Cascadias a hit with Newcastle operator

Tony McGrath, who runs McGrath Newcastle, hadn’t considered running Freightliner trucks until a supply issue with another brand meant he bought his first Cascadia through Daimler Trucks Newcastle.

McGrath says it performed so well that he ordered three more.

McGrath Newcastle now has four 126 Cascadia models in the fleet, which feature the range-topping 600hp 16-litre DD16 engine, teamed up with the latest generation 12-speed automated transmission.

Having had a positive experience with Detroit engines previously, Mr McGrath thought they would perform well again, and he was correct.

Two of the trucks running as 79.5-tonne A-doubles between Sydney and Newcastle are returning best-in-fleet fuel economy of 2km per litre, despite the high drag profile of the two 40ft shipping containers on the back.

“The fuel is good,” says McGrath. “It’s better than the other trucks in the fleet.”

The Cascadias have also been well received by the drivers: “They have been very, very positive about the Cascadias,” McGrath says.

“Once they drive a Cascadia, they are asking if they can stay in them, which is certainly a good sign.”

Mr McGrath says he thinks the comfort of the 126 Cascadia is one of the major reasons it’s winning over drivers.

“It is a lot of more comfortable than the other trucks we have in the fleet, that is clear.”

Mr McGrath knows a lot about customer service. In fact, he still delivers for one of the two customers he had when he first started his business back in 1980.

The service from Daimler Trucks Newcastle is another reason he is happy with his Freightliner ownership experience.

“We need to be supported so that we can deliver for our customers,” he says. “So far, the guys at Daimler Trucks Newcastle have been excellent.”

The 126 Cascadias also deliver when it comes to safety and Cascadia is the only conventional truck in Australia with a driver’s airbag.

It also has a raft of active safety features including an advanced emergency braking, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control as standard, while customers can also select the Side Guard Assist (SGA) system, which ‘looks’ down the left-hand side of the truck and warns a turning driver of objects that may be difficult to spot.