Iveco Daily churns out 1.2 million kilometres in ‘paper run’

For delivery driver Yarrack Skowron, it was recently out with the old and in with the new – but not before his 2006 model Daily 50C van had accrued over 1.2 million kilometres.

But Yarrick has upended the delivery script: he’s just simply traded in the old Daily 50C workhouse on a new Daily 50C!

Yarrack said he had no need to consider any other brands.

“My first Daily has definitely proven itself, giving me almost 20 years of reliable service and over that time covering an enormous number of kilometres,” Yarrack said.

“For me the decision to update to the equivalent new model 50C Daily was easy.”

While the high kilometres on the old van are impressive, so too are the conditions under which they were achieved. Most were accumulated working in Sydney CBD’s start and stop traffic and in surrounding inner city suburbs. Adding to the challenge was that the van would begin each day at its maximum payload of around two tonnes.

“I deliver paper for printers and copiers to private businesses and government organisations, anything from A4 and A3 size to full oversize stock,” said Yarrack.

“Each morning we load up then I split and deliver each drop with the trolley. Paper is heavy and there was never an easy day – for either the van or for me!”

When asked about the longevity of his first Daily van, Yarrack, a mechanic by trader, said that he adhered to a regular service schedule and was a big believer in preventative maintenance.

“I would do a lot of the work on the van myself and go to the dealership for anything I needed support with,” he said, “and I always used genuine Iveco parts.”

Like the old van, the new Daily 50C has the same 12 cubic-metre capacity, but the passage of time between purchases will ensure that most other features of the van are vastly superior, including driver appointments, safety equipment, fuel efficiency and emission performance.

Perhaps the biggest change for Yarrack, however, will be the transition from manual to the new Daily’s 8-speed fully automatic transmission.

“After so many years of driving a manual in city traffic, I probably won’t know what to do with my left leg,” Yarrack said with a laugh.

“And if I get anywhere near the same performance from this new Daily as I did the old, it will definitely see out my working days!”