A brand new Isuzu truck has been the reliable solution this waste company was looking for
Waste management company Adelaide Liquid Waste Solutions (ALWS) has acquired a new ‘star’ vacuum truck, adding an Isuzu twin-steer FYH 300-350 to its fleet.
Working from the day it was collected, the FYH joins an already impressive fleet of Isuzus which operate around the clock.
With a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 30,000kg and gross combined mass (GCM) of 45,000kg, the FYH’s cab chassis was perfectly suited for ALWS’ largest vacuum tank build to date.
It is powered by Isuzu’s 6UZ1-TCC power plant, with 257kW (350 PS) @ 2,000 rpm and 1,422 Nm of torque @ 1,400 rpm, providing plenty of pluck when under full load.
The twin steer configuration helps with load distribution over the axles, increasing productivity and overall efficiency under load, not to mention improved control navigating tight and often unsealed worksites.
Under the skin is the six-speed Allison 4430 automatic transmission with power take off mode (PTO) and sixth generation electronic controls, making life on Adelaide’s busy highways and byways a little easier for co-director Suzanne Magro’s team of drivers.
She says that the power of the FYH has been a great match for the needs of the job.
“The new FYH has the capacity for a 16,000-litre tank, which at this stage makes it the truck with the biggest tank in our fleet for collecting liquid waste anywhere in Adelaide,” Magro says.
“The reason we went for that size truck is we do a lot of bulk sewer vacuum tanking from sites such as building developments that haven’t yet connected to the sewer mains.”
ALWS is a high-demand company, often called out for jobs at any time throughout the week. Sewerage issues come up even at the best of times.
As such, Magro and fellow co-director Ben Harris have rotational teams, with someone on standby to respond for any job.
The new FYH arrived just on time, with the company experiencing a high volume of emergency callouts across recent weeks.
“With our busy schedule we now have one dedicated driver for each truck, and an extra driver which covers holidays and personal leave or if two drivers are needed on a job,” Magro says.
“We are very fortunate that we have the new FYH now because we would have been struggling without it as we have a very busy period ahead.”
“That’s why we went for that size platform, so we have a larger capacity tank,” Harris adds.
“It’s a funny industry and a bit erratic, but you just have to roll with it!”
Harris says that regular servicing and maintenance of ALWS’ Isuzu fleet has been a key priority throughout its operations since starting life in 2020.
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| L-R: Co-directors Ben Harris and Suzanne Magro, and operations manager Armando Torres. |
He wants his drivers to take pride in their vehicles, and to ensure that they are consistently reliable for the sudden jobs that may arise.
“We get the trucks serviced regularly, so they’re always very well maintained and presented,” Harris says.
“North East Isuzu are only 20 minutes away, so if we need something, we can just go down and grab it.
“Blade Engineering does our body building, and we worked with Synergy Signs here in Adelaide to design our truck wraps.”
“They look great, and the staff always keep them clean,” Magro adds.
“I think that’s been a major part of why we have picked up more business, due to the branding and overall presentation.
“We have seven full time drivers, and the staff really take pride in their Isuzu trucks.
“They all wash their trucks on a Friday afternoon. We’ll combine that with a barbecue and have a meal together. It’s important to us to have the team get along well.”