Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 483 i Deals On Wheels Australia

Heavy-duty In the heavy-duty camp a total of 1,067 units were delivered, an increase of 46 on last July. This puts the YTD total at 7,983 – a sizeable 1,172 ahead of last year. Kenworth retained its top spot from last year, dropping two units from 2021’s 211 to 2022’s 209, but is still ahead of last year with a YTD of 1,629 setting it 215 units ahead of 2021. Volvo remained in second place with 149 units sold, a 13-unit drop on last July, with Isuzu looming in the mirror on 123 units sold – an increase of 21 on 2021. This puts their YTD values at 1,170 and 1,133 respectively. Scania recorded 100, down two from 2021, while Mercedes-Benz took fifth place with 82, down from July 2021’s…

Australia’s largest transport and logistics specialist insurer NTI has raised $555,850 for research into Motor Neurone Disease, breaking its truck raffle fundraising record. This year’s Expedition Truck was the fifth to be raffled by the company, with all funds to be given to the MND and Me Foundation for medical research. This year’s record-breaking ticket sales mean NTI has now raised more than $1.5 million over four years. NTI CEO Tony Clark says thousands of tickets were sold across the country, and Ian Fuller of the Blue Mountains was named this year’s lucky winner “We are blown away so many people took part in this year’s raffle, helping to raise funds for life-saving research,” Clark says. “A giant of our company, our former CEO, Wayne Patterson lost his battle with…

Viva Energy announced further significant steps have been undertaken towards delivering its hydrogen refuelling station, which designed to service a diverse set of Australia’s most prominent commercial transport fleets. Viva says the Geelong project has passed several significant milestones and is on track for delivery in late 2023. Viva Energy has placed orders for a 2.5MW electrolyser for the creation of green hydrogen as well as a fast-fuelling hydrogen dispensing system capable of refuelling multiple vehicles at once. This equipment will be the first of its kind in the Australian market and is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023. The containerised electrolyser is being provided by Nel Hydrogen US, a subsidiary of Nel ASA in Norway, together with its local partner ENGV, and is expected to…

Greenpeace Australia Pacific has praised the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) for deciding to introduce a new zero-emissions vehicle target for the territory. Greenpeace Australia Pacific says the move to phase out new fossil fuel-powered vehicles in the ACT from 2035 paves the road for other states and territories to follow and brings Australia more into line with where the rest of the world is heading. The territory’s ban – which is the first of its kind in Australia – will apply to new light vehicles, including passenger cars, motorcycles and small commercial trucks It will also be backed up by an electric vehicle sales target, with between 80 to 90 per cent of new vehicle sales in 2030 to be zero-emission models. “The ACT was the first Australian state or…

Queensland minister for transport and main roads Mark Bailey has announced that work on the Bells Creek Arterial Road, which will provide a shortcut between the Bruce Highway and Caloundra Road, has reached a milestone. The construction of two new bridges over Bells Creek means the road is 60 per cent complete, with work now taking place on the southern connection and an overpass. “This investment will help Queenslanders get home safer and sooner, while supporting 25,200 good jobs across a wide number of industries,” says Bailey. “It’s fantastic to see the benefits of that investment in action here at Bells Creek.” Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt says the new Arterial Road will meet the infrastructure needs of emerging communities in the rapidly growing Caloundra South area. “Managing infrastructure capacity…

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has released a new report that investigates how to best integrate younger adults aged 18 to 25 into trucking careers. The report Integrating Younger Adults Into Trucking Careers covers a variety of data and analyses including younger driver surveys, carrier interviews and workforce statistics. The research also documents transport company perspectives on participating in the new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program. ATRI found that while younger drivers are partially motivated by pay, the majority consider other factors to be equally or even more important when it comes to joining or remaining with a company. The report says that younger adults have higher expectations for the meaningfulness of their work, and they may be unengaged workers when they feel a…

The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) recently released its new Prevent Fires – Truck Inspection Manual in a bid to provide truck drivers with the skills to identify and fix faults that could potentially cause heavy vehicle fires. The manual is a user-friendly guide, developed with industry experts to show truck operators how to best inspect their vehicles and identify problems before they result in a fire. It also goes beyond pre-journey checks to help drivers identify faults, such as overheating brakes and electrical faults while in transit and what to do if a problem develops on the open road that could cause the vehicle to catch fire. EPA director of environmental solutions Karen Marler says the manual aims to help truck drivers and owners reduce the more…

This week’s Victorian Tippers United (VTU) protest already caused a stir, but VTU spokesman Luke McCrone says more action may be on the way if the state government refuses to move on a fuel levy proposal. Wednesday’s Melbourne CBD protest involved more than 70 tiptrucks driving at 35 kilometres per hour through the city, bringing traffic on the West Gate Bridge to a standstill and pushing queues of cars back 10 kilometres during the peak hour rush. The convoy then drove out the front of Victoria’s Parliament House, causing the state government to quickly hold a zoom meeting with the VTU that afternoon. “We had a meeting with the government and senior advisors following the protest,” McCrone told ATN. “They were very interested to know why we did it. “They…

International design, engineering and advisory company Aurecon has appointed Terry Lee-Williams as director – future transport to help transport agencies and mobility services leverage opportunities relating to climate, cost of operation and data and technology. Lee-Williams joins from Arup where he was director transport advisory Europe, leading national-scale projects across Europe, the Americas and Asia, spanning a range of technical, economic and political management issues. At Aurecon, he will focus on business growth areas including decarbonisation, technology change, demand management, freight and logistics and technical assurance, while also connecting with established areas of the business to leverage climate transition risk expertise for clients. Lee-Williams says Aurecon’s ability to work across sectors and connect private and public clients was attractive as a truly multi-disciplinary approach is required to achieve results. “Australia…

Coastal Transport Services is only growing as a transport and warehousing service. The operator has witnessed plenty of change since first beginning in New South Wales in 1986. General manager Graham Ryall says Coastal Transport Services has grown significantly since its founding years. “It was humble beginnings for the company,” Ryall told ATN. “It started with director Ray Graetz, who began with a small number of trucks for a rail contract on the Central Coast of NSW. “Since then, the business has grown steadily over the past 35 years to what we are now.” Quickly the operator grew from rail contracts to the current day, where it possesses a fleet size of 160 pieces of equipment. The transport and warehousing service now operates for some of the largest brands in…

Western Australia’s Western Road Federation (WRF) is calling on the federal government to focus on addressing freight issues in order to relieve inflationary pressure. WRF CEO Cam Dumesny says freight costs are a relatively hidden yet common element in this week’s announcement that Australia’s annualised inflation had hit a 30-year high. Dumesny says many groups with the highest levels of inflationary growth mentioned rising freight costs as a contributing factor to the increase, including food and beverage, clothing and footwear, housing and furnishings. Even the general group of transport also attributed part of its inflation to freight costs for spare parts. “If freight costs are a common element, then it makes sense for governments to focus on addressing freight issues,” Dumesny says. “Fixing freight will help relieve pressure on many…

The 400th new fire truck has been delivered to the New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service (RFS) as part of an $800 million government investment in response to the Bushfire inquiry. The new truck was presented to Yanco Rural Fire Brigade located in southwestern NSW and is a Category 1 bush fire tanker from Isuzu worth $380,000. The inquiry was commissioned by the NSW government in response to the 2020 bushfires to better prepare the state for future fire seasons. One of the key recommendations of the inquiry was replacing the bushfire tanker trucks used by the RSF. Nationals Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke was pleased to see the government delivering on the inquiry. “Two years on from that horror fire…

Recent research from the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) says 93 per cent of women and only 85 per cent of men say they are aware that a truck driver may be unable to see their car when sharing the road. NatRoad says the research shows women motorists in Australia have higher awareness of trucks than men. In the research, 88 per cent of women and 80 per cent of men make a habit of being on the inside of a turning truck while females show a slightly higher respect for the size of a heavy vehicle. “Awareness and good behaviour on the road by Australians towards trucks is generally well understood – if not always practiced,” NatRoad chairman Scott Davidson says. “Women drivers appear to pip men at the…

The newest member of the X-Series family, Daimler says that it is the most advanced and driver-focused highway truck it has built. A redesigned hood and door mirrors are more aerodynamic and the front wheel well closeouts have been reshaped. There is also a two-piece bumper with air ducts and 24-inch side-extenders on the back of the cab, again to reduce drag. There are three engine options. The 12.8L Detroit DD13 Gen 5 provides 370–525hp (276–391kW) with a torque range of 1,250-1,850 lb-ft. (1,695¬–2,508Nm) and has been redesigned with a new aftertreatment system that extends the diesel particular filter service interval by 16 per cent, new turbochargers, improved thermal management, a four per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and increased downspeeding. The 14.8L Detroit DD15 Gen 5 covers 425–505hp (317–377kW)…

UD Trucks’ Gemba Challenge is underway to find the top UD Trucks technicians worldwide. Gemba loosely translates to “the place where value is created”. UD says it reflects the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to create a strong dependable ownership experience and is the cornerstone on which the UD brand is built. The Gemba Challenge pits service and aftermarket teams against technical challenges in the workshop. The competition culminates in a global final where aftermarket teams from around the globe face off over workshop tasks. Australia is fielding 46 teams in this year’s competition with a total of 164 competitors. The second round is currently underway, closing on August 2. The teams are vying for a place in the global final, to be held in Ageo, Japan.…

Penske Australia has released a recall of more than 100 Dennis Eagle products due to manufacturing issues. The recall impacts the Dennis Eagle Elite 2 model in the 2020–2021 year range, with 103 units being affected by the issue. All variants within the model are being recalled, with the exhaust tail pipe outlet possibly being directed towards the left-hand side of the vehicle. If this does occur, it could result in exhaust gases being discharged towards pedestrians, meaning the exhaust tail pipe assembly doesn’t comply with the Australian Design Rule 42/05 (General Safety Requirements). The exhaust emissions are directed towards the footpath in this model, possibly increasing the risk of burns or injury to pedestrians. Penske says owners of affected vehicles should contact their preferred Dennis Eagle dealer to have…

I’m sure anyone who has read any of my previous stories understands that I love starting my stories with quotes. Often they even relate directly to the story. More often, they relate indirectly to the story. Today’s quote goes directly to the source of the love affair and dare I say Peterbilt addiction that has led us to the beautiful big Pete you see on the pages before you. Let me explain by reciting the quote first: “A good friend will bail you out of jail, a great friend will be sitting beside you saying, ‘damn we f***ed up’.” The reason it resonated with me when I started writing this story is that it made me think. On that sliding scale of friendship described in this quote, where would you…

They're comfortable and easy to drive When COVID-19 lockdowns first impacted Foodlink Australia, it had to turn to a reliable hand to help it continue operating. The family-owned business continued to provide high-end quality food and service for customers around New South Wales. Yet when lockdown hit Australia, Foodlink turned to Hyundai to continue growing. Hyundai responded, providing truck options for Foodlink to buy and use to continue distributing food to cafes, restaurants and other customers in the state. “We needed vehicles during that period of time and Hyundai helped us immensely,” Foodlink Australia Transport and Distribution Manager Ahmed Alameddine says. “The business was growing and we needed more vehicles to get the work done. “We bought a few trucks off Hyundai and now we’ve continued buying more off them.”…

The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) has begun offering a new online driver safety program created by its fleet and road safety experts. The company’s safety policy lead Elvira Lazar says the program was created to help protect the safety of people who drive for work, by teaching them to adopt a safety mindset. According to Safe Work Australia, about one third of Australian workplace fatalities involve a vehicle and around 60 per cent of crashes are the fault of someone driving for work,” Lazar says. “With our new Online Safe Driver Training program, we teach drivers to protect themselves and others by adopting a safety mindset that encourages them to understand the factors that increase crash risk and plan ahead to reduce that risk as much as possible.”…

The New South Wales and Victorian governments are officially opening grant applications for $20 million-worth of funding to deliver Australia’s first renewable hydrogen highway. NSW treasurer and energy minister Matt Kean says the grant funding will support the design and delivery of the hydrogen highway along Australia’s busiest freight corridor, the Hume Highway. “This initiative aims to show the potential of renewable hydrogen for heavy vehicles with the goal of transitioning the freight sector to zero emissions energy sources,” Kean says. “The Hume Hydrogen Highway will create new jobs and attract investment to NSW and Victoria. It’s expected to drive uptake of renewable hydrogen in the heavy transport sector.” The NSW and Victorian governments have each invested $10 million in grant funding for the Hume Hydrogen Highway as part of…

Renault Trucks is partnering with other global corporations and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to build a Transport Training Centre in Accra, Ghana, aimed at enhancing transport and logistics capacities across West Africa. Working with partners including Carrier Global Corporation and Toyota Tsusho, the government of Ghana and WFP will set up a first-of-its-kind centre, which will offer free online and hands-on training to up to 400 people per year. Training will be provided on best practices in road transport, fleet management and the safe transport of temperature-sensitive commodities. Trainees will include staff from humanitarian organisations, governments and the local private sector. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen how important strong and resilient supply chains are – and this training centre is a critical step towards…

Queensland’s Loftus Contracting and construction and engineering firm e2o, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clough, have secured the construction contracts for the project, which will deliver a new bulk goods conveyor facility at the port. This will provide competitive and efficient loading facilities for a wide range of bulk minerals and agricultural products. Loftus Contracting has been engaged to conduct the civil works, which have already commenced. e2o will complete the construction of the new conveyor infrastructure, including modifications to the existing ship loading facilities and the structural, mechanical and electrical works. Local fabrication company BME Australia will work closely with e2o on the fabrication of the main structural components, all of which will be fabricated in Bundaberg. Once complete, the Common User Infrastructure will provide an opportunity to increase exports…

The Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) has announced that the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is extending the period for public comment on its review of Livestock Mass, Dimension and Loading arrangements. The public comment period is for its discussions paper issued for the Review of Livestock Mass, Dimension and Loading Arrangements. The HVIA says it has had significant involvement in the development of the Transport and Main Roads (TMR) department in Queensland’s current S10 Livestock Loading Scheme. The TMR scheme was developed by the department with significant consultation with operators, farmers, manufacturers and consulting engineers. The HVIA says it supports the implementation of a consistent set of national regulations covering livestock mass, dimension and loading. “The transport of livestock presents a number of challenges in the design of trailers, where…

The Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) says the federal government must continue to have skill shortages at front of mind to ensure the supply chain’s productivity isn’t impacted further. The government recently announced a Jobs Summit and a new act to create the new Jobs & Skills Australia agency. The HVIA has welcomed these actions and is urging politicians to continue pushing the skills shortage agenda before productivity slows. The association referenced independent member for Wentworth Allegra Spender as another politician focusing on skills shortages through her column in the Australian Financial Review. “For the businesses I speak to, the most pressing issue is skills and staff shortages,” Spender says. “The Commonwealth must lead from the front in addressing this crisis.” Spender’s solutions included calling for an increase to the…

Penske Australia and MAN Truck & Bus has announced it is introducing the all-new MAN truck generation (TG) to the Australian market. The first newly developed MAN truck generation in two decades, MAN says the TGL, TGM, TGS, and TGX ranges boast excellent driver fit, great efficiency and economy features, optimised uptime, and make for a strong business partner. General manager of on-highway at Penske Australia Craig Lee says the launch of the new truck generation is significant. “We are delighted to introduce the all-new MAN truck generation to our customers and the Australian market,” Lee says. “We held an exclusive event in Brisbane earlier this week to unveil the trucks, and the feedback was tremendous. Customers can clearly see that the newly developed trucks are a game-changer for the…

Cummins has announced that, effective August 1, Tom Linebarger ended his term as chief executive officer of the engine manufacturer, with Jennifer Rumsey taking on the roles of president and CEO. Linebarger will continue to serve as chairman of the Board of Directors and in an executive chairman role. “Jen is a once in a generation talent and the right leader for Cummins at this important time in our history,” says Linebarger. “She has been my partner in developing the Destination Zero strategy, which sets forth how the decarbonisation of our industry will be a significant growth opportunity for Cummins. Her background as an engineer and technology expertise provides her a deep understanding of the major technical changes taking place and how to capitalise on them. “Jen uniquely understands our…

It’s obvious that Penske Australia and MAN Truck & Bus have put in plenty of hours to produce MAN’s latest generation of trucks for its Australian market. For its first truck generation release in years, MAN has considered every little aspect of its latest TG range to increase efficiency and the overall experience for operators and drivers. Although MAN Truck & Bus Australasia head of cluster Thomas Hammerich says the global launch of the TG range got off to a bumpy start, the Australian launch has so far been smooth and exciting. “The launch started two years ago,” Hammerich told ATN. “We tried to launch the TG range in Spain in 2020 but got hit by a serious winter storm that meant hundreds of flights got cancelled and many customers…

Truck drivers around Australia participated in convoys at the end of July to spread the message to Canberra that the transport industry needs a standard-setting body to focus on driver safety. The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) led the action with its safe rates banners used in previous campaigns, with the National Road Freighters Association (NRFA) and the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) also taking part. 100 vehicles convoyed to Parliament House in Canberra, while local convoys passed state parliaments in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. NRFA president Ron Hannifey says the truck driver-run association joined the convoy in Canberra to prove that the industry is united behind reform. Hannifey also called for urgent action on the 10 recommendations of last year’s Senate report. “Truck drivers and companies share the…

South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) executive officer Steve Shearer says the current federal government is risking supply chain damage by refusing to reinstall the fuel tax credit (FTC). With the ongoing refusal of the federal government to acknowledge the reality of the huge financial harm being caused to the heavy vehicle industry due to the previous federal government’s abolition of the FTC, Shearer says the industry is entering a very dangerous phase. “There is little doubt that the federal government has decided to roll the dice by ignoring the industry’s clear and sound advice that the FTC should be restored, at least from July 1,” Shearer told ATN. “Instead they have decided, as is obvious from their stone-walling silence, to see what happens with the July BAS returns. Senior…

Inseego Corp. has announced the relaunch of its Ctrack telematics and asset tracking businesses in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand under the Inseego name. This relaunch, says the company, is part of Inseego’s ongoing strategy to focus solely on target markets closely aligned with the company’s 5G and enterprise initiatives, including an expansion of its telematics offerings with solutions that combine artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G. “As we continue to focus on the global growth of our 5G business, the evolution of this business unit is core to our strategy, particularly for enterprise initiatives,” Intelligent Edge Solutions senior vice-president and general manager John Weldon says. “It sets the stage for the introduction of innovative solutions, to be powered by our new 5G Intelligent Edge SaaS platform, which is…

Port Kembla construction operation Cleary Bros has upgraded a truck and quad dog combination to a 74.5-tonne gross combination mass A-double with a 2663 Actros up front. Cleary Bros transport general manager Steve Crandell says it is Daimler Trucks’ advanced safety technology that was a key reason the company went with the Actros. “Safety is paramount in everything that we do, but it becomes even more critical when you are running higher productivity vehicles,” he says. “We have been really impressed by the active safety features in our Freightliner Cascadia 116 and we know it uses the same technology as the Actros. We are not going to go backwards when it comes to safety.” Actros standard safety systems include the fifth-generation radar/camera advanced emergency braking system (AEBS), which can now…

Heavy vehicle manufacturer Scania says it is working on three new Combient Foundry start-up projects to gain vital insights and accelerate its electrification of its vehicles. Combient Foundry is a Nordic-based venture client initiative that aims to connect business opportunities within large industrial companies with start-ups for potential business collaboration. Scania will combine with Spark EV Technology, Autofleet and ev.energy to further develop its knowledge and technology in the electric vehicle space. Scania says the partnerships will help boost its own expertise with cross-industry knowledge sharing. “Combient Foundry can leverage the best innovation and drive in the global start-up scene, combined with the knowledge, resources and market reach of the multinational, large corporates,” Scania head of strategic venture collaboration Magnus Lundin says. “Today, a lot of innovation reaches market through…

stunningly smooth extremely strong The phone call came out of the blue late one afternoon and the request could not have been more direct. “G’day Steve,” started the senior Scania man. “We’d like to get your feedback on something.” Obviously enough, the conversation quickly developed – the ‘something’ turning out to be Scania’s upcoming R660 model and the ‘feedback’ essentially seeking an objective opinion on the truck’s specification and subsequent performance and efficiency in a linehaul B-double run, well before an official launch later in the year. “Sure,” was the emphatic answer, but on one absolute condition. “As long as it’s on the record and I get to write the story about the truck and the result straight after.” “Fair enough,” was the Scania manager’s prompt response before adding: “We’re…

this year is totally different from any other It’s the VISTA with a difference in 2022. The global pandemic put paid to the previously scheduled competition in 2020 and, with Covid still lurking, Volvo took the safer route with this year’s competition. Claimed to be the world’s largest service market competition, VISTA (Volvo International Service Training Award) is, in normal circumstances, held every two years. Teams of Volvo service market professionals from Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses global service network vie for the chance of firstly reaching the semi finals and then competing for a place in the finals in Gothenburg, Sweden. For 2022, 106 teams containing over 400 contestants from Australia and New Zealand signed up for VISTA. Following two theory rounds and a pit-stop challenge, the field was…

Funded by the Australian government through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, an effluent disposal pit has been opened at Mount Gambier and District Saleyards for livestock transporters. The government says the facility aims to improve safety, efficiency and productivity for livestock transporters by providing a discharge point for effluent. Rhe project was a joint initiative of the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) and the District Council of Grant. Local ALRTA member Peter Edmonds says that Mount Gambier saleyards was an ideal location for installation of a livestock effluent disposal facility. “It’s just off the Princes Highway, not a big detour into the site, and it draws in livestock trucks driving through Mount Gambier from the north as well as trucks from the west…

The Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) has announced it is making progress on its safety projects while also introducing more courses courtesy of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). HVIA’s ‘Safety Through Education’ project is starting to gather pace with two best practice courses in the works with support from the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative and the federal government. The project will deliver two interactive online training tools covering best practice procedures for load restraint and tyre management. HVIA’s Paul Caus is leading the Best Practice Tyre Management project with the support of HVIA members and other industry stakeholders, using data to analyse the need for these courses. “Data shows that tyre failures can be catastrophic, and they are overrepresented in crash statistics,” Caus says. “Yet, good and consistently…

The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has praised a New South Wales parliamentary committee report that recommends immediate toll relief for road freight operators. The recommendation is one of a number made by the NSW Legislative Council Transport Committee this week following its inquiry into road tolling regimes. NatRoad gave evidence to the inquiry in May last year, calling for toll rebates or multi-trip discounts for trucks. It also advocated for the creation of an independent tolling authority to administer toll operator contracts. Association CEO Warren Clark says he’s delighted that the committee has echoed NatRoad’s call for extending current toll relief schemes to the road freight industry to encourage trucks off suburban streets. “This is a practical solution to a so far intractable problem and it is one that…

In Viva Energy’s vision for the future, a trip along the Hume Highway will no longer be filled with petrol pumps. Starting with its first New Energies Service Station in Geelong, the energy company is intent on leading the charge when it comes to investing in zero-emissions power sources for the transport industry. Viva Energy has risen to prominence in sustainable fuel technology as it plans to open a new service station in Geelong solely providing power for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in heavy fleets. It’s enough to excite Viva Energy’s alternative fuels manager Sandra Lau. “Viva Energy was one of the early members of the Australian Hydrogen Council in 2017,” Lau told ATN. “I became the Viva Energy Hydrogen Council representative in mid-2018. “From a Viva Energy perspective,…

DHL Express has announced the retirement of Gary Edstein, CEO and senior vice president for Australia and Papua New Guinea, at the end of 2022. Phil Corcoran, currently vice president commercial Australia will assume the role of managing director, Australia and Papua New Guinea, effective January 1, 2023 and will report to Ken Lee, CEO Asia Pacific, DHL Express. Edstein’s retirement follows 36 years of service, of which 20 years were spent most recently leading the Oceania, Australia and Papua New Guinea regions. With 26 years of experience with DHL Express, DHL Express says Corcoran’s appointment strengthens the business’s position with in-depth market knowledge and experience. Starting his DHL career in Australia in 1996, he has held various commercial and management positions across the Oceania region, including general manager for…

The Victorian government has announced it is investing in a major new study to help keep the grain supply chain moving. Victorian minister for ports and freight Melissa Horne visited Portland to announce $125,000 in funding for the Western Victoria Grain Industry Supply Chain study. The study will identify changes to production and the volume of grain likely to be harvested and transported over the next 25 years. It will also assist in freight industry efficiencies and improve the competitiveness of the grain industry. The SouthWest Victoria Alliance will deliver the project, along with local government, industry and input from the Department of Transport. Modelled on the Dairy Supply Chain Study undertaken in 2018, the study will also generate valuable data and technical insight to plan for and manage the…

As part of a ground-breaking practical research trial, drivers from Bingo Industries and Toll Group are donning Hexoskin biometric vests to help unlock exactly how fatigue impacts the way they drive. The vests monitor physical responses such as heart rate and breathing rate while driving or resting. Physical and psychological research data collected will be overlayed with information from in-vehicle monitoring technologies to highlight indicators of fatigue, which slows brain function and reactions and contributes to up to half of road crashes. The research is being undertaken by Griffith University, with the project’s researchers looking for more transport industry volunteers to get on board and join the trial. Participating involves wearing the vest at work for five days and providing information via short surveys. All data collected will be confidential.…

The Australian Taxation Office has released details on the recent increase of the fuel tax credit (FTC) in line with fuel excise duty indexation. The ATO says FTC rates increased from August 1 by a consumer price index (CPI) indexation factor for rates of 1.040. From March 30 to September 28, 2022, the ATO says excise and excise equivalent customs duty rates for petrol, diesel and all other fuel and petrol-based products (except aviation fuels) will be lowered. The ATO says FTC rates have increased in line with the upward movement of CPI and inflation, with the rates being indexed twice a year in February and August. The biodiesel rate will also increase again after August 1 after previously rising on July 1 this year. According to the Australian Trucking…

The federal government says traffic is flowing on six lanes of the Pacific Motorway (M1) between Varsity Lakes and Burleigh, with the first package of works of a $1 billion project now open. Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King says opening the first stage of this significant project to motorists is just the start of increasing capacity and improving safety on the M1 between Varsity Lakes and Tugun. “The opening of three lanes between Varsity Lakes and Burleigh and the fully functioning diverging diamond interchange is the start of a transformation of the M1 for Southern Gold Coast communities,” King says. “The benefits of the full 10-kilometre upgrade will be far-reaching and a welcome relief to those regularly caught in congestion. “The investment in this…

European long-distance haulage company Hegelmann Group has placed an order for 150 Iveco S-Way LNG (liquid natural gas) and 10 Iveco S-WAY CNG (compressed natural gas) tractor units. These trucks will extend its green fleet, which already operates 20 LNG-powered Iveco trucks, enabling the company to achieve significant reductions in CO2 emissions over the past few years. “The Hegelmann Group has experienced directly in its operations how the Iveco S-Way LNG trucks provide a viable solution for sustainable transport – so much so that, after its initial 20 units, it has now significantly extended its natural gas-powered fleet with this new order,” says John Venstra, Iveco head of key accounts. “We are proud to support its efforts towards decarbonizing transport – a commitment that we at Iveco share and has…

The business, based in Kilarney on Victoria’s south-western coast, has a mixed fleet of 37 B-doubles that covers an area including Australia’s eastern seaboard and stretches across to Adelaide. Lane Transport founder Noel Lane started the business off with a 1418 Mercedes-Benz and a Ford LNT 9000, hauling produce from his family’s potato farm in Western Victoria. In 2021, Noel purchased a blue Cascadia 116 and recently added the second Cascadia to his fleet, a 126 model this time around. It wears some special signage celebrating the 30 years of Lane Transport, which has grown significantly over the years. The industry veteran is glad that he has introduced the Cascadias. “They are just magic to drive,” he says. “The comfort is amazing, it’s like driving a big car in some…

Every now and then I get those stories where what I have to say is clearly unimportant. Well, ‘unimportant’ is probably the wrong word to use. It’s just that in particular cases I know that the pictures I submit are really all the information and entertainment needed. It would be more accurate to say my write-up in some cases, like this one, is superfluous. I can accept that; however, I am still going to waffle on a little. Clearly not for your entertainment but solely to make sure I get a pay packet this week. For those of you with very little self-control, feel free to just stop reading and go and thoroughly enjoy the state of this stunning 21-year-old Kenworth. Look at the photos of the interior, look at…

Mikael Jansson, Scania Australia’s managing director since August 2017, has returned to Sweden following his five-year stint here. Jansson, 63, says he will retire following his very enjoyable time in Australia. “I was very excited to be invited to run the Scania Australia business after 30 years working for Scania, mostly in Sweden, and I have really enjoyed my time here,” he says. “Scania’s performance has stepped up another notch or two over the past five years as we powered our way toward 10 per cent market share for heavy trucks. “While the pandemic has had a major impact on our business growth potential, I am very pleased to say that our order levels continue to reflect record demand,” Jansson says. “Despite lockdowns and work-from-home orders, I was exceptionally proud…

the market has gone away from the manual Despite a host of new model releases over recent years, the pandemic-enforced lockdowns, as well as supply issues, have seemingly stifled Hino Motor Sales Australia’s (HMSA) efforts to promote its model line-up, including last year’s launch of the new 700 Series. Not to be thwarted for long, Hino has taken its show on the road – and it’s a long road too. Up and down Australia’s east coast, where the bulk of its customers are situated. What better place to start than the far north Queensland city of Cairns, which was also the commencement point for an extended media drive event that took in the scenic Atherton Tablelands as well as a trip from Cairns to Townsville. While a number of other…

Material recycling is getting more popular but for Thomas Manufacturing’s Errol Thomas, the demand for trommels has never slowed. “For recycling, we probably haven’t stopped for the last 10 to 15 years,” he says. “In all states we have lots of gear doing recycling,” Thomas Manufacturing builds trommels, as well as batching plants, conveyors, industrial feeders and much more, at its plant in Dalby, in Queensland’s south east. Used to sort through various materials to screen out undesired objects, the market for trommels is a wide one, Thomas says. “One plant might be mulch, the next one might be construction and demolition based – you never know what the next phone call will be.” For mulch and ground green waste separation, the standard trommels Thomas builds are equipped with a…