Service Updates

DOT Express has been closely monitoring potential impacts of the flooding event currently affecting the mid North Coast and Hunter regions of New South Wales as it relates to our linehaul operations between Sydney and Brisbane.

Latest advice for the Bureau of Meteorology and our Federal and State Government Agencies indicates that heavy rain is expected to continue today, before easing and clearing during tomorrow and Saturday. Flooding will last for many days as the large amounts of rain drain through the rivers.

Overnight, a further 150mm+ fell over parts of the Mid North Coast. In the past 12 hours (to 7am AEST), the heaviest rainfall totals have been at Bellingen (183mm) and Coffs Harbour (165mm).

The Easter and ANZAC Day period is nearly upon us, so please be aware of our operating and closure dates over the coming weeks. DOT Express will be operating the following service schedule:

Thursday 17 April 2025 – Normal Operation
Friday 18 April 2025 – Good Friday Public Holiday, CLOSED
Monday 21 April 2025 – Easter Monday Public Holiday, CLOSED
Tuesday 22 April 2025 – Normal Operation
Thursday 24 April 2025 – Normal Operation
Friday 25 April 2025 – ANZAC Day Public Holiday, CLOSED
Monday 28 April 2025 – Normal Operation resumes

For linehaul please note:

VIC and QLD – Normal linehaul other than P/H
WA – 17 April 2025 to 25 April 2025 – Limited linehaul

Please note that limited Country services will be in operation in WA from 17 April 2025 to 25 April 2025.

On behalf of all of us at DOT Express, we thank you for your support and loyalty and wish you, your families and your staff a very safe and Happy Easter. And to all those who have served - or are currently serving our country - both in times of peace and war, we thank you for your service and sacrifice. LEST WE FORGET.

As previously advised - and as a direct consequence of the most recent flooding and damage that severely impacted the North Queensland Road Network - our Queensland Agent advised us that effective Thursday, 20 March 2025, an additional surcharge of 17.17% applied to all rates on all deliveries north of and including Townsville.

With the reopening of the Bruce Highway on Friday, 21 March 2025, the temporary surcharge of $17.17% has ceased. This applies to any freight consigned from last Friday onwards.

Further more, our Queensland Agent has advised that they are working hard to clear the backlog while continuing to provide the reliable service you expect.

DOT Express appreciates your patience and understanding - and while we have absorbed costs wherever possible - operating under those conditions was unsustainable without a short-term adjustment. Without it, we simply would not have been able to reach the affected locations, impacting our customers, our people and the communities we serve.

DOT Express will continue to work hard to communicate any further disruption or delays to services within the network to our customers.

As North Queensland deals with a second major flood event this week in as many months, the Bruce Highway was again closed yesterday morning north of Ingham, with truck drivers facing a lengthy wait to get through.

The highway closure is the fourth time the North Queensland region has been cut off due to flooding since February with the Bureau of Meteorology advising that Townsville has recorded its heaviest 24-hour rain in March since the 1990s, with 301 millimetres to 9am yesterday.

Our Queensland Agent has advised us that this latest flooding event is creating significant challenges within the network due to multiple road closures and detours that are driving significant increase to the cost base. Therefore, effective Thursday, 20 March 2025 (yesterday), an additional surcharge of 17.71% to all rates (plus fuel surcharge plus GST) on all deliveries north of and including Townsville will be applied. These changes reflect the extra resources needed to navigate the current conditions, including alternative routes, extended travel distances, and operational adjustments.

DOT Express has experienced first hand in the last 24 hours that cyber criminals are actively targeting us and our customers with fake emails, phony invoices and attempting to gain access to sensitive information.

An email was received by our Accounts Department supposedly from our Managing Director requesting payment for an attached ‘outstanding’ invoice that is no doubt is embedding with a virus to steal sensitive information and/or trying to subject the receiver to possible ransomeware.

Ransomware is a type of malware which prevents you from accessing your device and the data stored on it, usually by encrypting your files. A scammer will then demand a ransom in exchange for decryption.

With this in mind, we urge all of our customers to please stay vigilant and alert for Cyber Fraud Scams that may falsely claim to be from DOT Express.

DOT Express and our Northern New South Wales/Queensland Agents have been closely monitoring the aftereffects of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred in South East Queensland and Far Northern New South Wales.

Latest advice for the Bureau of Meteorology is that the widespread heavy rain has now eased to showers and isolated thunderstorms for south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Although rainfall over the past week has produced significant flooding across both states, and some Flood Warnings remain current, the major transport corridors of the Warrego Highway, and the Cunningham have reopened.

Conditions will continue to ease in coming days, with calmer and drier conditions expected into the second half of this week.

Therefore, DOT Express and our Agents are moving back to a ‘business as usual’ model as quickly and safely as we can, working hard to deliver any outstanding freight as quickly as possible.

Northern Rivers deliveries resumed yesterday (Monday, 10 March 2025) and deliveries to Toowoomba will recommence from very early AM tomorrow with vehicles already loaded and ready to go.

DOT Express and our Northern New South Wales/Queensland Agents have been closely monitoring the after effects of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred as it continues to affect South East Queensland and Far Northern New South Wales.

Latest advice for the Bureau of Meteorology and our Federal and State Government Agencies are reporting that widespread heavy rain was observed across south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales on Sunday, which has persisted into Monday morning.

Flash flooding has impacted large parts of Brisbane and the Gold Coast further, while riverine flooding continues across multiple catchments in both states, creating dangerous conditions. Heavy to intense rainfall remains possible across south-east QLD and north-east NSW into this afternoon which may cause further flash flooding or renewed river rises. A Severe Weather Warning remains in place. However, the heavy rain is forecast to ease later this afternoon and into the evening.

There are a significant number of road closures currently in place across south east Queensland, including the Warrego Highway at Forest Hill and the Cunningham Highway at multiple locations between Maryvale and Willowbank.

DOT Express and our Northern New South Wales/Queensland Agents have been closely monitoring potential impacts of Tropical Cyclone (TC) Alfred as it continues to move towards South East Queensland.

Latest advice for the Bureau of Meteorology and our Federal and State Government Agencies indicates that TC Alfred remains a category 2 system and is most likely to cross over the Moreton Bay Islands early Saturday morning before crossing the mainland coast, most likely between Noosa and Beenleigh later during Saturday.

Heavy rainfall bands are continuing to extend over southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales coastal areas. Heavy to locally intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding may develop from this afternoon. Once Alfred crosses the coast, it is likely to weaken below tropical cyclone strength during Saturday.

Gales with damaging wind gusts up to 120 kilometres per hour are occurring near the coast between Cape Moreton and Cape Byron. Gales with damaging wind gusts up to 120 kilometres per hour are expected to extend along the remaining southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales coastal and island communities between Noosa and Ballina later today as Alfred approaches the coast.

DOT Express and our Northern New South Wales/Queensland Agents have been closely monitoring potential impacts of Tropical Cyclone (TC) Alfred as it continues to move towards South East Queensland.

Latest advice for the Bureau of Meteorology and our Federal and State Government Agencies indicates that TC Alfred remains a category 2 system, is now 285km east of Brisbane and 260km east north-east of the Gold Coast.

Alfred will continue its approach towards the south-east Queensland coast, with the far western edge already impacting the coast between Coolangatta and Ballina. The centre of Alfred is expected to cross the coast later Friday or early Saturday, most likely between Maroochydore and Coolangatta.

Gales with damaging wind gusts to 120km/hr are developing near the coast between Coolangatta and Ballina. Gales with damaging wind gusts to 120km/hr are expected to develop along the remaining south-east Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales coastal and island communities between Double Island Point and Grafton during Thursday and will persist through Friday.

DOT Express and our Northern New South Wales/Queensland Agents have been closely monitoring potential impacts of Tropical Cyclone (TC) Alfred as it continues to move towards South East Queensland.

Latest advice for the Bureau of Meteorology and our Federal and State Government Agencies indicates that TC Alfred is a category 2 system, is 335km east of Brisbane and 310km east-north-east of the Gold Coast and is moving towards the south-east Queensland coast.

Alfred is forecast to maintain category 2 intensity as it approaches the south-east Queensland coast on Thursday and is expected to cross the coast early Friday morning, most likely between Maroochydore and Coolangatta.

Gales with damaging wind gusts to 120km/hr are expected to develop along the south-east Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales coastal and island communities between Double Island Point and Grafton from later today and persist on Thursday and Friday.

As previously advised - and as a direct consequence of the recent flooding and damage that severely impacted the North Queensland Road Network - our Queensland Agent advised us that effective 3 February 2025 an additional surcharge of 17.17% applied to all rates on all deliveries north of and including Townsville.

Over recent days, the local road network has been systematically restored and services in the region have now resumed to a more stable level. To this end, the temporary surcharge of $17.17% has ceased effective Monday, 17 February 2025.

After 11 days of severe weather and warnings, North Queensland is expected to see sunshine over the next few days, which will no doubt assist in flood recovery efforts, repairs to the local road network and the re-opening of some critical transport corridors.

However, our Queensland Agent has provided the following update for services into North Queensland:

Cairns: Townsville to Cairns has been closed again until further notice.
Townsville to Mount Isa: The route remains closed, with no services getting through over the weekend. No services are planned for tonight.
Mackay to Townsville: The road is open but experiencing significant delays, with Police escorts currently in place.
Ingham: Is now open, however there is still areas impacted with flooding and power outages.

With much of North Queensland still feeling the impact of severe weather that has lashed the region over the past two weeks, many roads still remain closed or impacted by damage like the Bruce Highway and the Flinders Highway.

In addition, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning early Monday morning (10 February 2025) for people in parts of Peninsula, Gulf Country, North Tropical Coast and Tablelands, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders and Herbert and Lower Burdekin Forecast Districts. The regions are set for more heavy rainfall with totals potentially up to 250 mm over the next 24 hours, leading to higher threats of life-threatening flash flooding and further impacts on the local road network.

Further, showers and thunderstorms remain a daily risk across North Queensland, with thunderstorms bringing the risk of heavy rain and flash flooding to areas that aren’t included in the severe weather warning.

Due to the widespread flooding over recent days across North Queensland, both the Bruce Highway and Flinders Highway are impacted and cut in multiple locations along with local roads and access points. This means that our linehaul network is heavily impacted and currently Townsville and Cairns are not accessible by road.

Delivery points where customer deliveries will be impacted include:

Cairns
Innisfail
Ingham
Cardwell
Ayr
Bowen
Proserpine
Mt Isa
Many smaller regional areas across North Queensland and Western Queensland are also impacted and not accesible at present

Christmas is nearly upon us, so please be aware of our operating and closure dates in the forthcoming festive season

Tuesday 24 December 2024 – AM: Normal Operation | PM: NO pickups
Wednesday 25 December 2024 – Public Holiday, CLOSED
Thursday 26 December 2024 – Public Holiday, CLOSED
Friday 27 December 2024 – Local Deliveries & Limited Linehaul (subject to receivers)
Monday 30 December 2024 – Local Deliveries & Limited Linehaul (subject to receivers)
Tuesday 31 December 2024 – AM: Normal Operation | PM: NO pickups
Wednesday 1 January 2025 – Public Holiday, CLOSED
Thursday 2 January 2025 – Linehaul Resumes. Limited Country Agent Deliveries Australia wide. Some Country Agents may start normal operations from mid-January 2025.

Please note that limited Interstate and Country services will also be in operation between 27-31 December 2024. The attached table summarises the services and dates so you can plan internally and with your customers.

On behalf of all of us at DOT Express, we thank you for your support and loyalty during 2024. Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a safe & prosperous New Year!

Has your current B2B EXPRESS FREIGHT transport company advised you that there will be delays of up to 3 Days with your freight from Melbourne to Perth due to planned rail track upgrades from late September?

These rail upgrades will have NO IMPACT on DOT Express as we DO NOT USE THE RAIL FREIGHT NETWORK to Western Australia!

DOT Express has not altered its independent road linehaul arrangement to Western Australia since we changed our West Coast Linehaulier in early 2022. Our delivery service from MEL-PER will not be impacted by the planned upgrades to the rail network and we do not expect any delays.

DOT Express continues to do its best to ensure product is delivered on time. We have not missed a beat with linehaul departures each Tuesday and Friday morning - and will continue to support those customers who have supported us with an anticipated 4-5 day delivery service from Melbourne to Perth.

Industry-wide shipping delays are currently impacting Tasmanian operations due to dry dock maintenance. All three of the shipping lines servicing Melbourne to Tasmania are undergoing dry dock maintenance within the same year.

These are expected from now until the end of October as:

Searoad is currently in dry dock until the end of July. During this period, sailings to Tasmania only occur on a limited 3-day schedule.
TT Line will undergo maintenance throughout August.
Strait Link will commence its dry dock period in October and continue until the end of November.

It has been brought to our attention that cyber criminals are actively targeting the transport industry and their customers with fake emails, phony invoices and attempting to gain access to sensitive information.

With this in mind, we urge all of our customers to please stay vigilant and alert for Cyber Fraud Scams that may falsely claim to be from DOT Express. Please remember:

VERIFY OUR BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS BEFORE PAYING AN INVOICE FROM DOT EXPRESS
IF IT LOOKS LIKE A SCAM - OR YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ON THE LEGITIMACY OF THE EMAIL - PLEASE CONTACT US FIRST ON 1300 000 363 BEFORE PAYING

At DOT Express, we take the security and privacy of our customers very seriously. We have implemented various measures to safeguard your information and we continually monitor for any suspicious activities. But we all need to stay alert and be vigilant!

Authorities say the Eyre Highway – Western Australia’s main freight route with the eastern states – will remain closed until Saturday due to a bushfire burning in the Eastern Goldfields.

A 370-kilometre stretch of road between the Goldfields town of Norseman and Caiguna was closed on Wednesday afternoon after bushfires jumped the highway near Balladonia.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services [DFES] and Main Roads WA have urged motorists to avoid the area, with people travelling west of Balladonia being redirected to Norseman.

Christmas is nearly upon us, so please be aware of our operating and closure dates in the forthcoming festive season.

KEY DATES:

CLOSED on Weekends & Public Holidays
SYD-PER Linehaul Departs 19 December 2023 (delivered 28-30 December 2023)
SYD-BNE Linehaul Departs 20 December 2023 (delivered 21-22 December 2023)
SYD-MEL Linehaul Departs 21 December 2023 (delivered 22 December 2023 subject to receivers)
27-29 December 2023 - Limited Linehaul subject to Interstate/Intrastate volumes & Limited Country Agent Deliveries Australia wide
2-5 January 2024 - Linehaul Resumes. Limited Country Agent Deliveries Australia wide

The attached table summarises the services and dates so you can plan internally and with your customers.

On behalf of all of us at DOT Express, we want to thank you for all of your support and loyalty during 2023 – and wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a safe & prosperous New Year!

TRAFFIC INCIDENT

Three northbound b-double trucks have collided on the M1 at Verges Creek, 10km north of Kempsey earlier this morning and has closed the Pacific Highway in both directions on the NSW mid north coast.

Only one driver sustained minor injuries and was transported to hospital.
One truck was destroyed by fire and another truck has sustained structural damage in the accident, but was not caught in the blaze.

Emergency crews are on the scene working to pull apart the trucks and their loads and hazmat specialists are at the scene with fire damage to 18 200-litre steel drums on one trailer still to be identified.

EX BRISBANE
Services are now allowed through to Mackay, so effectively DOT Express can service from Brisbane to Mackay and ports in between (along the east coast).
Unfortunately, we still cannot yet access north of Mackay along the coast but services are now being redirected inland. Please note that there will be delays in transit to these services.

EX TOWNSVILLE
Also be advised that the Bruce Highway south of Townsville is still closed to Ayr, Proserpine and Bowen. DOT Express is unable to provide services ex Townsville South.
Please note that the localised flooding throughout the Central Queensland and Far North Queensland regions is affecting deliveries of consignments that did get through and also impacting the ability for some team members to get into work.
DOT Express will continue to work hard to communicate any disruption to services within the network to our customers.

As a result of the inclement weather currently being experienced across Central and Northern Queensland - and the large number of road closures that have occured as a result - there are significant pressures currently to our Linehaul network, which is resulting in some delays. In particular, transit times for North of Mackay and ex Emerald to the wider Bowen Basin are being impacted.

Where possible - and as it is safe to do so - regional depots in Central and Northern Queensland will remain open. However, Regional Agents may be further impacted and temporarily close at their own discretion. DOT Express will continue to work hard to communicate any disruption to services within the network to our customers.

DOT Express has not altered its independent road linehaul arrangement from Sydney to Perth since we changed our West Coast Linehaulier in late March this year. Our delivery service leading into Christmas will be impacted by the shortage of road linehaul but we do not expect delays to be more than 1-2 days at the moment.

Deliveries into Perth today have been at the mercy of the severe weather conditions experienced in the last week with gale force winds, severe rain and flooding across South Australia, Mid-Southern New South Wales and Victoria. Drivers are having to determine the safest and best means to travel across the continent to avoid weather conditions.

Christmas is nearly upon us, so please be aware of our operating and closure dates in the forthcoming festive season.

DOT Express closure dates are the public holidays Monday 26th December, Tuesday 27th December & Monday 2nd January.

The last freight collection pre-Christmas to our regional onforwarders will be Thursday, 22nd December. Most of our regional onforwarders will have limited services operating during the Christmas to New Year period and up to the 20th of January. DOT Express will do its best to meet customers’ delivery expectations during this time.

If you need us to deliver to your regional customers, please plan ahead around these closure dates. Deliveries into most metropolitan areas in each capital city, our last pick-up date will be Friday 23rd December AM only, with a limited fleet operating between 28-30 December. Linehaul to Western Australia will continue each Tuesday and Friday with no change to departure dates.

The attached table summarises the services and dates so you can plan internally and with your customers.

On behalf of all of us at DOT Express, we thank you for your support and loyalty during 2022. Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a safe & prosperous New Year.

LATEST ADVICE:

Although our regional depots are not currently affected by the last severe weather system to hit multiple locations across NSW, some DOT Express deliveries into the fringe/outer metroplitan areas of Sydney will experience delays to flood affected areas until the rain subsides, the road network is repaired and to ensure the safety of our drivers.

DOT Express will continue to attempt to deliver consignments to businesses in the fringe/outer metroplitan areas of Sydney as quickly as possible. However, as this another rapidly changing flooding event across a wide area, we will continue to work hard to communicate any disruption to services within the network to our customers.

LATEST ADVICE:

Although our regional depots are not currently affected by the last severe weather system to hit multiple locations across NSW, DOT Express deliveries into the fringe/outer metroplitan areas of Sydney will experience delays of a day or two, due to localised flooding currently at these locations.

The Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley is also being closely monitored, with major flooding expected later today.

More than 150 NSW schools have been closed after heavy rain and flooding prompted evacuations in Sydney’s south and southwest - with evacuation orders current in 11 suburbs, while residents in a number of other areas have been told to prepare for orders to leave - many of them in locations evacuated during the severe flooding events in March.

LATEST ADVICE:

As a result of the inclement weather last night in northern NSW, all linehaul into Brisbane was held up around 1:30am near Ballina. As a consequence, all trailers have only just started moving to Brisbane and are due to arrive between 3-4pm this afternoon. They will be unloaded and freight prepped for distribution tomorrow morning.

Due to localised flooding and evacuation orders currently occurring in northern NSW, services to Lismore will be heavily impacted well into next week. Deliveries to other parts of Northern Rivers are proceeding, however it’s expected there will be localised flooding that will impact deliveries as the rain continues over the next 24 to 48 hours.

LATEST ADVICE:

Heavy to intense rainfall was recorded overnight through coastal south-east QLD and northern NSW. Flash flooding has occurred in suburbs of the Gold Coast and Moreton Bay in Queensland. Severe Weather Warnings are current for south-east QLD, and the Northern Rivers and parts of the Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands in NSW.

Currently, there are no delays to linehaul into Brisbane. There are also no stops into the Northern Rivers and Lismore, providing trailers can continue getting into regional depots.

Where possible - and as it is safe to do so - regional depots across QLD and NSW will remain open. However, Regional Agents in NSW may be impacted and temporarily close at their own discretion due to forecasts of further severe weather this week. DOT Express will continue monitoring the current conditions overnight to see whether the situation changes and will communicate any disruption to services within the network to our customers as soon as practically possible.

LATEST ADVICE:

The Bureau of Meteorology has advised that catchments across south-east Queensland are saturated and therefore creeks and streams will respond very quickly to heavy, short duration rainfall associated with any thunderstorm activity. Major flood warnings remain in place across inland areas in the south of the state including the lower Moonie, Condamine and Balonne Rivers. A fresh and gusty south-easterly wind change spread through south-east Queensland overnight bringing the potential for severe thunderstorms to move into Queensland Today.

Linehaul between Sydney and Brisbane remains open, however, there are still some delays due to freight backlog. DOT Express is also using our own staff via south east Queensland to service the Northern Rivers region to deliver essential supplies where we are able to get through.

Heavy rainfall has eased in New South Wales, however numerous flood warnings remain current across eastern New South Wales with flood peaks at locations still to occur. An east coast low is stting off the Illawarra coast with severe weather warnings in place for damaging winds, including Sydney and the Illawarra.

LATEST ADVICE:

This afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued further updates that severe weather will continue across New South Wales with flood warnings remaining in place and that severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall is again possible for Queensland this week.

As previously advised, the BNE depot is located on high ground and is safe from flood waters with all product on-site safe and secure. Queensland is now accessible, however, delays can still be expected due to not only the existing freight backlog, but also the persistent force of the current weather.

In NSW, Northern NSW (Lismore, Murwillumbah, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and the Central Coast) have been severely impacted, with clean up only recently commencing following the receding of flood waters. There are also impacts still being felt in the western suburbs of Sydney with several locations in both these regions still inaccessible by road due to local flood activity.

LATEST ADVICE:

Multiple major flood warnings remain in place across south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales. The rainfall is moving out of south-east QLD, however major flooding continues across many rivers and heavy rainfall is still impacting areas including the Gold Coast. There are still a significant number of road closures and damaged roads across the region.

The BNE depot is located on high ground and is safe from flood waters with all product on-site safe and secure. Deliveries were attempted this morning (Monday) but cancelled due to the state of local flooding and road closures. BNE deliveries have now been suspended until at least Wednesday (2 March) and you may experience delivery delays of between 3-5 business days.

LATEST ADVICE:

Intense rainfall continues to impact south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales in what is a dangerous and unfolding weather and flood situation. These extreme weather conditions will continue to result in linehaul delivery delays into Brisbane and Queensland for the foreseeable future.

There is a growing number of flood warnings current in Queensland, including a Major Flood Warning for Lockyer and Warrill Creeks, Bremer River, Eyre Creek, Logan River, Mary River, Mooloolah River, Noosa River, Maroochy River and the Upper Brisbane & Stanley Rivers.

LATEST ADVICE:

Parts of north-east NSW and south-east Qld are experiencing a significant rain event with impacts likely to include flash and riverine flooding with potential risks to life and property. These weather conditions will likely result in linehaul delivery delays into Brisbane from today - Friday, 25 February 2022.

A surface trough (an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure) lying just off the east coast is lifting tropical air from the Coral Sea, as the warm air pushes over the coast it’s causing an increase in humidity, intense rain and storms.

EASTERN SEABOARD-PER LINEHAUL:

Further to previous correspondence, it was difficult getting any space SYD-PER last week. DOT Express was able to obtain a few spots to Perth but not enough to meet demand. Consequently, we are working on a number of alternatives with independent trailer operators to get to Western Australia. Service to our customers is key to our business and its growth.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation was able to open up the rail line between ADL-Tarcoola last Tuesday 15 February, 25 days after the floods impacted South Australia. Nine freight trains left for Darwin/Alice Springs and Perth early Tuesday morning. It was a huge repair effort by road and rail crews repairing a 300-kilometre stretch of track with 18 damaged locations.

EASTERN SEABOARD-PER LINEHAUL:

As most are aware, the rail line to Perth was impacted by the severe weather experienced in South Australia on the 22/23 January weekend. The key to the rail network to and from Western Australia is the junction at Tarcoola, this junction point affects both east/west and north bound rail traffic.

The rail line between Adelaide and Tarcoola was cut during the floods and stopped all rail traffic to the West for the last 3 weeks. The Australian Rail Track Corporation continued to work hard to re-open the line as quickly as possible and resume services across the Nullarbor.

It’s no surprise that there is a huge backlog of general freight moving from Eastern Australia to Western Australia via rail.

LATEST ADVICE (QUEENSLAND):

A trough is forecast to continue generating showers and storms across parts of eastern Queensland during Friday and Saturday. Locally moderate to heavy rainfall remains likely with thunderstorms. The risk of heavy rainfall will gradually contract northwards into Saturday, with much drier conditions expected from Sunday.

The majority of catchments within the Flood Watch area are saturated, with some currently in flood. Rivers and creeks will respond relatively quickly, particularly in the areas of heaviest rainfall.

LATEST ADVICE (NEW SOUTH WALES):

A low pressure system lies off the Illawarra coast bringing heavy rainfall and riverine flooding through SE NSW. River level rises are possible along the Queanbeyan and St Georges Basin and some adjacent catchments.

Flood Warnings are current for the Bega and Moruya catchments where further rainfall and river rises are possible. Flood warnings are also current for New South Wales North, Central and South West Inland catchments from the Border Rivers to the Murrumbidgee River.

LATEST ADVICE (QUEENSLAND):

A trough is forecast to move slowly east across the state during Tuesday and the next few days, triggering showers and thunderstorms with locally moderate to heavy rainfall across the Flood Watch area. The risk of heavy rainfall will gradually move eastward during the week.

The majority of catchments within the Flood Watch area are saturated, with many currently in flood. Rivers and creeks will respond relatively quickly to further rainfall, particularly in the areas of heaviest rainfall.

LATEST ADVICE (NEW SOUTH WALES):

Flood warnings are current for New South Wales North and Central West Inland catchments from the Namoi to the Murrumbidgee Rivers.

Renewed river level rises and flooding is possible from Wednesday across the Upper Macintyre, Gwydir, Castlereagh and Bellinger Rivers from rainfall associated with a deepening trough extending across inland New South Wales. Renewed river rises are also possible in the Lachlan, Namoi, Macquarie and Bogan Rivers where flood warnings are current.

EXCESS VOLUMES LEADING INTO CHRISTMAS 2021:

The last few months leading into Christmas 2021 has seen quite a number of influences and influencers impacting road express delivery performance, some internal and some external. DOT Express’ near perfect on time delivery performance during the 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic made us one of the Industry’s best kept secrets, delivering road express for some of our customers at near 99% on time in the last few months.

Whilst the 2021 November ‘Click Frenzy’ promotion seemed to be less manic than last year, overall e-commerce sales have been measured at more than 30% year on year for the fiscal period and only slightly less than prior year. We are yet to feel the impact ‘Black Friday’ will have on the transport industry later this month but the ‘cracks’ are already starting to show with some of the home delivery specialist carriers. Online promotions leading into Christmas could well hamper the traditional home delivery couriers as they focus on getting their deliveries completed on time for Santa. We are all aware of the poor publicity these carriers incurred last Christmas.

With the severe weather of recent days finally receding, there are still significant challenges to be faced with Linehaul traveling from Sydney to Brisbane due to localised flooding and other factors. Latest advice is as follows:

Coffs Harbour/Grafton/Lismore linehaul back to normal.
Port Macquarie linehaul is now back to normal however there are still some delivery delays in the area.
Taree linehaul is now back to normal however there are still some delivery delays in the area.
Tamworth is experiencing local flooding causing delays to delivery.
Moree is experiencing flooding causing delays to delivery and this is expected to continue all week.
Some on-forwarding areas from Grafton are still inaccessible to Iluka, Yamba, Harwood.

Freight traveling from Sydney to Brisbane on Tuesday, 23 March 2021 travelled on the Princes Highway with little or no instances and is out for delivery into Brisbane today (Wednesday, 24 March 2021).

Late yesterday, DOT Express was advised that there is now no access to Queensland from New South Wales via the New England Highway or Carnarvon Highway. There is flooding in Narrabri/Moree region and road surfaces are taking their toll having to be repaired during this time of continued inclement weather conditions.

Heavy vehicles have been advised to divert further inland to the Castlereagh Highway via Walgett and then travel north into Queensland. Adding extensive time delays, cost of vehicle operation and impacting on Driver fatigue, linehaul taking this route may not make it to Brisbane within HVNL and regulations.

Weather conditions in New South Wales (NSW) and Southeast Queensland (SEQ) will result in delivery delays from today - Monday, 22 March 2021.

Linehaul to Brisbane continues this evening. There will be delays into Brisbane overnight that are resultant of continued severe weather conditions plus increased traffic levels on the main thoroughfare (New England Highway) and the increased travel time on the New England Highway from Sydney to Brisbane compared to the Princes Highway.

Where possible - and as it is safe to do so - regional depots across NSW will remain open. Regional Agents may be impacted and temporarily close at their own discretion. Where possible, we will work with Agents to communicate disruption to services within the network.

All Australian airfreight linehauliers have been mandated to introduce stricter security measures by the Australian Government that applied from Wednesday, 1 July 2020.

The new regulatory requirements relate to the examination of all piece-level domestic air cargo freight (satchels, cartons, etc). The need to increase the security surcharge is to enable our linehaulier to meet these new regulations and invest in new security equipment, staff training and examination methods of all piece-level freight (satchels, cartons, etc).

Directly related to these security check changes, DOT Express has been advised by our Agent that they have applied measures that meet the legislated requirements applied by the Australian Government and to keep our skies safe - but at a significant cost.