Scania delivers eight G 500s to K&S

Scania has delivered eight new G 500 prime movers to K&S Freighters in Newcastle for use on a contract to move alumina or coke from the port to the Tomago Aluminium smelter 20km away.

The trucks will run around-the-clock for six days per week, across two 12-hour shifts, so reliable uptime was a key decision-making factor in the K&S Freighters’ specification process.

Scania’s New Truck Generation G 500s have been specified exactly for the task and will pull new TEFCO B-double tippers running on HML mass management certification.

The trucks are day cabs fitted with a fridge and LED headlights, with a rear axle ratio specifically calibrated for the loads they will be pulling over the mostly flat route. The latest Scania 4100 Retarder is also fitted to provide the drivers with additional safety margins when hauling 64.5-tonnes gross, while simultaneously extending service brake wear intervals.

The TEFCO trailers also feature EBS which integrates with the Scania system.

Reducing the tare weight of the vehicle was another specification requirement, which led to the selection of the shorter day cab and a single 400-litre fuel tank, sufficient for a full day’s work.

As with all NTG Scanias, the G 500s are equipped with the highest standard of factory-fitted safety equipment, as well as having additional equipment, such as dash and reversing cameras fitted by K&S. The trucks also feature MT Data connectivity for geo fencing and navigation.

“We have undertaken a very detailed specification and build programme for K&S Freighters for this contract,” said Steven Alberse, Fleet Sales Manager for Scania Australia.

“With the client undertaking their own servicing we were able to structure a bespoke parts supply and pricing solution to fit the duty-cycle profile of the vehicles, again to maximise their uptime,” he said.

“In line with K&S Freighters’ focus on safety, the Scania NTG was already a prime candidate, thanks to its unique side curtain roll over airbags, and the plethora of passive and active safety systems such as adaptive cruise control and advanced emergency braking, fitted as standard to all of our NTG range.

“The specification process identified the need for a light tare weight to allow the highest possible payload, which again drives the customer’s total operating economy,” Steven said.

“These trucks will also spend considerable time idling and powering the hydraulic systems that raise and lower the tippers.

“The Scania G 500 fleet for the Tomago Smelter contract are not the first Scanias to be based in the K&S Freighters’ yard at Newcastle, so the drivers already have a good understanding about how these trucks drive, and how comfortable, quiet and smooth they are, even with two fully-laden B-double tippers behind the cab.

“The driver response so far has been excellent with a high degree of acceptance for the G 500, and a good level of understanding of how to extract the best performance combination of low fuel consumption and safe on-road driving, in sometimes very heavy commuter traffic,” Steven said.