123 Flash Menu Placeholder.
 
Best viewed at 1024 x 768 or larger
  Welcome to TruckstopAustralia.com  

Register
today for exclusive access to our Trucker forum. Trucking related Information, discuss trucking related questions, make new friends, and much more. Join our community today!

Make us your new home online, Register today
.

Press request

 
 
link to us
   
 
Our News Page and Truckie Forum is the all year around meeting place, where Truckies come for Information or discuss trucking related questions. It does not matter what you drive you are welcome here in TruckstopAustralia.com. We bring you Trucking News almost every day. Trucking Professionals as well as industry Newbie’s enjoy our driver Photo Gallery, or have a Truckie Live Chat with other Forum Members. We are sure you will recognize our Trucker Forum to have one of the friendliest atmospheres of any forum in the industry.
   

Menu
· Home
· Arcade
· Daily_Comics
· Entertainment
· Feedback
· funvideos
· More_News
· Recommend Us
· Search
· Stories Archive
· Surveys
· Tools
· Top 10

News
- Headline News


Radio

Lo-Fi Radio



Hi-Fi Radio



Last-minute Mother’s Day shopping? Just pay her what she’s worth
Trucking News

For those who haven’t had time to shop around for the perfect Mother’s Day gift this year, here’s an idea. How about writing Mom a check for $117,000?

According to the research company Salary.com, that’s how much a stay-at-home mom would be paid each year if she was actually compensated for everything she does. Those responsibilities include taxi service for the kids, housekeeper, cook, psychologist and nurse for family members.

The researchers figure a working mom is worth an extra $68,000 beyond what she brings home from her outside job.

So for those of you who are buying your mothers some flowers for $20, just think how much you’re saving.

 Courtesy of LandLine Magazine      
(Read More... | Score: 0)



Behind the Wheel - Teen Drinking & Driving
Trucking News
I spoke to a woman this week who was upset at the way the police had handled the clearing of an out of control party at a residence. The officer had advised all the teens that they must leave immediately and would not listen to reasons for doing anything other than that. She was upset because this forced the teens to drive away from the party while impaired.

I will not discuss his behaviour, but that of those who placed him in this position.

The last time I checked, the legal drinking age in British Columbia was 19. Had the law been followed, the majority of the teens at the party would not have been in this situation to start with.

The Graduated Licensing Program requires that its participants have no alcohol in their blood at the time of driving. Why would a teen in the GLP choose to go to a party and consume alcohol knowing that they were going to drive away from it at some time during the evening?

The officer did not force the teens to get into their cars and drive. The majority of them had two good legs, and assuming that they were parked legally, could easily have walked home and returned to pick up their vehicles the next day. They could also have used their cell phones to call for rides.

Full blame must not be placed on the teens. After all, they recieved permission to use the vehicles involved from their parents. I dare say that there is a duty of care placed on the parents whenever they hand over the car keys or sponsor the ownership of a vehicle.

Common sense and courtesy toward the neighbours by the party goers would also have meant that the police would not have known about the gathering in the first place.
__________________
Have you ever met anyone that would admit to being less than a better than average driver?

Search Behind the Wheel at DriveSmartBC
(Read More... | Score: 0)



Top traffic cop has reservations about partial opening of Geelong ring road
Trucking News

GEELONG police will closely watch how truck drivers and hoons use the city's new ring road when it partially opens in coming weeks.

The city's top traffic cop, Senior Sergeant Shane Coles, is concerned the staged opening of the road will cause bottlenecks and traffic hazards as drivers seek to use temporary shortcuts not suited to heavy traffic and large vehicles.

He also vowed traffic management officers would be on the lookout for foolhardy drivers who try to christen the road in hoon-like fashion.

"One of our biggest problems is it's a new road and we're going to get some massive speeds down there," he said.

"We'll see who'll be the first to lose their licence; blokes will be out there making contests of it."

The first section of the ring road could be open by the end of next month, but Sen Sgt Coles is yet to speak to VicRoads about the policing issues it might present.

"I'd prefer they didn't open the thing until it is finished," he said.

Police have identified three hot spots, where they envisage potential problems during the next 15 months while the ring road is being completed. They are:

TELEGRAPH Bridge, at the intersection of the Melbourne and Ballarat roads at North Geelong, where it is expected some Melbourne-Geelong motorists might opt to use the Midland Highway-ring road diversion to avoid traffic lights in Norlane and Corio;

THE narrow Hamilton Highway-Deviation Rd route through Fyansford into Aberdeen St, Newtown, which could attract increased truck traffic; and,

THE creation of a temporary "back road" for trucks and cars from Melbourne to Colac, via the ring road, Hamilton Highway, Merrawarp, Barrabool and Devon roads to the Princes Highway at Mount Moriac.

While VicRoads says none of those spots require new construction, signage or truck load limits, ring road manager, Tony Hedley, said they would be monitored.

Sen-Sgt Coles said he had "no idea" what would happen when the first two sections, which link Corio to the Hamilton Highway, opened.

VicRoads plans to open the sections within weeks of each other in either June or July.

Sen-Sgt Coles said the Ballarat Rd was already "pretty tight now even with normal traffic".

"We'll have to wait and see what happens," he said.

"I'm not sure how they're going to change the light sequences, things like that.

"I can't say whether it's going to work or not."

He is also concerned truck traffic might increase on Deviation Rd at Fyansford, and has urged truck drivers to avoid using the back roads of Barrabool on their journeys to and from Melbourne.

"I wouldn't be sending B-doubles down there," he said.

"Going out Devon Rd, a lot of people wouldn't have a clue where they are."

geelongadvertiser

(Read More... | Score: 0)



Truckie escapes burning cab at Port Adelaide
Trucking News


A TRUCK driver was lucky to escape with his life after the rig he was sleeping in caught fire early today.

Fire crews were called to the yard of Kangaroo Island Freight Services, on Eastern Parade at Port Adelaide, about 1.30am.

The cabin of a truck had caught fire and MFS spokesman Brenton Keen said the driver was asleep inside at the time.

"He was fortunate to escape," he said.

"He was woken by the noise from the fire".

The prime mover, carrying an empty 30,000 litre diesel tank, was parked between a stack of timber and another truck, with only about one metre clearance on either side.

Firefighters were able to quickly contain and extinguish the blaze before it spread to the tanker or to the timber and truck nearby.

Damage is estimated at $250,000.

The cause is not considered suspicious and is likely to have been caused by an electrical fault within the truck.

news.com

(Read More... | Score: 0)



Finalists announced for 2008 National Trucking Industry Awards
Trucking News
The finalists for the 2008 National Trucking Industry Awards have been announced by the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), following a high standard of entries across all award categories.

ATA Chief Executive Stuart St Clair says the awards are a crucial part of the industry’s calendar because they identify and reward the people who have contributed to taking the Australian trucking industry to a higher level of professionalism.

"The National Trucking Industry Awards form an important part of the trucking industry’s effort to promote the commitment and achievement of individuals and organisations within the industry," he says.

"The quality of this year’s finalists is impressive and include some of the most dedicated and committed figures in the industry, all of which deserve to be recognised."

The 2008 National Trucking Industry Award finalists are:

  • National Professional Driver of the Year: Kevin Cartwright, Robert Machin, Con Theodosis
  • National Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry: Peter Thompson, Barry Hatfield, John Kelly (dec)
  • National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year: Helen Savage, Carol Single, Christina MacGregor
  • Award for Training Excellence: TNT Express Australia, WA Freight Group.


"Given the calibre of the finalists, and indeed of all the entries, the judges have obviously had a difficult task. The industry is eagerly anticipating the announcement of a winner among these deserving finalists," St Clair says.

The award winners will be announced on Friday, May 30 at the Gala Awards Dinner at Parliament House as part of the Australian Trucking Convention, which is being held in Canberra from May 27-30.

For more information on the convention, click here.

(Read More... | Score: 0)



Some port truckers shut down in Oakland to protest fuel prices, surcharges
Trucking News

Some truckers who haul containers in and out of the Port of Oakland shut down this week to protest the fact that their pay has not gone up enough to counter punishing fuel costs. Diesel has been about $4.57 per gallon in California’s Bay area this week.

Protest organizer Ajit Singh Gill has been traveling back and forth from the Port of Oakland and the Lathrop and Stockton rail yards to meet with truckers who have shut down because they can’t afford to fill up their trucks. Some are left with only $54 a day – after paying for fuel – to cover operating expenses and their wages.

“We really don’t consider this a shutdown. It’s just that these drivers can’t afford to drive anymore,” Gill said. “People should understand that they are not making enough money to pay for their trucks, their insurance and everything else they need.”

Gill told Land Line on Thursday, May 8, that some drivers are hauling loads from Stockton to Gilroy for a flat rate of $210 per round-trip, plus a $24 fuel surcharge. With fuel costs running them around $180 per trip, Gill said they are left with just $54 per round trip. Because of traffic and wait times at weigh scales and at docks, he said these truckers are only able to make one round-trip a day.

Some drivers on the West Coast are paying as much as $1,500 each week for fuel, according to one source Land Line spoke to on Thursday, May 8.

“These guys have no other choice but to park their trucks right now,” said the source, who spoke to Land Line on the condition of anonymity. “As the cost of fuel continues to escalate, these guys with older trucks that are only getting about 4 mpg aren’t getting the fuel surcharge they need to keep them going.”

Gill said companies at the Port of Oakland have not held up their end of an agreement they made with port truckers four years ago. That agreement calls for them to pay the truckers 5 percent of their fuel costs above $2 per gallon, he said. He said that while motor carriers’ customers are paying fuel surcharges, that money isn’t being passed along to the drivers buying the fuel.

“This is not a strike that’s getting out of hand. We gave two weeks’ written notice to the companies and brokers that truckers are working for,” Gill said. “Some of the companies responded, but some didn’t respond to the notice at all.”

Port of Oakland Spokesperson Marilyn Sandifur confirmed that as many as 150 truckers were at the port protesting high fuel prices Monday through Wednesday, but said there were only “sporadic demonstrations by truckers” at the port when she spoke to Land Line on Thursday, May 8.

Gill said that decrease in protesters at the port is because truckers began meeting elsewhere after being ticketed for parking their cars at the port.

“The Oakland Police Department is on the scene because the port area is really not a good place for pedestrian access, as you can imagine,” Sandifur said. “The port is not a safe place for people to protest so the police are out there to ensure the safety of the protestors as well as ensure the safety of everyone that’s moving through the port. And then they’re there to make sure that commerce keeps flowing.”

She said she couldn’t estimate what kind of economic disruption the protests have caused at the Port of Oakland this week.

“There’s really no way for us to estimate at this point,” Sandifur said. “We know there’s been some impact, but we really don’t have an idea if it’s a minimal impact or a larger impact.”

Tensions on the rise
One protester described the scene at the Port of Oakland as being under “martial law.” Sandifur said that wasn’t the case at all.

“There isn’t an area set up for protests; this area is set up for train, truck and cargo movement,” she said. “But their right of free speech has been protected, and the Oakland Police are there to see to it. As long as they obey the rules, no one is going to ask them to leave.”

Sandifur said she did see one of the flyers that read, “Subject: Rate adjustment due to high diesel prices,” which was being handed out by truckers at the port.

“Things are definitely difficult for people whose livelihoods depend on the cost of fuel,” she said. “I think what we are looking at is a nationwide issue not a local issue. The elected officials really need to be examining this.”

Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren said there have been a few incidents involving protestors at the Port of Oakland, but that overall things have been relatively quiet there.

“There was one arrest for someone who threw a rock and broke a windshield of a truck, and there have been two reports of vandalism,” he said.

Holmgren said he has heard varying statistics on the number of protestors, with as many as 200 protestors reported at one time at the Port of Oakland earlier in the week.

Gill said some companies have come out to negotiate with truckers. He said he was hopeful the protest would be over in the next day or two.

“We are only asking for companies to give us what they agreed to pay us four years ago,” he said. “If you calculate how much it costs to own and operate a truck, there’s no way we can make it on what they are paying us.”

Courtesy of LandLine Magazine
(Read More... | Score: 0)



“CIG BOX” will help reduce the number of overall accidents
Trucking News
CIG BOX USA, LLC
, St. Pete Beach, Florida manufactures a patented product that will increase safety on the road for TRUCKERS. The product is called “CIG BOX” (an automatic ‘’pop-up’’ cigarette lighting dispenser). “CIG BOX” was designed exclusively for use in TRUCKS but can also be used in other vehicles (Cars, RV’s, Pickups, Buses, SUV’s and Boats). “CIG BOX” can reduce the risk of accidents caused by distraction while lighting a cigarette.

Here is a brief explanation of how “CIG BOX” works: After easily mounting the unit and plugging it in to any 12 volt source, the driver of the vehicle places the contents of a pack of cigarettes inside the “CIG BOX” drawer. When a cigarette is desired, the driver or passenger simply presses on a lever, a cigarette pops up vertically and the built in igniter lights it. All this is done within 8 seconds and without fumbling with a pocket lighter, matches or car cigarette lighter. Eyes are always on the road resulting in safer driving.

A Study was done in Europe which stated that 18% of all serious accidents involve drivers who are in the process of lighting a cigarette the conventional way (vehicle cigarette lighter, hand held lighter or matches) while the vehicle is in motion. “CIG BOX” was tested by BMW in Europe (where “CIG BOX” was initially sold). The study stated that a driver at 62 mph would not be in full control of his/her vehicle for about 656 feet. However, both the functionality and benefits of “CIG BOX” for road safety were confirmed meaning that a driver was much safer using “CIG BOX”. Based on these tests, this product was awarded the European ‘’TUF’’ Certificate, for quality and a major increase in driver safety.

Use of “CIG BOX” assures greater safety while driving and lighting a cigarette.

• “CIG BOX” assures greater safety for drivers who do not smoke as those who do smoke will be less apt to cause and accident.

CIG BOX” will help reduce the number of overall accidents, thereby saving human lives and millions of dollars in property damage caused by drivers ‘’lighting up’’.

CIG BOX” is now being introduced to the U.S. market for the very first time. “CIG BOX” is expected to be sold by Truck stops throughout the country in the next few months. In the interim, anyone interested in purchasing a “CIG BOX” may send an e-mail by visiting the “CIG BOX USA, LLC” website. Allan Shapiro, Vice President, Sales stated that, “we do not encourage people to smoke but if they do, “CIG BOX” can minimize driving accidents.

CIG BOX USA, LLC
P.O. Box 66551
St. Pete Beach, Fl 33736
Website: www.cigboxusa.com

(Read More... | Score: 0)



Clearway gets you nowhere
Trucking News

THOUSANDS of motorists are stuck twice daily in huge traffic jams as the closure of Woy Woy Rd causes gridlock each morning and evening peak period.

Motorists are reporting delays of more than one hour each way and even up to three hours as traffic banks up.

They are being forced on to other already clogged alternative arterial roads.

In the morning, traffic on Brisbane Water Drive banks back to Tascott as commuters try to get through the Central Coast Highway intersection and up Kariong Hill.

School students and workers trying to get down the hill are also banked back because the intersection cannot cope with demand.

Debenham Rd, the back road down the mountain, is also becoming clogged as people with local knowledge try to use it as an alternative.

The problem flows back into Manns Rd, West Gosford, where heavy vehicles and factory workers get caught in the jam at the intersection.

Similarly, motorists who try to use the Ourimbah interchange add to the usual jam trying to get through the Pacific Highway and Chittaway Rd intersection and roadworks.

Cars coming from Gosford queue back to Lisarow and cars coming along Enterprise Drive also queue for kilometres.

In the afternoon, the situation is worse with cars heading in the opposite direction queued back to the F3 entrances at Ourimbah and Kariong.

Those leaving the F3 at Kariong now face a traffic jam stretching more than 5km every night.

expressadvocate

(Read More... | Score: 0)



Road worker run over and killed by workmate
Trucking News


A 47-YEAR-old worker was run over and killed by a workmate as he carried out road works in Sydney's north-west yesterday.

The worker was hit by a tip truck as he worked on a median strip on Epping Rd, near the Macquarie Business Park, about 1.10pm.

He died at the scene.

The man was part of a a group working on the median strip when he was hit by the truck being driven by a driver contracted to the RTA.

No other worker was hurt in the crash on the site of bus lane roadworks.

Police and inspectors from Work Cover NSW were at the scene yesterday afternoon.

The man's body remained where he had been hit and killed until late afternoon - shielded from passing traffic by a black tarpaulin.

The crash brought traffic in the city's north-west to a crawl with two of the three east-bound lanes of Epping Rd closed for more than five hours.

The man's work mates were too distraught to comment on the crash last night.

It is understood the tip truck driver has been questioned by police and is undergoing counselling.

The work was being carried out on behalf of the RTA who said last night all workers and contractors on the site had been offered counselling if they wanted it.

The RTA said they had been in touch with the man's family and passed on their condolences to his friends and relatives.

(Read More... | Score: 0)



Behind the Wheel - Watch Where You Walk
Trucking News
A man I observed in a parking lot this evening started me thinking about how little care we sometimes take when we are pedestrians. I was preparing to back out of my parking spot and had put my truck in reverse, then did a scan to the rear before I started letting up on the clutch. A male crossing behind me did not slow or even bother to look to see what my intentions were. Perhaps he didn't even think to notice that my truck was idling and the backup lights were on.

The most recent collision statistics published by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia are for the year 2005. During that year 1,857 pedestrians were injured and 68 died in collisions. One might guess that children would be the most likely victims due to being impulsive and inexperienced. This is not the case as the majority of fatalities involved pedestrians over the age of 50. Older pedestrians were also in the majority when the injured were counted as well.

Why is this happening? Contributing factors on the pedestrian side included making an error or being confused, being under the influence of alcohol and failing to yield the right of way. On the driver's side it was being inattentive, failing to yield the right of way and making an error or being confused.

I walked part way to work this morning and encountered a woman leaving a driveway I was about to cross. She noticed that I had checked my stride and was making eye contact before I moved into her path. She must not be used to this as she called to me and told me that I didn't need to worry, I could cross and she wouldn't hit me. I appreciated the communication and was confident that I could pass in front of her safely.

The underlying idea here is that a pedestrian has to take responsibility for their safety, even if it means giving up your right of way to an inconsiderate or inattentive driver. Keep your head up, make eye contact and never move from a place of safety unless you are absolutely certain the drivers have seen you and present no threat of collision. You may also wish to consider not using items that draw your attention elsewhere such as music players and cell phones when you are walking on a highway.

Reference Links

(Read More... | Score: 0)



Driving Directions

Advertise Here

Advertise Here


Big Story of Today
There isn't a Biggest Story for Today, yet.

Old Articles
Saturday, April 19
· Freight Forwarding Comapny
· Dog survives croc attack
· Morgue buys forklift truck for obese
· Victorian Government targets drivers who ignore rail crossing signals
· Earthquake drives oil up … yeah, yeah, that’s it!
· Homeless man finds confidential plans
Saturday, April 12
· $6 million in truck found by Mexican soldiers at border ‘hot spot’
Saturday, April 05
· Here are 10½ tips to finding a better trucking Job
· Truck Driver
Friday, April 04
· Blazing inferno
· Truckie dead after semi-trailer smash
· New Drug-driver Testing Powers for Tasmania Police
· Driver dies in semi-trailer blaze
· TruckstopAustralia " Congratulation Jeff Barker "
Thursday, April 03
· US : Mainstream wakes up to truckers’ plight
Monday, March 31
· USA : Two truckers allegedly haul 600 pounds of pot into state
Saturday, March 29
· Behind the Wheel - Good Cop, Bad Cop!
· Earth Hour
Monday, March 24
· Five-day delay angers truck driver
Saturday, March 22
· Now more than ever truckers must know their operating costs to survive

Older Articles


 

Disclaimer:
In no event shall Truckstopaustralia.com™ or its staff be liable for any damages whatsoever, including, without limitation, direct, special, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages, or damages for lost profits, loss of revenue, or loss of use, arising out of or related to the Truckstopaustralia.com™ internet site or the information contained in it, whether such damages arise in contract, negligence, tort, under statute, in equity, at law or otherwise.

Powered by ExpediterWorld.com®
© 2005-2008 Truckstopaustralia.com™ | All Rights Reserved