Border Line

When it became clearly evident for the minority of doubters that road freight was essential to community wellbeing and the means of keeping a half-life economy moving in 2020, many businesses in the sphere experienced a purple patch of growth.

TML Transport was one such operation.

The Adelaide-based fleet is under the control of Managing Director Lewis Magro. A veteran of the industry, Lewis established the business — not his first — back in 2007 with a solitary vehicle.

By the time COVID hit the fleet had approximately 50 trucks at its disposal. Just four years later it has doubled to 100 prime movers — all of them Kenworth.

While it may not be a household name in the industry perhaps it should be. In 2023 it launched, without much fanfare, its first B-triples into Melbourne.

That proved to be the tip of the iceberg. Not soon after it launched a series of AB-triples into Perth. More recently it inaugurated B-triple linehaul into Sydney from Adelaide in April.

The company is presently in the process of converting 80 per cent of its vehicles for maximum utilisation according to Lewis.

“That’s what our aim is and that 80 per cent utilisation will be for AB-triples from Adelaide to Perth and Adelaide into Darwin and B-triples into Sydney and Victoria,” he says. 

“With the remaining 20 per cent you’re always going to have your stragglers that you can’t marry up with trailers.”

TML Transport first sought out Performance-Based Standards accreditation in 2021.

That PBS baptism manifested as a 42-pallet quad double, something of a singularity in freight applications, of which the fleet has several sets currently in operation.

These were commissioned for exclusive use between Adelaide and Sydney every night via Mildura for changeovers before they advance as shuttles. It was a major express delivery service that helped to commission these units.

There are six in total. Prior to the recent prevalence of B-triples as a long-range freight solution, the 42-pallet application was one of the best ways to augment the extra volume on overnight loads according to Lewis.

“They’re very viable with the customers who use them,” says Lewis. “They do use more fuel because they’ve got a lot more drag to contend with.”

In this instance, nonetheless, the customer sees the ongoing value in these PBS units.

“Our customers will invest where it’s appropriate with their valued partners to pay for the extra room,” says Lewis.

“They’ve been a great partner for us — they are unbelievable to work for.”

Heading in the opposite direction out west, AB-triples not only help to increase capacity but, in turn, free up funds that can be redistributed through operations.

“The AB-triples simply allow us to do that,” says Lewis. “You’ve got more volume, and with that more money, more money in the journey to pay for the trailer, the truck, and the driver gets a wage they’re happy with.”

Rail disruptions caused by flooding in March which battered the Nullarbor and Goldfields in Western Australia saw the Trans-Australian Railway Line and Eyre Highway both cut off from freight networks.

The highway was eventually reopened after a 48-hour embargo to traffic and soon became the dominant emergency freight route as logistics companies, who relied on transporting goods via train into Western Australia, a state reliant on receiving 80 per cent of its food by rail, turned to the road with many trucks having to undergo a detour of hundreds of kilometres, especially those heading east.

“On a weekend we send out an average of 25 roadtrains,” says Lewis. “With our capability we sent out 42 when the rail went down on that first Saturday.”

For five weeks the team did their best to cope with the swelling demands as the fleet went from just under 100 per cent utilisation to 150 per cent.

“Trucks that we usually wouldn’t turn around so fast were engaged again just to make it happen,” says Lewis. “That’s what you do but it was exhausting.”

These roadtrains travel for TML Transport from Adelaide into Norseman then north to Coolgardie before the final destination of Perth.

During the period, under an emergency ruling, the state government permitted roadtrain and B-triple combinations to travel down the grade at Greenmount on the Darling Scarp, which saved time on what would otherwise been an unnecessary dog run.

Lewis, who can’t help but question the logic behind the restrictions, would otherwise like to see that route opened up on a full-time basis.

“When the rail is down, it’s roadtrain accessible,” he says. “But when the rail is up it’s a case of shut it all down mate.”

Nearly 90 per cent of all new trailer orders go through Paul Vawdrey including this latest batch.

“The only time he doesn’t get the gig is when I’m in a hurry and I will look elsewhere as long as it all fits into spec,” says Lewis.

The business possesses just on 400 trailers. Vawdrey have just delivered five new sets. Over the last year TML Transport has increased its purchasing power when it comes to new equipment for PBS approved linehaul applications.

Technically, the business already services Adelaide to Brisbane with roadtrains. They run as far as Gatton, less than an hour from the Queensland capital, where decoupling can take place.

“You wouldn’t even entertain the idea of getting AB-triples into Brisbane because eventually it’s going to happen naturally,” says Lewis.

Being aligned with several top tier overnight freight carriers has instilled an enterprising strategy when it comes to the procurement of new heavy vehicles. The acquisition of approximately ten new Kenworth prime movers each year makes this commitment demonstrable.

So far in 2024, TML Transport has added six new Kenworth K220s, the first being a prototype PACCAR Australia loaned out to Lewis for 12-months of evaluation, which he purchased after 400,000 kilometres.

“That’s basically one year’s work. They all won’t be doing 400,000km a year,” he says. “It’s why I’ve moved to B-triples because we’re trying to go down the road of one truck, one driver.”

The move to designating each driver their own vehicle in accordance with the rigours of interstate travel is part of a plan to appeal to a shrinking albeit specialist labour force. Lewis supports a crew of long-serving drivers whose ranks he wants to bolster going forward.

“It’s about enticing the older drivers and the experienced guys who know what they are doing that have been around trucks most of their life,” he says.

“One truck, one driver is how to entice them. They can keep their stuff in the vehicle. There’s a sense of permanency. My guys don’t wash them or fuel them. As long as they keep the truck tidy and keep the tyres nice, it’s their truck. If they want extra lights fitted, no dramas.”

The Kenworths in the fleet are being evenly split between manual gearboxes and automated transmissions for this reason.

“Some drivers aren’t comfortable in manuals towing the heavy loads and some people hate automatics,” Lewis says. “It works out well with the team and we do a 50/50 split for that reason.”

The more traditional pools of where transport organisations may have scouted prospective talent are fast diminishing. Word-of-mouth still travels but doesn’t go as far as it once did.

If the best drivers drive to a certain standard, it’s not unreasonable in a highly competitive market, that they, in turn, can expect the same of their equipment.

“If you’re good enough you will get one truck, one driver and that’s no different whether you’re a new Australian or new to the industry,” he says.

“There’s a balancing act for sure — to find good drivers on the one hand and on the other to retain those driving at that higher level.”

New drivers can expect to sit behind a Cummins Euro 5 580 horsepower X15 engine. All new prime movers feature one although the prototype K220, which Lewis trialled for 12 months, is powered by a Euro 6 rated powerplant.

Trucks have been a part of Lewis’ world since he was a boy. His father, Victor, has been in the game for 50 years.

He is the key principal behind Two Wells Logistics, also a general freight carrier based in South Australia that occasionally partners with TML Transport.

“Every year we grow,” says Lewis. “We had a big jump over the COVID period. Now that we’ve got through the difficult part we’re now on a smooth run.”