Cowra-based Stewart Osborne is enjoying more than just the good looks of his new T909 and 5-axle dog, he‘s also enjoying a substantial payload increase thanks to Kenworth‘s new Electronic Brake Safety System (EBSS), and light tare of the tipper combination.

Stewart Osborne‘s operation has always been based around the truck and dog combination. Taking advantage of the PBS environment with the same type of set up seemed a natural progression.

Stewart Osborne was packing his chamois away after cleaning the bugs off his new T909 and 5-axle dog combination.

“The bugs were thick last night when I came out of Sydney with this load of fertiliser,” Stewart said as he introduced himself.

He‘s been around machinery since he was a kid growing up in Central West NSW, where utes, tractors, trucks and basically anything with an engine in it go hand-in-hand. He‘s seen his fair share of rough rugged roads and changed a tyre or two when “it‘s 110 in the water-bag”.

Stewart‘s been loyal to the Kenworth product all his life. “I know how reliable Kenworth trucks are because I‘ve had Kenworth products before and they‘re still going strong,” he said.

He explained that he‘d had experiences with other brands in the past and was extremely disappointed when he discovered that he was paying for some items that had been removed from the vehicle because they didn‘t suit his application.

“Basically those trucks arrive in Australia on a ship in a certain spec and if you want it to suit your application then you‘re charged not only for additional items you require, but also for the parts they remove.

“There was none of that with the Kenworth,” Stewart revealed. “I sat down with Chris McDevitt from Inland Truck Centre in Wagga Wagga for couple of hours and he built up exactly what I needed on his laptop and there was no pulling bits off and then adapting something to fit. It was a completely new vehicle specifically designed for my application.

“The fact that we could specify the Kenworth with the new Electronic Brake Safety System (EBSS) option from the factory was one of the big attractions of purchasing this new Kenworth, because we could take advantage of the new PBS gains.”

“I‘m not sure what it‘s like in the other states, but here in NSW I only have to register one trailer and one prime mover,” Stewart said.

“That‘s one registration and insurance less than a B-double.

“But the biggest advantage is in the ratio of the gross weight compared to the tare weight,” Stewart continued.

“This combination full of fuel has a tare weight of 20.5 tonne. We are loading it to 59.5 tonne on the RAV B-double network. Compare that to the average B-double that only gets 40 tonne payload and I‘m miles in front with far less operating expenses.”

When Stewart runs the combination on the HML B-double network he can increase his gross combination to 63 tonne, picking up an additional 3.5 tonne payload.

“Another advantage with this 5-axle dog combination is it is easier to get a driver as you don‘t need a multi-combination licence to drive this set-up.”

According to the National Transport Commission (NTC), Performance Based Standards (PBS) offer the potential forheavy vehicle operators to achieve higher productivity and safety through innovative vehicle design. These gains are typically not available under conventional ‘one size fits all‘ prescriptive mass and dimension rules or the state-based permit system.

When it was introduced back in mid-2011, PBS basically brought a fresh alternative approach to heavy vehicle regulation. It focuses on how well the vehicle behaves on the road through a set of safety, road wear and bridge loading standards rather than how big and heavy it is as in length and mass.

“In other words, PBS governs what a vehicle can do, not what it should look like. PBS sets minimum vehicle performance standards to ensure trucks are stable on the road and can turn and stop safely. We have tagged them SMART trucks – because they work smarter,” an NTC spokesperson said.

In Queensland, like the southern states, truck and dog trailer combinations that meet the PBS Level Two will be granted access on a permit basis, enabling them to carry increased mass (57.5 tonnes, up from 50 tonnes) on the B-double and Higher Mass Limits (HML) network.

Don Hogben, director of vehicle management and safety for VicRoads said:

“Stringent testing on a number of 7-axle truck and dog trailer combinations have been assessed against the national Performance Based Standards. The results have shown that well designed truck and dog trailers at up to 57.5 tonnes and 20 metres long are dynamically stable and can pass all the PBS Level Two standards. This is great news for operators of truck and trailer combinations, especially those involved in quarrying and construction.”

In Victoria alone there are in excess of 2,000 truck and trailer combinations transporting a range of quarry products, such as cement, sand, rock, pre-mixed concrete and asphalt. Philip Lovel from the Victorian Transport Association added:

“The increase to 57.5 tonnes is a 15% productivity increase for the quarry industry. Over time this will mean a reduction in the number of trucks and trailers on the roads for the same freight task, which will not only reduce congestion but will also see a decrease in carbon emissions. Furthermore, these vehicles will be safer as they‘ve passed a PBS assessment.”

The truck and dog offers other cameo advantages also, like being able to unload both units into the auger without the need to unhook.

Kenworth‘s EBSS safety package is founded on the proven Bendix ABS-6 Advanced anti-lock braking system. It also incorporates ESP software that Kenworth has calibrated specifically for its model range and Australia‘s unique operating environment and applications. EBSS incorporates a variety of safety features including ABS, Drag Torque Control, Traction Control and ESP.

Stewart also cited the improved cabin appointments and ergonomics – such as the new doors with standard electric windows and central locking along with the wider padded arm rests with integrated window and mirror controls – as welcome additions.

“Safety is paramount in our business. To comply with the work safety requirements, we‘ve had to fit additional components like the large wide-angle mirror to the left-hand side, which reduces the blind spot up the left side and front of the truck. We‘ve also fitted an audible warning which sounds off if the doors are open, and the park brake released,” said Stewart.

“All the trucks carry first-aid kits, fire extinguishers, and we even have a special hammer beside the driver‘s seat designed to smash glass,” he added.

Under the hood of this T909 is the ADR 80/03 compliant ISX Cummins engine rated at 550hp that develops 1850lb/ft torque. Transmission is Eaton‘s 18-speed coupled to Meritor RT46-160 rear axles with cross locks in both axles riding on Kenworth‘s Airglide 460 rear suspension.

“The versatility of this T909 is another big advantage to us, that‘s because it is rated up to a 90-tonne road train capacity. If required I can also pull an additional dog trailer on road train routes which increases productivity yet again,” Stewart said.

“Also, the visibility and manoeuvrability around the tight farm sites of the T909 is better than you‘d expect when you consider it is really quite a big heavy-duty specced truck.

“I really love the look of the T909, but from a business point of view I have to leave my emotions behind and focus on the productivity gains to stay ahead of the game when it comes to speccing my trucks,” Stewart concluded. “The fact that the T909 turned out to be the ideal model for our application is just a bonus.