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FLEET OF THE MONTH
Marathon Man AN AUSTRALIAN-OWNED AND OPERATED COMPANY THAT’S BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, LIBERTY OIL APPRECIATES THE VALUE OF A SUPREMELY COMFORTABLE AND QUIET CAB ENVIRONMENT IN MINIMISING THE FATIGUE OF ITS DRIVERS. IT’S FOR THIS REASON, AMONG OTHERS, THAT THE COMPANY RECENTLY BEGAN UPGRADING SOME OF ITS FLEET WITH MAN PRIME MOVERS. Liberty oil is a fuel and oil distributor
prime mover that ticked all the boxes
with them all day. It means, importantly,
that operates around the clock to ensure
in terms of safety, comfort and fatigue
at the end of a long shift that they’re not
petroleum products that are the lifeblood
reduction measures.
worn out from the experience.
of society are available when and where
It’s for this reason, says Darren Karslake,
“Our drivers can be on the road for up to
they are required. The company has a
National Operations and Fleet Manager at
12 hours a day and their feedback is that
broad customer base including retail
Liberty Oil, that the company has chosen
the MAN trucks provide a level of comfort
fuel stations, farmers and commercial
to invest in MAN power.
that is close to the same as driving their
businesses, to name a few.
“My initial experience with MAN trucks
own car for the day,” Darren says.
All up there are about 80 trucks in the
was through the relationship between
Operations require the company to
fleet covering the entire spectrum from
Shell V-Power Racing and Penske which
deliver fuel to a wide variety of customers
rigids to triple-trailer road train prime
put me in contact with Shannon Mair,
ranging from retail service stations,
movers that operate all over the country.
Penske Australia’s Head of Fleet,” Darren
commercial businesses and rural or
Having acquired the first MAN TGS 540
says. “Shannon showed me some of the
farming properties, to refuelling trains
L Cab in November 2020, another eight
MANs and I really liked what I saw in
and boats. Liberty aims for an old-school
were added to the fleet throughout 2021.
terms of the full-on safety and comfort
business approach by striving to conduct
As a company that views safety as being
features they come standard with.”
in-person meetings with customers as
of utmost importance and also highly
From a driver’s perspective, Darren says
much as possible.
values the skills and commitment of its
the MANs are hard to beat. The drivers
However, according to Darren, traditional
drivers, Liberty Oil wanted a brand of
are pleased that they are not fighting
business values do not prevent the team at Liberty from investing in the latest in technological advancements when it comes to the trucks that move its products. “We purchased our first MAN from the Penske Australia national fleet team in November 2020 and we now have five in our fleet,” he says. “We have three at our depots in Victoria and two at our Queensland depots.” The Penske national fleet team, supported by the company’s Brisbane branch, has been very helpful and easy to work with. “We also deal with Westar Truck Centre in Melbourne. With both organisations we have experienced all-around good communication and assistance,” Darren enthuses. “Some of our vehicles travel hundreds of kilometres a day, while others may do less, but there is always
A MAN cab ticks Liberty Oil’s boxes for safety, comfort and fatigue reduction measures.
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Trailer Magazine DECEMBER 21
consistent use of the pumping equipment across the board.”
