Finding payload and power

Moving from owner-operator to business director of a sizeable heavy vehicle fleet is no simple task. But with hard work and progressive growth, there’s no doubt it can be achieved. 

This is the case for VIP Towing & Transport and its founder, Adrian Frangiosa, who turned a one-man towing operation into a family-owned business specialising in industrial and heavy construction equipment transport. 

Adrian understands that prompt delivery, transparent pricing, and strong communication are the keys to winning clients in the competitive Greater Melbourne marketplace, along with keeping the family close. Adrian’s wife, Teresa, tackles administration while their son, Lucas, pilots a truck part-time. 

“I established the business in 2012, starting off with just one vehicle. Since then, I’ve built VIP Towing & Transport steadily through hard work and dedication into a 15-truck operation,” Adrian says. 

“The business specialises in transportation for the construction industry. We’ve got two divisions: a heavy haulage division that looks after site machinery, excavators, and a lot of road maintenance machinery, and a second division, which is trucks with tilt trays bringing in smaller gear, forklifts, and shipping containers.” 

The right rig 

VIP Towing & Transport run a mixed fleet primarily comprised of Isuzu trucks, with the new additions including an FRD 110-260 Auto, two FVY 240-300 Autos collected in 2024 and an NLR 45-150 Traypack from Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range collected earlier this year. 

These join an FRR 110-260 Auto flat tray, an FYJ 300-350 for heavy-duty transport and several prime movers already in the fleet. 

The two FVY 240-300 Autos – one with a flat top and the other with a tilt tray – are used for transporting heavy machinery, demountable buildings, and building materials to construction sites. 

These hefty medium-duty trucks have an optimal power-to-payload combination, sitting at 24,000 kg GVM (36,000 kg GCM) matched with beefy six-cylinder Isuzu 6HK1-TCS engines that output 221 kW of power (300 PS) @ 2,400 rpm and 981 Nm of torque @ 1,450 rpm. 

Loads are smoothly supported by Hendrickson rear airbag suspension and 6-speed Allison 3500 automatic transmission which assists VIP Towing drivers to focus on navigating Melbourne traffic. 

“Isuzu has a proven combination of payload and power for our application. We’ve had them before; they work well and fit us perfectly,” Adrian says. 

“I have found over the years that Isuzu trucks are very driver-friendly. Their service intervals are good, and the trucks are reasonably priced to maintain.” 

Models for miles 

On the other hand, VIP Towing’s new FRD 110-260 Auto was chosen for its handy size. Its relatively compact chassis footprint – just over seven metres in length on a medium-wheelbase model – combined with another of Isuzu’s six-cylinder turbocharged engines provides plenty of grunt to get things moving while being easy to manoeuvre on crowded job sites. 

Their new NLR Traypack, a step down in size but a step up in productivity, plays a supporting role as a service truck for VIP Towing and takes care of lighter duties such as delivering smaller machinery and gear on short notice. 

Isuzu’s NLR Traypack is available in both 5-speed manual transmission and 6-speed automated manual transmission (AMT), with a GVM of 4,500 kg and generous GCM of 8,000 kg that makes the NLR suitable for standard licence holders, with ample capacity to carry materials and tow up to an additional 4,000 kg. 

In with the new 

With each truck covering roughly 65,000 km per year, it’s important to Adrian that his fleet is maintained in prime condition so he has peace of mind about his driver’s safety. 

He also looks to turn over older vehicles at seven to eight years. Adrian explains that new equipment and technology help retain his loyal team of long-term employees and promote the company’s safety-first culture. 

“We have been progressively switching to automatic transmissions over the past four years as we retire old trucks and purchase new trucks for driver comfort and ease of use,” Adrian says. 

Keeping the fleet smartly maintained and on the road is the Geelong Isuzu dealership, which VIP Towing & Transport depends on for their servicing. 

Adrian says he appreciates the in-depth product knowledge and diagnostic techniques that service technicians at Geelong Isuzu provide. 

“Consistent servicing is vital to our business; we see it as a major step in keeping the trucks covered by their warranty and safe for our drivers,” Adrian says. 

“And Isuzu trucks are so reliable that if you stay up to date with servicing, there won’t be a problem.” 

Adrian now expects to bring in two new trucks yearly to meet growing demand. With an all-new model line-up with safer road use and driver wellbeing at its core coming later this year from Isuzu Trucks, Adrian’s business plans appear to be well-supported into the future. 

Geelong Isuzu will also have an important role to play in supporting this fleet expansion. 

“Whether it’s delivering a new truck to our business or picking up one of the trucks for servicing Geelong Isuzu have been supportive. 

“It’s a fantastic relationship we’ve got, and I’ve recommended them to many people who have asked me where I got my trucks.”