Maintenance Schemes, Workshop

A Lot on Their Plate When it Comes to Compliance

a lot on their plate when it comes to compliance

Australian road transport businesses have a lot on their plate when it comes to compliance; from Chain of Responsibility (CoR) requirements to workplace OH&S, and making sure everyone comes home at the end of the day.

However, recent research shows that one in three small fleets (1-5 trucks) are unprepared or unaware of their CoR obligations. 

With the regulatory burden only likely to increase for those in road transport, lightening the load wherever possible makes good sense to ensure the safety of staff and other road users.

Melbourne waste and recycling collectors, Budget Waste Services, have discovered multiple benefits to letting their Isuzu dealership take care of fleet maintenance with a service agreement: Isuzu Essentials Plus (formerly Isuzu Priority One).

With a service agreement covering critical parts and componentry and all work conducted by an authorised Isuzu technician using genuine parts, Budget Waste  has all bases covered, helping them meet CoR responsibilities and with the added bonus of smoothing out monthly costs.

a lot on their plate when it comes to compliance

On the front foot

During the first critical years of business and with new clients to impress, Budget Waste CEO, Les Osman, knew keeping downtime to a minimum was a top priority.

The business was quickly picking up a book of clients in the industrial, commercial and retail sectors. Without a spare truck on hand, Les wanted their fleet maintenance to be a well-oiled process from the very beginning.

He signed up to Isuzu Essentials Plus at point of purchase, meaning all Budget’s new trucks’ scheduled services are covered for the first 60 months of ownership for a known, fixed price per month, with roadside assist and priority after-hours servicing included (and additional high-wear parts such as fuses, fan belts and filter replacements).

He’s expecting their seventh Isuzu truck, an FYJ 300-350 with Superior Pak front-hook body, to hit the road by December this year. 

Cost analysis

Before founding Budget Waste in 2017, Les spent 13 years and change working for waste giant Veolia.

Having access to some of the best performance and cost analytics systems in the industry from this previous role, Lev knew Isuzu wouldn’t let him down when it was time to outfit his own venture at Budget Waste.

“I’ve been very fortunate with a 13-year apprenticeship of sorts with Veolia,” says Les. “We had every truck under the sun working for us, hundreds of trucks, and during my last two years there as the general manager for Queensland, I was only buying Isuzu. 

“When we looked at value for money and all the indicators within that such as cost, performance, longevity and maintenance, Isuzu always comes out on top. Isuzu offered a solution at $50,000 less than similar competitors, including their Priority service agreement.”

a lot on their plate when it comes to compliance

Fleet planning made simple

While taking care of the fleet’s on-road performance, from a planning perspective Lev said having an Isuzu Essentials Plus service agreement in place is invaluable, assisting him to manage the company’s balance sheet, and for his own peace of mind.

“We pay roughly one to two per cent out of our revenue per month to cover maintenance for the whole fleet,”says Les. “Without a workshop or service staff on site it makes a lot of sense to outsource the work and it means I have someone to take on the stress of servicing the fleet, so I can focus on the business. 

“A service agreement can really help you manage the financials, so you know exactly where you stand. Ben Jinnette, our Leading Hand, ensures our trucks align with Isuzu’s service programs without impacting the daily flow of operations with our drivers.”

Compliance matters

Lev notes that in concert with their own records, having a pre-planned maintenance schedule handled by OEM-trained technicians helps Budget Waste stay on top of compliance with less hassle.

This makes them one of the approximately 37 per cent of road transport businesses in Victoria who have developed policies to ensure compliance with CoR.

“You can always find ways to cut corners, do things at a lower cost, but in the long run it’s going to backfire… you put the care into the truck and it’ll pay you back,” says Les. “Driving an eight-tonne truck, any incidents can be catastrophic, so CoR is a very, very important component for our business and a big issue for any fleet owner.

“Without a doubt in our waste application, Isuzu offers us the best vehicle and care combination.”

For more information on Isuzu’s comprehensive range of service agreements visit isuzu.com.au.

a lot on their plate when it comes to compliance

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