Isuzu underpins Allcar Towing

For Melbourne’s Allcar Towing, whether it thrives or falters is down to its skillful drivers and its dependable fleet of Isuzu F Series trucks.

“Accidents and breakdowns – these things unfortunately do happen, but we're here to make it a little bit easier and get the road cleared,” says Allcar Towing Director, Mile ‘Milo’ Atanasov.

“The staff work in shifts to ensure that a driver is available for a callout, no matter the time of day or the circumstances.

“Experienced drivers are invaluable to our business and customers, not only on the road but as they pass on their knowledge and skills to our younger drivers.”

Milo himself started out at Allcar Towing as a yard hand in the early 2000s, before working his way up until he purchased the business outright in 2011.

And with the number of vehicles on Melbourne’s roads only set to grow, business is booming, with Allcar’s drivers working shifts so the company can respond to accidents and breakdowns around the clock. That’s in addition to delivering new cars to dealerships, transporting luxury cars, towing boats, and tackling heavier items like shipping containers and machinery.

To provide this service Allcar relies on its regularly updated fleet of all-Isuzu trucks, spread across locations at Dandenong, Berwick, Somerville, Keysborough, and Springvale.

These days the fleet comprises 40 long-wheelbase Isuzu FRD 110-260 Auto tilt-slide trucks. With Isuzu’s 6HK1-TCC six-cylinder engine pumping out 191kW at 2400rpm and 761Nm between 1450rpm and 2400rpm, each truck has a GVM of 11,000kg and a GCM of 20,000kg, and can carry a payload of up to 4500kg.

The seven-metre-long tilt-slide tray from Australian Trailer Manufacturers (ATM) allows the deck to be lowered flush to the ground, allowing for direct drive-on and a smoother loading of broken-down vehicles.

“Every truck is built the same so that there are no differences between our Isuzu fleet – I want all our drivers to have the same experience across the board,” says Milo.

“The FRD 110-260 is a good-sized truck that allows us to service our customers for what they need, during the most stressful of times.

“Aside from handling accidents, our trucks can perform other work for our customers; this versatility is important as the economy moves and shifts, and we're adapting our business to these changes.”

Each truck features an Allison six-speed LCT 2500 fully automatic transmission, which Milo says lightens the load on drivers, reducing fatigue and helping the firm meet its Chain of Responsibility obligations.

“We always stay up to date with compliance with the NHVR, as it’s very important for business operations.

“We want to play our part in the chain of responsibility on the roadways.

“This is also why we choose to buy brand new Isuzu trucks, because of the reliability and consistency of the product.”

For servicing and backup, Milo says Allcar Towing enjoys a strong relationship with Patterson Cheney Trucks in Melbourne's southeast, where he’s guided by Fleet Coordinator Nick Makalongo and veteran Service Manager Wayne Murphy.

“The relationship with Patterson Cheney and our Fleet Sales Consultant Brooke Griffin has gone from strength to strength as we continue to purchase vehicles,” says Milo.

“Patterson Cheney is assisting us with further expansion as we take on new towing businesses under the group and launch our car carriers built onto Isuzu cab-chassis.

“The dealership has always gone out of its way to solve any issues, and I couldn’t be more appreciative of that.”