Be patient.
That’s the advice Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon has for truckies when the section of the Bruce Highway closed at Bororen reopens tomorrow (Tuesday, September 3).
The state’s major freight route has been shut there in both directions since a B-double carrying ammonium nitrate exploded after colliding with a ute on Friday, August 30.
“Everybody will get there in good time,” said Mahon. “There’s a lot of increased traffic on roads that are not used to it.
“The road freight system will still continue to work and if there are delays of an hour or two here and there, just be patient and stay safe.
“I expect many will still be using the detours because the delays on that single lane will still be significant.
“We don’t expect it will move out to two lanes until Wednesday or Thursday.”
Mahon said he has heard some sources talking about the need to pay “danger money” to drivers using the Bruce since last week’s tragic spate of incidents that also claimed the life of a 29-year-old truckie.
“There is certainly an increasing level of concern, particularly about night driving on the Bruce,” Mahon said.
“Even with the detour, the experiences drivers are having along the Burnett are not real good either, particularly with car drivers and dangerous overtaking manoeuvres.
“Quite a few of those drivers are now moving out through Toowoomba, Dalby and heading north through a couple of the other alternates you can follow that way.”
Michael Mahon (no relation to Gary), boss of MJ Mahon Transport and QTA president, is one of those operators who quickly changed tack.
He’s now sending the bulk of his busy fleet north via Toowoomba after a call on Sunday from a supervisor alerting him to reports from drivers the Burnett was unsafe.
Earlier that same day a pedestrian had been killed after being struck by a ute on the Burnett at Malmoe, west of Gayndah.
The added diversion adds on an extra two hours each way, and has a knock-on impact throughout the supply chain, but Mahon said his top priority is to keep his drivers safe.