Telematics

when it comes to telematics, integration is key

When it Comes to Telematics, Integration is Key

Managing a successful transport business is the ultimate juggling act and, when it comes to telematics, integration is key. With a fleet of vehicles going in and out of the home base throughout the day, keeping an eye on them is a fulltime job alone. You’re scheduling tasks, checking vehicles are up to code and ensuring drivers are taking the most efficient routes, taking breaks and being as safe as possible. Not to mention all the other aspects of running a business, such as staying on budget, liaising with customers and maintaining accurate paperwork. Read More
crystal-ball gazing from Mercedes-Benz

Crystal-Ball Gazing from Mercedes-Benz

Sitting through six hours of crystal-ball gazing from Mercedes-Benz’s ‘FutureLab’ event Diesel News’ European Correspondent is not complaining. Every day is a learning opportunity and FutureLab gave Brian plenty to think about, even if his head was spinning from trying to get it around all that information. Read More
working for the major corporates

Working For the Major Corporates

Small transport operations find working for the major corporates to be a very onerous issue. They are more used to sub-contracting to larger transport operations or contracting with smaller businesses. One small operation based in Adelaide has taken the bull by the horns and is working for some of the big players in the energy and mining industries as a primary contractor. Read More
mandate the use of telematics in all heavy vehicles

Mandate the Use of Telematics in all Heavy Vehicles

A call for the government to mandate the use of telematics in all heavy vehicles has been made by the Australian Logistics Council. It came out with the suggestion after reviewing the outcome of the recent Transport and Infrastructure Council meeting of the country’s transport ministers in Sydney. Read More
do we want safer trucks?

Do We Want Safer Trucks?

The answer to the simple question, do we want safer trucks? Of course, the answer is yes, no-one wants their trucks to be less safe, do they. However a survey by the national Heavy Vehicle Regulator does highlight an issue.  Read More
finding safe solutions

Finding Safe Solutions

Reducing the road toll associated with trucking is a multifaceted problem and we need  to be smart when finding safe solutions. There is no silver bullet, we need everyone singing from the same hymn sheet and contributing to the overall wide ranging solution. Read More
introducing the new Cascadia model

Introducing the new Cascadia model

“The process for introducing the new Cascadia model started prior to my time at Freightliner,” says Stephen Downes, Freightliner Australia Director. “We wanted the hamburger with the lot. When you’re looking at a project like that, you have to predict what the market wants. You can argue we can learn from the Europeans and North Americans on some things, but a couple of things we thought were critical, was the safety systems. No-one would go anywhere near AMTs in the past. The same thing will happen with safety systems. Read More
the dashboard of the future

The Dashboard of the Future

Diesel News’ man in Europe, Brian Weatherley, left a recent Mercedes-Benz FutureLab seminar with a spinning head, wondering how exactly do you go about creating the dashboard of the future?  Read More
new look Hino unveiled

New Look Hino Unveiled

In advance of its launch in November in Australia there’s a new look Hino unveiled, in the form of the Hino 500 Standard Cab range. The new look truck will join the Hino 500 Wide Cab range, launched last year and kicking some goals for the Japanese truck maker. Read More
driver information overload

Driver information Overload

One of the results of the kinds of accreditation and qualification for drivers is something which is beginning to look like driver information overload. With the increase in permits, documentation and covering letters which have to accompany some types of truck, some classes of freight and exceptions to the normal road rules, all of this information can end up as a bewildering collection of paperwork. Some follows the driver, some the truck and some the freight. In the cramped conditions in a truck cabin paperwork is easily misplaced.  Read More