International expansion for McColls

Transport outfit adds a pair of ProStar sleeper cabs to the fleet

Twenty or 30 years ago International S-Line trucks were a common sight at depots belonging to Geelong-based, McColls Transport.

Now the US-based truck brand has returned in the form of a pair of new ProStar sleeper cab prime movers. Although the International S-Line and ProStar models are years apart, McColls Transport general manager of fleet, John Hovey, sees similar DNA in the two ranges.

“The S-line was just a great fleet truck – it was a world beater,” Hovey says.

“It had the right specification for the job and provided outstanding longevity. I see similar fundamentals in the ProStar, although it is a much classier truck than the S-Line ever was.”

Last year, Hovey was convinced by his local International dealer, Adtrans Trucks, to demo a ProStar with the promise that he wouldn’t be disappointed.

“We took one for a few months and found that it did all the right things and the driver acceptance was very positive – it was also returning quite respectable fuel consumption figures of around 1.9 litres a kilometre,” Hovey says.

Now several months into the job, the two new ProStars are undertaking linehaul B-double tanker work along the eastern seaboard as well as to Adelaide. Both trucks feature the Cummins X15 engine rated at 550hp (410kW) and 1850lb-ft (2508Nm) coupled to Eaton 18-speed manual transmissions.

With around 220 company trucks on the road, McColls Transport’s drivers and equipment can clock up some high kilometres each year. This means vehicles can be replaced in as little as three or four years, or when they reach the million kilometre mark. It also means linehaul drivers regularly sleep in their trucks.

To accommodate this extended time on the road, the ProStar sleeper cabin features a 2250mm wide sleeper and full height standing cab with extensive storage areas.

“Our drivers sometimes live on the road so it’s important they have a comfortable space to get restful sleep,” Hovey says.

“And there’s certainly been no complaint from our drivers about the ProStar’s cabin appointments and comfort levels.”

The two ProStars are part of an expansion program but the company also turns over 30 to 40 prime movers a year as part of its fleet rejuvenation process.

All going well, the International brand could again become a familiar site at McColls Transport depots in the near future.

“The ProStars tick the right boxes for the application and I can see more of them joining our fleet,” Hovey says.

International expansion for McColls

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