ATN #413

FOR FLEET OWNERS & MANAGERS 

TRUCK NEWS 

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FEBRUARY 2021 ISSUE 413 $8.50 

DRIVEN TO GROWL 

EXCLUSIVE: We take to Australian roads in Mack’s new Anthem 

for a personal look at the breed’s development 

MENTAL HEALTH: THE ISSUE IS AT CRISIS POINT AND THE INDUSTRY IS MOVING TO DEAL WITH IT 

FLETCHER’S EARTHMOVING: WHY UD IS A FAMILY FAVOURITE BUT A BIG VOLVO COMES IN HANDY 

KENWORTH PREVAILS: ANDREW HADJIKAKOU REFLECTS ON A YEAR OF CHALLENGE AND RESILIENCE

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CIRCULATIONS 

AUDIT BOARD 

CIRCULATIONS 

AUDIT BOARD 

CONTENTS ISSUE 

NEWS 

10 Comprehensive news coverage from around the 

industry 

64 Promising first month of the year sees only 

medium duty lagging in January truck sales 

DIAGNOSTICS 

6 Operator licensing’s new look 

This version still looks top-down, all stick/no 

carrot and in need thorough explaining 

24 The gig economy controversy 

Any creation of a class of hybrid worker must be 

avoided, writes Warren Clark 

33 Finding future leaders 

Trucking will progress best by giving following 

generations the right backing, says David Smith 

38 Post-Covid challenges abound 

After a year like no other, operators face 

uncertain and demanding conditions, writes 

Roz Shaw 

OPERATIONS & STRATEGY 

26 On the mend 

Industry’s mental health custodians reveal how 

adversity has spurred a widespread response 

34 Right truck for the job 

The Fletcher family in Queensland’s central 

highlands region are happy to talk about the 

toughness and reliability of their UD trucks past 

and present. But went it came to needing a unit 

that wouldn’t struggle uphill, a 700hp Volvo was 

the obvious choice 

TRUCKS 

40 Kenworth master class 

In a year like no other in living memory, Paccar 

Australia achieved far more in 2020 than simply 

endure a crisis decimating lives and livelihoods 

FEB 2021 

413 

Follow us online at Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter #ATN 

34 

56 

across the country. Way beyond expectations or 

even hopes, Australia’s top truck maker quietly 

stamped its mastery on the heavy-duty market 

and in the process showed what it truly takes to 

excel in tough times 

50 Mack on the move 

The covers are finally off Mack’s new Anthem 

and right now various versions are headlining a 

national ‘Evolution Tour’ alongside significantly 

upgraded Super-Liner and Trident models. 

While Anthem certainly won’t be all things to 

all people, it’s what the new model brings to 

the breed that has the bulldog brethren feeling 

pumped and positive. Here we have the first 

Australian drive of the new Anthem truck 

56 Fuelling fossil-free 

Volvo Trucks Australia’s 12-tonne FL Electric 

trucks have been unveiled and are beginning 

trials at Linfox for local delivery work 

LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 

60 Safety spec-up 

Iveco has unveiled its new light-commercial 

Daily E6 van and cab chassis range in Australia 

FOR TRANSPORT LOGISTICS MANAGERS 

EDITORIAL 

Editor 

Rob McKay 03 9567 4152 

Rob.McKay@aremedia.com.au 

Technical Editor 

Steve Brooks 

sbrooks.trucktalk@gmail.com 

Senior Journalist 

Mark Gojszyk 03 9567 4263 

Mark.Gojszyk@aremedia.com.au 

PRODUCTION 

Production Co-Ordinator Cat Fitzpatrick 

Art Director Bea Barthelson 

ADVERTISING 

Group Sales Manager – Industry 

Adrian Christian 0423 761 784 

Adrian.Christian@aremedia.com.au 

Group Sales Manager – Transport 

Peter Gatti 0437 895 600 

Peter.Gatti@aremedia.com.au 

VIC Sales 

Matt Alexander 0413 599 669 

Matt.Alexander@aremedia.com.au 

NSW Sales 

Con Zarocostas 0457 594 238 

Con.Zarocostas@aremedia.com.au 

QLD Sales 

Hollie Tinker 0466 466 945 

Hollie.Tinker@aremedia.com.au 

SA/WA Sales 

Nick Lenthall 0439 485 835 

Nick.Lenthall@aremedia.com.au 

Agency Sales Manager (NSW) 

Max Kolomiiets 0415 869 176 

Max.Kolomiiets@aremedia.com.au 

MARKETING & EVENTS 

Marketing Manager 

Andrew Amato 03 9567 4145 

Andrew.Amato@aremedia.com.au 

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Email: magshop@magshop.com.au 

T: 1300 461 528, 8am-6pm (EST), Mon-Fri 

Mail: GPO Box 5252, Sydney, 2001, NSW 

PRINTING 

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EXECUTIVE GROUP 

Are Media Automotive CEO 

Andrew Beecher 

General Manager – Industry 

Graham Gardiner 

Group Finance Manager 

Cain Murphy 

Commercial Director 

Matt Rice 

Digital Director 

Tim Kennington 

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Regina Fellner 

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Nicola Ramsay 

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Notice: All material published in this magazine is published in good 

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us. Readers are advised by the publishers to ensure that all necessary 

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4 ATN February 2021 FULLYLOADED.COM.AU

An Australian 

Legend Reborn. 

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stand-up sleeper, to keep drivers well-rested and ready for the long haul. 

The mDRIVE’s additional deep reduction gears provides greater flexibility 

to help tackle demanding work and get you to the top. 

We are Mack. This is our Anthem. 

Discover how Anthem is built to move your business forward. 

MackTrucks.com.au/Anthem

FORWARD VISION 

Operator licensing’s new look 

This version still looks top-down, all stick/no carrot and in need thorough explaining 

ROB McKAY 

has been a 

journalist for 

more than three 

decades, with 

the last 25 years 

focused on 

national and 

international 

freight transport 

As the year gets into gear in earnest, themes 

that have either gone quiet of their own, or their 

proponents’, accord, or been bubbling away 

quietly, have resurfaced and gained heat. 

Some, such as bringing more women into 

the industry, have seen some notable individual 

achievements. But the numbers still tell a tale of 

obstacles presenting high degrees of difficulty that may 

yet see drivers imported. 

After all, when presented with chronic labour 

and skills shortages and policy failure, it’s the 

Australian way. 

Then there is gas. Once seen as a truck propellant 

of the future that would tick significant environmental 

and strategic boxes, its various forms have withered 

and federal government plans to revive it for heavy 

industrial uses risk much government treasure finding 

itself stranded in a world decarbonising, from the 

boardrooms of banks to suburban drive ways. 

Electric and hybrid have the momentum in light 

transport, putting paid to gas in its various forms. 

Why, even biodiesel is finding the internal combustion 

engine headwinds extremely swift, and it’s a clean fuel. 

The heat now is in hydrogen fuel cell versus battery 

electric, with the former favoured for now for long-haul 

but in need of vast arrays of solar and wind sources. 

Australia has unlimited amounts of both but the 

same was said of gas, with its comparably massive 

amounts of industrial infrastructure 

Another one of the more long-lived, one could 

almost say ‘beloved’, issues is what is now dubbed the 

‘national operating standard’ (NOS). 

NOS, also known as ‘operator licensing’, is nearing 

a 20-year milestone, is backed by the Australian 

Logistics Council (ALC), and is driven by good 

intentions. 

It is born of the idea that low barriers to entry to the 

industry allow unsuitable entrants to operate for as 

long as they can and failing only after causing havoc to 

more sustainable operations and on the roads. 

There is a social protection element involved, in 

that it is argued such entrants lack business skills 

or resources to set up companies and operate 

safely, allowing them to undercut others with proper 

safety credential and the overheads that go with the 

necessary upkeep and maintenance of fleet. 

On this level, these are noble sentiments indeed. Who 

can argue against lowering the truck-related road toll? 

But what is the solution and will it work? Well, with 

further detail of a new conception for an old idea still to 

come, the unkind might distil it to: “more bureaucracy”. 

The last time the concept got a serious airing was 

four years ago, again by the ALC and with the National 

Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) liking and taking it 

seriously enough to run it past industry organisations. 

So there was no surprise the ALC took its new 

campaign to the NHVR to explain it. 

Back then, like now, it was the “methodology” that 

needed to be nailed down. It might be a tell that this 

nail is still standing proud. 

So, the ALC wants to encase it in the new Heavy 

Vehicle National Law (HVNL) with a filling seasoned 

with compulsory safety management systems (SMSs) 

and action on accreditation system failings. 

The system would see a heavy vehicle operator: 

• provide the NHVR with a list of heavy vehicles 

it operates and garaging information about the 

vehicle 

• ensure that each heavy vehicle has installed, and 

uses equipment meeting international standards 

that records information regarding driving hours 

and location that can be used in the investigation of 

alleged breaches of the HVNL as well as providing 

operators with data that can be used to manage 

safety outcomes or otherwise provide road owners 

with information that can be used when applying for 

access to routes 

• maintain an SMS that meets standards established 

in the HVNL 

• require a registered operator would have capital 

available to ensure efficient operation of the heavy 

vehicles. 

As said, there is more to come and perhaps that 

should be waited on. But there are some innate issues 

that need resolving lest this becomes ‘safe rates’ for 

big transport and logistics and big government. 

Is it an industry solution or only focused on a 

segment the ALC and NHVR are comfortable with? How 

does the identified safety issue square with the truckrelated 

road toll continuing to trend down even as the 

debate is being conducted? What will it cost the public 

purse? What will it cost the industry? What will it cost 

ancillary fleet owners? What are the economic cost 

implications? What are the actual paths to entry? There 

are more. 

It was good that the ALC was public that it was 

explaining its ideas the national regulator. In a nation 

where some senior state politicians are seeking to 

normalise misuse of public funds, it is reassuring. 

Now it needs to explain them to the rest of us – 

again. 


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NEWS 

Dogs & Chains 

3 

Remember the movie Duel? This 

was before ‘road rage’ became a 

fashionable term, youngsters. It was 

Steven Spielberg’s directorial debut in 

1971 and proved his talent. It made the 

Peterbilt 281 something of an icon, too, 

as the relentless messenger of doom for 

a distracted car driver. We’re not sure of 

the copyright situation but the premise 

is being turned into a six-parter on Stan, 

called The Tourist and filmed in the 

Outback. (So far, there’s been vanishingly 

little mention of the original.) If that’s not 

enough to get on the trucking people’s 

goat for defaming the industry, it stars the 

bloke from Fifty Shades of Gray. Oh dear, 

what could possibly go wrong? 

3 If casting Jamie Dornan as the lead is not a huge concern, at least Hugo Weaving is in there as well. Thankfully, after being ribbed 

mercilessly for his take on an Irish accent in Wild Mountain Thyme, Dornan will play a Pom. Still, there’s growling around the kennel that 

perhaps Stan, the BBC, HBO Max, German public broadcaster ZDF and Two Brothers Pictures should get in first with their ‘explanations’ and 

apologies to the industry. As one industry observer noted: “Duel did for sharing the roads with trucks, just as Jaws did for sharing the beach 

with sharks.” 

3 OK, so you reckon your company should motivate those who share the roads with your trucks. 

And thus the sorts of quotes that bolster morale and give people ideas to strive by are painted 

on the backs of your vehicles. Not only that, it reflects the values you hope people will associate 

with your company. So far, so good. It’s a noble gesture. But what if the message is capable of 

being mixed? Cue a bit of sucking of teeth and a quiet ‘hmmmm’. Otherwise excellent Kiwi-headquartered 

firm Mainfreight has found one of its positive messages caught in such a dilemma. 

“Don’t stop when you are tired, stop when you are done,” it reads. On the back of a truck . . . in 

an industry where fatigue is an original sin . . . and can fatal. Those rushing to the company’s 

defence say the intention is entirely innocent and critics are twisting what should be taken in the 

spirit it is given. Admire the firm as we do, perhaps it should just paint over that one. 

3 ‘Nominative determinism’ – yes, it’s an ugly term but probably needs to be so heftily syllabic 

as English is not equipped to handle these sorts of concepts. Neither is German, in which several 

simple words would be strung together without the fig leaf of a hyphen for this sort of thing. In 

translation, it might go: personwhogetsapositionduesomehowtotherlationshipwiththeirname. 

Nah, we’re just kidding linguistically. The translation, actually and logically, is ‘nominativer determinismus’. Why this diversion? Well, we 

couldn’t help noticing that Menninger Capital has appointed Adam Wheeler as the CEO of National Tyres. Well, of course it has. Meanwhile: an 

NSW bloke convicted a while ago of selling stock feed fraudulently is named Stephen John Swindle and the chief executive of Transparency 

International Australia is . . . Serena Lillywhite! 

3 All this nominative levity reminds us entirely tangentially of the cracking Joseph Heller Second World War novel Catch-22 and the reasoning 

for why a US Air Force major, whose father burdened him with the name Major Major Major as a joke (yes, another one), could never be 

promoted or demoted. Well, it’s because the US armed forces only had one Major Major Major Major and didn’t intend losing him. 

3 Sometimes you see a terrific image of a fleet and it becomes a weird reminder of the wacky world of digital imagery that is bound to get 

weirder in future. Now, can you tell which is real and which is digital? 


NEWS 

Inside the Industry 

TRIBUTES FLOW FOR JIM PEARSON SR 

Jim Pearson Sr, respected industry figure and founder 

of the eponymous NSW trucking firm, is being 

remembered after his recent passing 

The Australian Trucking 

Association (ATA) tells of 

Pearson’s association with the 

transport industry beginning 

almost 70 years ago when he 

purchased a Caltex Service Station 

at Marks Point south of Newcastle. 

In 1955, Pearson started 

Lake Macquarie Freighters and 

Macquarie Transport, before 

moving to Port Macquarie in 1974 

and establishing Jim Pearson 

Transport. 

Pearson was recognised for 

his dedication and commitment 

to industry with the ATA’s 

Outstanding Contribution to the 

Trucking Industry award in 2010. 

In 2015, Jim Pearson Transport 

won the TruckSafe John Kelly 

Memorial Award for its strong 

safety culture and passion for 

improving safety outcomes within 

the business and wider community. 

"The ATA and trucking 

community are deeply saddened 

by the loss of Jim, who was 

an outspoken and outstanding 

contributor to our industry," ATA 

chair David Smith says. 

"A strong safety advocate, Jim 

was one of the first to introduce 

satellite tracking across his fleet 

to manage fatigue and was also 

involved in the early development 

of TruckSafe." 

Former ATA chair Denis 

Robertson says Pearson was a 

tremendous contributor to industry 

and was highly regarded for his 

integrity and professionalism. 

"Jim was a person who was 

committed to keeping people 

safe. He was willing to be the 

first to put up his hand when help 

was needed and was one of the 

first supporters of the ATA Safety 

Trailer," Robertson says. 

"Jim understood the industry’s 

needs and was a great advocate 

for industry unity, recognising 

the need for a single, united voice 

nationally. 

"Jim’s motivation and influence 

are still evident today with his son 

Jim Pearson Jnr, who has taken 

over the family business and 

continues to uphold his father’s 

high standards," he said, 

Pearson was also a life 

member of the Long Distance 

Road Transport Association, now 

NatRoad, and a member of the 

Transport Hall of Fame. 

"Jim will be sorely missed. Our 

sincere condolences go to his wife 

Marette, his children, grandchildren 

and friends," Smith says. 

Ron Crouch recognised with Australia Day OAM honour 

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) hails 

the founder of Ron Crouch Transport, Ron Crouch, 

who has been honoured in the Australia Day 2021 

Honours List. 

Recognised for his service to community and 

the road transport industry, Crouch has been 

awarded a medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). 

"Mr Crouch has a long history in the transport 

industry, establishing Ron Crouch Transport 

with his wife Beverly in 1978 – a business 

that has grown from a single client organisation 

to one that caters for more than 1,700 companies 

today and is recognised nation-wide," the ATA 

states. 

Ron Crouch 

Jim Pearson Sr 

"Recognised for his professionalism and 

passion, Mr Crouch was a proactive member of 

industry associations and groups with a vision for 

improving industry safety. 

"In the 1980s, Mr Crouch played an integral 

role in forming the National Transport Federation, 

which then turned into NatRoad." 

Geoff Crouch, ATA director and executive 

director of Ron Crouch Transport, says his father 

had a strong desire to give back. 

"Something Mum and Dad instilled in the 

company from day one was a passion to give back 

to society – not just to the road transport industry 

but the wider community too," Geoff says. 

"It all started from the huge risk they took 

commencing operations in 1978, with one truck 

carting hay and stock. 

"That passion to give back was part of the 

company’s original DNA and continues now to 

the second and third generation involved with the 

company today. 

"The entire company and our family are 

extremely proud of the work that Dad has done, 

and this honour is due recognition of the huge 

amount of volunteer work he has put in over 

many decades." 


FWC DECIDES AGAINST DISMISSAL CLAIMANT 

A truck driver who took Hi Trans Express 

work through an employment agency has 

failed in a Fair Work Commission (FWC) 

unfair dismissal bid. 

Though decided on its own facts, the case 

has echoes of the high-profile Federal Court 

Jamsek v ZG Operations case, which hinged 

on the difference between contractors 

and employees in that the driver involved 

contended he was employed because the 

company had sacked him. 

Against that, FWA found no evidence in 

his favour. 

Though he had previously worked 

long-haul for the company for several 

years early in the 2010s, his time there 

last year was through labour hire agency 

1800 Drivers. 

Unlike in Jansek, where the lack of 

opportunity to drive for other firms was a 

determining factor in the court deciding 

against ZG, the driver in the Kym Wheare v 

Hi Trans Express case was able to take jobs 

with other companies. 

At contention was that Hi Trans believed 

the driver was "driving in excess of industry 

standards and legal requirements in that he 

was not taking full mandatory rest breaks", 

the ruling notes. 

Wheare insisted his "level of accreditation 

permitted longer driving shifts" and, 

separately, he "believed that Hi Trans had 

not provided safe vehicles or adequate 

facilities". 

Along with the lack of written or oral 

contract of employment, Hi Trans argued he 

was referred there by 1800 Drivers, paid by 

that entity and Hi Trans was invoiced by it. 

Also, notification of the parting of ways 

had been communicated by the labour 

hire agency. 

Wheare argued that: 

• Hi Trans employees gave him his 

rostered shifts 

• Hi Trans funded his remuneration and 

checked whether the remuneration to be 

paid matched his work roster 

• he dealt with Hi Trans on any operational 

issues that arose 

• he drove Hi Trans-owned and logoed 

trucks 

• his original accreditation had been 

certified by Hi Trans in about 2011 

• his essential worker border pass allowing 

him to cross borders during the Covid-19 

period was issued by Hi Trans 

• even though he occasionally worked for 

other trucking companies, most of his 

work in 2020 was with Hi Trans. 

In the end, the FWC found, amongst other 

things within the totality of the relationship, 

there was the lack of an employment 

relationship with Hi Trans and the driver was 

not barred from working for other firms. This 

meant there could be no unfair dismissal by 

Hi Trans. 

TRUCK CABIN EXPLOSION SPARKS REFRIGERANT GAS WARNINGS 

Industry groups have expressed alarm at a recent 

Queensland incident prompted by the use of 

dubious refrigerant gas in a truck cabin. 

A Resources Safety & Health Queensland 

(RSHQ) safety alert reports that, on January 

11, a mine worker driving a truck in an 

underground mine suffered serious burns to 

their face, hands and chest as a result of an 

explosion in the truck cabin. 

The worker's eyes were protected from the blast 

by safety glasses. 

The force of the blast blew some of the cabin 

windows clear of the truck. 

While the investigation is still ongoing, the 

findings of the RSHQ investigation to date 

indicate that: 

• the AC was charged with a refrigerant 

containing propane and isobutane 

(hydrocarbon) instead of compliance with 

the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) 

requirement, which stipulates the use of R134a 

refrigerant 

• the AC was not certified for the use of the 

hydrocarbon refrigerant 

• personnel servicing and charging the AC did 

not hold Queensland Gas Work Licences for 

working with hydrocarbon refrigerant 

RSHQ advises site senior executives must 

ensure that: 

• they inspect all refrigeration plant and 

equipment including AC units on mobile 

plant to verify compliance with OEM 

guidance with regards to refrigerant(s) 

• any refrigeration plant and equipment charged 

with refrigerant(s) not specified by the OEM 

must be immediately quarantined from use 

• if an alternate refrigerant is used, the 

refrigeration system must be inspected and 

certified for the use of that alternate refrigerant. 

In the case of hydrocarbon refrigerants, this is 

certified by the Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate 

• any refrigerants may only be charged or drained 

by persons that are specifically licensed for 

those refrigerants. 

The incident evokes calls years ago from 

the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) that 

cheaper refrigerant gases have the potential to 

ignite in truck systems. 

FULLYLOADED.COM.AU February 2021 ATN 11

NEWS Inside the Industry "Linfox’s cold chain network includes temperature- 

LINFOX AND DHL TO DISTRIBUTE VACCINE 

The massive logistical job of safely 

distributing Covid-19 vaccines across 

Australia is a step closer to execution 

with the federal government’s move to 

sign distribution contracts with Linfox 

and DHL Supply Chain. 

Federal health minister Greg Hunt 

announced that the two logistic giants 

will undertake the distribution of the 

vaccine from March this year, while 

Accenture will provide tracking of 

vaccine doses and overall program 

implementation monitoring, and PwC 

will partner with the Department of 

Health for the vaccine rollout. 

DHL and Linfox will work with the 

government to design and operate 

a national distribution network that 

supports vaccination for all, including 

people in rural, remote, very remote and 

other hard-to-reach areas. 

The companies will also be required 

to track and report the temperature of 

the vaccine at all times. 

The required temperature could be 

2 to 8 degrees (standard cold chain 

temperatures) to as low as minus 70, 

which is needed for the Pfizer vaccine. 

Purpose-built dry ice containers 

will be supplied for moving the 

vaccine around Australia, as part 

of the government’s distribution deal 

with Pfizer. 

As well as transporting the vaccines 

from the point of acceptance from 

manufacturers to vaccination 

administration sites, the logistics 

partners will be responsible for 

transport and management of 

vaccination supplies such as needles, 

syringes and PPE. 

controlled distribution centres and cross-dock 

facilities across Australia" 

"Linfox’s cold chain network includes 

temperature-controlled distribution 

centres and cross-dock facilities 

across Australia and a world-class 

fleet with industry-leading safety 

and temperature-controlled features 

including temperature tracking and 

the highest security standards," Linfox 

executive chairman Peter Fox says in a 

statement. 

"With our ‘Together, Stronger’ 

approach, Linfox will partner with other 

great Australian businesses such as 

Australia Post/Startrack and Qantas 

to deliver a world-class solution for 

all Australians no matter where they 

reside. 

"We look forward to working 

closely with the Australian 

government’s Department of Health, 

as well as Accenture, PwC and DHL 

to design and operate a national 

cold chain distribution network 

that will safely support Australia’s 

ongoing response to the Covid-19 

pandemic." 

EARNINGS IMPROVEMENT IN LINDSAY FIRST-HALF TRADING UPDATE 

Integrated transport, logistics and rural 

supply firm Lindsay Australia ushers in 

the new year with an optimistic first-half 

trading update. 

Lindsay announces that, based on 

unaudited management accounts for the half 

year ended December 31, 2020, it anticipates 

underlying EBITDA (earnings before interest, 

taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) 

between $26 to $27 million – or growth of 

about 12 per cent. 

The group previously announced it was 

expecting to maintain EBITDA growth of 8 per 

cent for the half-year. 

It credits gains in new business avenues 

as outstripping deficits in underperforming 

segments due to Covid-19 impacts. 

"Investment in previous years to diversify 

the Group's geographical and product reach 

has seen improvements in both Rural and Rail 

which has offset the declines in the import/ 

export logistics segment which continues to 

be impacted by Covid," it notes. 

It marks happier news for the firm after 

revealing late last year that it was subject 

to National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) 

court action after a 2018 truck driver fatality. 


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QUALITY PARTS TECHNICAL EXPERTISE EXTENSIVE DEALER NETWORK 

Prices herein are recommended selling prices, inclusive of GST. Recommended selling prices are a 

guide only and there is no obligation for Dealers to comply with these recommendations. Freight 

charges may apply. All items have been included in good faith on the basis that goods will be 

available at the time of sale. Prices and promotions are available at participating Dealers from 1 

February to 31 March 2021 or while stocks last. 

* Calls from Australian landlines are generally free 

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NEWS 


RIFL CONSTRUCTION KICKS OFF 

The first sod has been turned on 

construction of the next stage of the Riverina 

Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RIFL) hub. 

This upgrade for the 60-hectare Bomen 

Industrial Precinct in Wagga Wagga 

will provide the precinct with enabling 

infrastructure and a 4.9-kilometre master rail 

siding and container transfer terminal. 

The $43.7 million investment from the 

NSW government combined with significant 

investment from Wagga Wagga City Council 

and commercial partner Visy Logistics will 

create vital jobs in the Riverina. 

NSW deputy premier John Barilaro, NSW 

Nationals member of the NSW Legislative 

Council Wes Fang and Wagga Wagga City 

Council mayor Greg Conkey visited the 

precinct for the official sod turn. 

"This precinct will make Wagga Wagga a 

major player in domestic and international 

freight export, making the town even 

more attractive to local and international 

businesses," Barilaro says. 

"This intermodal facility will be a 

world-class business hub servicing the 

region’s advanced manufacturing, recycling 

and renewables industries and help local 

businesses reap the benefits of the Inland 

Rail and Wagga Wagga Special Activation 

Precinct." 

In August 2020, Wagga Wagga City 

Council endorsed entering an agreement for 

lease with Visy Logistics to facilitate a public 

private partnership between the two parties 

and provide a formal agreement for Visy 

Logistics to operate and manage the RIFL 

hub freight terminal and master siding. 

Funding for Stage 2 ($14.4 million), the 

construction of the master rail siding and 

the intermodal freight terminal, was later 

announced via the Transport for NSW Fixing 

Country Rail program and includes: 

• rail infrastructure including a master siding 

servicing the intermodal terminal 

• installation of turnouts off the Main 

Southern Railway Line to facilitate 

construction of the RIFL Hub Master Siding 

• an intermodal terminal for the transfer 

of containers between road and rail 

development. 

Grant funding ($29.2 million) for Stage 

3 of RIFL – the Bomen Industrial Precinct 

adjacent to RIFL consisting of a 60 hectares 

industrial subdivision, RIFL Road and 

associated services and fibre to the premises 

within Bomen Industrial Park – was recently 

approved from the state government’s 

Growing Local Economies fund. 

Kemps Creek warehouse and distribution hub plans approved 

New South Wales has been busy on the 

logistics facilities front lately and the 

momentum continues with state government 

approval of a new warehouse and distribution 

hub in Kemps Creek. 

Some $242 million in economic 

investment will pour in for the new Kemps 

Creek Warehouse, Logistics and Industrial 

Facilities Hub. 

NSW planning minister Rob Stokes says 

the project will deliver investment and new 

opportunities for Western Sydney to combat 

the economic impacts of Covid-19. 

"This development will create 700 construction 

jobs and 950 operational jobs while injecting 

$242 million into the Western Sydney economy," 

Stokes says. 

"The approval means we can get shovels 

in the ground faster. This government is 

committed to fast-tracking planning assessments 

to help stimulate the economy during the 

pandemic." 

The development is a joint venture between 

Frasers Property Partners and Altis Bulky Retail, 

and is said to include major global retailers, 

e-commerce providers, health and pharmaceutical 

Regional transport and roads minister 

Paul Toole says the RIFL hub, the Inland 

Rail and the Wagga Wagga Special 

Activation Precinct will work hand-in-hand 

to fast-track access to national and 

international markets for regional 

businesses and products. 

"When completed, this hub will 

give regional businesses ready and 

cost-effective access to markets across 

Australia and around the world, and 

there’s never been a more important 

time as we recover from drought, 

bushfires and the Covid-19 pandemic," 

Toole says. 

"It’s also going to reduce the number of 

trucks moving through the Wagga Wagga 

central business district, giving local roads 

back to the local community." 

Construction is expected to be completed 

by mid-2022. 

industries, warehousing and logistics operators, 

light manufacturing and data centres. 

Mulgoa MP Tanya Davies believes the 

development will benefit from its prime location 

close to the Western Sydney Airport. 

"Western Sydney is establishing itself as a 

strong industrial and employment growth area," 

Davies says. 

"The construction of a new warehouse 

and logistics hub is going to substantially 

add to this growing reputation and attract 

more investment that will benefit our western 

Sydney community. 


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NEWS Inside the Industry 

QLD INLAND RAIL 

TRUCKWAY NEEDED 

such a constrained environment 

down there." 

The position is part of 

evidence to the Rural and 

Regional Affairs and Transport 

References Committee’s 

hearings into management of 

the Inland Rail project. 

Mahon argues for the need 

to set aside a greenfield site 

for a hub west of Brisbane, 

justified by Port of Brisbane 

projections of a tripling of 

volumes over 20 years. 

He envisages that 

confirmation of the truckway 

as a "controlled corridor" 

would allow truckmakers to 

build specialist vehicles for 

the task that would be open to 

technological developments, 

including alternative fuels and 

autonomy. 

"You cannot rely just on Acacia Ridge to be 

A dedicated truckway 

complementing a railway could 

fill the missing link between 

Inland Rail and Brisbane’s port, 

a Senate committee hears. 

Stating that there is a 

shortfall in vision on how 

either end of Inland Rail is to 

work, Queensland Trucking 

Association (QTA) CEO Gary 

Mahon outlines a plan that, 

he argues, adds flexibility and 

recognises risk on relying on a 

single, very costly modal link 

that would likely be in place for 

many decades. 

"Our concern, with the 

Brisbane end and the Melbourne 

end, is that there is not enough 

detail," Mahon says. 

"We don't see the foresight. 

We would prefer to see some 

lateral thinking in terms of 

where they could take the 

opportunity to make sure they 

optimise the benefit. 

"For example, you cannot 

rely just on Acacia Ridge to 

be the terminus end of Inland 

Rail. It's highly contained as it 

currently is. 

"To expand that capability in 

any way will, to coin a phrase, 

cost a fortune, because it's 

the terminus end of Inland Rail. It's highly 

contained as it currently is" 

It would handle containerised 

freight and reduce the need 

for expensive tunnelling, 

leaving other freight to be 

carried by rail. 

Above: Gary 

Mahon 

Mahon views it as "a blend of 

investments that I think gives 

you a much higher prospect of 

being able to meet the demands 

of the future". 

PATRICK CONTAINER WEIGHT VARIANCE FEE SPURS INDUSTRY CONCERN 

The move of stevedore Patrick Terminals to 

charge shippers for mis-declared weights of 

imported containers has raised road haulage 

concern about how this will be implemented. 

Patrick announced on November 5 that it 

would enforce a fee of $230 plus GST for any 

container that is found to be 1 tonne more or 

less than advised. 

The fee is called ‘weight amendment fee 

for import containers - weigh and adjustment 

charge’, that began in Brisbane at the start of 

the month and is due to be rolled out in other 

major container ports. 

Certainly, overweight containers are a 

menace to the safety of trucks, ships and 

container-handling generally but, in a move 

like that of container access charges, Patrick is 

levying the fee on haulage firms. 

"Patrick will provide the carrier with access 

to the amended weight (including a link to the 

certified weighing certificate) confirming the 

weight discrepancy," it says in its November 

notice that notes containers will be weighed 

using a Pondus Stand. 

In its own notice to industry, Container 

Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA) questions 

why the fee is not being charged directly to the 

importer. 

“If the weight amendment fee is not charged 

directly to the importer, how will behaviour 

change in future to ensure that subsequent 

shipments have an accurate declared VGM?” 

asks CTAA. 

CTAA reports that Patrick’s response to 

its questions was: "The weight amendment 

fee (charge) is being levied on the party in 

the supply chain with the most proximate 

relationship to the shipper and the ability to 

communicate with the shipper in respect of 

the Pondus weight. For imports this is the 

transport operator and for exports this is the 

shipping line." 


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ONE PHONE NUMBER TO CONNECT WITH 59 DEALERS AUSTRALIA WIDE 

Prices herein are recommended selling prices, inclusive of GST. Recommended selling prices are a guide 

only & there is no obligation for Dealers to comply with these recommendations. Freight charges may apply. 

All items have been included in good faith on the basis that goods will be available at the time of sale. 

Prices & promotions are available at participating PACCAR Parts Dealers & TRP outlets from 1 February to 

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NEWS 


NSW PORTS MOVES ON CONGESTION 

Sydney container trucking faces bearing 

the brunt, especially if things go wrong, 

during NSW Ports’ efforts to deal with Port 

Botany road congestion. 

Despite trucking industry warnings 

and then calls for action by authorities 

and the container chain to ameliorate the 

chaos, plus some recent efforts by NSW 

Ports, the port operator appears to have 

been forced to tackle the symptoms of the 

problem rather than the cause – due, it 

says, to safety issues. 

Port users are told that anyone 

obstructing NSW Port authorised officers 

performing their functions, including 

giving or enforcing a direction under this 

Notice, faces a maximum penalty of 50 

penalty units, being $5,500. 

NSW Port notes that over the past 

several months the empty container parks 

(ECPs) in Sydney have faced high demand 

by carriers and customers for empty 

container de-hire. 

This high demand has at times resulted 

in lengthy truck queues and ranks outside 

of the ECPs and on to port roads. 

On a nearly daily basis, both Simblist 

and Friendship roads have accommodated 

truck queues and at times these ranks 

have not only caused serious congestion 

but have also created potential safety 

issues which must be addressed, NSW 

Ports points out. 

"Despite requests by NSW Ports to ECPs 

to manage the throughput and demand for 

empty container de-hire trucks, the size 

of the truck queues for some ECPs has on 

days become excessive, which is not only 

creating hazardous traffic management 

conditions, but is also impacting on the 

safe and productive operations of other 

tenants in Port Botany," it says. 

As a result, NSW Ports says it has 

decided to act by issuing a port operator 

direction to all truck drivers using port 

roads at Port Botany. 

Under the notice, persons are prohibited 

from parking out of prescribed areas, 

leaving trailers unattached or unattended, 

and leaving goods unattended. 

NSW Ports released a set of directions 

that it said will be temporary and will 

continue until further notice. 

This includes designating specific 

areas on port roads for use by truck 

drivers in which they can stop/queue 

and thereby rank while seeking to access 

specific ECPs. 

NSW Ports will put in place signage 

and line markings to clearly identify the 

specific truck queuing areas. 

Any truck which cannot physically 

queue entirely within the specific area 

designated for that ECP will be directed to 

leave the port precinct immediately. 

If a truck driver fails to follow the 

lawful direction to leave the port precinct 

immediately, enforcement action will 

be taken against the truck driver and/or 

owner of the truck/trailer. 

Industry questions Port Botany road congestion safety plan 

The Sydney container haulage sector 

is questioning how deeply Port Botany 

operator NSW Ports has thought through 

its plans to ease truck queue congestion. 

One possible unintended consequence 

raised with NSW Ports by Container 

Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA) 

may be a heightening of congestion 

and decreased safety due to trucks 

circulating the precinct waiting for a 

space to open up without knowing when 

that has happened. 

"While safety is paramount, the NSW 

Ports’ Direction is dealing with the 

symptom of the congestion, not the direct 

causes," CTAA director Neil Chambers 

tells his members in a commentary on the 

development. 

"The ECPs in Port Botany continue to 

operate at or above capacity because not 

enough empty containers have been (or are 

being) evacuated by shipping lines to reduce 

the considerable surplus of empties that 

have been allowed to build up over many 

months.” 

CTAA has raised whether the Port Botany 

Truck Marshalling Area (TMA) might be 

able to be used in the future as a holding 

point for trucks ‘queuing’ to be serviced 

at ECPs in the Port precinct, not just 

waiting for terminal time-zones to open. 

"An analogy is in the Port of 

Fremantle, where the TMA adjacent to 

the Port at Rous Head is linked to an app 

administered through the port operator 

Fremantle Ports. 

"Through the app, drivers can be 

directed to the TMA and called forward 

to any facility within the port precinct if a 

congestion situation occurs. 

"Unfortunately, there is nothing like 

that in Port Botany at present." 


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NEWS 


Port 

LITTLE WARNING OF PHVBS BURDEN 

The trenchant response for shipowner 

representative body Shipping Australia Ltd 

(SAL) to the prospect of its members being 

milked for cash for a Western Australian 

government social scheme may in part 

have been due to how it found out. 

WA instituted the Port Hedland Voluntary 

Buy-back Scheme (PHVBS) in June 2020 to 

buy residences in the suburb of West End 

affected by Port of Port Hedland iron ore 

dust, which is the responsibility of the 

government-owned port operating 

company and miner BHP to suppress. 

At some stage in the 18-month process 

that followed a long investigation into the 

dust issue, the state government, through 

the state-owned Pilbara Ports Authority 

(PPA), decided the mechanism for the 

payment would be by charging ships 

through their agents when they arrived at 

the port and again when they departed. 

This is to be used to fund Hedland 

Maritime Initiative Pty Ltd, a wholly owned 

PPA subsidiary, to fulfil the scheme’s goals. 

The first it or its members knew about 

the plan was through a PPA letter dated 

December 22, SAL tells ATN. 

In the letter, PPA claims the PHVBS port 

charge "substantially reduces the overall 

cost of vessels exporting iron or from the 

Port", due to it supporting a related port 

expansion. 

This would be "through development 

of changed land uses in land adjacent 

to the operating port for the benefit of 

all Port users". 

It is aimed to also support a PPA plan for 

a "strategic buffer zone" for the port and 

the town. 

While it is unclear how and by how much 

owners of ships transporting iron ore will 

gain from PHVBS and related plans, casting 

it in this way appears to allow PPA to use 

the "user pays" principle. 

This is as opposed to SAL’s counterargument 

that "polluter pays" is more 

relevant, given the PHVBS was initially a 

solution to the problem of iron ore dust 

pollution in West End. 

And while the letter covers ‘transparency’ 

it doesn't cover ‘consultation’. 

Hedland 

"PPA claims the PHVBS port charge 

'substantially reduces the overall cost of 

vessels exporting iron or from the Port'" 

Though SAL has argued that its 

members will have great difficulty 

in passing on the charge to other 

elements of the supply chain, as 

the WA government envisages, it is 

understood the government believes 

the mechanism has been used with 

other port charges without garnering 

SAL complaint. 

It is also on record as saying all elements 

involved in the trade are making enormous 

profits at present. 

WA AWAITS FEDERAL APPROVAL FOR $14 MILLION TRUCK STOPS SPEND 

With an election looming and in the wake 

of union and Coalition promises of cash for 

truckstops, the Western Australian government 

has made its own pledge. 

Echoing a Western Roads Federation (WRF) 

statement that the government is working 

with the industry to identify and prioritise 

regional rest areas, state transport minister 

Rita Saffioti says. 

An industry working group has identified 17 

initial locations for improvements, costing 

$14 million with works to start in June, subject 

to approval of the allocation of the funds by the 

federal government. 

A working group involving Main Roads WA and 

industry bodies including the Transport Workers' 

Union (TWU), the WRF and the Livestock and 

Rural Transport Association of WA (LRTAWA) 

determined the improvements program. 

The WRF welcomes the move, saying that, 

although subject to federal government support, 

the recognition of the priority need for state truck 

drivers to have proper rest areas with facilities is 

"extremely welcomed". 

It notes that the WA road transport industry, 

especially its truck drivers, is working at capacity 

to keep the state re-supplied following Sunday’s 

pandemic-lockdown rush on the shops. 

"This announcement is timely and provides 

recognition to the critical work our drivers 

and industry do in supporting our state’s 

economy and community," WRF chair Craig 

Smith-Gander says. 


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Truck Moves 

LACK OF RESPECT SHOWN 

TO INDUSTRY VETERANS 

Wage theft and exploitation rife among older drivers, writes Matt Whitnall, 

director, Truck Moves Australia 

One of the best things about being in 

the truck moving business is having 

a crew of long term, reliable, older 

and experienced drivers as part of the team 

at Truck Moves Australia. 

With a solid work ethic and 

trustworthiness, I know my drivers can 

get the job done without any fuss. And I’m 

happy to pay them what they are worth 

– they deserve it. Unfortunately, not all 

employers think this way. 

One of the worst things about wage 

theft in the truck moving industry is how it 

affects older drivers. I’m disgusted at some 

of the stories I’m hearing about certain 

unscrupulous business owners and how 

they are treating older drivers: 

I’m sitting on actual evidence of this 

exploitation and outright theft because 

these drivers didn’t know where else to turn. 

Some older drivers feel vulnerable and 

unable to get better pay and conditions, so 

they just keep quiet and put up with being 

exploited for fear of losing their jobs. 

Drivers need to know that the Road 

Transport & Distribution Award came into 

effect three years ago, and no matter what 

some bosses might say, it applies to the 

work they are doing right now. All drivers 

who move trucks should be getting: 

• Award pay rates under the RTD Award 

• overtime pay after 7.6 hours 

• travel home and waiting time – every 

hour 

• weekend and public holiday loading. 

And of course, all operators should be 

providing a safe work environment and 

ensuring drivers are not being pushed to 

meet unrealistic deadlines with unsafe 

driving practices. 

I’m continuing to take a stand about this 

because it’s the right thing to do for these 

drivers, and the industry in general. 

Not to mention protecting customers who 

contract dodgy operators and are exposed 

to prosecution and potential massive fines 

under Chain of Responsibility laws. 

At Truck Moves Australia, we’re 

encouraging any drivers who think they are 

being ripped off to get in touch with us. The 

next step is to escalate complaints to the 

TWU and Fair Work Australia. 

These older blokes have given a lot to the 

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NEWS 

Executive appointments 

FRAUENFELDER 

MCKELLAR TAKES OVER AS ATA CEO 

The Australian Trucking Association 

(ATA) has appointed international 

association executive Andrew McKellar 

as its new CEO. 

McKellar was, most recently, the 

Paris-based secretary general for mobility at 

the International Automobile Federation (FIA). 

Before joining the FIA, he was CEO of the 

Australian Automobile Association (AAA) 

and the Federal Chamber of Automotive 

Industries (FCAI). 

In government, he was a senior adviser to 

successive Australian industry ministers from 

1996 to 1998. 

He also worked as an economist and 

research officer in the Department of the Prime 

Minister and Cabinet, the federal Treasury and 

the Queensland Treasury. 

ATA chair David Smith is confident 

McKellar will “lead the ATA to new levels of 

Andrew McKellar 

effectiveness and member service”. 

“The board was very impressed by 

Andrew’s experience in international 

advocacy for road safety during his 

tenure at the FIA and his understanding 

of the emerging trends influencing 

safety, sustainability and competitiveness 

in road transport and mobility globally,” 

Smith says. 

BONE SWAPS MACK FOR VOLVO 

A Volvo Group Australia personnel change 

sees Mack Trucks vice president Gary 

Bone take on the role of Volvo Trucks vice 

president. 

The move follows the recent promotion 

of Tony O’Connell to managing director of 

Volvo Trucks Malaysia 

Bone has 17 years’ experience with 

Mack and Volvo Group Australia, initially 

starting out in Mack retail sales. 

Since then, he has held a number of 

roles, including two years in the US with 

the Mack brand, before assuming the 

position of senior vice president of Mack 

Trucks Australia from 2005 to 2008, and 

as vice president of Volvo Trucks Australia 

from 2009 to 2013. 

Bone rejoined Volvo Group Australia as 

Sam Suda 

Hino Australia has unveiled a series of senior 

management changes, with president and COO 

Sam Suda now president and CEO, supported by 

two new vice presidents. 

Bill Gillespie is assigned the new role of vice 

president – brand and franchise development, 

moving up from a general manager role. 

The brand and franchise development division 

encompasses sales, supply chain, franchise 

Gary Bone 

Mack vice president in March 2020 after 

over five years at Chesterfield Australia. 

“In a rapidly changing transport 

environment, I am delighted to see Gary 

back at the helm of the Volvo Trucks 

brand,” Volvo Group Australia president 

and CEO Martin Merrick says. 

NEW HHTS CEO 

Naomi Frauenfelder is the new CEO 

of industry mental health non-profit 

Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds 

(HHTS). 

Frauenfelder brings extensive 

rail experience to the role and 

was most recently executive 

director at TrackSafe Foundation, an 

Australian rail industry not-for-profit 

that addresses suicide on the rail 

network and the resultant trauma 

caused to train drivers and other 

frontline staff. 

“The HHTS board is delighted to 

welcome Naomi into this executive 

leadership role, and looks forward 

to working collaboratively with 

her as the foundation builds on its 

three key pillars; training, standards 

and wellness,” HHTS chair Paul 

Graham says. 

Frauenfelder will oversee early this 

year HHTS’s launch of a three-year 

Industry Blueprint Strategy, national 

framework, guidelines and a 

Charter for Psychological Safety 

for road transport and logistics, in 

conjunction with AP Psychology & 

Consulting Services (APPCS). 

Interim CEO Lachlan Benson will 

work alongside Frauenfelder until 

April to support the delivery of the 

industry-wide initiative. 

NEW EXECUTIVE STRUCTURE FOR HINO 

Naomi 

Frauenfelder 

development, product strategy, marketing and bus 

departments. 

Greg Bleasel has also been promoted to the new 

position of vice president – product support from a 

general manager role. 

His expanded responsibilities now include 

information technology alongside customer 

experience, parts sales, parts supply chain, service 

and technical support and national training. 


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OPEN ROAD 

The gig economy controversy 

Any creation of a class of hybrid worker must be avoided 

WARREN CLARK 

is CEO of the 

National Road 

Transport 

Association 

(NatRoad) 

The ‘gig economy’ is an issue facing many 

industries and, while there is no current evidence 

that more so-called ‘gig’ jobs are being created in 

the heavy vehicle sector, on-line deliveries are growing 

in the road transport industry, especially in the food 

delivery sector. 

We know that current trends started by the 

Uber phenomenon have the potential to increase 

contracting roles. 

But the term ‘gig job’ is currently a loaded term 

that does not convey that these roles are contractbased 

with the benefits that come with independent 

contracting, which is often overlooked by commentators. 

It is clear that the popularity of this form of 

engagement is low amongst members. 

When NatRoad conducted a member survey in 2019 

to find out the extent to which members were utilising 

digital platforms for obtaining work, the response 

showed very few had chosen to follow this path. 

Because of the low uptake amongst members, we 

question the level of disruption that is currently being 

created by moves to recognise a new category of worker, 

clumsily called a gig worker. 

NatRoad’s concern is that providing these types of 

workers with employee-like benefits may rob them of the 

benefits of this type of work, for example, the freedom as 

a contractor to set their own hours of work and to accept 

or reject work. 

There is also the potential for fierce argument that 

2021 is a year where the Victorian 

government will finalise its 

response to its June 2020 report 

into on-demand work 

Right: 

There is concern 

that the creation 

of a new category 

of worker will 

affect the status 

of owner-drivers 

owner-operators are gig workers and that their status 

should be changed from where the current law operates: 

they are independent contractors, albeit with some 

special statutory rights. 

2021 is a year where the Victorian government 

will finalise its response to its June 2020 report into 

on-demand work, where NatRoad made submissions on 

our policy stance that there should not be recognition of 

a third category of operation. This year will also see the 

controversial Jamsek case come to a head with a hearing 

in the High Court. 

The full Federal Court recently made a significant 

ruling about whether owner-operators are employees or 

independent contractors. 

The case has the potential to negatively affect many 

current owner-operator contractual arrangements. 

The court upheld an appeal by two truck drivers 

pursuing unpaid leave and superannuation entitlements 

after working exclusively for a company for almost 40 

years. 

In summary, the legal framework between the 

parties involved the drivers, for large part through their 

partnerships, contracting with the company, with the 

partnerships supplying the vehicles for their work. 

Plus, a written contract expressed that the relationship 

was not an employment relationship. 

These are indications that the drivers were operating 

independent businesses. 

In the mind of the court these were outweighed, 

however, by other factors. For example, for nearly 40 

years, they worked full-time as truck drivers in the 

business. 

In addition, the relevant work was their sole source 

of income during that long period. They did not drive, or 

deliver goods, for any other entity or business. 

The drivers thus were not characterised as engaging in 

entrepreneurial or profit-motivated activity said to be “a 

hallmark of an independent business”. 

Another issue, the inability to generate goodwill as 

a factor in the finding of an employment relationship, 

is important as there are no contracts that NatRoad is 

aware of where the hirer agrees that an owner-operator 

accrues goodwill. 

So, one of the critical factors in finding the drivers to be 

employees is commonplace in the industry, even where 

other arrangements clearly point to an independent 

contracting relationship. 

That is a matter that must be reviewed and overturned. 

The last thing we want is an outcome of a hybrid 

category between an employee and a contractor – the 

so-called gig worker. 


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OPERATIONS + STRATEGY 

Mental Health 

Industry’s 

mental health 

custodians reveal 

how adversity 

has spurred 

a widespread 

response 

With growing clarity on transport 

and logistics’ mental health 

affliction, a whole new sector 

devoted to improving the industry’s 

outcomes is emerging. 

Already facing an uphill climb, Covid-19 

only served to add barriers, with research 

persistently painting a bleak picture. 

The reading is stark. A summary of the 

data cited includes: 

• Transport, postal and warehousing’s 

overall SuperFriend workplace index 

score is the lowest of any industry, with 

46 per cent of workers experiencing a 

mental health condition, with nearly one 

in five believing their work is to blame 

• A Deakin University mortality study 

shows 323 truck drivers committed 

suicide between 2001 and 2010, with 

the rate of suicide among road and rail 

drivers higher than any other occupation 

• That same study shows truck drivers 

have a 7 per cent higher chance of 

developing depression, while those with 

moderate depression are twice as likely to 

have a road crash while driving 

• Despite all this, Monash University’s 

Linfox-backed Driving Health Study finds 

only 10 per cent of truck drivers seek 

treatment for the signs of mental illness 

• A growing concern from Driving Health 

is the poorer profile of mental health for 

drivers under 35 years old 

These findings have motivated myriad 

initiatives and foundations to find answers, 

with proponents honing in on specific 

or broad areas including work culture, 

employment conditions, emotional 

awareness, education and access to 

professional help. 

Beyond mainstream associations like 

LifeLine, Black Dog and Beyond Blue, 

though often working in conjunction with 

them, industry-specific efforts are gaining 

recognition and government backing, 

particularly via the Heavy Vehicle Safety 

Initiative (HVSI) – the yearly funding pool 

dedicated to improving industry outcomes. 

Recent HVSI recipients sought for 

comment include: Healthy Heads in Trucks 

and Sheds (HHTS), represented by interim 

CEO Lachlan Benson and recent inaugural 

CEO Naomi Frauenfelder; Steering Healthy 

Minds, represented by Transport Workers 

Union (TWU) national secretary Michael 

Kaine; HeadFit MindFit, represented by 

Victorian Transport Association (VTA) CEO 

Peter Anderson; and Mental and Physical 

Safety (MaPS) on Our Roads, represented 

by Injury Matters recovery support manager 

Christine Smith. 

Also offering their insights are former 

police officer and now Teletrac Navman 

solutions specialist Chris L’Ecluse on 

his career on the road, and NHVR CEO 

Sal Petroccitto on the regulator’s 

responsibilities in this space. 

It’s important to note these aren’t the only 

ones invested in steering industry to a light 

at the end of a dark tunnel. 

There are too many to credit – including, 

on the owner-driver side, the OzHelp 

Foundation developing a ‘Health in Gear’ 

program for owner-drivers – which at this 

point can be viewed as a positive. 

DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM 

The respondents unanimously acknowledge 

that truck driving is fraught with danger – 

both physical and psychological. 


ON THE 

MEND 

WORDS MARK GOJSZYK 

Before his career led him to 

the private sector, L’Ecluse was an 

officer policing the gateway into 

Perth, populated by vehicles from 

eastern states. 

“Patrolling those streets 

frequented by the heavy vehicle 

industry, you become aware of 

some of the challenges that the 

drivers and the operators are 

exposed to,” he regales. 

“It’s not just doing the school 

run – this is a profession and these 

individuals do an arduous job, and 

I don’t think society lends them the 

respect and patience they deserve. 

“It became apparent early on that 

people think you’re just sat in a chair 

holding a steering wheel.” 

Even back then, L’Ecluse could 

sense the disquiet bubbling 

underneath the surface. 

“The physical health had a lot to 

do with endless hours behind the 

wheel without physical activity, and 

the truck stops didn’t often cater for 

a healthy diet. 

“All of this can combine to create 

not only a poor physical state, but a 

poor mental state. 

“On one hand, contractual 

pressures were such that it was 

difficult to meet requirements 

without breaching some sort of 

requirement, whether it be speed 

related or hours behind the wheel. 

“Then you add the other layer 

of being absent from your family, 

kids, home, a normal bed for the 

normal routine, and after a while 

it manifests.” 

Kaine, who has been involved with 

multiple studies, recites the union’s 

well-repeated line on industry 

conditions and driver wellbeing. 

“Long working hours, social 

isolation, long periods away from 

family and friends, financial stress, 

deadline pressure, low levels of 

job control, and chronic fatigue are 

factors that many drivers would 

identify with,” he lists. 

“These factors are directly linked 

to the economics of the industry, 

Top right: 

HHTS CEO 

Naomi 

Frauenfelder 

Below: Injury 

Matters 

recovery 

support 

manager 

Christine 

Smith 

whereby low-cost contracts at the 

top by retailers, manufacturers and oil 

companies have a direct impact on 

transport operators and result in drivers 

being pushed to drive long hours in 

stressful conditions.” 

There’s also growing cognisance of 

the mental trauma cause by suicide 

by truck, where members of the public 

seek to self-harm via a heavy vehicle 

collision, and truck drivers as first 

responders to incident, particularly in 

remote areas. 

The former is subject to an ongoing 

Suicide in Road Transport (SiRT) 

probe, led by the National Road Safety 

Partnership Program (NRSPP) and peak 

roads agency Austroads, which follows 

Toll Group’s own recent analysis and 

recognition on the matter. 

L’Ecluse is involved with the 

SiRT national working group, which 

acknowledges “road traffic suicides 

are a particular problem for the heavy 

vehicle industry with drivers placed at 

risk of death, injury, and trauma”. 

“A lot of these guys, when they started 

up in the industry, didn’t realise that 

they were going to be involved in a lot of 


Top: TWU 

national 

secretary 

Michael Kaine 

Above: HHTS 

interim CEO 

Lachlan Benson 

Opposite: Linfox 

CEO Mark 

Mazurek, chair 

Peter Fox, HHTS 

CEO Naomi 

Frauenfelder, 

Linfox founder 

and HHTS patron 

Lindsay Fox 

these incidents,” L’Ecluse says. 

“Maybe not as participants, 

certainly as a witness, and it’s 

really hard for them to have to 

deal with that. 

“It doesn’t matter how strong or 

experienced you are, there are some 

things that can trigger mental health 

issues in everybody.” 

The latter is part of MaPS on Our 

Roads’ focus, while the Northern 

Territory Road Transport Association 

(NTRTA) was allocated HVSI funding 

in 2019 to assist heavy vehicle 

drivers who become first responders 

to road accidents. 

Frauenfelder, who joins HHTS 

from a rail background, including 

harm-prevention charity TrackSafe, 

notes the issues aren’t dissimilar in 

that sector. 

“Train drivers are exposed to most 

incidents on the networks, so there at 

a suicide, or a level crossing collision, 

or a trespasser, or even in the hit,” 

she says. “The driver ultimately 

doesn’t know if the person’s going 

to get out of the way in time and it 

can cause just as severe and lasting 

trauma as an actual collision.” 

COVID IMPACT 

A global pandemic only compounds 

the complex task of tackling the 

sector’s mental health challenge. 

One positive has been a belated 

public acceptance of trucking’s 

intrinsic role in society’s functionality 

and, on a basic level, survivability. 

“In the past, formative research 

identified a range of common 

concerns including feeling 

undervalued, lacking infrastructure, 

and having unrecognised skills 

within the broader community,” 

Smith says. 

“Positively, since the Covid-19 

pandemic, there has been a wider 

recognition of the essential role 

heavy vehicle operators play within 

society and the critical role that 

the industry has in food security 

and ensuring day-to-day needs; 

thus, the value, need, and perception 

of heavy vehicle drivers has 

increased overall.” 

However, individually, 

“workloads and pressure increased 

simultaneously at this time”. 

Anderson, whose state suffered 

the most severe Covid outbreak, is no 

stranger to the added roadblocks to 

the freight task in and out of Victoria. 

“A crisis like Covid-19 has not just 

been very disruptive affecting the 

way we live, work and run businesses 

but has exacerbated the underlying 

issues that have been evident in the 

industry for decades. 

“Further, the implementation and 

management of the restrictions at 

worksites, border crossings, personal 

testing regimes and meeting the 

changing customer demands 

throughout lockdowns has placed 

major strains on the entire workforce 

of every T&L business.” 

While those linked to supermarket 

or essential supplies distribution 

reaped the rewards of surplus 

demand, others had their livelihoods 

ruptured by severe downturns. 

“Owner-drivers have experienced 

fluctuating work, with business 

almost cut off during lockdowns 

as elective surgery, retailers and 

hospitality venues stopped, and then 

pressure on when demand surged 

during panic buying,” Kaine explains, 

also citing the ongoing uncertainty 

caused by border rule changes and 

the potential of transmission from 

exposure sites. 

“Drivers have battled bureaucracy, 

permit systems, Covid testing 

regimes, checkpoints and shut and 

restricted truck stops, where hot 

meals and showers were often hard 

to come by. 

“This has had an impact on their 

mental health. 

“Drivers have endured working on 

the frontlines during the pandemic, 

and for drivers with vulnerable family 

members at home this added a layer 

of stress.” 

AVAILABLE HELP 

Healthy Heads 

HHTS has rapidly emerged as 

industry’s eminent mental health 

foundation, attracting bipartisan 

political support, acceptance from 

large and small operators, union 

support and links with accredited 

psychological experts. 

Benson points out its vast 

network of influence and industry 

engagement: founding patron 

Lindsay Fox’s Linfox company is 

a partner of Monash University’s 

studies, along with the TWU, and 


it has a memorandum of understanding 

(MOU) with the NRSPP suicide study. 

It was allocated a $600,000 HVSI grant 

that will go toward the development of 

an industry-wide Blueprint Strategy for 

best-practice psychological safety. 

Benson has been a major pillar of HHTS’s 

growth, describing the foundation as born 

from a workshop by a “coalition of the 

willing” led by Paul Graham, the Primary 

Connect managing director and chief 

supply chain officer of Woolworths Group, in 

August 2018. 

“Paul is a real champion of mental health, 

not just in his own workforce but across the 

sector as a whole, and it’s something he’s 

very passionate about.” 

The HHTS vision was to establish an 

overarching whole-of-industry foundation. 

“Like the industry, mental health knows 

no borders – we wanted to deliver a 

foundation that could facilitate the delivery 

of new and existing programs to support the 

industry on a national scale.” 

It’s that ambition that drew Frauenfelder 

to become the first permanent HHTS CEO. 

“My personal motivation for joining was 

based on my passion for mental health and 

improving mental health outcomes, and the 

opportunity to do it at an industrial scale, 

particularly with the industry the size of 

transport and logistics. 

“It just presents such an awesome 

opportunity to improve the lives of people in 

those industries.” 

Frauenfelder becomes one of the few 

women in leadership roles, and while 

acknowledging the gender imbalance, notes 

“mental health issues don’t discriminate 

between genders”. 

“There has been a lot of work done 

to improve this imbalance, however, by 

promoting thriving workplaces, we hope that 

in future more women are encouraged to 

participate in the industry.” 

At the core of HTTS’s national 

mental health strategy development is 

standardising policy and procedures for 

transport logistics operations to de-stress 

their working environment. 

“One of the questions we asked ourselves, 

Mental health issues don’t discriminate 

between genders 

in preparing for the launch of our blueprint 

later this year, was: where do you want to be 

in three years’ time?” Benson says. 

HHTS wants to put more emphasis on 

playing a stronger role as the coordinating 

umbrella organisation in addressing the 

industry-wide risk factors and structural 

challenges. 

“There will be three pillars on which we’re 

going to build that national mental health 

strategy: training, standards, and wellness.” 

The first step is increasing the number of 

people trained in transport logistics facilities 

as mental health first-aiders. 

“So not only is there someone that you 

can tell, ‘I’m not feeling well,’ but someone 

who’s watching the person who may not 

be well and check in with them, and make 

a positive intervention to say, ‘Hey, you’re 

really quiet today. Are you okay?’ 

“We all talk about safety in terms of our 

operations and when we get on the road, but 

that kind of mental wellbeing conversation 

and checking needs to be part of the daily 

set of operational protocols in any transport 

logistics workplace. 

“Above all, through delivering these tools 

and education programs and resources, and 

de-stigmatising the conversation, we want 

to be building resilience for people.” 

The wellness pillar also puts exercise, 

diet, nutrition, physical wellbeing into mix as 

a way of improving mental health. 

The aim for HHTS is to have the 

national best-practice framework adopted 

and supported across industry, with 

stakeholders measuring themselves against 

the self-certification process in the blueprint 

to find improvements across their operation. 

“We want to go from being a laggard in 

mentally healthy workplaces to an actual 

leader,” Benson says, noting a pilot program 

and research study will further drive these 

ambitions, with a membership drive and 

mobile application to follow. 

“We want to build our research evidence 

of positive mental health interventions 

in the sector – what works, what is 

actually turning things around and making 

improvements in people’s daily lives in 

the sector.” 

Benson is adamant a balance has been 

struck at the foundation that will adequately 

cater for the whole industry, with HHTS 


individuals and providing the individual 

support into T&L organisations,” 

Anderson says. 

“The VTA has been encouraged to 

witness a number of businesses recognise 

the need to take action and are accepting 

the assistance that is now available. 

“They recognise it is not easy and 

requires an open and committed approach 

by senior management and a practical 

framework to manage the program.” 

HeadFit BusinessFit experienced 

challenges due to Victoria’s Covid-19 

situation but is now fully developed and 

being implemented into specific transport 

companies, Anderson adds. 

to be open to all operators in the industry, 

regardless of size or scale. 

“There is acknowledged responsibility 

by the big end of the town that they need 

to fund the participation and accessibility 

of this initiative – because not only do they 

have the willpower, but they’ve actually got 

the capacity to help make this happen. 

“It has been set up as an industry 

-for-industry solution with have a broad 

representation, right down to individual 

drivers being involved.” 

Steering Healthy Minds 

In a similar vein, Steering Healthy 

Minds’ objectives include bringing about 

peer-to-peer training on mental health so 

transport workers can access immediate 

help from someone known to them in their 

workplace who can offer initial support and 

point them to further help. 

The program came about initially about 

18 months ago from a working group 

involving the TWU, industry superannuation 

fund TWUSuper, Queensland safety 

regulator WorkCover Queensland, the 

Queensland Transport Association (QTA), 

Transport Education Audit Compliance 

Health Organisation (TEACHO) and 

chair Professor Daryl Hull of Macquarie 

University, Toll and the Queensland Bus 

Industry Council. 

“The aim was to train up mental health 

first aiders,” Kaine says. 

“Other programs focusing on getting 

drivers to access professional support 

services are important but often are only 

accessed when problems are critical. 

“The peer-to-peer support that the 

Steering Health program entails is vital in 

getting drivers to talk about mental health 

problems when they begin and to access 

treatment quicker.” 

The peer-to-peer support that the Steering 

Health program entails is vital in getting 

drivers to talk about mental health 

Since its launch in October, three pilot 

projects are underway at Toll, Startrack and 

Surfside Buslines on the Gold Coast, with 

another four companies in Queensland 

involved in waterfront and waste 

management to begin later. 

With national expansion on the cards, a 

working group has been set up in Western 

Australia, with more planned for Northern 

Territory and Tasmania. 

Kaine concludes with a warning shot, 

noting that ultimately the ‘economics of the 

industry’ must be adequately addressed to 

truly aid industry’s sustainability. 

“If we want to tackle mental health and 

other problems in our industry, ultimately 

that is the issue we must address.” 

HeadFit BusinessFit 

The VTA’s HeadFit BusinessFit aims to 

help keep businesses remain commercially 

viable and retain productive and motivated 

employees. 

Linking with service provider Gallagher’s 

Workplace Risk, rather than being one-off, 

it seeks “genuine ongoing commitment” 

by focusing on implementing an integrated 

change-management approach to 

mental health and wellbeing in transport 

organisations. 

“It is designed to create a positive 

workplace environment in employer 

companies by building positive 

workplace cultures and senior leadership, 

implementing effective systems and 

processes, connecting and engaging 

A one-year roll out across Melbourne 

and regional Victoria, using a seven-phase 

process, will deliver and measure the 

outcomes and benefits for each individual 

company, with the VTA to report on 

individual outcomes in due course. 

MaPS on our Roads 

MaPS on our Roads is the latest brainchild 

of Western Australian foundation Injury 

Matters, an organisation that aims to 

prevent and reduce the impact of injury, and 

actively works alongside older adults. 

“Available data, and our experience 

in supporting people affected by road 

trauma, highlighted the need for a 

program co-designed alongside drivers – 

culminating in the development of the MaPS 

on our Roads program,” Smith says. 

It aims to increase awareness of staying 


mentally and physically safe, such 

as after a traumatic event; increase 

understanding of how to assist 

others impacted by a road crash and/ 

or experiencing mental concerns; 

and raise awareness of when and 

where to seek professional help. 

It launched its first campaign in 

2020, with encouraging results. 

“Education, resources, and 

presentations have been well 

received when the teams have had 

the opportunity to present to heavy 

vehicle operators,” Smith says. 

“It has been great to see the way 

operators interact on social media, 

particularly through Facebook, 

with hundreds of comments and 

discussions about their experiences 

on the road for work. 

“We saw the resilience and 

receptiveness of this industry to 

wellbeing programs that genuinely 

aim to understand their experiences. 

“We also saw a significant number 

of friends and family engaging with 

our messaging; raising awareness 

to those in their lives working or 

who have worked in the industry the 

support available.” 

A continued review and dialogue 

with industry is underway on delivery 

strategies to reach the broader 

workforce in upcoming campaigns 

in the face of competing demands, 

time and Covid-19 constraints on 

the workforce. 

“As humans, we need human 

connection for our emotional 

wellbeing,” Smith says. 

“There is now more awareness 

within society, including the 

heavy vehicle industry, of the 

benefits of opening up about 

mental health issues. 

“This dialogue about mental 

health can always be improved, 

and we hope that ongoing MaPS on 

our Roads campaigns will further 

enhance this change.” 

Health in Gear 

The OzHelp Foundation is basing a 

new ‘Health in Gear’ owner-driver 

pilot program on its own review that 

draws on many recent findings into 

the poor health outcomes of drivers. 

The program will shortly start a 

pilot phase and is informed by the 

findings of the review, an OzHelp 

statement notes, with key themes, 

nature of program interventions, and 

possible delivery methods identified. 

Interventions will focus on 

‘Wellness in small chunks’ – a series 

of practical tools and tips to support 

health and wellness for owner drivers 

through diet and exercise, sleep, 

connections with family and friends, 

financial wellbeing, job pressures 

and the owner-driver community. 

The program will offer flexible 

delivery through a digital platform, 

face-to-face, telephone, or 

face to screen support, and 

collaboration with other services and 

organisations working in the mental 

health and wellness space. 

“This is an incredibly important 

project that we are well placed to 

deliver,” OzHelp CEO Darren Black 

says. “Our long history in working 

with hard to reach and at-risk male 

workforces gives us a baseline 

understanding of the barriers to 

seeking help and behaviour change.” 

REGULATOR’S APPROACH 

For the most part, each group is 

supportive of others’ efforts and see 

co-existence as necessary. 

This view is shared by the NHVR, 

with $1.8 million allocated to 

activities that support mental health 

matters in the heavy vehicle industry. 

Admitting there is “no real silver 

bullet”, Petroccitto says industry’s 

realisation of the need to raise 

awareness and develop various 

programs is a “fantastic outcome”. 

“I think the success in a lot of 

those is the industry coming forward 

and saying, ‘We’ve got issues here. 

We need to step up, work with 

government agencies, with our own 

partners and industry itself to start to 

really address these concerns.’ 

“The amount of money that goes 

into the health budget every year as 

a result of mental health issues is 

something that we all need to take 

seriously, and by focusing on the 

areas that can achieve the greatest 

outcome and benefit holistically, 

there are benefits to other parts of 

society.” 

Above: NHVR CEO 

Sal Petroccitto 

Opposite above: 

VTA CEO Peter 

Anderson 

Opposite below: 

Teletrac Navman 

solutions 

specialist Chris 

L’Ecluse 


Not only is there a social and a 

duty care aspect to this, there’s an 

economic aspect 

Now six years into the role, Petroccitto 

acknowledges the regulator plays a huge 

part in industry’s mental health outcomes. 

He points to regulator’s focus 

on collaboration throughout Covid-19 as 

underscoring its own evolving approach. 

“We’ve seen the pressure points that hit 

the industry through border closures – do 

you or don’t you have to get tested? 

“We advocated and fought hard to keep 

truck stop and rest areas open. 

“Even in the way we approached our 

regulatory methods, we’re of the view that 

we educate and inform before we enforce.” 

The next elephant in the room is the 

impact of the onerous Heavy Vehicle 

National Law (HVNL) as a key pillar of the 

mental health discussion, with simplification 

in Petroccitto’s sights. 

“There are 790-odd pages in the ledger 

plus the supporting documents. It is literally 

too complex, so we’ve been very vocal in 

our desires to ensure that a reviewed HVNL 

simplifies the complexity in the law. 

“We want operators to focus on the task 

of driving, not whether they ticked the box 

or used correct spelling in a work diary. That 

doesn’t deliver a better safety outcome. 

That’s just bureaucracy gone mad. 

“We’ve been advocating for a 

streamlined law, but the ability to have a 

lot of the provisions in regard of guidance 

materials, which we can then work with to 

demonstrate what compliance looks like. 

“I’ve got 300-plus staff that work in the 

regulator, 70 odd enforcement officers on 

the side of the road – they have similar type 

challenges and issues. 

“So for us, that mental health wellbeing 

goes across the whole diverse activities 

of the things that we do as regulatory 

authorities through to the owner-driver, 

who has to deal with those challenges of 

meeting deadlines and understanding and 

navigating complex regulation.” 

WINDS OF CHANGE 

Echoing much of society, Anderson says 

effectively addressing mental health was 

previously hampered by low levels of 

understanding, with underlying causes of 

work-related stress often complex, making 

specific programs difficult to implement. 

“The individual in the transport workplace 

is constantly under time and scheduling 

pressure, financial pressure, family balance 

issues that can all lead to many symptoms 

that have a negative effect such as marriage 

breakdowns, emotional disassociation and 

coping difficulties,” he says. 

“Apart from the risk factors of depression 

and anxiety, mental health issues may 

present as interpersonal conflict, safety 

incidents and errors, absenteeism and low 

levels of worker engagement.” 

A stigma continues to prevail in most 

workplaces, Anderson says, which prevents 

those with mental health conditions 

speaking to the same extent that they would 

about their physical health. 

“As a consequence, the mental health 

stigma discourages people from seeking 

help and this makes recovery more difficult, 

fuels isolation and impacts productivity.” 

L’Ecluse pinpoints industry’s 

demographic as a contributing factor. 

“If industry was all 30-year-old people, 

and not just men, I think you’ll find a very 

different industry. 

“Because we’ve got an ageing population 

of drivers that came from the era of 

‘toughen up’, it’s been difficult to overcome 

that stigma and say something’s not right. 

Often it’s too late by the time that occurs.” 

Despite this, Anderson is optimistic 

the understanding and acceptance of the 

crippling impact of mental health in line 

with broader society “is gradually changing 

and the supportive evidence that has been 

developed cannot be denied”. 

L’Ecluse also believes cultural change 

is achievable, albeit gradual, likening it to 

shifting perceptions around drink driving. 

“Back in the 1970s, it was common to 

boast about exploits while drink-driving: 

‘Yeah, I went out and drove home, and didn’t 

spill my beer,’ and that would be celebrated. 

“Then, starting in around the mid-to-late 

1980s, there was a concerted effort by 

authorities and governments to educate 

people on the dangers of drinking and 

driving and bring in the alcohol limit. 

“Now, drink driving is rarely talked about 

and certainly not celebrated.” 

In his current line of work, L’Ecluse sees 

technology as working hand-in-hand with 

legislation, pointing to electronic work 

diaries ensuring drivers don’t have to focus 

mentally on when their next rest break is 

required, or not breaching their rule set, 

“because the electronic device does that”. 

Change is vital for industry’s viability, 

Benson says, given the ageing workforce 

and imminent skills shortage, with a bleak 

mental outlook making transport and 

logistics an even less enticing career option 

for younger people. 

“Not only is there a social and a duty care 

aspect to this, there’s an economic aspect. 

“If we don’t look after the people in the 

sector, and if those increasingly impacted are 

people in their late 20s, early 30s, if they exit 

the industry due to mental health, we won’t 

have a new generation coming through to 

replace a largely older male demographic.” 

Benson and Frauenfelder are optimistic 

reform is possible, noting a virtual call with 

a firm that burst to life when a manager 

opened up on their mental health journey. 

“A conversation which had been very 

quiet, from 20, 25 people across the 

organisation, became very chatty, and there 

was a mood that lifted as people were able 

to talk about their problems and issues. 

“So, we think we are starting to see 

that change.” 


INDUSTRY VOICE 

Finding future leaders 

Trucking will progress best by giving following generations the right backing 

DAVID SMITH 

chairs the 

Australian 

Trucking 

Association 

Like many Australian industries, the trucking 

industry is facing disruption and innovation as 

modern technologies change the way we do 

business, work and live. 

Our industry can be expected to go through great 

change but must also address the issues of today, 

including safety, building business productivity and 

recruiting skilled and motivated employees. 

In response to this change, and with the 

responsibility to ensure a viable future for our industry, 

the Australian Trucking Association and Daimler Truck 

and Bus partnered to deliver the career-defining Future 

Leaders’ Forum. 

Now in its fourth year, the Daimler Truck and 

Bus Future Leaders’ Forum is developing the next 

generation of trucking leaders, shaping them to be 

strong, experienced and knowledgeable representatives 

of their business, community, association and industry. 

Over the years, we have seen future leaders come 

from all over the country from a wide range of 

backgrounds and roles, including business analytics, 

driver training, logistics, livestock, compliance and 

finance, representing the various aspects of the 

transport industry. 

During the forum, our future leaders take part in 

intensive workshops in Canberra where they are 

mentored by experts in leadership, media and political 

training, developing their potential as future leaders 

of the industry and the ATA’s network of member 

associations. 

This political training involves real lobbying meetings 

at Parliament House with senior politicians, advocating 

for key industry issues. 

The forum also sees Future Leaders undertake a 

specialised leadership project that focuses on a key 

industry issue. 

Some of these projects explore ecommerce, driver 

training and retention, industry attraction, succession 

planning, compliance and implementation of 

technology systems, and are presented at the ATA’s 

next Trucking Australia conference. 

2018 Future Leader Stacey Davies says the forum 

was the best training and development she has taken 

part in throughout her 10-year career. 

“It allowed me to not only create valuable and 

ongoing working relationships with other young 

leaders in my industry, but also helped me to develop 

and refine my project management and presentation 

skills with the guidance of industry professionals in a 

safe and encouraging environment,” says Davies. 

“After taking part in the inaugural 2018 program, I 

received a job promotion as I was able to showcase 

my commitment, drive and dedication to the 

business through the implementation of my future 

leaders project.” 

Reflecting on his experience, 2019 Future Leader 

Matthew Allen says the forum is a great development 

program that stands out from the rest as it is delivered 

and backed by people in the industry. 

“My confidence in presenting and communicating 

grew after the program and I was given opportunities 

to continue to develop that in my professional role. 

This led to an internal promotion about six months 

after completing,” explains Allen. 

“The program puts you on the other side of the fence 

and gives you an insight into how legislation is created, 

the association’s role and involvement in the industry 

as well as providing a safe environment for you to grow 

and develop your leadership skills.” 

From their examples, and every single Future 

Leader who has progressed through this program, 

it is clear this type of initiative nurtures the next 

generation of Australia’s transport industry leaders 

and helps to make the trucking a destination for the 

country’s finest. 

To find out more about the Daimler Truck and Bus 

Future Leaders’ Forum, head to www.truck.net.au/ 

futureleaders. 

ATA MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS 

ATA DIRECT LINE 

Captions: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

(02) 6253 6900 

NSW ROAD FREIGHT NSW – Simon O’Hara .................................... Ph: (02) 9922 6507 

VIC VTA – Peter Anderson .................................................... Ph: (03) 9646 8590 

QLD QTA – Gary Mahon. ..................................................... Ph: (07) 3394 4388 

SA SARTA – Steve Shearer .................................................... Ph: (08) 8445 8177 

WA Western Roads Federation – Cam Dumesny .................................. Ph: (08) 9355 3022 

NT NTRTA – Louise Bilato ......................................................Ph: 0400 107 223 

NatRoad (incorporating the Aust Road Train Assoc) – Warren Clark .................. Ph: (02) 6295 3000 

Aust Livestock & Rural Transporters Association ............................. Ph: (02) 6247 5434 

Australian Furniture Removers Association – Executive director: Joe Lopino .........Ph: 1800 671 806 

Tasmanian Transport Association – Michelle Harwood. ........................... Ph: 0427 366 742 


OPERATIONS + STRATEGY 

Fletcher’s Earthmoving 

RIGHT 

TRUCK FOR 

THE JOB 

The Fletcher family in Queensland’s central highlands 

region is happy to talk about the toughness and reliability 

of their UD trucks past and present. But went it came to 

needing a unit that wouldn’t struggle uphill, a 700hp Volvo 

was the obvious choice 

WORDS 

GREG BUSH 

Despite the downside of 

these Covid-19 times, there 

can be some positives. Like 

discovering fascinating stories 

closer to Brisbane while interstate 

restrictions remained in place. 

As it turns out, I’d heard about 

the Fletcher family and their loyalty 

to UD Trucks. It was a bit of a hike 

as the Fletchers live in the Central 

Queensland town of Duaringa on 

the Capricorn Highway between 

Rockhampton and Blackwater. 

According to the 2016 Census, 

Duaringa boasts a population of 

less than 300. Since the collapse 

of the mining boom, the town has 

quietened down a little and house 

prices have plummeted. Zane 

Fletcher jokingly says his late 

father Geoffrey was the last person 

actually born in Duaringa. 

Zane and his two sons, Nathan 

and Brodie, operate Fletcher’s 


Earthmoving, a successful business 

that belies the town’s current quiet 

status. Geoffrey Fletcher passed 

away early in 2020 and, due to 

Covid restrictions, only six people 

were allowed to attend the funeral. 

But it was Geoffrey who began the 

family’s lifelong admiration for the 

UD brand when he bought a 1974 

model back in the early 1980s. 

“He used to be a mechanic here 

on the council and he bought the 

truck to cart gravel,” Zane recalls. 

“Then it got a bit quiet on the 

council. I was with Pioneer Concrete 

and I got him a job in Blackwater. 

So we took the tipper off and we 

put a concrete bowl on it, so then he 

carted concrete for years. 

“Then it slowed up and he put the 

tipper back on and he carted grain. 

We made metre high sides on it, 

hungry boards. 

“He could cart 20 tonnes on a 

body truck,” Nathan laughs. “These 

days you’d get shot for it, but you 

could get away with it back then.” 

He adds that his grandfather 

taught him to drive in that old green 

UD, even though he was at an age 

where he could barely reach the 

pedals. 

“When you’re out in the bush, you 

can do whatever.” 

Geoffrey later bought a water 

tank, spending the rest of his 

working life carting water until Zane 

took it over. 

“I bought it off dad to stop him 

driving so he could retire,” Zane 

adds. 

The truck then ended up with a 

property owner at Blackwater, still 

registered and currently hauling 

soil. It was that truck which was 

the beginning of a long, working 

relationship with UD. 

“I drove for a bloke in Rocky, who 

had three 41s; they had nine-speed 

Roadrangers in them,” he continues. 

I don’t think you could beat a 

UD for council work 


Zane Fletcher’s 

first encounter 

with the UD brand 

was a driving job in 

Rockhampton 

Below: The truck 

that started the UD 

ball rolling for the 

Fletchers. A ’74 

model bought by 

family patriarch 

Geoffrey Fletcher 


I only bought it for the 

noise it makes 

“The council had them here, 

they’ve had a heap of them, and 

they couldn’t break them. 

“And just reliable. We’ve hardly 

ever spent any money on them 

really. Never touched any motors, 

gearboxes, diffs, anything. 

“I don’t think you could beat a 

UD for council work, or off-road 

work. Big six rod, big springs at the 

back – just a real solid truck,” Zane 

says. 

All up, the Fletchers have owned 

seven UDs but they’ve reduced 

that number down to two – a 1998 

CW450 and, they’re showpiece, a 

2008 GW470. 

However, when I arrived at 

Duaringa, Brodie Fletcher was 

out working the roadtrain-rated 

470hp (350kW) UD on a road 

duplication between Gracemere 

and Rockhampton. Still, Zane and 

Nathan were keen to show off a 

large mounted photo of the 470 

that originally hung on the wall 

of the Rockhampton Mack/Volvo 

dealership five years ago. It was the 

exact same truck that they’d bought 

second hand. 

The Fletchers are regular visitors 

to the dealership, buying parts, 

although Zane points out that it 

Above: Nathan 

Fletcher reckons 

he started driving 

when his feet 

could barely 

touch the pedals 

Below: The FH16 

Volvo in AB-triple 

formation 

Opposite: The 

700hp Volvo 

loads up on 

chickpeas at a 

nearby Duaringa 

farm; Nathan’s 

new toy – a 

Kenworth T909 

doesn’t include UD parts, but for 

everything else. 

One day, the photo had 

disappeared from the wall, 

whereabouts unknown until, shortly 

after, Nathan and Zane’s brother 

Guy walked in when the one of the 

salesmen announced: “I’ve got a 

present for you”, and brought the 

photo out. 

Their other UD, the CW450, was 

having a day off, parked among 

the Fletchers’ collection of trailers 

and equipment. Inside a shed sits a 

Kenworth T909 that regularly hauls 

side tippers. But more about that 

later. 

LOADING UP ON LEGUMES 

The most eye-catching item around 

the Fletchers’ yard, however, was 

a 700hp (522kW) FH16 Volvo in 

AB-triple formation. So I joined 

Zane and Nathan who were taking 

it on short trip to a nearby farm 

to load up around 65 tonnes of 

chickpeas, destined for Oakey on 

the Darling Downs, before being 

transported off to the Port of 

Brisbane. 

Although much of their main 

work comes from council and 

private property road maintenance, 

grain haulage is an area that 

the Fletchers moved into as a 

necessity. 

“A couple of years ago, the 

council cut back. The government 

pulled all the money. We needed 

something to do so we went into 

grain,” Nathan explains. 

“So we had to go to bigger trucks, 

AB-triples, because the UDs aren’t 

big enough for the work.” 

A cab-over was needed for the 

AB-triple set up, due to length laws, 

hence the arrival of the Volvo FH16 

a couple of years ago. 

“When we bought the Volvo, the 

bloke told us it was 600hp [447kW],” 

Zane says. “But when we had a 

good look in it, it was 700hp. 

“The more you put on it, the better 

it goes,” he laughs. 

It’s not the first Volvo the 

Fletchers have had in their small 

fleet. In fact, they’ve had a variety 

of brands over the years, including 

an International T-line, a Transtar, a 

Freightliner and a couple of Western 

Stars, one of which was a 2009 

day cab 4900 model with a 600hp 

Cummins. 

“It had an 18-speed autoshift 

with the clutch still, and it was good 

when it was good, but because 

there’s so much dust, dirt and 

bulldust, it used to play up a bit 

and get stuck on the road,” Nathan 

explains. 

Zane is concerned about the 

Volvo’s capabilities on dusty roads. 

“No problems with that truck yet, 

but we really haven’t stretched it on 

the dirt,” he says. 

SCENIC ARTWORK 

You know that the FH16 is going to 


e around for a while to come. For starters, 

there’s the ‘Bandit 2’ numberplate that 

they bought at auction. It formerly adorned 

one of Heavy Haulage Australia’s trucks, 

owned by Jon Kelly. 

Then there’s the distinctive ‘doin it in the 

dirt’ artwork above the Volvo’s doors. The 

image of the hill came from a photograph 

just out of town towards Rockhampton. 

They contacted an ex-employee of PJs 

Custom Spraypainting in Brisbane, known 

only as ‘Cyclone’, who made the trip north 

and worked on the artwork in one of the 

Fletcher’s sheds. 

Which brings us back to the Kenworth 

T909, which is distinguished by similar 

artwork. This time, however, it’s a mural on 

the back of the cab, the image based on a 

mountain scene on the road to Blackwater. 

“He wanted to make it look better than 

just a white truck, and he designed the 

twirl on the side,” Zane says. 

As for its working role, the Kenworth 

pulls side tippers. It came with 430,000 on 

the clock, now it’s up to 750,000. However, 

Zane says so far they haven’t had an issue 

with its engine. 

“We don’t know what horsepower really 

it is. … 600? But it’s been a real good truck 

for us. 

“Nathan won’t let anyone drive the 

Kenworth,” Zane jokes. “I might own 

it but I can’t drive it. You might put a 

piece of dirt on the seat or on the floor.” 

Zane’s most recent purchase, however, 

is an old Mack Valueliner. 

“We’ve spent a big of money on it 

already, but I only bought it for the noise it 

makes,” he laughs. 

As far as any more truck purchases 

go, it will most likely come back to the 

UD brand although there’s the issue of 

horsepower and payload. The 470hp, 

although setup as a roadtrain, is limited to 

less than 90 tonnes. 

Again, Zane was reluctant to say a bad 

word about all the UDs they’ve owned, due 

to their reliability. Nathan, however, is more 

to the point. 

“They turned us off them a bit because 

they’ve gone all Volvo and made them less 

horsepower instead of bumping them up, 

making a bigger truck,” Nathan says. 

“We would have loved something a bit 

bigger, a bit more power, bigger ratings, 

and we probably would stick with them. 

“They’re not big enough to pull our three 

trailers, and they don’t go up to 100 tonne 

GVM rating.” 

All up, it was a day well spent with Zane, 

Nathan, and their family, highlighting that 

the right choice of truck, and the ability 

to adapt to changing times, goes a long 

way to keeping their small operation going 

strong. 


RISK MANAGER 

Post-Covid challenges abound 

After a year like no other, operators face uncertain and demanding conditions 

ROZ SHAW 

after a 30-year career 

in running her 

family’s transport 

business Gallagher 

National Head 

of Transport Roz 

Shaw moved into 

an equally highlevel 

role in 

insurance, drawing 

on her industry 

experience and 

knowledge of 

operating a large 

transport business. 

The freight and logistics industry is an essential 

component of the national economy, ranking 

fourth in terms of its contribution. The 

sector is also integral to business activities in all 

other industries, influencing both productivity and 

overhead. 

But the impact of Covid-19 on freight movements 

is calculated to cost the sector an annualised 

decline of 1.3 per cent over 2020-21. At the same 

time, digitalisation of freight and warehousing 

logistics promises increased efficiencies and 

decreased costs, but requires a skilled workforce to 

implement these innovations. How the sector meets 

these challenges will influence business conditions 

across the board. 

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 

As ports were frozen in China in response to the 

outbreak of Covid-19 late in 2019, the effects hit the 

Australian freight and logistics sector. Delays were 

compounded by local restrictions, particularly the 

extended lockdown in Australia’s freight and logistics 

capital of Melbourne. 

Transport businesses affected included 

warehousing and storage facilities, distribution 

centres and heavy vehicle maintenance and repair 

services through closure, stock or staff shortages 

It has come to the point where trucks 

are sitting around idle, not because of 

a lack of freight, but because there is 

no-one to drive them 

or delays. In July 2020, the federal government 

introduced a Freight Movement Protocol and Code 

to manage border control and enforcement of Covid- 

19 testing, contact tracing, personal protective 

equipment and self-isolation for drivers crossing 

borders. As a result all businesses are now required 

to have a Covid safety plan. 

The extra security checks, hygiene and social 

distancing measures that have reduced workforces by 

about a third have further impeded operations. 

While these measures enable the industry to 

continue operations, productivity has been severely 

restricted. Strategy consultant Fiftyfive5 reports that 

93 per cent of Australian truck-based operations 

suffered an impact on their business, while the 

Freight & Trade Alliance estimated that movement 

restrictions would cause about 300,000 containers 

to accumulate at Australian wharves and prevent the 

unpacking and distribution of goods. 

Many companies, such as logistics group Qube, 

which invested $1.8 billion in the Moorebank 

intermodal terminal in south-western Sydney and 

handles freight at ports around Australia as well as 

ail terminals and truck fleets, have scrapped their 

projected budgets because they don’t know when 

normal activity will rebound. We don’t have visibility 

of the road ahead. 

GROWING SKILLS GAP 

Now that freight has started moving across the 

country again there’s that backlog the FTA predicted 

to deal with and that has brought the shortfall of 

skilled drivers into sharp focus. 

Anecdotally, we are hearing about larger operators 

looking to import drivers from New Zealand or even 

the United States. It has come to the point where 

trucks are sitting around idle, not because of a lack of 

freight, but because there is no-one to drive them. 

This also highlights the importance of ramping up 

the efficient vehicle combinations, enabling operators 

to carry more freight with the same amount of drivers 

required. This is a topic in itself which I will explore in 

more detail at a later date. 

Meanwhile, technology is revolutionising the freight 

and logistics industry. Digital technologies (such as 

tracking, inventory management and automation) 

have enabled market players to achieve greater 

economies of scale, and this will remain a major 

growth driver for the sector. 

To meet these technological advances the transport 

sector will need to address: 

• lack of digital culture and training 

• skills shortages and insufficient talent 

• data security and privacy. 

The last point is significant. With digitalisation 

of operations cyber security is an increasingly 

relevant risk, especially since TNT and AP Moller- 

Maersk were targeted as victims of the NotPetya 

global attacks in 2018. 

Insurance has an important role in 

managing uncertainty, and can help freight 

and logistics operators reduce their exposure 

to risks associated with delays and interruptions, 

and with the progressive digitalisation of their 

operations. 


Season 2 

Returns 

20th FEB 2021 

on 

THE BOYS 

ARE BACK! 

SATURDAYS AT 4:30PM

TRUCKS 

Andrew Hadjikakou 

Paccar Australia chief 

Andrew Hadjikakou 


KENWORTH 

MASTER 

CLASS 

In a year like no 

other in living 

memory, Paccar 

Australia achieved 

far more in 2020 

than simply 

endure a crisis 

decimating lives 

and livelihoods 

across the 

country. Paccar 

Australia 

chief Andrew 

Hadjikakou 

explains how 

Australia’s top 

truck maker 

quietly stamped 

its mastery on 

the heavy-duty 

market 

WORDS STEVE BROOKS 

It’s mid-week in early December 

and Victorians are tentatively 

emerging from 112 days of 

severe lockdown. Unquestionably 

the strictest and most gruelling 

restrictions in the country, by a 

long shot. 

Yet, walking through Tullamarine 

airport for the first time in a year, 

and in cafes and hotels and shops, 

there’s a subtle but nonetheless 

sanguine sense of reprieve as 

the state nervously retreats from 

a depressingly difficult and, as 

many believe and begrudge, largely 

avoidable second wave of Covid-19 

infections. A wave that took more 

than 800 Victorian lives. 

Still, it comes as no real surprise 

that at Paccar Australia headquarters 

in Bayswater on Melbourne’s 

south-eastern rim, Covid protocols 

remain robust and uncompromising. 

Security has always been tight at 

‘Kenworth castle’ but never like 

this. For employees and visitors 

alike, temperature checks are first 

order of the day, social distancing is 

disciplined, masks are mandatory 

and within the executive sanctum 

of head office, it’s quickly apparent 

that despite half hidden faces, some 

office staff are only now seeing each 

other for the first time in months. 

In most cases, many months of 

lockdown forced the ‘work from 

home’ ethos to become something of 

a new norm for white collar workers. 

What does come as a surprise 

though, the whole place is abuzz. 

In fact, if it weren’t for the masks 

and all the signs about keeping the 

bug at bay, you’d swear it was just 

any ordinary day on the job during a 

peak period. 

Sparkling new trucks are 

everywhere, fresh off the production 

line, a maze of models, colours and 

configurations. There’s movement all 

around as trollies and forklifts ferry 

components into the beating heart of 

the Bayswater plant as yet another 

creation rumbles off the line, looking 

for a temporary parking space before 

heading to work in the hard and fast 

tempo of Australian road transport. 

It’s just as obvious, however, that 

far more than health and social 

protocols have changed since the 

last time I was here almost two 

years ago. 

Behind the main production 

facility, for instance, there’s a vast 

new building set to add a new 

dimension to Paccar’s production 

capability as the company prepares 

to soon celebrate 50 years of 

Australian truck manufacturing. 

It’s all part of what Paccar 


Several weeks out from the end of the most 

tumultuous year in living memory, it was 

blatantly apparent Kenworth would finish 

2020 on an astonishing high 

Above: Andrew 

Hadjikakou 

announces to 

employees and 

visitors in early 

2018 that DAF is 

being assembled 

on the Bayswater 

line. There are 

big plans for 

DAF as Paccar 

now approaches 

50 years of 

Australian truck 

manufacturing 

Opposite: New 

truck sales have 

been enhanced 

by the federal 

government’s 

instant asset 

write-off 

initiative. For 

Kenworth, 

highly specified 

aspirational 

models have 

become even 

more affordable 

Australia managing director Andrew 

Hadjikakou had several years 

earlier announced as a $37 million 

expansion of the Bayswater plant, 

approved by Paccar principals in the 

US yet, as he proudly pointed out, 

funded entirely by the Australian 

operation. 

The announcement came at the 

hand-over of the first DAF model 

assembled on the Bayswater line and 

the likeable leader, known to many 

as simply ‘Hadge’, was boldly upbeat 

about Paccar’s plans. 

The plant expansion, he enthused, 

is a massive make-over, which will 

double the physical footprint of 

the Bayswater facility and see the 

installation of advanced robotics 

to not only enhance production 

efficiencies but significantly bolster 

warehousing capacity to meet 

expected increases in demand for 

both DAF and Kenworth models. 

That demand, however, is already 

happening. Big time, across the 

board, but most spectacularly on 

the Kenworth front. Despite the 

ravages of Covid-19 on the economic 

and social fabric of the country, 

Paccar Australia generally and 

Kenworth specifically appear to have 

kicked goals from every angle in the 

back half of 2020. Goals, perhaps, 

beyond anyone’s expectation or 

comprehension, including the 

Paccar faithful. 

Even so, it’s a subdued and typically 

mild-mannered Hadjikakou who 

contends that 2020 has been “… a 

challenge for everyone, like nothing 

any of us have experienced before 

and hopefully, like nothing any of us 

will have to experience again.” 

After a few seconds, he calmly 

adds: “Despite everything, we are 

incredibly grateful and fortunate to 

have the people and products we do.” 

ONE-ON-ONE 

Several weeks out from the end of 

the most tumultuous year in living 

memory, it was blatantly apparent 

Kenworth would finish 2020 on an 

astonishing high. 

Indeed, December’s delivery 

figures would soon show just how 

astonishing, sling-shotting the 

premier brand to an indomitable lead 

of the heavy-duty sector and in the 

process, reinforcing its increasingly 

historic hold on the big end of the 

business. 

Perhaps more than anything 

else though, the 2020 performance 

carved in concrete the critical extent 

and peerless depth of Paccar’s 

commitment to Australian truck 

manufacturing and vitally, the 

inestimable value of its local 

supply chains. 

Typically, of course, the company 

doesn’t talk publicly about things 

like the daily build rate of trucks out 

of Bayswater. But, monthly delivery 

figures make it easy enough to 

discern that at the end of 2020, there 

were around double the number of 

Kenworths rolling out of the plant 

each day than at the same time in 

2019. 

So, if speculation is correct that 

there were eight or nine units a day 

rolling off the line a year ago, it’s not 

hard to calculate that somewhere 

between 15 and 20 trucks were filing 

out of the factory each working day 

at the close of 2020. Like I said, the 

place was abuzz. 

Again despite the confronting 

circumstances of Covid-19, it is 

a remarkable achievement given 

that the back-end of 2019 saw 

an aggressive Volvo closing in on 

Kenworth’s reign at the top of the 

heavy-duty sector and mid-way 

through 2020, actually knocking KW 

off the leadership perch for first half 

honours. 

From the outside looking in, at the 

end of June 2020 and with Victoria 

reeling under brutal lockdown as a 

severe second wave of Covid-19 took 

hold, it seemed Kenworth’s footing 

on the top rung of the ladder was at 

severe risk of slipping into second 

spot for at least the remainder of 

the year. 

Since then, however, the 

turnaround has been incredible. 

While production at Volvo’s Wacol 

(Qld) plant slid markedly in the 

second half, Kenworth build rates 

started a steady rise. 

Significantly, Volvo Group Australia 

(VGA) dispensed with around 130 


people in the second half of 2020, whereas 

Paccar in November announced an intention 

to hire substantially more people. It was 

an announcement completely at odds with 

signs at the end of 2019 that Bayswater’s 

employee numbers were being cut. 

In the quiet confines of his office though, 

Hadjikakou did not dwell on numbers or 

comparisons with competitors, but nor was 

he shy about confidently asserting that 

Paccar Australia’s employee numbers will 

soon enough increase by around 300 people. 

“We’ve already added a lot of new staff,” 

he emphasises, before quickly adding: “And 

there are more to come. We’ve certainly not 

retrenched anyone.” 

Even more emphatic were his insights 

on the harsh realities enforced by the 

Covid crisis and more to the point, an 

immense regard for the people and policies 

which have not just helped guide the 

company through a brutally difficult time, but 

carve a remarkably bountiful passage on the 

way through. 

Asked his thoughts when it became 

starkly apparent that Covid would have 

such a dramatic impact on Australian life 

and business during the initial national 

shutdown, a candid Hadjikakou concedes: 

“Early in the year when we all started hearing 

the news here and abroad, it was very hard 

to be optimistic given so much uncertainty 

in the world. 

“That said, I was always confident we 

would weather it [but] the great uncertainty 

for us was what would the lockdown actually 

mean and what it meant for our employees 

and our communities. That was very hard 

to get a grip on and we were learning 

day-by-day, even hour-by-hour.” 

There were, he continued, also long 

conversations and directions coming from 

the US parent company, Paccar Inc. 

“As it turned out, our parent company was 

extremely wise to mandate that all Paccar 

factories worldwide would shut down for a 

month in March,” says Hadjikakou. 

“That was a God-send because it gave us 

a firebreak; a period where we could assess 

what needed to be done to make our plant 

Covid-safe, protect our employees and 

basically re-engineer the line with social 

distancing, screens and barriers. It was 

a lot of detail and a lot of new ideas were 

brought into play but all of it was absolutely 

essential. 

“We moved very fast with face masks, 

making them mandatory even before they 

were mandatory in the general population. 

That was a really good move.” 

Asked if he saw opportunities as well as 

obstacles during this period, he replies: “Yes, 

there were opportunities but perhaps not in 

the way some people might think. 

“The opportunity for us was to make 

sure we were safe and that we met our 

obligations to our customers. These were 

the real opportunities with Covid because 

it meant completely rethinking the way we 

thought and acted in our business. 

“Out of that have come a lot of good 

things. Like, I believe the ‘work from home’ 


NUMBERS TELL 

THE STORY 

At the close of 2019, Kenworth’s grip on 

heavy-duty market leadership was looking 

extremely tenuous, and with Volvo in hot pursuit, 

many pundits predicted it wouldn’t be long before 

the two swapped places on the leadership ladder. 

For the record, Kenworth finished 2019 with 

18.5 per cent of the market on the delivery of 

2,350 trucks. Volvo had drawn increasingly closer 

through the year, finishing with 17.6 per cent and 

2,239 units. 

Momentum certainly appeared to be with Volvo 

and in a decidedly depressed, Covid-constrained 

start to the year, the halfway point in 2020 saw the 

Swedish maker grab the front with 18.8 per cent 

and Kenworth back on 16.6 per cent. 

Then something happened. Either the wheels fell 

off Volvo’s charge or Kenworth demand went into 

hyper-drive, or maybe a bit of both. 

Whatever, Kenworth finished a most unusual 

2020 with a powerful surge, delivering 2,114 trucks 

for a market-leading 19.9 per cent, well ahead 

of Volvo with 16.4 per cent on the delivery of 

1,740 trucks. 

The final months of the year saw particularly 

remarkable results for Kenworth, especially 

December. In the final month of 2020, the brand 

captured an incredible 28.5 per cent of the national 

heavy-duty truck market, whereas Volvo was 

soundly smashed with a lacklustre 11.5 per cent. 

Strange days indeed! 

Meantime, Volvo’s conventional colleague 

Mack didn’t fare too well either, finishing the 

heavy-duty year in sixth spot overall with a modest 

6.6 per cent. No doubt, there are high hopes the 

upcoming Anthem plus a number of long-awaited 

developments in Super-Liner and Trident models 

will give the dog more bite in 2021. 

Yet, it wasn’t just Kenworth notching healthy 

figures as 2020 finally drew to a close. 

The other half of the Paccar pair also enjoyed a 

bountiful bounce in December as DAF notched a 

respectable 5.9 per cent of the heavy-duty class, 

pushing its end-of-year score to 4.5 per cent 

and in the process, hauling past the Japanese 

trio of Fuso, Hino and UD as well as Iveco and 

Freightliner. 

Who knows what 2021 will bring? Whatever, it’s 

sure to be anything but boring. 

scenario is here to stay in different 

ways in the future, and the way we have 

been able to relook at our processes, 

the way we clean and the way we keep 

ourselves hygienic. 

“I have people in the factory who 

regularly tell me they feel safer here at 

Bayswater than they do at their local 

supermarket. Given what we’ve all been 

through, that’s really special.” 

Similarly, there’s a notable mix of 

pride and relief in this voice when 

he adds: “We didn’t lay off a single 

staff during the whole period and we 

continued to pay all our staff during 

that shutdown period in March. They 

were paid as if they were still working.” 

Nonetheless, such actions obviously 

come with a significant cost and it’s 

a blunt Hadjikakou who admits to a 

considerable economic ‘hit’ during the 

month-long downtime. 

“We weren’t building trucks, we 

weren’t delivering trucks and obviously, 

we weren’t invoicing trucks, but we 

wanted to make sure our employees 

didn’t have the anxiety of ‘do I have a 

job, don’t I have a job, or am I going to 

get paid?’,” he explains. 

“In the factory there are close to 400 

full-time people on a couple of shifts 

and all that had to be put on ice until 

we knew what needed to be done. It 

was pretty unsettling.” 

Suppliers, too, were high in 

Hadjikakou’s mind. 

“I was confident though, our 

suppliers would be okay. Our supply 

chain was intact and that’s one point 

where I feel particularly proud of being 

Australian-made, with so much of our 

supply base not coming from overseas 

but being sourced locally. In many 

parts, our suppliers are within a 10km 

radius of the factory. 

“That is a big benefit to us. Huge. 

We didn’t have to rely on the long lead 

times of overseas supply chains. I knew 

we would be shielded from much of 

that because so much of our business 

really is Australian-made.” 

By April, Covid constraints and 

information channels from government 

and health authorities were becoming 

clearer. Thus, Paccar’s month-long 

closure came to an end and with road 

transport increasingly deemed an 

essential industry, Bayswater starting 

building trucks again. But any sense of 

relief was short-lived. 

“The factory went back to work but 

then came the big one. The second 

shutdown which hit only Victoria,” he 

says sharply. 

Things were very different this time. 

CLOSE CALL 

“We were very close to being 

completely shut down in that second 

lockdown,” says a frowning Hadjikakou, 

easily recalling the stressful events of 

June. 

“We weren’t a candidate for 

JobKeeper either, so we lobbied to be 

considered an essential business. We 

lobbied very hard at local, state and 

federal levels and we called on a lot of 

people to help us, too. 

“We were very determined, the 

plant needed to stay open to support 

essential businesses and [government 

authorities] listened. They could see the 

connection between us, our workforce, 

and the need for trucks to keep the 

country and the economy moving. 

“But shut down was a very real threat 

and it ran right up until the last minute, 


the last tick of the clock when 

the Victorian government finally 

announced those industries which 

could stay open and heavy vehicle 

manufacturing was one of them. 

“The fact that we got through as 

an essential service is one of the 

best highlights of my professional 

life, even though the burden during 

that time was immense on our 

entire leadership team. We kept 

telling ourselves ‘we can’t afford 

to shut down, we need to support 

our employees and we also need to 

support our industry’. 

“It certainly wasn’t an easy time 

but, all’s well that ends well. We got 

through it but none of us want to go 

through it again.” 

From then on, Paccar marched 

forward, fully in step with a 

burgeoning road transport industry. 

“With transport being designated 

an essential service during Covid, 

and therefore the supply chain also 

designated essential, that really 

Our parent company was extremely wise to 

mandate that all Paccar factories worldwide 

would shut down for a month in March 

drove the volume in our factory,” says 

Hadjikakou. 

So all up, you’ve done well in a 

difficult time and perhaps far better 

than you may have first thought? The 

question extracted an immediate 

response: “Yes, that’s very true,” he 

fires back, citing Paccar’s products, 

people and policies as foundation 

strengths before willingly pouring 

praise on federal government 

initiatives to keep the economy 

moving, not least with the instant 

asset write-off program. 

“We can thank the federal 

government a lot,” he asserts. 

“It has done some remarkably 

good things to protect Australia 

and we are the best country in the 

world in terms of the way we have 

responded to coronavirus. 

“What the government has 

done to stimulate the economy 

with the instant asset write-off 

and depreciation schedules have 

definitely benefited capital purchases 

such as trucks, giving truck owners 

immense economic benefits. 

“That certainly helped our 

industry and a lot of the capital 

intensive industries like mining and 

agriculture. 

“We can be proud of the federal 

government’s response and I think 

they have done an excellent job,” he 

insists. 

Accordingly, the instant asset 

write-off has made a new truck an 

Above: Paccar 

launched DAF’s 

Euro 6 range just 

weeks before 

Covid-19 sent 

most businesses 

backwards 


attractive proposition and as an upbeat 

Hadjikakou concedes with a shrewd grin, 

even higher priced aspirational models 

have become more affordable. 

“I spend a lot of time talking to 

fleets and truck owners generally, and 

throughout this whole period there’s 

definitely been an undercurrent of 

sentiment towards Australian-made. That 

sentiment is always there but it’s certainly 

evident now. 

“Our strength is that we are able to 

supply and build to requirements but 

the instant asset write-off has definitely 

made it easier for an operator to buy a 

new truck. 

“It really is once-in-a-lifetime stuff 

and the fact that it will be available until 

June 2022 bodes well for all of us in the 

industry,” he says, convincingly. 

It is, however, a reflective and genuinely 

considerate Hadjikakou who quickly 

counters even the slightest suggestion 

of Covid being a good news story for 

Paccar Australia. 

“I don’t think Covid is a good news 

story on any level,” he says, bluntly. 

“What it has done is create demand 

for trucks and we have been fortunate 

enough to be in that supply chain and 

able to react quickly to demand, but 

when I think of the toll that Covid’s taken 

globally in communities and in people’s 

lives, it’s not good. Not good at all. 

“We would all rather it never happened.” 

FUTURE FOCUS 

For all the tumult and challenges of 2020 

though, the launch of a revamped DAF 

range early in the year and more recently, 

the new Kenworth T410 SAR went ahead 

largely as planned. Likewise, it was a 

reassuring Hadjikakou who declared 

that further plans for this year are also 

proceeding to schedule. 

“Yes, everything is progressing to plan,” 

he says confidently. 

“We’ve had to address how we do 

things to keep everyone safe, but 2021 is 

a milestone year for Paccar and there will 

be plenty to cheer about, particularly after 

all the bad news around manufacturing in 

Australia over the last five and six years. 

“In March, we will celebrate 50 years 

of manufacturing Kenworth at Bayswater 

and with the new factory expansion we’ll 

also be ramping up assembly of DAFs.” 

A few months later, there’s the Brisbane 

Truck Show and, Covid permitting, Paccar 

has big plans to showcase a number of 

new developments, not least the new 

Right: Despite 

Covid-19 

constraints, 

new trucks 

roll out of the 

Bayswater 

factory in 

increasing 

numbers. Early 

planning is 

paying off, big 

time 

Below: Legend 

900! Don’t be 

surprised if a 

Legend SAR 

version soon 

follows suit 

It certainly wasn’t an easy time but all’s 

well that ends well. We got through it but 

none of us want to go through it again 


T410 SAR. There are also rumours of 

a special edition ‘Legend SAR’ making 

an appearance for a short-term model 

release. 

According to a non-committal Hadjikakou: 

“I can only say that previous ‘Legend’ 

initiatives have been very successful so I 

can’t see why an SAR wouldn’t be just as 

popular.” 

While Kenworth is king in the Paccar 

world, with new developments continuing 

to evolve in both cab-over and conventional 

classes, Hadjikakou confirms that DAF 

figures especially high on Paccar Australia’s 

radar. Higher than ever before. 

Right now, the 6x4 DAF CF85 model is 

the only unit assembled at Bayswater, 

delivering around 40 per cent of all DAF 

sales in Australia. 

It is, however, an assertive Hadjikakou 

who says that while DAF is currently 

assembled from imported kits, “the end goal 

is to build them out from parts drawn into 

the production line, in the same way we have 

been so successful with Kenworth”. 

As he further states, the new factory 

expansion will be a major generator of DAF’s 

greater prospects. 

A question that caused a few moments 

of quiet deliberation was whether or not a 

Cummins X15 engine is being considered for 

DAF’s flagship XF model, currently limited 

to 530hp (395kW) from the Paccar MX-13 

engine. 

Hedging his bets somewhat, he replies: 

“We are looking at all different opportunities 

but to fill that gap with a high displacement 

engine makes sense. 

“We need to weigh up the whole product 

portfolio, where it sits globally. 

“It won’t be a local project and we will be 

relying on our global product planning to 

deliver something like this.” 

Even so, he cites Cummins as an 

exceptional supplier to Paccar. 

“[It] has been for decades but in that high 

horsepower region, we’ll just have to wait 

and see what happens with DAF,” he says. 

Either way, the Bayswater facility certainly 

has the engineering capability to fit a 

Cummins X15 into the XF. 

Perhaps the deciding factor will be a new 

DAF cab rumoured to be under development 

in Europe, and whether or not Paccar’s DAF 

decision-makers will facilitate the inclusion 

of a bigger bore engine. 

Maybe even a lightweight big bore engine 

from a Cummins plant in China. 

Who knows! “Yeah, who knows,” he said 

with a shrug and a wry smile. 

Time was now short and despite the 

demands and difficulties of the past 12 

months, it was a smiling Hadjikakou who 

expresses his deep satisfaction after 15 

years with Paccar Australia, the last six as 

only the fourth managing director in the past 

40 years or so. Of those four, all but one have 

been Australian. 

Asked if Paccar Australia will emerge 

stronger from the Covid crisis, he says 

calmly: “I think so. The principles that make 

Paccar a strong, viable organisation have 

not changed. 

“We went through the GFC and the ’91 

‘recession we had to have’, and the same 

principles that saw us through those times 

are still very much intact today. If anything, 

they’re even stronger. 

“We don’t have any debt in our business, 

that’s a big one for us. We fund all of 

our investments through cash, we have 

a really strong focus on employee wellbeing, 

we manage our supply chain well, and if 

you look at our dealers there are 10 

families who have been with us for the 

50-year journey and longer, so there’s real 

consistency there. 

“There’s also real strength that underpins 

the organisation through good times and 

bad times, so nothing has changed in that 

regard at all. 

“We still hold those values. I believe we 

always will.” 


SPECIAL EVENTS 

Brisbane Truck Show 

JUST AROUND THE CORNER 

A stream of announcements about the new products that will be on display at this year’s 

highly anticipated Brisbane Truck Show will be coming soon 

With visits to showrooms 

and customers off the 

cards for significant parts 

of the last year, the 2021 Brisbane 

Truck Show presents the best 

opportunity to come together and 

reconnect with customers, peers 

and the entire industry. 

It also allows for these new 

products, models or innovations to be 

seen up close. 

That applies across the full range 

of trucks, trailers, components, 

technology, equipment, accessories 

and even merchandise. 

On the opening morning of the 

show, highly anticipated new models 

will be unveiled to an eager audience. 

Before the doors open, the halls 

are busy with sales teams putting a 

final polish on every item and every 

counter. It is a beautiful thing to see 

the lights come on, screens light up 

and the doors open. 

But first is the media tour. Each 

of the truck manufacturers has five 

minutes for each of their brands; the 

aim is to get the pack of industry 

journalists excited about the latest 

innovations. 

Each manufacturer has a different 

pitch based on its new model: is it 

packed with safety technology, will 

it be more productive than existing 

models, or will we see the spotlight 

on sustainability in 2021? 

Executives from each of the brands 

are on hand to pull the silks off and 

tell their stories. Their enthusiasm is 

infectious. 

It is hard not to imagine your own 

livery painted across cab doors and 

trailer curtains. 

This year will be a little bit different 

because the crowd will not be packed 

so tightly as we ensure a CovidSafe 

event. But we promise you will be 

able to get up close to the new 

models and innovations. 

We are lucky enough to be 

attending the southern hemisphere’s 

largest automotive event, in one of 

the world’s best convention centres. 

That means your experience has 

been carefully planned to ensure 

your safety and well-being are the 

highest of priorities. 

The Brisbane Convention and 

Exhibition Centre, the Brisbane 

City Council, the Queensland 

Government, and the truck show’s 

organiser, Heavy Vehicle Industry 

Australia, are leaving no stone 

unturned in their preparations to 

ensure a CovidSafe event. 

Likewise, the exhibitors are 

putting the same degree of care 

into the planning of their exhibits 

and following detailed guidelines 

that have been developed to give 

everyone confidence that the rebirth 

of major Australian business events 

is delivered successfully by every 

measure. 

Tickets are on sale now. It is hard 

to imagine better value for a full 

day’s entertainment and yet this 

year the show delivers. 

Not only is the Brisbane Truck 

Show accompanied by the South 

Bank Truck Festival, with a huge 

display of trucks and trailers on 

show in the parklands, and all the 

free entertainment in the area; this 

year your ticket will also get you 

into the new Civil Construction Field 

Days – the new heavy equipment 

It is hard not to imagine 

your own livery painted 

across cab doors and 

trailer curtains 

and machinery show awash with 

everything you could ask for in 

excavators, graders, rollers and 

the like. 

All of that on one ticket! 

Then, add to that the chance to 

win the Ultimate VIP Experience 

Package just by registering your 

ticket. 

The BTS21 major promotion 

partner, Morris Finance, has put 

together a package of amazing 

experiences including a box at 

the AFL, V8 supercar hot laps, 

four Bathurst 1000 corporate 

suite tickets, and your own 

racing simulator. 

Add to that a large screen TV, 

SP Tools voucher, bar fridge, BBQ, 

Walkinshaw Sports golf buggy, a fire 

pit, dart board and more. 

It’s a hell of a prize and you will 

be in the running when you 

purchase and register your ticket to 

the show. 

Above: 

Executives 

are on hand 

to unveil the 

latest trucking 

innovations 


INNOVATION - SUSTAINABILITY - SAFETY - KNOWLEDGE - CAREERS - COMMUNITY

FIRST AUSSIE DRIVE 

Mack Anthem 

MACK ON THE 

Not so long ago, three Anthems, 

a Super-Liner and a Trident left 

Brisbane early one morning, 

heading south on the first leg of what Mack 

is promoting as a national ‘Evolution Tour’. 

Over several months, the trucks will 

travel many of the country’s major routes, 

from east to west and back again, stopping 

to showcase not just Anthem but the 

significant safety and cab developments on 

Super-Liner and Trident, which altogether 

make these Macks something special. 

Even so, as the five trucks punched down 

the Pacific Highway towards Sydney, the 

Super-Liner and Trident at first glance 

appeared little different to the current 

crop. From any angle, though, Anthem is 

definitely a breed apart. 

Visually, there’s never been anything like 

Anthem and, typically perhaps, early reports 

and various photos from the US and, more 

recently, Australia, have delivered vastly 

mixed opinions of the truck’s idiosyncratic 

hood design. Quite simply, some like the 

look of it, some don’t. Again, it’s just typical 

of a trucking population with as many 

opinions as pub politics. 

Not so typical though, and certainly 

surprising, was the lack of comment over 

the UHF radio during a short 200km stint 

behind the wheel. There was plenty of 

truck traffic heading the other way and, 

given the model’s unique looks and ‘Mack’ 

emblazoned trailer, it was reasonable to 

expect a fair amount of feedback one way 

or the other. 

Sure, it was easy to spot northbound 

drivers having a quizzical look at the boldly 

styled truck but you could also count on 

one hand the number of times the radio 

crackled with comment about this new 

breed of bulldog. 

Maybe it was because there has already 

been so much publicity about Anthem that 

radio chatter was so subdued. After all, the 


MOVE 

The covers are 

finally off Mack’s 

new Anthem and 

various versions 

are headlining a 

national ‘Evolution 

Tour’ alongside 

significantly 

upgraded 

Super-Liner and 

Trident models. 

While Anthem 

certainly won’t be all 

things to all people, 

it’s what the new 

model brings to the 

breed that has the 

bulldog brethren 

feeling pumped and 

positive. Here, we 

have Australia’s first 

test drive of the new 

truck 

WORDS STEVE BROOKS 

truck first hit the headlines in the US 

back in September 2017 and we’ve 

been reporting the model’s ‘upcoming’ 

Australian launch ever since, most 

notably after a visit to the big kennel in 

Pennsylvania in early 2018. 

It has been a long wait but, by the 

end of 2020, speculation was mounting 

that Anthem was on the brink of calling 

Australia ‘home’. 

As we reported in our final issue of the 

year, “… if the whispers are correct and 

Mack’s new Anthem does actually debut 

on the Australian market in early 2021, it 

will be an incredibly momentous occasion 

for the bulldog breed in this country. A 

milestone for true celebration.” 

But other than its distinctive snout, what 

makes Anthem such a milestone model? 

Well, three things. One, Anthem utilises 

what Mack insiders call a ‘bridged’ version 

of Volvo’s Tier II electrical architecture, 

meaning the operational systems and 

features that define the extent and finesse 

of Volvo performance and efficiency now 

become largely inherent in Mack. 

In short, the all-important electronic 

control unit (ECU) is equipped with the 

‘smarts’ to not only provide a higher level of 

compatibility and smoothness in integrated 

powertrain (engine and transmission) 

performance, but more precisely integrate 

the standard Bendix Wingman Fusion 

safety package. 

Two, while Anthem is largely based on 

the same cab shell as Trident, Super-Liner 

and the superseded Granite, it delivers 

Mack’s first stand-up sleeper cab. 

In this first phase, the stand-up cab only 

comes with a 36-inch (91cm) bunk but it 

won’t surprise if, somewhere in Mack’s near 

future, a 50-inch (127cm) sleeper is added 

to the armoury. 

Three, and most critical of all, the 

updated electrical system, the standard 


From the 

moment you step 

up into the cab, 

you know this 

is a Mack with a 

difference that 

goes well beyond 

the quirky snout 

Above: On the 

move. A quick 

glance suggests 

there’s little 

different about 

Super-Liner 

and Trident but 

there’s now far 

more to Mack 

than meets the 

eye 

Opposite top: 

Inside views. 

Anthem is the 

first Mack with 

a stand-up cab 

but vital new 

developments 

also include a 

more advanced 

electrical system 

and improved 

dash layout 


Standing tall. 

Anthem and 

Super-Liner 

demo units 

fitted with the 

stand-up cab and 

36-inch bunk 

safety package and the stand-up 

cab are also now part of Trident and 

Super-Liner inventory. A long time 

coming, perhaps, but definitely a big 

step forward. 

So, all up, Anthem is much more 

than simply a replacement model 

for the utilitarian and somewhat 

underwhelming Granite. In fact, from 

the moment you step up into the 

cab, you know this is a Mack with a 

difference that goes well beyond the 

quirky snout. 

INSIDE AND OUT 

It was late afternoon by the time 

the five Macks rolled into the Caltex 

roadhouse at Coolongolook on the 

NSW mid-north coast and it was 

immediately apparent that Mack’s 

intention was to cover as many 

operational bases as possible on its 

Evolution Tour. 

The Anthems, for instance, were 

configured as an eight-wheeler rigid 

tipper, a day cab prime mover towing 

a 40-foot container on a skel trailer, 

and a premium stand-up sleeper 

model hooked to a curtain-sided 

trailer. 

In the meantime, and typifying 

much of its usual workload, the day 

cab Trident hauled a tipper body 

and four-axle dog trailer, while the 

big boy of the bunch was the 685hp 

(511kW) Super-Liner, also fitted 

with the 36-inch high-rise sleeper 

cab, towing a B-double set. All five 

trucks were loaded to some extent. 

In due course we’re hoping 

for a sleep-over in the high-rise 

Super-Liner but on this occasion the 

model with the most appeal for a 

relatively short 200km run down the 

Pacific Highway was the premium 

Anthem with the stand-up cab. 

The official designation for this 

particular model is ‘Anthem 64T 

13L Air’, which translates to a 6x4 

truck for trailer work, powered by the 

13-litre MP8 engine and riding on 

Mack’s Air-Ride rear suspension. 

Like Trident, all Anthems are 

powered by the Euro 5 MP8 engine 

and behind the 535hp (399kW) 

rating in the demo unit was Mack’s 

mDrive automated transmission. 

However, rather than the standard 

12-speed version, this unit was 

fitted with what’s known as the 

mDrive HD 13-speed shifter. 

As mentioned in our special 

report on Anthem late last year, the 

optional 13-speeder provides an 

additional, and some might say long 

overdue, crawler ratio of 17:1. 

There’s also talk of a 14-speed 

version eventually joining the troupe, 

with ‘bog cog’ ratios of 19:1 and 

a tree-climbing 32:1, but there’s 

no question the 13-speeder’s 17:1 

crawler cog, which also delivers 

the benefit of two reverse ratios, 

is a welcome addition to the Mack 

drivetrain. 

Vitally, the crawler boxes are also 

optionally available in Trident and 

Super-Liner. 

Mack’s integrated drivetrain 

sees the direct-drive transmission 

feeding into single-reduction 

rear axles running a tall 3.09:1 

diff ratio and, as would soon be 

revealed on the run south, notching 


100km/h at a touch over 1,400 rpm. 

With the demo truck built on a 4,485mm 

wheelbase and obviously configured for 

highway work, the test unit carried fuel 

capacity of 1,460 litres in two D-shaped 

aluminium tanks – 960 litres driver’s side 

and 500 litres passenger side, alongside a 

150-litre stainless steel AdBlue tank. 

Still on the outside, a short stroll 

around the truck reveals: LED headlights; 

fog, marker and tail lights; a two-piece 

windshield; and, attached to the step atop 

the passenger side fuel tank, the Bendix 

Blindspotter scanner for signalling the 

presence of objects alongside the truck. 

Blindspotter is, of course, part of 

the Bendix Wingman Fusion safety 

package along with functions such 

as an exceptionally perceptive adaptive 

cruise control. 

With deep steps recessed into the fuel 

tanks, it’s an easy climb into the cab and, 

typically, the Isri seat and a steering wheel 

quickly adjusted by a foot-operated lever 

makes it easy to find a comfortable position 

for a multitude of shapes and sizes. 

The first thing to grab your eye, though, 

is the steering wheel. Rather than fully 

round, it has a straight lower edge, which, 

according to Mack’s US designers in 2018, 

provides more girth room for those drivers 

with big spreads. 

Fair enough too, because while modern 

Australia has its fair share of dumpling 

drivers, the gargantuan guts of some 

American steerers has to be seen to be 

believed. Eat your heart out, literally! 

Meantime, the gauge and switchgear 

layout has been substantially revised, 

with the centre of the dash occupied by a 

bigger version of Mack’s Co-Pilot digital 

information display. 

On each side are the rev counter (left) 

and speedo, and underneath are needle 

gauges for fuel, oil pressure, engine 

temperature, air pressure and the like. 

Further left on an angled fascia is 

another row of gauges for oil, gearbox 

and exhaust temperatures, and turbo 

boost pressure, all sited above a panel of 

switches for functions such as hill-hold, 

lane departure warning, rear axle air 

suspension height, traction control, power 

divider and diff lock. 


The master switches for transmission 

engagement are placed similar to current 

models on the left dash fascia and, while in 

relatively easy reach, it’s not as convenient 

as some competitor designs that nowadays 

tend to have all transmission controls on a 

dedicated wand on the steering column. 

Still, newly designed wands on each side 

of the steering column are at least within 

fingertip reach for control of turn indicators, 

wipers, engine brake and quick driver-selected 

gearshifts. 

Back on the steering wheel, buttons 

for cruise control, phone, radio volume 

and various co-pilot functions are ideally 

placed. 

But the most appealing driver feature of 

all, of course, is the stand-up cab where 

a full 1.8 metres of standing room is 

available. 

What’s more, a quick stretch-out on the 

bunk suggests there’s ample convenience 

and comfort for an overnight stay, including 

a generous and sturdy array of internal 

lockers for storing all the usual odds and 

sods. Finally, Mack has a modern longhaul 

cab. 

So, now for the road run and, as already 

conceded, 200km down an easy stretch 

of the Pacific Highway is way short of an 

expansive evaluation. Still, the opportunity 

to be the first truck writer to sample an 

Anthem on Australian roads wasn’t about 

to be ignored. Nor was the temptation to 

at least give the dog’s crawler cog a go 

as the truck idled super-slow out of the 

parking area. 

Anyway, into the real world at a gross 

weight said to be around 41 tonnes, it was 

almost immediately apparent that the 

upgraded electronic platform has produced 

Vitally, the crawler 

boxes are also 

optionally available 

in Trident and 

Super-Liner 

decidedly improved performance and 

response in the mDrive transmission. 

Shifts are unquestionably smoother and 

faster than the occasionally lethargic and 

lumpy swaps that have long separated 

Mack’s shifting performance from its 

Volvo counterpart, even though mDrive 

and Volvo’s I-shift are based on the same 

hardware. 

To put it plainly, Volvo’s I-shift has long 

been deservedly considered one of the best 

automated transmissions in the business. 

But only now, thanks to the adaptation of 

the Swedish brand’s electrical platform, 

can Mack’s mDrive claim similar levels of 

operational finesse and response. 

Yet, as quickly apparent as the improved 

transmission performance was, it was 

similarly apparent that Anthem’s steering 

quality is less than ideal, particularly for 

highway work. 

In short, steering is too light and too 


Left: Anthem in 

day cab form. 

This is the 

configuration 

that will 

replace much 

of the previous 

Granite’s 

workload 

Right: Hood tilt 

provides good 

access to the 

engine bay. 

Anthem uses 

a single latch 

under the grille 

to release the 

hood 

Below: Bendix 

Blindspotter 

sensor. It’s just 

one part of an 

extensive Bendix 

Wingman Fusion 

safety package 

fitted standard to 

Anthem, Trident 

and Super-Liner 

Bottom: Eightwheeler 

Anthem 

uses the 

long-serving 

and immensely 

capable Volvo 

twin-steer layout 

reactive. Twitchy, best describes it. 

Sure, it makes for easy wheel work 

at low speeds when idling in and 

out of tight spots and after an hour 

so behind the wheel, even becomes 

measurably more manageable 

at highway speeds. Nonetheless, 

there’s no doubt in this mind that 

Mack needs to have a look at 

stiffening Anthem’s steering a 

tweak or two. 

It’s also worth pointing out that 

the Anthem demo trucks were 

pre-production units and therefore 

not entirely representative of the 

standards to be expected of trucks 

coming off the end of the Wacol 

(Qld) production line. 

Consequently, it’s reasonable to 

suggest the minor squeaks that 

occasionally surfaced, particularly 

on the M1 Motorway’s crappy 

concrete surface, would be far less 

likely under the more stringent 

standards of full production. 

A later look at the truck also 

indicated that the single latch under 

the grille, attached to cables that 

release locking clamps at the back 

corners of the hood, needs to be in 

proper adjustment to ensure both 

clamps open fully when it’s time to 

lift the lid. 

Meantime, the 200km from 

Coolongolook to the refuelling stop 

at the southbound Caltex at Wyong 

passed all too quick. 

Still, it was long enough to confirm 

at least some of Anthem’s abilities, 

not least a high level of forward 

vision over the drooping snout, 

excellent ride quality, the predictably 

willing performance of an MP8 

engine with 535hp and 1,920 lb ft 

of torque and, critically, the quick 

familiarity and easy logic of the new 

truck’s advanced systems such as 

adaptive cruise control. 

Indeed, given the easy run south, 

adaptive cruise was engaged for 

at least 80 per cent of the trip and 

despite just 3,500km on the clock, 

the fuel return of 2.8km/litre (7.9 

mpg) was extraordinarily impressive. 

All up, Anthem promises much 

for Mack and a national tour will 

certainly be an effective shake-down 

for identifying areas where 

fine-tuning will further enhance the 

model’s considerable prospects. 

Time and toil will determine the 

rest. 


TRUCKS 

Volvo FL Electric 

FUELLING 

FOSSIL-FREE 

Volvo Trucks Australia’s 12-tonne FL Electric trucks have been 

unveiled and are beginning trials at Linfox for local delivery work 

Opposite above: 

The 12-tonne FL 

Electric truck 


The 4x2 Volvo 

FL Electric is 

powered by 600 

volt, 200kWh 

battery packs 

that power a 

200kW/425Nm 

motor 

Below: Linfox 

executive 

chairman Peter 

Fox (left) with 

Scott Morrison 

Volvo Trucks Australia (VTA) 

has let the covers slip from 

a first for the brand in this 

country – the Volvo FL Electric. 

As foreshadowed by Linfox 

executive chairman Peter Fox in 

ATN some 18 months ago, his 

company is running the rule over the 

vehicle. 

Fox said back then that two electrically-driven 

12 tonne Volvo trucks 

would join the company for local 

delivery trials. 

This first electric truck unit will 

be fitted with an eight-pallet body 

and tailgate lift and is destined for 

trials and evaluation with Linfox, 

undertaking metropolitan deliveries 

within its beverage logistics 

business, BevChain. 

“It is very clear that both our 

customers, and our customer’s 

customers, are demanding a 

cleaner and quieter urban transport 

environment,” VTA vice president 

Tony O’Connell says. 

“Momentum is building globally 

to create safe and clean cities and 

the arrival of this truck in Australia 

marks the first step on that journey 

for Volvo Trucks Australia. 

“The electrification of our urban 

supply chain not only affects the 

local air quality of our cities. It also 

has the potential to make our urban 

areas more liveable. 

“Imagine a cityscape of clear 

horizons, devoid of the rumble 

and hum of the tradition internal 

combustion engine, and that’s got to 

be something worth striving for.” 

Fox sees the introduction of 

electric vehicles opening as being 

“an exciting chapter for both Linfox 

and Volvo”. 

“This will play a crucial role in 

Linfox’s business as they work 

towards a cleaner and more 

sustainable transport industry,” 

he adds. 

“Adopting a greener fleet is an 

ongoing part of our commitment 

to act sustainably, as we strive for 

zero net environmental emissions 

and play our part to mitigate climate 

change. 

“As our nations’ freight demand 

grows, it is vital we meet that need 

safely, efficiently and with reduced 

environmental impact.” 

TURNING FROM FOSSIL FUELS 

The 4x2 Volvo FL Electric is powered 

by 600 volt, 200kWh battery packs 

that power a 200kW/425Nm 

motor. Power drives its wheels via 

a two-speed I-Shift automated 

transmission. 

In late 2020, Volvo Trucks, 

along with other European truck 

manufacturers, announced its 

intention for all Volvo Trucks to be 

fossil fuel-free by 2040. 

It also announced that pre-sales 

for the European market of a 

complete range of electric heavy duty 

truck models would begin in 2021 

with production to start in 2022. 

“The road map to a fossil- free 

future for Volvo Trucks also includes 

the development of hydrogen fuel cell 

technology for long haul applications 

to complement the more urban 

centric electric drivelines and the 

gradual phasing out of the traditional 

diesel engine,” O’Connell says. 

“The path to a cleaner, safer and 

ultimately more enjoyable cityscape 

is being paved as we speak. 


We are so proud to have made 

significant investments to build these new 

trucks here in Australia 

The Volvo FL Electric is expected to begin 

trials with Linfox/BevChain in April. 

Linfox is a member of the Electric Vehicle 

Council, the national body representing the 

electric vehicle industry in Australia. 

MORRISON’S CHARGE 

Local manufacturing and cleaner propulsion 

were at the fore of a prime ministerial visit 

to Volvo Group’s Wacol factory in January. 

Though it isn’t exactly rare to see 

politicians visit truck makers or operators, 

indeed Scott Morrison has previously 

enjoyed photo opportunities in a truck 

cabin, rarely does such an occasion 

draw wider mainstream attention and 

this may be a first for OEM-built electric 

trucks in Australia. 

At the conclusion of the visit, Morrison 

also took the opportunity to depart at 

the wheel of the Volvo FL Electric, which 

will be undergoing trials with Linfox in 

coming months. 

Joining the prime minister on the tour 

was assistant minister for road freight and 

safety Scott Buchholz, minister for science, 

technology and industry Karen Andrews, 

councillor Sarah Hutton and VGA president 

and CEO Martin Merrick. 

Against a backdrop of the new Volvo and 

Mack range, addressing the assembled 

crowd of VIP customers, factory staff 

and media, Merrick used the occasion to 

reiterate the importance of road transport, 

local manufacturing and the role that VGA 

plays in keeping Australia moving. 

“Clearly as you can see here, 

manufacturing in Australia is alive and 

well. We are so proud to have made 

significant investments to build these new 

trucks here in Australia at this facility,” 

Merrick says. 

“Because of this investment, we are able 

to employ more than 1,400 people and are 

able to support 90 local suppliers. 

“We spend more than 400 million dollars 

in the local supply chain every year. And our 

intention is to increase that local investment 

in the future. 

“Aside from the challenges that the world 

has faced in recent times one thing that has 

been reinforced here in Australia has been 

the importance of both road transport 

and truckies. 

“Supply chains don’t just feed industry, 

they feed society.” 

The prime minister also used the 

occasion to reiterate his support for local 

manufacturing and resilient supply chains. 

“We make things in Australia and we 

make them well,” Morrison says of his tour 

of the plant. 

“At the Volvo and Mack factory in Wacol, 

southwest of Brisbane, they’ve been proudly 

making trucks for Australia and beyond for 

almost 50 years. 

“Our modern manufacturing strategy is 

all about supporting business to continue 

to invest in making things in Australia 

and ensuring there’s a big future for 

manufacturing in this country.” 

Morrison didn’t mention his short run in 

the new electric unit. 


We 

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LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 

Iveco Daily Range 

SAFETY 

SPEC-UP 

Iveco has unveiled its new 

light-commercial Daily E6 

van and cab chassis range 

in Australia 

Led by the adoption of new Euro 

6-rated engines, additional 

active safety equipment and 

increased cabin appointments, Iveco 

says these enhancements to the 

model line-up are the most significant 

in five years. 

The new van range comprises 35S, 

50C and 70C variants, and is available 

in single- and dual-wheel options with 

volume capacities of 7.3, 9, 12, 16, 18 

and 19.6 cubic metres. 

There are also four gross vehicle 

mass (GVM) options to select from, 

starting at a passenger car-licence 

3,800kg and 4,495kg, through to a light 

truck-licence 5,200kg and 7,000kg, 

providing generous payload capacity. 

Across the cab chassis range, the 

new Daily covers 50C and 70C models 

and includes dual cab variants. 

Cab chassis GVM options start 

at 4,495kg and extend to 5,200kg, 

7,000kg and 7,200kg. 

There are also multiple wheelbase 

choices, allowing owners to fit a wide 

selection of body types. 

Cab chassis models are also 

available with power take-off (PTO) 

and expansion module options 

(expansion module also available 

in van), which allows body-builders 

to equip these models with more 

sophisticated bodies if required. 

Depending on the application, 

owners can also specify an 

optional rear differential lock and 

electronically-controlled air 

suspension (ECAS) across both 

van and cab chassis variants. 

Braked towing capacity range-wide 

is 3,500kg – aside from 35S van, 

which is limited to 3,200kg. 

“The development of Daily E6 

has focused on providing van and 

light-truck buyers with range-wide 

enhancements in the key areas 

of safety, emission performance, 

productivity and comfort,” Iveco 

Australia product manager – ANZ 

Marco Quaranta says. 

ENGINES 

Iveco says its engines meet stringent 

Euro 6 emission requirements while 

increasing power and fuel efficiency 

(up to 10 per cent reduction in fuel 

use) compared to the previous-generation 

engines. 

On offer are three engines 

beginning with a 2.3-litre, direct 

injection and intercooled diesel with 

electronically-controlled variable 

geometry turbine (e-VGT), which 

produces 100kW (136hp) and 350Nm 

(only available in 35S van). 

Also available range-wide is a 

3.0-litre, direct injection engine with 

VGT that outputs 132kW (180hp) 

and 430Nm. 

For those requiring even greater 

power, a direct injection 3.0 litre 

variant with e-VGT can also be 

selected across all van and cab 

chassis models – this engine develops 

155kW (210hp) and 470Nm. 


To meet the tough Euro 6 measure, 

Daily E6 employs selective catalytic 

reduction (SCR) technology that 

uses urea solutions such as 

AdBlue – the Daily E6 is equipped 

with a 20-litre (nominal) AdBlue 

tank capacity. 

Matched to the engines is a choice 

of either a conventional six-speed 

synchromesh overdrive manual 

or the Hi-Matic eight-speed full 

automatic. 

SAFETY 

The latest release adds to the safety 

equation by offering advanced 

emergency braking system (AEBS), 

adaptive cruise control (ACC), 

crosswind assist and an enhanced 

‘ESP9’ (suite of stability control 

technologies) as standard, plus 

options such as lane departure 

warning system (LDWS), queue 

assist and city brake. 

ESP9 includes anti-lock brakes, 

electronic brake-force distribution, 

electronic stability program, 

anti-slip regulator, drag torque 

control, hill hold control, enhanced 

under-steering control, adaptive 

load control, trailer sway mitigation, 

hydraulic rear-wheel boost, hydraulic 

fading compensation, roll movement 

intervention and rollover mitigation. 

EQUIPMENT 

In addition to the standard 

equipment in a Daily, including 

electric windows, heated and 

electrically adjustable mirrors, 

keyless entry/central locking, engine 

immobiliser and air-conditioning, 

the Daily E6 introduces a number 

of upgrades. 

There’s a new, high-resolution 

colour TFT instrument cluster that’s 

easier to read and features seven 

dedicated screen menus providing 

over 100 points of information. 

An optional new ‘Hi-Connect’ 

multimedia and navigation system 

with both Apple CarPlay and Android 

Auto, plus GPS by Tom Tom and 

Bluetooth is also available. 

Many of the system’s functions 

can be accessed via controls 

mounted on a newly designed 

soft-touch steering wheel, which 

is slightly smaller and has a new, 

It must offer 

productivity, 

practicality and a 

low total cost of 

ownership 

asymmetric shape for improved 

ergonomics. 

The Daily E6 adopts a dashmounted 

electronic parking brake 

switch, providing extra space and 

easier movement around the cabin. 

The new park brake also engages 

automatically at key-off and 

disengages once the driver’s seat 

belt is on, the key is on and ‘drive’ 

selected (neutral for manual models). 

The introduction of an optional 

new ‘run lock’ function also allows 

the operator to exit the vehicle with 

the key to make drop-offs while the 

engine is still running – a useful 

function for applications such as 

refrigerated transport, as the cooler 

stays operational. 

Aiding convenience is the optional 

cordless inductive charging for 

mobile phones and other devices, 

while storage space throughout the 

cabin provides ample room to stow 

personal protective equipment and 

other items, Iveco states. 

A heated and suspended fully 

adjustable driver’s seat is now also 

standard across the range (optional 

for front passenger but standard for 

front passenger on Daily dual cab 

chassis) and features multiple points 

of adjustment with lumbar support 

and an armrest. 

The second row seating of the 

dual-cab chassis can accommodate 

up to four adults. 

“Of course, Daily is a light 

commercial vehicle, so as well as 

being safe, car-like to drive and 

emit fewer emissions, it’s primarily 

a tool, so it must offer productivity, 

practicality and a low total cost of 

ownership,” Quaranta says. 

“Daily E6 does do this by offering 

owners several market-leading 

Top: The 

dual-wheeled 

Daily E6 50C 

van. New safety 

measures 

include AEBS, 

ACC, crosswind 

assist and 

an enhanced 

ESP9 suite of 

stability control 

technologies 

Above: Tyre 

pressure 

monitoring 

system display; 

New steering 

wheel and 

instrument 

cluster 


The 50C single 

cab. Cab chassis 

GVM options 

start at 4,495kg 

and extend 

to 5,200kg, 

7,000kg and 

7,200kg; The 

70C single cab 

variant 


SPECS 

IVECO DAILY E6 cab 

chassis and van 

MODELS 

Daily van range: 35S, 50C 

and 70C; Daily cab chassis 

range: 50C and 70C 

ENGINE 

Euro 6 rated 2.3-litre diesel 

(35S only)/ 3.0-litre/3.0-litre 

with e-VGT 

MAX POWER 

100kW (136hp)/132kW 

(180hp)/155kW (210hp) 

MAX TORQUE 

350Nm/430Nm/470Nm 

GEARBOX 

Conventional six-speed 

synchromesh overdrive 

manual or the Hi-Matic 

eight-speed full automatic 

GVM 

3,800kg, 4,495kg, 5,200kg, 

7,000kg 

VOLUME 

7.3, 9, 12, 16, 18 and 19.6 

cubic metres 

TOWING CAPACITY 

3,500kg; 35S van limited to 

3,200kg 

ADBLUE 

20 litre capacity 

SAFEY FEATURES 

Standard: AEBS, ACC, 

crosswind assist, ESP9 

stability features; 

optional: lane departure 

warning system, queue 

assist, city brake, full LED 

headlamps, hill descent 

control, traction plus 

We’re confident that Daily 

E6 will be extremely well 

received by the market 

benefits including the largest van volume (19.6 

cubic metres) and GVM (7,000kg), as well as 

class-leading engines (210hp/470Nm) and 

automatic transmission (full eight-speed) across 

both van and cab chassis.” 

EXTERIOR 

Daily E6 is distinguishable from earlier models 

by its wider, re-designed grille, which encourages 

greater airflow. 

If selected as an option, Daily E6’s full LED 

headlights improve lighting performance over 

non-LED headlamps by up to 12 per cent and the 

driver’s light perception by up to 15 per cent, Iveco 

claims. 

The Daily E6 adopts a three-piece bumper, 

meaning, if damaged, any of the three sections 

can be replaced individually. 

OPTION PACKS 

Four optional upgrade packs - ‘Hi-Business 

Pack’, ‘Hi-Comfort Pack’, ‘Hi-Technology Pack 

– Automatic Transmission’ and ‘Hi-Technology 

Pack – Manual Transmission’, allows a tailored 

specification package to best suit an application. 

Hi-Business includes: Hi-Connect multimedia 

system and GPS, open storage with inductive 

phone charging plus USB charge, fog lights and 

reverse camera (van only). 

Hi-Comfort features: automatic controlled 

air-conditioning, leather covered steering wheel, 

tyre pressure monitoring system and automatic 

wipers and headlights control. 

The two Hi-Technology packs include: queue 

assist (Automatic transmission only), lane 

departure warning system, city brake, traction 

plus and hill descent and automatic high beam 

control. 

TRADIE-MADE 

The launch of the latest Daily E6 cab chassis 

range paves the way for the return of the 

work-ready, limited edition ‘Tradie-Made’ model, 

which now includes two tray/wheelbase options 

on the 45C180 platform. 

Previously only available with a factory-fitted 

2,218mmx 4,223mm (external) tray, the latest 

range adds a 2,218mm x 3,173mm L (external) 

variant, providing buyers with additional choice 

depending on the application – both trays are 

Australian-made. 

Common to both heavy-duty aluminium trays 

are internal load restraint points (24 and 20 

points respectively), window protector and tube 

headboard, rope rails and front corner step. 

The 4,223mm tray receives two-piece quick 

lock drop sides, with the 3,173mm tray featuring 

single piece quick lock drop sides. 

The shorter tray is fitted to a 3,000mm 

wheelbase cab chassis, the longer variant 

to a 3,750mm platform – both feature a car 

licence-friendly 4,495kg GVM and 3.5-tonne 

braked towing, providing additional capacity to 

tow a trailer with extra equipment or materials. 

Powering Tradie-Made models is a 3.0-litre 

Euro 6-rated turbo-diesel engine producing 

180hp (132kW) and 430Nm, coupled to the 

market-leading Hi-Matic eight-speed full 

automatic transmission. 

“Compared to a standard utility, Daily E6 

Tradie-Made offers a significantly higher payload 

of approximately 2,000kg,” Quaranta says. 

“Despite this ability to carry more, with its 

responsive engine, modern full automatic 

transmission, car-like driving position and cabin 

layout, the Daily E6 still drives like a car. 

“This comfort and driveability is even more 

noticeable when comparing Tradie-Made to 

its Japanese light truck competitors, which are 

based on a cab-over design where you sit on top 

of the front axle. 

Top: The latest tradie-made range adds a 2,218mm x 

3,173mm L (external) variant 

Left: The 35S van produces 100kW (136hp) 


NUMBERS 

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NEWS Inside the Industry Isuzu kicks off with a cracking 500 

CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE 

IN JANUARY TRUCK SALES 

PROMISING FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR SEES ONLY MEDIUM DUTY LAGGING 

As January traditionally signals a 

new beginning and the lowest-selling 

month of the year, the caution 

against overstating the meaning of 

the commercial vehicle sales during 

it is naturally high. 

The only clues – and they are 

rough ones, given volatility in 

the numbers are common later 

in the year – tend to be yearly 

comparisons. 

Even so, taking what we have of 

the Truck Industry Council’s (TIC’s) 

T-Mark figures for last month, the 

market is off to the third-fastest 

start in a five-year period that 

encompassed the boom of 2018 

and 2019. 

At 1,998, January 2021 is bested 

only by 2018’s 2,227 and 2019’s 

2,196, and is ahead of 2017’s 1,920 

and 2020’s 1,852, when the boom 

ran out of puff for the economy and 

the market. 

units, its best start in five years, as 

did Fuso at 246, where its next best 

is 203 in 2017, while Hino had its 

second best, falling shy of best by 

just five units. 

HEAVY DUTY 

It is a similar story within the 

heavy-duty crowd. 

The January 2020 total of 597 falls 

beneath 2018’s 756 and 2019’s 768 

but is above 2017’s 479 – a pretty 

tough year for the segment – and 

2020’s 588. 

This pattern is repeated, more or 

less, with the individual makes. 

Kenworth leads the segment on 

112, five down on last year and a long 

way under the boom years. 

Volvo returns to the sort of form 

that eluded it in the second half of 

last year. Its 93 is up on last year’s 

85, holding the second place it ceded 

to Isuzu last year, which comes in this 

year at 81, down from 88 last year. 

The eye-catching push is being 

made by Mercedes-Benz, shooting 

up to 70 from 38 last year, just eight 

behind its 2018 showing and its 

second best over five years. 

More surprising is Freightliner, 

which has burst into fifth place with 

34, more than doubling the next best 

of 16 last year – and to think, it sold 

just 12 units in January 2019. 

That put it one unit above Scania, 

whose January all but halved from 

last year’s 61, and Iveco, up five. 

MEDIUM DUTY 

The next rung down and it is a 

different story, one of an ark that 

begins in January 2017 on 360 and 

ends last month on 366. 

Notable again is the Hino’s titanic 

struggle over the past few years to 

overhaul segment leader Isuzu. 


It looked just about game over in 

January last year, when Isuzu came 

close to doubling its rival, 184 to 

100. But more regular service has 

been resumed at 143–128, more in 

line with 2019’s 156–146 and 2018’s 

131–118. 

Fuso’s efforts to break through 

the 80 mark for the month remain 

just that and three figures look 

aspirational only at this stage. But 

it’s in a better place at this stage 

than MAN, which recorded just one 

unit sold in January 2017, rose to 

third place over Fuso in 2018 with 

83 and returned to one last month, 

after 45 just 12 months earlier. 

LIGHT DUTY 

No such issues in light-duty trucks, 

“The market is off 

to the third-fastest 

start in a five-year 

period that 

encompassed the 

boom of 2018 

and 2019” 

with last month’s 729 the best in five 

years by a convincing margin over 

2018’s 646 and a strong rebound from 

last year’s 510. 

The big three of the small trucks 

lead the charge, all at five-year highs. 

It is a performance reminiscent of 

mid-last decade, when light duty 

heralded the end of the global 

financial crisis malaise in this 

country. 

On basic figures, Isuzu’s 276 covers 

Hino’s 172 comfortably but Hino is 

bouncing back from a drubbing the 

year before of 196–92. Still Hino has 

its work cut out bridging the solid gap 

its rival maintains. 

Fuso, with 160, bursts back into 

three figures for the first time since 

2018’s 107. 

Left: Light-duty trucks are back in the groove 


HEAVY VEHICLES – MONTHLY SALES 

WESTERN STAR 

12/2% 

DENNIS EAGLE 

5/0.8% 

DAF 

9/1.5% 

FREIGHTLINER 

34/5.7% 

FUSO 

23/3.9% 

UD TRUCKS 

24/4% 

SCANIA 

33/5.5% 

VOLVO 

93/15.6% 

JANUARY 

MARKET 

SHARE 

ISUZU 

HINO 

28/4.7% 

81/13.6% 

HYUNDAI 

1/0.2% 

INTERNATIONAL 

8/1.3% 

MERCEDES-BENZ 

70/11.7% 

MAN 

11/1.8% 

MACK 

20/3.4% 

KENWORTH 

112/18.8% 

IVECO 

33/5.5% 

MEDIUM VEHICLES – MONTHLY SALES 

UD TRUCKS 

MERCEDES-BENZ 

3/0.8% 

6/1.6% 

MAN 

VOLVO 

1/0.3% 

2/0.5% 

IVECO 

20/5.5% 

FUSO 

63/17.2% 

JANUARY 

MARKET 

SHARE 

ISUZU 

143/39.1% 

HINO 

128/35% 

LIGHT VEHICLES – MONTHLY SALES 

MERCEDES-BENZ 

44/6% 

IVECO 

18/2.5% 

RENAULT 

11/1.5% 1/0.1% 

VW 

FIAT 

34/4.7% 

FORD 

2/0.3% 

FUSO 

160/21.9% 

JANUARY 

MARKET 

SHARE 

ISUZU 

276/37.9% 

HINO 

172/23.6% 

HYUNDAI 

11/1.5% 


• HONOURING THE LIVES OF • 

JIM PEARSON & BRIAN HICKS 

The trucking industry recently said farewell to two legends of Australian transport, Jim Pearson Snr and 

Brian Hicks. Both Jim and Brian were long time NatRoad members and highly respected contributors to 

the road freight industry. 

Jim was a great advocate for safety and fatigue management, being involved in the early development 

of TruckSafe, and was one of the first fleet owners to introduce satellite tracking. Jim was a long term 

member of NatRoad as well as a member of the Transport Hall of Fame. His commitment to keeping 

drivers safe was recognised with the ATA’s Outstanding Contribution to the Trucking Industry Award in 

2010, and the TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award in 2015 for Jim Pearson Transport’s commitment to 

safety culture and improving safety outcomes. 

Brian established Brian Hicks Transport in 1968 and went on to grow the business to more than 60 vehicles, 

servicing the agricultural sector in Melbourne, Cobram, Shepparton and surrounding areas. Being a 

strong community man, Brian was a great contributor to the wider trucking industry. He was a Director on 

the Board of NatRoad for eight years and played a key role in the development of the Australian Truck 

Driver Memorial in Tarcutta, NSW. 

Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families of Jim Pearson and Brian Hicks.

AUSTRALIAN 

See page 2 See page 5 

OUR NAME IS CHANGING 

Our drive is to keep you safe on the road … now more than ever 

AUSTRALIAN 

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smpgroup.com.au

ATN #413

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