State government thinking of allowing B-triples on our roads

TheLoadedDog · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:47 am

Edith · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:00 am

KRviator raised the point about the relative damage to roads caused by big trucks versus cars. The damage is proportional to the fourth power of the axle load.

If we assume that a semi has an axle load of 5 tonnes (I think the permissable limit is 6.5 tonnes), then each truck axle is doing 5x5x5x5 = 625 times the damage of a car axle. Let us assume a car has two axles, each bearing one tonne (a heavy car) and the truck has six axles (make it just a standard semi, not even a B-double or triple), then we are looking at nearly 2,000 times the damage per kilometre travelled !

This damage will not be paid for by excise duty on fuel or registration.

www.ntc.gov.au/filemedia/Publications/LowProfileTyresComparedSuperSing.doc

Dreams are not something to wait for
They are something to work for

AUSqrTRANS · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:23 am

I have to put in my2c:-

Who here knows the cost of sendng two $55per hour single tauts into a premises that will hold em up for 6 hours to only cart back 44 pallets when we can send a b-double (or triple if and when they become available) at $85 per hour to cart back 60 Pallets (our B doubs have drop decks)?

You do the money math on a daily basis and see why Triple and doubles are used.

and yes, rego on these trucks and trailers is substantially higher than any light vehicle I have ever put rego on so stop the whinging that truck drivers should be paying for it. These poor boys pay enough in fuel and maintenance on their vehicles to be copping flack over rego prices.

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ParkesHub · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:22 am

AUSqrTRANS · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:04 pm

Yeah so a $2000 yearly increase is acceptible?

I know at least three of our employees here that have paid for B-Double registration but haven't been able to get B-Double work so inorder for them to keep surviving they take the standard drivers rate. One has had his truck up for sale for almost 8 months and still can't get somebody to buy it, as he wants to downgrade to a single axle and cart light MT's.

A rate cut ($45 per hour) but less overall costs (fuel, maintenance, REGO!)

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80's S01 Episode 30/31

ParkesHub · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 1:03 pm

KRviator · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 3:45 pm

DalyWaters · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:34 am

ParkesHub · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:20 pm

Dean C Class · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:27 pm

Hi guys, a very interesting thread to read. Personally l dont think we need B Tripples. Having said that, rail just isn't up to the task here in Victoria and it is there own fault. The rail industry for years has allowed the whole system to run into disrepair and for some unknown reason seem to think that the word twist lock will win them freight. Thank god SCT didn't fall for this way of thinking. They have ripped up most of the industrial sidings, most of the regional sidings, crossing loops such as Colac, closed lines like Leongatha [you can't run trains if you don't have tracks] and haven't invested in any new rolling stock to meet any customer needs, unless it has a twist lock. Even with track upgrades such as that on the Melb-Syd line, clearances haven't been improved to even accomodate a piggy back style arrangment. The problem with containers, expecially refrigerated containers is the weight. Freight forwarders want payload, you lose up to 2 ton with a refer. They haven't pushed hard enough for the standard guaging of the rural freight lines because one rail operator saw it as a way of keeping competitors of its tracks, forgetting that the trucking industry didn't see that as a problem. Technologies that were on Australian rails back in the 90's like the trailer rail got canned, even though there were tankers, tippers, vans and flat top trailers which l don't remember seeing some of these ever run, only on demo runs. Sure at times l don't think it has been a level playing field but rail itself has a lot to answer for and can't keep blaming the road transport industry for them being short sighted. Hopefully companys like El Zorro will turn things around here in Victoria and the road transport industry will have to fight for there freight, not just have it handed to them buy the rail industry.

JTCs2 · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:42 pm

pretty much hit the nail on the head with that one
JT

CAT 793 in the wet- worlds most effective laxative.
No fear eh? u aint driven a haul truck in the rain have ya?

jakar · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:30 pm

Dean C class, you've basically got it right about what has happened, but IMO have missed the mark on why or how.

mjja · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:54 am

On one level you can blame the government, but VicRoads (and its predecessors) are the government too - what made the policy makers favour roads over rail?

Riccardo has a very good piece on his blog - he points out that the practices that were allowed by the rail industry (irrespective of whether it was government owned) kept it in the dark ages of the 19th century, so for the policy makers it was easier to let it stay in the dark ages and bring in road transport as the symbol of modernity.

Happy Gunzelling and remember, "Go by rail!"

Michael Angelico
President, Smart Passengers Inc
(My opinions are my own unless specifically stated.)

JTCs2 · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:19 pm

Jakar
Good question
i would change the focus from revenue raising to enforcing safety.
an example would be if an officer pulls over a truck there should be tests (similar to american driver soberity tests) that the officer could use to asses the alertness of thedriver, if he deems the driver fatigued then he is ordered off the road to sleep for a predetermined time. if he jumps the gun he would get picked up on the next safe t cam and fined heavily.

currently if an officer pulls a truck over they will look back though the logbook and probably fine the driver for spelling the name goondiwindi or toowoomba wrong at 4 in the morning 3 weeks ago, now im yet to have anyone tell me how that is enforcing safety.

focus on unroadworthy trucks instead of ones that are 10cm over length just because its easier money.

just 2 exampels, have many more
JT

CAT 793 in the wet- worlds most effective laxative.
No fear eh? u aint driven a haul truck in the rain have ya?

KRviator · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 7:52 pm

JTCs2, it doesn't matter if a truck is 10cm overlength, or 10 feet overlength. It is overlength, and the driver deserves to be fined for operating said vehicle. Doesn't matter if he loaded it, or even if he knew it was overlength. As a truckie, you are legally, and morally obliged to operate your vehicle in accordance with the relevant legislation.

You say there should be "alertness tests". Great idea. How would you enforce that? Sobriety tests are provable using a valid scientific method of measuring blood alcohol content at a later time. Just because someone looks tired doesn't mean they are, just as someone who looks alert might be one curve away from a fatigue-induced crash. You can not fine people based on how they appear.

Indeed being awake for a period of 16 hours is proven to have an equivalent reduction in alertness as a BAC of 0.05%, but the BAC for truckies is 0.00/0.02% is it not? So why should you be permitted to operate a heavy vehicle when it is proven your fatigue-related "reduction in performance" is the same as if you'd been drinking? How many truckies (perhaps yourself included) would jump up and down about stopping driving as soon aas you'd been awake for 12/14 hours? I can hear the arguments now "It'll impact on our bottom line" "It's not improving safety" and "Why not target the real dangers on our roads" But, if we listen to the trucking industry, there aren't that many "real dangers" on our roads. There's only a few cowboys. Rolling Eyes

If the industry can't handle spelling the names of your rest stops correctly (A fraud prevention, and hence safety related activity, mind you) it reflects very poorly on you. It is not hard to know the name of the closest town and if you are still struggling to spell it, then might I suggest you invest in a truckies atlas...Oh, and for what its' worth, the QLD Government (at least, I suspect others will follow) has decreed that a simple spelling mistake in a logbook is not punishable. This was said on national radio by a Queensland truckie.

Since you've had an opportunity to answer jakar's question, I'm going to suggest some safety-related improvements.

A) Increase the number of RTA inspectors immediately and establish weighstations at the outskirts of the major cities capable of handling a dozen trucks at a time for both inbound & outbound vehicles.
B) Use these weighstations to measure the gross mass of each vehicle, and inspect the logbooks of the operators.
C) While checking the books, conduct a basic roadworthiness test of all lights, tyre tread, load security, and whatever else needs to be checked.
D) Install point to point speed cameras along every major highway in this country. (Not just truckies targetted here, everyone is)
E) Mandate bi-annual recertification of heavy vehicle operators
F) Mandate high-visibility shirts or vests for all truckies when out of their cab.
G) Mandate a 10 hour shift limit for truckies with a minimum 20 minute break to be taken away from their truck between the 4th & 6th hour.
H) Immediately restrict the operation of B-Double & above vehicles to dual carriageway highways only.
I) Mandate a 0.00% BAC for all operators of HR and above vehicles.
J) Immediately increase registration & insurance fees for all havy vehicles to tompensate for the damage caused by these vehicles to the national highway network and fund further road imrovements

I'm sure to come up with more, and can't wait to hear from the trucking industry why every one of those suggestions won't work...

Trainee Driver, Pacific National

Comments made are strictly the opinion of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the ADF, Pacific National, Freight Australia or the Boy Scouts of Antartica.

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