Bonafide with Luke Bona

Why Do Trucks Keep Hitting Bridges? Plus, Bridge Strikes & Tanker Chains

Bonafide with Luke Bona

Show Notes

This week's Truckie Tuesday: a new independently-verified report finds heavy-vehicle bridge strikes are costing the Australian economy $101 million a year — 1,220 incidents in the last 12 months, up 38% since 2018. Rod Hannifey and Luke Bona dig into why, including Rod's own story about a bridge clearance sign that was never updated after the road underneath it was resurfaced.

Plus: copper thieves targeting EV chargers and streetlights around the country, a new industry survey seeking every transport worker's voice on mental health, Rod's take on whether the NHVR's fatigue-blitz statistics tell the full story, a visit from NSW Minister Jenny Aitchison, Senator Bridget McKenzie confirmed for a coming episode, an update on the Great Western Highway works, a heartfelt tribute to trucking legend Toots Holzheimer, and a Legal Win of the Week from Hughes Law's Belinda Hughes.

Guests: Rod Hannifey (Truckie Tuesday co-host, National Road Freighters Association) · Belinda Hughes (Principal, Hughes Law)

(00:00) Cold Open & Where's Rodney (01:30) Feedback Of The Week: The Truck Chain Mystery (06:45) Mobile Blackspots On The Highway (08:16) Copper Thieves Target EV Chargers (13:00) NatRoad Connect 26 & Industry Structure (15:01) NSW Minister Jenny Aitchison Visits Dubbo (16:37) Great Western Highway Works & Bathurst 1000 (21:33) Tribute: Toots Holzheimer (24:07) Mental Health Survey & The Fatigue Blitz Debate (29:13) $101 Million A Year In Bridge Strikes (32:01) Hughes Law: Two Wins Of The Week (36:01) Where's Rodney? Plus Rod's Rant (39:35) Sign-Off

🫶 Join The Bonafide Family Get Your Bonafide Merch here: https://bonafidepod.com/en-aud Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeBonaThatRadioGuy/ Catch Up On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukey.bona/ Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay updated with LIVE SHOWS:

🎙️ Get Involved Leave us a digital voicemail here: https://www.speakpipe.com/Bonafide Call the Bonafide Hotline to leave a voicemail: (02) 9128 9311 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Reach out at: [email protected]

More from Bonafide with Luke Bona

Oct 22, 2026

Greg Evans, the host of Perfect Match, tells Luke how Reg Grundy's dating show let Channel Ten charge prime-time rates at 5:30, and about the contestant who chose number three but couldn't stop thinking about number one. He went through the phone book to find her. Greg also reveals where Dexter the robot lives now, and he and Luke swap the songs from the 3XY and 2SM days they reckon you need to hear.

Oct 22, 2026

If you heard our full episode on 9 October, you have already had this one. This is the Man Cave with Dr Graham Wild on its own, for anyone who just wants the space talk.

Oct 21, 2026

If you heard our full episode on 9 October, you have already had this one. This is Luke's chat with Jim Penman on its own, for anyone who just wants Jim.

Oct 20, 2026

If you heard Tuesday's full episode, you have already had this one. This is the Truckie Tuesday on its own, for anyone who just wants the truck stuff.

Oct 19, 2026

Robbie Katter, the Member for Traeger and leader of Katter's Australian Party, tells Luke why he and his dad Bob want North Queensland to become Australia's seventh state, and why he thinks city people lose out while the north's metals stay in the ground. He also covers shark and crocodile culling, and the case for nuclear power.

See all episodes →