Waste industry leader, JR Richards and Sons, has continued its long partnership with IVECO, recently adding 26 new trucks to the fleet as part of its equipment renewal process, to service local government contracts in Picton and Moss Vale, New South Wales.
Twenty-five of the new trucks are the latest-generation ACCO model in 6×4 configuration and featuring a locally developed dual control system designed by IVECO Australia engineers – all are equipped with side-loading compactor bodies by Solo Resource Recovery. The remaining truck, an S-Way 8×4 460 AD, features a Palfinger hooklift body.
JR Richards and Sons began using IVECO – in particular, the ACCO model – almost 50 years ago, and today the company has almost 280 IVECOs on fleet, with the oldest being a 1996 ACCO, with rear-loading compactor body.
Overseeing the latest acquisitions was JR Richards and Sons GM – Logistics, Fleet & NHVR Compliance, Rod Jones, who together with GM – Fleet & Maintenance, Dave Endycott, are responsible for evaluating, purchasing and managing all the company’s fleet and plant equipment.
With almost 20 years at the company and many more in transport industry fleet management roles, Rod has a thorough understanding of what makes for a good waste collection vehicle.
“There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a truck for refuse work,” he says. “Along with the actual performance of the vehicle and how well it fits the role, the purchase decision is also shaped by the contracts we hold and the organisations we work for.
“Increasingly, there are strict requirements around truck emissions – all trucks need to meet Euro 6 emissions standards at a minimum – and OH&S requirements are also high.”
In this regard, JR Richards and Sons’ new ACCOs feature the latest IVECO Cursor 9 engines which meet stringent Euro 6 (Step E) emission measures while producing 310hp and 1,300Nm. The engines are coupled to the proven Allison 3200 six-speed fully automatic transmission, providing durability with hassle free operation for the start and stop driving that the application demands.
The S-Way 8×4 460 AD’s driveline includes Euro 6 (Step E) Cursor 11 engine producing 460hp and 2,150Nm of torque, matched to IVECO’s 12-speed Hi-Tronix Automated Manual Transmission.
On the safety front, the latest ACCO and S-Way also excel, with features that include Advanced Emergency Braking System, Brake Assistance System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning System, Electronic Stability Program with ABS (disc brakes all round) and ASR (Anti-Slip Regulator).
“Having a high level of safety is vital, there’s an expectation that the trucks have all the ‘bells and whistles’. Along with the long list of equipment the IVECOs already come with as standard, we install a range of extra cameras along with speed limiters that are activated under certain operating conditions such as when the rear hopper door is open,” Rod explains.
The latest ACCOs replace a fleet of earlier models that have been on the job since 2014, with the trucks having amassed an average of 25,000 engine hours over their tenure operating in tough conditions, according to Rod.
“The work they do isn’t just on sealed residential roads, a lot of the time our trucks head out into the bush and operate on rough dirt roads and have to deal with a heap of corrugations – they can get a real flogging,” he says.
He adds there are important benefits available in operating a uniform truck fleet.
“There’s a familiarity for the drivers; we normally assign a driver to a truck and collection route because it increases efficiency and minimises the chance of bins being missed, but if there’s a need for another driver to fill in, it’s all straight forward,” he says.
“There are also advantages in spare part holdings for our workshop. While the new ones will go back to IVECO for servicing and maintenance during the warranty period, we also run our own workshops.”
According to Rod, all the new trucks are now in service and he looks forward to another hassle-free run from the latest fleet investment.
“We have a strong and enduring relationship with IVECO and I’m confident the latest generation models will meet our expectations,” he says.