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Driving Forward: Volvo Celebrates Milestone 60,000 Vehicles Produced
Volvo’s Truck Manufacturing in Queensland Hits 60,000 Vehicles
With other vehicle manufacturing plants closing across Australia, you wouldn’t think that in another part of Australia that operations are kicking it into high gear. But, in fact, that is definitely the case in one small town in Queensland – Wacol. In this town, something a little bit remarkable in the current climate has happened. Vehicle manufacturing is stepping it up a notch.

At the Volvo Group Australia’s production facility, they’ve recently celebrated hitting 60,000 trucks being produced in the plant. While the regular car industry …

Essential Updates: Multispares
WABCO Product Updates
WABCO has recently released two new truck parts which can be purchased directly from Wabco distributors.

When it comes to aftermarket truck parts a new Volvo Hand Brake Valve has been released. WABCO has released two variants for Volvo vehicles. These variants have been redesigned and re-released for the Independent Aftermarket to ensure full compliance with original equipment standards.

The two variants released by WABCO are technically identical to the current Original Equipment hand brake valves on the market. The only difference is the removal of the original branding logo.

When it comes to function, absolutely nothing …

Over $3 Million Allocated to Enhance Heavy Vehicle Safety: Multispares
Funding boost for heavy vehicle safety project
With two rounds of the programme already completed, the NHVR has called for submissions before heading into the third round of funding to support the industry-led safety projects. To date, there has been already 7.72 million dollars invested in 17 projects. These projects have been put in place to improve safety for heavy vehicle drivers, operators and general road users.

Tanya McDonald who is the NHVR’s Executive Director Strategy & Stakeholder Relations manager has stated that the programme is going to continue to support current …

Keeping Roads Safe: Multispares
The NHVR online portal is recognised at National awards
Keeping the roads safe is an intense undertaking. It’s achieved through the joint contribution of drivers, truck owners, and regulatory bodies. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is a big part of this. Under the leadership of its CEO, Sal Petroccitto, it initiates and implements safety policies and requirements.

Part of the NHVR’s mandate is to issue licenses and permits for heavy vehicles. Truck parts must comply with Australian safety standards as there is no mandating of original equipment parts …

Share Your Thoughts on Driver Fatigue Exemption

Studies have shown that prolonged periods without sleep can have the same effect as being intoxicated. This is important for drivers of large vehicles. It means if they drive when they’re sleepy, they can do the same amount of damage as they would if they were drunk. For long-haul drivers of large vehicles, fatigue goes hand in hand with lack of sleep.

These drivers spend weeks at a time on the road. They often have no company, and they drive on unfamiliar roads …

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has a mandate to improve safety for the drivers of large vehicles, as well as other road users. Because of the size and speed of large vehicles, trucks in particular, deceleration is a significant safety concern. Drivers often underestimate the amount of time needed to come to a complete stop after hitting the brakes.

Braking distance standards are set through rigorous tests on various large vehicles, but these vehicles have different frames, features, and chassis. This makes results inconsistent and sometimes unreliable. Brake tests need to be universal to assure road safety standards and save …

Positive Response to PBS Scheme Discussion Paper: Multispares

The release of the PBS assessment discussion paper, by the National Transport Commission, has been well received, with the NHVR welcoming its release.

It is now almost ten years since the scheme began, and many feel it is time to start looking towards the future for the PBS, this is to ensure that all these vehicles continue making quite significant contributions towards managing the growth of the Australian freight industry.

The release of the PBS scheme discussion paper has …

Hengst Technology on MAN Trucks: Multispares
MAN trucks and buses have recently launched a new series of D8 and D20 engines. These powerful diesel engines not only boast more power and ease of acceleration, but they also guarantee fuel efficiency. Their additional chambers do not translate into unnecessary fuel guzzling or unhinged noise levels. They have been built with function in mind.

The reason MAN has such an established reputation for large vehicles is that it never compromises stability for speed and style. The new engine options allow bursts of speed …

Detailed Look: WABCO’s Aftermarket Products & Services
WABCO has established a reputation for high-quality large vehicle parts. If you’re looking truck parts, Sydney is the home base for many WABCO providers, partners, and authorised dealers. Because WABCO parts are known to be so exceptional, a multitude of counterfeits has filtered their way into the market.

WABCO air dryer cartridges are among the best around. Unfortunately, copies have been found at several truck parts dealers. We obtained samples of these copies and tested them against genuine WABCO parts. In every test, WABCO outshone the fake truck parts.

When you use counterfeit air dryer …

NHVR’s Improvements on Self-Clearing Defects Process
Operating a truck business can get quite expensive. In addition to fuel, licenses, cargo levies, maintenance costs, there’s the price of truck parts. The real trouble comes from unplanned expenses. These come in two forms – vehicular damage, defect notices and penalty notices.

While stopping at the Heavy Vehicle Safety Stations (HVSS) may seem like a nuisance, it does serve a purpose. It’s intended to ensure the safety of all road users, including the truck and bus drivers themselves. When the HVSS officers inspect your heavy vehicle, they are looking out for your interests, and …