Scania road train double 2022 Review

Most of Launceston was still sleeping when Kym Lawrence climbed up into the cabin of the Scania R 620, coupled with two purpose-built Tefco trailers and tri-axle dolly, a little before 5:00am. Kym turned the key and the big 16-litre V8 purred into life. He wasted little time walking around the rig in the chill morning air, checking lights and tyres.

“We’re good to go,” he says, climbing back into the truck.

This return journey with a 35-metre Type-1 road train to Recycal’s southern depot at Brighton, on Hobart’s northern outskirts, is the culmination of over 12 months of dedicated behind-the-scenes work. Understandably, the approval process for a combination of this size is both long and involved, with many criteria to be checked off before the green tick can be granted.

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The raison d'etre behind Recycal’s combination was not only to reduce transport costs between the company’s Hobart and Launceston facilities, but to further to reduce its transport movements on the road network and consequently reduce overall emissions.

“This combination will primarily transport all the pressings and heavy melting steel (HMS) from our Hobart collection centre through to Launceston, where we have a 15-acre purpose-built recycling facility,” says Rob Massey, Recycal’s Launceston Operations Manager.

“Here at Recycal [in Tasmania], we are in a unique position because of the strategic partnership we have with local foundry, Castings Tasmania,” Rob continues.

“It’s probably one of the oldest companies in the country, and it can trace its roots back to meagre beginnings in 1833, when it traded as Johns Perry Castings. We’re proud the foundry has maintained a reputation for quality castings through a range of ownerships over almost two centuries of continuous operation – something of a record in Australian terms. We developed an alliance with the business in 2016, and by December 2019 Castings Tasmania had become part of the Recycal Group.

"We [Recycal] now work closely with our sister company Castings Tasmania to supply quality steel needed for the foundry. At our Launceston facility we utilise the latest portable X-Ray guns that can sort metal in various grades so we can take advantage of the range of alloys, matching the best scrap to the right castings.

“It’s a strategic alliance we hope will ensure that local scrap arisings, local labour and know-how will guarantee that quality castings continue to be made here in Tasmania for the foreseeable future.

“But to make that happen, we need to get the raw materials into the factory at the lowest cost possible. Every drop of fuel burned in each machine’s engine that handles our materials counts. It all equates to cost per tonne of payload.”

The Scania combination is rated for up to 92 tonnes GCM. “However, we are currently capped at 85 tonnes for the moment because of a few bridges along the route,” Rob tells me. “But we’re confident we’ll be operating at full payload capacity soon after upgrades are completed.”

Future-proofing the business with vehicle assets like the Scania R 620 V8 allows Recycal to develop and grow vehicle combinations to better meet the operation’s ever-changing transport requirements.

The low-revving DC16 Scania V8 engine is ideally suited to multi-combination applications. This unit is rated at 620hp (456kW) at 1900rpm, punching out an impressive 2213lb-ft (3000Nm) between 950 to 1400rpm. Its abundance of power enables it to economically haul the 35-metre Type 1 road train.

However, Recycal has a holistic approach to transport operation that includes environmental impact, safety and road-user courtesy, which are all non-negotiable standards in the business.

In addition, the company embraces Scania’s vehicle and driver monitoring services to help keep their drivers focused on the job, their operating environment and their driving efficiencies.

“We have been utilising the Scania tracking and reporting system for some time now to help improve our drivers’ habits,” Rob explains.

“The system assists in creating a good driving culture, and it’s pleasing to see our guys compare themselves against each other. I often get calls from drivers when someone else is driving their truck to say, ‘I just want you to know that so-and-so is driving my truck today’, so we don’t misinterpret their score.”

Rob believes Scania’s driver monitoring system assists drivers to perform better because there is full tracking and accountability for each driver.

“The Scania system is like a driver’s digital resume,” he says. “If a driver applies for a job and can show that their driver score is consistently high, they’ll be sought after by many transport businesses.

“Truth be told, now and then a little internal competition is always healthy,” he adds with a smile.

Recycal has also embraced Scania’s complete repair and maintenance contract service. This gives the business full transparency of its running costs with predictable month-by-month figures. The servicing work is carried out by Scania’s authorised service agents in Tasmania. But, as a bonus, consistent high driver scores give Recycal a reduction in cents per kilometre from its R&M contract.

Rob admits that some drivers focus on achieving exceptionally high scores more than others.

“It is pleasing to see the majority of our drivers all strive to average 90-95%, although we are even seeing scores of 100% coming through from time to time,” he says.

“A handful of drivers are less focused, but it gives us a point of conversation to have with them. If we have 10 vehicles all doing the same work, and there is a big difference in scores, then we need to work out why this is happening.

“We understand there are many factors, from traffic congestion on the day or too much idling, to a driver merely having a bad day, when they’re a bit harsher on the brakes and acceleration.

“But that is addressed through driver training, and Scania’s driver training has been good too. As we get new drivers, we want to get them trained, learn how to get the best from the vehicles, and fully understand the technology on board. So Scania assists us with that too.

Driver Kym Lawrence says he’s thoroughly happy with driving the big Scania.

“From a driver’s perspective, the Scania is a very comfortable truck to drive,” he tells us.

“They are well appointed and even come with a fridge. It’s amazing how a few little creature comforts make the day much more enjoyable.

“Here on the Midland Highway, there are few steep hills, and the Scania retarder is a great asset. When you operate the truck and it's driven properly the results are fantastic; I hardly need to use the foot brakes at all, which is a significant saving on wear and tear in this sort of terrain.

“I’m impressed with Scania’s Lane Departure Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control, especially with the topographic Active Prediction, which is great for the hilly areas. But the Downhill Speed Control certainly gets a thorough workout on this run. It just won’t let you speed. That’s important because my speed is monitored not just by us but by State Growth, who issued the permit for the combination.

“It is a harsh working environment we operate in, and our vehicles need to stand up to the job, and we work hard to keep them looking like new,” Kym says. “It’s part of our brand image.”

For the Recycal Group, the efficiency of its transport operation is not just paramount for a healthy bottom line – it’s essential to ensure the continued viability of their casting operation, by supplying raw materials at a cost that enables them to compete on the world market.

And thanks to Scania’s smart telematics and mentoring systems, Recycal has fostered a new level of consciousness among its drivers – helping them to boost their own operational efficiency, alongside the significant gains wrought by the move to this high-productivity Scania combination.

Truck
Model: Scania R 620
Engine: 16-litre V8 turbo-diesel
Horsepower: 620hp (456kW) at 1900rpm
Torque: 2213lb/ft (3000Nm) at 950-1400rpm
Transmission: Scania GRS0905R 12-speed (OD + 2 crawlers) AMT
Retarder: Scania R4100
PTO: Rear EG652P
Alternator: Scania 24V 150amp
Compressor: Knorr-Bremse 720, twin-cylinder, 800lt/min with air dryer
Front axle: Scania AM 740
Front suspension: Parabolic 7200kg with anti-roll bar
Rear axles: Scania ADA 1501P axle housings with RBP 835 gears
Rear axle ratio: 1:3.96 with diff locks to both axles
Rear suspension: Scania 4-bag, 21,000kg
Brakes: Scania electronically controlled disc brakes
Safety: EBS with integrated ABS and traction control
Interior: Velour trim
Seats: Premium driver’s seat with armrests
Bumper: Alloy
Battery box: 2 x 12V, 180A, rear chassis mount
Fuel tank: 1 x 400lt, R/H side
AdBlue tank: 1 x 70lt, L/H side

Trailers
Make: Tefco
Model: Road train double combination – 160m³
Body: Hardox 450 wear-resistant steel
Tailgate: Side single-hinge gate
Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax
Brakes: Knorr-Bremse EBS with TIMS module
Hoist: ROC – dual ported
Wheels: Alloy 10-stud 335PCD
Lights: LED