A Canberra business has put the spotlight on how light-duty trucks can optimise last-mile freight movements, getting in and out of loading docks and warehouses in a jiffy.
P & G Trucking reserves its prime movers for bi-weekly interstate runs and trusts Isuzu’s medium-wheelbase NLR 45-150 Traypack for the bulk of the business’s deliveries.
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Operating from a main depot in Canberra and with additional depots in the regional centre of Young (New South Wales) and Brisbane (Queensland), the business has been open since 2018 and is run by avid truck drivers Paul and Gemma Smithers, a husband-and-wife team.
The duo splits responsibilities, with Paul at the helm as Director, piloting a prime mover, while Gemma manages the day-to-day machinations and covers deliveries in Canberra and surrounding towns in her brand-new NLR 45-150 Traypack.
“We have a heavy-rigid truck that travels between Young and Canberra every weekday and two prime movers with semi-trailers that travel directly twice a week between Young and Brisbane,” Gemma explained.
“Once freight arrives at the ACT and NSW depots, our Isuzu NLR 45-150 Traypacks get in to drop off deliveries to our customers.”
Paul and Gemma – who lend their initials to the company name – say their two Traypacks provide quick turnaround for a variety of small to medium-sized products ordered primarily by industrial clients.
“Our customers are your typical industrial businesses; one delivery might be cans of paint, electrical equipment, or tyres,” said Gemma.
“If a customer calls at the last minute to ask if we can move a carton, we make sure it happens as fast, reliably, and safely as possible.
“The Traypacks play a vital role for the business. Our semis move the freight from A to B, but when it comes to delivering that freight to the customer, our Isuzu Traypacks do 80 per cent of that work.”
Gemma is a big fan of her light-duty Isuzu, which she says gets the job done for her with minimal fuss and maximum comfort.
The Traypack’s 4,500 kg GVM, matched with a considerable 2,135 kg payload (on medium wheelbase, manual transmission models) and a 4,000 kg towing capacity, makes it extremely attractive for drivers like Gemma, who require a tough vehicle that is driveable on a standard car licence.
The NLR Traypack is powered by a 4-cylinder 4JJ1-TCS common rail system, offering 110 kW (150 PS) @ 2,800 rpm and a max torque of 375 Nm @1,600 – 2,800 rpm, which Gemma has paired with Isuzu’s MYY-5T five-speed manual gearbox for ultimate control.
The 4.5-metre tray provides plenty of space with removable drop sides that assist with efficient loading.
Coming from Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range, the NLR 45-150 Traypack is a turnkey solution that integrates necessary features without the need for any aftermarket alteration, such as a heavy-duty aluminium tray, load restraint anchor points, headboard including rear window protector, removable drop sides and rear tailgate, and a low-light capable reversing camera.
“Everything about the Traypack is well-planned and easy to use,” said Gemma.
“The anchorage points inside the tray for load restraint make tying down the loads very easy and prevent damage to the sides of the tray from tightly winched straps.
“The cabs are easy to get in and out of, and the truck holds weight really well for something that can be driven on a standard car licence.
“Isuzu came highly recommended to us, and once we put some freight on the truck, how it handled the weight was just fantastic. As soon as I took one for a drive, I was basically in love.”
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