Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 478 i Deals On Wheels Australia

Overall, the new truck market is 5.3 per cent, or 253 units, up on 2021, with 5,020 trucks delivered in the first two months of this year. Heavy Vehicles – Monthly Sales Medium Vehicles – Monthly Sales Light Vehicles – Monthly Sales Heavy-duty The heavy-duty sector saw a huge boost on this time last year – up 27.8 per cent (224 units) on February 2021’s 805 to reach a total of 1,029. This is the second-best February result on record, just 31 trucks short of 2008’s 1,060, to make a total of 1,767 year-to-date (YTD) – 365 trucks ahead of the same time last year. Kenworth retains top position with a total of 226 – a gain of 63 on February 2021 to give it a total of 389 YTD.…

The New South Wales Transport Workers’ Union has filed a claim in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission for an increase in rates paid to essential owner-drivers carrying freight under the General Carriers Contract Determination. The court action comes after fuel prices increased to over $2 a litre throughout Australia in March. The NSW TWU argues the ever-increasing cost of diesel is causing a financial crisis for contract carriers in the road transport industry. The rates that contract carriers are being paid currently were set when diesel costs were around $1.23 a litre, compared to now, where they are averaging $2.18 a litre at the pump. According to the NSW TWU, every litre of fuel that goes into a truck attracts a 44.2 cents per litre fuel excise, as they believe…

The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has greeted the unveiling of a review into the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) reform process with open arms. The review, which will be undertaken by former NSW roads and maritime services head Ken Kanofski, will be taken on by a productivity program after to implement reform outcomes. NatRoad expressed its desire to work with Kanofski on the review, with the federal government stating its wish to make the review as independent as possible. “We want a root-and-branch examination of what’s a very broken process and while that hasn’t been granted, this is the next best thing,” NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says. The federal government engaged Kanofski to provide the Infrastructure and Transport Ministers’ Meeting with an assessment of: • industry’s view of current…

The Victorian government has announced a new container storage working group as part of its continued work with the freight and logistics industry to keep the supply chain moving. The working group’s meetings will analyse current pressures on the storage of shipping containers and provide possible solutions, while also monitoring ongoing challenges faced since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Chaired by Freight Victoria executive director Praveen Reddy, the group includes representatives from across the shipping industry, transport operators, peak bodies and the government. A key role of the working group is to investigate Covid-related labour shortages that have affected the movement of containers through the supply chain at the Port of Melbourne, as well as at warehouse and logistics precincts. An increase in consumer demand and container shortages due…

Changes to the auditor engagement process of TruckSafe will make the program even stronger going forward, it states. Under these new changes, auditors will need to be granted approval by the TruckSafe Industry Accreditation Council (TIAC) to be registered before they are eligible to be appointed by TruckSafe for each member audit. This introduction of auditory registration intends to make the program stronger and safer, aligning with TruckSafe’s vision of being a risk management system that improves the safety and professionalism of trucking operators nationwide. “These measures, together with our unique approval process, combine to make TruckSafe’s program the most rigorous and robust safety accreditation scheme within the transport industry,” TruckSafe’s Kevin Walsh says. A new version of the auditor assessment tool will also be released soon in addition to…

The Western Australian government is reforming the tow truck industry to help protect people involved in traffic accidents and combat bad behaviour as well as price gouging. Consumer Protection invited more than 6,000 stakeholders to engage in consultation on reforms for the industry, receiving 37 formal submissions and more than 400 survey responses from industry participants, consumers and government agencies. About 90 per cent of survey respondents agreed the industry should be regulated. The WA government says it will develop a regulatory strategy that ensures a fair and safe towing industry, including honing in on the licensing of tow truck operators and criminal checks. The WA government says the state is one of two in Australia with the lowest levels of regulation of its towing industry. “Regulation in WA is…

The year 2021 for Scania was characterised by record strong demand for trucks but challenges in meeting this demand due to a shortage of components in the supply chain, the company has announced on the release of its 2021 summary report. Overall, net sales increased by 17 per cent to SEK146,146 million (A$21,124.9 million) while total vehicle deliveries increased by 25 per cent to 90,366 vehicles compared to 2020. Scania says the order intake decreased in the fourth quarter due to long lead times and customers waiting for the introduction of Scania’s Euro 6 trucks. Scania has stated that it now has halted deliveries to Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Specifically in the ‘Africa and Oceania’ segment of the report, the order intake for 2021 was 7,705 trucks, which…

As part of its commitment to waste reduction and fostering a circular economy, the Tasmanian government is expanding the use of recycled rubber from truck tyres in road resurfacing this year. About 1.3 million tyres reach the end of their life each year in Tasmania, most of which ends up in landfill or stockpiles. Some of these tyres are now being processed into crumb rubber and blended with bitumen for use as asphalt in the state road maintenance program. Crumb rubber has already been used on several resurfacing sites in the north of the state this summer, including on the Bass, East Tamar and West Tamar highways. Currently the tyres are processed into crumb rubber in Victoria before being blended with bitumen at Fulton Hogan’s plant in Launceston for use…

A new Victorian government employment project will provide a direct pathway to critical roles in the freight and logistics sector, allowing more women to enter the industry. Freight Victoria is fast-tracking 125 jobs in the sector in partnership with the Victorian Transport Association (VTA) to fill workforce shortages with freight companies over the next two years. The announcement comes as the freight industry contributes $21 billion to the state’s economy each year. The new Freight Industry Training for Jobseekers Project will train candidates to secure long-term job opportunities to ensure essential supplies get to where they need to be. The program focuses specifically on women, who currently make up just 16 per cent of employees in the sector. The $3 million employment project through Jobs Victoria will deliver freight industry-specific…

New data from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) shows prime movers are experiencing the largest new lending growth courtesy of the federal government’s extended instant asset write-off scheme. CBA figures show prime movers had a growth of 1,667 per cent as small and medium-sized businesses hold an increased demand for equipment and machinery financing from July to December 2021. This coincides with the extension of the instant asset write-off scheme by the federal government, which is now available until mid-2023. Forklifts (282 per cent) and heavy trailers (254 per cent) both had high lending growth, but prime movers were far and away the asset that has had the highest increase in demand in the second half of 2021. The data shows South Australia was the state with the highest…

The Australian government has announced a $400 million funding boost to help make the Horrocks Highway upgrades safer. The funding injection will improve the key freight route of the Horrocks Highway for local primary producers and will enhance the driver experience for those travelling to the Clare Valley and Mid North. This latest funding increase from the Australian government brings its total investment to $84 million in an 80/20 split with the South Australian government on the $105 million project. Additional upgrades to the region will help widen and strengthen bridges at Wakefield River, Hutt River and Rocky River. The added funding will also be used to upgrade local road junctions, deliver shoulder sealing and curve widening, install safety barriers and audio tactile line marking and provide overtaking lane extensions…

Australian retail entity Winning Group will move into a new 45,750 sqm purpose-built distribution centre in Wacol, Brisbane in September this year. The new Wacol distribution centre is an expansion on Winning Group’s current Brisbane DC of 18,000 sqm and will add 20 new loading docks to its centre. Now the company’s largest DC, the new centre allows the Winning Group to enhance its transport and logistics capabilities. The DC will be the base of the Winning Group’s logistic business Winning Services and provide it with more space to facilitate an efficient supply chain and logistics company. It will act to service the group’s businesses of Appliances Online, Home Clearance, Winning Appliances and Rogerseller, as well as third party logistics partners including King Living, iFit and Sub-Zero and Wolf. “We…

The new seven-seat Jeep Grand Cherokee L is set to debut in Australia in mid-2022, for those who want a high level of style to go with their off-roading and have the cash to splash to achieve it. Starting at $82,250 (plus on-road and dealer-delivery costs) for the Night Eagle model, the Grand Cherokee L Limited rises to $87,950 (plus on-road and dealer-delivery costs) and adds the Selec-Terrain traction management system and a 4x4 active single-speed transfer case. The top-end Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve comes from $115,450 (plus on-road and dealer-delivery costs) and upgrades to a Quadra-Drive 11 Active 4x4 System with Selec-Terrain and Quadra Lift Air Suspension plus a 4x4 two-speed active transfer case with low-range gear. Its off-roading capabilities are due to Jeep’s three 4x4 systems –…

Clean energy company Pure Hydrogen has reached an agreement to develop Australia’s first hydrogen-fuelled garbage truck. Under a new agreement with JJ’s Waste and Recycling, Pure Hydrogen will supply a hydrogen fuel cell side-lift RCV truck to the domestic waste collection provider. This arrangement will begin later in the year, with the first truck set to be based on the Gold Coast and work across the suburbs of southeast Queensland. Pure Hydrogen will also supply JJ’s Waste and Recycling with green hydrogen made from waste-to-hydrogen along with a refuelling service unique to Pure Hydrogen. The two companies will undertake a trial program, with the first vehicle to determine how effective the partnering arrangement is going forward. If the deployment is successful, it can benefit both companies, with JJ’s Waste having…

National freight provider Hi-Trans Express says it is reaping the efficiencies of the Bridgestone M866, with the new drive tyre exceeding mileage expectations across linehaul operations and lowering costs, off-road downtime, and its environmental footprint. Brisgestone says its M866 has delivered on a promise of industry-leading operating life, with Hi-Trans Express recording 364,688km from a set. Another set of M866 tyres involved in the trials were also projected to have a life of over 360,000km. The net result of Hi-Trans Express’ experience with M866 is an average of five to 10 per cent improvement over the former class champion M766, and more than 20 per cent compared to its nearest competitor, says Bridgestone. According to national workshop manager at Hi-Trans Express Andy Mickan, there were high expectations for the M866…

Truck makers including Scania, Daimler and Volvo have turned a cold shoulder in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with sales, parts and manufacturing capabilities frozen. Daimler Truck says it will suspend production and parts supply to Russia’s largest truck maker, Kamaz, with which it has a joint-venture agreement for production of trucks in Russia. This halting of business is to have immediate effect according to Reuters who cited a Daimler internal memo shared with the news outlet. Mere months after its spin-off from Daimler, Mercedes-Benz Group is also reportedly looking to divest its 15 per cent share of Kamaz according to German newspaper Handelsblatt. Volvo has suspended all operations at its production facility in Kaluga, Russia, about 180km south-west of Moscow as well as freezing sales of truck and…

2022 is shaping up to be a record market As is often the way of events with a high degree of commercial sensitivity, casual whispers from customers and dealers rather than candid comment from corporate insiders were the first hints of Volvo Group Australia’s (VGA) intention to import completely built-up (CBU) trucks from factories in Saudi Arabia and Sweden. But whatever the source of the information, the reason for such a move isn’t particularly difficult to appreciate. Covid! That one word says it all and while all brands in almost all industries have been hammered to some extent by the impacts of the pandemic, VGA has perhaps been hammered harder than most in the supply of new trucks to a booming road freight sector. It’s no secret that Volvo’s share…

Spied recently in a back corner of Isuzu Australia’s national headquarters in Melbourne was this 1973 model ‘Elf’ light-duty truck. The story goes this forefather of the modern-day N-series was bought new from the Suttons Arncliffe dealership in Sydney and worked loyally for the original owner until traded on a new model not so long ago. Still fitted with the factory-fitted Japanese tipping body, Isuzu Australia acquired the truck and with its 50th year of Australian operations on the horizon, plans to bring it back to original condition to highlight the inherent durability and strength which have made N-series arguably Isuzu’s greatest success story.…

I just wanted another experience When the opportunity arose to meet a young passion-driven family having a crack, I wanted to find out more. What makes this story even more exceptional is that the single truck at the centre of this family’s endeavour is a tow truck. Andrew Johnson and Donna Norton are living in the ‘City of Tow Trucks’, naming their operation Wombats Heavy Towing. It’s still a business in its infancy but, after a couple of years, it’s really starting to forage. Sorry, I meant flourish – thought I’d try a little wombat-based humour. A couple of things I need to clarify – yes, all those Lonely Planet tour guides and online travel pages refer to Adelaide as the ‘City of Churches’, but I disagree. When I was…

Sometimes, when it comes down to the crunch and there’s an issue with equipment, it isn’t feasible to wait on a replacement part to be delivered by an OEM, which is why CBC regularly manufactures components for customers as part of its Local Production Requisition (LPR) service. According to Leon Stefanec, CBC national business development manager for food and beverage, this service entails either CBC manufacturing components to customer requirements in its own workshops or contracting the job out to local engineering companies. In either case, the flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances becomes a solution for customers who are in a tight spot. “OEM parts are sometimes unavailable or have long lead times when customers require a custom solution,” Stefanec says. “So, LPRs are a unique special offer that…

2022 marks half a century of Isuzu Trucks in Australia and, to celebrate, the country’s top truck brand has announced its biggest ‘Truck of the Year’ competition ever. Each year, Isuzu truck owners enter the draw in the hope of taking home the Grand Prize – a coveted $6,000 Visa gift card – and the glory of being crowned Isuzu’s Truck of the Year. The search to find the king of Isuzus was first introduced in the earliest editions of the brand’s owner’s magazine, Truckpower, back in 1996 – making it the longest running competition of its kind in Australia to date. IAL national sales manager Les Spaltman says the competition continues to bring like-minded owners together in celebrating their trucks and business. “When people think of an Isuzu, they…

Hino Trucks is commencing the testing and validating of Allison Transmission’s next generation fully electric axle. The new axle technology, named the eGen Power 100D, is part of Allison’s XL series of heavy-duty battery electric vehicles. Hino is progressing towards the start of production after completing the vehicle integration and commencing testing and validating on the new electric axle. “When evaluating the electric axles available in today’s competitive market, Hino selected the Allison eGen Power 100D due to its benefits, including electromechanical sophistication, a next generation controls system and industry-leading packaging,” Hino customer experience VP Glenn Ellis says. “Allison continues to be a true partner throughout the vehicle validation and development process and we appreciate their willingness to adapt and refine the e-Axle to meet our needs. “We’re thrilled to…

The federal government says it is committed to enhancing freight routes across Australia, particularly improving access for the livestock industry. After addressing members at the livestock and rural transporters association of Queensland recently, the federal government has committed $4.9 billion to 2029–30 to upgrade key freight routes through the roads of strategic performance (ROSI) initiative. The announcement came after many of Australia’s key freight routes were deemed impassable, particularly along the east coast, due to torrential rainfall and floods decimated freight routes in February and March. “Our government has not only committed to better infrastructure but has delivered it and we continue to deliver it,” Federal Assistant Minister for Freight Transport Scott Buchholz says. “Across the heavy vehicle sector the federal government is working hard to build better roads, improve…

Refrigerated logistics company Chill has been given the green light to run a female-only training program for budding truck drivers – one of the first in New South Wales. The business has been given an exemption to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act, allowing it to advertise and run a female-only trucking training and education program. Chill lodged the exemption application last year, in a bid to lead the charge for women in the transport industry, particularly in light of growing staffing shortages across both the transport and warehouse sectors. The move comes as the National Transport Commission (NTC) welcomed a new national initiative to showcase women in transport and tackle some of the negative perceptions of a career in this fast-growing industry. The initiative also aims to improve the gender balance…

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against road transport and logistics company Schiller Transport Pty Ltd. The Adelaide company, which transports food and other goods between Adelaide and South Australia’s Riverland region, was investigated after a former truck driver requested assistance from the regulator. A Fair Work Inspector issued a compliance notice to the company in August 2021 after forming the belief that the worker hadn’t been paid all annual leave entitlements owed under the National Employment Standards on termination of employment. The former employee had been employed by Schiller Transport on a full-time basis between 2011 and 2021. Allegedly the worker was entitled to be paid $15,906.05 for accrued but untaken annual leave entitlements but was only paid $5,000 by Schiller Transport. The Fair Work Ombudsman alleges…

International transport business owner Neil Smith is donating $7.9 million to the University of Sydney Business School to support research in driving government and industry action on sustainable transport. The donated money will help establish a 10-year chair in sustainable transport futures in the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS) at the university. It will fund research, education and scholarships in the field of sustainable transport technology, with the Neil Smith chair of sustainable transport futures working towards generating knowledge that underpins a transition to a green future for Australia’s transport industry. The chair will also provide leadership and translation of research with a view to influencing policy at all levels of Australian government. “I believe Australia urgently needs to keep pace with other countries, such as Great Britain,…

New CSIRO modelling suggests the Inland Rail could cut freight transport costs by up to $213 million a year, resulting in huge savings for businesses and industries that use the line. CSIRO’s ‘Inland Rail Supply Chain Mapping Project’ found that a shift from road to Inland Rail could significantly drive down the expense of transporting 22 million tonnes of freight annually. The modelling shows the Inland Rail’s efficiency could be the key to further driving the growth of regional Australia in coming years. These potential cost reductions cover more than 12,000 supply chains and 94 commodities, including coal, steel, grains, vehicles, horticulture and livestock. The modelling projects a 40 per cent reduction in transport costs for freight travelling to Queensland, a 31 per cent drop for New South Wales and…

New speed limits, adjusted concessional mass limits and a new permit process are among recent changes in the NT Livestock Loading Scheme amendment. Key points of the changes, which came into force on April 4, include: • adjusted concessional mass limits to provide for increasing unladen mass of modern prime movers and the use of auxiliary fuel tanks on trailers• a new permit process providing and administratively efficient way to apply the existing (unchanged) fee structure• new conditions, including a speed limit of 90km/h when loaded with cattle• vehicles are not eligible to operate under the scheme unless a transport inspector has affixed a livestock loading label on the vehicle. The unladen weight of vehicles will be verified at a NT Vehicle Inspection Station or NT government-manned weighbridge. Mass concession…

Our industry values safety, I’d argue, as much as any in the transport sector, and more than most. Maybe it’s the high proportion of everyday men and women who are its fabric but, at the end of the day, we’re all focused on moving goods from A to B without injury or loss of life. It’s frustrating to see the way red tape and rules have accumulated over the years to make the road freight task harder, without having much basis in safety. While it’s hard to argue the good intent in strengthening Chain of Responsibility (COR) laws, it’s easy to find fault in the way they work, and almost every time that’s down to a lack of practical experience on the part of their designers. The COR laws reinforce…

The second stage of the Albany Ring Road project is officially underway, with work beginning on the final six-kilometre section between South Coast Highway and Princess Royal Drive. The project will establish an 11-kilometre connection between Albany Highway and Princess Royal Drive that the federal government says allows for free-flowing traffic and greater freight efficiency. After a month of pre-construction activity to prepare the site for earthworks and bridge works, which included the installation of new fencing, topsoil removal and services protection works, the final part of the Ring Road works is set to ease congestion in the area according to the government. Following significant design changes last year to the final section of the Ring Road works, the overall footprint of vegetation clearing and local connectivity are improved features…

Logistics IT firm CartonCloud’s recent survey of the warehouse and transport business suggests the industry shows a record high level of confidence in its future. The industry report forecasts a hiring boom in 2022, as logistics businesses are planning greater investments in technology to seize opportunities to grow following the Covid-19 pandemic. CartonCloud’s report measured the sentiments of warehouse and transport businesses in the final quarter of 2021, with 126 respondents providing feedback on operating conditions, workforce and hiring opportunities going forward. The results recorded the highest quarter of optimism for 2021, with more than 75 per cent of respondents holding positive outlooks for the current economic climate, while 93 per cent of senior managers and business owners also responded positively. According to the survey, companies say they are looking…

Mitsubishi has unveiled the test vehicle of its next generation eCanter for the first time at the company’s headquarters at Kawasaki City. Japan’s first series-produced all-electric light-duty eCanter truck was launched in 2017, with Mitsubishi then introducing an improved model with advanced safety features in 2020. Mitsubishi is now proceeding with the development and testing stages of its next generation eCanter ahead of its upcoming launch, with this newer model coming with further upgrades in terms of range and safety features. The next generation eCanter lineup will be expanded to meet various transportation needs and shows Mitsubishi’s wish to increase electric vehicle (EV) investment at its new EV-focused testing facilities. The new eCanter range will go through a rigorous testing period of over one million kilometres of driving tests before…

The Volvo Group Australia has announced its latest FL Electric has passed a multi-faceted testing program. The tests determined how fast charging and extreme heat can affect range, battery charging and vehicle performance. The FL Electric, which is equipped with Volvo’s second-generation battery packs and has a total capacity of 265kW, was subjected to a series of on-road tests by local Volvo engineers in over 35-degree heat. Testers loaded the FL Electric to a gross weight of 15,000 kilograms and then drove it for over 730 kilometres over a variety of traffic conditions and terrain, including climbing up to a six per cent gradient. The FL Electric travelled on the Toowoomba bypass as well as other routes through inner-city traffic to test its performance in all conditions. With a predicted…

Mercedes-Benz has released new models in its Vito van range, which features an engine from the power-train portfolio of other Mercedes-Benz cars. Vito models will have an OM 654 four-cylinder engine, the benefits of which include: • It comes standard with the 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission, replacing the current seven-speed and bringing with it a wider ratio spread, which results in improved drive quality and fuel efficiency.• It incorporates a diesel particulate filter (DPF) design, which is closer to the engine block, causing it to reach its optimum operating temperature faster to increase efficiency.• An all-aluminium construction with low 90mm cylinder spacing, camshaft drive at the rear and Lanchester balancer shafts on the left and right, meaning it provides a compact and light design that contributes to engine durability and…

Hyzon Motors has announced the signing of a vehicle supply agreement between MaserFrakt, a major Swedish transport group, and Hyzon Motors Europe BV, Hyzon’s joint venture with Holthausen Clean Technology Investment BV. The collaboration marks a milestone in enabling emission-free long-haul transport in Sweden, as it is expected to bring the first hydrogen-powered heavy trucks in commercial operation to the country. Under the contract, Hyzon will supply two HyMax-250 fuel cell electric trucks, built on a 6×4 vehicle chassis. Through 98kg of hydrogen stored onboard, the 64-tonne trucks are expected to have a range of up to 680km. Leading the transition to sustainable commercial transport in Sweden, MaserFrakt has already established a fleet of 1,500 vehicles, half of which already operate without fossil fuels; the Hyzon vehicles are expected to…

The Mack brand will remain very strong It’s no good beating around the bush. Volvo Group Australia (VGA) boss Martin Merrick and I did not hit it off. Not at all! To my mind, blunt questions and dismissive answers were the first problem at the first meeting during a press conference some six months or more after his September 2018 arrival as VGA’s newest president and chief executive. A clash of professional egos perhaps, or maybe different agendas and the desire for different outcomes. Or, most likely, just a case of uncompromising corporate intransigence banging heads with irreverent media intrusion. Whatever, it didn’t go well, and went far worse sometime later when more than 130 jobs were coldly cut from VGA and a cynical editorial took sharp aim at a…

I’d like to see UD come home to Isuzu As director and chief operating officer of Isuzu Australia, Andrew Harbison has plenty to be pleased about. Heaps, in fact. Record sales in 2021 are joined by the very real likelihood of an even bigger result this year as the Australian market continues a raging torrent of demand for new trucks. And, all the while, Isuzu’s domination as Australia’s most prolific supplier of trucks grows ever more entrenched. There is, however, a highly visible void in the Isuzu stable and it nags at the humble yet sharply competitive Harbison like a lingering lurgy. The void, obviously enough, is the absence of a true prime mover model, made even more evident by the recent withdrawal of the lacklustre Giga and, more significantly,…

Family-owned food industry supplier Vadals Ikon Group has significantly increased its efficiency with the support of Crown’s forklifts, as well as its InfoLink operator and fleet management system. Vadals Ikon Group recently moved to a new purpose-built facility in Richlands that has both warehouse space and a showroom. When the new warehouse south of Brisbane was established, Vadals took on Crown’s InfoLink system, which offers an increased insight into fleet performance to help maximise the efficiency of each piece of material handling equipment. “Through using InfoLink, we can now analyse how long a machine is used for each day, week or month to make sure we’re getting the right productivity out of that machine, and whether we need to keep the machine or change it for something that would be…

The Australian Transport Association (ATA) is the latest member to sign the global Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The MoU endorsing the ambition to introduce a widespread wave of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles is aiming for 30 per cent of new heavy vehicles being zero emissions by 2030, with 100 per cent of heavy vehicles being zero emissions by 2040. This goal of facilitating a net-zero carbon emissions heavy-duty vehicle world by 2050 has recently been signed by the ATA. The ATA joins truck companies Scania, Volta Trucks and Irizar as members to sign the MoU and pledge adherence to the targets. The MoU was first introduced by the global commercial vehicle Drive to Zero, which acts as representatives of subnational governments, businesses and…

Australia’s first renewable hydrogen refuelling network will be built along the nation’s busiest freight route in a collaboration between Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The Victorian government will invest $10 million to build at least four renewable hydrogen refuelling stations between Sydney and Melbourne in a historic step towards decarbonising the trucking industry. The move also helps Victoria meet its target to halve emissions by 2030, with funding to be matched by the NSW government. The overall $20 million funding will help build the network and provide grants for Australia’s first long-haul hydrogen fuel cell electric freight trucks, which take advantage of the greater efficiency for freight through faster refuelling, increased load capacity and increased range. The three governments from Australian’s eastern seaboard will collaborate on the development of…

The federal government’s Department of Infrastructure and Transport has announced a new road and rail supply chain resilience review. The review is to be led by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) and will identify the supply chains most critical to Australian communities and businesses. The process will also investigate the risks Australian businesses face and a stocktake of any work underway to mitigate risks, before informing government action on effectively mitigating supply chain risks for the benefit of Australians. Taking into consideration supporting work including the Australian infrastructure plan and the national freight and supply chain strategy, the terms of reference outlines the Covid-19 outbreak and natural disasters as causes for the supply chain review. Recent times have shown the importance of on-land supply chains to…

The Western Australian government has announced a shipping and supply chain task force to examine the resilience of the state’s shipping industry and supply chains. The new task force comes in the wake of flooding throughout Australia that led to the east-west rail link being closed for 24 days, causing significant disruptions to WA’s supply chain. The task force will be led by Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Transport and Ports Jessica Stojkovski and Kyle McGlinn, and will report back to the minister by March 31, 2023 on how to improve WA’s supply chain. Alongside looking into how the supply chain can be improved, the task force will also train more WA citizens to play key roles in the shipping industry to bolster the state’s supply chain. Under the government’s…

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia has been included on the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s (WGEA) list of employers of choice for gender equality in 2022. The WGEA yellow tick is awarded to organisations who drive progress towards gender equality for their employees, with 12 organisations receiving the citation for the first time this year. This citation sets employers apart from other organisations through a range of factors, including a lower gender pay gap, better paid parental leave policies and more women on their boards. Daimler has now held the WGEA yellow tick for four years, while subsidiary Mercedes-Benz has received it for eight years, both with citation years ranging from 2021 to 2023. According to WGEA’s data set, these employers have an average gender pay gap of 18.9 per cent…

Gotcha4Life is an Australian not-for-profit foundation with a goal of zero suicides, taking action by delivering mental fitness programs that engage, educate and empower local communities. The foundation was founded in 2017 by TV and radio personality Gus Worland and seeks to build mental fitness, create meaningful mateship, emotional muscle and social connection in Australia. “Gus recently spoke to our team and his message resonated with many people at IAL,” explains IAL director and chief operating officer Andrew Harbison. “The last couple of years have highlighted the importance of mental fitness and the ability to acknowledge challenges, and this is particularly important in our industry which has been traditionally dominated by stoic men. “We’ve been privileged to be successful in the market for many years, with one of our key…

The Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland (LRTAQ) has announced Luke Cannon of Frasers Livestock Transport as the winner of the 2022 LRTAQ Young Person in Transport award. Sponsored by Meritor, the award recognises and acknowledges the contribution younger transport workers are making to the sustainability of the country. Cannon was one of five finalists, each of which were recognised for the work they have done for their respective businesses and industry. Member businesses were encouraged to recognise excellence in their workplace and nominate outstanding individuals aged 35 years or younger. The 2022 finalists were: • Andrew Travers – Travers Transport• Brodie Coleman – Condabri Feedlot• Jamie Healy – Seilers Transport• Luke Cannon – Frasers Livestock Transport• Luke Taylor – Kahler Transport Cannon took home the award, which celebrates…

Logistics tech platform Zoom2U has announced the appointment of governance expert Kara Nicholls as an independent non-executive director. Nicholls will serve as chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and join the Sustainability Committee. The company believes Nicholls’ skill set will complement the strengths of the existing board team as the company executes a global growth strategy. Nicholls brings a wealth of governance experience to the Z2U team, having worked most recently as Group company secretary and executive general manager for group governance at Commonwealth Bank.…

Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone Corporation and petroleum company Eneos Corporation have announced the launch of a joint used tyre recycling project. Synthetic rubber is one of the primary materials used in tyre production and is generally produced from petroleum. Through this project, Bridgestone and Eneos aim to develop a recycling business that will convert used tyres to raw materials. The joint project will work to develop chemical recycling technologies for used tyres by merging the advanced rubber and polymer material design technologies Bridgestone has cultivated through its tyre and rubber business with the crude oil refining technologies and foundational basic chemical product manufacturing technologies of Eneos. Specifically, the companies aim to achieve high-yield production of chemical products, such as butadiene – a raw material used in synthetic rubber. These technologies will…

New South Wales has launched the new NSW Freight Transport Advisory Council (FTAC) to oversee the state’s freight industry and supply chain. The new council will replace the existing Freight and Logistics Advisory Council (FLAC) and Road Freight Industry Council (RFIC) to represent the entire freight chain across different transport modes as a single council. The council will meet over supply chain and freight matters while also discussing new strategies and issues with the NSW government. NSW regional transport and roads minister Sam Farraway launched the council in March to provide a more efficient process when evaluating freight needs. “Freight is a priority for the NSW government and this council will be a place where members can exchange views and engage in frank and robust discussions directly with the government,”…

A joint statement from three workers unions has called on the federal government to include worker representation in its flood-response planning. The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU), Australian Workers’ Union (AWU), and the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) have written to transport minister Barnaby Joyce to safeguard supply chains affected by external shocks and ensure worker representation in decision-making, with flood-ravaged communities cut off from essentials and global supply chains threatened by the situation in Ukraine. “Unions and worker voices have been excluded from the federal government response to flooding, despite transport, agriculture and retail workers being some of the worst affected and most important to keep food and essential supplies reaching people in need,” a joint statement from the three bodies states. “The lack of reprieve between major…

The federal government has unlocked $22.96 million in funding for the Tooraweenah Road upgrade, bringing the project another step closer to reality. The project is fully funded under the government’s roads of strategic importance initiative and will deliver upgrades along approximately 56.8 kilometres of Tooraweenah Road, within Coonamble Shire, NSW. “This investment will improve flood resilience, safety, localised congestion and overtaking opportunities, and further demonstrates that our government is delivering the road infrastructure upgrades locals need and deserve as part of our $110 billion infrastructure pipeline,” transport minister Barnaby Joyce says. The government says the upgrade will include widening the entire length of the road, sealing a 25.4-kilometre stretch and heavy patching and rehabilitation works on the remaining 31 kilometres of sealed road. “These upgrades will improve access, reduce travel…

Cummins has announced that it is expanding its powertrain platforms, leveraging a range of lower carbon fuel types. As the industry’s first unified, fuel-agnostic engines, these platforms will use engine blocks and core components that share common architectures and will be optimised for different low-carbon fuel types. “Getting to zero is not a light-switch event. Carbon emissions that we put into the atmosphere today will have a lasting impact. This means anything we can do to start reducing the carbon footprint today is a win for the planet. We need to take action now,” says Cummins engine business president Srikanth Padmanabhan. “Having a variety of lower carbon options is particularly important considering the variation in duty cycles and operating environments across the many markets we serve. There is no single…

Beverage logistics partner BevChain is introducing Sydney’s first electric beer truck to its Lion fleet this week. The wholly owned subsidiary of Linfox is trialling electric vehicles with its major customers after Linfox recently acquired a range of electric trucks for its partnership with Bunnings Australia. The Fuso eCanter will deliver kegs and packaged beers from BevChain’s automated warehouse to a selection of pubs, bars and clubs in metropolitan Sydney. Linfox says the Fuso eCanter will produce at least 60 tonnes less carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually compared to a same-sized Euro 6 diesel-powered truck. According to BevChain, the truck’s operation is underpinned by Linfox Logistics’ Leading the Way 2025 business strategy, as the company aims to act sustainably. “BevChain is excited to introduce the first electric truck for Lion.…

Queensland-based civil and equipment hire specialists Sherrin Rentals recently became the recipient of the 250,000th Isuzu truck to be sold in Australia. Sherrin Rentals took delivery of a brand-new medium-duty FRR 110-260 MWB Auto in Pinkenba, Brisbane. The truck was fitted with a 13-metre elevated work platform and processed through the Brisbane Isuzu dealership, bringing up a major milestone for the Isuzu brand as it celebrates 50 years selling trucks in Australia and 33 consecutive years as truck market leader. Sherrin Rentals MD Grant Sherrin was delighted with the new addition, which was decked out in company colours to suit its purpose-built Pinkenba workshop. “The reliability of the product and it being fit-for-purpose are key factors. We’ve been very happy with the performance of Isuzu as Sherrin Rentals continues to…

Gobsmacked! That’s how Gavin Sutton reacted when informed his 1989 Mack Super-Liner had been announced as the 2021 OwnerDriver Truck of the Year. Sutton, who runs Gavin Sutton Transport out of Tamworth in New South Wales, knew his truck was lined up against 11 other hot contenders, including five Kenworths and a couple of Peterbilts. But majority rules and the old Mack came up trumps to take out the coveted trophy. I was quite taken aback by everyone’s vote,” he admits. “Most of the time people lean towards Kenworth rather than Mack. But, at the end of the day, it depends on the public’s view on what looks good and what doesn’t.” The Super-Liner’s victory came via a winning tally where readers were invited to vote on the 12 Truck…

When any brand commands a market as effectively and thoroughly as Isuzu Australia commands the total Australian truck market, it may seem odd to suggest that the introduction of advanced safety features to its most successful model range is largely a move to catch up with the competition. That, however, is exactly the case with Isuzu’s revamped N-series line-up. Sure, N-series is the undisputed and increasingly historic leader of the light-duty truck market, and so successful are the Japanese maker’s lightweights, they account for substantially more Isuzu deliveries than the combined sales of its market leading medium-duty range and popular heavy-duty rigid models. Figures tell the story with blunt indifference to the hopes and ambitions of any aspiring assailant to the Isuzu crown. In 2021, for instance, Isuzu set a…

I didn’t want to do interstate nope, never Green and yellow, lemon and lime, emerald and gold – no matter which way you say it they are colours synonymous with Australia. Those two colours are intrinsically linked to Australia and Australian patriotism. That patriotism is an honourable trait and in the transport industry it can be seen on many trucks. From the Australian and Indigenous flags to kangaroos or crocodiles. There is all manner of artwork representing a deep-rooted love of Australia on display. Then you have the likes of Luke Ashton, a fully-fledged card-carrying proud Aussie that took the green and gold and splashed it all over his logos, his offices and, most importantly, his expanding Ozwide Freight fleet. Not only has the green and gold been an integral…

Australian privately-owned transport company Simon National Carriers has invested in Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) machinery to help keep its warehouses running at peak operational capacity. Simon National Carriers recently purchased a fleet of 40 Toyota forklifts to be deployed among Simon’s depots across Australia. The purchase included a split between 7700 electric reach trucks and 32-8FG25 gas counterbalance forklifts that will speed up the efficiency of Simon National Carrier’s day-to-day operations. “Toyota was definitely one that I liked from a point of view of what they offered in their reach trucks,” Simon assistant fleet manager Scott Horwood says of the process of choosing which brand to buy. “Toyota offers what is called a sit-standlean product where they can sit down or fold the seat up and stand up. For…