Australasian Transport News (ATN)

A common theme in this edition of ATN centres on the importance of attracting new entrants to the ranks of truck drivers. No news there, you would be forgiven for thinking. After all, the generation crunch had been spoken of for most of the previous decade. But there is a difference now, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. And it speaks to an economy-wide issue that the nation blithely ignored until importing workers, skilled or otherwise, as an easy way out failed exist as an option. Make no mistake, this laziness has been endemic to Australia for decades. Part of the Lucky Country syndrome. Don’t put skills into youth, poach it from elsewhere. This column has complained about it all before. It is particularly poignant when an operation of the calibre…

■ One of the constant puzzles here in Godzone is the attitude towards technology. Many bemoan that conservative Australia prefers being first to be 10th in anything cutting edge. Of course, trucking puts a lie to that, particularly with combinations. And then there are the historical innovations: utes; Hills hoist; black box flight recorders; electronic pacemakers; spray-on skin; Google Maps; penicillin improvements; Cochlear bionic ear; electric drill. Yep, brilliant! So, how is it that Qube was forced to write down $215 million on automation at its container import-export operation at Moorebank? That’s a fair chunk before the $1.67 million it got from Logos and partners. Slow business growth in Sydney’s south-west, the company says. Things to ponder there on the pitfalls of really long-term planning. ■ Meanwhile, can someone tell…

Klosed Pty Ltd, TNT Australia Pty Ltd and Redstar Transport Operations Pty Ltd (in liquidation) were all found partially accountable for their roles in driver Anthony Paul Muller’s ongoing pain and suffering caused by an incident in Caringbah, NSW while moving a steel gate to prepare for unloading by a forklift driver. The Wangaratta Common Law Division heard Muller’s work involved driving a prime mover, owned by Klosed, towing two tautliner trailers belonging to TNT. The latter was also responsible for the delivery of freight transported by Muller, though it engaged Redstar to inspect, service and repair the trailers. Muller was required to move large steel gates on the side of each trailer, which he struggled to roll along the tracks on the front passenger side gate of one trailer.…

Former director of Crane Trucks R Us, Farmouz Farhaad Mohammed, is disqualified from managing corporations until 2026 after his recent jailing for fraud, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) reported. Also known as Fred Mohammed, the Queensland-based company director was found guilty and convicted of three counts of dishonestly causing detriment to Crane Trucks R Us (ACN 128 496 597). An ASIC investigation found that, in August 2015, on three separate occasions, Mohammed dishonestly withdrew a total of $256,000 from the company account about 10 weeks before it was placed in liquidation and was most likely insolvent. At the time of its liquidation, the company had total liabilities of $6,266,394.69 owed to 198 creditors. Mohammed appeared in the Queensland District Court in June, was found guilty and sentenced to…

An otherwise assured Lindsay Australia earnings guidance was tempered by an Australian Tax Office (ATO) notice of amended assessment relating to past fuel tax credit (FTC) claims. The diversified road and rail freight firm expects unaudited earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) from underlying operations in the range of $44 million to $46 million for the financial year. This represents an increase of 8.9% to 13.8% on FY2020 underlying EBITDA. "This guidance remains subject to final audit and assessment of the last few trading weeks of the financial year, as well as the impact of any one-off issues, including the ATO Fuel Tax Credit (FTC) audit outlined further below," Lindsay added. That issue, which Lindsay noted it outlined in recent annual and interim reports, relates to the company…

SafeWork NSW and Lindsay Transport have developed a truck safety training tool for the on-boarding and induction of workers in the NSW road freight industry. With an aim of promoting safer practices, the augmented reality phone or online app will guide a driver through processes for entering or exiting the cabin, how to safely couple and uncouple trailers, conducting safety inspections and preventing vehicle rollaway incidents. The new app was produced as part of an enforceable undertaking with Lindsay Transport, which included a three-month radio media campaign targeting driver fatigue, speeding, use of mobile phones and uncontrolled movement of vehicles. SafeWork's director of WHS services regional, Lisa Foley, said the nature of the work in the transport industry makes it a high-risk for workplace fatalities and serious injuries, with major…