I love grabbing a hot cuppa and checking out the Big Rigs social media pages to see what readers are saying about the articles. My August piece on the National Roadworthiness Survey certainly stirred up some cranky comments!

The main takeaway was:

This issue is no longer hiding in the background; it’s front and centre.

Even the Victorian Farmers Federation is now loudly complaining about what truck drivers have been saying for years: roads need to be suitable for trucks.

It must be frustrating for an operator trying to run a safe and reliable transport business. How can you predict when the next trip will damage your vehicle, costing thousands in repairs, along with the time your truck is off the road and not earning? And that’s assuming you can find someone willing to endure the rough ride!

While I agree with the frustration, most of the social media comments seem focused on the NHVR.

We all know that the NHVR doesn’t build or manage roads, so we should be directing our complaints to local, state, and federal governments, as they’re responsible for the roads.

We can make our voices heard during elections, but isn’t there something the NHVR could do to address these concerns?

Yes, there is! I’m so glad you asked.

Instead of just slapping defects on trucks and shaking heads at their condition, why not come up with a solution that recognises the efforts operators are making to address these challenges?

Professional truck operators and drivers complete a pre-start check at the beginning of each shift or after a long rest.

They note what’s right or wrong, and whether something might need fixing soon. The pre-start check is an obvious tool (along with the visual inspection) the NHVR can use to see if an issue is new or if it’s been around for a while.

Here’s a solution – are you ready?

Let’s use improvement notices. Not defects, not fines, just simple improvement notices.

Improvement notices could be used for issues like:

• A new issue that’s just happened, but the truck is still safe to drive.

• An issue that’s getting worse, but the truck is still safe to drive.

• An issue outside the driver’s ability to inspect, but the truck is still safe to drive.

In all cases, the truck is safe to drive. The improvement notice shouldn’t be used when a truck needs to be taken off the road.

Once the issue is fixed, the notice no longer applies and you can drive the truck again, just like you can with a minor or self-clearing defect notice.

But unlike a minor defect notice, the truck doesn’t need to be inspected by someone else to confirm the repair. And unlike any defect notice, you don’t need to get it cleared.

You just keep a record of the fix – repair notes, invoices, or photos. If the regulator wants to check, they can stop the truck and look.

Someone might ask, “How will anyone know the notice no longer applies?” Simple – just look at the date on the improvement notice. If the issue is still there after the due date on the notice, then act. But let’s not settle for red tape processes that don’t improve road safety.

This solution acknowledges the professional processes in place without punishing operators for something that could be caused by bad roads.

Now, some of you might think it could be easy to cheat the system, and maybe it could, but surely, it’s a start.

The NHVR already uses improvement notices for off-road issues, so why not for this?

Running a trucking business is hard enough without worrying that your processes won’t be recognised by enforcement officers.

What’s the point of having a process if it’s ignored by those enforcing the laws?

It’s ridiculous to comply with the law on one hand and be told you’re not on the other, especially when you’re doing everything ‘reasonably practicable’ as required by that law.

Come on, NHVR, do better.

What’s the point of winning customer service awards if your customers on the road are suffering due to outdated processes that punish them for things beyond their control?

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Located in the Brisbane suburb of Coopers Plains, within a busy transport hub, Gateway Property Services has 9000 square metres of vacant land available for truck, trailer and container parking and storage.

Easily accessible, it’s situated at 236 Musgrave Road, Coopers Plains.

“The site it very well located, approximately 10 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD,” said Bruce Grady, managing director at Gateway Property Services and the Bruce Grady Group. “The land is level cleared and drained, and located just off the main distribution road.”

Bruce says he decided to make the land available to transport operators following demand for the space. “There was a big truck centre adjacent to the land, so we’ve had trucks parking there before, we’ve had people in there manufacturing trailers and all sorts of things – so there was a lot of interest from transport operators,” he explained.

“You can’t park a truck on the street in Brisbane, so drivers are always looking for somewhere they can park. We even have interstate drivers who will stop here and park up for the night.

“I’ve accommodated transport operators as they’ve asked. There was one operator with 10 trucks here at one stage, so there’s definitely demand for it.

“And it’s not a long term lease, it’s all short term leases and we offer low rates too.”

The site also has security, outdoor lighting and 24-hour access.

For more information or to discuss the competitive rates on offer, please call Bruce Grady on 0408 595 554.

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In decades of talking to truck drivers I have never met another with the hobby that Mackay-based driver Scott James enjoys.

“I make my own beef jerky from topside steak and always carry a bag of it in my cabin,” he said.

The 54-year-old truckie drives a Kenworth T610 for Lindsay Transport and was hooking up a trailer at the parking area of the BP Cluden when he stopped for a chat.

“I have bananas which after I change over at Mackay will be heading for Brisbane. I brought up Visy board,” he said.

Scott has been a truck driver for 35 years and loves working for Lindsay Transport, which he’s been with for a year.

For some years Scott had been an owner-operator based at Goulburn in NSW.

“The costs owner drivers have such as fuel are high, so it is good to work for a company,” he said.

I asked him the main reason he is such a happy driver. “Because I do the shuttle run between Mackay and Townsville and am home every night,” he said, adding that he also loves the Kenworth.

“It is almost new. Only a few months old and has an automatic gearbox and is powered by a 550hp motor,” Scott said.

He rates many parts of the Bruce Highway as the worst he gets along.

Before I left, Scott offered me a sample of his homemade beef jerky – how could I refuse?

The verdict is that it was delicious.

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A new $19 million truck charging hub is being constructed in the Sydney suburb of Mascot.

Global fleet electrification specialist Zenobē will own and operate the site and the trucks, which will be leased to Woolworths under an Australian-first electric vehicle as a service business model for trucks.

The charging hub will include 22 dual port chargers integrated with smart charging software and a stationary battery mode from second-life EV batteries.

Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), has committed $8.5 million to the project from the Driving the Nation Fund.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said, “This Australian first project is showing the heavy transport sector how electrification can be integrated into their existing business models and drive down the high emissions from transporting goods our roads.

“As customers become more used to having their groceries delivered, it makes sense to find renewable energy solutions to do so.”

“Transport plays a vital role in Australia’s economy and contributes to 20 per cent of emissions. ARENA is excited to fund projects like this finding solutions to the problem.”

The EV project includes a brand-new $19 million charging hub and leasing of 60 BEV trucks to Woolworths supermarket for its grocery home delivery fleet. The site will also have the capacity to accommodate additional BEV trucks to create a multi-user facility.

Woolworths plans to make its entire fleet of home delivery trucks 100 per cent electric by 2030.

Zenobē founder and director, Nicholas Beatty, added, “Green finance is key to unlocking flagship projects like this, accelerating the decarbonisation of transport. Collaboration remains key and, together with ARENA and Woolworths, we are showing that the truck sector can electrify today.”

Zenobē Australia New Zealand country director Gareth Ridge commented: “We are thrilled to utilise the ARENA Driving the Nation Fund to work alongside Woolworths in deploying an Australian first electric vehicle as a service (EVaaS) charging hub model. The funding will enable us to set a new standard for truck fleet electrification both in the region and in the wider industry.

“This will create another blueprint for what is possible, this time in large-scale heavy vehicle fleet electrification, following the success in establishing the Leichhardt Next Generation Bus depot. The project is another step forward in realising our goal of making clean power accessible and efficient for major operators.”

ARENA has previously worked with Zenobē on the $37.2 million ‘Next Generation Electric Bus Depot’ in Leichardt, NSW, where ARENA provided a $5 million grant in 2021.

Zenobē expects work on the charging hub to be completed in early 2025.

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