemic were still ramping up to full ferocity, Volvo was the undisputed dominant force in Australia’s heavy-duty truck market, with a formidable 18.8% of the category; several points ahead of eminent rival and fellow local manufacturer Kenworth. So strong was Volvo’s charge on the back of a proven product range, so purposefully planned and so clinically constructed over the previous few years, that some industry commentators – including this one – were absolutely convinced that by year’s end the Swedish powerhouse…

I just love the way they drive As the sun rises on another day, and we reach for our little LCD screens to update us on the events that have emerged since we last gazed upon the palm-sized pixel machines, we are instantly brought up to speed with local and world events. Or perhaps we’re led off on a tangent to watch way too many video clips of cats being dodgy. Whatever your viewing penchant, the fact that this can all be done for many, without even leaving the warm embrace of the doona, has become something of the norm in our modern world. News and media outlets now have at their disposal, instantaneous digital platforms to bring readers up to speed on all manner of events, as quickly as…

Kenworth engine cooling systems are built and designed in Australia to meet Australian conditions The truck engine cooling system is a critical system within a truck’s operation and has a significant impact on fuel economy, horsepower, emissions, driver comfort and, most importantly, ‘uptime’ – maximising your time on the road. The cooling system comprises the radiator, water pump, coolant expansion tank, thermostat, engine control unit, control sensors, fan clutch and fan. It serves two purposes: to prevent engine failure due to overheating and to keep the engine running efficiently. Engine cooling is particularly important in Australia with excessive heat, dust and long distances travelled. To ensure the truck engine cooling system, fan clutch and fan are maintained in optimum condition, scheduled preventative maintenance is critical. PACCAR Parts and Norman G…

It seems that one of the great injustices of trucking life is starting on a shallow dive. Financial attention – relatively modest but welcome all the same – is being given to truck stops, especially in the larger land-mass states where they are needed most because fatigue laws make themselves felt there more. We’ve noted before it beggars belief that governments can demand compliance with rules on pain of prosecution with rules but fail to provide the wherewithal to adhere to them effectively. The need to fight fatigue is self-evident but, of course, it is very Australian to make such rules and then focus entirely on enforcement, as if that is the only important thing, while ignoring efficacy and outcomes. This smacks of the flight from responsibility, prevalent at the…

Last minute talks between Toll and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) failed to avert planned industrial action, with the company saying the union had refused to continue discussions. Toll pointed out that that he union’s “Winter of discontent followed by a Spring offensive”, promised in May, was coming to fruition, saying it was clear the union was always planning this industrial action, no matter how the negotiations were going. “Negotiations are supposed to be two sides coming together to work out their differences,” Toll Global Express president Alan Beacham said. “To present what each side wants and then negotiate – actually compromise – until an agreement is reached. “Unfortunately, only Toll is making any effort to compromise in these negotiations. “The union has shown little compromise. They continue to present…

Qube is soon to gain another regional port grain facility, with a deal to buy Newcastle Agri Terminal (NAT) through subsidiary Qube Agri. The bullish transport, logistics and port services firm is to pay about $90 million from undrawn debt facilities to existing shareholders CBH, Viterra Australia, Riverina and CTC Terminals. “There are conditions precedent to be satisfied common with a transaction of this nature and subject to these, completion will occur on September 30, 2021,” it said. “The acquisition provides Qube additional geographical diversity and service capability to enhance the company’s ability to provide reliable export logistics solutions.” According to Qube, the attraction is NAT’s world class, premium grain handling export infrastructure [that] delivers highly efficient and cost effective grain loading and rail discharge capabilities”. NAT services the large…

Linfox and Toll say they are making moves to ensure their employees have improved chances of getting a Covid-19 vaccination. Linfox revealed it had received an allocation of Covid-19 Pfizer vaccines from the federal and NSW governments for eligible team members, as health authorities prioritise the vaccination of essential workers. “The Covid-19 pandemic is by far one of the greatest public health challenges we have ever faced,” Linfox Logistics Australia and New Zealand CEO Mark Mazurek said. “This allocation of vaccines means we can support our frontline workers who continue to deliver for our communities, and fast track the recovery of our nations.” The vaccines were made available for one week in August for eligible Linfox and BevChain team members at a pop-up vaccination clinic run by independent medical provider,…

JobKeeper helped K&S Corporation’s annual profit to rise strongly last financial year. The bottom line was a 63% rise in net profits to $18.1 million compared with last year’s $11.1 million, bolstered by a pre-tax jobs subsidy of $16.2 million gained in the September quarter. The result came on the back of a 13% revenue fall to $688.5 million, due to “a combination of the cessation of contracts, exiting of underperforming business units and Covid-19 related reduced customer activity”. K&S hailed its record of nil Covid-19 infections and praised its workforce’s “proactive engagement and support” for it. But it noted that the pandemic’s effect on business was a concern. “At a minimum, the group expect to continue to be adversely impacted by Covid-19 in the first half of FY2022. “The…

A SafeWork NSW prosecution has highlighted the importance of transport operator safeguards around shipping containers. Crawfords Freightlines was ordered to pay a $90,000 fine after pleading guilty to a Work Health and Safety Act breach for exposing a worker to serious risk of injury in a 2018 incident. While another worker was using a forklift to load aluminium billets into a shipping container, a load on the tines shifted and fell onto Eddie Asiata, hitting him and pinning him against the shipping container wall. The then-30-year-old suffered fractures to his femur and wrist. Crawfords had, for many years, transported aluminium products in shipping containers destined for overseas customers. However, the business accepted it did not address the specific risk of prohibiting workers from remaining inside a shipping container while they…

The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) is grieving the death of Alex Gallacher, one of its “greatest sons”, aged 67. Gallacher was a TWU official, branch secretary and national president, before becoming a Senator for South Australia from 2011 until his recent passing from lung cancer. After migrating from Scotland in 1966, Gallacher’s earlier career was spent as a truck driver and aviation ramp operator. He was the TWU SA/NT branch industrial officer (1988–1992), organiser (1992–1996), and state secretary (1996–2010), also becoming federal vice-president (2005–2007) and president (2007–2010). “Transport workers, the TWU and the Parliament have lost a giant,” TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said. “Senator Gallacher was a straight-talking, no-nonsense and hardworking man prepared to speak truth to power to support workers. “Alex was someone on whom workers could always…

The Victorian government still finds itself unable to discuss why financial support for mostly multinational stevedoring firms must be given by consumers, exporters and container haulage firms. The outcome occurred despite the most detailed response to any questions on stevedore policy by any state – ports being a state responsibility – in the years since ATN began seeking an explanation of them This time around, the Victorian government was asked three questions: • Does the state government accept that the review report’s analysis of stevedores’ power was out of date by the time the review findings were published?• Why did the state government allow stevedores to establish an unregulated landside revenue stream?• Given the reasoning for not regulating stevedores’ landside-revenue actions is not in itself commercial in confidence, will it…

Hino Australia has further expanded its range of Built to Go (BTG) trucks with the introduction of the new Tipper Pro variants in both the 300 Series and 500 Series model ranges. “Hino offers Australia’s largest range of Built to Go tippers, starting from a car-licenced 300 Series 616 standard cab through to the medium-duty 500 Series Tipper Pro with a four-metre body,” Hino Australia department manager of product strategy Daniel Petrovski said. Like all 300 Series Tipper models, the new Tipper Pro models feature a tipper with the addition of a ‘barn door’ type tailgate, body lock and rope rails. “While all Hino Tippers have an automatic release tailgate that opens when the body is raised, the Tipper Pro has the additional advantage of the ‘barn door’ side swinging…

Daimler Truck and Bus (DTB) has announced the sale of its Huntingwood dealership in Sydney to Velocity Vehicle Group (VVG). The sale comes after DTB divested its Victorian dealership operations at Laverton in 2016 and Somerton last year. US-based VVG became Australia’s newest truck dealer through a deal signed with Eagers Automotive last year, with this deal expanding its footprint here. Daimler said this latest sale represents its exit of the own-retail sector and is good news for customers. “Moving away from own retail allows for a singular focus on providing Daimler Truck and Bus customers the best truck and bus solutions across all segments,” DTB CEO Daniel Whitehead said. “Selling and servicing commercial vehicles is the speciality of our dedicated truck dealer partners, so it makes sense for them…

The dangers of speeding are well publicised. A speeding vehicle is an unsafe vehicle and can tragically change many lives forever. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR’s) number one priority is safety – and that includes the safety of the heavy vehicles on our roads and the drivers who operate them. Earlier this year, we launched an education campaign highlighting the health and safety risks associated with illegal heavy vehicle engine remapping. It focused on the health and environmental implications tampering with an emissions control system can cause within the heavy vehicle industry and the community. The latest round of information focuses on speeding – in particular, speed limiter tampering. By and large, the heavy vehicle industry upholds safety to the highest levels. And the purpose of this campaign is…

LDV has launched an upgrade of its G10 van, headlined by advances with the engine and the gearbox, with the courier sector square in its sights. The Chinese van-maker has added a two-litre 118kW diesel engine – also found in the T60 Trailrider – said to be good for 8.2-litres per 100km combined cycle to the mid-size offering. Also new is an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox on both the new diesel and existing petrol model, with paddle shifters. “For just $1,500 more than the standard G10, the new G10+ demonstrates our unrivalled understanding of the courier business,” LDV Automotive general manager Dinesh Chinnappa says. “A more powerful and efficient diesel engine combined with a modern eight-speed ZF transmission makes a tough day of pick-ups and drop-off that bit easier. “The…

Transitioning to electric allows us to go deeper into a maintenance-free truck In densely populated neighbourhoods around the largest food distribution centre on the US East Coast, more than one in five school age children suffer from asthma. The distribution centre is in the South Bronx region of New York City and diesel trucks running in and out, day and night, have, for many years, been basted as significant contributors to the area’s notoriously poor air quality. Well aware of the district’s air pollution problems, particularly since a study at the turn of the century highlighted the area’s elevated incidence of asthma in children, Manhattan Beer Distributors (MBD) has followed earlier efforts to reduce diesel emissions in its growing fleet by recently taking delivery of its first battery electric heavy-duty…

The scales are suitable for rigid trucks up to 30,000kg GVM The business developed its own range of on-board scales for systems for the medium to light rigid truck market. The need arose when the UK supplier closed its doors due to the sudden ill health of the owner. It had the immediate impact of changing the way Loadmass Pty Ltd thought about its products and how they were sourced. Loadmass had previously locally designed, developed and sourced its LMA 530 range of deflection transducers for measuring the weight on the front steer axle, so it was a natural progression to develop a replacement product. Loadmass had already become a leader in the supplier of scales in the rigid truck market and through its own recent product development has been…

The latest Parliamentary deep dive into the state of the Australian trucking industry has been tabled in the Senate. Named Without Trucks Australia Stops: The Development of a Viable, Safe, Sustainable and Efficient Road Transport Industry, it is a highly interventionist document that begins by noting the sector has an average of 180 deaths per year and an increasing number of hospitalisations. What may end up being called the ‘Sterle Report’, after senator Glenn Sterle, who agitated for the probe and chaired the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee’s deliberations, makes 10 recommendations. It calls for the creation of an independent standards body, including for pay, tasked with eliminating unsafe economic and contracting practices. It would “apply to all road transport supply chain participants, including transport operators, online/on…

In a move that crosses industrial relations lines, the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) and the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) have written to the National Cabinet to establish a Covid-safe ‘transport roadmap’. Aimed at freight and passenger transport, the advisory document’s plan involves rapid antigen testing, transport vaccination hubs and a national aviation plan to support the safe reopening of the country. The roadmap – said to be endorsed by a leading epidemiologist and former World Health Organisation (WHO) consultant, professor Adrian Esterman – would create uniform rules for borders, testing and vaccination requirements, developed through consultation with transport industry experts. The aviation plan would retain skilled airport workers through AviationKeeper and ensure all airports have rapid pre-flight testing in place for passengers and crew to shield the beleaguered…

A truck driver injured more than five years ago at a BHP mine site in WA’s Pilbara region was awarded more than $580,000 in damages by the NSW Supreme Court. Ronald Addison, now 72, suffered a fracture and developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after driving over an unsafe BHP road at Yandi Central Mine. The road train driver, employed by Linfox since 2013, was transporting diesel at the time of the single-vehicle accident on January 27, 2016 on an entrance road leading into the mine. About 50 metres from the road’s floodway, Addison noticed two deep trenches. By that stage, he had no option but to hold his line and continue to drive through the floodway, as, “if he tried to stop, the trailers would crush the prime mover, no…

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is a growing entity, digesting staff and functions from relevant regions. One of chief operating officer Paul Salvati’s roles is to ensure that happens effectively. Salvati is officially in charge of service delivery encompassing front line customer service, regulatory and compliance functions and community policy, infrastructure and customer and regulatory services. Personally assisting him is experience in, now, all three levels of government, having previously been divisional manager lifestyle and community services at Brisbane City Council, where he spent nearly nine years all up, and, before that, with the Queensland government as Smart Service Queensland director of channels for six years. Handling growth “As we are transitioning jurisdictional staff in, there is an alignment of culture and consistency that is really important to us,”…

The first example of SEA Electric’s pure electric-powered 300-45 has rolled off the Melbourne production line. The company is spruiking its car-licence driver rating as opening up opportunities for zero-emission last-mile deliveries. Designed, engineered and assembled in Australia, the 4.5-tonne gross vehicle mass SEA 300-45 was unveiled at the Brisbane Truck Show in May. The model’s design sees batteries and its power-system positioned away from the steer axle, which the company says allows for improved weight distribution and outstanding driving dynamics. The patented SEA-drive 70-7 power-system, as fitted to the truck, features maximum power and torque ratings of 127kW and 700Nm, with its performance characteristics making it suitable for stop-start city traffic. Comprising an 88kWh battery, the SEA 300-45 has an unladen range of up to 250km with a fast…

Following much speculation, Fuso Truck & Bus has officially announced the upcoming arrival of a 13-litre Fuso Shogun, increasing the breadth of the range which currently includes eight-litre and 11-litre options. The Shogun 510’s release follows the launch of the Fuso Shogun 360 rigid at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show in May. According to Fuso, the new Shogun 510 was developed in response to requests from local customers for a true high-performance Japanese heavy-duty B-double capable truck. It is said to have been several years in the planning. Fuso expects the 510hp (380kW) Shogun to be the best performing Japanese truck in Australia with a big torque advantage. Fuso stated that the Daimler OM471 six-cylinder engine hits its maximum power at 1,600rpm and its maximum torque (2,500Nm) is available from…

The last annual result for MaxiTrans was a very solid improvement on its previous one and would have been double the net profit before tax (NPAT) but for certain costs spoiling the party. The bottom line of $4.58 million for the financial year (FY21) was almost 113% above last year’s loss of $35.5 million, representing a $40 million turnaround. This on an 11.1% revenue rise to $353.8 million. The company revealed on July 23 it was to split its MaxiParts business, which would be a listed entity, from trailer manufacturing, which would go to a private consortium. The Parts business recorded a 4.8% revenue increase to finish FY21 with total revenue of $137.1 million. This includes the sales to the Trailer Solutions business. External revenue of $116.1 million and the…

Isuzu Ute Australia (IUA) has bolstered its D-Max one-tonne ute portfolio with new variants, upgrades and engine option for the upcoming 2022 range. Due to arrive in dealerships in the first quarter of 2022, the 22MY D-Max range introduces updates based on feedback received from customers and the media over the past year, the company noted. Six new models will be included in the range, offering “one of the widest selections of body styles, tray-configurations and powertrain options available across the Australian one-tonne ute segment”, IUA said. “Preliminary specifications of the 2022 D-Max range are incredibly exciting; with a new engine, new models and updates fast-tracked to meet Australian customer demand,” IUA managing director Hiroyasu Sato said. “It’s the feedback from our customers that have been the driving force in…

As the world faces up to the realities of climate change, all eyes are on China, currently the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter. In September 2020, president Xi Jinping announced at the UN General Assembly the objective of peak CO2 emissions by 2030, and carbon neutrality by 2060. Whether China will achieve this goal in full has been questioned by many. But it is clear that they will try. This has major implications for the battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty (HD) truck market in China. Decarbonisation of heavy industry implies the need for clean HD trucks, but, currently, we see limited penetration for new energy HD trucks in China, as we do across the globe, owing to high prices and lack of charging infrastructure. However, our interviews with…

It’s very hard to get a tough truck and removals to come together Is anyone aware of how much landlords are charging for rent these days? What about the numbers of people that are scrapping for the limited number of rentals out there? It’s terrifying! More importantly, is anyone wondering what the hell I’m waffling about when there’s a damn fine-looking Kenworth you all want to hear about? That’s a very valid question and I can segue myself back to that.. Being the solid journalist and truck fan that I am, I like to chase down the coolest stories. When I spotted a Facebook photo of a new furniture removal truck I was blown away and wanted to investigate for all the other truck fans out there. In order to…

Retired rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston ticked another item on his bucket list when he climbed behind the wheel of a new Mack Super-Liner to claim centre stage at the Mt Isa Mines Rodeo on August 14. With Thurston being a Driza-Bone ambassador, his appearance was part of collaboration between Mack Trucks and the iconic Australian clothing company. The 685hp (511kW) MP10-powered Super-Liner’s appearance at the Mt Isa was the final stop of a journey that started in South East Queensland, stopping at rural communities along the way. Mack is no stranger to recruiting celebrities for its cause, none more prominent than rock star Jimmy Barnes who launched the "working class Mack" back in 2019. Thurston, a premiership winner with the North Queensland Cowboys in 2015, was clearly chuffed with…

Many who choose the life of a truck driver do so out of exposure to the industry from a young age. A father or uncle may have had trucks and school holidays may have provided childhood adventures and the freedom of the open road to inspire. This story is a common one and repeats itself, time and time again. So how does a young Norwegian boy eventually find his way to Australia to forge a lifelong career in the transport industry? For those who may not know, Norway is way up north … way, way up north. Bordered by Sweden on one side and the North and Norwegian Seas on the other, Norway is known for its blonde-haired blue-eyed locals, salmon fishermen, the northern lights, deep coastal fjords and Vikings.…