Isuzu aids Canberra's construction blitz

It's a busy time for Canberra-based civil works and bulk haulage company, iNDETAIL Civil, as the government's focus on shovel-ready infrastructure projects ramps up work for hundreds of small and medium contractors.

"We don't have time for breakdowns," says iNDETAIL's owner, Fabio Macarlino.

"We've got eight trucks on a job at any one time – 12 drivers and 25 machinery operators in total.

"Our typical clients range from government to developers and others in the private sector.

"COVID-19 has been hard, but I have to say we've been off our feet over the past few months."

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Fabio started out small in 1999, with a bobcat, a little tipper, and a 1.6-tonne excavator. But, 22 years later, he now has a fleet of vehicles including three Isuzus – a Giga CXY 455, an FYH 2000 Auto, and a new FVR 165-300.

All three have tipper bodies and were purchased through Canberra Isuzu over the past three years.

"I chose the Isuzu trucks for their power and payload capacity," says Fabio, who before 2017 had utilised American trucks.

"The fuel efficiency of the Isuzus is noticeable, especially when compared to the other truck brands, too.

"But choosing Isuzu, it was really about Isuzu's reputation for reliability, and the servicing and accessibility of the Canberra dealership, which is less than three kilometres away from my depot."

Fabio says he's enjoyed first-rate service from Canberra Isuzu every step of the way.

"I had a great experience with Canberra Isuzu, really good," he says.

"I haven't had any breakdown issues with the trucks even though they're pulling some distance… over 300 kilometres a day per unit."

And the drivers are smiling too, Fabio reports.

"The guys spend up to 10 hours a day in the cab and they're liking the comfort, the climate control and the hands-free feature to take calls," he says.

To that end, the trucks' multimedia systems make the working day that bit more palatable, as does an ISRI driver's air suspension seat with adjustable shock and lumbar support.

Finally, the trucks' ability off the bitumen was another big factor in Fabio's purchasing decision, as the vehicles spend plenty of time on work sites.

"Off-road capability was a big consideration; we rarely travel on sealed roads unless it's to the tip site," he says.

"Bulk haulage, excavation, demolition – it's a tough game. And that's not even mentioning the asbestos remediation work we do.

"But down to brass tacks, the Isuzus do it all for us… and compared to some other trucks, they come up to scratch very well.

"Reliability, safety and comfort – that's what we get from our Isuzus."