32 minute read
Phoenix Arisen
PHOE
ARISEN
Castrol oils is in exclusive long-term use in every vehicle across the Freestone fleet. With excellent lubricating properties and official carbon-neutral certification, Paul Freestone, who was recently bestowed an Order of Australia, recognises Castrol Vecton oil is both great for his engines and the environment.
As the lubricant division of global petroleum company BP, Castrol has worked hard in recent years to achieve carbon neutrality. From 2016 to 2019 the company engaged the NCOS carbon neutral program for certification and as of 2020 has moved across to the PAS 2060 international program, a certification process carried out by the British Standards Institution (BSI). In February 2016, the company launched its Vecton range of diesel engine oils in Australia as certified carbon neutral. Castrol has since claimed its Vecton oil is the first and, to date, only heavy-duty engine oil to be thus certified. Castrol claims that for every litre of Castrol Vecton used, a business
Freestone’s fleet of Western Stars.
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can neutralise two kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2). Neutralising the CO2 footprint of the Castrol Vecton product is achieved by analysing each element of the whole of the product life cycle, from cradle to grave. Everything from the recyclable packaging in which the product is shipped to the recycling or disposal of the oil after it has served its time is taken into consideration. To maintain certification and the right to use the BSI Standard PAS 2060 certification trademark, Castrol must strictly adhere to a set of criteria including quantifying its carbon footprint, setting carbon reduction targets and offsetting unavoidable emissions. Critically, it must also attain carbon neutral certification and assurance by an independent thirdparty entity, with the results reported and published on an annual basis. For Paul and Christine, owners of Freestone’s Transport, the number one priority when it comes to the oil that is used in their trucks is that it must be the best available. “You need to use the best possible products to achieve outstanding results as far as the reliability and longevity of equipment is concerned,” Paul says. “The lifespan we’ve achieved from our Caterpillar truck engines under the programmed maintenance we use is a good case in point. Our best-ever Cat engine did 2.8 million kilometres without having any work done on the bottom end apart from scheduled main and big-end bearing change-outs at 800,000 kilometre intervals.” According to Paul some minor work had gone into the head but the pistons and crankshaft have never been replaced over the 2.8 million kilometre lifespan. “It’s a shame Cat doesn’t sell the C-15 and C-16 anymore – they were terrific engines. Castrol Vecton 15W-40 CK-4/E9 oil gives us fantastic internal bearing life with all of our engines and the Syntrans Heavy Duty and Dynadrive oils help us get amazing life from our transmissions and diffs,” Paul says. “We generally get well over two million kilometres from each vehicle before any transmission overhaul is needed and the diffs are usually good for 2.5 million kilometres.” Freestone’s Transport has its own workshops at head office in Melbourne and also at the Sydney depot, with another workshop currently being established at its Brisbane facility. Enabling companies like Freestone’s
Paul Freestone.
to achieve maximum life from their engines, Vecton engine oils feature a unique additive package called System Pro Technology. According to Castrol, this provides an extra performance reserve that fights oil breakdown and also adapts to higher temperatures, giving operators the peace of mind that the oil will remain in peak condition for long-drain interval requirements. Freestone’s Transport currently adheres to oil drain intervals of 200,000km for both transmission and axles, and 25,000km engine oil. The pride Paul and Christine have in the fleet is obvious from casting an eye over the immaculately presented Kenworth, Peterbilt and Western Star prime movers that make up the more than 80-strong flotilla. Though unseen, the internal components of the trucks are maintained in the same top-shelf way. A high level of mechanical expertise from the personnel in the workshops is a perfect complement to the lubrication par excellence provided by Castrol for each of the trucks. “We plan to have our Brisbane workshop up and running in the first half of this year which will take some pressure off our Sydney and Melbourne workshops,” Paul says, adding that Freestone’s is a 100 per cent Castrol fleet including all the cars, work utes and even Paul’s special race cars – a Chevrolet Camaro and a Pontiac
Trans Am – which he races in the Touring Car Masters series. In this case the engines – churning out more than 700hp – are lubricated and protected by Castrol Edge fully-synthetic oil. Freestone’s Transport closely observes the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) recommendations for oil drain intervals and also uses Castrol premium heavyduty grease for all chassis lubrication requirements. As a road freight business, the company’s track record makes it one of the great Australian success stories. Paul’s love of trucks was confirmed while he was still at school. In 1966 he had a part time job at an Ampol service station in Essendon where many trucks used to stop for fuel before journeying north. One day a Mack B-61 pulled in and Paul struck up a conversation with its driver who encouraged him to follow his dream of becoming a driver himself. Which is exactly what Paul did after leaving school and travelling to South Australia to gain his semi-trailer licence. After working in the mines to save up, in 1970 at the tender age of 16 he bought his first truck – a Bedford furniture van. From there he embarked on an owner-driver career that would last for 13 years and span several trucks and a variety of work including local and interstate express freight, hauling Pub Squash interstate and later fuel for Mayne Nickless. Two major milestones occurred in 1973 with Paul marrying the love of his life, Christine, and subsequently purchasing their first new truck – a Ford Louisville LNT 9000. In this truck Paul did five trips a month to Kalgoorlie and Kambalda in Western Australia hauling an LPG tanker for Mayne Nickless. The truck’s gauges had plastic surrounds that over time became brittle and broke, allowing the gauges to fall inside the dash. To read the gauges, Paul had to reach into the dash and pull them out. In 1981 Paul and Christine purchased their first new Kenworth Aerodyne cabover prime mover. This was also the first truck to wear the striking maroon, white and black livery that remains one of the legendary colour schemes within the industry. In the early ‘80s Paul was working casually as a tow operator for Multigroup, which later became Discount Freight Express and finally StarTrack Express. Late in 1983 the company offered him the express freight contract between Melbourne and Sydney which included three Scania trucks. With the ’81 Aerodyne and the three Scanias, the fleet of Freestone’s Transport was off and running. Another three Kenworths were immediately purchased to replace the Scanias and to this day the company has remained loyal to the PACCAR brands of Kenworth and Peterbilt. Over the next 30 years Freestone’s grew with the rapidly expanding express freight business until the fateful day in 2014 when the contract with StarTrack was lost to Linfox. Virtually overnight, Freestone’s lost about 95 per cent of its work. “At the time we had to make the decision on whether to retire or keep going,” Christine recalls. “We decided we had way too much history and passion for our industry, so we rolled the dice and here we are today.” Rising Phoenix-like from the ashes, the company’s legendary recovery from this major setback included the monumental feat that not one employee was retrenched. “The employees all believed in us and our ability to continue and we honoured that
commitment the best way we could,” Paul says. “We believe in living by faith not fear.” The business was rebranded and restructured with a new accounting platform and fresh transport management systems. A Queensland depot was purchased, 100 new trailers acquired and an enterprise bargaining agreement established with the employees. Sticking with the tried and true formula of dock-to-dock parcel freight work, Freestone’s picked up linehaul work with TNT, COPE, Border Express, DHL and FedEx, returning it to a growth phase to keep up with the demand. That growth continues unabated. “These days the industry runs on threeyear contracts so if you do the right thing you might get another three years,” Paul explains. “I’m quite happy working from contract to contract.” Earlier this year, Paul was fittingly bestowed the honour of an Order of Australia medal for his long and dedicated commitment to the Australian transport industry. He describes the experience as a touch overwhelming. “The experience was very humbling, but it gives me even more reason to keep doing what I’m doing,” he says. “For me it’s never been work, it’s a passion.” A big part of that passion involves efficiently operating a fleet of fine-looking prime movers that earn their stripes plying the eastern states highways connecting Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Castrol oils also play their part, keeping the machinery operating smoothly and efficiently for extended periods, thus contributing tangibly to the bottom line of the business. The lighter nature of express parcel freight which makes up the bulk of the business is a contributing factor to longer component life according to Paul. “We don’t run at the high gross weights like a lot of operators so I guess there’s an added bonus there for us, but I’m a firm believer that Castrol is the best oil around and we’re a long-time user which has given us plenty of time to assess the products in terms of how they maximise the longevity of the components in our trucks,” he says. Yet Paul’s satisfaction with Castrol oils goes well beyond the quality of the products. He describes the service, from delivery of the products to the technical advice and information he receives from Castrol, as second to none. “They’re great people to work with and their delivery system is absolutely awesome,” he says. “The deliveries are on time, every time, which is very important to us. We have a great working relationship with Castrol – it’s simply the best of the best. I can confidently say we’ve never had a failure due to an oil issue.” As a big organisation, Castrol’s systems are according to Paul close to faultless. “They’re just a great company to deal with. Some of the big corporates have good products but because they’re so big, customer service sometimes suffers,” he explains. “Not Castrol. It’s like dealing with a family company – they’re very approachable, the staff are absolutely lovely and nothing’s an issue. To have that sort of culture in such a big corporation really fascinates me and I hope we can stay that way with our own company.”
GUARD GA OF THE
Face- and gaze-tracking algorithms measure the driver’s head position and eye closure.
Guardian, the in-cab fatigue management system from Seeing Machines, recently was part of a breakthrough study into driver behavior at Monash University, the results of which are likely going to have a positive impact on the industry for years to come. At Ron Finemore Transport it is considered a mandatory investment.
Driver distraction and drowsiness, often the result of fatigue, have come under increasing scrutiny in recent times. As the road freight task increases to meet demands subject to burgeoning population growth and its resultant consumer economy, the transport industry, governments and the broader community have long been looking for a watershed moment to reduce incidents of road crashes in Australia in which fatigue is present up to 44 per cent of the time. Now after a landmark study, a Co-operative Research Centre Project (CRC-P) funded by Australian Government, led by Seeing Machines in partnership with the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC), they might have found it. The study, using Guardian technology supplied by in-cab safety monitoring specialist, Seeing Machines, found that truck drivers are twice as likely to crash when fatigued and 11 times more likely to crash when both fatigued and distracted. In what has been described as a breakthrough innovation never reportedly achieved before, the study also detected where a driver was looking as part of the distraction monitoring in realtime testing. The fatigue prevention and drivermonitoring technology were tested in working fleet trucks on the road in partnership with Ron Finemore Transport which included the participation of 100 of its drivers who enrolled to take part in the study. Collectively, they drove 22,000 trips across 1.5 million kilometres. Seeing Machines considers it the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind in the world. The Guardian technology actively monitors for and alerts commercial drivers to fatigue and distraction in realtime. Real-time in-vehicle monitoring of driver state has increasingly, more recently, shown its value within contemporary safety management systems in the workplace. This includes monitoring critical safety events such as lane departure, monitoring vehicle control inputs like steering, pedal use and what is known as camera-based approaches like that offered by Guardian in which driver head pose, gaze and
IANS LAXY
eyelid behaviour is monitored. Seeing Machines and Ron Finemore Transport with Volvo Trucks Australia, used automotive grade technology alongside Guardian, to study driver behaviour well before a microsleep resulted. With the direct input of Ron Finemore Transport, the team fitted ten fleet trucks with the technology and monitored drivers for nine months. As a direct result from the study, the team has created a comprehensive distraction warning system for drivers. Ron Finemore Transport began its journey with Guardian technology in 2015. According to Darren Wood, Ron Finemore Transport General Manager – Technology and Innovation, it was a result of having some minor incidents on-road of which they were unable to determine the root cause. “There had to be a better way of establishing what was happening out on the road in the cab,” he says. “As a business that prides itself on its safety culture, we thought that wasn’t where we wanted to be in the longer term.” Prior to investing in the Seeing Machines technology Ron Finemore Transport trialled some competing technology from North America. While it was adequate, the notifications were transmitted 24 hours after they had happened. The insights crucially weren’t in real time. After pursuing further discussions with Seeing Machines, Ron Finemore Transport insisted they develop a forwardfacing camera which was integrated into the existing technology. While Seeing Machines set about finding a solution, Ron Finemore Transport fitted up ten of its vehicles with the technology and, almost instantly, commenced receiving feedback about some of the issues they had long suspected was happening in their business but had no evidence to prove otherwise. It promptly led to the transport company installing the technology into every one of its vehicles in a six month period. “It is now mandatory equipment that we have in our prime mover fleet and a tool that we wouldn’t be without,” says Darren. “Ron quite often says that it’s one of the best pieces of technology that he’s ever seen in his 40 odd years of trading. We wouldn’t be without it now. It should be a mandatory tool across the industry.” During the initial six-month period of installation Ron Finemore Transport had ideas specific as to how they wanted to interface with the technology. The driver has the ability to tap a button on the camera to initiate a feed of something happening in the background and retrospectively record up to 20 seconds of data. That in itself has proven to be extremely useful and not just from the technology’s perspective but also from other matters related more directly to safety according to Darren. “Our fuel drivers have some difficult sites they have to navigate on forecourts and
Findings from the Advanced Safe Truck Concept were launched by Hon Scott Buccholz, Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport.
even our general freight drivers when they enter their distribution centres,” he says. “The technology has been a useful tool in capturing some of that footage to be able to have a sensible discussion with someone about safety matters that don’t necessarily result in an incident but no less could be improved.” Given the technology is integrated, if there is an incident out on the road, Ron Finemore Transport can download the footage off the vehicle for thorough review of the minutes leading up to an incident and get a good understanding of what was happening out on the road. “More often than not it’s about understanding what’s really happening on the road and using the footage and the technology to assist the driver and back up his story,” Darren says. “So that in itself has been a huge benefit.” Of the major discoveries Seeing Machines has afforded the team at Ron Finemore Transport, perhaps the most significant was the misnomer that fatigue happens at night. According to Darren there is a long held assumption, still prevalent in the industry, that fatigue, after a 12 hour shift, happens in the last part of the shift. “The reality is fatigue can happen in any part of the shift at any shift in the week and on any day of the week,” he says. “Our evidence in the business suggests it happens in the afternoon more often
“More often than not it’s about understanding what’s really happening on the road and using the footage and the technology to assist the driver and back up his story. So that in itself has been a huge benefit.” Darren Wood Ron Finemore Transport General Manager – Technology and Innovation
than not or first thing in the morning to coincide with first daylight.” Understanding the dynamics of shift patterns, the nature of how people work, whether the driver is more suited to day or night shifts, how well staff present themselves to work from the commencement of a shift, are all crucial factors that need to be thought through as a result of the Guardian technology. Operations staff at Ron Finemore Transport act upon the datafeed coming back on the truck. Guardian, as the link between the driver and the business, allows the business access to data and therefore patterns in a drivers behaviour. They are looking for unexpected distraction or fatigue events. A driver, for example, might have a good record and all of a sudden goes into the ‘amber’ to quote a traffic light analogy used by Darren. “A green driver that goes into amber might have an incident, he might have a fatigue event, he might not quite be himself. He might not be communicating the way he used to. They are all lead indicators where something might not quite be right for an individual,” he says. “He could be ill. He could be having a family issue. We’re trying to join all these things together and how we can extract and get the best value out of the information to help us manage and prevent an issue in the first place.” One driver with an impeccable record returned from holidays and had a series of minor incidents. All of a sudden he had an erratic fatigue pattern coming off him straight after his holidays recalls Darren. “He was sent for a medical and ended up testing positive for Ross River Fever. He didn’t know. His family didn’t know. It was simply because we used the technology to support the case for a medical and, further outcomes came
of that,” Darren says. “At this point in time we’re looking for patterns and any lead indicators for somebody who isn’t quite where they used to be. We’re always looking for patterns in the data, patterns in behaviour that may lead us to something bigger down the track.” Ron Finemore Transport has six key operational areas within its business. These are Brisbane, Orange, Wagga, Wodonga, Derrimut and Corowa. Each of those operational areas has a dedicated fleet assigned to them. Individual operations officers at each of the sites receives feedback directly from the vehicle they are responsible from the road and is responsible for the welfare for each driver under the Seeing Machines review process. According to Darren, the operations people are trained in an internal process of effectively contacting the driver and making sure they’re ok should there be a fatigue issue. “They have full and unfettered responsibility to make sure that the driver isn’t at risk,” he says. “If there is any doubt, we have a process which enables the operations person to instruct the driver to take a break.” It works extremely well as it puts the responsibility for the events back in the appropriate operational area. Each operation varies in terms of peak activity. Operations personnel know their drivers and what they can and can’t do. Ron Finemore Transport was of course a natural fit for the nearly three-year, $6.5 million Advanced Safe Truck Concept project and a willing participant. Darren was heavily involved all the way through it. “We were very active in helping Seeing Machines and Monash collect the data that they needed for it,” he says. “By engaging drivers and keeping them informed of what we were doing along the way in advance of when all of these things happened our company saw a high participation rate and took home some very valuable information out of it as a result.” It was the first time technology of this type had been tested in a fleet of trucks during normal business operations according to Associate Director of MUARC Associate Professor Michael Fitzharris who expects drowsiness and distraction will be detected earlier with greater accuracy moving forward.
“Driver Monitoring Systems of this type and sophistication will have significant road safety benefits, not just for trucks but for future passenger vehicles,” he says. “With driver distraction and drowsiness known to be key contributors to road fatalities and injuries globally, this research will enable the implementation of highly advanced and sophisticated driver monitoring technology that will play a key role in reducing the number of people killed and injured on our roads in the future.” Accordingly, the study vindicates effective implementation of driver monitoring technology to provide policymakers the opportunity to apply a more personalised approach to managing the risks associated with driver fatigue. Professor Fitzharris says a re-think of current best practice in managing driver fatigue and distraction levels for commercial drivers is going to allow for major implications for policy. “Our research at MUARC played a role in seeing the introduction of frontal and head protecting side air bags in all new vehicles, as well as Electronic Stability Control,” he says. “I hope that history can repeat itself with this technology included in all new vehicles here in Australia, and around the world.” The technology, according to Professor Harris, will also improve the safety of all road users from passenger vehicles to pedestrians and cyclists. At Christmas time Ron Finemore Transport hires a number of trucks for four to six weeks to help it with peak. The moment the business gets a hold of an additional truck for that period it will, without hesitation, put in its own telemetry system, and install Seeing Machines for those six weeks and later rip it all out simply because the company refuses to let its drivers go unprotected by the technology while they’re doing their job. “That’s how serious that we take it,” Darren says. “It’s not a cheap exercise. But talk about payback. It would be foolish not to have it in the truck and then have an issue and question why we didn’t do it. When you flip it around the other way it’s a very cheap insurance policy.”
PROG GET WITH THE
As a leading manufacturer and supplier of driveline components to original equipment manufacturers like PACCAR, Dana has joined forces with PACCAR Parts to effectively cater to the replacement driveline component needs of Kenworth and DAF truck owners.
Perhaps due to the fact they are tucked away out of sight beneath the chassis and are rarely cause for trouble, the humble truck driveshaft is generally given scant regard by truck owners and operators alike. However, it hasn’t simply happened by chance that this critical component of every truck is largely considered ‘set and forget’ over long periods of hard work. This is due, in no small part, to the tireless work that goes into engineering, research and development and other investments that go into these products to ensure they go the distance – and then some. This entails a mind-boggling set of criteria that must be met to ensure the products exceed the expectations and needs of the most demanding truck operators in the country. As a perennial favourite in the heavy-duty truck scene in Australia, Kenworth trucks in their various guises are well-known for their inherent ability to last exceptionally well under arduous conditions. This well-deserved reputation has been earned because every single component that makes up these machines has been demonstrated to provide the necessary levels of durability and performance for the intended purpose. But as with all mechanical components, drivelines do eventually wear out and require changing, which is why replacement units that match the standards of the OE parts need to be quickly and efficiently sourced in the interests of keeping the wheels of valuable equipment turning. For operators of Kenworth and DAF trucks, the partnership between Dana and PACCAR Parts ensures the prompt availability of OEM quality parts no matter where they are located around the country. For its part, Dana continues to develop its products and services to ensure the best quality components are readily available, while PACCAR Parts has the comprehensive network and wherewithal to source and distribute the components in a timely and efficient manner. The main objectives of PACCAR’s Genuine Drive Shafts program are to ensure the consistent in-stock availability of inter-axle shafts which have a universal commonality amongst many heavy-duty trucks, as well as a rapid solution for main driveshafts which, due to varying wheelbase lengths, come in a wider range of sizes. In this way, truck operators can be assured of minimal downtime due to promptly delivered Australian-made replacement components from a trusted OEM supplier. According to Phil Reynolds, Senior Product Manager for PACCAR Genuine, the company’s main objective is to imbue confidence among its customers; confidence that the parts supplied are identical to those originally designed, tested and approved by PACCAR engineers and subsequently fitted to new Kenworth and DAF trucks on the company’s Australian assembly line. “The Kenworth DAF dealer network recognises the importance of holding
There are 53 PACCAR Parts locations throughout Australia.
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critical inventory and accessing channels that allow for fast turnaround of components to maximise customer uptime,” Phil says. “Interaxle driveshafts were the first stage in a full driveshaft program rollout in 2019 that now provides Kenworth and DAF owners and operators with the choice to go to their PACCAR dealer for the same components as originally fitted to their vehicles when they were assembled at the factory.” In addition to driveshafts, PACCAR Parts recently launched PACCAR Genuine universal joints and PACCAR Genuine clutch installation kits, further growing the list of first-fit products carrying the PACCAR Genuine identity. Phil Reynolds stresses that while there are a number of driveline component suppliers in Australia, choosing PACCAR Genuine driveline components ensures the quality and reliability remain consistent with what is expected from the Kenworth and DAF products. PACCAR Genuine universal joints also come with a 24-month warranty, and driveshafts and clutch installation kits carry a 12-month unlimited-kilometre warranty. In addition, all PACCAR Genuine products are supported throughout Australia by the Kenworth DAF dealer network which includes more than 57 locations around the country. These include 53 PACCAR Parts outlets and four TRP Truck and Trailer Parts stores. There is a raft of technical data pertaining to the operation of the trucks that is analysed by Dana engineers in order to maintain the bullet-proof reputation of its products. This information is used to determine stringent guidelines for product performance and durability to ensure its driveshafts and associated components exceed the requirements of demanding applications in which hard-working Kenworth and DAF trucks are engaged. For a start, the most obvious factor is the vehicle application – whether the vehicle’s baseline duty cycle will be primarily onhighway, off-highway or somewhere in between. Flowing on from this are other critical elements including the net input torque from the engine, gross vehicle or combination masses (GVM/GCM), axle load capacities and rear axle ratios. For off-road all-wheel-drive applications the low- and high-range transfer case ratios are another important consideration. Then there are other perhaps slightly less critical aspects such as universal joint working angles, low and high gear torque ratios, wheel slip torque, tyre-rolling radii, engine clutch engagement torque at various engine RPM, maximum vehicle operating speed, torsional and inertial vibrations and static as well as dynamic centre bearing loadings. In a nutshell, literally not one stone is left unturned in the quest to analyse and evaluate every conceivable force and impact that can affect the lifespan and performance of the Dana driveline products that are sold as PACCAR Genuine components through the PACCAR Parts and TRP Truck and Trailer Parts networks. To conclude, the strong synergy between Dana – as the local designer and manufacturer of top-quality OEM driveline components – and PACCAR Parts – which sources and sells the products to customers across the country – provides the end user with replacement parts that are identical in every respect to those which were fitted to the vehicle on the assembly line. This is by far the best way to ensure the longevity and reliability of the Kenworth and DAF products at hard work in the tough Australian environment.
All of Recycal’s Scanias operate on a full R&M contract.
ECCO
A Melbourne-based recycling company is pushing back hard against the notion that trucks operating in the recycling space can’t be kept in immaculate condition. On the contrary, Recycal’s ‘clean and green’ fleet of Scanias is among the best presented of any truck fleet – period.
There’s no logical reason why it should be deemed acceptable that any truck – including those carrying freight destined to be transformed into pristine raw materials to make new products – should be allowed to remain dirty on the outside for extended periods of time. The fact is during normal operation every truck quickly gets grubby, whether plying the highways, moving around the cities or at a construction or demolition site. The only way to remedy this is regular washing and maintenance in order to keep them in the most presentable state possible, thus upholding the image of the company to which they belong. Fleets with trucks that are consistently kept clean also tend to attract a better class of driver which, in turn, is more likely to take pride in their ride and deliver a positive impact on the company’s bottom line. Put simply, regardless of what type of work is involved, keeping trucks clean and presentable makes good business sense.
PARK
National family-owned business, Recycal, subscribes to this modus operandi. It operates across a broad spectrum of the diverse recycling industry with a presence in each of the mainland states and Tasmania. When Prime Mover spoke with the company’s Operations Manager, Jason Zorzut, he was in the middle of installing machinery specifically designed to separate and remove materials from E-waste, which includes LED and plasma computer and television screens. “We started Recycal at Ringwood in Melbourne about ten years ago with a bunch of old trucks and equipment which was all we could afford at the time,” Jason says. “As the business grew and we started expanding interstate, we realised that the repairs and downtime due to the old vehicles was killing us. In fact, we worked out that the combined cost of keeping the old vehicles on the road was actually more than the cost of leasing new vehicles, so it was a no-brainer to phase them out in favour of new gear.” With a preference for European trucks, Jason set about investigating the different options and thanks to a positive endorsement from close friends who operate a bus company, his attention turned to Scania. “Our friends had a lot of good things to say about the Scania products, so we took a closer look and liked what we saw,” he says. “The value for money of the Scania trucks was something that really stood out to us, along with the creature comforts and the company’s comprehensive Repair and Maintenance (R&M) contract that enables us to forecast our whole-of-life costs.” The company has a policy to spend money on new equipment that improves efficiencies in the operations and in this regard the Scania trucks are no exception. Having good gear, according to Jason, attracts a better class of driver, providing a flow-on effect that adds value to the business. “It’s an image thing – we’re always keen to stand out from the crowd, so to speak, and the bright green Scanias certainly do that for us out on the roads and highways,” he says. The company’s first Scania order was for six G 500 8x4 rigid units that found homes in pairs at each of the Melbourne, Brisbane and Launceston facilities. The Scania Tally currently stands at 27 with 20 of these being G 500 8x4 rigid units along with seven prime movers including G 500 and R 620 units. Some of the fleet comprises examples of the latest New Truck Generation (NTG) series. In the trailer department, Jason says the company has a good relationship with Tefco Trailers, which has provided five 82 cubic metre tippers that run in Tasmania and Victoria behind the R 620 prime movers. MaxiTRANS is another trailer brand of choice, with the company having supplied a pair of specialised Performance-Based Standards (PBS) approved four-axle dog trailers towed by the 8x4 rigid units. “This gives us the ability to run different combinations across our range of 8x4
Tefco Trailers build the 82 cubic metre tipper bins.
hook-lifts and tray trucks,” Jason relates. All of the hook-lifts and truck-mounted cranes are supplied by Palfinger, with Jason saying these units are highly reliable and trouble-free, making them an ideal match with the Scania trucks. There is also a special-build lightweight B-double skel set capable of hauling two 20-foot containers weighing 30 tonnes each. This is designed to be pulled by the R 620 NTG prime movers which feature a heavy-duty drivetrain and reduction hubs. Jason says he is particularly impressed with Scania’s onboard monitoring system, and he says his drivers now strive to achieve the highest possible score. “We have been utilising the Scania
Four axle PBS approved dog towed by an 8x2 unit.
“It’s an image thing – we’re always keen to stand out from the crowd, so to speak, and the bright green Scanias certainly do that for us out on the roads and highways.” Jason Zorzut Recycal Operations Manager
tracking and reporting system to help improve our drivers’ skills and habits,” he says. “The drivers know we’re tracking them, and although some bad habits die hard, with the right training and knowledge of the trucks and their technology we are seeing massive improvements across the fleet. They also
know that if they are doing it right, their score goes up accordingly, and this helps us with fuel economy and longevity of the vehicles.” He also explains that Recycal is running all the Scanias on a full R&M contract, meaning there’s full transparency of running costs over the life of the vehicles. He also appreciates the fact that as driver scores improve, the company benefits through improved contract terms. The servicing work is carried out at Scania’s branches throughout the mainland states and at its authorised service agents in Tasmania. All up, the Scania trucks have proven to be a great tool in the Recycal operation. The reliability and operational efficiency of the vehicles is helping the company to continue expanding and streamlining its operations as it seeks to optimise the processes of turning waste materials into the building blocks of future products.
Your super fund stands behind people in transport.
People working in transport are affected in different ways by COVID-19 and market volatility. Some segments have been stopped altogether - impacting businesses and families, while others are experiencing high amounts of pressure from increased demand.
You can rest assured that TWUSUPER is here to help. Your Fund is in a strong position to ride out this time with you and we will do whatever we can to assist you, your family and transport operations. There may be delays if you phone the Contact Centre during periods of high demand. The best place for general guidance and information is our website, which is continually updated. You can also log in to your account online to view your account details.
The key takeaways so far are:
The Government has announced the early release of some super for eligible people (up to $20,000 in two payments – see twusuper.com.au/covid for more detail). This will be arranged directly through the Government ‘my.gov.au’ website as scheduled for mid-April. Our Balanced (MySuper) option* is invested across a diverse range of assets, but will be impacted by the ongoing market volatility. Keep in mind there have been 10 years of strong returns and super remains a long-term investment for most people. Insurance cover provided by TWUSUPER covers COVID-19 as it does all pandemics. The insurer TAL will not be invoking a limited clause for new members or those upgrading cover. You can check your cover at our website MemberOnline.
We realise many people will find the next few months extremely difficult – please consider carefully before accessing your super. Withdrawing super now can have a significant impact on your future balance. Analysis** has shown that by accessing the full $20,000 – lost future retirement savings could be approximately: 25 year old = $120,511; 35 year old = $78,420; and; for a 45 year old = $51,030.
