Among the specialty wings in the vast and varied operational footprint of the Toll Group can be found the Security Sensitive business unit at Tomago, a national sub-vertical within Toll Resources and Industrial division.
From here multi-trailer configurations are hauled all over the local region and country, contingent upon the task.
Principally, the Security Sensitive business is an operation that supports the mining industry in the Hunter Valley for the distribution of explosive precursors or ammonium-based explosives and other dangerous goods.
Trucks in the fleet that regularly service the local region aren’t necessarily limited to it. They will, as part of the distribution routes, range predominantly across the eastern seaboard, from Adelaide right up to the Bowen Basin with occasional dispatches also to Tasmania.
In the Tomago site alone, there are 46 active trucks that operate alongside nearly 100 staff. Trent Markham, Service Supervisor for the Workshop is one of them. He overlooks a team of ten that handle maintenance scheduling, parts ordering, stocktake and general every-day communication with other vendors and customers.
“The Toll business was founded in the Newcastle region, so there’s a rich history for the company here,” he says. “Being one of the last remaining truck units for Toll in the area is a source of pride. Having a new fleet of trucks join our depot keeps alive the spirit of what founded the business.”
The first two Mack Anthems in the new fleet of trucks to which Trent refers, are from an initial batch of ten units on order. These trucks, the first Mack prime movers at Tomago for two decades, are split evenly between 36-inch walk through sleepers and day cabs.
A 13-litre 535hp MP8 engine with a 2600nM torque rating power both specs. The sleeper cabs, which also feature a 36-litre refrigerator, will be allocated to individual drivers while a roster system is used for the day cab trucks.
These new Mack Anthems are rated to 90-tonnes in either cab specification.
What this does is afford Toll the option to run A-double and B-double combinations while giving them the opportunity to extend the configurations, when appropriate, in the future.
Delivery of the trucks was time critical in that it aligned with certain contracts and load requirements according to Mitch Brooke, Toll Group National Manager Fleet & Maintenance.
“The introduction of a new batch of vehicles like these Anthems is very important to us for our operational uptime and that’s why the decision has been made to bring in the new vehicles in order that we meet our customer demand and expectation,” he says.
“In terms of trailers they will do everything from barrels to end tippers, belly dumpers to flat tops — a wide range of trailer types and configurations.”
Transport Operations Manager, Paul Nicou has been with the business for 22 years. He came across to Toll in 2006 when it acquired the final shareholding of the R&H Transport business bringing the site under their control.
“There’s been a significant change in the work that we do,” he says. “Now there’s a more specialised focus on dangerous goods whereas the site initially moved the likes of general freight and aluminium.”
Chris Yourell, Toll Group General Manager Dangerous Goods Transport, has been with the company for 18 years having joined after the full acquisition of R&H Transport.
“Interestingly, these are the first Macks in the business unit,” he says. “We did a review and along with our preference to move to a single platform on the driveline we had a clear cost of life cycle benefit.”
Mack’s ability to meet the asset requirements which are very specific to a trailering fleet that features A-doubles, tri-quad B-doubles and quad-axle singles.
The prime movers must also be compliant with the dangerous goods code. In addition to battery isolation and GPS tracking, fire suppression is mandatory on the engine bays and on the hubs.
Temperatures on the hubs, but also the trailers, are monitored and feeds back into the cabin so that if a driver receives an alert for an elevated temperature, he can deal with it immediately.
“The fleet needs to be compliant to meet that regulatory framework when operating at a major hazard facility,” says Chris.
“The drivers need to have a very good understanding of the requirements of pick-ups and deliveries in these facilities.”
All drivers out of Tomago are DG (dangerous goods) qualified and must receive a security clearance to load and discharge the various trailer combinations.
A new vehicle platform brings with it new architecture and a different driver experience. To get the most out of the trucks, driver training is necessary, and this service has been provided by Mack to Toll’s inhouse driver trainers.
“Obviously, we have got a change management process so that’s all been completed and now drivers are being passed out to operate and to maintain the fleet,” says Chris.
“It wasn’t a case of go visit a dealer and pick up your truck. Mack had people on site in our Tomago operation handing over the assets and training our people. Now we’re looking forward to getting the remainder of the new fleet embedded into the operation.”
The first unit has kindled great interest among staff at the site, not in the least the drivers. The lucky operator, Trevor Archer, who has piloted the first truck as a B-double tanker set to Melbourne return on a couple of occasions and into some mine sites, is “ecstatic” about his experience according to Trent.
“The driver said it rides like a dream,” he recalls. “He thinks it’s the best thing since sliced bread.”
This marks Trent’s twelfth year at Toll. He began as a boilermaker repairing tippers and flat tops. After completing his diesel mechanic apprenticeship, he worked on the floor for another six years before moving up to a day shift team leader and then the supervisory role he now holds.
He’s had ample opportunities to service a wide range of bonneted American style trucks.
Having worked across all 46 vehicles, he says his experience with the Mack product was negligible until these latest Anthems arrived. Since then, he has managed to go on some drives and the driver comfort and lighter Mack Air Ride suspension are immediately noticeable.
“Comfort-wise the crew are more than happy with them,” he says. “The bunks are great as are the long-range tanks and the bigger fridges and the lighting in both the interior and exterior is fantastic.”
The new Mack Anthem is in full possession of the latest advances in lighting technology and features LED roof clearance lamps and daytime running lamps that provide better expansion according to Trent.
“The square chunky headlamps behind the bullbar give the Anthem not only a better distance but spread,” says Trent. Paul, who notes convenience is now a major factor for his drivers, agrees.
“There’s good vision and everything in the cab looks well-appointed and prepared,” he says. “With good facilities easily within reach and easy to operate, it’s a very tidy truck.”
The grab handles are safety yellow for better visibility in low light, ensuring drivers can have three points of contact whenever they exit or enter the cab.
Along with the other accents, such as the reflectors which are mounted above the windshield, the tanks and splashguards, are at one with the Toll ‘green’ colour scheme.
“The new Anthems look rugged and the MP8 engines are tough,” says Trent.
“When you’ve got the gold dog on the front of it you know it’s all Mack and Volvo genuine parts. It makes our life easier given the trucks are easier to diagnose and easier to get parts being that it is a single platform.”
With the biggest fleet of heavy vehicles in the country working across several divisions and then smaller units beneath those, Toll must excel in both selection and exclusion of its asset mix.
“We’ve gone through an extensive exercise to determine how we best operate and refresh our fleet,” says Shaun O’Flaherty.
“In the process of that journey we’re looking to drive down the average age of vehicles and operate the most reliable and fuel-efficient fleet that’s possible.”
Based in Melbourne, Shaun is the leader of the Global Fleet Management team.
He’s been at Toll for seven years having been active in several positions previously. His role is to acquire the optimal fleet suitable to the task and provide that service to the business units who run the contracts.
“Toll has an RFP in the market that involves significant expenditure across the next two financial years,” says Shaun.
“That will involve a strict procurement process to reward the work accordingly.”
Mack, and Volvo by extension, have been a longstanding and important OEM partner of the Toll business.
“The Mack Anthem from all accounts is a reliable and relatively new prime mover and we’re really excited to take ownership,” says Shaun.
“Mack has been an integral component in the fleet anatomy of Toll over many years and we’re really excited to take delivery of this parcel of new Mack Anthems set to enter our operations in the very near future.”
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