Drake 7-rows-of-8 Platform Review Words and Photography by Howard Shanks. Drake’s 7-rows-of-8 Platform trailer is capable of carrying some of the biggest and heaviest loads around the country. We sent Howard Shanks off with Deeson’s heavy haulage driver Craig Oldham for this 180 tonne outback move. We pulled up next to the fuel pump outside…
Economy is key with Actros 2658 – Customer Review Words and photography by Howard Shanks Mount Buller Alpine Area Transport owner Evan Lowing cites exceptional fuel economy as the standout feature of their new Actros 2658 6×4 that joined the fleet six months ago. Northeast Victoria was sweltering in a heat wave that had engulfed…
Wilson Pace Setter bottom dump trailer review Words and Photography by Howard Shanks A tough economy, increased regulation along with a national driver shortage has taken its toll on transport companies. For farmers, it means that good transport operators are charging more and are getting harder to find as Howard Shanks discovered. The situation has…
Western Star 6900 tackles QLD’s Wild West. Story and Photography by Howard Shanks The dawn light north west of Townsville at sunrise has a surreal golden softness, and while the tourists who flock to the town were busy watching the first glimmers of the sun slowly climb out of the ocean to the east, Mick…
1973 Scania LB80 Restoration Words and Photography by Howard Shanks The Scania LB80 4×2 introduced a new way of trucking with greater efficiencies, reliability and comfort in the early seventies. Four decades ago, Tasmanian based livestock transport operator Kerry Hingston purchased a 1973 LB80 that formed the back bone of his operation and it toiled…
New Scania Trucks Downunder Words by Howard Shanks. Photography by Howard Shanks & Scania Australia Our Technical Editor Howard Shanks was one of a few technical journalists selected to test-drive Scania’s New Truck Generation (NTG) family when they first arrived downunder. The NTG family comprising P-, G-, R- and S-series cabs, focuses on driver safety…
Kenworth C509 Outback Trucker Review Story and Photography by Howard Shanks The Gulf region at the top of the Australian Continent is arguably one of the last truly rugged and remote trucking frontiers in the country, it is also an environment that tests the true grit of both men and machinery and where we sent…
Kenworth Legend 900 – 100 Reasons Why Words and Photography by Howard Shanks In the often volatile road transport industry, where the past is littered with shattered dreams, Errol Cosgrove’s no nonsense philosophy dictating honesty, quality and integrity has placed his company, SRV Road Freight, among the elite of transport business success stories. The arrival…
Highway Heaven – Roadstar Drive & Review Words and photography by Howard Shanks. Western Star’s 4964FXT ‘Roadstar’ is the latest Limited Edition vehicle to roll onto Australian highways and it boasts a long list of five star features to commemorate Western Star’s 50th anniversary of the brand from 1967 to 2017, as Howard Shanks discovered.…
Kenworth C5 on 100,000 litre fuel run Words and Photography Howard Shanks The impending wet season was threatening to break early, yet for freight companies like Carpentaria Fuels getting the essential commodities like food and fuel into remote communities is often a huge challenge at the best of time as Howard Shanks discovered when he…