Super savings for SCT with Scania SUPER trucks

National multi-modal transport and logistics company, SCT Logistics, says it is seeing double-digit fuel savings from its newly introduced fleet of Scania SUPER prime movers to its Victorian business, compared with previous generation Scania prime movers.

“We have taken delivery of 10 new 560 R SUPER and four 460 G SUPER prime movers for our Victorian operations,” said SCT Logistics National Fleet Manager, Michael Sommers.

“These trucks have replaced 14 older PGR-series Scanias, including some V8-powered vehicles, and the fuel efficiency and performance improvements have been impressive.

“We are receiving weekly fleet reports through the Scania management system, which is handy for keeping a close eye on how the vehicles are performing.

“The 460hp prime movers are pulling single trailers - usually PUD refrigerated units around Melbourne – typically carrying frozen and chilled food for supermarkets as well as general freight,” he explained.

“The new 560 Rs will be running as 68.5-tonne B-double tautliner transports, under mass management, to and from our rail depots and customers.”

Michael Sommers said that SCT had had quite a good run with the PGR trucks, but Scania technology had moved on and so, after seven years, it was time to introduce replacements, following pre-purchase appraisal.

“We had a new SUPER prime mover on loan for a week,” he said.

“We were quite impressed with it and the drivers loved it.

“As with the previous Scanias, we have taken the 14 new vehicles under a full repair and maintenance contract and we purchased the vehicles through Scania’s in-house financing arm.

“Scania is very proactive with the fleet management side of things, for example scheduling servicing, which is undertaken at its Laverton branch.

“We value the repair and servicing contracts, because if anything needs to be rectified, Scania will arrange it and complete the work.”

The contract requires SCT to make just one monthly payment, so the company can budget effectively, with full cost visibility over the term.

“We don’t need our own workshop, so we see that as a win-win for us,” Michael said.

“We don’t cover huge distances in these trucks – the G-series will do about 30,000km a year and the R-series about twice that – and we don’t keep ‘spare’ trucks in the fleet, so uptime, reliability and efficient servicing is very important to us.

“We have a fairly stable group of staff and agency drivers and we like to keep them paired to individual trucks.

“Driver comfort is a key feature that reduces fatigue and promotes safety, especially when drivers are waiting to load or unload, so we specified Scania’s factory-fitted auxiliary coolers.

“Because the coolers are battery-powered the driver doesn’t need to idle the engine and burn fuel,” Michael said.

“We aim to strive for as close to zero emissions as possible.

“Safety is a key focus for us and for our customers and the Scanias fulfil these requirements with their many advanced safety systems,” Michael concluded.

Scania National Fleet Sales Manager, Phillip Mayfield, said he was pleased to be renewing the SCT fleet of trucks.

“The new engine technology in the Scania SUPER is living up to its promise and delivering lower operating costs as well as lower emissions,” he said.

“While the previous fleet of trucks did not cover huge distances, they did spend seven years in congested traffic in and around Melbourne and they came through in really good shape.

“In fact, the trucks were so well looked after, SCT retained 11 of them after the end of their lease period, for use in other areas of their business.

“With these 14 new Scania SUPER trucks, SCT is finding out just how efficient and effective the new generation Scania powertrain and driveline really is, and how well suited they are to Australian operations,” Phillip said.

SCT is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. From its early days as an east-west rail operator, SCT now has branches throughout Australia, with offices in capital cities and regional locations in Queensland and New South Wales.