Isuzu keeps Tassie in gas

Greg Smith is CEO of TRB Gas and has been transporting gas throughout Tassie for over 15 years. When he first started TRB Gas, it was with a ute and a trailer, which he used to ferry gas cylinders to customers for home and camping uses, predominantly for barbecues, outdoor heaters and portable generators.

But the ute-and-trailer set-up only lasted six months.

Greg explained: “We saw opportunity for growth, so we got a truck. Our first truck was the Isuzu FRR 525 (FRR 107-210), followed by the FVR 950 (FVR 165-300).

“The business grew quickly and we progressed from two trucks to six,” he said.

TRB Gas continued to deliver across Tasmania, and in 2015, the network established by Greg (and Kleenheat Gas) was acquired by Elgas, one of Australia’s prominent LPG suppliers.

This meant further business growth for TRB Gas, and in order to keep up with the demand, Greg expanded his truck fleet, remaining an Isuzu fan every step of the way.

“Since our first FRR, we have been changing our vehicles every five to six years… and we are now on our third generation of Isuzu trucks,” Greg said.

The third generation of TRB Gas trucks is populated by three spiffy Isuzu FSD 140-260s, which are definitely working hard even in these tough times.

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When asked about TRB Gas’s clientele as an Elgas agent, Greg said: “We deliver gas bottles to small businesses, as well as to national contracts and service stations.

“Our bottles are filled in Launceston and transported to the various regions of the state.

“We also ensure that the bottles are faced outward, which makes sure that other road users can see the product we are transporting.”

For TRB Gas, the rise in sales has meant more time on the roads for their fleet of Isuzu FSDs — which, for most, means the risk of more downtime, but Greg said that hasn’t been an issue.

“Time spent on the road and working is the most important thing for us, so downtime would naturally be a concern.

“But thankfully we haven’t had any downtime at all. My Isuzu trucks are just very good, and the support from Webster Trucks has been really good,” Greg said.

“The team at Webster Trucks services our vehicles on time, all the time, and we’ve had zero downtime. With them, there are no dramas.

“If any of our trucks ever breaks down, we know we have the support of the 24-hour roadside assist service, though it’s something we’ve never had to use. That’s why we keep using them.”

When asked about the reason behind choosing the FSD model, Greg said: “We need a premium model for the load that we carry.

“Also, they are very easy to drive and navigate, and this is crucial given that our drivers deliver to cities and around towns.”

Featuring 14,000kg GVM and 20,000kg GCM, and 191kW of power at 2400rpm and 761Nm of torque at 1450 to 2400rpm, the FSD 140-260 certainly has more than enough power to get the job done.

A typical day for Greg’s team involves seven to eight-hour drives where they drive out with more than 250 gas cylinders and return with empty ones.

Greg said, “For such long hours on the road, comfort for our drivers is also a priority, and the Isuzu FSDs have very comfortable cabins.

“We even fitted the trucks out with fridges so our drivers can take their cold drinks and lunches with them.

“The trucks are their offices, and they deserve the best equipment, and so we get the best of what we can to put in them.

“Most of the guys have been with us for ten years or longer. We don’t have a high turnover, we look after our staff,” Greg said.