31st December 2021 The last post (for this year).

Goodaye to all NRFA members and prospective members. I trust you had a good Christmas and wish you all a TRUCKING Good 2022. We have grown this year, our stand at the truckshow went well and with the new TIV on the road soon, I hope to attend events and fly the NRFA flag and will continue to do my best for the industry, the NRFA and the TIV for the next four or five years. If you want to help and be a part of something, join the NRFA and help us to help you. Till next year, Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey NRFA President.

To all who read this blog, thanks for your interest. To those in the road transport industry, I would ask you to do one positive thing this new year. To those outside, I seek some understanding and even, perhaps empathy for those who live on the road, so you can have everything you do have. In the UK they have t-shirts, “Without trucks, you would be cold, naked and hungry ! “

There are some fantastic people in this industry, as there are in others, but like in all other industries and jobs, the few who do the wrong thing, not only make it hard for the others, they often undermine the good work done. Please when you are on the road next, look at the trucks. They are everywhere and most often, when simply doing the right thing, you will not see them at all, unless you look, but as soon as one does something wrong, you will take note.

So to be fair, you have to balance all those you don’t normally see simply doing their job, with the odd one who makes a mistake, stuffs up or simply, is one of those we would rather not be on the road either. To all a TRUCKING Goood New Year. Cheers and Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.

26th December 2021 Someone who needs a hand.

Goodaye all, I hope you have had time with family and or a Merry Christmas. I had not planned to do a post this week-end and will be back at work Tuesday on my way to Melbourne. I have a mate from many years ago who has a family member who has not had the best Christmas. I will not tell you, but ask you to have a look at the Go Fund me page for him. If you can help and show some Christmas spirit, it may be worth more than simply another present.

He has had a go, been stitched up, kept trying and then come unstuck, and suffered not only serious injury, but is now in financial strife as well. If you can help, I will thank you, but his family will be even more thankful. Please have a look at https://gofund.me/04e86b95 and help if you can. Take care on the road and will be back next week. Safe Travellling, Rod Hannifey.

19th December 2021 Christmas is Coming.

Goodaye all, hello from downtown Port Augusta. Got out of Dubbo later than planned after my 24 hour break so could do this trip, trailers not ready, one not loaded and then a couple of mechanical and half done issues to sort. But got in right on time to meet the crane, unloaded a roadtrain with some containers and mining type gear, over to the servo and fueled up, the truck and me and had a kip, now some catch up and then onto Whyalla to load tomorrow.

Had to que up to get a covid test in Dubbo Friday and with the truckies sites at Dubbo and Forbes now closed, it will be even harder for those still needing negative results to get into Queensland and other states.

The one at the Dubbo showground is still open and another truckie had driven in bobtail but then had to park and walk in, as you normally go into the shed in your car. However truckies results done quick and had mine that afternoon. Had to hook up to yet another state app for SA and was half hour late into SA, but all good at the border.

Fantastic light show on the way over and some entertainment on the UHF. Heard one exchange where it seems two drivers were approaching a signed narrow (but still two lane) culvert and one driver thinking it meant too narrow, lit up the other because he did not stop. Yes some are narrow, but if careful or you simply slow a bit, no problem, however, blinding the bloke coming at you as they reach a narrow bridge seems pretty stupid to me, what do you think?

There was then an exchange with each calling the other out, there was no contact, no sideways trucks all locked up, but the blinder was not from here. Seems if you don’t give way to him, simply because he thinks you should, he was happy to blind the other bloke and that seems far more dangerous, than simply slowing if you are not confident enough to get through a narrow culvert!

Been a fairly interesting week, got loaded in Bundaberg Monday after a bit of fun finding the mill, the last road in, looked like a dead end and I thought, looks like I will be backing the b-double out of here, but was one of those that looked bad, but was OK. A few in front, so out after lunch, then unloaded Brisbane Tuesday, loaded back out after some dispute on orders, excellent feed (as always) at Fisher Park Truckstop and then had to traverse the back road into Wee Waa with the front road still closed, though only signed at the end after you head down there, due to flooding.

Back out that way, then a meeting with NHVR re fatigue and invited the new staff member there for a trip when the new one is on the road. Now have the CEOs of the ATA, Infrastructure Australia, Glen Sterle and Kym set for trips in the new year and with efforts from Transport for NSW re rest areas, SA doing the Eyre Highway with green reflectors, there is a small light at the end of the tunnel.

I hope the new TIV will be done next week, but it seems it will have to be pin stripped later as I can’t get onto Tony at TRUCKWRITERS. Luke on the Nightshift actually asked about whether the lines on trucks are still done by hand and I explained about Tony and now his son still doing it. Thanks to all who have kept faith and time and space to fit it in at this busy time of year. I just have to get it back to Dubbo for a few lights and rego and then onto and into the new year and four or five years of keeping pushing the barrow.

At this stage will be home for Christmas, but possible will be working between, not sure yet and probably won’t know till late in the week. Sane for new year, so would like to thank all who reads this, expect you won’t mind if I don’t post next week-end, but if home and have time will catch up before new year. May I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a TRUCKING good New Year. Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.

12th December 2021 Another week-end away.

Goodaye all. Been a flooding type of a week, I had to detour a few times, but got to where I wanted, but then have ended up stuck away. It could have been worse, unable to unload in Mackay from late Friday night till Monday morning, but being forever the optimist, I managed to get loaded late Friday afternoon, then for fun, texted the bloke in Mackay to see if he was working Saturday, normally very unlikely.

He replied late Friday night, saying maybe, when I was winding down and looking for somewhere to park up, not many spots coming in from Clermont till you get to Nebo and it was full, so then had to fire up and hook in to get to Mackay for my break and a well needed shower, even got the last spot at Paget!

So up Saturday morning and round to unload and reload, even got to the mine early enough to unload Saturday afternoon texting the boss, unloaded and this is my plan. He texted back, have to reload and texted, all-ready done that and then another load back, even he was impressed. So then rang my wife’s sister and asked could I visit (and would she make me some cookies). Last visit she said hers were the best I would eat and it was only fair to give her the chance to prove she was right.

In late Saturday night, caught up on paperwork and diary and picked up for an omelette for breakfast, able to catch up on emails and this stuff etc, lunch and dinner to come and drive down to somewhere near Bundy tonight to load tomorrow and see what my chances are of getting home from Brissie.

Whilst covid did not stop us (but made life so much harder for many of us as well as all others) and some Australians finally recognised they do need trucks, the adblue issue has the capacity to do so. How we get to the point of this from a government, industry and supplier perspective, is beyond me. Is it simply that as an additive, no one considered what would happen without it? The Chinese might not even need to invade, with no trucks, Australia will not just suffer, but will collapse and they will be able to walk in and take over.

Either we need to sort the supply problem in real short time, seemingly beyond possibility, or we need to allow trucks to remove the need for adblue, (how that will work and if effective for all are other major issues) and with a recent major campaign against engine remapping, that won’t be the end of the world, but unless we sort the material and fix the problem, the future looks very interesting.

So not to be further rude, lunch calls and a shower and some washing and a chat, so will be back again next week. Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.

5th December 2021 Slipping a trip in the middle in the new TIV K200.

Goodaye all, in the middle of a normal, read normal to interstate drivers week, I picked up the new truck from Wagga Wagga and delivered it to Brisbane. They had struggled to get someone to deliver it when most of their part in the next TIV (though a bit more to be done in Dubbo now before final delivery) was done and being the eternal optimist, I thought I could simply fit it in the middle of a normal week.

Tuesday, our change over was due out early, never normally happens, I was still on my way back to Dubbo, having been to Dalby, Brisbane and back to Daly then Mungindi and so had to ask the driver to wait, Thanks Peter, then had to arrange safe pick up of the new one, got a shower and a kip and early Wednesday morning, off to Brissie. Through Dubbo for fuel and thought I would go through Mendooran as had come down from Goondi and not heard it was now closed.

In the rain, the truck faltered but then took off again, but coming into Coona, it derated. Still early, so made some calls, added some ad-blue (but then wasn’t the problem anyway and bottles just had long enough funnel) told maybe throttle sensor but being special, none anywhere, can you get it up to cruise and try that? Current truck no cruise and was in 50 zone, so had not had the chance to try.

Took off and yes, works on cruise but towns will be interesting, then it must have dried out (and now having to go via Tamworth due to Newell closed) came good till the fourth lot of rain and another lot of flashing lights and buzzers and no accelerator, but cruise OK. Now running behind plan and up on hours, divert to Brown and Hurley for a booking to check it in the morning. Jump in another changeover to go back to Dubbo, but he hadn’t known till the last minute as thought with road closed etc may get stuck in Brissie! I was starting to think that too and my week and plan would have had major ramifications for a lot of things and reasons.

But another long night in the passenger seat, home to Dubbo, get my truck serviced!!!! Before I left and then into Melbourne with a few little things to just nearly have me tearing (the last) of my hair out, but Friday went OK and out that afternoon and home yesterday.

So it does exist, it did sort of breakdown (and I have told all who want to take the mickey out of me, now it has broken down, but I still got it there, it will not break down till after I get out of it in 5 years, STOP LAUGHING ALL OF YOU) it had the bullbar test fitted, had some checks done for the Icepack and is booked in for the scales etc tomorrow. I will be back up there Tuesday and might get to check in, but doubt it as have a late morning timeslot south of Brissie.

One mate I called up said it looked good and that was even without the bullbar and maybe without it all the ACB wiring being open at the front, was where the problem with the rain came from, but will check up on that Monday. So a few more steps, but again, I am in the debt of many who have contributed, but hell, am I looking forward to having it on the road! Hell yes!

Oh and on the way up in the new one, I had committed to a meeting with Transport for NSW about truck rest areas. I think there were nearly 50 in the phone hook up and I will state two things here. I have been critical of all states, including NSW for the lack of facilities, lack of consultation and completely ignoring our needs in being safe and having suitable and sufficient truck rest areas. I hope this meeting is the start of a major change within Transport for NSW to consult, listen and act. Yes it all costs money and we all know there will not be 20 new rest areas built tomorrow, but back to being that optimist, I am looking forward to improvements.

I did suggest they give me a grader and I could fix the problems on the Pacific in a couple of days, but they declined that offer. I thank Paul Pulver from LBRCA from also taking part, giving his views and support for many of my comments. Yes it is a small consult from the trucking point of view, but again, I am taking it as a serious start and one of the major things we pushed was more, wider and serious industry consultation, in planning, before during and within construction and this was not only agreed to, but said would be a major change. Nothing happens overnight, it has taken a long time and there is no reason we could not have had more industry participation in this meeting, but too many views at once can see things bogged down and then the process simply takes longer to get started. I look forward to much change and will keep pushing.

So a day off, to catch up with some sleep, do a column and all this stuff, more for the new truck and say hello to my children. Another normal week!!!!!!!!!!!!! Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.