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Work starts soon on installing 545km of rumble strips on Pacific Highway

Truckies can expect more lane closures and reduced speed limits on sections of the Pacific Highway from next week as 545km of rumble strips are installed north from Karuah over the next five months.

From Tuesday, June 10, crews will start work on two sections of the highway. Section one covers 143km from Karuah to Frederickton, where 251km of strips will be installed along the dual carriageway.

Section two is from Collombatti to Maclean, where 294km of the rumble strips, which are also known as audio tactile line marking (ATLM), will be installed over 114km of the highway.

Lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 40km/h will be in place during the work which is expected to be finished in November.

Transport for NSW Regional Director North Anna Zycki said ATLM helps to alert drivers if their vehicle starts to veer out of their lane, dramatically cutting the risk of head-on and run-off-road crashes .

“Audio tactile line-marking is a proven safety treatment that can reduce the number of crashes by 15 to 25 per cent, saving lives and preventing injuries on our roads,” Zycki said.

“When ATLM is installed, if a vehicle leaves its lane for any reason such as fatigue, distraction or inattention, the rumble strips vibrate and make a noise that immediately alerts the driver to correct their path and avoid a serious accident.

“This means they are particularly effective at night or in bad weather.”

Zycki said the rumble strips are installed down the centre and on the road edges of the highway in speed zones of 80km/h and above, except for townships and sections of road within 200 metres of homes.

“The Pacific Highway is one of the state’s most important and busiest roads, connecting towns and cities from Sydney to the Queensland border,” Zycki said.

“It is a key freight route, as well as catering to local and interstate traffic, so this work will deliver significant benefits to all road users.”

Crews will be working on three different sections of the highway from 6am to 6pm Monday to Saturdays. Some work may be carried out at night between 8pm and 4am.

Work to install the ATLM on the Pacific Highway is being delivered under the NSW Government’s Saving Lives Accelerated Program.

The NSW Government has committed $46 million over three years to install rumble strips and enhance line markings on key regional routes.

More than 2700km of rumble strips – the equivalent of driving from Sydney to Adelaide and back again – will be installed along regional NSW highways to combat driver fatigue and save lives on country roads.

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 Industry News

40 years on the road

Darren Sergeant, 58, works for Northline based at Townsville and carts general freight throughout the region.

He’s been with the company for six months and has driven trucks for about 40 years.

“A lot of the work is around town but I do get to Ayr down south and Charters Towers west of here. Even sometimes further out to Hughenden,” he said.

And it’s there, on the inland outskirts of Hughenden, that his favourite roadhouse is located.

“It is the Lights on the Hill and has good food, friendly staff and lots of parking space,” Darren said.

He added that the worst highway he gets along is the section of the Bruce between Townsville and Mackay.

When Darren first stepped out of the cab of his UD PK10, the first thing I noticed was his Crocodile Dundee style hat.

When asked about it, he said, “I am a big fan of the Crocodile Dundee movies and often jokingly get called Paul Hogan, who was the star,” he said.

Darren is a keen supporter of the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL and has one other hobby he enjoys.

“It is drinking beer on my days off. My favourite brew is XXXX Bitter,” he said.

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A truck load of engagement for regulator at Brisbane Truck Show

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) was proud to this year attend one of industry’s biggest trucking and trailer events in the Brisbane Truck Show.

We are always keen to connect with operators, drivers, our industry partners and, of course, trucking enthusiasts, and the Truck Show provides an opportunity to strengthen these relationships and join some of the most recognisable names in Australia’s trucking landscape.

Importantly, it is also an opportunity for NHVR employees to showcase some of our most important and exciting projects underway, and present on what we are doing to address some of the challenges facing the transport and freight sector.

Spread over four days at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, we are continually amazed by the number of people who gather in South Brisbane for this mammoth event.

The NHVR had almost 60 employees rostered across three sites, with subject matter experts sharing their insights on topics ranging from road access, accreditation, data and technology, fatigue, safety and compliance, and Performance Based Standards.

The NHVR had almost 60 employees rostered across three sites at the Brisbane Truck Show.

In particular, we were proud to showcase our new rebrand to NHVR Go (formally the Portal) and chat to industry about the tools and services available through our single, digital destination.

The team also fielded a range of general enquiries, with some of the most common questions being around work diaries, fatigue and rest breaks, mechanical inspections, Safe-T cameras, load restraint, career pathways, and notices.

This year also saw us participate in the new outdoor pavilion, The Depot, with an activation centred on our well-known safety campaign, Don’t #uck With A Truck.

The NHVR showcased an old-school style video game, set up inside a custom-branded trailer for attendees to have a go at achieving a high score.

Opportunities like this allow us to get creative; embracing innovative and refreshing ways to educate young drivers on how to safely drive around heavy vehicles.

The response to each of our displays was extremely positive and it was fantastic to be involved in this event once again.

Thank you to every attendee who took the time to visit our displays and speak with our employees.

We appreciated the opportunity to chat to you all, and hope you gained some valuable insights into the work the NHVR is doing in 2025 to create a safer, more productive and efficient heavy vehicle industry.

And lastly, thank you to Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia for their efforts in producing this event once again and making it a wonderful and worthwhile occasion for all.

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Maintaining the longevity of the business

Images: (Sarah Keayes/The Photo Pitch)

Photo by Sarah Keayes/The Photo Pitch

Careful Carriers owner Zacc Smith attributes the longevity of the business in part to the people that have come through it. This is not just in the family side, but also to the drivers that have made the deliveries possible. With what has been a traditionally small fleet, everything tends to be more personal for […]

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From farm to fleet to fridge

Do you ever wonder just where exactly your milk and dairy products come from? While it might not be quite as convenient as glass bottles being dropped at our doorsteps anymore, chances are most of your cheese and yoghurt comes directly from Lactalis Australia. SUBSCRIBE to the PowerTorque newsletter They manufacture dairy products across some […]

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Big boots to fill at the NHVR

Speaking with Tim Giles, former NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto recalls an interaction which occurred when he was spending some time at a weighing station on the highway. “This driver came in, and he was a colourful operator, the staff knew him,” recalls Sal. “He said to me, that mob before you, they were useless! SUBSCRIBE […]

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Unlock greater savings with AI

Through the use of AI, fleets can unlock greater savings through tax credits and rebates, according to Geotab Associate VP APAC, David Brown. Some of the best savings’ opportunities for the industry come from unlocking government support through credits or rebates, such as Fuel Tax Credits. Many organisations just aren’t taking advantage of these initiatives […]

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A blast from the past

Here’s one for the older folks in the audience, who remember the good old days – this throwback to the 1980s, in the form of a documentary. While this is only the first part of the documentary, it focuses on the application of road trains in Australian transport, presumably for a European audience to whom […]

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Why truckie made ATO’s wildest work-related expense claims list

A truckie who liked to take cooling dips on his runs along the highway has made the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) wildest work-related expense tax claims for the last financial year.

In a recent media release announcing its tax time priorities for 2025, the ATO also shared some of the outrageous deduction attempts it saw in 2024, with the cheeky truckie coming in for a special mention after claiming for his bathers.

“While a lunchtime dip might clear your head for work, swimwear for a truck driver is clearly not deductible,” said ATO Assistant Commissioner Rob Thomson.

“‘If your deductions don’t pass the ‘pub test’, it’s highly unlikely your claim would meet the ATO’s strict criteria’.”

Some of the other most outrageous deduction attempts the ATO saw last year included:

A mechanic tried to claim an air fryer, microwave, 2 vacuum cleaners, a TV, gaming console and gaming accessories as work-related. The claim was denied as these expenses are personal in nature, like the truckie’s swimwear.
A manager in the fashion industry tried to claim well over $10,000 in luxury-branded clothing and accessories to be well presented at work, and to attend events, dinners and functions. The clothing was all conventional in nature and was not allowed.

Thomson reminded taxpayers that the ATO’s role is to collect the correct amount of tax that is owed, and exaggerated deduction attempts would not be tolerated.

“While some people have tried their luck with unusual work-related deduction claims, most people realise to be able to claim an expense, it needs to meet strict criteria,” he said.

This tax time the ATO will be focused on areas it sees frequent errors, including work-related expenses, working from home deductions and in respect to multiple income sources.

“Work-related expenses must have a close connection to your income earning activities, and you should be prepared to back it up, with records like a receipt or invoice.

“If you’re anything like me, a paper receipt will get lost almost immediately. The myDeductions tool on the ATO app allows you to keep records of your work and general expenses to make lodging your tax return easier.”

One of the most-claimed work-related expense each year is a working from home deduction. In 2024 more than 10 million people claimed a work-related deduction, and many of those claimed a deduction related to working from home.

The ATO said there are two ways you can calculate your deduction for additional expenses you incur by working from home – the fixed rate method or the actual cost method.

In order to claim a working from home deduction, you must be working from home to fulfil your employment duties (not carrying out minimal tasks) and you have to have records to prove you incurred additional expenses due to working from home.

Using the fixed rate method allows you to claim 70 cents for every hour you work from home and covers your additional running expenses that are often difficult to apportion, like internet, phone usage, electricity and stationery.

“Remember that you can’t then claim these items separately elsewhere in your tax return – no double dipping,” Thomson warned.

To claim using the actual cost method, you must have records of all the expenses you claim, and the work-related use of your expenses to back up your deduction.

The ATO is also reminding Australians to declare all sources of income, and make sure they are included on their tax return. This includes side-hustles, for example if you are providing ride sourcing services or selling services via an app.

Each source of income you have will have different deductions available to you, depending on the nature of the income and your occupation.

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Trucking events not to be missed

Here’s what’s coming up on the trucking calendar for the rest of 2025.

JUNE

Alexandra Truck, Ute and Rod Show
June 7-8
Alexandra, VIC

The Alexandra Truck Show is back on the King’s Birthday weekend in June this year, with a Sunday Show ‘n’ Shine on the town’s main street, as well as live music, a Victorian woodchop tournament, exhibitions, trade displays, kids’ amusements and a raffle. Come down on Saturday for the local markets, a convoy and truck drivers’ memorial. For more details email trucks@alexandratruckshow.com.au.

LRTASA State Conference
June 13-14
Adelaide, SA

The Livestock & Rural Transport Association of SA (LRTASA) will host its annual conference weekend, featuring a conference, exhibition, golf event, Friday night dinner and a Saturday night annual gala dinner and auction.

JULY

Gold Coast Truck Show
July 27
Mudgeeraba Showgrounds, QLD

There will be plenty of trucks, cars and bikes on display, with show awards taking place across all three vehicle categories. The day will have lots to see and do for the whole family, with entertainment provided by cover band Pheonix Rising, who will rock it out on centre stage.

AUGUST

Casino Truck Show
August 2
Casino, NSW 

The date has already been set for this year’s Casino Truck Show, one of the biggest events in Australia’s trucking calendar. Tens of thousands of people and hundreds of trucks are expected to descend on the town as usual – last year, truck entries had to be capped at 600. Attendees can look forward to a great day out with food, trade stalls, kids’ amusements and much more.

LRTAV State Conference
August 8-9
Move Museum, Shepparton, VIC

The Livestock & Rural Transporters Association of Victoria (LRTAV) will host its annual 2025 Conference in Shepparton, featuring all things livestock and rural. Registrations will open soon, with more details to come.

National Historical Machinery Association National Rally
August 23-31
Kingsthorpe Park, QLD

Biennial National Historical Machinery Association National Rally is being held this August 23-24 in Jondaryan, Queensland, with the fun continuing in conjunction with Steaming under the Southern Cross.
Transport enthusiasts can look forward to 10 days of heritage displays and activities – expect classic and vintage cars, trucks, motorcycles, antique engines, tractors and machinery along with antique earthmoving equipment and heritage steam equipment such as traction engines and road rollers. Check out working displays, ploughing and earth moving demonstrations, a working blacksmithing display, market stalls, live entertainment and much more. Exhibitors from machinery car and truck clubs welcome. Visit the website susci.com.au for more details or contact the Secretary Warren Buckley (email secretary@susci.com.au or call 0414 334 006). www.facebook.com/trucks.trains

Festival of Transport 2025
August 28-31
Alice Springs, Northern Territory

Held at the National Road Transport Museum’s hometown of Alice Springs, the four-day Festival of Transport 2025 will host various events including the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame Induction, Transport Women Dream Maker Award, Truck Drag Racing and a street parade.

SEPTEMBER

NatRoad Connect 25
September 11-12
Shepparton, VIC 

NatRoad’s annual conference gives you the opportunity to connect with industry representatives, operators, NatRoad members and partners to receive practical operational information and advice. Save the date to your calendar and keep an eye on their website for updates closer to the time. 

OCTOBER

Camp Quality Convoy Perth
October 12
Perth Hockey Stadium, Bentley

Camp Quality’s Convoy Perth is a fun way for anyone who drives a truck to show their support for kids facing cancer and their families. Supporters will cheer on our Convoy, as we travel a 53km route around Perth City and Osborne Park, starting and finishing at Perth Hockey Stadium. The event venue will host a free Family Festival packed with entertainment and experiences catering for kids and adults alike.

There will be food vans, kids’ rides, face painting, roving entertainment, live music, fundraising awards ceremonies, and the chance to cheer on the returning Convoy.

Plus, you can check out all the trucks and vehicles at the Show ’n’ Shine after the Convoy returns.

Technology and Maintenance Conference
October 14-15
Victoria Pavilion, Melbourne Showgrounds, VIC

The TMC Conference brings together technical professionals, fleet and workshop managers, technical regulators, mechanics and service technicians. For 2025, the event moves to a new venue – delivering bigger exhibition spaces and a larger workshop area.

The venue will also provide greater space for workshops on trucks and trailers, and expanded networking areas.

The 2025 program will focus on key industry priorities, including safety, productivity, environmental sustainability, cost efficiency, and workforce career development.

NOVEMBER

Brisbane Convoy for Kids
November 1
Brisbane, QLD  

The Brisbane Convoy for Kids is back on November 1, travelling from Larapinta to the Redcliffe Showgrounds. Once it arrives, a family fun day will take place, with a wide range of activities on offer including live entertainment, auctions, food stalls, free kids’ rides, face painting, animal petting, magic shows, and a night lights display. Convoy participants also compete in a range of categories, with awards handed out on the day.  

Ulverstone Truck Show
November 1
Ulverstone Showgrounds, Tasmania

Held as part of the Thank You Day Show, a fundraising event to raise money for Beyond Blue and New Mornings, this year’s truck show component will feature a Kenworth focused show alongside the usual truck show. There will be prizes for both shows and lots of giveaways. The event starts at 9am.

Mullumbimby Truck Show
November 8
Mullumbimby, NSW

Held in conjunction with the annual Mullumbimby Agricultural Show on the second Saturday of November each year, you won’t want to miss the Mullumbimby Truck Show! This event will feature a truck parade through the town, sideshow alley, kids’ rides, food vans, full bar facilities and live music. Other features include horse and cattle events including trotting. For further truck show info see the registration form at www.mullumbimbyshow.org.au.

Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show
November 15
Bathurst Showgrounds NSW

The Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show is back, with plenty to see and do for the whole family. More info to come.

Illawarra Convoy  
November 16
Illawarra, NSW

Touted as the largest truck and motorbike convoy in the Southern Hemisphere, the Illawarra Convoy raises funds for individuals and families affected by potentially life threatening medical conditions, together with charities that work with these people, and local hospitals. 

Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show
November 29-30
Castlemaine, VIC

Held at Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve and organised by the Castlemaine Rotary Club, this year’s truck show is gearing up to be bigger and better than ever. Attendees can expect plenty of well-presented trucks on display, as well as food, a licenced bar, kids’ rides, free health checks and live music.For more information, visit rotarycastlemaine.org.au/page/truck-show.

Have you got an event you’d like included in the next Save the Date? Email all the details to danielle.gullaci@primecreative.com.au

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