30th July 2023

Goodaye all, a big week, though not for k,s travelled, but other stuff. I have been trying to get a medical done for my license renewal, but hard to book ahead when you are mostly away. Tried for Monday, third attempt, rang work, come in and load now, OK, no medical today. Load for three drops, just got weights right and off to Brissie. Stopped at 12 mile before Coona in time for a phone hook up with the HVNL Review Steering Committee. There for nearly an hour, even had time to straighten the two guideposts with green reflectors on for the northbound side first.

Along with a lady from the bus council, I had been invited to take part in a zoom meeting with the HVNL Steering committee. They have a number planned with industry people and bodies. I was given the chance to raise questions and give views prior to the meeting and then members of the committee along with reps from the NTC would try and answer. I raised the issues of the delay, the way it was from my point of view (and I did raise this then and since as well with the NTC) done badly from the beginning, that many drivers are cynical of yet another thing we have been asked to contribute to but we hope, unlike most of the others, this will see real change. It will not be all done at once, or we may never see that change, but there is a planned timeline and I truly hope we will see real and meaningful change that will help drivers into the future. Will keep you informed. Onward to Brissie and in time for a kip before Nightshift. Then up for another radio interview in Dubbo re “Open Road”.

In to split and off to do one drop. I had received an email from the NHVR seeking any research we had done on a number of things, all well outside our normal scope, towards the future of industry. I replied saying we had not done such work, but that we certainly wanted to be involved in what and where the NHVR is going for the future. Yes, autonomous trucks, electric and hydrogen trucks will come, but based on where we are and where we have come from, what does the NHVR need to aim for to improve safety and efficiency? They had emailed back, but I don’t get them on the road and they rang anyway

This again is one of many talks they are having and as with the HVNL group, I made specific and vehement points about not just talking to associations, whose intent we certainly hope and believe is genuine, but that they must both talk to and give hearing to those who actually hold the wheel in their hands and who live on the road. No one else will be affected by the changes now or then, will be fined for something with nothing to do with road safety or be put in a position of having to decide on a shower, or a meal or another hours sleep in the middle of nowhere with few options or facilities available. Yes in the past, we drove when fit and slept when tired and made the book suit, but now since Safety Cam, we are forced to comply and not allowed to truly “manage” our fatigue, let alone the fact we still don’t have enough places to do even that.

Off the phone, back for other trailer, fix two pallets, (the culverts on the Newell have a backward flick) off to do another drop and initial planned load had dropped off, but had another, though could not load till Wednesday. I had been trying to get a photoshoot for the truck and trailers in Brisbane and you will see it in a couple of weeks, so rang to see if it could be done. Maybe, so off to get truck washed for the first time in a couple of weeks, certainly due, but then spent some time and effort , got a call, yes photographer can come tomorrow, so all good. Got that done, back to yard for NRFA monthly board meeting for another couple of hours on the phone.

An update on the phone hook ups and other NRFA agenda items to discuss, then to bed and up early to do more cleaning for photoshoot. Had to wait for timeslot to load, but went OK and off to Fisher truckstop for a chat with Frank and a good feed. Into wee Waa and to bed. Up and unload in the morning and then wait for a plan. Got a load of cotton into Sydney and managed to have tea with my son on the way in and mercy sakes, even found a parking spot at Yennora, what a bonus.

In to unload, bloke there loved the truck and wanted photos and gave him a copy of Owner Driver as well. Off to load bugger of a spot to get in to, made it with a couple of inches either side, load and secure, but then spend another hour on phone with NRFA stuff before leaving.

On the way down had rang a mate and asked what we can do about the lousy phone service. Ten k out of Gunnedah, drops out completely, one k south of Murrarundi, same, how can we have gone from full service Melbourne to Brisbane and now I can’t carry a call more than 10 k out of Dubbo in any direction? So I am making up a list and we will find a way to push.

Out of Sydney to Marulan, sign there 8k ROUGH Surface, if they can’t even keep the Hume together, what chance have we got? Spent another hour on the phone doing the story to go with the photos, had lunch and coffee and got some photos of some other good looking trucks too. Back into Dubbo and tranship for another driver to deliver to the territory.

Another mate rang who had rang into the Nightshift and we discussed his road repair horror story and so now have another project to put together and use to make myself more friends in Transport for NSW. We will see. Had a quiet week-end, only a couple of small jobs done, but back on the road tomorrow morn. Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.   

23rd July 2023

Goodaye all, the problem from Brisbane last week was due to be completely sorted Monday and whilst it took a bit longer to do, I headed off to load late at 3pm believing all was good. Got loaded and headed off, thinking this was going to be a long night. Late start was going to affect lots of things. Barely down the road and a call from a driver behind me saying smoke coming from the back, was not a good thing and quoting my current reading, the books of Lee Child and the character “Jack Reacher”, that was for damn sure.

Called the workshop, mechanic came out and it should have simply been bad adjustment of new brake parts, but it would not go or seem to be “right”. We agreed rather than go further there, to go back to the yard. In the end after much playing, it seems the brand new auto slack adjuster was the problem. So now much later still, headed off again, no further dramas, but had to replan and then the fog made life even more difficult.

Pulled up near Wagga just in time to do radio, where we discussed the “Open Road, Open Up” mental health initiative then to bed. Up in the morning, do another radio spot, breakfast of yoghurt and bikkie then off, ringing the Melbourne depot to resort plans and deliveries. When I had left Dubbo, did not have a return load, but now did and could not load till Wednesday anyway, so into Melbourne, two drops off at depot and done by the local fellow so I could then head over to Hallam for delivery the next day and then load from Scoresby.

After tea at the depot of Tuna and Tabouleh, over to Hallam, a park nearly outside the gate and to bed. Up in the morning, find another already inside, so after chatting with transport depot fellow from across the street, him saying they have been quiet and losing some timber work saw a couple of interstate fellows working local for a few weeks, wandered over to sus it out. Fellow had oversize pallets of bags wedged into a frig van and wanted an electric pallet jack. Onsite fellow said it was broken when he brought out the manual one.

Driver looked at manual one like it would bite, but I offered to help, so got in and tried to show him to push side to side to get a bit of room to move. It was still a struggle, particularly when he wouldn’t listen and work with me. So he asked for the electric one again and it was found to be OK, yet again, he could not make it work and when I suggested you had to pull the handle down before it would travel,  he had trouble listening, but then the forkie got up and showed him, so he was all good and I waited till he got out, drove in unloaded and backed the double out across the road into the opposite transport depot driveway and the fellow there came out and directed traffic for me, thanks sir.

Went and had a look at Kenworth at Hallam, did a recorded spot for Australian Truck Radio, did an interview with Dubbo paper, made some other calls, visited NARVA to pick up a couple of lights but missed the marketing lady for a chat, nearly at loading site, where I had been told not to arrive before 2PM and at 1.45 got a call asking where I was, 5 minutes away, “Oh good, thanks”, in to site and still had to wait an hour or so to load. Finally done and out of there to slowly get out in usual Melbourne traffic. Can’t wait till all the new houses are built and even more traffic tries to use the already at capacity ringroad and bypass.

Stopped to do a live spot for On the Road Radio so was too late to get truck washed and up to West Wyalong and bed. Up in the morning, call from Brisbane depot, do I want the good news or the bad news? Bad first, well good is have a load for you, bad news is delivery Moree Monday morning, so a week-end in Brissie. MMMMM. Into Dubbo, fix the adblue tank problem blocked hose had actually sucked tank in a bit, then off.

Into Brendale later than I had hoped, but good parking spot, close but clear. Up in morn, in to unload, outside parked up having brekkie and working on plan to get call asking where was I, did I meet timeslot? Yes outside unloaded, thanks. One of the few times a subby load has been so involved and still nicely. Had plan to get truck washed for possible photoshoot, but then had to deliver another trailer that someone else had dropped and not all on same page for when it needed to be delivered, now it seems! But then maybe I could get unloaded Saturday, my motto, “You get nothing unless you ask” came through and yes, someone would unload me around 7.30 AM, thanks.

So now all my plans to do certain jobs on truck etc were for nought and shoot back another week, glad I had not arranged photographer and then had to cancel. Over to Eagle Farm in local truck, unload single, back and jump back into mine to go and load, some delays, back to yar d and top up then out to Fisher Park for the best rissoles again. Down to Moree and to bed.

Got a call at 6.45, when will you be here, since before midnight, oh ok on way in now. Up and undo buckles and straps, bloke had come in specially and just for me and was then off fishing, thanks very much and back to Dubbo. So lots of interest, calls, media and exposure for the “Open Road, Open Up” idea and already have another Dubbo based but close area driver asking hois boss about taking part as well.

Got home to find lots of emails from NRFA board, I keep emails separate and off phone, but if in depots or have a need, can access through phone as modem and laptop and still working on that now. Put some SwiftGrow on lawn and fruit trees, pots too, answer some friend requests and might get time to go to the cinema with one son and grandson, before posting this and catching up with audiobooks page, where I have been slack for a couple of weeks. Till next time, Safe Travelling, Rod.

16th July 2023 5000k plus, radio, newspapers and tv.

Goodaye all, now from some of the comments from when I have had a bad week, I might think, some of you might think, I am having a whinge. No and it is not, oh woe is me either, it is simply more for those who make our rules and police them to recognise that no matter how much we plan and try and aim to be compliant, things do happen and mostly outside of our control.

Well off Sunday evening, up early Monday in Albury to unload and get wet doing so, bloody rain and places where truckies are less important than the freight. Into Melbourne, load and out early, Triple M from Peak Hill and then into Dubbo for a few little jobs. Had a drama, ending up needing hoses made which delayed things and got out late, but still all good and plan to be home by Saturday morn at the latest all still well on track.

Long night, but into Toowoomba, to bed, up and unload, then find the place to load, wrong company name, no street numbers and hard to find a place when they have a different name, but the forkie saw me after I had done one reverse three point turn. Back down the street and in to a small yard to load, gave the fellow a copy of Owner Driver and he then wanted me to autograph it for him! Into Brisbane, found the place but bad directions meant a lap round the block, got me back there facing the other way, but that turned out better to get in.

The angle of the driveway was a problem getting in the gate and then into the shed, but then worse to get out and actually hit the top of the trailers together, how can such places expect us to deliver there, I know, they don’t care. Outside to do an interview on the phone for half an hour with a newspaper group for the launch next week as per tv on Sunday.

Back to depot and load, new plan, load for Dubbo, but then a call, “What are you plans for week-end?”, just need to be home by Saturday noon, good, “Can you do a roadtrain back to Brissie?” “Yes ok.” Out to Fisher Park truckstop for a shower while they cook a terrific feed, rissoles, salad, chips and gravy with bread and butter and coffee, good value and delicious.

Just made it back to Coonabarabran, after finding Gowan and Dog Trap Gully full and of course, they have removed the other decent spot in the Pillaga for another overtaking lane. I complained, have yet again been ignored, got a reply to a piece that they “Are looking into replacing two lost spots” but what about the others!!!!!!!!! With the camera next, obviously an issue with parking there needs addressing. Back into Dubbo, again, a plan to get loaded and then an “A” service for my trailer, but dolly and dog need tyres, so another delay, then have it all hooked up and off late again. Made it back to Southbrook and in asking, find the United back to 24 hour operation now.

Into Gatton, drop the dog and dolly and dog runner turned up for it with return dog trailer, down to the Gold Coast to unload, back to the yard to find a problem. Phone workshop, plan to load while someone comes out and does repair, no sorry they can’t come here, I have to go there. Off for a 35 minute drive, problem bigger than thought, can’t get parts, yes can, back and forth till sorted and then fixed, but of course plan was to load and go.

Back to yard and all gone home, but Nathan stopped to help me load, thanks very much for that, finally off to Gatton, hook up dolly with help from Wes, then dog and off and made it to Gurley. Lucky flight is not till 5PM. To bed, up in morn and off again, into yard, only one bloke left, but he unloaded trailer for me (thanks Mick) for further work Monday and home for shower and back to airport.

We had four minutes on the week-end today show this morning, myself and Tony from GME who are behind the “Open Road, Open Up” initiative along with Rural Outreach Counselling, based in Wagga Wagga where we did filming a week or so ago. Most truckies are still blokes and few will talk to anyone, let alone visit a doctor and of course, most of the time we simply don’t have the time or the ability to park our truck and go and chat. So with mental health now well recognised and much talk about it, what is “Open Road, Open Up?” There is a sign on the back of my current rear trailer saying, “The open road is an ideal place to open up. Call Rod on Channel 24 if you feel like getting anything off your chest.”

The aim is to give a chance to start a conversation with someone else who lives the life and may be able to offer an ear to listen, or another view. Most of us know that those outside the industry have little idea what it is like living on the road. Too often, most of the things that affect us are out of our control, the time away from friends and family add to the pressures and the job can get on top of you at times. Few understand and all too often, even less care, but myself, GME and ROC do, along with a few others in industry.

They say a problem shared, is a problem halved and simply talking about it can sometimes help. I had a mate, Chris Harmer who tragically passed away early last year. Prior to that we spoke regularly on the phone while on the road and would chat about each others troubles and solve the worlds problems too, but whilst neither could solve the others problems, simply talking to someone who knew how the other felt, did help.

The hope is to get a few more truckies involved, give them some information and guidance on how to help and if needed, where to direct those that might need more specific help and simply open another channel of communication. As an industry, we fail to get heard and or then fail to get listened to by government and outsiders and if we can’t help each other, then who else will.

This is at the least, an active effort, there are many passive ones where people say for example, “It is OK not to be OK”, but where do you go from there? If you do yearly medicals, you can ask your doctor, but again, will he understand the life you live. If your lucky to have real good mates and or family to talk to, you are probably better off than many. There are certainly those who have few they can really open up to. Give me a call and say “Goodaye” and we can go from there.

If you have used any counselling services and they helped, let me know so we can refer to them if needed and the same if they did not help you. We must do more to help one another. Many speak of the loss of mateship and to be fair, it is a changing world, we are not the only ones affected, but who else understands us?

I truly believe I have survived and am (at least reasonably) sane, from making this not just my job, but my hobby and my passion for well over 25 years no. From where at the start, it was just my job, whether I loved trucks or not, but not all want to do that. Some have those treasured friends and family, but not all have either, let alone both. If you want to help and or take part, let me know. Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.

2nd July 2023

Goodaye all, another 24 hour break at home and other than an interview with ABC Dubbo standing in the rain waiting to load Wednesday, nothing outstanding. Truck and trailers were clean for about 36 hours and feels like it hasn’t stopped raining since. Off to Melbourne this afternoon with a load of cotton and heading back to a farm near Gundi, but that could change.

I see in the reply to the ABC story, Transport for NSW say they are going to replace two informal (green reflector) bays that they tore up as part of new overtaking lanes. Seems they don’t listen, take notes and or can’t count. Trewilga, south of Peak Hill, was the first, lost the northbound site and whilst I rang them at the start, during and after the works, was then told they would find some funds and replace it, but that was only three years ago and I know you will be totally surprised, nothing has been done! Even when I wrote them a list of 8 different ways they could have given back the same or more while they were working there at little cost, but what would I know.

Then there was Guanna Hill on the Mitchell Highway, more calls, more “Yes we understand your concerns and will look into it and again, nothing. Then southbound from Boggabilla. In the 40 k section they replaced, there had been about 27 spaces in 3 bays, they spent money to fix, but completely destroyed the site just near Letterbox Road, it used to be wide, you could get under the shade of the tree and fit 3 or 4 trucks easily. They reduced it, paved it, off cambered it and removed access to the shade, thanks a lot.

The big ones either side a bit further south, where they had the construction site, could fit 10 roadtrains each side, so 27 at least and again, many calls, can you please at least retain the same number of spots and we went back to 3 bays with room for 6 trucks and I still had to mark them all!

Then Back Creek north of West Wyalong, more calls, more yes we will look into it and? Southbound, 3 spots completely removed and could easily have been retained, northbound, from 6 back to 2, no shade and much closer to the road.

Then I asked would they leave their OSOM bays, used during construction of every single site, as green reflector bays after the works were completed, yes good idea, we will look into that. And what happened, one northbound near Marthaguy Creek marked (I wonder who by) and all the rest torn up and they wonder why we get cranky and don’t believe them!

I got stuck at Trangie Friday night, found the toilets unlocked, last time I tried, they were locked and council said it was because kids left the taps on and of course, I said you can get push timer taps, which they now have. But one had the complete shower hose and rose missing and the other, just left with a hose, not the best for a shower but it was hot and next to ring the council again and detail what to buy next. Off to work, till next time, Safe Travelling, Rod.