Raising Anxiety and Depression Awareness during ADA month
The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) will show support for beyondblue: the national depression initiative by putting anxiety and depression on the trucking industry’s radar during October.
The Chairman of the ATA, Trevor Martyn, today announced the association’s involvement in beyondblue’s Anxiety and Depression Awareness (ADA) Month, which aims to raise awareness of symptoms and where to get help – and address the associated stigma.

Mr Martyn said that depression affects around one million Australians each year of all ages and backgrounds, including people in the trucking industry and every other industry too.
“In Anxiety and Depression Awareness Month, the ATA will run a campaign to urge trucking operators and employees to get the facts and seek help early if they think they have depression,” he said.
“Depression is much more serious than feeling sad every now and then or having a bad day on the road. If you aren’t travelling too well, don’t be embarrassed to have a chat to your doctor. The sooner you recognise you’re not well, the sooner you can get treatment and be on the road to recovery.
CEO of beyondblue, Leonie Young, said: “We’re very pleased to work with the ATA to let people in the trucking industry know there are treatments for depression and anxiety that can help you recover.
“Less than half the people affected by depression seek help, because they don’t recognise the signs of depression, they don’t know where to get help, or they’re too ashamed to talk about how they feel.
“It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. Talk to your doctor or contact the beyondblue info line on 1300 22 4636,” she said.



The ATA and beyondblue invite trucking operators to participate in ADA Month, including by:
• distributing beyondblue information and posters in workplaces and depots, available free from www.beyondblue.org.au/adamonth or by calling 1800 226 718 (free call).
• nominating a ‘wear blue’ day for staff to raise awareness of anxiety and depression.
• booking a beyondblue National Workplace Program workshop to help staff or managers recognise anxiety and depression in their colleagues.
• changing the company’s on-hold message during October to include information about
depression, beyondblue’s web address and info line number, 1300 22 4636.
The ATA’s awareness campaign will consist of feature articles in industry magazines, advice for truck drivers and trucking operators in the ATA’s e-newsletters and an information pack for operators on the ATA’s website.
The ATA has separately recommended to the National Transport Commission that depression screening should be included in the medical checkups undertaken by commercial drivers. Commercial drivers whose screening results suggested depression would be referred for help. The recommendation would not put their licenses at risk: drivers would continue to hold their licenses unconditionally unless restrictions became necessary under the medical standards that apply now.

Media contacts
Australian Trucking Association Stuart St Clair 02 6277 7680 / 0428 488 330
beyondblue Jane Gardner 03 9810 6100 / 0428 333 917
About the Australian Trucking Association
The ATA is the peak body that represents the trucking industry. Its members include state and sector transport associations, the Transport Workers Union, some of Australia’s largest logistics companies, and elected representatives of owner-drivers and small fleet operators.
About beyondblue
beyondblue is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related substance misuse disorders in Australia

The upcoming ITTE show will have yet another new and exciting attraction for visitors with organisers agreeing to a live broadcast deal with leading sports radio station 1116 SEN. The agreement also sees 1116 SEN become a Platinum show partner, signaling its intent to be a major player in not only 2010 but at future ITTE Shows.

1116 SEN is Melbourne’s only 24/7 sports radio station, something that has seen them move into the No. 2 position on the ratings charts for the category of males aged 25-54. SEN’s affinity with its male listeners should be a perfect fit when considering the male dominated demographic that will be in attendance throughout the duration of the ITTE Show.

“All of the team here at SEN are really looking forward to getting involved in the ITTE Show. We have seen significant growth over the past 3 years and a lot of our success comes on the back of the strong support that we have received from manufacturers and suppliers to the transport industry,” said David Hung, Group Sales Manager for 1116 SEN.
“Many of our strongest and most valued customers will be exhibiting at the ITTE Show. This opportunity presented us with a fantastic platform to show them and the wider transport industry how committed we are to doing whatever we can to spread the word and drive show attendances, making sure that the event is as big and as successful as possible for all involved,” he said.

With Melbourne also being the unofficial ’sporting capital of the world’ and certainly the home of AFL football, show goers are sure to know and recognise some of the key 1116 SEN personalities that will be on hand at the show throughout the live broadcast. David ‘The Ox’ Schwarz is just one of the personalities that will be keen to get amongst the show’s exhibitors and visitors, ensuring that people heading down to the show know exactly what to expect when they arrive.

1116 SEN will broadcast live from inside of the Victorian Transport Association (VTA) Pavilion for the duration of the show and will also be running a host of activities and competitions for show visitors. Stay tuned for potential opportunities where your company or brand can get involved and receive some on air acknowledgement.

With 1116 SEN now on board and committed to giving the ITTE Show as much airtime as possible, exposure and media coverage will now be at levels never before seen for a show of this kind. Keep your ears tuned into 1116 SEN over the coming months as we build up to the March event and keep your eye out for the tailored and highly competitive advertising packages that will be released exclusively to show exhibitors closer to the event.

For more information on 1116 SEN’s involvement or if you want to exhibit at the show, please contact Sarah on +61 3 9690 7022 or at sarah@trucktrailershow.com.au

Under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Act 2007, corporations that meet certain thresholds for greenhouse gas emissions and energy production and consumption are required to report to the Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer.

To determine whether your business is liable, see the Trucking Industry Fact Sheet 10 – Obligations under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act (available from your ATA member organisation).
Reporting responsibility under the NGER Act 2007 ultimately lies with the corporation that has operational control of facilities where thresholds are triggered.

Operational control lies with the corporation that has greatest authority to introduce and implement operation environmental and OH&S policies (refer section 11 of the NGER Act 2007) and needs to be applied in conjunction with the facility definitions described in Section 9 of the NGER Act 2007 and Division 2.4 of the NGER Regulations 2008.

Where operational control is difficult to determine, or could lie with two or more corporations, a balanced scorecard can be used to help corporations decide which facilities they need to report. The completed document might also form part of a corporation’s reporting methodology and records for audit and compliance purposes.

Industry developed examples will cover most business situations and the outcomes can be applied accordingly, depending on the business situation the parties are involved in.

It is not mandatory for corporations to use the scorecard and its application will require a somewhat subjective assessment and consultation between interested parties. However, applying the scorecard may assist with compliance to the legislation.
The Operational Control Scorecard examples can be downloaded at www.atatruck.net.au

Organisers are proud to announce that Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific (MBAuP) has signed on to return to the International Truck, Trailer & Equipment Show in Melbourne in March 2010.

Once again Daimler Trucks, Fuso and the Commercial Vehicles aftersales team will be on display under one roof at the Melbourne Showgrounds in the RASV Pavilion.

The aftersales team will focus on service and parts programs and products that MBAuP has developed to help optimise customers’ business operations. Their stand will feature a new range of Alliance-branded products and parts and a full-size cut away of a working V8 Actros engine.

The MBAuP stand won the Best Industry Truck Display at the inaugural ITTE Show in 2008.

CV Sales and Marketing General Manager Vince King said the ITTE Show was an important event for the Australian transport industry and MBAuP was proud to support it.

“The ITTE Show is a professionally-run event and a wonderful showcase for our industry,” he said.

“Being based in Melbourne, the show is also a chance for us to provide extra opportunities and events for our customers, suppliers and partners.”

“Plus after our success in 2008, we’ll be back to defend our ‘Best Industry Truck Display’ title and aim to again leave a lasting impression on show visitors and the industry,” said Vince.
To secure your involvement in the ITTE Show, or for more information please contact Sarah Ellul on +61 (3) 9690 7022 or sarah@trucktrailershow.com.au

July 16, 2009 12:00am
A TRUCK driver has been fined for having a shower while driving his lorry on a motorway.

A police patrol car spotted water leaking from the driver’s cab as it sped along the Jinyi expressway, reports Changjiang Business Daily.

“We worried the driver may not have known about a mechanical problem so we signalled him to pull over at a service station,” said a police spokesman.

The police officers were shocked to see the driver was wet through and had been enjoying a shower via a sprinkler kettle system rigged up above his head.

His wife, who was sitting in the passenger’s seat, had been holding up a sheet of plastic to protect the instruments from the water.

She told police officers there were rushing to deliver goods in another city and she had rigged up the shower to keep her husband cool after the air-conditioning system broke down.

Police fined the driver and warned him he would be in serious trouble if he tried to have a shower at the wheel again.

Jane Chudleigh
July 16, 2009 09:20pm
SEVERAL cows were killed and Gateway Motorway traffic disrupted for hours on Thursday night when a cattle truck overturned, blocking the road with dead and dazed livestock.

The truck overturned and caught fire about 7pm in the southbound lanes near Eagle Farm.
Several head of cattle were killed, crushed when the truck overturned.
Distressed and injured animals ran over the Gateway Bridge, bringing traffic in both directions to a standstill.
The escaped cattle were rounded up near the toll booths.
The B-double truck rolled about 7pm, on a bend of road near where a fatal rollover of a truck full of fruit and vegetables occured earlier this month.
The truck driver in this incident was able to escape without serious injury.

A second truck to remove the escaped cattle was still being organised.
Brisbane City Council workers will clear the dead animals from the road.
The southbound lanes of the motorway leading on to the Gateway Bridge have been closed for several hours. Fire crews also have to clean up diesel that spilled from the truck.
Northbound traffic was closed at Murrarie, with diversions in place at Wynnum and Lytton roads.
An RSPCA spokeswoman said about 50 head of cattle escaped from the truck and had to be rounded up.
“They have had to euthanise four of the cows already and looking at euthanising several more because of their injuries,” the spokeswoman said.

Melbourne March 18/19/20….2010

Western Star Trucks and MAN Automotive Imports will take an entire hall at the International Truck Trailer and Equipment Show in Melbourne next year, something that will be an important milestone in the company’s history.

When you look at the current truck and trailer market some pundits are convinced that there is nothing but doom to come. However, while commercial sales in many areas have slowed, those at the Western Star Trucks and MAN Automotive Imports headquarters in Brisbane are actively engaged in keeping the two brand names up in lights.

So much so that at the International Truck, Trailer and Equipment Show in Melbourne from 18–20 March next year, the two truck ranges will occupy an entire exhibition hall, to give visitors an up close and personal view of what is on offer for Australian road transport.

The inaugural Melbourne show, held in 2008 at the Melbourne Showgrounds, was an exciting and highly successful event staged on a large scale and attracting a high number of visitors from all facets of the Trucking Industry. According to Western Star Trucks and MAN Automotive Imports Marketing Manager Pat Cook (pictured), the 2010 show will be another important milestone in the company’s history.

“Never before have we had a hall of our own at any truck show,” he says. “In recent times, Western Star has really come of age with a continually growing market share and we now have an entirely new MAN truck range that will certainly expand sales, too.

“There are some people in the industry who keep referring to a recession, but the ‘R’ word is not in our vocabulary, as both Western Star and MAN have exciting times ahead. We really believe in our product ranges, which are supported by one of the best dealer networks in the business, manned by the best sales people, as well as the best in back-up service.

“The Melbourne show worked well for us last time and we see no reason why 2010 will not be as good, if not better. We are extremely pro-active in the market and can clearly see where our truck ranges fit. The show is an opportunity to inform customers, both existing and potential, how we can help their businesses.”

The full range of Western Star and MAN models will be displayed in Melbourne along with some innovative new products, including latest developments for the refrigerated B-Double market.

“2010 is very important and it is expected Melbourne will showcase products to people taking advantage of the pre-buy before the next round of emissions regulations.

“People need to see what is new. Those in road transport are working smarter and appreciate advantages offered by new technology. At the end of the day they all have to buy trucks, pay drivers and buy fuel, and the show allows them to take a close look at what we can offer, enabling them to make smarter purchase decisions,” Pat points out.

Western Star will utilise its Melbourne show pavilion to host customer functions, which Pat says offers another facet to the big exhibition.

“It gives us the opportunity to have guests in-house amongst the trucks where they can see first-hand vehicle features and presentations, providing them with vital information to meet their truck requirements. With the entire product ranges available for inspection and experts on hand to discuss specific transport needs we can deliver a high quality show experience,” Pat says.

“Because the 2008 show was so successful for us we feel 2010 will build on our success. With both products in the one pavilion we can offer road transport operators complete transport solutions – and that is paramount in times when they need to build their unique businesses.

The facts are undisputed: Melbourne’s 2008 International Truck, Trailer & Equipment Show was the largest dedicated road transport expo ever to be staged in the Southern Hemisphere. And now the organisers are gearing up to make it even bigger and better in 2010.

The facts are undisputed; Melbourne’s 2008 International Truck, Trailer & Equipment Show was the largest dedicated road transport expo ever to be staged in the southern hemisphere. Over 300 national and international based companies, representing all major truck, trailer and ancillary equipment suppliers, made the Melbourne Showgrounds site their home to demonstrate the dynamics and cost efficiencies of their products and services.

Such was the size of the event that it attracted over 35,000 genuine business leads from around Australia and overseas. All the exhibitors surveyed reported that the Melbourne based show brought high quality trade visitors to their stands and very few, if any, of the so called tyre kickers. The high level of business activities also moved off site, after dark, as many networking events were staged in and around the city precinct, located just 10 minutes from the newly renovated Showgrounds venue.

The success of the 2008 event, and the subsequent requests from previous and new exhibitors for more display space, has prompted the organisers, Transport Marketing Australia, to expand both the show and management committee. “We have now negotiated with the Melbourne Showgrounds to open the last of the remaining pavilions and outside areas for display use. In essence, the 2010 show will absorb all available showground space to cater for both the local and overseas industry involvement,” Showtimes will remain the same as the previous inaugural event commencing at10 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m., each day. With the move to the month of March, trade visitors and exhibitors alike can take full advantage of the States daylight savings times as well as Melbourne’s balmy autumn weather.

To be part of the 2010 exhibition action contact Transport Marketing Australia on +61 3 9690 7022 or info@trucktrailershow.com.auThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it mailto: info@trucktrailershow.com.auThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Paula Doneman
July 05, 2009 06:55pm
LATEST: FRESH witness accounts have cast doubt on claims a motorist stole vegetables from truck smash in which the driver was killed.
Police are continuing to probe the claims after witnesses came forward disputing the story.

A man died when his truck rolled about 5.30am on Saturday on the Gateway Motorway and the load of produce it was carrying spewed over the ground.
Police received reports of a man seen driving a silver Holden Commodore utility who stole a small amount of produce at the scene while the driver lay dying.
But a police spokeswoman said on Sunday more witnesses had come forward with conflicting information.
“We’ve got other people saying, no, that’s not right,” she said.
The spokeswoman said new information suggested the man had rendered assistance before leaving the scene.

“What we’re doing is trying to get to the bottom of it,” she said.

The 47-year-old married driver from Lowood, near Ipswich, was thrown from the cab of his vehicle after it smashed into a guardrail and rolled on the southbound lanes of the road at Eagle Farm.
The truck, which was coming from Bowen and headed for the Rocklea Markets, skidded on its roof, crushing the cab and splitting open the tandem trailers.
Pallets of pumpkins and boxes of capsicums were strewn over the roadway.
Police want to speak with anyone who might have also seen the alleged incident.
They also plan to examine footage from traffic cameras along the road and at the Gateway Bridge toll booth.
Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson earlier said if the theft claim was correct, it was a “poor act”.

He said if evidence was found that supported the claim and led to a suspect, that person could be charged with stealing.
“On the face of it, it is a despicable act, particularly if assistance was required,” he said.
RACQ spokesman Gary Fites said if the claim was proven true, he hoped the incident was a rare and disappointing exception to the way most Queensland motorists look out for each other.
“If it is true, it is pretty callous. It surprises me,” he said.
“Everyone has a duty to render assistance to injured motorists until help arrives.”
Investigators are yet to determine the cause of the crash, which occurred in an area where extensive roadworks are under way as part of the Gateway road and bridge duplication.
Police said it appeared the truck failed to take a bend.
They are investigating whether fatigue or speed were involved.
Transport Workers Union Queensland secretary Hughie Williams questioned whether the Gateway in its current state was suitable for such B-double semi-trailers.
Yesterday’s accident, which closed parts of the motorway for most of yesterday, was the latest in a string of recent truck incidents on the road.
“I think it is OK for prime-movers but perhaps drivers of B-doubles should take a different route,” Mr Williams said.
- with AAP