Original subtitles

G'day. I'm Steve Graham.

I've spent my life driving trucks across Australia.

Bloody pain in the arse, camel.

It's a tough job.

This is a bastard of a bit of road.

Now, we've got a big problem in the industry.

Aussie trucking is at a crisis point. 26 ,000 drivers are needed to fill a huge

labour market gap.

Australia relies on us.

Supermarket shelves will be stripped bare. They need our trucks.

But now, after decades behind the wheel, a generation of drivers is about to

retire.

But we have a massive crisis, the driver shortage.

So me and my mates are going to do what we can to pass the torch and get the

next generation ready.

He reckons he wants to be thrown in the deep end. I'm throwing him in at 100

miles an hour.

This is scary.

This is so bloody stressful.

Come on, Buttercup, you'll be all right.

Keep some oil out.

As the trucks stop, the nation stops.

Can you stay there?

Today's the big day.

Off to do the licence.

Feeling a bit of pressure.

Haven't had the best sleep, but ready to go.

Rookie Shelley Roseby is gearing up to take her MC licence test.

It's the golden ticket that will allow her to tow a multi -combination of

trailers.

At the moment, I'm only licensed to have the one trailer, but it's financially

much more economical to be running two trailers. I'm ready to go rather than

still sitting waiting.

Shelley has already sweated through her first two jobs.

Keep her up, Shell. Keep her up.

Here we go.

My gosh, this is very, very scary. Five lanes of traffic. Holy dooly!

With her mentor Sludge riding shotgun.

Toughen up, buttercup.

Fair enough.

It's a big step going from a single trailer to a road train.

She's got the right attitude to do it, but it's not that easy.

Getting this done today is really critical to keep this business moving

Shelley's taking a massive gamble.

She's booked two back -to -back jobs starting tomorrow, both requiring two

trailers and an MC licence.

If she doesn't pass the MC test today, her relationship with the company who

hired her will end before it's even begun.

Shit, well, it could be the same thing if I failed the test. Like, what am I

going to do?

Mmm, it's getting very real now. I'm starting to feel very sick.

Take a breath.

Come out of here, babe.

Right, we're here.

Oh, hello, Nick.

How are you going, Shelley?

Good, thanks, mate. How are you?

Yeah, I'm all right. Nice to see you. You too. We'll hook it up and we'll go

a drive. Get started. How does that sound? Sounds good.

So the test involves about 40 competencies that need to be assessed.

Coupling and uncoupling.

Strapping down, using chains, reversing, using the basic skills that you need on

the road.

So just going straight up here? Yep.

So what we'll do, we'll come up to the left down here and we want to be a good

metre or so from that sea ledge so that we can set ourself up for our reverse.

We've still got a reverse to do. I'm really dreading that because I think so

in the test, things have gone well.

I'd really hate for it to be let down by one aspect of it.

Shelley's got every reason to be on edge.

Her history with reversing is not good.

Wrong way!

Straighten your truck up!

Whoa!

Go forward and you need to move the back of the trailer over to your right.

Let's go and get her. Yeah!

Straighten her up now. Straighten up. Straighten up.

No.

You missed that.

I'm glad you're taking a deep breath.

Shelley is staring down a 70 -metre reverse.

She's allowed two forward corrections, but use a third and the test resets,

sending her right back to square one.

Oh, because I feel like I'm best already.

Right, we'll stop there before we hit the curb.

We'll go forward and start again.

So

we're

currently heading into Wyala.

In South Australia, we're picking up a pontoon.

It's four and a half metres wide and it's going up to Townsville in

This is definitely going to be my biggest trip lengthwise and it'll be the

widest load I've had on too.

Yeah, this is going to put me to the test.

Rookie Chevy.

Yeah, keen as mustard.

Has already been put through his paces.

by legend of the trade, Steve Graham.

I'm going to just set a couple of little tests for you today.

He's on to all the obvious ones.

You've got no trailer lights there.

I didn't pick that up.

So far, he's only done short -haul jobs.

It's a little bit worrying. You've got cars everywhere.

But now, he's taking on his biggest journey yet.

Up until now, I've just been doing local runs, but this is going to be about

five days back to Townsville. In his first long haul for company PTH, Chevy's

set to run a monster 15 -tonne, 4 .5 -metre -wide load over 2 ,500

kilometres, from the dust of South Australia to the far reaches of tropical

Queensland.

A punishing haul through three states on some of the roughest, loneliest roads

in the country.

Here we are, pulling up to where we're getting loaded.

Go up and undo your struts up the front.

So I've got Mick from PTH, he's helping me load.

He's been around it for longer than I've been alive, so he's really good.

I'm just here to help him.

It's a very dangerous industry if you're not.

Up to speed.

We'll have a look at it, mate.

Oh, that's it there, is it? Yep. I didn't even know what it was going to

like. Head up towards that green bin.

Yep.

Should be fine, mate.

They're going to pick it up with the cranes and then I'll have to reverse

it.

Chevy will be hauling a $1 .1 million mining pontoon.

Floating platform fitted with a 30 kilowatt generator.

It's a highly specialised piece of equipment and any damage could mean

delays and put future contracts on the line for Chevy's boss.

OK, mate, straighten him up, eh?

Get your truck straight to your trailer.

Pull forward, come over to me a bit.

Hold it there.

All right, Chevy, it's all done, mate. You're good to go.

Sweet, thank you. Good luck with it, mate. Thank you. No worries, mate. It's

It's up.

It's pretty big in the mirror.

All right, here we go.

First four and a half metre load across the country.

Got to try and get it there by the deadline.

This mob there have quite a big client for PTH.

So I think that's why it's important that I get it there. I don't want to

that for them.

There's a size rock there on the left steer, mate.

Got it.

Yeah, so I've got a pilot on this trip.

Name's Brian.

Just because of the width.

I'll be four and a half metres wide.

So he's going to run up ahead of me and just warn sort of oncoming traffic, let

me know what's coming up.

OK, Chevy.

Time to tighten your buddy jock strap and take your false teeth out.

Right -o.

Yeah, we're about to hit the dirt, so hopefully it's been graded.

Yeah, it looks like we're going over a bit of a floodplain here, and it's

chopped out, so I've slowed her right down. I've done 20 k's. It's a bit

We dropped back to speed, so I'm pushing the delivery further back, but if you

push it too hard, it'll end up damaging the truck or moving the load.

It's an expensive bit of kit.

We're going to try to keep it intact.

Pretty corrugated across the flat here, Chevy.

Yeah, right. Oh, it is getting a bit rough, right?

Thanks.

I don't want to stop this up.

So today's all about testing this electric truck.

I've got me man Dusty here putting a couple of fresh batteries in this

He's knocking the arse out of the truck.

Trucking's in the family, family business.

Pop started the business back in 1972.

My dad and my uncle, they bought the business off Pop.

As the resident rookie of his family trucking business, Roy has been tasked

putting futuristic trucking technology to the test.

Dad and my uncle are always looking for new innovations throughout the company,

so it mightn't be now, but maybe in the near future, electric trucks might be a

progression.

Yeah, well, I'm going to kick you in the guts and see what it's made of.

And just like that, we're on.

I can't hear anything.

Oh, that is such a weird feeling.

Never stepped foot in an electric vehicle, been highly against them.

Wow, look at the pollution.

Because I'm, you know, born up in the diesel mechanic trade.

Today I'm just open -minded, see what they're made of, see if they can hold up

to the diesel.

Like growing up.

Driving a remote -controlled car.

To test the electric truck's reliability, Roy's taking on a 370

over the Blue Mountains and back, a range known for its steep climbs, sharp

descents and endless winding bends.

So it'll be interesting to see how it holds up, especially with this loaded 20

-foot container on the trailer.

This is a weird feeling, I tell you. It drives nice.

You know, I have to get used to no engine noise.

All I can just hear is wind going past the mirrors and that.

We left Moorbank with 90 % charge and then we're back down to 57 and we've

been driving an hour.

Bit nervous with the range.

You know, some people call it range anxiety.

Which is fine normally in a car or whatever, because you go, I'll just go

next petrol station, where in this case, there's no power stations but 100 k's.

All right, we'll stop there before we hit the kerb. We'll go forward and we'll

start again.

Oh!

So what you're doing, you're doing these big snakes.

So you need to slow your steering down a bit. And what I mean by that is don't

turn it quite so much.

Yeah, right, OK.

Right, now that is actually nearly straight.

That's probably enough there, so stop.

Now just waiting on Nick to get his paperwork done to see if he's going to

me to be on the road on my own.

I'm really hoping that things go my way.

It's necessary for things to go my way because I've got so many things lined up

now.

So when it comes to reversing, yeah, we all practise and keep it going straight.

Small turns.

And just, yeah, time in the gearbox and, you know, being gentle and, you know,

getting down pat with experience.

Congratulations.

We'll see you on the road someday.

Woo!

Thank you so much for your help. No, any time.

Oh, such a relief.

I'm a big girl now.

Yay!

It's exciting. It is very exciting. The sense of relief is enormous.

I'm just going to sneak away and make a quick phone call. There's somebody that

will be wondering how things have gone.

G'day, Sludge.

Hello. How are you?

Your licence.

Did you get it?

Yep. It's all done.

Oh. That's exciting. You've done super well. So you passed it easy. It was

How did you go with your backing?

Well, I did have to have a second crack at the backing. Yeah, no, it was really

good. I was really happy with it.

Yeah, well, that was the big thing, wasn't it? That was worrying me. Your

backing was the one. But, you know, when you have your brain in gear, you do do

it well.

That's excellent.

I just wanted to say a big thank you for all your help and all your support.

We'll see you soon. We'll talk soon.

Bye.

It's good to know that we can get on the road tomorrow and get these loads done.

Here in Gunnedah, ready to head off. We've got the first load today, so it's

pretty nerve -wracking that I'll be doing it on my own.

So the next couple of days involves a few different loads.

They're often more logistics.

With her MC licence just passed, Shelley has two back -to -back jobs crammed

into just 48 hours.

First stop, a processing facility called a cotton gin, where she'll load two

trailers full of cotton bales headed for Queensland.

At dawn the following day, she'll be back on the road to pick up a load of

a lower -grade by -product of cotton, bound for Yarraman Cotton Gin in New

Wales.

Both require delivery on the same day as pick -up.

If one job slips, Shelley's schedule will fall apart.

Get everything delivered on time. That's key, I think, to success.

We can just see the gin over here in the distance, so getting really close.

Scary in one sense.

That means it's getting real very quickly.

Come on, Skip.

Go, go, go.

Oh.

Oh. Go away.

Get off the boat.

Please, mate. Please.

It would have just ruined my day, actually, if that had happened.

But, yeah, no, it's...

Get the show going.

You have to be really careful when you're strapping on the opposite side to

arm forklift because if they're putting on the top on the other side, it can

push them and push them over on top of you.

227 kilos, each one.

Even if just one came down and got you, you'd probably be not seeing the

daylight again tomorrow, unfortunately.

This is one thing that we've ticked off, but now headed up into Queensland where

I'm not so familiar with the roads up there.

Haven't ever driven a truck in Queensland, so it's a first time for

Yeah, look, there'll be no dodging skiffies anymore.

We can't afford to be nice when we're now 63 tonnes.

Not swerving, not braking. It's just too dangerous. It's easy just to pull the

whole show over, which is what we want to avoid.

Oh, we've got some drivers on the road. They've got cattle.

It can just cause delays when they're just meandering across the road like

Five minutes here, five minutes there, those small hold -ups end up really

adding time to the trip and we're now probably running half an hour behind

schedule.

We don't want to be disappointing Memorial Logistics. We've said to them

can get this load there and we want to get it there on time so that I can

more B -double loads now that I do have my licence.

up here with a learner driver, so it is not what we need right now.

So they're slipping further and further behind time. Every minute is so

precious.

It's driving really erratically.

They're not paying attention to the road.

Oh, mate.

What are you doing?

Yeah, right, it is getting a bit rough, right.

It's an expensive bit of kit. I'm going to try and keep it intact.

So

we're

back on the bitumen.

Picking up pace now.

Hopefully make back some of the time we lost.

With over $1 million worth of mining equipment on board, Chevy's first long

-haul job still has nearly 2 ,500 kilometres to run.

Been a fair bit of wildlife on the road today. We've had roos, goats, emus.

I don't want to hit one of them, do a bit of damage to this thing.

On outback highways, wildlife is one of the greatest hazards a truckie can face.

Even a small animal strike can crumple bonnets, damage steering and destroy a

rig.

There's goats getting around, so I've got to watch out for them.

But swerving to avoid an animal can be the deadliest mistake of all, causing

drivers to lose control, jackknife or even roll.

Ducking and weaving too. There's roadkill everywhere.

Which means there's heaps of roos about.

As the sun starts coming down, they'll all start coming out. So let's have to

keep an eye out.

Stupid bush chook. There are heaps of emus around here. One just ran out and

nearly got him.

We're making good time today. We couldn't possibly go any quicker than

are.

We might be looking at getting the delivery in on time.

Just pulling into the truck stop in Capella now.

Tomorrow will be the big day. We've got to drop it off tomorrow.

Yeah, as long as it all keeps going as it has been, we won't have an issue.

Yeah, no, the fog.

Yeah, it's getting heavier.

Fog's too thick. Well, we can't go there. Yeah. Yeah, we're just too

Today was the day that we needed to go right.

And, yeah, this is going to hold us back, so...

Just coming up the Mount Vic, it's a pretty steep grade, so I reckon that's

going to chew some juice going up it.

On a punishing loop over the Blue Mountains, Roy's electric truck test for

father's business is causing extreme anxiety.

After only one hour of driving, the battery is drained to nearly half.

I keep hovering from...

Like the road to there, the percentage of the battery.

Yeah.

Oh,

this is such a great idea on paper.

Oh, and this traffic is the road I'm coming back and it is bumper to bumper.

In an hour's time, Roy will be back on the same stretch of road, smack bang in

the middle of the traffic jam.

Holy, here's exactly what I'm thinking.

Slow -moving traffic could drain his battery to zero, leaving him stranded on

the mountain.

Range anxiety is incumbent, and also traffic anxiety.

Look at this traffic!

So we're just willing and let's go here.

45. Oh, no.

With only half the round trip complete, Roy's range anxiety is through the roof.

Just punched in the Google.

..how long it's going to take to get home, and normally it's, like, you know,

hour and 45 -minute drive.

Yeah, with all the traffic, it's three hours and ten minutes, so... Yeah, I'm

nervous.

It'll be interesting to see where we go on the way home.

But going downhill could be his saviour.

We're just coming down a bit of a descent now, so hopefully the

braking kicks in the gear.

Braking is meant to put charge back into your batteries.

I'm just waiting to see if it's going to pop 80 % back into it.

Come on, dog, give me 80 % at least.

Yeah, hey, we've got 1 % took a whole hilly No

any I'm back down the 42

shit No,

this

is just what I want

All I can see is red brake light.

If I don't get back tonight, there could be dramas.

Bloody hell.

We've got another bit of a hold -up here with the learner driver.

It's really stealing those precious minutes that we're trying to make up.

Why are you back to 70 kilometres?

It's very exciting to be here.

Shelley's first of two jobs has been a success.

Yay! Woo!

Done. Ticked off.

Not much of a better feeling than successfully delivering your first load.

Go and find somewhere to pull up tonight and get ready for the next load.

It's a 450km journey on a tight deadline to an area she's never been before.

So we're here at Dolby this morning. We're heading to Mungundi to pick up a

of moat, which is another sort of product of the cotton.

We need to get loaded today and then get unloaded, aren't we, more this

afternoon. So pretty tight schedule.

You know, the aim is that we're successful in delivering and staying on

schedule.

Really struggling with the extra height.

Pull these curtains and I'll get on the road.

This is a highway. We're getting shaken.

Lucky we've got a sports car on.

It's shocking.

The shaking is terrible.

I wouldn't even comfortably do the speed limit.

There's no way I would sit on 100 through this. It's just ridiculous.

It's quite challenging.

have got that deadline this afternoon.

When they close, they close, and that's it. So if we miss that opportunity, then

we've got no option than to sit around and wait till tomorrow.

Oh, no.

Where's it taking me?

It's simple. I don't have it over there.

Yeah, so look, I'm thinking I should have turned left back there.

We've got a deadline that we're working to and it's really, really difficult to

make sure that we stay on track.

Plenty of people have done it. Look at the timer.

I'm pretty certain I should have turned in there. I don't think this is actually

right.

I hate missing that turn.

I'm totally praying that they won't knock me out.

I actually really don't even want to consider that.

If Shelley can't deliver today, she'll spend the night on the side of the road

140 kilometres from home.

Wai Bridge, do you have a copy?

Copy Wai Bridge?

There's no one in that offer.

I haven't even got 10Ks out of this guy yet, and we are at a dead stop.

Tasked with testing an electric vehicle, Roy's trapped in a massive traffic jam.

And his batteries are draining quicker than expected.

And this time, his training as a diesel mechanic won't save him.

We're on 36%. I'm just watching that.

Number, crawl down as I'm going up.

We've pretty well covered all the hill climbs now.

So coming back down, it's just all going to be downhill back in the Sydney. So

hopefully the regen kicked in a bit.

And it's been bouncing off 27, 28%. So it's been good, actually. It's a bit

touch and go there for a little shore while there.

The last bit of charge should see us back into Moorbank, hopefully.

Bottom line, I am impressed.

I definitely wouldn't pass up a diesel, like, personally, wouldn't pass up a

diesel engine for it.

But if it was between this and, you know, like a Scania or something, I'd be

definitely taking this.

We've made it. We're just rolling in now, back to the yard.

A bit more bank, and we've got 18 % charge left in the batteries.

Not too bad. Not too bad at all. We're home safe.

It's definitely impressed me today.

Thank God we're here.

Look at the last five minutes. Look how thick it's got. Yeah.

On his first long haul of over 2 ,500 kilometres

with valuable mining equipment, Chevy's schedule is at risk of blowing out.

Yeah, it's a bit frustrating.

Been pushing all week to get here on time.

Yeah, last day it's going to hold us up a bit.

This is something we didn't need.

Just too dangerous.

Vehicles can't see us coming.

Last thing I want is an accident.

Then you'll never get there.

Yeah, we're still waiting.

We're about half hour behind schedule.

Yeah, there's nothing we can do about it.

It has lifted a bit.

Yeah, we can see headlights coming out as easy enough.

Yeah.

Give it a couple more minutes and I reckon we can go.

Sounds good.

Beautiful.

Well, we'll have to try and make up some time. We don't have much of it.

Let's hope for a clean run and we'll get this thing dropped off.

Still a bit of fog about.

Yeah, visibility's not all that great, so still definitely got to be cautious.

You can just go at a speed that you're comfortable with, mate.

Won't break anything.

Yeah, sounds good, mate.

With the morning delivery, There's no point pushing to get there if we're

risking ours and other people's lives. So, yeah, safety sort of trumps the

delivery time.

That's a bit better.

Yeah, I can see your van now. It's nice.

Fog's just cleared up. We've now picked up the pace a little bit.

It'd be nice if it keeps this way.

We're nearly there. This is the sort of main road going into the mine.

Five -day trip, 2 ,500 Ks.

I'm pretty happy with how it all went, and hopefully PTH will be as well.

It's definitely given me a taste of the long oil trips, staying in the country

and getting paid for it. You can't beat it, I don't reckon.

Just up there, Chevy.

Pull over to the left.

That's us.

No worries, mate.

Thanks for that. Good job.

Yeah, I don't think they'll be able to call you a rookie anymore.

Chevy done it really well.

I've even been with experienced drivers that panic a lot more than what he does.

I didn't see him panic once, so, no, he's going to make a real good operator.

I'm just going to go in, get this unloaded, then I'll be off to the pub.

Steve Graham is expecting a call from me. He wants to see how I've been going,

so I'm going to give him a buzz.

Hey, how you going, Steve?

You've been in it for more than a month now. How are you finding it? Yeah,

loving it, loving it.

Just finished my first big run today.

I love the long -distance stuff.

It beats the town work.

I'm pleased to hear it. We need more young blokes like you getting into the

business, mate. We really do.

Yeah. All right, mate, good to talk to you, and I'm pleased with the way you're

going. Bloody good. All righty, thanks, mate. It was good chatting with you.

Good on you, mate. Good on you.

That was pretty cool, talking to Steve again after five days on the road, 2

,500K. It's a great way to end the trip.

Cheers.

When they close, they close, and that's it. So if we miss that opportunity, then

we've got no option than to sit around and wait till tomorrow.

Waveridge, do you have a copy?

There's no one in that office.

Hi, Luke.

I'm just on your Waveridge with a load of moat.

Yeah, look, I don't want to put you out. Like, you know, does this change what

your afternoon's going to look like?

We're hopping away.

That's amazing.

Thanks, Luke.

See you, bye.

We can unload today. If we just wait 10 minutes, we're a bit behind schedule.

Luke was done, but he's happy to come and do it now. So that's a fantastic

outcome, and I'm really happy with that.

It's an amazing feeling. I'm really proud of what I've achieved in the last

days and I'm really excited for the opportunities ahead. I now know that I

do it. I've done it.

It's an unreal feeling, actually. It's really, yeah, great.