Last week was my last week with the company I was with. I have moved on to a bigger and better company.
It’s my first day today and I left late in the afternoon and headed up to Toowoomba.
The new company is already appearing more professional and organised but that is why I moved across.
I’m now operating a Kenworth T950 running a Cummins 580hp.
After a strange start to the week it didn’t change much. Bizarre was definitely the flavour…
Wednesday (I think it was) brought the worst dust storms to hit Sydney in 70 years and the dust fairly well covered the whole of New South Wales. It cleared eventually and travelled north into Queensland affecting Brisbane and beyond. It even crossed the Tasman Sea and affected New Zealand.
The dust was preceded by a fairly good storm, at least where I was out at Parkes, and the next day I saw a horse dead beside the road, evidently hit by a truck after escaping from its paddock. At least it would have been a quick end.
I reached Tamworth and turned around to head back to Wagga with another load. I pulled up for the night in Peak Hill.
Shortly after I shut the truck down I noticed loud voice a little ways behind the truck and upon looking in the mirrors saw three young blokes obviously intoxicated who where standing close to the road. Not much in it really until one of them ran toward a north bound truck. The truck swerved but the young fellow hit the side of the trailer and collapsed onto the road in the path of the second truck who managed to swerve / stop without running him over. He managed to stand and staggered to the side of the road shacking off his ordeal. I’m not sure if he was hurt but he didn’t seam to be sure either but he certainly hit the truck hard as I heard it from a good 100 plus metres away. After observing his miraculous survival the two trucks continued on their way. I decided these guys were a danger, at least to themselves and phoned the local police. I gave them the details of what had happened and sat patiently waiting for their arrival and alerting approaching trucks of the possible danger via the UHF radio. After about 45 minutes the drunks wandered off recounting the amazing night they had endured but they were never visited by the police. I guess suicidal drunks aren’t that important to the police, maybe they have to reserve their time for harassing truck drivers!
Interesting debate on the radio about reducing the speed limit on the Newell Highway from 110 kph to 100 kph in an attempt to reduce accidents. Not sure what a 10% speed reduction will achieve but I don’t make the rules. The really interesting bit is that the best argument against the change is that cars won’t be able to overtake the trucks (whose speed is limited to 100kph anyhow), I guess the missed the point that if everyone is doing 100 kph they wouldn’t need to overtake and this is probably the whole point.
A new week, it’s Tuesday Monday evening and the rain in Melbourne is heavy and driving.
I’ve driven 1200 km since Sunday evening from Tamworth to Melbourne with a drop at Wagga Wagga.
I’ve decided I should have been a news reporter based on the events of the day… It all started when someone in a Holden Ute decided to overtake on a double centre line. He hung out there for a while until he realised the corner was blind and decided to duck back in, only problem was I was there still. The air horn soon pointed out his error and the situation started to improve.
The next thing I came across was south of Wagga at Uranquinty where a group of young men were imbibing themselves at the local. They were all in costume including the poor sole in a Man-kini, Borat style. It was a sad sight.
Upon arriving in Melbourne I saw a Pig, who had evidently fallen out of a truck, in a terrible state beside the road. The police were in attendance and hopefully organised a quick despatch.
Not long after that I took a wrong turn and ended up driving the truck up Flinders Street, the main street of the Melbourne CBD. Not a major issue until I got to the end and found a 4 metre bridge and I’m 4+. I managed to scrape under by dropping the suspension pressure but I wouldn’t advice anyone to follow, definitely somewhere I’ll avoid in the future.
Finally I watched as a Taxi, who merged in a forcible manner, was destroyed and sent back to the railing by two small trucks. ‘He who pushes will get pushed’… rule number two of warfare.
I headed over to Laverton for a shower but the water was cold… sponge bath only, I’m not that tough.
Loading at six in the morning and then heading north again.
I’m stuck in Melbourne for the night waiting to load in the morning. I’ve done 2500 km so far this week and I’m 1100 km’s from home so it should be a good week kilometre wise.
I’ve travelled three states and noticed a definite difference in the politeness of drivers in different states. Queensland wins hands down for their ability to merge politely and for waving ‘thank you’ when they are let in. Victoria comes in second but I struggle with the loose lane structure down here. Melbourne lacks lane markings and everyone makes it up as they go which makes it dicey in a truck (there’s also the funny turning arrangements but that’s only in the city centre).
I’ve had a couple of occasions this week where I have been following a slow car. I’m sorry if it was you and I was following too close but I’m just trying to get a run up so I can overtake where possible. It takes quite a while to overtake a car doing 95kph when you can only do 101kph. The worst drivers start to play games to try and get me off their arse but it only makes it worse. If you don’t like a truck following 
you, slow down (gently) and allow them to overtake and what ever you do don’t suddenly speed up when their is a dual lane. Remember we are just out here trying to earn a living and would much rather not be following a slow car.
Traffic
I left Tamworth yesterday (Sunday) evening and headed up to Brisbane with a load. Unloaded early on Monday morning and headed over to pick up a load of steel. The loading was interesting as they used a ‘skate table’ where the complete 24 tonne load is prepared on a stand and bound together before being loaded into the truck through the rear doors. Normally the load would be build on the truck with a forklift or over head crane. The process of loading took about 20 minutes instead of an hour which was a nice change.
I’ve headed back down the highway and will continue on later tonight after a mandatory rest break (7 hours continuous rest in any 24 hour period). I’m of to Wagga Wagga next and have already done a 1000km for the week.
NEWS FLASH… Heading for Melbourne instead of Wagga.
Brisbane is a much friendlier city (my opinion), the people seem more willing to give way and more likely to say thank you when you let them in. I’d argue that Queensland is more Australian than NSW but I’d get harassed for saying it. It just seams to epitomise the lifestyle more than down here.
I narrowly avoided an accident today when a hatch back decided to give way to crossing traffic in the middle of an 80 kph zone when there was no requirement. The caravan following her (and it was a her) had to stop abruptly and I was forced to mount the curb and pull up along side the caravan rather than flat the tires and possibly the caravan. I honestly believe that the driver in question was oblivious to the chaos that was following her. There was another truck behind me who had to take similar evasive action to me. That little hatch back pulled up a collective 90 tonnes of vehicle and the driver never raised a sweat! Brilliant what those little cars can achieve in the right hands.
Unloaded in Brisbane and picked up half a load then up to Toowoomba for the rest. 23 tonne of steel on board and heading for home.
I arrived in Tamworth at around 9pm after a 6.30 am start and swapped trailers to head for Sydney. That’s when it almost went pear shaped.
I hooked up to the new trailer and did the mandatory tug test to make sure she was on properly and she wasn’t. The rig slipped out from under the trailer with a lurch and I narrowly avoided dropping the whole show on the deck. I dropped the bags (suspension air bags) and managed to get back under 20 tonne of cardboard and plastic on it’s way to recycling. No major damage, just wrecked the guard on the rear drive but they’re almost a disposable item anyhow and what you often see chewed up by the highway where a tyre has blown. Just goes to show why the tug test is so important, it could have broken away down the road at 100 kph and wouldn’t have been pretty.
2300 km completed so far this week and I’m tucked away in a rest area after a 17 hour day.
Interesting debate in the media at the moment about women in combat roles. All sort of reasons offered why they can’t do it. If they can lift the load and hike the distance then let them in and if hygiene is used as an excuse, lets face it every one stinks after a month without a wash. Truth be known command is just scarred the the jig would be up on the ultimate boys club.
It’s the end of Tuesday and I’m in Brisbane now waiting to unload in the morning.
I spent the night at home, which was a bonus and the cat managed to wake me early this morning so I slipped down the yard to rip the tarp off.
I left town at about 8am and got to Brisbane in time to drop half the load off before heading across town. Stuck here now until the morning but them’s the breaks. I’m parked up just behind Bretts Wharf which is an excellent restaurant where Donna and I had dinner a while back.
I’ve done 1500km so far this week and don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
If you’re into travel then check out this young girl… she’s 16 and she’s sailing around the world on her own.
It’s the start of a new week and it’s off to Sydney tonight.
It’s fathers day and after a big weekend at the Tamworth Equine and Livestock Centre promoting More 4 Horses and getting away a bit later than intended I called my little girls to have a chat, they sang me a fathers day song which made me smile.
AELEC main arena
I have arrived at Port Botany after midnight and search for a spot to park for the night. Considering the number of trucks that turn up at this place it’s surprisingly difficult to find a good spot that doesn’t mean you’re in the way in the morning. The alarm is set and I’m ready to un-tarp early in the morning.
It’s the start of a new week and it’s off to Sydney tonight.
It’s fathers day and after a big weekend at the Tamworth Equine and Livestock Centre promoting More 4 Horses and getting away a bit later than intended I called my little girls to have a chat, they sang me a fathers day song which made me smile.
AELEC main arena
I have arrived at Port Botany after midnight and search for a spot to park for the night. Considering the number of trucks that turn up at this place it’s surprisingly difficult to find a good spot that doesn’t mean you’re in the way in the morning. The alarm is set and I’m ready to un-tarp early in the morning.
Started the week on Sunday evening as usual with a run down to Sydney, then across to Toowoomba and back to Tamworth.
A short night at home (makes a change) and off to Sydney again before heading across to Forbes. 3000 km and it’s only Wednesday evening
I’ll head back to Tamworth tomorrow and call it a week as I’m taking Friday off to help Donna promote her business at the State Dressage Championships.
Road Transport News