Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 480 i Deals On Wheels Australia

New truck sales for April came to a total of 3,306 – a decrease of 491 units compared to March’s total but an increase of 91 on April 2021’s 3,215 – making it the highest April result on record. The year to date (YTD) total now sits at 12,123 heavy vehicles, which is 297 vehicles more than the previous April YTD record of 2018 Heavy-duty April saw a total of 1,036 heavy-duty vehicles delivered, which was down 209 units on March’s total but ahead by 107 on April last year. The heavy-duty sector now sits at 4,048 units YTD, which is just 11 behind the record-leading April 2018. Kenworth still leads the pack with an April total of 215 – a drop from its March total of 271 but a…

They're so easy to drive Since 2015, not-for-profit organisation Hands & Feet has been helping to feed homeless and disadvantaged people in major Australian cities. Hands & Feet started as a Sydney-based charity. But, by the end of 2021, Scott wanted to continue the group’s expansion into other cities like Brisbane and Perth. To do so, he knew he needed to change how he transported the organisation’s pallets of food. Scott got in touch with Hyundai Trucks to see what was feasible. He initially inquired if the vehicle dealer could offer him any deals on trucks, not expecting to see massive price reductions. “They got back to me very quickly and put it though their system,” Scott says. “When they rang me back they were ready to make large discounts…

The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) is calling for subbies to be included as part of the recent transport industry training boost to upskill workers. The association says one sweet spot in the federal budget was the support given to small businesses to allow them to upskill their employees through the skills and training boost. Assuming this measure passes after the recent election, small businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $50 million may have access to a 20 per cent bonus tax deduction for the cost of external training courses delivered to their employees by Australian-registered providers. This means for every $100 spent on training by these companies, they can receive a $120 tax deduction. NatRoad is also asking for subcontractors to be included in this boost…

There are calls for the federal government to fund training for truck drivers who are often the first on scene at horrific traffic accidents in remote and regional Australia. Western Roads Federation and Northern Territory Road Transport Association (NT RTA) say new industry research has shown that over 70 per cent of truck drivers in remote areas of Australia have been first on scene at vehicle accidents, in many cases more than once. Nearly 50 per cent of these truckies said they provided first aid and site control for over an hour before medical help arrived. These statistics are said to back up the findings of the National Road Safety Strategy 2021–30 that identified that 10 per cent of people killed on Australian roads crashed in remote or very remote…

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has announced it has signed a landmark deal with food delivery group DoorDash to provide fairer conditions for gig workers in the transport industry. TWU national secretary Michael Kaine released the new agreement with DoorDash in his keynote speech at the TWU national council, held recently. “After months of negotiations and activism, DoorDash has agreed to link arms with the TWU and pursue a regulatory framework that pushes for industry-wide rights and entitlements,” he said. Kaine said this landmark partnership is all about “the unregulated seeking the security of enforced standards for all”, as DoorDash will partner with the TWU to lobby for gig workers’ rights. The TWU will release a set of principles that will guide the partnership forward to revolutionise rights for workers…

Politician Rod Barton stood in front of Victorian state parliament. His voice echoed throughout the chamber. “Owner drivers are everyday Australians, entrepreneurs and contributors to our society,” he said. “Their jobs are based on a fair go. “We need regulation to kill off contractor loopholes that enable the exploitation of drivers.” When Barton finished spruiking the idea of creating an independent heavy vehicle regulatory body in Victoria, the fate of his notion hung in the balance. An independent system isn’t a new move for other Australian states – New South Wales has had an autonomous heavy vehicle body in place since 1996. But a similar body would set a new precedent for Victoria, which has, for so long, relied on government bodies and unions to clash over industry standards. Following…

Just late last year Warren Clark was left deeply frustrated as AdBlue supplies were cut. But now, the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) CEO is feeling a sense of déjà vu. “It’s frustrating because it was already a problem last year,” Clark told ATN. “And now we are back to worrying about it again.” In November and December last year, the supplies of the diesel exhaust fluid were suddenly cut when China banned the exportation of AdBlue ingredients. Until this point, China’s exports of AdBlue had made up 80 per cent of Australia’s supply of the critical fluid. It was only fixed when the federal government mobilised the Incitec Pivot Limited-owned Gibson Island plant in Brisbane to domestically produce the fluid en-masse. But, after the Morrison government announced it would…

Major transport industry groups are welcoming the new federal government and calling on the sector to participate constructively in a new trucking reform committed to under the Labor party’s platform. The new federal government pledges to act on Senate recommendations tabled last year that called for an independent body to set universal binding standards on the transport industry, all in the name of making the sector safer and fairer for drivers. The Senate recommendations acted on evidence from 150 witnesses and 128 submissions covering the trucking industry over a two-year inquiry. Six years ago the coalition government deregulated the road safety body and put nothing in its place, with industry bodies like the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) calling for the independent watchdog to be reinstated. “A Labor federal government is…

In another example of the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) using recycled materials in transport projects, it’ll use these resources to increase road safety. In a project the ARRB is currently working on, it says it will research the use of recycled glass in high friction surface treatment to increase the safety of roads in crash blackspots and risky locations. Sustainability Victoria and OmniGrip Direct are funding the project as it investigates the use of an aggregate blend incorporation recycled glass. This material will be used to see if it can reduce the volume of imported treated natural aggregate and add value to recycled glass fines to make the use of high friction surface treatment more sustainable and affordable for road agencies and councils. The scope of the project includes…

In a major boost for Victoria’s freight and logistics industry, the state government is commencing works on a freight rail facility to help move more freight by rail from Melbourne’s west. The SCT Logistics interstate freight facility will be based in Altona and will provide easier access to the Port of Melbourne, with work now underway. Once complete it will form a major part of the state’s port rail shuttle network and will allow for a direct rail connecting to the Port of Melbourne, resulting in slashed transport costs for businesses. In a plan to take trucks off Melbourne’s roads, the project is also expected to provide 40 new jobs and strengthen the workforce of many Victorians. It will also help increase efficiency at Australia’s largest port, which already handles…

The Western Australian government is announcing it will invest in expanding the Port of Geraldton to increase the port authority’s capacity to store and provide valuable materials for the state. The planned growth will increase the port to 25 million tonnes per year from the current 15 million tonnes per year, allowing the port to export iron ore, grains and battery minerals as well as allowing for ammonia exports. The WA government will invest $332 million into expanding the Geraldton port by 2026, with works including the debottlenecking of existing grain and iron ore export facilities. The funding boost will also help Port Geraldton to build new storage and product handling facilities that can cater for the growing hydrogen and ammonia industries in WA. Currently the port says it is…

A final report handed down by iMove Australia says the nation’s transport sector is falling behind international trends when it comes to transport digitisation. The report is part of iMove’s Digitisation in Transport and Freight: Lessons for Australia project, which is run with the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, as well as Swinburne University. The project aimed to review Australia’s transport and freight sector relating to network performance, efficiency and productivity. In the report, rankings found that Australia has “clearly fallen behind international trends in transport digitisation”, according to iMove. To improve Australia’s transport and freight sector, the report made recommendations for future operations. This included developing a national vision for smart mobility, setting new policies for smart mobility and aligning digital transport initiatives with national development strategies. The iMove…

Wage Inspectorate Victoria has launched a new campaign to remind the state’s transport industry of its obligations under Victoria’s owner driver and forestry contractor laws. The campaign reminds hirers and freight brokers of their obligation to provide the information booklet about owner driver laws, the schedule of rates and a written contract to any owner drivers or forestry contractors they engage. Recent compliance checks have found many hirers failing to comply with these three obligations, which exist under the Owner Drivers and Forestry Contractors Act 2005. These requirements apply to engagements of 30 days or more in any three-month period, and hirers and freight brokers must keep records to prove they are meeting them. The campaign also alerts drivers that they should be receiving these items at least three business…

Volvo Trucks is continuing to push its electric battery and renewable technology models into Europe, now operating its very first battery assembly plant in Ghent, Belgium. The plant will supply ready-to-install batteries for Volvo Trucks’ full electric heavy-duty trucks. In the new plant, cells and modules from Samsung SDI will be assembled into battery packs tailor made for Volvo Trucks’ heavy duty electric range that includes the Volvo FH, FM and FMX. The series production of these models begins in the second half of 2022. “This investment shows our strong commitment to electrifying truck transportation,” Volvo Trucks president Roger Alm says. “By 2030 at least 50 per cent of all trucks we sell globally will be electric and by 2040 we will be a carbon-neutral company.” The new plant will…

Steel construction product supplier Stramit and its freight partner Glen Cameron Group have purchased a new Freightliner Cascadia 116. The latest vehicle becomes the fifth Cascadia to join Glen Cameron Group’s fleet, with safety and efficiency at the crux of the decision to go with a Cascadia. The new vehicle will run a range of Stramit steel products for its Fair Dinkum Builds and Taurean Door Systems brands between Melbourne and Sydney. The Cascadia comes with a full suite of safety equipment including advanced emergency braking systems, lane departure warning systems and electronic stability control. Stramit also opted to go with a sideguard assist system, which uses a radar to see down the passenger side and alert the driver of moving people or objects in the blind spot. “Safety is…

Sitting at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport (renamed in 2019) I had a couple of hours to kill before beginning the three-leg, 21-hour, 16,000km trip home. I feel exhausted but energised. It had been two years since I last attempted to get over to the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) and this year’s event also happened to be its 50th show. Bonus! Yes, there were a few extra hoops to jump through to get here and get home and, yes, the flight time was a little longer than previous as the international flights are not as abundant. But I made it and I filled up more memory cards than my previous trip. I also managed to meet more passionate truckies, tried fried pickles for the first time and saw my very…

TMHA showcased its automated Toyota RAE160 automatic guided vehicle (AGV) reach forklift at the 2022 Auspack Packaging & Processing Machinery expo held in Melbourne in May. The autonomous 1.6-tonne capacity AGV reach forklift, featuring a 10-metre mast, was on display and in action at TMHA’s stand, receiving a large amount of attendee interest. The Toyota RAE160 reach forklift (also available in 2-and 2.5-tonne capacity models) was constantly moving pallets from floor position into a rack and then back again. The forklift integrates with warehouse management systems to operate according to a customer’s unique requirements. It uses a laser-based navigation system and complex range of sensors to safely and accurately handle materials, automatically. The Toyota RAE range of autonomous material handling equipment is designed and manufactured by Toyota Material Handling Europe,…

A lot of it does come down to the the staff that we have Based in the east Melbourne suburb of Scoresby, Fleet Plant Hire provides plant and truck hire and material solutions to Victorian construction businesses across the state. Covering everything from small backyard projects to large infrastructure works, Fleet Plant Hire operates a database of 2,000+ registered plant providers, matching high quality local contractors to clients needing operators, trucks and equipment. The company was set up in 1988 to service business' truck, plant and material needs, becoming a one-stop solution and removing the need for businesses to call round dozens of companies to see who could take it on. “There was definitely a gap in the industry as the infrastructure boom came about,” says Fleet Plant Hire systems…

The Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) facilitated a load restraint masterclass at the recent Trucking Australia 2022 conference to test its latest safety course for heavy vehicles. The session served as a key piece of research for HVIA to help inform a project funded by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) heavy vehicle safety initiative. The outcomes of the well-attended session will also feed into an online load restraint training course that HVIA is currently developing. At the end of this process, HVIA wants to produce an interactive online training course, but it still requires more resources to properly aid performance in the area. HVIA’s national manager – communications and partnerships Steve Power chaired the session in front of an audience of industry leaders and was joined by roadside enforcement…

Union bodies and associations are joining forces to form an alliance that seeks to protect the transport industry and supply chain sector in the face of external pressures. The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) says it is combining with the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) and the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) to make a Retail Supply Chain Alliance (RSCA) that represents workers throughout supply chains from farms to stores. The TWU says that lockdowns and weather events have been compounded by the federal government refusing to listen to workers, leading to the RSCA being created with a set of supply chain safety principles that it presented to parliament. The RSCA’s principles calls for free rapid tests for all supply chain workers, the regulation of the gig economy to protect…

Coles has announced it will begin using an electric-powered truck to deliver stock to New South Wales stores in an electric vehicle trial with transport partner Linfox Logistics. Coles and Linfox will use a Fuso eCanter truck, which is powered entirely by 100 per cent renewable electricity, to deliver groceries from Coles’ Eastern Creek distribution centre in Sydney’s west to various Coles supermarkets across NSW. The electric truck will be a first for Coles and will help the company to avoid more than 60 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions each year. Coles says the electric truck trial is a significant step for Coles in its sustainability strategy and demonstrated how Coles is working with transport partners to reduce its carbon footprint. “Coles’ first electric truck is a big step…

The Victoria/Tasmania branch of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) has announced that owner drivers working for Autocare in Victoria have broken through to win pay increases following disputes with the company. Victorian Autocare drivers parked up their trucks in April and stood their ground while arguing for a wage increase that aligned with recent inflation. The TWU recently revealed that the Victorian workers were successful in their action, receiving variable wage increases that have satisfied their demands. “Eventually Autocare came back and offered significant wage increases that range from four to 11 per cent inclusive of tolls,” a TWU spokesperson says. “They also agreed to conditions surrounding further discussions or mechanisms to address any cost modelling issues in future.” This pay increase now means Autocare drivers can cover their operational…

The South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) has replied to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) new safety camera installation trial. The NHVR says it will launch five new cameras, attached to drones and trailers, to scan heavy vehicle number plates and help monitor speed in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. Many truck operators have disagreed with the move, but SARTA CEO Steve Shearer told ATN the new move shouldn’t be an issue for most drivers who do the right things on the road. “Operators who do the right thing like driver safely and comply with the speed limit will have nothing to be concerned about,” Shearer says. Shearer says he has been in discussions with the NHVR about introducing these new measures and that the trial will…

Queensland’s department of transport and main roads has announced that a major freight route outside of Gold Coast is set to re-open by September following significant damage. The department says reconstruction work to repair Tamborine Mountain Road will be finished within the coming months. The transport department says the cliff-face has since been secured and now the focus turns to restoring the damaged road to allow for freight traffic to renew services through the area by September. “The complex nature of the work zone and the incredibly steep terrain, on top of heavy rain periods, has meant reconstruction has taken longer than initially anticipated, but we are pleased to see significant progress being made,” transport and main roads acting regional director Andrew Wheeler says. “The project team has successfully anchored…

Livestock transport driver Daniel has witnessed plenty during his truck driving career. Whether it be trucks flying towards him head on down the wrong side of the road or vehicles nearly plummeting through roadworks, many horrifying scenes have floated across Daniel’s windscreen over the years. “What I see on the roads would scare the average person,” Daniel told ATN. “I’ve seen truck drivers terrorise the public on the roads and give us all a bad name.” Having been in the industry for nearly 15 years, Daniel remembers first heading off to training to receive his heavy vehicle licence. He went through the heavy rigid program in a week-long course at Werribee TAFE under an ex-truckie. While there he learnt the rights and wrongs of truck driving, as well as essential…

The United petrol station at Ilbilbie is like many in regional Australia. Truck drivers transporting goods along Queensland’s north-east coast can enjoy a break at the station along the Bruce Highway. But, since the easing of Covid restrictions has allowed truckies to return to using rest stops, the Ilbilbie station has been mentioned plenty of times on United’s Facebook page – and not for the right reasons. “The United servo at Ilbilbie was great years ago, but it now needs a D6 bulldozer to fix it,” one Facebook member says on the United page. “I started going up that way about six months ago and what I found the other day was what I would call the worst I’ve come across.” The scene described by the user sounds like a…

Now that the dust has settled on a long and drawn-out federal election campaign, we can settle back into some degree of normality and get on with the job of earning a crust. Right? Not so fast. Tough economic conditions, stubbornly high fuel costs and determined efforts on many fronts to increase regulation of the so-called gig economy make it an important time to defend the status of owner drivers. Not long before polling day, the Australian Industry Group published a fascinating paper called ‘Busting the Myths of the Gig Economy’. It is an important document for two reasons. Firstly, it reinforces that gig economy workers are only a small percentage of the workforce. Secondly, it calls for some form of regulation at the federal level. On the first point,…

Truck manufacturer Scania has signalled its intention to intensify its electrification process, partnering with a Swedish freight technology company to accelerate its transition to electric fleets. Scania will work with the Swedish group Einride to help roll out 110 Scania trucks starting in the second half of 2022 that will help Einride optimise its electric freight fleet. Einride is a freight technology company that provides digital, electric and autonomous shipping solutions, while also possessing a large heavy duty electric fleet. The 110 truck order marks the largest order of heavy-duty electric trucks to date for Scania and signals the start of a collaborative product development partnership with Einride. The full fleet of trucks will be built to Einride’s hardware specifications and powered by its operating system in Saga to ensure…

Australian transport and logistics company Wiseman is aiming to establish a new cargo hub in Chicago as part of its latest stage of diversifying, integrating and expanding its business. In this newest part of its strategy, Wiseman will aim to increase its global network to include 11 cities across five countries. Following the successful opening of its Los Angeles hub in 2021, marking its first hub in North America, Wiseman is looking to create this new branch and capitalise on its momentum. The company was also awarded an Indirect Air Carrier (IAC) certificate by the US Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, enabling the company to deal with airlines directly and on preferential terms. The establishment of the new branch is expected to be achieved under a $300,000 budget…

The New South Wales governor Margaret Beazley helped open a new $8.1 million heavy vehicle freight bypass in Warialda in May. The new four-kilometre stretch of road has been opened to increase safety and productivity for freight operators driving through Warialda. Beazley was joined by federal member for Parkes Mark Coulton, Northern Tablelands state member Adam Marshall and Gwydir Shire Council mayor John Coulton at the opening. The group say it is an exciting time for Warialda to celebrate the new freight bypass. “Warialda is a key part of the regional freight network and this route provides access to the livestock exchange at Inverell as well as abattoirs and other markets,” Mark Coulton says. “After years in the making, it’s wonderful to see this bypass operational and facilitating safer and…

Torc Robotics has announced a major manufacturer as the test fleet truck maintenance service provider for its autonomous test fleet. Torc says that Penske Truck Leasing will be the provider for the robotics company that is looking to test self-driving vehicle technology before it commercialises the product. The agreement between the two companies supports Torc’s motive to commercialise autonomous trucks for long-haul trips. “Penske Truck Leasing’s expertise and track record in the global trucking industry will play a role in getting our trucks on the road and strengthening our safe operations,” Torc founder and CEO Michael Fleming says. “Our objective is to integrate our trucks into the current freight industry and we are confident that one of the industry leaders in Penske will provide crucial support in doing that.” Torc…

Vehicle company Scania has announced that it has opened its new Eastern creek branch on Blue Metal Road to business, despite the impact of Sydney’s wet weather in recent months. According to Scania Australia, the new, purpose-built facility offers seven state-of-the-art work bays, including two drive-through inspection pits that are large enough to accommodate B-double sets, as well as a bespoke wash bay. “We are very excited to finally open the newest branch in Scania Australia’s company-owned network for customer business,” Scania NSW and Victoria regional executive manager Sean Corby says. “This second Sydney branch will help us manage the increasing service load that the growing numbers of Scania trucks and buses has been placing on our Prestons facility over the past few years.” The new facility was opened on…

a powertrain with plenty of punch far more than just a radical new hood When a brand with such an iconic identity as Mack comes up with a hood design as brazenly, even fearlessly distinctive as Anthem, it’s as certain as a dog licking its chops – or any other part of its anatomy for that matter – that opinions will vary wildly, from politely positive to downright demeaning. Like it or loathe it, the Anthem is far more than just a radical new hood and, critically, vastly more than just a replacement for the superseded Granite model. It is, in fact, a vital and certainly overdue platform for a Mack resurgence centred on the ability to provide a stand-up cab; not just for Anthem but also its more established…

Opened in 2001 by John Lirosi and Graeme Troutbeck, and based in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Volwreck is a family-owned specialist wrecker of Volvo trucks and a supplier of a wide range of new truck and trailer parts. Operating from its Glenbarry Road site in Campbellfield, Volwreck brings a high level of customer service and industry knowledge to the parts supply industry, servicing customers and companies across Australia. “We set up 21 years ago because there was a demand for spare parts in Volvo,” Volwreck’s Jeanette Spencer says. “We started with the wrecking yard, dismantling old Volvos and selling the second-hand parts, and then moved into the aftermarket range as we went along.” With Volvo still at the core of Volwreck’s business, it also supplies numerous parts for a…

The New South Wales government has confirmed it will be building an 11km toll-free tunnel in the Blue Mountains following an in-depth feasibility analysis and investigation. The new tunnel will be the longest in Australia and will run from Blackheath to Little Hartley, being chosen as a preferred option in the Great Western Highway upgrades across the Blue Mountains. The current highway is only one of two roads spanning the Blue Mountains that connects the central west of NSW to Sydney, with communities wanting upgrades for a long time. The tunnel will form part of an $8 billion Great Western Highway upgrade that includes duplicating the 34km of road between Lithgow and Katoomba with dual carriageways. Previously the NSW government committed to building two smaller tunnels across choke points at…

A new transport policy group consisting of researchers and community members is campaigning to update South Australia’s transport plan and upgrade public transport infrastructure. The Transport Action Network is asking the South Australian government to improve the quality of public transport while updating the regional rail and improving transport infrastructure in SA. The network says it has been formed to help the government to produce an integrated transport and land use plan in line with the community’s wishes. In a landmark move, the group wants the federal government to fund transport projects based on this proposed plan along with independent assessments of each project, as the network says there has been no discussion about SA’s transport future. This suggestion would move funds away from mega-road projects and towards a wider…

The Melbourne-based Maribyrnong City Council is welcoming a state government investment in traffic management cameras to help move thousands of trucks away from residential areas. Up to $350,000 will be spent on cameras that monitor truck movements to identify problem areas, especially where legislated bans restricting trucks on certain roads at certain times are breached. There will also be signs erected from next month that alert drivers that A and B doubles aren’t allowed. The council will work with the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group, Victorian Transport Association and National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to update a guide that educates truck drivers on where they can travel in the western suburbs. Maribyrnong mayor Anthony Tran says the council has been advocating to the government for some time to get large trucks off…

The Australian Road Research Board has revealed it is receiving funding from Green Industries South Australia to work on a project that builds local council confidence in using recycled materials in their road networks. The project consists of five key components and aims to improve the awareness and confidence of local stakeholders in adopting and increasing the uptake of recycled materials in South Australia’s road networks. The components include knowledge capture of innovative and sustainable pavement materials containing recycled materials like tyres, plastic and glass, as well as developing an implementation framework to increase the uptake of these materials on SA roads. Other components also feature the environmental implications of incorporating these materials into case studies and infrastructure, lifecycle assessment on three pavements designs containing recycled materials and the promotion…

The Western Australian government has announced it will upgrade rest area facilities for heavy vehicle operators at 13 locations across the state. The upgrades form part of a $50 million freight vehicle productivity improvement program to help ensure the safety of truck drivers and limit driver fatigue issues. Both the federal and state governments are funding the program to allow for better safety in turning movements and parking, while also providing breakdown areas for combination vehicles to reduce noise and dust. Along with the construction of ablution blocks at certain places, the first phase of the program includes a $20 million investment across 13 locations in the Pilbara, Mid-West, Wheatbelt, Goldfields and South-West regions. Work has already begun at Munjina’s heavy vehicle rest area adjacent to the Auski-Munjina roadhouse, with…

The five Shoguns are part of an order that will see 20 Fuso Shogun 510s delivered to TR Group this year. TR Group is the largest truck and trailer rental company in New Zealand and is rapidly expanding its footprint in Australia. In addition to the Shoguns there are 15 Mercedes-Benz Actros models, with more to come this year. Specially developed for Australia, the range-topping Shogun 510 packs a mountainous 2,500Nm of torque and 510 horsepower (380kW), thanks to an advanced Daimler-sourced 13-litre engine. In addition, the advanced power unit also features Euro 6 emissions ratings, a big plus for customers keen on emission reduction. TR Group Australia general manager, Chris Perry, says the company was keen to get the Shogun 510 into its fleet. “The advanced safety and performance…

The New South Wales government is issuing a review to look at the current toll system’s pricing inconsistencies, fairness and congestion impacts. The review comes after politicians and industry members have criticised the huge toll costs that come with using some of NSW’s most popular roads. The review will investigate the pricing inconsistencies, cost-of-living impacts, fairness and equality for road users and congestion impacts. Issues surrounding NSW’s toll system came to light when many drivers reported experiencing e-toll account blunders where they were overcharged or incorrectly charged for unpaid trips. The NSW Treasury document on the review says the pricing structure was created on a case-by-case basis, resulting in inconsistencies and customer confusion such as the e-toll problems seen in recent months. NSW shadow minister for roads John Graham is…

There’s plenty going on at the Port of Newcastle at the moment, with the port announcing the beginning of a hydrogen hub construction phase and works on a fuel storage tank. The green hydrogen hub received a further vote of confidence after the then-federal industry and energy minister Angus Taylor announced a further $41 million funding boost to the project ahead of the recent election. The project, which is a joint venture with Macquarie Capital and its Green Investment Group, is currently progressing an Australian Renewable Energy Agency-funded feasibility study. A range of project partners have helped develop various uses for green hydrogen in the Hunter, including mobility, bunkering and energy production. The funding announcement positions the Port of Newcastle as a leading site to establish a hydrogen hub that…

Dennis Eagle unveiled its Elite 6 chassis at the Waste 2022 conference in Coffs Harbour recently. The chassis was shown in both righthand steer and dual control variants to provide the industry with a glance of what the Elite 6 will look like once it hits the Australian market. The chassis has been specifically designed for the refuse industry as the lowentry cab combines with a window and mirror visibility package that Dennis Eagle says yields an unmatched overall solution. “Dennis Eagle has an exceptional offering that every refuse collection operator should consider,” Penske head of fleet Shannon Mair says. “As recognised by Transport for London, Dennis Eagle is the only truck manufacturer to be awarded a five-star direct vision standard rating. “By virtue of design, the low-entry cab allows…

The NHVR’s priority is to ensure a safe, efficient and productive heavy vehicle industry serving the needs of Australia. Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, it’s our role to manage the access of all heavy vehicles on the road network, while local government road managers must consent to heavy vehicle access on their local network, based on vehicle, travel and road conditions. With more than 24,000 local government-owned bridges across Australia, understanding every single structure’s condition and access capability is time consuming and costly. In 2019, we received $7.96 million in grant funding from the federal government to establish the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP). The SLGAAP delivers funded engineering assessments of bridges and culverts to road managers, giving them a more comprehensive understanding of their road asset…

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has announced it is already launching the second generation of its MirrorCam, with new improvements being added to the system. “The intensive discussions with our customers and their experiences from day-to-day operations formed the foundations for us to make further adjustments to individual technical parameters, thereby generating even greater added value in terms of display and safety,” Mercedes-Benz Trucks head of product development Uwe Baake says. The camera arms will now be 10 centimetres shorter on each side, so drivers can reverse in a straight line more easily, while new image parameters will provide for better support for drivers in many road traffic situations. An enhanced housing design will further reduce the camera lens debris, while the MirrorCam’s perspective is now more akin to that of conventional glass…

Transmission manufacturer Allison Transmission is strategically partnering with US battery-electric vehicle provider Xos to develop heavy-duty electric vehicle platforms. Xos is a manufacturer and services provider of class five through to class eight battery-electric vehicles, powertrains, charging infrastructure and fleet management software. The pair will jointly develop heavy-duty class seven and eight commercial electric vehicles. In the partnership, Allison will deliver the initial eGen Power e-Axle hardware for integration, validation and testing in the heavy-duty vehicle platforms, while Xos is designing and building the body to deliver additional power in the Xos vehicles throughout 2022. “We’re honoured to partner with Aliison, a company that has a long history of innovation in the industry, on our common vision to improve the way the world works through advancing commercial vehicle technology,” Xos…

Hino Australia says it’s introducing 15 experienced technicians from the Philippines while starting another round of international recruitment to address a national shortage of skilled heavy vehicle mechanics. Hino launched its first international recruitment drive late in 2019, resulting in 20 technicians being employed, only for Covid-related border closures to delay the process. But Hino Australia now says it is back on track to continue recruiting international workers will plenty of skill to the country’s operations. “We currently have 15 of the 20 technicians working in dealerships around the country with the remainder due to arrive in the coming months,” Hino Australia GM for service and customer support Gus Belanszky says. “The enthusiasm, knowledge and skills of the technicians so far has been impressive and they will all undergo extensive…

they wanted a Japanese heavy-duty truck with serious performance To state the obvious, there are four Japanese brands contesting the Australian heavy-duty truck market but, in performance terms, only one is truly capable of going head-to-head with European cab-overs in the prime mover and heavy rigid class. Fuso! Just as truly, though, it is a very odd thing in this day and age of ultra-competitive business and brutal corporate contest that Fuso is the only Japanese competitor with a genuine capacity to tackle the European brands with a modern, efficient, safe and advanced powertrain in the 500hp class. But why is Fuso the only one of four when there exists, in one form or another, the potential for higher powered versions in all Japanese brands? Well, from the outside looking…

Back in the early 20th Century a journalist called Frederick Barnard wrote a piece about the effectiveness of graphic illustrations in advertising. It was titled ‘One Look is Worth a Thousand Words’. It’s this piece of literature that’s widely attributed to the common phrase, ‘a picture paints a thousand words’. That phrase implies an image of something says a lot more than reading about said something. Never a truer statement has been made than in the following pages. You really don’t need me to tell you how absolutely jaw dropping this C509 is. All you have to do is look at it. Look at how staunch the big C509 is. Look at how amazing the paint job and scroll work is. Look at all the lights and shiny bits. I…