It’s reported that Steve has passed away in hospital last July. Aged 75. legacy.com/obituaries/name/ … =189674684
RIP
This is very sad news if it is true Brian, are you sure that it’s the correct Steve Grahame from Outback Truckers. 
It is, I did a bit of Googling and it confirmed the sad news
Steve was an old school lorry driver and, IMO, one of the few on Outback Truckers with any credibility.
Hi GOM, 
my favourite man on OB so having my doubts, Taranaki is in New Zealand and I very much doubt if he is 75, Steve Grahame is from Perth, according to this article he’ll be around 66 years old.
thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv … -ya-365594
Cheers
Oily
grumpy old man:
It is, I did a bit of Googling and it confirmed the sad news
Steve was an old school lorry driver and, IMO, one of the few on Outback Truckers with any credibility.
I was talking with Elizabeth ( OBT producer ) last night about season 8 and she never mentioned anything about Steve …
Quote '" one of the few on Out Back Truckers with any credibility " DO YOU REALLY WANT TO GO THERE…I think I covered this on another thread a few weeks ago.
We all slog our guts out trying to get that show on air there’s no way that Julia or Ed would let anyone sully their baby … everyone on that show has to go through a rigorous process and prove their credibility before they even start the cameras rolling. I did mention before it has to be entertaining so the general public will stay tuned after the add brake, so there’s a bit of editing going on…
The Australian Out Back trucking fraternity is pretty small, most of us know someone that knows someone else, so if you’re not credible you may as well quit driving cause it won’t be long before your found out…
Jeff
Ok ok, if I’m wrong OR out of order I apologise.
The Steve Grahane articles that I quoted are very misleading.
Sorry for any offense caused.
Jelliot:
grumpy old man:
It is, I did a bit of Googling and it confirmed the sad news
Steve was an old school lorry driver and, IMO, one of the few on Outback Truckers with any credibility.I was talking with Elizabeth ( OBT producer ) last night about season 8 and she never mentioned anything about Steve …
Quote '" one of the few on Out Back Truckers with any credibility " DO YOU REALLY WANT TO GO THERE…I think I covered this on another thread a few weeks ago.
We all slog our guts out trying to get that show on air there’s no way that Julia or Ed would let anyone sully their baby … everyone on that show has to go through a rigorous process and prove their credibility before they even start the cameras rolling. I did mention before it has to be entertaining so the general public will stay tuned after the add brake, so there’s a bit of editing going on…
The Australian Out Back trucking fraternity is pretty small, most of us know someone that knows someone else, so if you’re not credible you may as well quit driving cause it won’t be long before your found out…Jeff
I find it very entertaining , Steve being an absolute legend .I remember 1 show where he got stuck in a river and was a little apprehensive but was then up to his knees in water the slightly worried look on his face was justified when he casually mentiond the river was home to saltwater crocodiles. It sort of puts it into context when i moan about being stuck on the M62 due to the ridiculous new smart motorways .
grumpy old man:
Ok ok, if I’m wrong OR out of order I apologise.
The Steve Grahane articles that I quoted are very misleading.
Sorry for any offense caused.
No worries G.O.M.
No doubt the other Steve was a top bloke as well…
Jeff…
Hi all, sorry for sounding a bit slow but i am confused has Steve Graham from outback truckers passed away or is it a different man. 
The Steve Grahame that died was a truck driver from New Zealand… as far as I know Steve Grahame that was on Out Back Truckers is still alive and is driving his truck as I write this…
Jeff…
Only just started watching outback truckers and I know they are dealing with vast areas of sometimes very rough terrain which would be extra tough on equipment used but some of the operators in my opinion always seem to have problems with there trucks, now is it just me or perhaps a bit of dramatism to make it more interesting for the viewers. Now I would have thought the maintenance would have to be far higher than in normal conditions especially considering the weight they are contending with, does any one know if they have any sort of enforced maintenance schedules or is entirely left to the operators, do they have MOT’s or any annual checks of any sort or is that stuff all out the window.
Steve Grahame seems to me to be one of the more competent men on the job and comes across as not easily flustered on these long trips he undertakes as do a lot of the others, we used to think we had long trips when doing International when for arguments sake you had a Naples or similar trip but in reality they were just little excursions when compared to the journeys these outback men endure, interested to know the answers to my queries about maintenance if any one on here knows ought, cheers Buzzer.
Hi Buzzer I know a little bit about Out Back Truckers…That’s some big questions your’re asking… I bumped the " Free Entertainment " thread for you to look at where I have already answered some of your questions there…
As far as maintenance is concerned … Yes most states have annual government tests just like MOT’s and yes we have random road side tests as well just like the UK… and it’s the same type of people that seem to be the testers. It’s not unknown for them to fly into a remote area and set up there for a day or two… If you use public roads they can show up any where any time… with a shaker, set of scales, and satellite coms system just so they can get that last dollar out of your wallet… If you’ve just come of some rough track then there is a bit of lee way, so you’l get a 7 day ticket which meant that you have 7 days to get the repair done and present the defect for inspection…
Just to give you an idea …A few months back I had to do a detour out in Western Australia as the road I was needing to use was flooded. That added 1300k’s and a day and a half to the trip as the road I had to use wasn’t triple trailer rated, so I had to go back and do a dog run to get my last trailer and dolly
I’m usually out for anything up to 6 weeks at a time and do about 1100 k’s on a good day, 6 days a week. we usually schedule in an A service at about week 3. Even though Australia is big and often remote if we need a part it’s often not as far away as you might think. Most Stations run trucks and often have a few parts in stock, which is why most of us running remote areas run American based trucks, If you brake down with a ■■■■■■■ Cat or Detroit there’s a good chance that someone not to far away might have something that’ll get you moving again… Same said for ROR axles on trailers…
I always carry some spares with me… the usual stuff wiper blades, light bulbs, couple of tires. drive belts. idler assembly… small stuff that’s light and easy to store. When I’m loading fish in Broom I’ve usually got there via Perth so I’m about 7000k’s from home + a 13 hour ferry ride. More often than not i’ll go back via Darwin or Mt Isa, and I’ll do that 2 or 3 times before I get back home… A bit like doing Manchester Kabul twice @ 110 tons each way @ 90 kph ( Road Train ) …100 Kph for a 67 ton B double…
Jeff…
Interesting stuff Jeff, when you mentioned American trucks i was reminded of an article in a Foden magazine my cousin who worked at a Foden garage in the 70’s gave me. It was how a Foden driver in the outback stopped to help a Mack that had broken down, i don’t remember what the problem was but now think it may have been a little publicity stunt. The Mack was operated by Gascoyne Traders who i see were bought by Toll.
I saw a video of three double trailer outfits hooked together with A bars going through a mud patch, they were livestock trailers on a dirt road, pretty awesome.
Thanks for your reply Jeff, kinda hooked on watching now suppose that’s cos I have always run a transport company employing loads of drivers over the years and not two the same so can see the mix on the show, nowadays my two sons run the business but only ten trucks today compared with our max in the 90’s when we had 33 artics with 30 over the water. Retarded now and doing other things that please me but getting older and feeling it, keep up the good work mate and thanks again for your input, cheers Buzzer.
Jelliot:
I’m usually out for anything up to 6 weeks at a time and do about 1100 k’s on a good day, 6 days a week. we usually schedule in an A service at about week 3. Even though Australia is big and often remote if we need a part it’s often not as far away as you might think. Most Stations run trucks and often have a few parts in stock, which is why most of us running remote areas run American based trucks, If you brake down with a ■■■■■■■ Cat or Detroit there’s a good chance that someone not to far away might have something that’ll get you moving again… Same said for ROR axles on trailers…
I always carry some spares with me… the usual stuff wiper blades, light bulbs, couple of tires. drive belts. idler assembly… small stuff that’s light and easy to store. When I’m loading fish in Broom I’ve usually got there via Perth so I’m about 7000k’s from home + a 13 hour ferry ride. More often than not i’ll go back via Darwin or Mt Isa, and I’ll do that 2 or 3 times before I get back home… A bit like doing Manchester Kabul twice @ 110 tons each way @ 90 kph ( Road Train ) …100 Kph for a 67 ton B double…Jeff…
Hells teeth, that’s not for the faint hearted, 1100 km a day?, for 6 days ? I don’t think i could have done that in my younger days
Buzzer:
Retarded now and doing other things that please me but getting older and feeling it, keep up the good work mate and thanks again for your input, cheers Buzzer.
Hopefully you will get back to normal soon 
1100k’s a day!!! … Somewhere down the line some nut case decided it was fine for us to do 14 hours driving over a 17 hour spread…
Standard days are 12 hours driving over 15 hour spread, but if you and someone from management has done an Advanced Fatigue Management course, paid the fee and are deemed to be of good standing… then you can say good by to any kind of normal life… and be incharge of 130 a ton Road Train doing 90 kph ( although it probably doesn’t have a speed limiter so when no one’s looking … ) for 14 hours a day… did I mention we still run manual log books… 1100k’s not much of problem…
There are ways that the RTA can check up on you, but in remote areas it’s up to you if you want to take that chance… and the penalties are pretty stiff…I know outfits that regularly cover 1300k’s a shift…I’ve also seen the remains of Road Trains 20 to 50 meters of the road on their sides, and when that happens the media and the RTA ( Road Transport Authority ) is all over us…
One of the main reasons I quit driving in Europe and moved to Australia was that I thought that the driving regulations were to restrictive, some days it works for me… others, not so much…But I do get to play with some very big toys…
Jeff…
Glad to hear that Steve is still Outback trucking as he is one of the most interesting to follow (in my opinion), a bloke you can rely on.
My respects and condolences to his namesake’s family in NZ, may he rest in peace.