There’s no denying that trucks play an indispensable role in Australia’s supply chain. From moving produce around the country to transporting construction materials or distributing freight, trucks are key to providing Australians with what they need in their day-to-day lives.
For those requiring goods outside of Australia’s vast city centres, hundreds of smaller dedicated transport operators prove vital in ensuring that people receiving their goods. Canberra outfit P & G Trucking is a prime example, as one of the many companies contributing to the estimated 241.8 billion tonne-kilometres of road freight moved in Australia during the 2023-23 financial year.
While heavy-duty vehicles tend to be the model of choice for much of Australia’s freight movements, P & T Trucking do things a little differently. It has chosen to reserve its prime movers for bi-weekly interstate runs and instead opted to trust in Isuzu’s medium wheelbase NR 45-150 Traypack for last-mile deliveries.
Having first formed in 2018 in Canberra, P & T Trucking has a depot in the regional centre of Young to go with its Brisbane space. Director Paul Smithers hops behind the wheel of one of the prime movers for the Brisbane to Canberra route while life and business partner Gemma Smithers is the lucky one who gets to enjoy the light-duty Traypack.
“We have a heavy-rigid truck that travels between Young and Canberra every weekday and two prime movers with semi-trailers that travel directly twice a week between Young and Brisbane,” Gemma says.
“Once freight arrives at the ACT depots, our Isuzu NLR 45-150 Traypacks get in to drop off deliveries to our customers.”
Paul and Gemma, who lend their initials to the company name, say their two Traypacks are offering quick turnarounds for a variety of small to medium-sized products, which are primarily ordered by industrial clients.
“Our customers are your typical industrial businesses; one delivery might be cans of paint, electrical equipment or tyres,” Gemma says.
“If a customer calls up last minute to ask if we can move a carton, we make sure it happens as fast, reliable and safely as possible.
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“The Traypacks play a vital role for the business. Our semis move the freight from A to B, but when it comes to delivering that freight to the customer, our Isuzu Traypacks do 80 per cent of that work.”
This 80 per cent tends to fall to Gemma, who hops behind the wheel of the Isuzus to travel around Canberra and its surrounds. When arriving at a company’s primary depot, she unloads freight and sorts it before leading up the Traypack to take it back onto the road.
Completing this task five days a week gives her plenty of time behind the wheel. She says she’s a big fan of her light-duty Isuzu and the way it gets the job done for her with minimal fuss and maximum comfort.
The Traypack’s 4,500kg GVM is matched with a 2,135kg payload on medium wheelbase and manual transmission models, with a 4,000kg towing capacity included.
A four-cylinder 4JJ1-TCS common rail system offers 110kW and a maximum torque of 375Nm, with P & G Trucking choosing to match this power with Isuzu’s MYY-5T five-speed manual gearbox.
A 4.5-metre tray caps off the specs, providing plenty of space with removable drop sides included to make loading more efficient.
“As soon as I took one for a drive, I was basically in love,” Gemma says.
“Isuzu came highly recommended to us, and once we put some freight on the truck, how it handled the weight was just fantastic.
“We had wraps and signage done by Signlime Signage Canberra last December to complete the package.”
The NLR 45-150 Traypack comes from Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range, meaning it can integrate necessary features without the need for any aftermarket alteration. Whether it be a heavy-duty aluminium tray or load restraint anchor points, the range includes a variety of solutions that require little work.
Safety is also a focus, with Isuzu’s Advanced Driver Assistance System, or ADAS, supporting drivers with a wide range of warning systems. Gemma says the Traypack’s ability to detect and recognise a situation before it arises gives her plenty of reassurance.
“Everything about the Traypack is well-planned and easy to use,” she says.
“The anchorage points inside the tray for load restraint make tying down the loads very easy and prevent damage to the sides of the tray from tightly winched straps.
“The cabs are easy to get in and out of, and the truck holds weight really well for something that can be driven on a standard car licence.”
The Traypacks are giving P & G Trucking the impetus to continue growing as a well-known local operator. Gemma knows that appearance matters for small businesses, with her Isuzu fleet remaining squeaky clean.
Paul and Gemma’s two Isuzu trucks are also kept well-serviced and maintained courtesy of Canberra Isuzu. P & G Trucking plans to expand its service in the near future, while Gemma also has some personal goals in mind.
“We need to have good, reliable gear to provide a great service for our customers, so we plan on continuing having our Traypacks serviced with Canberra Isuzu. We see preventative maintenance as essential to looking after our vehicles,” she says.
“One of my goals is to upgrade my licence to drive heavy rigid and prime movers. It’s tricky to find the time to study for the licence among my management duties, but I can’t wait to make it happen.”
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