For the TNS Logistics team, based out of the Port of Brisbane in Queensland, the Brisbane Truck Show represented the chance to sign off on the newest truck to join their fleet.
Co-Directors Jack and Matthew Norton and their families were at the show on opening day to sign on the dotted line and get a closer look at what will be the biggest truck in their fleet, a 640hp MAN Individual Lion S, loaded with all the options.
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The MAN TGX 26.640 Individual Lion S features a 15.2-litre D38 six-cylinder engine producing 640 hp at 1,800 rpm and a maximum torque of 3,000Nm at 900-1,380 rpm.
The European style cab over offers plenty of space with a high roof, flat floor, and a 2.5m wide sleeper cab.
The interior features the lion motif on the seats and steering wheel and a stylish black upholstery with red trim, adding a touch of luxury.
It also offers the very latest in safety systems, including electronic stability control, ABC, and emergency brake assist.
Quilted leather seats, with armrests, that are both heated and cooled are an extra bonus, with the passenger seat even able to swivel if required.
Outside, the MAN Black Optics Pack has been fitted, including blacked out logos, and a black OEM light bar, fitted with locally sourced spotlights.
The exterior paint job carries the TNS Logistics branding, enhanced with scrollwork adding a premium touch, while also capturing the name of the truck, Lionheart, and paying tribute to TNS co-founder Tom Norton on the back.
Tom and his wife Sharon, Jack and Matt’s parents, founded TNS Logistics in 2006 with a 17-year-old second-hand 1989 Ford Louisville truck and one client with containers that needed hauling.
The TNS Logistics story quickly grew from there.
Demand for Tom and Sharon’s services saw more trucks added to the fleet, from Kenworths, to Western Stars, and Europeans including a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Actros that joined the fleet in 2021 and was the first TNS truck to be named.
Sadly, ‘This One’s for You’ was named as a tribute to Tom who died from a heart attack in mid-2020.
Jack and Matthew bought the business from their mum in 2023, but have been leading the charge through the end of the COVID years to now.
They have continued to evolve and expand the offering to the point where TNS Logistics opened a depot in Toowoomba last year and now has considerable warehouse space at the Port of Brisbane offering door to door logistics services for a range of local customers.
The TNS fleet of about 35 trucks is 85 per cent Penske, with Western Star and MAN dominating.
Semi-trailers, sideloaders, B-double and A-double combinations complement the trucks, and the warehouse offers forklifts from 2T to 45T to help unpack deliveries and get them on the back of rigids for timely local delivery.
The 2025 Lion S will take over as the biggest truck in the fleet, carrying on the naming tradition started back in 2020, and also paying tribute to Tom.
As we caught up with Jack and Matt after the show they were looking forward to seeing the new truck hard at work.
Jack says they had updated the fleet when the opportunity to purchase the first MAN Lion S in Australia came through.
“We weren’t really in the market at all — we were just about to take delivery of two Western Stars and were happy with where the fleet was at,” he says.
“Then the opportunity came up to be part of the Truck Show with the first MAN Lion S in Australia. It felt like a unique chance, and we figured it’d be a great project to take on — so we went for it.
“We’re stoked with how it turned out. It’s a bit of a departure from our usual colours, but the end result looks fantastic.”
With power to burn Matt says the new truck is likely to spend its life travelling between TNS’s Brisbane and Toowoomba yards towing an A-double set – likely two Toowoomba runs a day, and another two a night as well.
“The new truck’s got serious power — it’ll mainly be running between Brisbane and our Toowoomba yard, towing an A-double set. We’re expecting it to do two runs out and back during the day, and likely another two at night,” he says.
“We use Toowoomba as a key changeover hub for Northern NSW Towns.
“Jack and I were lucky — we had seven or eight years working under both mum and dad, probably longer in Jack’s case. During that time, we made a decision to evolve the business into a full-service logistics provider.
“That meant expanding into warehousing and AQIS services — all to support our clients more comprehensively. The goal’s always been to become a one-stop shop, and we’re getting close.
“Now, we’re doing near end-to-end solutions — picking up containers from the wharf, unpacking at our depot, handling pick and pack services, and completing final mile delivery for metro freight, both B2B and B2C.
“We expanded into Toowoomba last year, and we’re really happy with how that’s going.. Looking ahead, the next five years will be about refining what we’ve built — consolidating and getting even better at what we do.”
As for the Penske connection, Jack says they had been buying trucks from the team for nearly 15 years and enjoyed the service and support they received.
Jack says the X-Series trucks had been delivering outstanding performance in their Western Queensland operations, while the MAN trucks were proving highly effective in metro areas.
Speaking specifically about the X-Series, he highlighted the value of reliability in remote conditions.
“What really stood out for us, especially running out west, is that neither of the X-Series trucks have had a single breakdown,” Jack says.
“Fuel efficiency is a big plus, of course, but the real game-changer is uptime. When a truck doesn’t need to come off the road, it makes a huge difference to the business — and these trucks haven’t stopped.”
If the strong support of family, friends and commercial partners the TNS Logistics leaders had on show in Brisbane is any indication, there will be plenty of the company’s trademark burgundy and silver trucks to be seen on the roads in Queensland and Northern New South Wales for years to come.
