truck talk sept 2014

Baxters dedicated to safety - page 15

TRUCK talk

SEPTEMBER 2014

SOUTHERN RIVERINA & MID MURRAY ANNUAL TRUCKING MAGAZINE

Freighters family - page 5

Peterbilt American Class - pages 16-17

— ‘Truck Talk’, September, 2014

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Delivering for AustraliaThe food on your super-

market shelf, the stationeryyou use at work and even theclothes on your back; chanc-es are they were all deliveredby a truckie.

The trucking industry is avital part of every process ofAustralian life, and the driv-ers are the cornerstone of thenation’s economy.

In this special editionTruck Week publication,TRUCKtalk, you’ll gain anamazing insight into the in-dustry – the highs, the lows,the regulations and the peo-ple.

The Southern Riverina is ahub for the trucking industry.

Not only is it home to someof the most revered truckingcompanies in the state, andeven the nation, it’s one of themain thoroughfares to thenorth.

The Cobb Highway, whichslices through Deniliquin andMurray and Conargo shires,is just as busy as the NewellHighway, which begins itslong journey north in Berri-

gan Shire and passes throughJerilderie Shire.

The majority of thenation’s truck drivers areemployed in the transport,postal and warehouse indus-try. They made up 55 per centof the industry workforcebetween 2010 and 2012.

In the same time period, acombined 16 per cent workedin construction and mining,and just under seven per centin wholesale trade.

NSW boasted the largestpercentage of truck drivers inAustralia from 2010-12 (28per cent), with another 21 percent from Victoria.

Job Outlook statistics showemployment in the truckingindustry is like arollercoaster.

Last year there were170,300 truck drivers acrossthe country, a drop from the184,700 drivers in 2012 and182,100 in 2011.

The NSW Governmentwebsite, however, predictsfigures will return to 2012employment levels by 2018.

With improvements totrucks, equipment and safetycompliance in the truckingindustry, the job has becomea safer career option.

Southern Riverina

trucking company operatorssay a drop in trucking indus-try fatalities has been directlylinked to improvements, in-cluding driver training andGPS tracking systems.

Initiatives such as TruckWeek have helped reduce thenumber of truck-related fa-talities by raising the profileof the industry and educatingdrivers.

Australian Trucking Asso-ciation chair Noelene Watsonsays Truck Week is an oppor-tunity to build ties betweentrucking operators and thecommunity.

‘‘Trucking delivers 70 percent of Australia’s freight,including every item on theshelves of every supermar-ket,’’ she said.

‘‘Our skilled drivers, me-chanics and administrationstaff work safely and pro-fessionally around the clockto deliver the goods Austra-lians use every day.

‘‘Truck Week 2014 is ourchance to show Australianshow trucking delivers.’’

‘Truck Talk’, September, 2014 —

Grays Transport & Container TerminalDeniliquin Road, Tocumwal NSW

Ph: 03 5874 3293

Photographs by: Deniliquin Pastoral Times; Russell Frost, Jerilderie Trucks; McPherson Media.

Heavy Vehicle Regulatorintroduces new rule book

■ New heavy vehicle laws were implemented this year.

February 10, 2014 was a historic dayfor the road transport sector in Austra-lia, with the commencement of theHeavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

It was implemented in Queensland,New South Wales, Victoria, South Aus-tralia, Tasmania and the AustralianCapital Territory.

The new rule book is being overseenby the National Heavy Vehicle Regu-lator, which was formed in 2013.

It initially managed the NationalHeavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme(NHVAS) and Performance-BasedStandards (PBS) design and vehicleapprovals.

The commencement of the HVNLnational rule book has effectively re-placed up to six different sets oflegislation.

It has created a one-stop-shop forheavy vehicle road transport businesswith government.

Referred to as being ‘‘one rule bookunder one regulator’’, the HVNL canoffer a much broader range of servicespreviously delivered by state road au-thorities and the ACT Government.

Operators have been seeing stream-lined and practical operations and reg-ulation for heavy vehicle access, fatiguemanagement and vehicle inspectionstandards, as well as more consistenton-road compliance and enforcementoutcomes.

The NHVR will continue to manageNHVAS and PBS, but is now alsoresponsible for:

■ heavy vehicle access permit appli-

cations (including access applicationsfor PBS-approved vehicles);

■ heavy vehicle standards modifica-tions and exemption permits;

■ an updated and improved nationaldriver work diary;

■ a new risk classification system foradvanced fatigue management;

■ one set of national notices;■ one set of national fees for NHVR

services;■ one set of national penalties.Even with the commencement of the

new rule book, some aspects of heavyvehicle regulation will still stay thesame:

● for heavy vehicle registration andlicensing laws, road rules, pilot andescorts, and laws about the carriage ofdangerous goods, operators should stilldeal with the relevant state or ACTGovernment department;

● state and territory police and au-thorised officers employed by statesand the ACT will continue to enforceheavy vehicle offences under the newnational law;

● legal and court processes willlargely remain as they are;

● all existing approved vehicle exam-iner schemes will continue to be man-aged by each road transport authority.

For more information on how to dobusiness with the NHVR, operators canvisit the NHVR websitewww.nhvr.gov.au or contact1300 696 487 (1300 MYNHVR).

No need tohave spraysuppression

An ineffective legal requirement tofit spray suppression devices onB-Doubles has been removed underthe Heavy Vehicle National Law.

Spray suppression devices onB-Doubles were a requirement underprevious individual state laws, ex-cept Western Australia and theNorthern Territory.

The National Transport Commis-sion concluded on the basis ofempirical evidence that the deviceswere not effective in real-world con-ditions at reducing the spray fromB-Doubles on wet roads.

As a result, their requirement isnot included in the HVNL implement-ed in February 2014.

B-Double operators are no longerrequired to pay the initial costs tohave their vehicle fitted with spraysuppression nor the annual mainten-ance fees, saving the industry anestimated $186.2 million over 20years.

The delivery of this reformthrough the new national law showsthe government’s commitment toreducing inconsistencies andinefficiencies in Australia’s heavyvehicle industry.

Despite there being no require-ment for spray suppression devices,operators are reminded that heavyvehicles still require mudguards.

B-Doubles registered under Fed-eral Interstate Registration Scheme(FIRS) must still comply with theCommonwealth Interstate RoadTransport Regulation 1986, whichrequires spray suppression devicesto be fitted.

Operators may also apply to theirlocal registration authority for spraysuppression exemptions for FIRSvehicles used on unsealed roads.

Further information about FIRSrequirements is available atwww.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/motor/firs/.



Good management keepsFreighters family together

■ Mick Summers, Jim Hare, Russell Tait, Billy White, DeanClent, Narelle MacDonald, Wayne Buchanan and LesBond are part of the Deni Freighters team.

With well over 220 yearscombined service to Denili-quin Freighters, there’s areason the local truckingcompany’s staff have allstayed loyal for so long.

While some of the driversadmit the sometimes unusualhours and time away fromfamily can be difficult, theyagree that industry changesand Freighters’ individualsafety and morale targetshave made the job easier.

The three longest servingemployees are drivers MickSummers and Ron Keatingand managing director Russ-ell Tait, who owns the com-pany with his partner VickiMeyer and still likes to getbehind the wheel of a truckevery now and then.

Mick, Ron and Russell allmark 30 years with theDeniliquin-based businessthis year. And that’s notcounting previous experiencein the industry.

Jim Hare and Les Bondhave both racked up 25 yearswith Freighters, Wayne Bu-chanan 20 years and BillyWhite 17.

On the operational side ofthe business, Dean Clent andNarelle MacDonald haveboth clocked up 16 years andJo Fordyce 14 years.

It’s not just a job for theDeniliquin Freighters mob,Mick says ‘‘it’s a lifestyle’’.

‘‘I’ve been all over Austra-lia with Freighters.

‘‘I got my start cartinggrain for (local farmer) Bill

Rice with Freighters, and I’dhave to say that this year isone of the busiest years forgrain I’ve ever seen,’’ saysMick, who has seen first-hand and welcomed the in-dustry’s technologicaladvances.

‘‘Most trucks are now bet-ter to drive than some cars.

‘‘There’s been a lot of chan-ges in the industry — weightlimits, safety improvementsand other technology — andit’s all been for the better.’’

Also citing his cross-country travels as a bonus ofthe job, Les says one of themain reasons he’s stayed so

long is the company’s man-agement.

Mick, Jim and Billy allagree.

‘‘You see a lot of Australiaand you get paid to do it, butI think I’ve been here so longbecause we’re all so welllooked after,’’ Les said.

‘‘It’s important to work fora company that values theiremployees.

‘‘Russell still fills in for thedrivers on the odd occasion,so he’s still in touch with thedriver,’’ Mick added.

‘‘What’s also very import-ant to Russell and Vicki isthat we get family time. They

try and make sure we’rehome every weekend.’’

Billy says while they dodrive weekends ‘‘every nowand then’’, there is a trade-off.

‘‘You do have to weigh upyour work life and social life,but you do get to meet somereally interesting people onthe road,’’ he said.

‘‘There’s constant work inthis industry, but you do haveto sacrifice your social lifeand being home all the time,’’Jim added.

‘‘For that reason, you dofind there are a lot more olderdrivers than there are youngones,’’ he said.

‘‘And you also have to havea good partner whounderstands the job,’’ Lesadded.

The Freighters driversagree that driving a truck canbe a lucrative career for any-one interesting in seeing thecountryside and helping todeliver the country’s resourc-es.

They estimate a startingdriver’s wage to be between$40,000 and $50,000 a year,depending on where theywork, and say ‘‘long-haul’’drivers can earn anywherebetween $80,000 and $90,000a year.

‘‘Anyone who’s interestedin joining the industry shouldtake the time to approach atruck driver or operator –they can come speak to anyone of us or even Russell,’’Les said.

Call Sean and Simon now • 6 Harley Crt, Finley NSW 2713.Ph: 03 5883 4560 Mob: 0427 734 013, Fax: 03 5883 4570, Email: [email protected]

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Good Fellows don’t takeshortcuts with driver safety

■ ABOVE: All Fellows Bulk Transportvehicles are assessed under the Nat-ional Heavy Vehicle AccreditationScheme; RIGHT: Fellows uses GPStracking to improve safety and effi-ciency.

As far as Fellows Bulk Transport isconcerned there should be no shortcutstaken when it comes to safety andcompliance.

The family-owned Deniliquin busi-ness was started in 1997 and has beenan accredited member of TruckSafeand the National Heavy Vehicle Ac-creditation Scheme since 2001.

But what really sets Fellows Trans-port apart is its use of cutting-edgetechnology to provide better service tocustomers and help improve the safetyof its drivers.

General manager Paul Fellows, whohas been in the trucking industry formore than 30 years, has used some formof GPS tracking among his fleet formore than a decade.

Each year his trucks move 350,000tonnes of product across Australia’seastern states, and he can manage all ofthem with the mobile phone in hispocket.

‘‘It’s a really interesting technology,’’Mr Fellows said of MiX Fleet, a mobilephone app for iPhone and BlackBerrydevices.

‘‘If a waiting customer calls me andsays, ‘Paul, where’s your truck?’, I canlook at my phone and tell them, ‘It’stravelling 100km per hour and will bethere in 20 minutes’.

A quick glance at his phone can tellMr Fellows whether a truck is moving,what speed it’s doing and where it is. Hecan also track the trucks in real-timeand follow them on a map.

This allows the fleet manager toeasily pull up a comprehensive andeasy-to-read scoring chart for the entirefleet.

These automatically compiledreports include how much fuel a truckhas used, how much harsh acceleratingor braking it has done, or what its topspeed was for the day, week or month.

The reports can be referred to forworkplace safety reasons, auditing orsimply to seek an edge in businessperformance.

‘‘Knowing how much harsh braking

you’re doing, for example, can have animpact on maintenance costs as well asfuel usage,’’ Mr Fellows said.

‘‘You can set yourself fuel targets,such as kilometres to the litre, and in afew clicks I can see that our fuelconsumption dropped for the month ofJuly.’’

Fellows Bulk Transport recently heldan OHS day, where staff received flushots and local police and truck driversspoke about the industry and GPS.

‘‘We showed police the trackingsystem and the speed compliancereports which was great; we all have acommon aim of being safe on the road,’’Mr Fellows said.

‘‘Our most valuable asset is our loyal,hard working staff, some who’ve beenwith the company for many years.

‘‘The health and safety of our staff isparamount to the success of our busi-

ness and the fleet tracker has been avaluable tool in ensuring this.’’

With about 30 staff at three differentdepots — Deniliquin, Griffith andMackay — Fellows Bulk Transport is asupplier of almond hulls, canola meal,sawdust, cow and poultry manure, andlandscape supplies. It’s also a grainstorage business and is involved in theQueensland sugar industry.

Phone - 03 5881 6668 Fax - 03 5881 6550 Website - www.fellowsbulk.com.au

The Fellows family and staff proudly providing bulk transport solutions since 1997.

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Tri-axle dollies deliverSunRice cost savings

■ NSW Minister for Roads and Transport Duncan Gay, Vicki Meyer and Russell Tait fromDeniliquin Freighters, SunRice chair Gerry Lawson and SunRice CEO Rob Gordon withone of the prime movers launched in 2012.

Tri-axle dollies introducedto the Coleambally Rice Millin 2012 have had the desiredeffect, according to SunRice.

While not revealing exactfigures, a spokesperson forthe company said the dollies‘‘are performing as expectedand delivering the signed offcost savings to the business’’.

Two prime movers with tri-axle dollies and ‘‘road friend-ly suspension’’ were launch-ed in November 2012.

Built by DeniliquinFreighters, the custom dolliesmean the amount of ricebeing carted between theColeambally Rice Mill andTocumwal can be increased.

It in turn reduces the num-ber of trips needed betweenthe two towns and sea freightcosts because there are fewercontainers to be moved.

‘‘The current tri-axledollies were built for a speci-fic purpose to operate on adesignated route,’’ theSunRice spokesperson said.

‘‘There are no plans to addany additional tri-axle dolliesto the fleet at this stage.’’

The two tri-axle dolliescost $1.5 million and werelaunched with the support ofNSW Minister for Roads andTransport Duncan Gay.

The investment was ap-proved by the minister aspart of an innovative trans-port strategy.

Deniliquin Freighters man-aging director Russell Taitsaid two prime movers oper-ate about 18 to 20 hours eachday, between theColeambally mill and the raillink in Tocumwal, and the tri-axle dolly design allows thetrucks to carry heavier loads.

‘‘It allows SunRice to maxi-mise loading in containers,’’Mr Tait said.

‘‘Instead of leaving themonly 80 per cent full, they canfill them to 100 per cent.

‘‘They can now carry about88 tonne instead of 79 tonne.’’

Interstate travel permit application changesRoads & Maritime Ser-

vices is supporting the newNational Heavy VehicleRegulator to process noticesand permits for heavyvehicles in NSW and nation-al road freight.

RMS has provided twoRMS permit experts toQueensland to help reviewNSW applications. It is also

taking all steps to ensurepermit applications receivedfrom the NHVR are fast-tracked for assessment andaccess to the state road net-work.

Changes to the permit ap-plication process were intro-duced from February 25,2014.

For intrastate permits for

Class 1 and 3 vehicles totravel in NSW, new permitscan be obtained from theRMS. For travel on localroads you will also needapproval of the relevant localcouncils.

For interstate permits forClass 1 and 3 vehicles travel-ling between NSW and an-other state, you will need to

seek a permit directly fromNHVR.

All Class 2 vehicle permitswill be issued by the NHVR.Applications will need to bemade directly towww.nhvr.gov.au.

In the event of a delay orconfusion, contact RMS [email protected].

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Triples need access permiton or east of the Newell Hwy

■ Heavy vehicle access permits are required for parts ofthe Newell Highway.

Modern A-double roadtrains, B-triples and AB-triples up to 36.5 metres inlength may operate on ap-proved roads on and east ofthe Newell Highway underan access permit issued bythe National Heavy VehicleRegulator.

Implemented on February10, 2014, operators wishing tooperate eligible combina-tions on approved roads onand east of the Newell High-way can submit an applica-tion for an access permit tothe NHVR.

The organisation will liaisedirectly with road managers,including Roads & MaritimeServices, to confirm accessand operating conditions andissue permits.

Further information abouthow to apply for a permit isavailable on the NHVR web-site – www.nhvr.gov.au.

B-triples and AB-triplesoperating on approved roadson and east of the NewellHighway are subject to the

same conditions applied torespective combinations setout in the National Class 2Heavy Vehicle Road TrainAuthorisation (Notice) 2014(No. 1), including enrolmentin the NSW Intelligent Ac-cess Program.

Modern road trains,B-triples and AB-triples oper-

ating at Higher Mass Limits(HML) are required to beenrolled in the NSW Intelli-gent Access Program.

Approved roads:Approved modern road

train roads on and east of theNewell Highway are avail-able as a list atwww.rms.nsw.gov.au/

heavyvehicles/downloads/modernroadtrain_roads_gml.pdf.

Approved B-triple and AB-triple roads are available as amap atwww.rms.nsw.gov.au/heavyvehicles/iap/maps/trip-les/hml_triple_nsw.pdf.

Additional roads approvedsince the map release areavailable as a list atwww.rms.nsw.gov.au/heavyvehicles/downloads/iap_map_download_btriple_recent_approvals.pdf.

Transport operators canrequest for assessment ofroads that are not currentlyapproved for the modernroad train, B-triple or AB-triple by applying to theNHVR.

Vehicles must not operateon requested roads until theNHVR permit is received oruntil the approved roads ap-pear on the relevant IAPmaps or approved road lists.


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CrashstatisticsNSW Centre for Road

Safety statistics on heavyvehicle crashes haveshown fatalities involvingtrucks are falling.

The drop in figurescould be linked to greatertraining and education,but authorities say moreeducation is needed tobring the figures downfurther.

Some of the depart-ment’s figures include:

■ In 2013 there was anaverage of five fatalitiesper month.

■ The highest number offatalities in 2013 occurred inJune and October, both witheight deaths recorded.

■ Heavy truck fatalitiesaccounted for 17 per centof total fatalities in 2013,compared to 20 per cent in2012 and 22 per cent in2002.

■ Single vehicle heavytruck crashes occur mostlyon weekdays, peaking onTuesday and Friday. Fatalcrashes peak between10pm to 2am and 2pm to4pm.

■ One third of heavytruck drivers killed andone in sixteen of thoseinjured in single vehicleheavy truck crashes werenot wearing an availablerestraint.

■ One in seven of singlevehicle heavy truck crashesrecorded equipment failure.The most common equip-ment failures were tyres,insecure/projecting load orbrake failure/fault.

■ Almost one in fiveheavy trucks in single ve-hicle crashes recorded adistraction factor. About45 per cent reported beingsleep or drowsy.

14 HARLEY COURTAU 21928

■ Deniliquin highway patrol supervisor Sergeant Darryl Thomas, Deniliquin Council andMurray Shire Council road safety officer Ken Spence and Sergeant Peter Kirk.

Be aware and be safeSharing the road with

heavy vehicles requires carefrom both car and truckdrivers to ensure risks areminimised.

Crashes involving heavytrucks often result in moreserious road traumaoutcomes, according to theNSW Centre for Road Safety.

Last year 56 people werekilled in crashes involving aheavy truck and heavy truckfatalities accounted for 17 percent of total fatalities in 2013.

Deniliquin Council andMurray Shire Council roadsafety officer Ken Spencesays it’s vital that cars aremore aware of heavyvehicles.

‘‘The stopping distance fortrucks is greater than cars,and drivers need to avoidcutting in front of trucks andforcing truck drivers tobrake,’’ he said.

‘‘Trucks also have limitedvisibility compared to cars;vehicles driving too close totrucks can’t be seen clearlyby the driver.’’

Mr Spence said cars should

also be aware of heavy ve-hicle road rules in townships.

‘‘Many people are also un-aware that trucks can useboth lanes when goingthrough a double round-about.

‘‘They should be cautiousof a truck’s movements at alltimes when sharing the roadin town and between towns.’’

There has also been acrackdown by the NSW Gov-ernment to ensure heavy ve-hicle drivers are followingspeed limits and keepingtruck maintenance at a highstandard.

The latest results on truckcompliance released byRoads and Freight ministerDuncan Gay show a 91 percent drop in excessive speed-ing.

‘‘We have the most exten-sive network in the nation ofheavy vehicle checking/safe-ty stations, safe-t-cams andpoint-to-point cameras,’’ MrGay said.

‘‘Between April 2013 andApril 2014, Roads & Mari-time vehicle inspectors com-

pleted 23 major on-road oper-ations with 40,733 vehiclesintercepted for inspection.’’

Roads & Maritime Servicesis working in conjunctionwith NSW Police Traffic andHighway Patrol Command tofocus on roadworthiness andmaintenance of heavyvehicles.

Deniliquin Police LocalArea Command SergeantPeter Kirk said the operationfrom Sydney has filtereddown into regional areas.

‘‘This is a continued oper-ation and is being enforcedthroughout the state,’’ hesaid.

‘‘As truck drivers aremeant to be driving profes-sionals, their penalties aremore harsh than that of theaverage road user.’’

A maximum penalty of$6,150 can be handed downfor a person who uses orpermits the use of a heavyvehicle on an unsafe road.

A full list of penalties thatcame into effect on July 1,2014 can be found atwww.nhvr.gov.au.


Limited editionKenworth Director

When the opportunityarose to purchase a LimitedEdition Director Series Ken-worth T909, Geoff MayTransport jumped at thechance.

Owner Geoff May, whoconcentrates on the Finleyfamily’s fertiliser business,said the 2013 model, valuedat $350,000, is driven by hisbrother Trevor and is theironly truck.

The truck is numbered ‘six’and was one of only 90offered for sale across Aus-tralia to celebrate Ken-worth’s 90th anniversary.

Incorporating an array ofclassical and contemporaryaccessories and fitments, thislimited edition seriescaptured the essence, qualityand passion that has madethe T909 such an icon of theAustralian road transportlandscape.

‘‘The custom made truckhas specs including externalbonnet emblems made fromgold instead of silver,’’ Geoffsaid.

‘‘There’s black leatherseats and the doors areembroidered with ‘DirectorSeries’.

‘‘It also has a leather andwoodgrain smart steeringwheel, similar to what youwould find in a Commodore,that gives you quick accessbuttons.

‘‘The only feature we add-ed was a bullbar.’’

Other features includechrome accessories, polishedfuel tanks, an embossed rearsleeper trim, HID headlighthigh beams and LED clear-ance, repeater and turn sig-nal lamps.


1 Harley CourtFinley NSW 2713Ph: 03 5883 3238


Drugs, alcohol will impair driversSome truck and bus driv-

ers use prescription, over thecounter and illegal drugs tocombat fatigue.

The danger for you as adriver if you take drugs isthat it’s difficult to predictand judge how the drug willaffect your driving until it’stoo late.

There is no quick fix forfatigue.

Roads & Maritime Servicessays the only true way tocombat fatigue is to ensureyou get enough sleep beforeand during your trip.

Drugs affect the normalway that your body and mindwork.

They not only affect yourphysical skills such as reac-tion times, co-ordination andvehicle control, but also af-fect your mood, perception,information processing andrisk-taking behaviour.

Quite simply, your drivingwill suffer and your chance ofhaving an accident will great-ly increase.

Drugs affect people differ-ently:

How a drug will affect youdepends on a range offactors.

This includes the drug it-self (type, amount, purity andmethod of use) as well asyour weight, body size andhealth.

Other factors such as yoursurroundings and work situa-tion will also affect how yourbody reacts.

Whatever drug is used, it isimportant that you know howit affects you and the harm itcan do to you.

There are generally twotypes of drugs heavy vehicledrivers use:

● Stimulants – to try andstay awake.

● Depressants – to assist intrying to get to sleep.

The law and penalties fordrug driving:

In NSW, it is against thelaw to drive a car, motorcycleand/or a heavy vehicle whileunder the influence of drugs.

Apart from illegal drugs,this also includes some overthe counter medications andprescribed medications.

If you are found to bedriving under the influence ofdrugs, you may be fined up to$2200, be imprisoned for upto nine months and be auto-matically disqualified from

driving for 12 months for afirst offence.

The penalties increase pro-gressively for second andsubsequent offences.

Blood alcohol limits:Just like the use of drugs,

alcohol consumption can im-pair driving.

A Blood Alcohol Concen-tration (BAC) of 0.02 appliesto:

● Drivers of vehicles of‘gross vehicle mass’ greaterthan 13.9 tonnes;

● Drivers of vehiclescarrying dangerous goods.

A BAC of 0.02 can bereached after the consump-

tion of only one standarddrink – a middy of beer, a nipof spirits or a small glass ofwine.

This means that driverssubject to a 0.02 limit mustnot consume any alcohol be-fore driving.

■ Anyone needing drugand alcohol support is en-couraged to contact theTransport Workers 24-hourSupport Line on 1300 374 837.The program is a joint initiat-ive of the NSW Governmentand St Vincent’s Hospital,Sydney.

Cnr Doyles & New Dookie Roads, Shepparton Ph: (03) 5821 3977 www.gtm.com.au

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Baxters rewarded fordedication to safety

■ Kelvin Baxter Transport staff (from left) Julie Parker, Noel Baxter, Darren Hustwayte,Steve Isbista, Robert Martin, Bill McQualter, Kelvin Baxter, Stuart McIntosh and DavidEdnie.

Kelvin Baxter Transport’scommitment to safety washonoured at the NationalRoads Conference in Ade-laide in August.

Owner Kelvin Baxter waspresented with a TruckSafeaward by TruckSafe nationaldirector Justin Fleming.

Mr Fleming said the awardhonoured the Berrigan com-pany’s 15 year membershipof TruckSafe, which he saidmeant the business was com-mitted to caring for itsemployees and community.

‘‘We are very proud ofBaxter’s Transport and allour TruckSafe members,’’ MrFleming said.

‘‘We have been travellingthe country presenting theseoutstanding contribution tosafety awards.

‘‘There were only threepresented at the Nat Roadsconference – Baxters, onebusiness in Port Macquarieand another in Goulburn.

‘‘Baxters really does standout because of its commit-ment to safety and its com-munity – they really do agreat job.’’

Mr Baxter said he washonoured to have receivedthe award, also paying trib-ute to his staff.

He said TruckSafe was anindustry accredited schemethat sets a framework fortrucking companies to ensurebest practice in safety andoperation.

‘‘We have found theTruckSafe system to be a

great discipline for the busi-ness,’’ Mr Baxter said.

‘‘It ensures we look at atotal safety regime includingmanagement, maintenance,fatigue management andmanagement and counsellingof drivers.

‘‘My daughter-in-law Fionaspends a lot of time talking tothe drivers and ensuring theirneeds, and ours, are beingmet.

‘‘We use the TruckSafemedicals scheme – it’s moreexpensive but also more thor-ough than others. We want toensure our staff have ahealthy life behind thewheel.’’

Baxter Transport is fullyaccredited with the NationalHeavy Vehicle Accreditation

Scheme in maintenance,mass and basic fatigue man-agement modules.

It is a voluntary scheme forwhich the business is inde-pendently audited on ap-proved processes every twoyears.

Baxters has been part ofthe maintenance schemesince September 2004, themass scheme since March2006 and basic fatigue man-agement was achieved in2009.

Through the NHVAS andTruckSafe accreditations,Baxter Transport has an obli-gation and responsibility tothe following key points:

■ Driver Development;■ Fatigue Management;

■ Safety;■ Truck Maintenance;■ Mass Management;■ General Business decis-

ions and development;■ Compliance.The core business of Kelvin

Baxter Transport is the ex-ecution of bulk freight tasksfor corporate entities in alleastern states as a primecontractor.

The business’ weekly capa-bility enables it to accumu-late significant tonnes to portfor export vessels in a timelymanner.

Kelvin Baxter TransportPty Ltd was established in1990. Its fleet consists of 27company owned Kenworthtrucks and 70 trailers.

Hay, wool, machinery, livestock, houseboats, bulk grain, heavy haulage...

You name it, we can move it.

Nothing is toobig too smallor

Ring Sid 0409 831 448

Kieran Pascoe Transport


US truckconverted

for our roadsWhen Grays of Finley purchas-

ed its American 1992 Peterbilt 379Extended Hood, it had alreadybeen converted from a left-handdrive to a right-hand drive.

It was imported to Australia byFreestones in Melbourne for aSwan Hill company in 1992.

Grays purchased it three yearslater for about $120,000 and it’sstill primarily used to cart con-tainers in the Southern Riverina.

‘‘It was originally brought overfor a company in Swan Hill andmost of the improvements weremade before we bought it,’’ driverBill Gray said.

‘‘Once we bought it we put abigger sleeper in it, and that’s

about it – it was already a customtruck.

‘‘It’s mostly used for carting –potatoes and cheese mainly – butdoes do a little tipper work.’’

The Peterbilt features a Detroitmotor, woodgrain dash andchrome features.

While not technically a ‘showtruck’, Bill says it’s still taken totruck shows to give enthusiasts achance to take a closer look.

It is the only Peterbilt in theGrays’ fleet, which is dominatedby Kenworths.

Between the family businessesat Finley and Tocumwal, Grayshas a fleet of 12 trucks with sixKenworth B-doubles dedicated totipping work.

‘Truck Talk’, September, 2014 — Page 17


Produced by:DENILIQUIN PASTORAL TIMES

Editor:SAM HALL

Printed by:DENILIQUIN NEWSPAPERS P/L

Advertising:LEESA MUIR

Phone (03) 5881 [email protected]

Information contained in this magazine is presented only after being carefully researched. However, there are differences in state and regional regulations and conditions. TRUCKtalk can assume no responsibility for the contents.

FRONT COVER:Kelvin Baxter Transport trucks have been navigating local roads since 1990. This photo of a Baxter B-double at sunset is a common sight throughout the Southern Riverina.

TRUCK talk SOUTHERN RIVERINA & MID MURRAY

ANNUAL TRUCKING MAGAZINE

Managing driver fatigue

■ Driving between midnight and 6am can enhance fatigue symptoms.

■ Watch for signs of fatigue, and stop if necessary.

Fatigue is not just aboutthe amount of time youspend behind the wheel of atruck.

Deniliquin Freighters own-ers Russell Tait and VickiMeyer say it can start from assoon as a delivery order isplaced.

Fatigue can be exacerbatedby the time it takes for thetruck to be loaded, and trafficand driving conditions can beother factors.

That is why there has beenseveral improvements —both technological and oper-ational — that can be imple-mented to protect drivers andensure the job is completedsafely and efficiently.

Mr Tait says the ‘‘humanelement’’ should be at theforefront of every decision atrucking company makes.

‘‘Timing comes in to it fromthe very start,’’ Mr Tait said.

‘‘When you book a timewith us we ensure that it’s notgoing to compete with peakhour traffic.

‘‘It all starts before you getin the truck and we person-ally will only accept a job if itcan be completed safely.

‘‘On the human side, weknow we have to come upwith a solution that works foreveryone in the chain.

‘‘It has to work for theprofessional operator and theclient, and it has to workfrom a safety point of view.’’

Fatigue management

courses are available to alltrucking companies, and MsMeyer recommends the one-on-one course adopted byDeni Freighters.

‘‘We have a specialist whohelps the drivers understandtheir own individual bodyclocks,’’ she said.

‘‘We have to understandour drivers’ fatigue triggers,and they have to understandtheir own body clocks.

‘‘The drivers are trained ata level that allows them tooperate up to 14 hours a day,however our professionaloperators work on a 12 hoursystem,’’ Mr Tait added.

‘‘The 12 hour system isreferred to as StandardFatigue Management, andthat 12 hours is from the timethey clock on to the time theyclock off – it includes the timetaken to load and unload thetruck and clean the vehicle,’’he said.

Deni Freighters alsoimplements a ‘no drive’

timeslot for its drivers in anextra effort to battle fatigueand its potentially fatal con-sequences.

‘‘We try not to have truckson the road between mid-night and 6am,’’ he said.

‘‘Statistically, it’s the worsttime for accidents.

‘‘If a driver must driveduring those times, there is astrict ‘no cruise control’ pol-icy.

‘‘We enforce one seven-hour break per 24-hourperiod, and we recommendthis be between 11pm and6am to avoid those times.

‘‘The seven-hour breakrule is not negotiable – wewill not allow our drivers todrive straight through.’’

Mr Tait says he wouldrather his drivers arrive lateto a job than not arrive at all.

■ Fatigue warning signs -page 19


Signs offatigue:What are the warning

signs of fatigue?Get to know the

warnings signs. Youshouldn't be behind thewheel if you're experienc-ing:

● Minor aches andpains, light headache,tired eyes.

● Light boredom orfidgeting.

● Drifting of attention,tenseness, nervousness.

● Occasional yawning,drowsiness, nodding off.

● Difficulty concentrat-ing, missing traffic signs.

What are the best waysto stay alert?

You should never try tofight fatigue. But there aresome precautions youcan take to avoiddistractions and boredomat the wheel betweenbreaks.

● Keep fresh air circu-lating through the car – astuffy environment canmake you drowsy.

● Eat light, fresh foods– sandwiches and fruitare ideal snacks for driv-ers. Avoid heavy, fattyfoods which hasten theonset of tiredness anddon't be tempted to havealcohol. Beware of toomuch chocolate as it in-creases the blood sugarlevel in the short term butonce it disperses it canalso speed up the onsetof tiredness.

● Remember, the onlycure for fatigue is sleep.

Website to plan your rest

■ Truck stops can be found on a nation-wide online map.

If you intend to travel onAustralia’s major roads orhighways, you need to planyour rest breaks to combatfatigue.

Driver fatigue is one of thethree main killers on NSWroads and can be as danger-ous as speeding or drinkdriving.

The Roads & Maritime Ser-vices interactive rest areamap – found atwww.rms.nsw.gov.au/usingroads/restareasmap/index.html – offers motoristsan easy way to locate restarea sites along major NSWroads and highways and plantheir breaks.

About the rest area map:The map displays rest area

locations designated forheavy vehicles only and lightvehicles on major roads inNSW.

It can be accessed fromcomputers, laptops or mobiledevices including iPads pro-

viding you with access to themaps anywhere, any time.

Tailor the map by vehicletype to display only relevantrest areas.

Click on the map marker toread information about facil-ities available at each reststop.

The journey planner willassist in locating rest areasites along or near your routeand the map with directionscan be printed.

Camping at rest areas:Please note, rest areas are

not designed to be campinggrounds or caravan parks.

Using rest areas for mul-tiple overnight stays as partof a planned itinerary is notin keeping with their intend-ed purpose.

The maximum permissiblestay in a rest area is notspecified, as all motorists’needs are different, withvarying levels of fatigue, at

varying times of night andday.

Some may need to stop fora few hours until they areready to continue their jour-ney safely.

If you need facilities for anextended stay, you are en-couraged to look for campingareas or caravan parks intowns along the way.

Individual local councils,not RMS, monitor and en-force restrictions related tothe duration of stay in a roadside rest area.

Roads and Maritime is cur-rently working to enhancethe network of state-widerest areas, including im-proved signage, provision ofcoffee and refreshments andimproved facilities.

R&M is also working toensure heavy vehicle driversare catered for withdesignated heavy vehicle restareas available for them.

Craig Congram Livestock & Bulk Haulage • Ph 0418 577 275

■ Leave plenty of space between you and the truck to allow for greater braking distances.

PLEASE READTop truckie tips for all motorists

The Truckies Top Tips provide mo-torists with advice about how to sharethe road safely with Australia’s534,000 trucks.

The Australian Trucking Associa-tion says research shows that manyaccidents between trucks and cars aredue to mistakes by car drivers.

It says with greater education, driv-ers can learn how to share the roadwith trucks safely.

The ATA has collated the followingtips from some of the nation’s top truckdrivers.

Avoid blind spots: I use my mirrorsso I know what’s around me. If you sitin my blind spots I might not know thatyou are there. Don’t sit too close rightbehind me. There is also a big blindspot down to the side on my left.Please, don’t sit in the spot near mypassenger door. Even out to the side onmy right can be tricky. Just rememberthis simple rule – if you can’t see mymirrors, I can’t see you.

Don’t cut in – braking distances:You’ll often see that trucks leave a bigspace between us and the car in front.You probably don’t realise how dan-gerous it is if you jump into that spacewith your car. Because of my size andweight I need almost twice as muchroom to brake as a car. If you cut infront - I might not have room to stop.So for your safety and mine, pleasedon’t cut in.

Don’t overtake turning vehicles:Trucks need more room to get around

corners and roundabouts. Sit backuntil we’ve got around the corner, orsomething unfortunate might happen.

100km/h speed limiting: Speedlimiting means no engine power isdelivered above 100 km/hr, howevergravity can push us faster downhill.Truck drivers like to be at the legalspeed approaching hills in order tolessen delays to all traffic, but if weslow going uphill or when overtaking,we are doing the best we can.

Overtake with care: Stay well backbehind the truck. Be certain you cansee sufficient clear road ahead. Whenyou are sure it is safe, signal, move out,pass quickly but sensibly. Don’t moveback in until you can see both thetruck’s headlights in your mirrors anddo not slow down.

Road positioning: If stopped orbroken down, try to park well clear ofthe roadway. At night use hazardlights, and to be safely seen ensureyour headlights are switched off andparking lights are on.

A truck uses its entire lane. If youstay to the left when approaching anoncoming truck you will lessenbuffeting from air turbulence.

Maintain your speed: When beingovertaken by a truck, please maintainyour speed and do not accelerate. Infact, it is good to slow for a moment toallow the truck to pass more easily. It’sthe same for those towing caravansand boats: If you are being overtakenby a truck, please maintain your speed

and stay in your lane. Let the profes-sional truck driver overtake you in asmooth way, even if takes some time.

Lights at night: Make sure you dipyour high beam before reaching a crestor curve. When coming up behind atruck dip early because a truck’s largemirrors don’t have an anti-glare posi-tion.

Road courtesy: Better to give orreceive a friendly wave of thanks thana shaken fist. Like you, truck driverswant to get home safely to theirfamilies. For your safety and mine,please learn the Truckies’ Top Tips.Let’s share the road safely.

Seatbelts: Drivers and passengerstravelling unrestrained in a car are atleast 10 times more likely to be killedin a road crash than those wearing aseat belt. Always use your seatbelt, nomatter how short the trip or how wellyou may know the local roads.

Distractions: Studies show that 80per cent of collisions are caused bymotorists whose attention is takenaway from the road by passengers,phones, GPS, radio, eating drinkingand smoking.

Distractions are the single biggestcause of crashes and near misses withroad users who take their eyes off theroad for two seconds or longer, doub-ling their crash risk.

Page 20 — ‘Truck Talk’, September, 2014


Thomson Motors tocelebrate Truck Week

■ Graham Thomson Motors staff are holding a Truck Week activity on September 6.

■ Truck safety and compliance is afocus for Graham Thomson Motors.

Trucking operators in the Goulburnand Murray Valleys want the public togain a better understanding of theindustry as part of Truck Week 2014.

An Australian Trucking Associationinitiative held every two years, TruckWeek 2014 is from September 1 to 7.

Graham Thomson Motors in Shepp-arton, on New Dookie Rd, will host aspecial celebration on Friday, Septem-ber 6.

It will bring together trucking organ-isations and companies to promotetruck safety, the importance of theindustry and its staff, and the greatcareers trucking now offers.

Graham Thomson Motors has invitedfederal, state and local governmentrepresentatives to the event, wherethey’ll be able to meet with localoperators and travel in a truck toappreciate the issues the industry faceson a daily basis.

The day’s activities kick off at 11amand Goulburn Valley Road Transport

Association coordinator Peter McPheesays one of the key aims of Truck Week2014 is to promote the importance of theindustry to Australia, and more import-antly the local region.

‘‘More than 75 per cent of Australia’sfreight is carried by trucks and that

percentage is expected to grow in thenext 20 years,’’ he said.

‘‘Trucks are an essential part of theAustralian way of life and will remainso into the future.

‘‘Through Truck Week 2014 thetrucking industry hopes to show thecommunity that we are both profession-al and focussed on safety.

‘‘Truck drivers have the same wish asevery road user – to get home safely.’’

Safety is a critical issue for theAustralian trucking industry and itsprofessional drivers, who share theirworkplace with thousands of motoristsevery day. Safety is a critical issue forour industry.

‘‘In the last decade we’ve seen amajor fall in the fatal crash rate for allheavy vehicles, but there’s still more todo,’’ Mr McPhee said.

236 BARHAM ROAD.P.O.BOX 878

DENILIQUIN NSW. 2710

WARRICK PETERSENAUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICIAN

ABN: [email protected]. 0418 379 815


Educating next generation driversThe Australian Trucking

Association’s travelling roadsafety exhibition, the SafetyTruck, forms an importantpart of Deniliquin HighSchool’s driver educationprogram.

The ATA truck visits Deni-liquin annually for the popu-lar program, which allowsYear 10 students to get atruckie’s eye view of theroad.

Deniliquin High SchoolDriver Education Committeechair Jenny Fellows said theprogram also includes ses-sions on first aid, driver train-ing and what happens in theaftermath of a crash.

‘‘We want our students todevelop their driving skills,learn how to share the roadsafely and understand theconsequences of the choicesthey make when they getbehind the wheel,’’ MrsFellows said.

‘‘The ATA Safety Truck isa fantastic demonstration forthe students.

‘‘We get them right up inthe cab of the truck to showthem the size of the vehicleand where the blind spotsare.

‘‘To really get the pointacross, we park a bus right

behind the truck and then acar behind that – neither ofthese vehicles can be seenfrom the driver’s seat.

‘‘Losing a whole bus makesstudents aware of just howimportant it is to give heavyvehicles a bit of space andstay out of their blind spots.

‘‘We also discuss howmuch longer it takes a heavyvehicle to stop, and howimportant it is not to cut intothe space in front of a truck.’’

For more informationabout the Safety Truck, go towww.truck.net.au/public/ata-safety-truck.

89 McCrabb Rd, Deniliquin. Ph (03) 5881 9000.

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Finley truckie welcomesstate highway investment

■ Finley transport operator Keiran ‘Sid’ Pascoe (right)welcomes safety improvements to the Newell Highway.

Changing the speed limiton the Newell Highway wasone of the ‘‘best things everdone’’, according to Finleytransport operator Kieran‘Sid’ Pascoe.

Mr Pascoe says increasingthe limit to 110km/h for mostof the 1060 kilometre corri-dor has improved both safetyand efficiency.

The changes are one partof the NSW Government’shistoric multi-million dollarupgrades program.

The Newell Highway Cor-ridor Strategy is ongoing,with investments in the Pa-cific, Princes, Great Western,Oxley, Mitchell, Cobb andSilver City highways alsobeing progressed.

The increased speed limitsalong most of the highwaywere implemented in July2011 to facilitate safer over-taking of trucks by cars.

Overtaking lanes are alsobeing installed along much ofthe highway to further im-prove safety.

‘‘The increase in the speedlimit from 100km/h to 110km/h clears a bit of traffic and theextra lanes allow for betterflow of traffic,’’ Sid said.

‘‘There’s more caravans onour roads and what peopledon’t realise is that if a trucksits behind one on 90km/h, ona 1000km round trip, it’s aminimum extra half hour onour book time.

‘‘With the predictionfreight movements are goingto increase over the nextseveral years, this is the typeof investment we need.

‘‘For a start, it’s going tohelp reduce the number oftruck crashes and accidents.’’

With the increased speedsaving drivers from beingheld up and the increasednumber of overtaking lanesallowing for free-movingtraffic, Sid says the benefitsto operators will be many.

‘‘It might take some timebut it will be better, es-pecially for Southern River-ina operators,’’ he said.

‘‘If traffic clogs are reducedwe’ll start to see savings infuel use and our timing willimprove.

‘‘If we’re held up for evenhalf an hour behind a slowmoving vehicle we arrive lateto our destination and it thenputs us behind the next day.

‘‘It’s not good for the busi-

ness and it can have animpact on fatigue.’’

Sid says the Newell andCobb highways are two of themain arterials heading north,and that investment in im-proving these highways islong overdue.

‘‘When I first started driv-ing a few decades ago theNewell was just a goat track.

‘‘The government investedheavily in the Hume High-way believing it was the maintruck route through the state.

‘‘At that time, there weresomething like 4000 trucks aday going along the NewellHighway – that figure wouldhave increased by now.

‘‘To head north you eitherhave to go through Denili-quin on the Cobb Highway toHay or through Finley on theNewell, and we know thatthese corridors are only go-ing to get busier as time goeson.’’

NSW Minister for Roadsand Freight Duncan Gay saidthe Newell Highway Corri-dor Strategy would build onseveral NSW Governmentprojects already in place.

‘‘The Newell Highway isthe road transport and freightspine of country New SouthWales, helping to supportdozens of communities alongits 1060 kilometre corridor,’’he said.

‘‘It deserves a comprehen-sive strategy to build on nu-merous upgrade works al-ready actioned by the stategovernment, includingdelivering extra overtakinglanes.’’

Since winning office inMarch 2011, the NSW Liber-als and Nationals have deliv-ered more than $11.4 billionfor roads, bridges and cul-verts in rural and regionalNSW, a historic level of fund-ing.

In addition to increasingthe Newell speed limit, somekey reforms include:

■ $1.9 million to rebuildthe highway surface in PeakHill’s town centre completedin February 2012.

■ $1.8 million for the up-grade of the Burraway Roadand Newell Highway inter-section at Brocklehurst (justnorth of Dubbo). Work com-pleted in October 2013.

■ $5.4 million roundaboutproject at Tocumwal comple-ted in June 2013.

■ $7 million for strength-ening bitumen on the NewellHighway at Bellata north ofNarrabri. Work was comple-ted in December 2013.

■ $1.5 million pavementreconstruction at Tichbornewill be completed in May2014 and Daroobalgie, be-tween Forbes and Parkes wascompleted in January 2014.

■ $4.7 million has beencommitted for the recon-struction of the highway atGirrawheen, north of Moree,due for completion in May2014 (weather permitting).

■ $3 million to rebuild thehighway near the intersec-tion of the Castlereagh High-way, north of Gilgandra willbe completed in September2014.

■ $30 million in joint state

and federal funding ($15 mil-lion each) to construct thesecond stage of the Moreetown centre bypass will becompleted in 2016.

Other significant upgradeworks include 11 additionalovertaking lanes, four ofwhich have already beencompleted. Overtaking lanescompleted:

■ Three between Narrabriand Moree.

■ One betweenCoonabarabran andNarrabri.

■ Two between WestWyalong and Forbes.

■ One between Jerilderieand Narrandera.

■ Two between Moree andBoggabilla.

Overtaking lanes to bebuilt in 2014-15:

■ One between Jerilderieand Narrandera.

■ One between Parkes andPeak Hill.

A copy of the draft NewellHighway Corridor Strategyis available online atwww.transport.nsw.gov.au.


Protect yourself from loud noiseDrivers, mechanics, ware-

house staff and forklift driv-ers can be exposed to excess-ive noise.

Company managers needto be proactive in ensuringthe environment is safe.

They might contract a pro-fessional noise audit. Theymight review the effective-ness of safety exclusionzones.

These zones might protectpeople who don’t see a poten-tial hazard, but do they workfor people with hearing loss?

Equally important are theattitudes of your staff, whichyou can try to influence.

Wearing protective hear-ing devices, reporting poten-tial sources of excessivenoise and protecting theirhearing in their private livesare actions that individualemployees can take.

But first, they must beencouraged to value theirhearing and understand thata loss of hearing can hurttheir employment prospectsand their personal lives.

It is common for people,especially males, to wait tento fifteen years before havingtheir hearing tested. In thattime, they have missed out onfully enjoying life.

An employer can help byarranging information ses-sions in which a hearinghealth professional address-es the myths and stigma ofhearing loss and conductsfree hearing checks foremployees, sponsored bytheir company.

Effect of hearing loss ondriving heavy vehicles

Mild to moderate hearingloss may not affect a person’sability to drive safely.

People who have a hearingloss often compensate by be-ing more cautious and moreattentive to visual cues.

Those with hearing aids

should wear them when driv-ing.

Responsiveness to criticalevents is an important safetyconsideration for drivers ofcommercial vehicles.

Drivers require a sufficientlevel of hearing to be awareof changes in engine or roadnoises that may signal devel-oping problems, horns, railcrossings alerts, emergencysignals and sirens.

Hearing loss can affectanyone

One in six Australianshave some form of hearingimpairment, ranging fromdeafness to a partial loss.

The causes may be heredi-tary, illness, exposure to ex-cessive noise and the affectsof ageing.

It is often a gradual pro-cess.

Medical standards forlicensing

Drivers of commercialvehicles are required to meeta hearing threshold, which isassessed by a hearing healthprofessional.

In addition to appropri-ately fitted hearing aids, vari-ous engineering solutions areavailable to help compensate

for the risk to safety that mayarise from a hearing dis-ability.

These include:■ Mirrors that enhance the

rear view.■ Visual warning devices

and vehicle monitoringdisplays.

StandardsA person is not allowed to

hold an unconditional com-mercial licence if they haveunaided hearing loss greaterthan or equal to 40db in thebetter ear.

A conditional licence maybe considered by the driverlicensing authority subject toongoing review, taking intoaccount the nature of thedriving task and informationprovided by an audiologist asto whether the standard ismet with a hearing aid.

The driver licensing au-thority will take into consid-eration the nature of thedriving task as well as themedical condition, particu-larly when granting a con-ditional licence.

Take the examples of afarmer who drives a heavyvehicle on an occasional bas-is, compared to an interstate

multiple combination vehicledriver.

What can you do to protectyour hearing?

Hearing loss cannot bereversed. Every step you taketoday to protect your hearingis important.

Today’s drivers of heavyvehicles work in a morehealthy environment thantheir predecessors. Moderntruck designs dampen thesound of engine and roadnoise.

Prolonged exposure athigher noise levels can causedamage to hearing.

Wearing headphones play-ed at excessive levels is ofgreat concern to hearinghealth professionals, not tomention the distraction togood driving.

The first step towards pro-tecting your hearing is torecognise the value of goodhearing and to ignore anystigma you think might at-tach to hearing loss.

The next step is to consultyour organisation’s OHS re-presentative or human re-sources officer. They may notbe aware of the issue.

You could encourage themto invite a professionalaudiologist to test sound lev-els in your work environmentand offer hearing tests spon-sored by your organisation.

Alternatively, visit a localqualified audiologist and askfor a checkup.

Information on hearingloss and ways to address itcan be found on the DeafnessForum of Australia website,www.deafnessforum.org.au.

General Carriers Australia Wide

1 Wakool Road, Deniliquin • Ph: (03) 5881 4800 • Fax: (03) 5881 4639


Barham Rd, DeniliquinPhone 5881 4435. AH 5881 2068. Mobile 0427 585 791

• RTA Authorised Heavy Vehicle Inspection Station • Air conditioning • On Farm Service

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New work diary rules

■ New work diary regulations were made compulsory onAugust 10, 2014.

Heavy vehicle drivers andoperators must now havemade the switch to the newNational Driver Work Diary.

National Heavy VehicleRegulator (NHVR) chief ex-ecutive Sal Petroccitto saidSunday, August 10, 2014marked the end of the six-month change-over periodfollowing the introduction ofthe new work diary in Febru-ary.

‘‘As of midnight on Mon-day, August 11, 2014, driversneed to be recording theirwork and rest time in the newwork diary,’’ Mr Petroccittosaid.

‘‘The commencement ofthe Heavy Vehicle NationalLaw earlier this year saw thenew work diary roll out inQueensland, New SouthWales, Victoria and SouthAustralia, but we wanted togive industry time to makethe change.

‘‘I urge drivers travelling inand through these states whohave yet to make the switch,to pick up a copy as soon aspossible.’’

In those states where thenew fatigue laws apply, alldrivers of fatigue-regulatedheavy vehicles (more than 12tonne GVM), who drive morethan 100km from their homebase or operate under BasicFatigue Management or Ad-vanced Fatigue Managementmust complete a work diaryto record their work and resttimes unless they have awork diary exemption.

Exemptions may also beavailable to heavy vehicledrivers operating under stan-dard hours, who cannotmake records in their workdiary because of literacy is-sues or a print disability.

The updated work diary ison sale for $20 across thecountry, including those

states and territories wherethe national law or workdiary provisions have notcommenced.

Visit www.nhvr.gov.au/diary-locations for points ofsale.

For more information onhow the work diary applies ineach state or territory, visitwww.nhvr.gov.au/workdiaryor call 1300 696 487(1300 MYNHVR).

There is someone there to helpThe Trans-Help Founda-

tion was established to assisttransport personnel and theirfamilies throughout Austra-lia.

The service is available 24hours a day, seven days aweek to offer support andguidance.

It is a not-for-profit organ-isation contributing to thesafety and wellbeing of thetransport industry, providingcounselling and support topeople affected by the sideeffects of the industry.

The organisation also aims

to address the many maskedunderlying issues througheducation and advocating.

The Trans-Help Founda-tion’s objectives include to:

■ Liaise and negotiate withgovernment departments ona State and Federal level.

■ Sustain and develop fur-ther the current road safetyawareness programs.

■ Evaluate and dissemi-nate examples of best prac-tice in fundraising.

■ Encourage all road usersto adopt safe driving

initiatives and respect otherdrivers.

Trans-Help Foundationprograms include GP2UTelehealth and the Trans-Health Income ProtectionPlan.

GP2U Telehealthspecialists in providing on-line video consultations forthose in need of flexible ac-cess to healthcare.

The venture providestruckies with immediate ac-cess to doctors via videoconference.

The Income Protection

Plan is specially designed fortransport drivers and owner/drivers and, unlike otherplans, is affordable and en-sures you are still covered ifyou move from one transportrelated job to another.

For more informationabout the trans-Help Founda-tion and how it can help you,call 1300 787 996 or go towww.transhelpfoundation.c-om.au.

On the website is a series offactsheets and brochures onthe most common issued re-lated to the trucking industry,which can be used by drivers,operators and their families.

■ All Australian livestock carriers must meet standard requirements.

Licensed to carry livestockSeeing trucks carrying

varying livestock is a dailyoccurance in the SouthernRiverina.

What you might not realiseis that all carriers and theirdrivers must meet stringentcriteria.

It’s all designed to keepthemselves, their load andother motorists safe.

On December 1, 2012, theNSW Government imple-mented its NSW LivestockLoading Scheme (NSWLLS)to enhance productivity andprotect jobs in the NSW meatand livestock industry.

The scheme was developedin consultation with meat andlivestock industry stakehold-ers, the Local Governmentand Shires Associations andTransport for NSW Freightand Regional DevelopmentDivision.

It provides increased masslimits for livestock loads, andincludes measures to mini-mise road pavement wear,protect vulnerable bridgesand reduce the incidence oflivestock vehicle rollovers.

Approved Routes:The NSWLLS approved

routes were extended onAugust 30, 2013 to includeregional and local roads in 11council areas, in addition toall approved higher masslimits routes and all stateroads.

Approved routes areshown on the NSWLLS On-line Interactive Network Map– found atwww.rms.nsw.gov.au/heavyvehicles/llsmap/.

It is anticipated other coun-cils will approve routes forNSWLLS, once bridges onregional and local roads are

assessed, and if necessary,new load limit sign-posts areinstalled on bridges not ap-proved for NSWLLSvehicles.

Please note, the NSWLLSmap shows approved routesand restrictions as an overlayon top of Google maps andthe RMS has no responsibili-ty for, and does not guaran-tee the accuracy of, theunderlying Google maps.

The NSWLLS maps aremerely provided for yourconvenience and do notreplace the NSWLLS ap-proved routes, which alwaystake precedence over themaps.

Scheme enrolment:NSW Scheme enrolment

application forms can bedownloaded from the heavyvehicle forms page of theRMS website.

NSW and interstate regist-ered vehicles may enrol inthe NSW Scheme.

Vehicles registered in an-other state or territory andthat are participating in thelivestock loading scheme ofthat state or territory are notrequired to enrol in the NSWScheme.

However, they must com-ply with NSW Scheme ve-hicle standards, mass limitsand operating conditionswhen operating in NSW.

Vehicles registered inNSW and enrolled in theNSW Scheme may operateunder the livestock loadingschemes of Victoria andQueensland.

Driver training course:Vehicle rollover crashes

are more prevalent in live-stock vehicles compared toother vehicles.

RMS has developed a driv-er training course to ensurethat drivers operating underthe NSW Scheme can safelyoperate 4.6m high livestockvehicles and applytechniques to minimise therisk of rollover.

From 1 May 2013, driversof NSWLLS vehicles musthave completed either:

■ The new NSWLLS Driv-er Training Course; or

■ The Victorian LivestockLoading Scheme (VLLS)Driver Training Course.

RMS has approved suit-ably qualified and experi-enced trainers to provide theNSW Driver TrainingCourse.

Application forms for theNSWLLS Driver TrainingCourse can be downloadedfrom the RMS’ heavy vehicleforms page.

Page 26 — ‘Truck Talk’, September, 2014


Pascoe: Improve driver servicesWith more highway

upgrades on the NSW Gov-ernment’s do-to list, Finleytransport operator Kieran‘Sid’ Pascoe says there nowhas to be concentrated ef-fort on providing improvedservices for drivers.

Sid says the days of the24-hour truck stop and road-house are gone, with manyclosing by 9pm.

He says it means toilet and

wash facilities along thehighways are now few andfar between, as well as lim-ited food options.

‘‘The old roadhouses areclosing early so we can’tstop to use toilet facilities orwe can’t stop to get anythingto eat after 9pm.

‘‘Parking bays are startingto be introduced along thehighways, but there’s neverenough.

‘‘Some of them don’t havebathroom facilities and youfind those that do are oftenlocked.

‘‘I’ve had many instanceswhere I’ve had troublefinding a hot shower whenI’m away from home, havingto have a wash under thetruck’s water tank instead.

‘‘Health also comes into it– you either can’t find some-where decent to get a bite to

eat or the only options arefried or fatty foods.’’

Sid is encouraging privateenterprise to invest in facili-ties along the highways toimprove services to drivers.

‘‘We need to look after ourtruck drivers,’’ he said.

‘‘Everything you use hasto be delivered by a truck —your food, your medications,cosmetics.

‘‘We need to go back tobasics; give us a fair go.’’

Increased grain limitsscheme may continue

■ The Grain Harvest Management Scheme’s extension into 2014/15 is still being investigated.

A scheme to allow eligiblevehicles to increase totalmass limits by up to five percent when delivering grainsto approved receivers couldbe continued this year.

The Grain Harvest Man-agement Scheme was intro-duced as a trial for the2013/14 NSW harvest.

The NSW Government ap-proved the trial to promoteimproved productivity andefficiency in the grain trans-port task.

The scheme was developedby the Freight and RegionalDevelopment Division ofTransport for NSW in consul-tation with NSW grain indus-try stakeholders.

Under the scheme, eligiblevehicles and combinationsmay exceed regulated total

mass limits by up to five percent when delivering wheat,barley, rice, oats, canola andlegumes from farms to Parti-cipating Grain Receivers.

Additional tri-axle groupmass allowances apply tooperators with NationalHeavy Vehicle AccreditationScheme (NHVAS) mass man-agement accreditation.

The scheme operated dur-ing the harvest season fromOctober 15, 2013 to May 31,in 2014.

Its success would deter-mine whether the schemewould be extended to thisfinancial year and the next.

A spokesperson fromTransport for NSW said theorganisation engaged an in-dependent team to review the2013/14 scheme.

Consultation was heldstatewide to ensure the viewsof all stakeholders were con-sidered in determining howthe scheme could evolve.

‘‘The review found that the2013/14 scheme was highlyregarded by industry partici-pants, transport representa-tives and local councils,’’ thespokesperson said.

‘‘It also found that thescheme provided a solid basefrom which all stakeholderscould work to fine-tune andoptimise arrangements forsubsequent years.

‘‘Key findings of the reviewwill be published as soon aspossible, along with details ofthe Grain Harvest Manage-ment Scheme for 2014/15which is proposed to com-mence in October pending

consultation with local coun-cils.’’

Vehicles and combinationsoperating under the schememay operate on all stateroads and on regional andlocal roads in participatingcouncil areas, and complywith applicable RestrictedAccess Vehicles (RAV)routes.

There is no enrolment pro-cess or administration fee forvehicles and combinations tooperate under the scheme.

All vehicles and combina-tions operating under thescheme must carry a copy ofthe scheme order, and com-ply with the scheme’s masslimits and operating condi-tions.


We start the day with 60 tonnes of cereal

Every day McNaughts haul truckloads of food across the land.

Australia’s finest crops of rice, wheat and oats are transported in state of the art equipment modified for maximum efficienies.

Innovation and experience is why some of the country’s best known companies, including Sunrice for the past 15 years, have put their trust in McNaughts. We are the experts in bulk transportation.

To find out how we can drive innovation for you, contact us on 03 5883 3570 or visit mcnaughts.com.

Mc NAUGHTSD R I V I N G I N N O V A T I O N


Get your truck licence

■ Truck driving can be a rewarding career.

Roads & Maritime Ser-vices provides heavy vehicledriving tests for applicantsoutside of the Sydney, Cen-tral Coast, Illawarra andNewcastle regions, as an al-ternative option to HeavyVehicle Competency BasedAssessment.

The HVCBA system isadministered by registeredtraining organisations withlicensed driving instructorswho are accredited by Roads& Maritime Services asHVCBA assessors.

The heavy vehicle drivingtest is administered by RMStesting officers.

Both the heavy vehicledriving test and HVCBA areconducted in loaded vehicles.

The heavy vehicle drivingtest and HVCBA system ap-ply to all heavy vehicle li-cence classes from light rigid(LR) to multi-combination(MC).

What do I need to do toundertake the driving test?

You will need to:● Complete a licence appli-

cation form.● Provide a current NSW

photo licence or satisfactoryproof of identity.

● Pay the driver know-ledge test fee.

● Pass the appropriateknowledge test.

● Pass an eyesight test.● Pay the driving test fee.

Book in for the test at an RMS

registry office, phone theRMS on 13 22 13, or online atwww.myRTA.com.

● Satisfy tenure require-ments.

When you undertake thetest, an RMS testing officerwill assess your driving skillsaround a specified testcourse.

Once you have passed thedriving test you should paythe appropriate fee to up-grade your licence.

What does a testing officerlook for during the test?

The testing officer assessesmost performance checks atspecific locations on a testroute.

Some checks, such as theability to use the vehiclecontrols, are assessed con-tinuously during the test.

Some other examples ofchecks which will be madeduring the test include:

● Braking to a line.● Maintaining safe buffer

zones.● Selecting when to merge

or enter a stream of traffic.● Using mirrors and ob-

serving.● Selecting appropriate

speed and vehicle positionwhen turning.

● Co-ordinating gears,clutch, accelerator and othermajor controls.

● Correct signalling.As part of the test you must

describe to the testing officerthe process for coupling anduncoupling heavy combina-tion (HC-MC) and pre-departure check (MR-MC).

A copy of the RMS’ Heavy

Vehicle Driver Handbookcan be found online atwww.rms.nsw.gov.au/licens-ing/downloads/heavy_vehicle_driver_handbook.pdf.

Join the Clean Fleet movementHave you thought about

becoming a Clean Fleet par-ticipant?

By becoming a Clean Fleetparticipant you can savemoney, help improve airquality and benefit from theCommonwealth Govern-ment’s fuel tax credit.

Clean Fleet is an auditedmaintenance program, de-signed to improve air qualityby reducing diesel vehicleemissions.

This initiative has beendeveloped by Roads & Mari-time Services as part of itscontinuing commitment tothe environment.

Through the implementa-tion of best practice fleetmanagement and mainten-ance strategies, fleet ownersand operators can clearly

establish themselves as beingenvironmentally responsible.

A serious issueEmissions from diesel

exhausts are a major sourceof fine particle pollution andimpact on the environment.

Diesel vehicles contribute60 per cent of all particulateemissions from road trans-port.

The transport industry cur-rently has the fastest growingemissions of any sector inAustralia.

Being clean saves moneyBeing clean is not only

good for the environment, it’sgood for business.

Less maintenance, fewerbreakdowns, better fuel con-sumption, improved vehicleperformance, improved ve-hicle reliability, improved ve-

hicle resale value, lesschance of a smoky vehiclefine.

Being a Clean Fleet partici-pant also makes you eligibleto seek a fuel tax credit(diesel vehicles over 4.5tonnes GVM) from the Aus-tralian Taxation Office.

Clean Fleet participantsneed to comply with fourEmission ManagementStandards:

■ Standard 1 – Clean fuel.Fuel used by your dieselvehicles must be free of con-tamination and meet nationalfuel quality standards.

■ Standard 2 – Enginesettings. Engines and emis-sion control systems on yourdiesel vehicles must be set tomanufacturer’s specifica-

tions, particularly fuel pumpsand injection timing.

■ Standard 3 – Mainten-ance schedules and methods.Vehicles need to be main-tained and serviced at theintervals recommended bythe manufacturer, or toequivalent standards.

■ Standard 4 – Fault identi-fication and repair. A methodfor identifying, recording,assessing and acting on re-ported faults must be inplace.

For more information onhow to get involved in theprogram, go towww.rms.nsw.gov.au/heavyvehicles/downloads/clean_fleet_0606.pdf or call1300 364 847.


www.baxtertransport.com.au

Kelvin 0428 575 059 David 0427 852 613 Stu 0438 055 283

Never losing sight• Bulk product specialists

• Grain, Fertilizer, Lime, Gypsum and Meal deliveries• Modern fleet of Kenworth trucks

• AB Triples, B Triples, Road Trains, B Doubles and Blower Trucks

Phone 03 5885 2613 Facsimile 03 5885 2658

[email protected]


Mack: Stock Number

2004 Mack Metroliner A10055

2011 Mack Trident A10069










2006 Mack QUANTUM A10093

Volvo: Stock Number

2008 Volvo FH520 A10026

2009 Volvo FH520 A10038

2009 Volvo FH520 A10039

2009 Volvo FH520 A10045

2009 Volvo FH540 A10052

2008 Volvo FH13 A10089

Kenworth: Stock Number

2010 Kenworth K108 A10058


2007 Kenworth K104B A10064





2007 Kenworth T404SAR A10084






Freightliner: Stock Number

2007 Freightliner Argosy A10061







MAKE US AN OFFER !!!!!!*USED TRUCK SALE WEEKENDMASSIVE

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THREE DAYS ONLY! ! !FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAR – 22nd, 23rd & 24th AUGUST 2014SALES PH:Brent Fuge: 0408 280 454Roly Gear: 0419 556 908

FINANCE:Angelo Attard: 0418 500 265Duane Voxx: 0438 806 3042007

*All Reasonable Offers ConsideredVehicles Advertised Subject to Sale Prior to Sale

CMV Finance to ApprovedApplicants on Selected Trucks

**Prices shown are plus delivery and statutory charges as applicable, which vary between states.

NOT TO BE MISSED, FINANCE STAFF ON SITE!!

LMCT 7928

MAKE AN OFFER SALE WILL RUN UNTILTHE END OF SEPTEMBER

MASSIVEUSED TRUCK SALE


Saleyards Rd,Deniliquin.Ph: 03 5882 2111

truck talk sept 2014

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