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Introducing High Productivity Vehicles into Australia: Case Studies. 1
INTRODUCING HIGH PRODUCTIVITY
VEHICLES INTO AUSTRALIA: TWO CASE
STUDIES WITH DIFFERENT REGULATORY
MECHANISMS.
Kim Hassall, Associate Professor, Urban Logistics Studies Group, Melbourne University.
Councillor Australian Trucking Association.
ABSTRACT
The Australian Road Transport Industry has undergone significant changes over the last 30
years. There have been three reviews and increases in the mass carrying limits of trucks. These
occurred in the mid 1970s, the Economic Review of Vehicle Limits (ERVL), in the mid 1980s,
the Review of Road Vehicle Limits (RoRVL) was undertaken, and the mid to late 1990s, the
Mass Limits Review, which utilised the introduction of “road friendly” suspension systems to
allow higher mass to be carried was implemented in most regions. Mass limit increases were
however, just one means of delivering productivity gains. In the mid 1980s the adoption of a
variation of the Canadian B-train (the B-Double) was introduced into Australia. This vehicle
although longer could achieve payloads some 30% to 40% higher than the more conventional
tractor-trailer combinations. In 1999 the National Road Transport Commission also adopted,
and further developed another Canadian concept, that of “Performance Based Standards”
(PBS). This effectively allowed for flexible truck design, as long as the vehicles performed
against a set of up to 18 specific technical performance criteria. The Performance Based
Standards approach to vehicle design has enormous implications for Urban Freight movements.
Hit Words: High Productivity Vehicles, Performance Based Standards, B-Double, Australian
Truck Design, Freight Transport, Freight Innovation, Urban Productivity.
Abstract....................................................................................................................................... 1
Case Study I: The Introduction of the B-Double truck into Australia. Adopting an
existing Technology.................................................................................................................... 2
Background:............................................................................................................................. 2
The growth of this new articulated technology .......................................................................3
Concerns with the introduction of the B-Double..................................................................... 3
The Associated Urban Impacts of B-Doubles:........................................................................ 4
2 The 4th International Conference on City Logistics, Malaysia 2005
Case Study II: The development of the High Productivity Urban Rigid Truck through
Performance Based Standards.................................................................................................. 6
The NRTC’s International PBS Demonstration day at Mangalore Airfield............................ 6
Current regulatory constraints .................................................................................................6
Stringent PBS Standards that need to be complied with......................................................... 7
Incremental Changes to different Types of Urban Truck Operations .....................................7
The Concept Australia Post Urban Delivery and Interchange PBS Proposal .........................8
Appendix A: case study of network productivity – the completion of the new urban postal
network ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Background............................................................................................................................ 11
Prior network History............................................................................................................ 11
Disadvantages and advantages of the multi depot /processing centre network..................... 12
The New Network Restructure: 1999 to 2004 - The Urban Hubs.........................................12
Lessons and Observations ..................................................................................................... 14
CONCLUSION:....................................................................................................................... 15
CASE STUDY I: THE INTRODUCTION OF THE B-DOUBLE TRUCK INTO
AUSTRALIA. ADOPTING AN EXISTING TECHNOLOGY.
Background:
The Australian continent is large geographically occupying 7.7 million square kilometres in
area but housing only some 20 million inhabitants. The large distances as well as the
agricultural and mining nature of Australian exports have often driven long distance road
transport to become highly efficient. However, although Australia operated double and triple
road trains (where the trailers were attached with a draw bar and converter dolly) the take up of
new multi trailer articulated technology was still not achieved easily. The introduction of the
two trailer, articulated combination vehicle, a variation of the Canadian B-train, which was first
introduced by Canada in the late 1970s, was introduced into Australia in the mid 1980s. Its
adoption and variations to the Canadian B-train, became known as the B-Double in Australia.
But despite the proven safety record and large productivity gains the full acceptance of the B-
Double took some eight years before the vehicle class became well established.
Introducing High Productivity Vehicles into Australia: Case Studies. 3
Figure 1: Long Distance Double Road Train and Triple Road Train Combinations
11 Axle Double Road Train
Length 36.5m, Width 2.5m Height max 4.3m
Weight 79 tonnes GVM (85.7 Tonnes with mass management accreditation*)
16 Axle Double Road Train
Length 53.5m, Width 2.5m Height max 4.3m
Weight 115.5 tonnes GVM (125.2 Tonnes with mass management accreditation*)
Note *: In Australia higher mass operating limits are available to operators who are accredited to a mass
accreditation scheme.
The growth of this new articulated technology
Unlike the road train which was very much restricted to the remote and country highway
regions, (See Figure 1) even up to distances of a hundred kilometres or so from the major
cities, the usual B-Double configurations (See Figure 2) all very much operate on both long
distance routes as well as within the major urban arterial networks within all capital cities. The
smaller 19 metre mini-B-Double, not listed in Figure 2, has general access in all capital cities
and can operate at the same Gross Vehicle Mass Limits as its big brother the 25 meter B-
Double.
Concerns with the introduction of the B-Double
As with most new technology regulators were concerned with the length, weight, noise, speed
and the perceived time to overtake these vehicles. This list was very much both a Local
Government and a State jurisdictional concern. Between 1988 and 1992 there was also a
further element that arose in the debate and that came from the railway freight industry in the
State of Victoria, which is a major manufacturing region within Australia. The competitor
mode did not want its declining share of the freight market eroded. By 1994 the trials of the
vehicles on limited networks, regional and urban, and the sensibility associated with the large
productivity gains won the argument for the large scale introduction of these vehicles. Since
1996 the numbers of B-Doubles in Australia has grown by 28.7% compounding per annum.
4 The 4th International Conference on City Logistics, Malaysia 2005
Table 1: B-Double growth in Australia 1986 to 2004.
Growth of B-Doubles in Australia
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
1986
1988
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Vehicle Number
s
Total operational B-Doubles
Source: National Transport Commission2005, Based on State Registration authority data.
Table 2: Australian B-Double population by year
1986 1988 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000
2001 2002 2003 2004
7 70 1265 2604 3130 4161
5247
5507 6233 7548 9578
% Urban Travel 13.4% 20.1% 16.3% 16.1% 15.9% 13.7% 16.1%
Source: State Registration authorities: Survey of Motor Vehicle use Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Associated Urban Impacts of B-Doubles:
The B-Double has developed into the new face of long distance road transport in Australia.
However, the impact of their introduction has also been felt at the urban interface. The B-
Double, by helping to dampen the growth rate of long distance trips, has also dampened the
numbers of long distance vehicles entering the urban environment when completing long
distance trips between major cities. Secondly, the use of these larger vehicles for dedicated
distribution centre to distribution centre interchange movements within cities also has a
significant trip savings benefit. Table 2 shows that total urban kilometres task undertaken by B-
Doubles is about 15% of the total Australian B-Double task. However, the dedicated
interchange and long distance tasks cannot be split from this data.
Table 3 highlights an Australian Postal example of the “urban trip saving” when the higher
productivity B-Double vehicles enter the destination State capital cities when completing long
distance trips The partial loads that can be accommodated within the front trailer of a B-Double
(the A trailer) in effect saves some 6,500 partial truck loads per annum being required for the
capital cities of destination. As an absolute minimum these partial truckloads, even if they
could be consolidated which is contrary to their time sensitive nature of the cargo, would save
a minimum of 1,000 single articulated movements per annum and 1,750 large rigid truck
movements per annum.
Introducing High Productivity Vehicles into Australia: Case Studies. 5
Figure 2: Comparing Standard B-Doubles against the common 6 axle articulated truck.
6 Axle Single Articulated Combination (the work horse of the national fleet)
Length 19m, Width 2.5m Height max 4.3m
Weight 42.5 tonnes GVM (45.5 Tonnes with mass management accreditation)
Usual Australian B-Double Configurations
B-Double: 7 axle configuration
Length 25m, Width 2.5m Height max 4.3m
Weight 55.5 tonnes GVM (57 Tonnes with mass management accreditation)
B-Double: 8 axle configuration
Length 25m, Width 2.5m Height max 4.3m
Weight 59 tonnes GVM (62.5 Tonnes with mass management accreditation)
B-Double: 9 axle configuration
Length 25m, Width 2.5m Height max 4.3m
Weight 62.5 tonnes GVM (68 Tonnes with mass management accreditation)
Source: http://www.ntc.gov.au/ViewPage.aspx?page=A02300407400170020
Table 3: Australian Postal Corporation operated B-Double linehaul services
Annual Long Distances trips per annum (Interstate between Capital Cities) 10,192
Average Load Factor (Forward and backhaul legs) 82.2%
Proportion B-Double services (Forward and backhaul legs) 69.1%
Trips requiring both B-Double Trailers 64%
Partial truck trips saved in urban areas per annum 6,522
6 The 4th International Conference on City Logistics, Malaysia 2005
Source: Australia Post, Mail Network & Distribution, Transport & Distribution, pers comm..
CASE STUDY II: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HIGH PRODUCTIVITY URBAN
RIGID TRUCK THROUGH PERFORMANCE BASED STANDARDS
In 1999 the Australian National Road Transport Commission (NRTC) (now renamed the
National Transport Commission, the NTC) extended the Canadian and New Zealand
frameworks for the development of Performance Based Standards for flexible truck design.
These frameworks in brief, suggested that as long as a vehicle performed against some 18
specific technical performance criteria then prescriptive regulations need not apply to the
weights and dimensions of a specific vehicle. In effect the operator could design their own
truck. Whilst the OECD also formed an international working party for this project in 2002,
which is expected to report in early 2006, several major new truck designs were being
implemented in Australia under permit.
Some two dozen assembled high productivity vehicle development case studies were reviewed
by the NRTC (NRTC, December 1999b). These comprised rigid truck and trailer combinations
and multi-articulated vehicles, which could be up to and beyond 50 meters in length and up to
170 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass. Each of these designs was also associated with significant
productivity benefits, however, none of the designs was focussed on urban pickup or delivery
operations until the Australian Postal Corporation proposed an urban delivery vehicle that was
some 2.35 metres longer than was allowed under existing regulation.
The NRTC’s International PBS Demonstration day at Mangalore Airfield
As part of a convened international Performance Based Standards Conference, February 2003
Melbourne, the NRTC organised for the exhibition of some two dozen high productivity
vehicles to be displayed at a regional airfield outside Melbourne. This exhibition was not
dissimilar to the display that had been assembled in Delft 2002, as part of the 7th International
Truck Weights and Dimensions conference with the exception that the Australian display was a
dynamic display for the articulated vehicles being exhibited. There was only one rigid truck
exhibited and that was to demonstrate an internal load securing device. As rigid vehicles out
number articulated vehicles in Australia by 17 to 3 respectively then even small productivity
shifts for rigid vehicles mean a considerable amount of productivity for the future urban
distribution operation. However, Australia is coming to terms with tuning the PBS philosophy
to the urban task.
Current regulatory constraints
The road transport industry has been regulated by a prescriptive regulatory framework,
defining vehicle weights and dimensions and through a permit application system. PBS has the
ability to change from this prescriptive framework and to still put an “equivalently performing”
Introducing High Productivity Vehicles into Australia: Case Studies. 7
vehicle on the road. These PBS approved vehicles can deliver both significant safety and huge
productivity benefits to the operator. The National Transport Commission has established a
framework of approvals, testing and accreditation for the approval of such vehicles seeking
operational approvals under the Performance Based Standards process. This PBS approvals
process is different to the State approved permit system, (See NTC, 2005), by the fact that it is
a national process and not restricted to a particular region or jurisdiction. This does not
however mean that the vehicle can operate anywhere. The approvals will be very specific on
the road classes and regions for future operations.
Stringent PBS Standards that need to be complied with
The prospect that all 18 revised criteria need to be examined may not be strictly true, as certain
criteria are more specific for articulated vehicles. However, all measures should perform no
worse than the benchmark performance values set by the NRTC for PBS operations.
The PBS compliance measures that the proposed vehicle need to comply with are:
Table 4: Proposed PBS Vehicle Performance Criteria
1. Startability
2. Gradability
3. Acceleration
4. Overtaking
5. Tracking ability
6. Low speed off
tracking
7. Frontal Swing
8. Tail swing
9. Steer tyre friction
10. Static Rollover
11. Rearward
amplification
12. Yaw Damping
13. High Speed Transient Off tracking
14. Standard axle repetition
15. Horizontal Tyre forces
16. Bridge weight limits
17. Australian Design Rules, and
18. Australian Vehicle standards.
Source: NRTC 1993. This list is still not totally agreed as yet by all the jurisdictions.
Incremental Changes to different Types of Urban Truck Operations
Generally there are two types of urban truck tasks. These are often described as multi customer
pick-up or put-down operations, Figure 3 (milk runs), or Depot to Depot transfers, commonly
referred to as Interchange activity, Figure 4. Vehicles in some more complex operations may
do both.
Both these Figures represent the potential productivity gains balanced across the factors of
length, if a common heavy 2 (or 3) axle rigid truck were to be allowed an extra metre in length
and, an extra 1 tonne of payload. For both these cases the impact of “small” regulatory and
dimensional increases in mass and length, assuming only small access restrictions are
encountered, generates a productivity benefit that can make a significant impact into the future
growth of an urban trucking task. In fact this dimensional increase, 1 meter length and 1 one
tonne extra load capacity, when modelled would almost fully dampen the urban rigid truck
kilometre growth in Australia over the next 20 years. (Hassall, 2003a.) However, these findings
will almost certainly be different for different countries.
8 The 4th International Conference on City Logistics, Malaysia 2005
Figure 3: 2 Axle Rigid Truck (single drops “milk run”) Minor dimensional Improvement.
Vehicle Details: Length 12.5M (+1M) Height 4.3M, Mass 15 T GVM (+1T)
Network Configuration:
Depot 1 Customer 1 Customer 2 Customer3 Customer 4
Customer N
Enhanced Productivity:
Mass benefit Network Factor Mass weighting
12.5% 0.83 0.4 = 4.17% +
Length Benefit Network Factor Length Weighting
20% 0.83 0.6 = 9.96%
Total Operational Productivity = 14.13%
Source: Hassall,2003a.
For these two hypothetical and simple networks, the product benefits are 14.1% and 10.4%
respectively. Such gains are very significant for urban transport operators from both an
efficiency, and potentially, a profitability perspective.
The Concept Australia Post Urban Delivery and Interchange PBS Proposal
If Figures 3 and 4 approximately reflect the benefits of “incremental” changes to productivity
of a standard rigid truck, Figure 5 reflects the concept configuration of the heavy 4 axle rigid
Performance Based Standards delivery vehicle. This is the first rigid vehicle proposal being
evaluated under the PBS program. This vehicle is double the load of the standard heavy 2 axle
rigid truck and with enhanced steering features it has the same access potential and turning
circle as the heavy 3 axle rigid truck.
The benefits from this particular vehicle for the Postal Corporation, as it is phased into the fleet
across a period of a 7 year vehicle replacement cycle would be: a load productivity benefit of +
37.7%,a kilometre saving of -20% of total rigid vehicle urban kilometres. Although not visible
from Table 7 the actual truck number savings are almost proportional to the kilometre savings,
and estimated as a saving of about –19% of total urban rigid vehicle assets. (Refer Table 6)
Introducing High Productivity Vehicles into Australia: Case Studies. 9
Figure 4: 3 Axle Rigid Truck (multi depot) Minor Dimensional Improvement
Vehicle Details: Length 12.5M (+1M) Height 4.3M, Mass 22.5 T GVM (+1T)
Network Configuration: “Multi Depot Drops”
Depot1 (LF=95%) Depot 2 (LF=90%)
Depot 4 (LF=85%) Depot 3 (LF=90%)
Enhanced Productivity:
Mass benefit Network Factor Mass Weighting
9.909% 0.9 0.4 = 3.272% +
Length Benefit Network Factor Length Weighting
14.28% 0.9 0.6 = 7.771%
Total Operational Productivity = 10.43%
Source: Hassall,2003a.
This Performance Based Standard Urban rigid vehicle (see Figure 5), is hypothetical in concept
but is currently being modelled against both static and dynamic simulation performance
criteria, which are required by the NTC standards. The standards for such evaluations are the
types of packages akin to an Adam’s simulation package. (NRTC, 2003).
The newer regulatory approvals process for the possible adoption of Performance Based
Standard vehicles may save significantly on the lead times experienced in Case Study I. The
conceptual development of this urban delivery vehicle has attracted national attention and has
secured developmental funding from both industry and government for further mechanical
engineering design and the economic analysis for the development of a Social Impact
Statement that will also be submitted as part of the approvals process.
Without doubt the Postal network restructure outlined in Appendix A will yield even more
productivity when this specific new network is combined with the benefits of Performance
10 The 4th International Conference on City Logistics, Malaysia 2005
Based Standards (PBS) and a specialist urban delivery vehicle. PBS has however, been the
avenue for new multi combination articulated vehicles and has not as yet been thought of as
being the catalyst for urban productivity. A radically designed Urban Rigid PBS vehicle may
well change this mindset.
Figure 5. Current 3 Axle Rigid and Proposed PBS 4 Axle Delivery Interchange vehicle.
12.5 Metres vs 14.85 Metres
The regulatory process for PBS is being developed as an overarching national approach; at
least in theory. So the difficulties that were experienced in Case I, where new technology can
be vetoed, or delayed, by specific States or regions, can be minimised. In effect the B-Double
impact has been beneficial to the urban transport operation. The Case Study in Appendix A
produced exceptional benefits which may not be replicated by small operators, but the potential
benefits of PBS has a wide audience. Certainly all Case Studies, I, II and Appendix A, have
and will yield significant potential benefits, to both urban and regional transport operations.
Table 5: Desktop and simulation sensitivity analysis for the Urban Concept Vehicle:
3-Axle Rigid Truck (28ULD) Heavy 2-Axle Rigid Truck (20ULD)
Million Kilometers per annum = 17.9m Million Kilometers per annum = 10.1m
Operation factor Units = 203 Operations Factor Units =169
0.3 Milk Run 0.9 Milk Run
Load
Productivity 0.4286 Load
Productivity 1.0000
Hops per
duty 8 Access 0.6400
Hops per
duty 9 Access 0.4129
kms -0.2222 kms -0.1818
0.7 Interchange 0.1 Interchange
Load
productivity 0.4286 Load
productivity 1.0000
Hops per
duty 5
Access
factor 0.7800
Hops per
duty 5
Access
factor 0.7800
kms -0.2000 kms -0.2000
28ULD prod factor 0.316 0.450
20ULD prod factor
Weighted Productivity 37.7%
Est Km Reduction
Source: Australia Post Transport 2004 (pers comm)
28 ULD Truck = -20.6% 20ULD Truck = -18.36%
AVERAGE WEIGHTED Rigid truck km reduction = -19.84%
Estimated Total Km Reduction =- 5.55 Million kms
Introducing High Productivity Vehicles into Australia: Case Studies. 11
APPENDIX A: CASE STUDY OF NETWORK PRODUCTIVITY – THE
COMPLETION OF THE NEW URBAN POSTAL NETWORK
Background
Australia, despite its area of 7.7 million square kilometres, is a highly urbanised nation. The
five largest cities have approximately 12 million residents, Sydney being 4.2 million,
Melbourne 3.6 million and Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide being between 1.1 to 1.7 million each,
and they account for 60% of the population. In total the 16 largest cities, 15 of which are
costal, account for 70% of the population. Although there is a perception that the essence of
Australia revolves around the “tyranny of distance”, this is only partially true as the individual
urban environments are the large sinks for transport demand. The largest network transport
operator in the nation is unsurprisingly the national Postal Authority, Australia Post. It runs a
fleet of over 10,000 vehicles and engages some supplementary 5,600 contractors and the urban
task is 80% of this corporation’s own fleet kilometre task. Between 1994 and 2000 a second
comprehensive review and reconstruction of the urban postal network was undertaken for
Sydney and Melbourne. This second review was considerably different in network structure to
the previous major network review, which was implemented in 1985 and intended to last for 15
years.
The second network restructure, after only 12 months since its completion, has, despite forecast
freight increases being larger than national GDP, as a generic rule of thumb, has contradicted
this trend. Australian GDP (production) seasonally adjusted, has run at an annual compounding
average of 3.85% per annum over the last nine years. It is an Australian finding that tonne
kilometres roughly follow GDP, with interstate operations being higher at about GDP times
1.25. However, the major postal kilometre growth for the two largest cities and their
surrounding regions had declined by almost 0.8% per annum compounding each year, over this
ten year period. So from a potential growth expectation of plus 40% over the ten years
examined, a decline of –8% was instead seen. What was the underlying reason for this finding?
The major contributing factor was both the network processing restructure and the ensuing,
associated urban transport network restructure whose planning was begun in 1994/95 and the
physical completion occurring in 2004. Also see Hassall 2003b, examines the initial benefits of
the network reconstruction prior its completion in 2004.
Prior network History
The immediate past network restructure had been completed in 1985. It was intended to be in
place for 15 years. However, product growth, the need for better technology and the realisation
that the network design was less than perfect all led to another network overhaul being planned
in 1994 through to 1999. The 1985 network restructure produced a “star” network
configuration comprised of six mini-letters processing centres and six mini-parcels processing
centres in both Sydney and Melbourne. All the letters centres had an associated transport depot
12 The 4th International Conference on City Logistics, Malaysia 2005
and the majority of parcels centres also had a transport depot. Two further features were also
prevalent in the planning of this network:
¾ many of the mini processing centres were also co-located to passenger transport so that
large car parking facilities would not consume valuable land space, and
¾ there was a prevalent belief that the optimum staff numbers in a processing centre was
around 400 staff per centre.
In the new network restructure both these planning constraints were totally discarded. This
meant that a new world of logistics philosophies, strategies, planning tools could be
incorporated into the planning processes.
Disadvantages and advantages of the multi depot /processing centre network
Traditional expansion of especially manufacturing industries often generated the associated
transport depot and warehouse with every new factory. Within a period all factories were
interchanging products in a network that had N2 links connecting all nodes.
The continued duplication of transport depots and warehouses is capital intensive however the
resources can provide a layer of stop gap risk management in times of network crises of huge
unexpected demand. The vehicle utilisation in a multi depot environment is often less than that
obtained from at least a centralist transport and distribution approach, irrespective of the
number of factories or processing centres. Getting the optimal number of transport depots to
retail or manufacturing plant ratio correct is dependent on several factors. Getting the response
to major clients right is essential and having more than one depot can achieve this aim.
The New Network Restructure: 1999 to 2004 - The Urban Hubs
After four years planning the physical construction of the new network began in 1999. The
singularly most important construct in the new network was the advent of the “hub”. This was
not a centralist hub but more of a multi land use arrangement which involved a large retail
business centre, a local delivery centre and the addition of a transport transit centre.
These integrated mini streaming centres were both a generator of there own product through
the retail centres, as well as being the coordinating pickup agency for large customers. By
having a large city broken up into more than one dozen areas does allow customers to be
serviced by a near transport hub. This does lower the kilometres performed in the network on
collection duties for large customers as the customer will most often be serviced from the
closest network hub.
The Mega-Processing Centres: one parcels centre, one letters centre
The hub concept was important in supporting a central processing facility for the letters
network and one for the parcels’ network. The hubs were receiving centres from retail and
pickup customers and could generate product for both the processing mega-centres. This
stream was a parcel and a letters stream transported by a common central truck fleet.
Introducing High Productivity Vehicles into Australia: Case Studies. 13
Figure 6: New Hub and Mega Consolidation network
Hub Clearances by Rigid Trucks
Hub
Hub
Central Mega Centre
Hub
Hub
Rigid Truck Clearance
Table 6: Fleet Vehicle Numbers: 1994 to 2004 (City & Regions: New South Wales and Victoria)
Vehicle type Gross Vehicle
Mass (tonnes)
Number of
Vehicles
1994/95
Number of
Vehicles
2004
% Change
Light Commercial Vehicles 1.0 – 2.5 1027 759 -26.1%
Medium 2-axle Rigid 11.9 – 13.0 343 115 -66.5%
Heavy 2 & 3 -axle Rigid 15.0 – 23.0 247 279 +12.9%
Local/Regional Articulated 39.0 - 43.0 0 44 New Category
Sub-Total 1.0 to 43.0 1,617 1,197 -25.9%
Linehaul – Articulated Trucks
Long distance national
42.5- 63.0 T
26 35 +29.1%
Total .. 1,643 1,232 -25.0%
Source: Australia Postal Corporation. (Pers Comm)
As can be seen in Table 6 the hub structure allowed for the clearances and sweeps of the new
hubs with some 25% less vehicles. In supporting the new hub and mega centre network there
was a significant change in vehicle use.
The most significant changes in network use was a drop of near 50% of kilometres, and –66%
in numbers, for the medium 2 axle rigid vehicles. The heavy rigid vehicle numbers increased
but with lower utilisation as they began to do more city work, being replaced on their regional
runs by the local/regional articulated truck category. The use of these Local/Regional semi-
trailers also indicated that there are major urban uses for use of local prime movers. Within 9
14 The 4th International Conference on City Logistics, Malaysia 2005
years these local/regional prime movers had grown to a use level of 5.3 million kilometres per
annum. Despite the drop of 25% in New South Wales and Victorian fleet vehicle numbers, the
kilometre saving was –8% which would indicate increased utilisation of the vehicle servicing
the new hub and mega-centre network. (Refer Table 7)
Lessons and Observations
The case study is interesting as it raises issues as to how inefficient traditional networks may
inherently be. Australia Post Transport is considered at the forefront of transport innovation in
planning and aspects of vehicle and trailer design. And yet a total shift in transport network
operating efficiency was partially an unintended consequence of a processing network
restructure
Table 7: Vehicle Kilometre Usage: 1994/95 to 2004 (Regions: New South Wales and Victoria)
Vehicle type Gross Vehicle
Mass (tonnes) Total Annual
Travel
1994/95
(million km)
Total Annual
Travel
2004
(million km)
% Change
Light Commercial Vehicles 1.0 – 2.0 26.657 22.912 -14.0%
Medium 2-axle Rigid 11.9 – 13.0 10.080 5.070 -49.7%
Heavy 2 & 3-axle Rigid 15.0 – 23.0 20.753 20.125 -2 7%
Local/Regional Articulated 39.0 – 43.0 0.55 5.292 862%
Sub-Total 1.0 to 43.0 58.04 53.40 -8.0%
Linehaul – Articulated Trucks
(Interstate long distance national)
42.5 – 63.0 7.229 8.271 +14.4%
Source: Australia Postal Corporation. (Pers Comm)
The outcome, however, has been highly desirable for both the responsiveness of the network,
the economies of processing scale, and the transport economies of network density. The 25%
drop in commercial vehicle numbers was staggering and the drop in urban and regional
kilometres of 4.6 million kilometres per annum is a highly socially desirable outcome. This
initial quantum advance should put considerable emphasis on continued future planning to tap
even further efficiencies within the urban transport and distribution network.
Where will these efficiencies come from? Two areas have been identified. Firstly, an even
further push to outsourcing “own account” operations, and secondly to make use of the newly
“draft legislated” Performance Based Standards (PBS). Many operators will have limited
possibilities to reconfigure their transport network. This is because the customer owns the
warehouses, distribution centres and retail drop off sites. However, again it is possible that
Performance Based Standards may become very useful to such operators.
Introducing High Productivity Vehicles into Australia: Case Studies. 15
CONCLUSION:
The adoption of high productivity vehicles has been a feature of the Australian transport
environment. In the mid 1980s the modified version of the Canadian B-Train was introduced,
known as the Australian B-Double, and 20 years later this vehicle had considerable impact, not
only in the long distance operations but also to a lesser extent on urban operations The Case
study in Appendix A outlined what significant urban impact savings can achieved through a
network restructure, but where is the next generation of productivity, especially for urban
transport, coming from? Australia is certainly focussed on the tool of Performance Based
Standards for innovative and non standards vehicle adoption for specialist tasks, and this
includes urban operations.
REFERENCES
Hassall K. P., (February, 2003a), Achievable Rigid Truck Productivity Gains through
Performance Based Standards, International Seminar on Performance Based Standards, NRTC
Melbourne.
Hassall K. P., (July, 2003b), “Dispelling the Environmental Doomsday e-Business Forecasts:
Case Study the Australian Postal Corporation.” Conference Proceedings, 3rd Institute City
Logistics Conference, Madeira, Portugal.
OECD (2006) Performance Based Standards for Road Transport, OECD, Roads and Transport
Research Program, Paris (forthcoming).
NRTC (October 1999a), Performance-Based Standards for Heavy Vehicles, Bulletin 10, NTC
Melbourne.
NRTC (December 1999b), Performance-Based Standards for Heavy Vehicles: Assembly of
Case Studies, Report, National Transport Commission Melbourne.
NRTC (December, 2003),Performance Based Standards: Phase A – Standards and Measures.
Regulatory Impact Statement, Report, National Transport Commission, Melbourne.
NTC (March 2005),Performance Based Standards for Heavy Vehicle Regulation: Proposed
Regulatory Framework and Processes - Draft Regulatory Impact Statement, National Transport
Commission, Melbourne. Web Links:
http://www.ntc.gov.au/ViewPage.aspx?page=A02300217410170020
