New IVECO S-Way Rigids Deliver Service Excellence

In-depth

22 July

Helping DSE Transport’s growth ambitions

DSE (Delivering Service Excellence) Transport, is already a notable player in Australia’s road freight transport industry, but expansion plans are well afoot, with three new S-Way AT 360 6x2 rigid trucks recently joining the company’s fleet.

With a team of almost 50 company employees and over 300 subcontracted drivers, a recent decision was taken to further grow its own fleet to help service new contracts, while also providing extra coverage to existing key customers across the homewares, building materials and supermarket sectors.

According to DSE Transport NSW State Manager, Mitch Sherry, after a long search the company eventually settled on S-Way, and it was the first–time purchase of the IVECO brand.

“We evaluated several contenders but ultimately were attracted by the features of the S-Way, the added safety compared to others in the segment along with the styling of the trucks was attractive,” Mitch said.

Mitch will shortly celebrate 16 years with DSE, beginning with the company as a driver before transitioning into the office and ultimately management roles. It’s a background that gives him valuable first-hand insights into what makes a good truck.

“My early life as a driver helps me better understand the challenges drivers face out on the road and from an operational perspective with things such as delays and other factors that are out of their control. I can also appreciate how important it is to have the right vehicle for the application,” he said.

The three new S-Way trucks on fleet are fitted with 14 pallet curtainsider bodies, ‘StrapNGo’ load restraint systems and 3 tonne tail lifts. The curtains feature the company’s distinct livery and the cabins have also been wrapped to match.

The trucks which feature 360hp / 1650Nm Euro6 (Step E) engines coupled to 12-speed Hi-Tronix automated manual transmissions, undertake a variety of local work along with intrastate runs including multi-drop routes from Sydney to Lismore. Servicing a range of permanent and ad hoc customers, the vehicles travel anywhere between 500 and 1,000 kilometres per week.

Mitch said that safety was a major consideration for DSE and this greatly influenced the purchase decision as well as how the trucks were specified.

“Safety and compliance is front of mind for us, it’s one of the reasons we went for the larger AT cabin rather than the day cabin. Having a spacious and quality cabin allows for proper rest should the drivers need it, whether as part of their fatigue break requirements or if they feel tired and just need to stop for a rest,” Mitch said.

Standard safety features in the S-Way include Advanced Emergency Braking System, Brake Assistance System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning System, Electronic Stability Program with ABS (disc brakes all round) and ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation), Hill Holder and Driver Style Evaluation plus Driver Attention Support (DSE + DAS).

According to Mitch, the drivers of the new vehicles had been extremely complimentary of the S-Ways.

“They love them. I’ve had feedback from them saying that the trucks were more comfortable and well appointed than their own cars. They comment on how quiet, smooth and easy to steer they are as well,” he said.

One thing that sets DSE apart from many competitors is an operating structure that sees a team of trained operators/allocators also act in a customer service capacity, this means that when customers contact the company, the person they speak with will be responsible for all aspects of handling the load, from booking, allocating, job monitoring to financial processing.

This customer-centric approach, transparency and accountability is something that Mitch has also experienced with S-Way selling dealer, Sydney IVECO.

“We’re enjoying a good relationship with Sydney IVECO. It’s the friendly staff, and they always get back to me promptly and effectively. We’ll also use the dealership for ongoing servicing and maintenance of the trucks,” Mitch said.