G&R News April 2020

G R

NEWS Huntingwood

Dealer Licence No: 13965 MVRL No: 29259

APRIL 2020

Welcome once again to G&R News

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ustralia has faced more than its fair share of natural disasters in recent months, from bushfires to floods, and now a virus of Pandemic proportions shuts down borders, resulting in an almost complete shutdown of airline and ocean travel.

The initial prognosis for Australian business is already being subjected to fake news, computer scams and the spread of misinformation. But amidst all this upheaval the nation turns to the transport industry to provide a solution.

It was fleets of trucks that fought the fires, tackled the floods, distributed food and supplies and ultimately cleared away the debris. Fleets of trucks will also provide the solution to restocking of supermarkets and stores, combatting those intent on showing little sense and compassion by stockpiling and hoarding food and supplies.

Australians have always acknowledged that trucks carry the country and there is no better example than the current emergency that proves that trucks, the people that drive them, service them and operate them will, in time, restore order and sanity to the whole of our country.

At Gilbert & Roach Huntingwood our job is to support our customers, both new and existing clients, that place their faith in our ability to keep their fleets mobile.

Our team is dedicated to providing the highest level of support and as you can read in this issue, our goal is to ensure that we make the extra effort to help you achieve your goals.

As an industry we will work our way through the logistical task of supporting members of various communities, no matter how diverse or remote they may be. It’s a tradition of Australian transport operators to provide the backbone of supply chain requirements and all our team is available whenever you need our help.

On behalf of all our team at Gilbert & Roach, thank you for allowing us to work with you to supply and support all your transport requirements. Our thoughts are with all our friends, colleagues and customers, as we work together through what are very challenging times.

Kind regards,

Gary Melrose, Dealer Principal.

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Half a century of sustained growth has seen Australian Native Landscapes change industry approach to recycling

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ustralian Native Landscapes (ANL) has a long history in the organic-waste recycling industry and has consistently pioneered product development, leading the way with innovation during that time.

Founded in 1971 by Patrick Soars, this highly respected Australian organic-waste processor remains managed by Patrick, together with his son Harley, the company’s Asset and Maintenance Manager.

Bearing the familiar ANL green and gold livery, a striking Kenworth T909 8X4 truck and five-axle trailer, or quin-dog is the company’s latest acquisition and showpiece, continuing a long association with Gilbert & Roach of Huntingwood.

“It wasn’t until 1976 that we purchased our first Kenworth.

That truck cost $61,000, which was a lot of money back then and I still have that truck today,” added Patrick.

GROWING ORGANICALLY Now, with over 200 trucks in service, in the last 18-months, the company has welcomed a total of nine new Kenworth’s into the fold. These include two T909 quad dog combinations, six T409 quad dog combinations and this stunningly presented 8X4 T909 and five-axle dog combination.

Following on from recent trips to the USA to analyse the future of the truck manufacturing, Pat and Harley jointly agree that the standard of manufacturing from Kenworth Australia is above and beyond, world class.

“The Australian built Kenworth product, in my opinion exceeds that which is being produced by Kenworth in America. Anyone who didn’t rate Kenworth as the number one truck manufacturer, must have something wrong with them”, proclaimed Pat. “Our relationship with Gilbert and Roach Kenworth has been fantastic over the years, they have a great product. Jamie Morgan has facilitated our recent purchases”, said Pat.

“In the early days I would have people say to me, what’s all this environmental crap you’re on about”

A lot of ANL’s work and locations require trucks to work in semi off-road applications and the 900 series & 400 series trucks were chosen for their suitability due to factors such as ground clearance etc.

The original site of the business was at Terrey Hills in Sydney’s north, with the company purchasing and establishing the Badgerys Creek processing facility in 1983. Today the company operates 15 sites across NSW, including four major composting facilities with the remainder being retail and wholesale outlets.

Using kerbside green-waste recycling directly delivered to the Badgerys Creek facility by council waste trucks and sawmill waste, ANL composts, grinds, screens and blends the organic matter with a mix of sand and soils to create nutrientrich garden mixes. The sawmill wastes are processed and dyed as required to produce decorative hues of landscaping products in either bulk form or bagged products.

Being Australia’s largest recycler of organic waste for nearly 50-years has obviously allowed the company to develop a deep insight into the whole of process, including and refining the transport chain.

After seeing moving-floor discharge trailers used in the USA, Patrick imported Australia’s first moving-floor trailer in 1979. The following year he founded a separate division

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GILBERT & ROACH of ANL, Matilda Walking Floors Pty Ltd, designing and manufacturing moving-floor trailers for the Australian market. The division has recently completed the production of its first quad-axle trailer with a capacity of 110 cubic metres.

“Troy Azzopardi and the team at Muscat Trailers build all of our truck bins and tipping trailers and had a great deal of input into the design of this latest combination,” said Patrick.

“We wanted a combination that would carry heavier weights than we frequently transport. It needed to be able to be loaded to maximum GCM’s while also having a high volumetric capacity for transporting our own barks and mulches throughout NSW.

“The end product is this incredibly well-presented, 25-metre long truck and dog combination featuring a 5.5L X 1.98H truck bin of 26 cubic metre capacity and a 10.1L X 1.98H dog trailer of 49.5 cubic metre capacity,” added Patrick.

The truck and trailer coupling features an air assisted RIngfeder unit that displays its connection status through red and green indicator lights on the in-cab control panel.

This system is proving very good in practice, as it negates the annoying occurrence of the drawbar pin being locked under load and preventing the lifting of a traditional lever type manual handle.

Binnoto hoists are used with a 50-tonne capacity ram on the trailer and ‘Body-up’ alarms are fitted in the hydraulic system to alert users and by-standers that the body is raising. In-cab digital axle weight gauges blend with the OE gauges in the centre dash panel to aid with loading.

The Muscat trailers feature road-friendly Hendrickson suspension and INTRAAX AAT250 axles are used to keep tare weight as low as possible. Braking and stability are enhanced by the fitment of WABCO EBS and ABS with roll stability.

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The six T409 models are used on the Sydney Water contract with the T909, five-axle combination used on a combination of horticultural and agricultural products cartage as well as barks and mulches.

“We have a T904 in the fleet which has been a great truck, reliably clocking up around 2.5-3 million kilometres.

That proved to us that it was worth investing in another Kenworth 900 series truck, a truck which still retains that iconic, long bonnet look. Although we feel this design may not necessarily go on forever, this new truck is also the perfect way to showcase our business,” added Harley.

At 25-metres long and with a maximum gross payload of 68.5-tonnes under PBS regulations, the T909 is well suited to the increasing demand for heavier loads such as sand within ANL’s operations. Adding versatility, the 26 cubic-metre truck bin and 49.5 cubic-metre trailer bin are

perfectly suited to accommodate bulk organic matter. With a combination tare weight of 22,700 kg, payloads of 42,800 kg or 45,800 kg are achievable, dependent on route access.

The T909 features a Cummins X15 engine rated at 600 hp with peak torque of 2050 ft/lb. backed up by an Eaton UltraShift PLUS AMT to provide the necessary power and torque. The leading axle on the tri-set-up is a lift-up pusher axle which raises automatically when not required in order to minimise tyre wear.

According to Harley Soars, “When routes permit its use, our latest T909 five-axle combination enables us to operate at 68.5 tonne on PBS. When not operating under PBS requirements we can drop back to 65 tonne, ensuring we have the volumetric capacity and versatility to carry bulk organics when needed.”

“When routes permit its use, our latest T909 five-axle combination enables us to operate at 68.5 tonne on PBS” GILBERT & ROACH APRIL 2020

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EUROPEAN EXCELLENCE The latest DAFs are on their way to G&R Huntingwood

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ong known as the truck that European drivers (especially the British) prefer to drive, DAF Trucks Australia is now launching a broad range of LF, CF and XF models. With all models upgraded, the new DAFs are all Euro6 emissions rated, bringing the benefits of reduced emissions to the Australian marketplace.

For Gilbert & Roach Huntingwood, the arrival of the new DAF models provides even stronger competition against other European brands, joining forces with Kenworth in providing the right truck specification for any type of transport requirement.

The introduction of the new-generation DAF models comes with technology upgrades that collectively improve safety, efficiency and driver comfort, provide improved telematics and diagnostic services and ultimately reduce the total cost of operation.

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The 9.0-litre PACCAR PR engine has been replaced by the PACCAR MX-11, while those looking for more power and torque are well met by the PACCAR MX-13 which sees its power increased to 530 hp (390 kW) with 1918 ft lbs (2600 Nm) rated at 1000-1400 rpm.

There’s a wide-ranging upgrade throughout the driveline, which now incorporates the ZF TraXon 12-speed and 16-speed transmissions in the upper weight categories, replacing the previous ZF AS-Tronic units, although the ZF AS-Tronic remains in the LF medium-duty specifications.

For the new generation DAFs there’s a new cooling system that’s 30 percent larger than the previous cooling package.

That’s good for the vehicle, but it’s also good for the driver as the new system reduces fan engagement by over 50 percent, meaning much lower noise intrusion into the driver environment.

The common rail fuel injection now runs at 2500 bar pressure, there are new engine blocks, heads and pistons, plus a new generation VGT turbocharger to give higher boost pressures at low engine rpm. Parasitic power loss by ancillary equipment has also been substantially reduced with new variable speed oil pumps, compressors, steering pump and cooling pump.

The TraXon transmission by ZF is definitely the leader of the pack, with rapid shifts and a near instant response to driver and vehicle input. Other benefits include a 35 percent reduction in noise, less internal friction and greater driver acceptance. The frontal styling treatment has come in for an upgrade, with an improved aerodynamic performance, which, accompanied by the new fuel injection system and VGT spells a reduction in fuel consumption of at least 10 percent.

Access in and out of each of the LF, CF and XF cabs is as good as it gets, with wide opening doors, clearly accessible treads and plenty of handholds for a threepoint safety regime. The modern series of cabs from all the Europeans are now so refined that high levels of comfort, visibility and access to switches and views of the dashboard are near perfect.

The lack of noise from the road, engine or driveline intruding into the cab is a stand-out feature. The comparison is often made that noise levels are car-like, but for the DAF that means a comparison with a high-level car rather than something down the spec’ chart.

The bunks are easy to climb into and comfortable when you get there and with an under-bunk fridge you’ve always got cool drinks alongside you during the drive.

The LF 260 starts off the range with a 7-litre PACCAR PX-7 engine of 194 kW (264 hp) at 2300 rpm with peak torque of 1000 Nm rated at 1000-1700 rpm, a GVM of 12,000 kg and a GCM of 16,000 kg. The driveline includes the ZF AS-Tronic six-speed AMT, with an axle ratio of 3.73:1. It’s available as a 4x2 rigid with a day cab or extended cab plus a sleeper cab, with a choice of three wheelbases (4.65, 5.70 and 6.40).

Dimensionally, the Day Cab features a front to rear depth of 1603 mm, which extends to 2003 mm for the extended cab and sleeper cab. The height of 1610 mm from floor to roof and the width of 1850 mm are constant through the LF range.

The same cab options available with the LF 260 are included with the LF 290 as a 4x2 rigid, but with the power output increased to 217 kW (295 hp) at 2300 rpm, with peak toque of 1100 Nm rated at 1000-1700 rpm. The GVM rises to 18,000 kg and the GCM to 28,000 kg.

The LF 290 6x2 rigid runs with a sleeper cab plus the same power and torque rating but raises the GVM and GCM to 23,500kg. The driveline features the 12-speed ZF AS-Tronic transmission and a rear axle ratio of 4.10:1. The AdBlue tank capacity is 50 litres and the warranty is three years/200,000kms.

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GILBERT & ROACH Over to the CF now and buyers have the choice of three cab variants of Day Cab, Sleeper Cab and Space Cab, with the engine choice being between the MX-11 and the MX-13.

The MX-11 offers three ratings: 270 kW (370hp) at 1600 rpm with peak torque of 1900 Nm rated at 900-1125 rpm; 300 kW (410hp) at 1600 rpm with peak torque of 2100 Nm rated at 900-1125 rpm; and 330 kW (450 hp) with peak torque of 2300 Nm rated at 900-1125 rpm.

These torque figures relate to transmission with direct drive top ratios. The peak torque figures for overdrive transmissions are 1800 Nm at 900-1400rpm; 2000 Nm; and 2200 Nm respectively, rated at the same rpm.

The availability of the MX-13 litre engine with the CF will certainly please some of the longer haul operators and in this application the maximum power options are 355 kW (483 hp) at 1600 rpm and 390 kW (530 hp) at 1675 rpm.

Peak torque outputs for the MX-13 are 2500Nm rated at 900 -1125 rpm and 2600 Nm rated at 1000-1460 rpm for direct drive transmissions and 2350 Nm at 900-1365 rpm or 2500 Nm rated at 1000-1400 rpm for the overdriven transmissions. The driveline fitment here is the ZF TraXon 12-speed or 16-speed transmission. The AdBlue capacity is 55 litres and the warranty support is three years/750,000 km.

Noelle Parlier, Chief Engineer at PACCAR Australia

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Buyers looking for the pinnacle of the DAF range have the XF 530 to consider. With 390 kW (530 hp) the GVM for this 6x4 prime mover is 25,200kg, leading to a GCM of 70,000 kg. With a wheelbase of 3900 mm, the cab options cover all possibilities, with a Comfort Cab, Space Cab and the top of the line Super Space Cab. The Super Space Cab is certainly tall from ground level with the roof height approaching 3700mm, but this bodes well for the driver that gains a cab floor to roof height of

2255mm. With two bunks on board, the lower bunk offers a width of 810mm and length of 2200mm, while the upper bunk comes in at 700mm width and 2000mm length. The external width of the cab is 2490mm.

When comparing the dimensions of the three XF cabs, the overall front to back panel and ground to cab floor measurements are identical. The differences all relate to the interior height from floor level and the inclusion of a skylight/sunroof, plus additional locker space.

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The 12.9 litre MX-13 engine puts out 390 kW at 1600 rpm with peak torque of 2600 Nm rated at 900-1125 rpm. With its TraXon 16-speed AMT and optional Intarder, the rear axle ratios reflects the European and North American trend to downspeeding, offering a ratio of 3.09:1 to work with the overdriven 16th ratio of 0.082:1. It’s parabolic springs for the front suspension and airbags on the rear together with ECAS. The warranty cover is three years/750,000 kms.

engine brake which now provides retardation of 360 kW, increasing braking power in the 1200-1500 rpm range.

The new DAFs bring Australian drivers a complete upgrade in safety features with all models in the range featuring ventilated disc brakes front and rear. This feature alone improves braking efficiency and reduces overall stopping distance, but of course to remain highly competitive in the safety stakes you need more.

Last year in Europe, DAF Trucks scored a market share of 16.2 percent in the heavy duty (16-tonne plus) segment, ranking in the Top Three of the largest truck manufacturers.

DAF’s share of the market in the light segment grew from 9.0 to 9.7 percent.

And plenty more there is, with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); Forward Collision Warning (FCW); Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS); Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS); Vehicle Stability Control (VSC); protective cab suspension and construction; air bag SRS for the driver and two seat belt tensioners.

Also, up in the spec’ are side-camera vision, reverse warning signaling and a basic engine immobiliser system.

There’s also a major upgrade in efficiency for the PACCAR

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The DAF CF 530 FTT 6x4 prime mover will continue to be assembled on the PACCAR Bayswater assembly line, while the LF and XF models will be fully imported in the Australianised specification that results from extensive test and development work completed over the past two years.

In 2019, DAF produced 52,746 CF and XF Series trucks and 11,344 LF Series vehicles. It’s produced over 250,000 DAF XF Super Space Cabs, the top of the line model in the range, with half of all DAF XFs ordered in Europe being configured as the Super Space Cab. Since the launch of the new generation of CF and XF models DAF Trucks has already delivered the 100,000th model to roll-off the production line. Never before in the company’s history has a 100,000 series-run been reached so quickly.

PREMIUM USED TRUCKS 2017 Isuzu FRR 107-210 (SWB) Tipper

2013 Isuzu NQR 450 Medium C/Chassis

$74,900

$61,900

Kilometres: 77,785 Stock #: 16104 Factory Tipper body with alloy bull bar – Auto.

FRR Tipper 107. Rego CM 61 PL.

Kilometres: 105,730

Stock #: 16080 Service body – Auto. NLS service pack C/Cab. NQR 450 service truck.

2018 Isuzu NLS 45-150 AWD Crew Cab/Chassis 2016 Isuzu NPR 65/45-190 Crew Cab Tipper

$72,900

Kilometres: 964

Stock #: 16096

4WD Service Body – Odometer 964 km – Ex Demo-low kms

$59,900

Kilometres: 928,944

Stock #: 16081 Crewcab with tipper, low km. Rego CI 63 PH. S/N 16081 NPR C/Cab tipper

2011 Kenworth K108 6x4 prime mover

2013 Kenworth T909 6x4 primer mover

$159,900

$179,900

Kilometres: 1,100,000

Stock #: 16093

Big cab with Cummins 550 hp – 18-speed UltraShift Plus.

Kilometres: 928,944

Stock #: 16084 Cummins Engine – 18-speed UltraShift Plus 97 tonnes rated, fridge, big bunk,PTO. Rego XN 36MM.

FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT:

Wayne Simpson: 0407 515 425 Royce Field: 0447 117 798

Sold fully roadworthy with 3 months unlimited-kilometre driveline warranty supplied by National Warranty. Conditions apply.

GILBERT & ROACH APRIL 2020 11 Price includes GST but does not include registration or stamp duty. Finance is available to approved applicants.

GILBERT & ROACH

PERFECT PARTNERS

PacLease simplifies fleet expansion and reduction with a simple phone call

Gilbert and Roach at Huntingwood is very much a onestop location for sales, service and more recently, leasing and contract hire options, all designed to keep transport operators efficient and profitable.

Financing parameters are also changing, with more stringent lending criteria perhaps limiting growth or preventing newcomers from jumping on contract opportunities quickly, due to an inability to secure finance.

It’s this background of solving problems and making vehicle operation less stressful that drives the team at G&R, in the demanding world of transport logistics that promotes a dynamic landscape in which to operate.

One of the sure-fire solutions to temporary and immediate plans for fleet expansion or vehicle substitution is the option of short-term rental and leasing programmes.

Workloads and freight movements can literally change by the hour. Just in time deliveries, breakdowns and spontaneous work opportunities can also put a strain on available equipment resources to satisfy client demands.

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Since having introduced a PacLease division into G&R at Huntingwood the company has seen a dramatic increase in popularity for leasing and hire availability, not only with existing customers but also with the advantages of onsite truck availability attracting customers from other brands.

In its first two years of operation, the PacLease division at G&R grew to number 17 vehicles from the DAF and Kenworth stables. Since July 2019, under the stewardship of long-serving G&R manager Glenn Jewell, the division has experienced extensive growth to its current position where the rental and leasing fleet now consists of 28 units in total, made up of eight Kenworth, K200, T610 models and 20 DAF CF85 and XF105 models.

Glenn is passionate about the transport industry and relishes his role within the PacLease programme. He can not only talk the talk but walk the walk, drawing from previous experience of having worked in all facets of transport operations.

The increase in the size of the rental fleet by almost 60 percent is a direct result of demand growth for both short and long-term rentals.

“Things have been working really well and in the lead- up to Christmas 2019 we were at 100 percent utilisation of the fleet,” said Glenn.

The PacLease fleet of late model DAF and Kenworth trucks caters to a wide spectrum of transport duties.

“We have trucks rated to full dangerous goods specification, trucks fitted with hydraulics for tipper operations and Anderson electrical plugs for tailgate-fitted trailers. Additionally, we made a decision six months ago to register all our prime movers as B-double trucks. This is a considerable cost imposition to our business but allows maximum flexibility within operations to meet our customer demands.”

“To afford some level of mechanical sympathy, all our trucks are fitted with automated manual transmissions, using the UltraShift PLUS 18-speed AMT for the Kenworths and the ZF 16-speed transmissions for the DAFs. Interestingly though, we have a single Kenworth truck with an 18-speed manual transmission, and it is always in high demand, however it is a truck we usually rent to owner operators or fleets with more experienced drivers.”

“The DAF CF 85 models are fitted with MX 13 engines at 510 horsepower so are ideal for all applications. We do have one XF 105, but the CF’s have proven more popular particularly for local work,” said Glenn.

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All PacLease vehicles in the G&R fleet have been fitted with bull bars for protection from animal strikes and to provide an extra layer of frontal protection. Each truck is satellite tracked and monitored by advanced telematics, keeping track of fuel burn and service intervals. When a unit on hire or lease approaches a service interval the customer is notified and the truck can be scheduled for service at any PACCAR dealership, nation-wide with the cost charged back to PacLease at Huntingwood.

Glenn explains: “we plan to turn over our fleet at around the three-year point, which keeps our fleet fresh, with the latest technology, which in turn offers our clients more reliable equipment with the most up to date specifications to aid in driver retention.”

PacLease offers a variety of short and long-term rental and leasing plans to suit individual customer demands, from single-day hire up to several year terms with fully maintained operating leases. Short-term rentals feature no lock-in time frames with trucks able to be returned at any time, while longer full-service leases are pre-determined with either a fixed-lease period or minimum kilometre commitment.

“We have a wide cross section of customer base that we support and we try to be as flexible as we can within the framework we have available. We have had customers in the past that have needed to make equipment purchases to align with increased workloads but the timing for capital purchases didn’t work well with their cashflow. We have then supplied them with a new truck which we bring into our PacLease fleet which they in turn purchase once the timing is more suitable for the company to finalise the acquisition.

“Similarly, I have noticed that newcomers to the industry when presented with the opportunity to secure a contract and go out on their own can find it difficult to secure finance without a solid trading history.

“We can supply a truck on a short or long-term lease arrangement, and if need be, without PacLease signage.

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This can also remove the burden of any maintenance surprises.

This transitional period can allow new operators to gauge the viability of a contract without committing to a traditional fiveyear lease or to build a credit and trading history to allow a full commitment at a later date. We are also more than happy to then provide a credit reference to help with future lending at the conclusion of the contract period,” says Glenn.

Insurance can also be offered through the PacLease programme, or alternatively, customers can add the PacLease truck/s to their own policy and forward a certificate of currency showing the PacLease truck added to the company policy. Then they’re off and running.

“Demand is strong,” Glenn explains. “We are increasing our focus on full-service leasing, whereby a client pays a fixed amount per month for a vehicle for a given amount of time.

The client can then either take up a new truck or, at the end of the term, hand it back. This is particularly beneficial to customers who do not have trucks as their core business but have the need for trucks to move their products.

“We find that while rental and leasing was not our core business, since the inception of PacLease we are really well positioned to leverage off our existing business to offer this service.

“Trucks are what we do here at Gilbert and Roach, and we handle all of the repairs and maintenance in-house.

We can also offer our rental fleet trucks to our workshop customers who may be suffering a downtime event, to keep their business moving.”

Another ‘Upshot’ of the PacLease programme is that it can be used to introduce new customers to the PACCAR product - customers who may not historically have had exposure to these brands. According to Glenn this has already resulted in sales, particularly with the DAF models.

“We have a strong growth strategy and I will grow this part of the business as hard and progressively as I can,” said Glenn.

PREMIUM USED TRUCKS 2012 Isuzu FRR 500 Medium C/chassis

2008 Isuzu FRR 500 Medium C/Chassis

$57,900

$59,900

Kilometres: 161,525

Stock #: 16063

Medium wheelbase, new 5.0 metre steel tray.

2009 Isuzu FTR 900 Long manual C/Chassis

Kilometres: 265,320

Stock #: 16014 5400 long fridge body with Carrier unit GVM 10,400kg.

FRR 500 long, fridge pan.

2012 Isuzu FTR 900 LonG C/Chassis

$74,900

Kilometres: 133,939

Stock #: 16012

Steel tray and container pins. FTR 900 Long, tray top.

2016 Isuzu FVD 165-300 Auto LWB

$89,900

Kilometres: 193,467

Steel tray 7.4m and container pins. FTR 900 long, tray top

2013 Isuzu FSR 850 Auto C/Chassis

$119,900

Kilometres: 134,572

Stock #: 16112

Curtainsider body, alloy bull bar, nose cone, hanging gates.

Stock #: 16011

$79,900

Kilometres: 140,420

S/N 15973 Auto, 12 pallet Pantech and full door, tail lift, low kms, 3Â mths unlimited kms warranty. FSR 850 long Pantech.

FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT:

Wayne Simpson: 0407 515 425 Royce Field: 0447 117 798

Sold fully roadworthy with 3 months unlimited-kilometre driveline warranty supplied by National Warranty. Conditions apply.

GILBERT & ROACH APRIL 2020 15 Price includes GST but does not include registration or stamp duty. Finance is available to approved applicants.

GILBERT & ROACH

THE RIGHT TIME At Gilbert & Roach Huntingwood the Isuzu Ready-to-Work range means that customers no longer have to wait for their new purchase to go through the truck body-building process.

Over the next 30 years, it’s anticipated that Australia’s population will grow by an additional 10 million people.

Three-quarters of this growth will occur in our four largest cities - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Population growth equates to a stronger economy, providing a larger domestic market for businesses and increasing the size of the Australian labour force. What the transport industry has to manage is the expanding task of future transport logistics to service this growth, which is only as good as our freight and supply chain networks and of course, the equipment available.

Light trucks have started chewing into the workhorse onetonne market currently dominated by a plethora of utes, as operators demand greater payload, increased reliability and occupant safety.

Isuzu Trucks Australia has been the most obvious competitor to the utes, with its “Ready to Work” marketing campaign headed by actor Shane Jacobson showing off the virtues of a small truck alongside a conventional ute.

Ready-To-Work isn’t brand new, with Isuzu Truck Australia having started the idea with its pre-bodied tippers back in 2005. It enlisted the assistance of Service Bodies Australia of Brisbane to create the Servicepack Series in 2016, and this year expanded the concept across the N-Series range up to the 7.5-tonne NPS 75-155 4x4.

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Isuzu now offers three Servicepack X versions (the X denotes extra features), with the NLR 45-150 Servicepack X, the NLS 45-150 AWD Servicepack X and the NPS 75/45-155 4x4 Servicepack X.

The latest marketing campaign, including television and print advertising, directly targeted traditional trades that were big users of utes, and particularly those with 4x4 ability.

Now the emphasis is being directed to larger, more commercially focused businesses and industries.

Business fleets have issues with utes because when they are carrying tools, equipment and a crew, they can easily be overloaded. That puts into question the five-star safety ratings of some utes that are not effective when there’s too much weight - above the recommended payload - in the vehicle. That’s why fleets are realising they can get greater payload and safety with a small truck like the Isuzu NLS and NPS.

Safety in the light-truck range is now very good. The single-cab versions have two airbags and some customers are fitting child seat anchors. You can actually fit four baby seats on the rear seat.

The NPS 4x4 platform, which is already taking on the utes in mining and construction applications, is almost a mainstay in the rural fire brigade sector, being chosen in nearly all Australian States and Territories. It’s small enough to travel down fire trails between trees where the larger fire trucks can’t go, yet it carries far more weight than a standard utility.

They are the NPS and the NLS AWD, the latter with an on-demand all-wheel drive system for off-bitumen work.

Both have Isuzu’s Servicepack bodies that are made in Queensland and supplied with the truck, resulting from a one-stop ordering process through G&R at Huntingwood.

The Isuzu Trucks’ NPS has an imposing stature that dwarfs the conventional one-tonne ute on which it is now gaining ground in sales. It’s a vehicle that excels in the sole role of driving a business to profit, as the flat fronted cab-over trucks can be more efficient and productive than a ute.

G&R News tested two Isuzu light trucks that are at the forefront of Isuzu’s plan to take on the traditional onetonne ute sector.

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GILBERT & ROACH This ability of the Servicepack bodied ready-for-work trucks is proving itself in areas where mining-related activities tend to rule the commercial vehicle market.

Increasing numbers are also being ferried through body builders to receive uniquely special bodies for mining companies and their servicing agents.

The 7.5-tonne NPS 75-155 4x4 driven here is rated with a GVM of 7500 kg and GCM of 11,000 kg, with a 3790 kg weight. This results in 3.7 tonne payload for drivers with a full licence and 710 kg for car licence drivers. Car licence holders have a GVM of 4500 kg and GCM of 8000 kg, illustrating the advantages of up-skilling to a light truck or medium rigid licence.

Under the NPS cab is a 5.2-litre four-cylinder engine with DOC (diesel oxidation catalyst) and not DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter), that traps unoxidised soot with 114 kW at 2600 rpm and torque of 419 Nm at 1600-2600 rpm.

One of the attractions that is swaying buyers - especially fleets - is the automated manual transmission (AMT), effectively a clutchless manual using an electronic clutch that can be driven as an automatic or with manual selection of the five forward gears.

The automatic broadens the market for the NPS even further and means a driver without a manual-gearbox licence can operate this truck. The transfer case is electrically engaged by dash-mounted rocker switches, changing from 4x2 to 4x4 and then to 4x4 Low. Tyres fitted from the factory have an off-road tread pattern (Bridgestone L330 225/80R17), which are designed to complement the drivetrain and make it a very capable allterrain vehicle. Fleets can opt for other rubber to suit other applications, such as high bitumen use.

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The Servicepack X design has all the necessary features of what most trades want in a truck body, but allows for the owner to make additions to further suit specific needs.

The focus is on the “Ready to Work” mandate of Isuzu and the fact that the truck and the body have a three-year warranty.”

The basics are the LED lighting, six tie-down points, with steps that promote three points of contact for access and egress at the rear and behind the cab to reach any roof-top hardware. There’s a reverse camera, tow bar, drop sides on the tray, and the toolboxes are keyed to the vehicle’s central locking and activated by one press of the key fob.

The accessories can include ladder racks, fixing points for specialised equipment and so on.

The covered area has alloy floors and steel body, with alloy drop sides at the back. Out of the box, the lockable area has lift-up gullwings on struts either side, with a threequarter version on the driver’s side that locks over a folddown panel.

Inside, the dimensions are 2060 mm long by 1970 mm wide and 1000 mm headroom with the roof having braces with numerous fixing points for tools and accessories.

There is a checker-plate rear tray with drop sides measuring 2200 mm long by 2120 mm wide, ideal for larger powered tools.

Occupant comfort and convenience in trucks is also improving, with the NPS featuring a sprung suspension seat for the driver, multi-media system with satellite navigation and Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and really big side mirrors with electric adjustment.

On the road with the Isuzu NLS Servicepack X Mining services fleets are among the biggest buyers of Isuzu’s smallest truck series, the NLS, putting it to work in areas as broad as cities and the outback.

It’s the outback that becomes the target domain for a derivation of the NLS called the 45-150. The all-wheel drive (AWD) baby Isuzu is the next step up from a one-tonne ute and the one that major fleets are now increasingly considering given the truck’s superior payload that allows maximum cargo while remaining safety within the vehicle’s GCM. That is now regarded by fleets as being vital to safely operating within the law relating to loading.

But one of its most attractive features is that it only needs a passenger-car licence to operate. Theoretically everyone can drive this truck – other than those without a manual transmission licence – as this model only offers a manual gearbox.

The AWD system of the NLS means it has applications in some off-road conditions, but not to the level of the NPS or some 4x4 utes. Many fleets have a need for high-payload trucks that can be driven on a car licence with features that enable it to be perform away from bitumen roads.

The NLS has really taken off in the past 18 months with the pre-fitment of the Servicepack X body and is modelled on the NPS, using the same basic chassis layout, though the trucks are separated by big differences led by the physical sizes and the drivetrain specifications.

Where the NPS is a hard-edged, highly capable platform for serious off-road work thanks to its two-speed transfer case and leaf-sprung front suspension, the NLS is more akin to components used by utes.

It has a 3.0-litre turbodiesel 4JJ1-TCS twin-cam engine that is not related to the four-cylinder, single-overhead cam unit known as the 4HK1-TCN in the NPS. Practically identical to the engine in the Isuzu Ute D-Max and MU-X, the NLS unit has 110 kW at 2800 rpm and 375 Nm at 1600-2800 rpm. The sole transmission on the AWD variant is a five-speed manual and it drives the rear wheels through a traditional live axle hung on leaf springs.

To get all wheels turning, it has an on-demand system with viscous coupling. It is the same as many SUV systems that

sense a lack of traction in the normal driven wheels and then allow drive to be shared with other axles. It needs no driver intervention though there is a dash switch that will lock the drive to both axles.

Taken down the muddy tracks the NLS showed no problem traversing rutted tracks, a credit to the strong torque of the engine, and the low first gear ratio. Most traffic light takeoffs can be cleanly achieved in second gear with low ratio first really coming into its own in the dirt in conjunction with the all-wheel drive function.

The NLS is more car-like, perhaps ute-like, in its comfort and drivability. It is comfortable, surprisingly quiet for a truck, and very easy to drive. The tilt and telescopic steering adjustment is handy, particularly in fleet operations with multiple drivers.

Compared to a ute, the maneuverability of the little truck is pretty amazing. It has a turning circle of only 10.1m compared with a typical ute at 11.8m - that is made a lot easier because of the driver visibility and the driver’s seat being close to the front of the truck.

Much of its appeal is also because of this excellent visibility, from the deep windscreen to the slanted glass area in the doors to the oversize mirrors that are electrically adjusted and heated.

Cabin features are sufficient, with touchscreen for Bluetooth and audio, digital radio and two speakers. Satellite navigation is an option, as is a reverse camera. There’s plenty of dash space for extra equipment in addition to room for personal storage for items such as mobile phones.

The Servicepack X is a steel and aluminium body with large side doors for security and weather protection of the cargo or tools inside. There are tie-down points on the alloy floor and fittings in the inside for carrying gear on hooks, such as ladders and power tools.

The rear tray has a steel and alloy mix with a 1900 mmm by 900 mm area and then the covered area measuring 2460 mm long by 1750 mm wide and 1000 mm headroom.

As Isuzu Truck Australia reiterates, the beauty is that this body carries the same three-year warranty as the truck.

The NLS has a GVM of 4500 kg and GCM of 8000 kg. The payload is 1690 kg - depending on accessories - and has a 2500 kg tow rating.

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