Supagas is one of Australia’s leading suppliers of liquid petroleum gas, delivering everything from industrial gas down to 8.5kg swap bottles for backyard barbeques.
Getting that gas where it needs to go is a fleet of over 650 pieces of equipment: 230 rigid trucks, 14 prime movers, just shy of 200 utes and 49 new trucks on order from Isuzu, which will be spread across the depots around Australia.
As with other fleets of comparable size, Supagas plans for a renewal term of eight years on its vehicles, ensuring that value remains for eventual re-sale after retirement.
This is part of their fleet management strategy and specifically, in calculating total cost of ownership (TCO) or whole-of-life cost. This includes all associated expenses, from purchase of the vehicle through to ongoing maintenance, predicated downtime and end-of-working-life value.
Under the direction of national fleet manager Michael Greenep, Supgagas’ plan is to purchase new trucks and replace existing trucks that have reached the eight-year mark with Isuzu models up to a GVM 26,000 kg.
This includes NNR 45-150, NQR 87-190 and FSR 120/140-240 models that will be used for LPG delivery, small tanker, and industrial supply.
Supagas began receiving the first of their 49 Isuzu trucks on order from mid-2023. Three NNRs are currently in service, delivering heater cylinders for cafes in Sydney, customised with a specially designed tail lift for handling gas bottles.
A 600-litre tanker of the same NNR model is now visiting clients in Melbourne supplying specialty and medical gas.
For Supagas, Isuzu’s 4.5-tonne GVM model—specified with two-pedal Automated Manual Transmission—provides an easy training ground for standard car-licence holders and new drivers with the view to ‘grow their own’ pool of drivers.
Greenup said driver feedback on their new acquisitions was that the trucks are “ omfortable, quiet and easy to drive” with positivity around Isuzu’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.
Aside from the model range on offer, Michael said the calculated switch from their previous truck supplier was due to Isuzu’s leading six-year warranty and six-year roadside assistance package, in combination with a lower TCO per truck.
“The price of the trucks is very competitive, but we look at the total package, the whole cost of the truck,” said Greenup.
“The price of maintenance, the repair contract… in all aspects Isuzu was more than competitive and they have a good understanding of what we need compared with other equipment manufacturers.”
Each vehicle in the fleet fitted with a 100 km speed limiter, inward-and outward-facing cameras, yellow safety steps and grab handles, puddle lights, and a telematics system that takes care of route planning, amongst other safety measures.
“At the end of the day we want our drivers to return home,” concluded Michael.
“We believe everyone has the right to go home safely and running Isuzu trucks contributes to that.”
[signup]
The post Supagas drivers say new Isuzus are ‘comfortable and easy to drive’ appeared first on Big Rigs.