Lower Murray Water welcomes new Hino

Lower Murray Water (LMW) has taken delivery of a brand new Hino 500 Series FM2632 from Johnson’s Trucks.

The Victorian water corporation is responsible for providing drinking water, wastewater treatment, irrigation and drainage services in the state’s northwest — an operation which employs significant man and machine power, according to Manager of Strategy and Communication, Owen Russell.

“We employ 230 staff across our service area, which runs from Kerang through to the South Australian border,” he told Prime Mover.

“This requires a fleet consisting of 105 light vehicles and 22 heavy vehicles which are a combination of tipper trucks, smaller service body trucks with rear cranes and some custom-designed units.”

The latest unit to join this sizeable fleet is a Hino 500 Series FM 2632.

Delivered to LMW in July, the new truck has spent the last month tending to leaks throughout the water corporation’s rural irrigation districts, while towing a variety of heavy machinery as part of the job.

“The Hino generally has either a track loader or excavator loaded onto it,” Russell said.

These carting capabilities are supported by a 320 horsepower turbo-charged six-cylinder engine. Gross vehicle mass is rated at 26 tonnes while the truck has a towing capacity of 10.5 tonnes.

Additionally, the Hino was configured as a 6×4 to ensure better navigation for the vehicle in amid water leaks and to reduce the risk of getting bogged. A beavertail rear has toolboxes fitted to the front of the truck tray for storage.

This Hino brings great utility to LMW’s operations which, at this early stage, is only being matched by driver satisfaction, according to Russell.

“The drivers love it,” he said.

“The truck has air suspension seats for both driver and passenger, the gear changes are smooth and the engine is effortless in its work.”

This satisfaction also extended to the Hino’s delivery process, which was overseen by Johnson’s Trucks to ensure a seamless experience for the water company.

“Johnson’s was great to deal with,” Russell said.

“Korey kept us informed through the fit-out process and allowed our team to inspect the truck during the build stage to make any changes if necessary.”