“It’s a really tidy little truck.”
After half a year with TCC, the Quon is
transferring to sister company ICC to tackle
services related to a long-term customer,
electricity company Ergon Energy.
This takes it on coastal roads and the Bruce
Highway – south to Ingham, Townsville and
Mackay and north to Cairns – along with a Mt
Isa trip once a month.
With such hefty distances to cover,
especially going west, the Laws are sensitive
to containing running costs.
Pushed along by a relatively modest – in
northern Australian terms – 11-litre engine,
they are pleased to report 2.8 to 2.9 litres per
kilometre long-haul and 2.4–2.5 around town.TECH TIME
This is where the technology now in newer
vehicles is proving a boon to owners and
managers whose experience has been with
more traditional fleets.
Logistics and operations manager Wes
Smith, who looks after TCC, has an app on hisiPhone for the telematics and reports to the
Laws on fuel economy and how the truck is
being handled.
As Lance Law was checking with Smith
on the distance travelled, it became
apparent that some hard driving had been
undertaken, with gears being used manually
when, ideally, it should have been under
cruise control.
They are relishing having such
information at their fingertips, not least
when it comes to advising drivers on
conservative driving.
ICC has taken on advice it sought from
regional neighbour Blenners Transport and
will ask Volvo Commercial Vehicles (VCV) to
limit foot-throttle operating speed to 95km
and cruise control more than that, to save
fuel and encourage more cruise control use.
The brothers are interested to see if the
0.1–0.2 per litre per km saving can come their
way with such a strategy.
“It doesn’t take much to add up,” John says.
On the back-up services available fromAfter half a year with
TCC, the Quon is
transferring to sister
company ICC to tackle
services related to a
long-term customer,
electricity company
Ergon Energyfuel economy
it's got very good
and it's running very well
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