Table of contents for Issue 324 in Owner Driver

So we’re entering a new decade – the ’20s. It may seem strange for anyone under the age of, say, 40, but up until this year, the ’20s was often referred to as the ‘Roaring Twenties’, meaning the 1920s. Most of us have had parents, grandparents or great grandparents who were born or who lived in the ‘Roaring Twenties’. So what will this new ’20s deliver? Will it be as ground breaking as it was in the 1920s? Back then, 100 years ago, the Great War (or World War One as it would be renamed later) had ended and it was a time of jubilation and prosperity. George V was the British king and Billy Hughes was Prime Minister of Australia. Anyone going to the cinema in the 1920s would…

THE TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION (TWU) is welcoming a major step forward that it says will ensure that transport supply chains are safe and sustainable with the publication of guidelines from the United Nations labour body. The guidelines follow agreement by global governments, worker representatives and employers, which met in Geneva in September, and are seen as a prelude to a potential treaty on making transport safer and businesses more sustainable. The guidelines acknowledge that “pressure from supply chain entities can be an underlying cause of transport workers adopting riskier and unsafe driving practices”. It adds that “the road transport industry is characterised and impacted by multiple supply chains and contracting chains which often lead to pressures on margins that can leave transport workers unable to exercise their fundamental principles and…

Many truck drivers and operators in New South Wales have been ordered to pay the Roads and Maritime Services’ legal fees after trying to defend charges. The practice raises some interesting questions about ensuring a fair and accessible justice system. The law in NSW allows Courts to order the defendant pay the prosecution’s legal costs. The RMS routinely seeks these costs orders when it wins hearings and defendants are found guilty. Costs orders involve significant sums of money. In many cases the costs’ order is several times larger than the fine imposed for the offence itself. It is not unusual for the RMS lawyer’s costs to be more than $5,000. In more complex cases I’ve heard of orders for $20,000 or more. One impact of these orders is that innocent…

This year will be a big year for the TWU and a big year for drivers. This year we are demanding a better, safer industry. How? We’re not just going to ask for higher wages for certain workers in specific industries. “Too many drivers are getting ripped off their superannuation.” We don’t want to just tinker with legislation here and there to make things a little easier for some transport workers. We are aiming to begin lifting standards for all, right across the board. To do that we want those right at the top with the money and power to pay. Our 2020 fight is about better jobs, a fairer economy and a more humane society. In our industries, power is concentrated at the top of supply chains. Multi-billion dollar…

we’ve had in years to make our work easier, safer and financially worth the time and energy it takes to get the job done. With an ongoing Senate Inquiry and the Transport Workers Union’s (TWU) ambitious plans for taking mass action this year, we’re entering the new decade in a stronger position to take back the control we need to make trucking a This year, there will be no shortage of opportunities for truck drivers and operators to get involved in turning things around for the industry. If we pull together and take an active role in driving change, we have the best chance fairer and more desirable industry. And we sure need it. In last month’s Owner//Driver I raised the critical issue of a spike in transport worker deaths…

A new year, a major law review and a senate inquiry. Surely with such auspicious efforts behind us we will see all our problems solved – don’t you agree? What’s that you say? No? How can you even think that? Surely all those who have contributed their wealth of experience (though I do sincerely wish there had been many more) along with those in government who must surely listen to our concerns as expressed, will take all into account and come up with the perfect solution and solve all our problems. Don’t we all wish? I see there has been a suggestion of having all on 13 hours and maybe advanced fatigue management (AFM) as the only other option. So why affect those on basic fatigue management (BFM) now, who…

TOORADIN TRUCK SHOW & TRACTOR PULL January 18, 2020 – Rutter Reserve, Tooradin, Vic. The Tooradin Tractor Pull & Truck Show is a non-profit event run by a committee of local community people putting all proceeds back into local clubs, schools and various charities. Truck show runs from 10am to 6pm. No BYO. Adults $35, kids $10, family $85. Strictly no dogs. For Truck Show inquiries phone Ashley Gorton on 0408 191 626 or general email Allyn Reeve at allyn@reevetransport.com.au. Or see the FB page at www.facebook.com/tooradintractorpullandtruckshow or go to www.tooradintractorpull.com.au KOROIT TRUCK SHOW January 25, 2020 – Koroit, Vic. Held at the Koroit Showgrounds, the event includes Truck Show & Shine (prime movers only), live music, camping, bar, food, market stalls, truckie 50m sprint, tug of war, car/bike show…

With such an extensive list of standard features, not least an array of hi-tech safety systems unmatched by any other conventional competitor, it’d be reasonable to assume Cascadia will come with a top-end price tag. However, asked if Freightliner’s bold new flagship will lift the price bar to a new high in the conventional truck class, and specifically compared to Kenworth’s dominant T610, Daimler Truck and Bus Australia boss Daniel Whitehead appeared to choose his words carefully. “We don’t believe we will set a price premium,” he said succinctly. No doubt, the contest will be intense but it’d be extremely naïve to think Freightliner won’t be going into the fight without some finely sharpened pencils.…

GCM:7500kg Payload (test unit):Around 3000kg DC Charging Level 3: Less than two hours AC Charging Level 2:Four (4) hours Performance:135kW power and 390Nm torque. Direct-drive transmission Power Source:AC synchronous electric motor coupled to a single-speed reduction drive Batteries:Six Daimler-sourced liquid cooled lithium ion battery packs (for a total of 360 volts, 82.8 kW-h) Range:More than 100km – dependent on conditions and application Brakes:Electric two-stage regenerative braking system and electro-hydraulic braking system with dual-caliper discs Suspension:Front leaf springs with shock absorbers and stabiliser bar and rear leaf springs with shock absorbers Steering:Ball-nut electro-hydraulic power steering Cab:Wide cab three-seater…

McCOLL’S TRANSPORT has linked with Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) for a Water on Wheels initiative designed to deliver recycled brewing water to farmers affected by drought. The start of the pilot program saw about 25,000 litres of water delivered to a Southern Downs farm recently. Free non-potable water used at CUB’s Yatala plant is being delivered to farms within 50km of the Newell or Pacific Highways in Queensland and NSW, to be used on crops or livestock as the drought persists. McCool’s fleet comprises a specialised bulk tanker division catering for the task. “We have hundreds of drivers travelling throughout Australia to farms every week to pick up milk supplies,” McColl’s Group business development manager Andrew Thompson says. “We have seen first-hand how dry many parts of Queensland and…

At the time of writing the State and Federal transport ministers have recommended a 5 per cent increase over two years, in the form of higher fuel tax to the feds and higher rego charges to the states. Still, that’s better than the 11 per cent figure which was being bandied about before their recent Transport and Infrastructure Council meeting, right? Well yes, assuming the owners of trucks and cars and motorbikes and train commuters are the only beneficiaries of federal and state spending on roads and rail lines. But they’re not. What about all the owners of land that increases in value when governments build a major road or rail line nearby, making the land vastly more attractive to developers? For the land owners it’s like winning the lottery,…

Toowoomba crack-up So did my first run on the new Toowoomba Range Crossing. Not impressed at all. For a road that wasn’t even six months old I found it to be as bumpy as hell, and I’m sure the surface is cracking up. Then pulled up at BP Archerfield and word around the table is that one of the pillars on their you-beaut viaduct doesn’t even appear to be holding up the roadway. So I’m guessing they will be slugging us more money to fix their f*** ups. Mick Emtage Ipswich, Qld Anti-male sentiments Is it bias in the media when it’s reported that when a woman murders her partner it’s murder, but when a man kills his partner it’s labelled domestic violence? This subtlety gives the appearance of men…

It is general knowledge that the road transport industry contributes more than its obligations to the treasury to meet road user charges. But in an underhanded manner, bureaucracy has gone to politicians demanding a massive increase in monies through the fuel excise levy. Have they no conscience? Blind Freddy knows full well that, firstly, road transport is a service industry; the costs of the service provided has to be borne by the productive industry that it serves. Secondly, thanks to an unconscionable management attitude by some members of the industry, ruthless competition has left none to insufficient profit margins. Thirdly, one of the most severe droughts on record is blanketing Australia. Primary industry is already on its knees, trying to survive high costs and poor to zero returns. Lastly, Australia…

QUARTER CENTURY CLASSIX Ben Lee New West Records www.ben-lee.com Enigmatic Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee has honoured his musical influences with Quarter Century Classix, an album of covers originating from indie rock bands around the late 1980s and early ’90s. Most were never released as singles and Lee adds to their obscure status by giving them a softer makeover. His acoustic take of Sonic Youth’s ‘Sugar Kane’ is almost unrecognisable from the original, and he transforms Dinosaur Jr’s ‘Get Me’ to a poignant folk-styled song. Lee offers some similarity to Pavement’s grungy ‘In The Mouth A Desert’, and he adds a string session for ‘Ingrown’, taking it far from Sydney post-punk band Smudge’s 1994 recording. He slows the pace on The Breeders’ ‘Divine Hammer’, although ‘Brand New Love’ is not unlike…

The Brown and Hurley Barbeque Bushfire Fundraiser, held recently at all Brown and Hurley branches throughout Queensland and northern NSW, has raised $31,000, the truck dealership group reports. The fundraiser was held to provide support to the victims of the summer bushfires in both states. “As many of our staff and customers are part of the communities affected by the current bushfire crisis, we feel it is important to be involved in raising much needed funds,” Brown and Hurley CEO Paul Hurley says. “I’d like to thank all of the Brown & Hurley staff, customers and general public who came along, grabbed lunch and donated so generously.” All funds that were raised have been matched dollar for dollar by the Brown and Hurley Group. The funds raised are to be…

With the rise of fuel-efficient and electrified trucks, fuel tax is seen by the government as an unsustainable way to pay for Australia’s infrastructure and road transport system. This puts in focus a Road User Charges (RUC) system that would impose charges on vehicles based on the kilometres travelled and weight of freight moved. A major factor driving interest in a RUC system is the concern that with the expected rise of more fuel-efficient vehicles, governments will be unable to obtain adequate revenues to support our infrastructure and transportation maintenance costs. In 2017-2018 the Commonwealth Government agreed to freeze the RUC for the road transport industry. In doing so, the Commonwealth Government acknowledged that the road transport industry had been overcharged for years. However, the recent Transport and Infrastructure Council…

IN THE MOMENT Brendan McMahon Satellite Gods Music www.brendanmcm.com South Australia’s Brendan McMahon has long been plying his trade in pubs, including performing and recording with his band The Cunning Stunts in the 1990s. McMahon mixes up the genres on In The Moment, his fourth solo album. There’s fast-paced bluegrass on ‘Lost My Way’, and alternate country on ‘I Am’ on which McMahon delivers a Springsteen-style vocal amid Tom Petty sound-alike guitars. Melbourne singer Amber Ferraro guests on ‘Only Highs’, a slow soft-rock love song interspersed with catchy guitar solos, and there’s Australiana folk on the sing-along song ‘On This Fine Occasion’. McMahon branches out with rock tracks ‘Hold On’ and ‘Rescue Me’, the evocative ‘No Rush Today’, plus there’s a hint of psychedelia to ‘Limitless Fluidity’. Highly recommended. BROKEN…

It’s a question I’ve wanted to ask for a long time, but always lacked the right executive and the right occasion to ask it. Until now! Given his long, high-level tenure at Daimler and specifically Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), Martin Daum is almost certainly the right executive. As for the occasion, well, given that Cascadia will most likely provide much of the platform for an entirely new Western Star within the next few years, the local launch of Freightliner’s new flagship was the ideal event. So, the question: Are there any regrets that when DaimlerChrysler bought Western Star from Terry Peabody in 2000, it agreed to Peabody retaining Western Star’s Australian operation instead of absorbing the brand into Daimler’s local line-up. And the reason for the question: In time,…

IN CASE you haven’t noticed, the world is changing. Fast! Global warming, greenhouse gases, climate change. These are the terms driving the greatest changes of all and it matters little whether you’re a sceptic or a believer, the evolutionary ball is rolling and it won’t be slowing down. Not at all! Certainly, there’s still a long road ahead and no doubt there will be a few bumps, bounces and even economic bruises along the way, but the momentum for change is building and only the naïve and nonsensical can’t or won’t acknowledge it. Ignorance, indifference and vested interests among political powerbrokers and their marketing and media mouthpieces will not quell the fires of public concern. At least, not for long. Funny thing, though, while big business and public opinion aren’t…