11th February 2024

Goodaye all, sorry for last week, had a fairly busy Saturday and left after 8 AM Sunday morning so my normal blog window was lost. Got over to load after a two hour trip, but then the truck in front had loaded and the forkie later apologized saying he had not scanned the load and it all had to come off a van and then be scanned and reloaded. Funny how the first day of the week can have such an impact. So out later, into Melbourne to find roadworks, different stories on the UHF about the Burnley tunnel, got there, yes was open, but had a detour at the far end sending trucks off to try and avoid low bridges.

We all pulled up, traffic qued for miles, I directed traffic and got most of the cars around, trucks off to the side and the fellow at the front had spoken with the traffic controller after the first one had no clue and we were told in 15 minutes, we would all be escorted through the one open lane in the roadworks, excellent. That lasted 5 minutes till someone else said no, so all of us had to do a sharp right and go back through tunnel and go off at King Parade and then find our way from there.

A sign at the start of the tunnel saying “Find Alternate Route” when you are already there is not good enough. I simply went out Dandenong Road to Oakleigh and we will come back to that. All the way out I could hear drivers asking how to get here or there and I hope no one got badly lost or stuck. I had looked at my delivery address and it looked like an industrial type area, but when I got there with another loop to avoid a wild b-double unfriendly bit, I found the street had houses down the other side, so no parking there. Ah, a roundabout ahead, MMM this looks a bit tight, made it round with at least 6 inches to spare using the road, the gutter and the footpath a bit, then lucky it was cool enough not to need the Icepack, and to bed to be rocked by speeding cars all night.

Up, walk in, no you could have come in earlier, thanks a lot, wait and unload and back to Altona. On the way, rang Vicroads, the roadworks, insufficient signage and detours not suitable for large trucks was a problem, “Not us, that is the “Big Dig” roadworks, I will pass you on, thanks. No, not us, that is Vicroads, no they said it is you, no then it is Citylink and I’ll pass you on and they would not even answer the phone. I did ask the first two to follow up either way and of course, have not heard back. I then rang the VTA to see if they were aware and they too were to follow up.

Weights and roads there were another issue I will ignore here for now, but did detail to Vicroads too. Loaded and out, made it back to Tomingley for radio and had Sal Petrocitto, the CEO of the NHVR on the radio taking calls for an hour and a half, did a little longer myself, then to bed and later back to Dubbo where I was due to load later that night for Sydney.

Another driver went AWOL and they ended up loading me back to Melbourne, but now on a mission, thankfully roadworks done at tunnel and nearly made it to Dandy only three minutes overtime and found only one spot left in a road filled with trucks and trailers, all local it seems as they were gone in the morn. Again, paperwork had said delivery after 9 and that suited my arrival time, drove in then and they said, no open at 6, so maybe next time.

Back to Altona for another drop and load to again as had a plan to be in Shepparton for the NRFA AGM Friday night and conference Saturday, so on a mission now. Load again, for Dubbo, out and made it back to Tomingley again, but only two minutes overtime this morning. Got a shower there, sleep and into Dubbo, unload and fuel and out again to reload where I started Sunday. Happy forkie there, loves my truck as I load it different to others (not) then “That’s another of your drivers, he doesn’t have a clue”. Sorry, not one of ours, we don’t have any Volvos. Loaded, grab paperwork after an exchange with the stop go man out the front, then the dispatcher says, “That bloke, first trip, does not know what weight he can carry, then wanted to argue he had to take 34 pallets and would not listen or understand, they would not load it and let him out overweight”. Yes he was an overseas gent and how can anyone be sent out to load without a clue. I did think back to the first time I ever loaded there, told the forkie it was my first time there, but knew what weight I could load and gross etc. What a world we live in now. OK so getting tired now and much to do and tell, so will do a midweek update just to keep you all in suspense about the conference. Till then, Safe travelling, Rod Hannifey.

7th January 2024 a week-end in Melbourne.

Goodaye all. A TRUCKING good new year to you all and I hope you had a good Christmas. Yes I mostly worked through, was back on the road Boxing Day and again New Years Day, did take a bit of a break from this and trucks for a few days each time, enjoyed the change of pace and time with family and watched the local fireworks from the top of the hill with some family and then the Sydney fireworks by myself.

I am now stuck in Melbourne for the week-end. Loaded from Dubbo Thursday with no confirmed load out, thinking positive, then had a plan, but it fell through and now should load Monday, but two trucks in front of me, one of the drivers here keeping me company and fed, (Thanks Rick). Friday afternoon with no calls for a load, we picked up some parts from Kenworth for Dubbo, chased some bits for my radar which had gone missing and they will now be in for pickup Monday I hope. Bought a broom to wash the truck, (then heard the weather forecast for rain Monday onwards, so that lost its gloss a bit, might do just the inside) checked out the parked trucks for ideas, then did some shopping for tea and the week-end.

Our local driver had already invited Rick for tea Saturday as he was likely to stay over and then added me in, Thanks Dave. Have done my column for Owner Driver, caught up on social media, caught up with my Audiobooks for the road page and had a shower ready for the evening.

Listening to the news, they were saying immigration has been one of the biggest factors for the year and RPT like so many other companies have some overseas drivers, mostly from India, but one or two from elsewhere as well. Dave picked us up and we went and visited his younger brother who has one truck working local, then the oldest brother who has 5 on local in regional Victoria, not far from Melbourne.

A bit of a barbie, a couple more Indian friends dropped over, then out to an Indian restaurant for tea. So two Aussies with five Indians and it was a completely new experience for me. I have spoken with individuals, both our drivers and others on the road and we all know that there has been some angst with how some overseas drivers get their licenses in the past. There has been serious changes to the loopholes that allowed people to “buy” a license and we now have the start of an apprenticeship scheme for new drivers, even if it is only in two states so far. I was just reading of the same issues in Canada, where they started a program which cost $10,000 to get a truck license and whilst it was a good plan, there have been failures to properly police it. There is always someone keen to find a way round things unfortunately.

I asked some questions of the group, each had a different story, all agreed they came here to have a better life for themselves, some still have family at home in India and will bring them once they complete their requirements to allow them to bring family. The one thing I have said all along, is I don’t care where people come from, as long as they are properly and correctly trained to our standards for licensing (and that is under review now as well) rather than simply given a license. I believe some still do retain and use an international license, and if not tested in any way, I see that as a problem for all.

The other part and the oldest brother says his son has told him, being born here, he is an Australian and speaks Punjab, but does not write it, is when anyone comes here to what they believe will be a better place for them and their families to live, they become a part of the country, instead of a separate group within and that can be hard for them to do at times and hard for some of us to support it seems. I hope to keep in touch and learn more from them all and have wished them well in this beautiful place in which we all live.

I have just got a call, have a load for tomorrow, but maybe in the afternoon and looking and listening to the rain, maybe then I won’t get soaked loading if I’m lucky. Till next time, Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.