Geelong freight firm reaps auto advantage

A Victorian road freight company says it has reduced its driveline maintenance costs by switching to Allison-auto-equipped Fuso Fighters

Malec Brothers Transport Group, a transport company based in Geelong, Victoria, says its reaping the benefits of reduced driveline maintenance costs by transitioning its 35-strong fleet to models equipped with Allison Transmission automatics.

The firm purchased its first Allison-auto-equipped Fuso Fighter 1024 half way through 2013, with the model now accounting for 13 of the company's trucks. The trucks' 7.5-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesels are mated with Allison's 2500 five-speed automatic transmission.

The Fighters now handle the firm's general freight duties in and around its Geelong headquarters, as well as the 75km run to Melbourne and a number of other regional centres.

According to Malec Brothers CEO, Matthew Malec, the shift to the Fusos has reduced its driveline maintenance costs significantly.

"The cost of clutch and driveline repairs was increasing dramatically, and our maintenance budgets were under real pressure," he said.

"We decided that automatics would be the way forward."

In addition to reduced maintenance costs, Malec says the move to automatic transmissions has also pleased its existing drivers and enhanced the company's ability to attract new drivers.

"Our drivers, both the well-established experts and our more recent recruits, are really happy about driving the Fuso autos," he said.

"They make the job a lot easier, particularly when negotiating the increasingly busy streets of Geelong and Melbourne."

Geelong freight firm reaps auto advantage

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