Table of contents for Issue 346 in Owner Driver

A TRUCK DRIVER has been ordered to pay nearly $550,000 to Blenners Transport in a civil case over truck and goods damages caused by a crash while using a mobile phone. The District Court of Queensland found William Dowling breached his duty of care to the company by illegally using his mobile device, failing to pay due care and attention, and losing control of the truck, causing loss and damage to the goods and the truck. A labour-hire driver with more than 30 years’ experience, Dowling completed inductions in late 2018 that included disciplinary actions regarding mobile phone use. Dowling was employed by Labour Hire Qld, based in Cairns. On September 18, 2019, he received a call while driving on the Bruce Highway south of Ingham. In-cabin monitoring showed him…

OH BOY, am I glad to be writing this little introduction. On Friday, October 1, I was sitting in a truck more nervous than a salad sandwich at a vegetarian buffet. It had nothing to do with my impeccably filled-out work diary, it was all about the Queensland Premier’s morning COVID report. I’d timed my half hour fatigue break to correspond with the press conference and the small area where I could get phone coverage. I waited with bated breath to find out if there were any unconnected cases and, as a consequence, any lockdowns. The confines of a K200 cab meant my celebrations were curtailed by the bruising of my head as I literally hit the roof. No lockdown meant Lights on the Hill 2021 was all go for…

Transport is in the blood for the James family, who have kept the region’s essential citrus industry moving since 1965. During that time, James Transport has maintained a relationship with leading Australian semi-trailer brand Freighter, which flies under the MaxiTRANS banner. In fact, MD Greg James cannot remember a time when the family was not running Freighter trailers. The business specialises in bulk citrus haulage and Tautliner dry goods, as well as refrigerated and bulk fertiliser transport throughout Australia. The business employs nearly 50 people, providing essential work in the regional centre and keeping supermarkets everywhere stocked with goods. Sons Shaun, who is the general manager, and Aidan, fleet controller, ably support Greg. Both boys have been in trucks since the time they could stand up. “When mum and dad…

Behind every successful business is a sound philosophy – one that drives every aspect of its operations. According to Newpave Asphalt that philosophy is simple: utilise quality equipment, people and products to achieve quality results. Newpave is an independent, locally-owned and-operated asphalt company based in the Hunter Valley, with a broader presence across New South Wales and Queensland. Founded in 2013, Newpave regularly partners with contractor companies to complete large-scale projects, specialising in asphalt manufacturing, construction, crack sealing, testing, haulage, traffic management, profiling, stabilisation, spray seal and line marking. Top-of-the-line equipment is a core element of Newpave’s offering, and the first choice for truck fleet is MAN Truck & Bus. Newpave’s current fleet includes four MAN TGS 26.540 trucks, which the company uses for conducting spray seals and carrying the…

HINO AUSTRALIA has launched Hino-Connect, which it says will deliver its 700 Series customers the next generation of business telematics with real-time performance data tracking, remote diagnosis of vehicle faults 24/7 and dedicated Hino-Connect specialist support. Available as standard fitment on the all-new Hino 700 Series, Hino-Connect is an Australian-built and designed system that communicates directly with the driver via the truck’s multimedia unit, and delivers comprehensive levels of data to business managers through an online portal and app. “More than just a mapping or tracking tool, Hino-Connect delivers 700 Series customers real-time insights into the operation of their fleets,” says Gus Belanszky, GM-service and customer support for Hino Australia. “In an Australian-first, Hino-Connect will allow direct communications with drivers through the intelligent multimedia unit. “This is the next iteration…

SEA Electric is celebrating the first Australian produced all-electric truck to roll off its production line since becoming a fully-fledged OEM earlier this year. Delivered to leading mining company Mineral Resources (MRL), the SEA 300-85 is set to become a feature on the roads of Western Australia. Constructed from a semi knocked down (SKD) kit at SEA Electric’s Melbourne facility, the 300-85 is rated to 8.5-tonnes and is specified with a 138kWh battery driving a 1,500Nm motor. This is said to lend itself to a variety of final applications, including dry freight, temperature-controlled freight, as an elevated working platform or a tipper for municipal use in a range of trims. Unladen, the combination has a potential range of up to 300km. For MRL, the addition of an all-electric truck to…

THE AUSTRALIAN Trucking Association (ATA) has released its submission to the Australian Industry Standards on a proposed two-year apprenticeship pathway for truck drivers. School students and recent school leavers should be able to take up truck driving apprenticeships from early 2023, says the chair of the Australian Trucking Association, David Smith. Smith has released the ATA’s response to an Australian Industry Standards (AIS) proposal to introduce a two-year truck driver apprenticeship. “There are great driving jobs available in our industry, but too many job seekers don’t know they exist or don’t know how to get the skills and contacts they need,” Smith says. “A truck driver apprenticeship would enable apprentices to move around to different types of driving, as well providing supervision, coaching and mentoring to help them through their…

INJURY MATTERS has released its first podcast through the Mental and Physical Safety (MaPS) on our Roads program, dedicated to supporting the mental health needs of the heavy vehicle industry. Engel Prendergast, an accredited mental health first aid, safe talk instructor and LifeLine crisis supporter with over 20 years of experience, contributes to the podcast to discuss the need for mental health supports for those in the heavy vehicle industry. The includes offering support where life pressures can take a toll on the wellbeing of operators. From delivering vital goods to your online shopping binges, Injury Matters says truckies have worked longer and harder hours than most over the last 18 months. “We need to support those working in this industry – both physically and mentally.” The current MaPS on…

LISTED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) tech firm SenSen has gained a National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) compliance systems contract involving vehicle mounted cameras, a drone and solar-powered trailers. SenSen’s solution is to be deployed in the NHVR’s southern operations region, in line with its aim to “undertake intelligenceled, risk-based compliance activities, and increase their visibility of heavy vehicle fleet movements across the country”. “Our ability to deliver highly relevant and accurate information on heavy vehicle movements through a combination of drone, trailer and vehicle-mounted solutions in an integrated fashion is an exciting new frontier,” SenSen CEO Dr Subhash Challa says. “I am delighted SenSen’s AI capabilities delivered through our platform, SenDISA, have been recognised as critical for this success. “SenSen is pleased to be selected to lead this highly strategic project…

COMING TO the Port of Brisbane early in the morning for the start point of the Lights On The Hill convoy is a stark reminder of how passionate everyone in this industry is. Rows of trucks wearing banners proudly stretched across grilles bearing pictures and messages of family members and mates lost to the road, whether through chance, bad luck or ‘just their time’, shows that it takes passion and a genuine love for what you do to be able to continue in an industry after it’s taken away someone close to you. There can’t be any other explanation for it. That’s why it was so heartening to see so many drivers, families and friends out in force to support those who have lost loved ones and to continue the…

I have to admit it – my first real chat with a tow truck driver turned out to be a lot more enjoyable than I expected. Admittedly, I’ve always been fearful that I’d be trying to explain to a towie that it’s not my fault, the gearbox came like that and the jack shaft was broken when I got it, all while sitting in the middle of a three-lane highway waving at the cars honking at me. Instead, it turns out my first chat was while sitting on a crate in the shadow of a big red T409, sharing a cold can of coke and trying to contain my excitement at the idea of shooting a massive iconic Peterbilt. For once, real life beat my imagination. The crate that my…

DESPITE ALL the hassles and hardships, Paccar Australia’s performance in 2021 is shaping up to be nothing short of outstanding. A sublimely remarkable achievement in a time of immensely uncommon challenges. The numbers speak for themselves, and none speak louder than Kenworth’s. For the year up to the end of September, the market’s premier brand had delivered 1,972 units, equating to 21.7 per cent of the heavy-duty sector. Its nearest rival was Volvo, more than 800 trucks behind on 12.9 per cent. In effect, Kenworth at the end of the third quarter of 2021 was probably just weeks away from easily surpassing its 2020 full-year performance, which saw 2,114 new Kenworths roll out of the Bayswater (Vic) production plant. Indeed, Kenworth is this year comfortably on track to deliver around…

FUSO HAS picked the best fruit from its family tree to create the 510hp (380kW) heavy duty Shogun that has launched in Australia. The new hero of the Shogun range, which instantly turns Fuso into a serious heavy duty challenger, has been made possible thanks to a cherry-ripe 13-litre engine from within the Daimler Trucks family. The same Euro 6 OM471 six-cylinder engine that powers the Shogun’s Mercedes-Benz Actros and Freightliner Cascadia 116 siblings is now available in a Japanese truck that has a genuine gross combination mass rating of 63 tonnes. Fuso says the Shogun 510 will be at home hauling a single or double trailer set, a tough tipper and dog combination or as a rigid. It isn’t designed to head for the horizon on an interstate run,…

FUNNY HOW small, seemingly off-the-cuff statements can also be the precursor, the first hint, that something substantial is brewing in the background. Take, for instance, a press conference at the Sydney Opera House near the end of 2019, marking the formal introduction on the Australian market of Freightliner’s much-anticipated Cascadia. This was obviously a big deal for Freightliner’s future and corporate heavyweights from Europe and the US had flown in for the occasion, led by the biggest bopper of them all, Daimler Trucks’ chairman of the board, Martin Daum. Initially, it seemed neither the place nor the event to expect anything other than a firmly fixed focus on Freightliner, its domination of the North American truck market and Daimler Trucks North America’s (DTNA) high expectations for Cascadia in Australia. Still,…

AUSTRALIA’S largest motorway mogul, Transurban, quietly hiked tolls on its major routes in early October with a distinct lack of transparency, the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) says A statement headlined ‘Quarterly toll price update for October 2021’ has been posted on the company’s website. The bland announcement covers the Cross City Tunnel, Eastern Distributor, Hills M2, Lane Cove Tunnel and Military Road E-Ramp in Sydney and CityLink in Melbourne. “The so-called ‘adjustment’ reflects agreements permitting Transurban to raise tolls by four per cent per year or the CPI [Consumer Price Index], whatever is greatest,” says NatRoad CEO Warren Clark. “The announcement contains only the barest of details – things like last quarter’s prices are omitted. “A one per cent rise in a quarter might not sound much but when…

DESPITE THE national COVID uncertainty, the Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) proceeded with its Road Freight Annual Industry Awards, celebrating the best of industry in the state. With more than 350 guests in attendance, the night of October 9 certainly was much anticipated after the cancellation of the 2020 event, QTA noted. State transport and main roads minister Mark Bailey, shadow minister Steve Minnikin, Senator Susan McDonald and Senator Murray Watt were also present. “The awards this year are a true representation of the strength, resilience and professionalism of the road freight industry in Queensland,” QTA president Paul Kahlert said. “Our members recognised tonight are outstanding and the QTA is proud to have them as representatives of the association. “On behalf of the QTA board of directors, I offer congratulations to…

SAFEWORK NSW has issued an incident alert after a 52-year-old truck driver was fatally injured in July on the Macleay Valley Way at Clybucca, in northern NSW. The location is commonly used as a changeover point for heavy vehicles travelling between Sydney and Brisbane. “On the night of the incident, several heavy vehicles were parked on the shoulder of both sides of the road,” SafeWork described. “The worker, who was not wearing highvisibility clothing at the time, was struck by an oncoming heavy vehicle. “The heavy vehicle was driving in the middle of the road at the time of the incident.” The safety watchdog implores freight workers consider ‘reasonably practicable’ control measures to manage the risks associated with heavy vehicle changeovers. All transport operators should: conduct risk assessments of heavy…

LINFOX HAS announced its first refrigerated electric vehicle (EV) with the addition of a Volvo FL Electric to its fleet. The Volvo EV will transport fresh produce daily from the Melbourne fresh food distribution centre operated by the Woolworths Group’s supply chain arm, Primary Connect. Just one of two Volvo FL Electrics in Australia and 75 released globally, it is the only Volvo FL electric vehicle in Australia to be fitted with refrigeration. The jointly branded vehicle is able to quietly deliver up to eight pallets of produce to Woolworths supermarkets. The Electric FL utilises four batteries to achieve an energy capacity of 200kWh, such is the pace of battery development however, future iterations will feature a capacity of 265kWh. The electric driveline provides 425Nm of torque, which is delivered…

SCANIA IS OFFERING 20 Australians a unique career path in 2022, which it says can take them directly from school or another occupation into fulfilling long-term employment at its companyowned workshops around the country. A Scania four-year apprenticeship to become a qualified heavy truck and bus technician, or a dual apprenticeship adding in auto electrics, is undertaken in concert with TAFE, and students can fast-track their learning to complete in a shorter timeperiod if they wish. Scania says it offers apprentices many benefits including 30 per cent more pay than the award rate, plus access to the company employee bonus scheme. There is also on-the-job mentoring to ensure the training is progressing smoothly and to iron out any issues. Scania points out that, once qualified, a stable and rewarding job…