Scania’s brace of Limited Edition Black Amber R-series trucks are bringing a golden glow to the roads of Western Australia, and a heart-warming glow to their new owners.
Perth-based Scania customers have purchased both the V8-powered Black Amber prime movers imported into Australia; an R 730 and an R 620.
The R 730 Black Amber made its Australian debut at the Brisbane Truck Show earlier this year, with the R 620 saving itself for the Perth Truck Show in July.
Greg Goodchild from Greg’s Meat Transport secured the R 730, while David Edghill from Express Freezer Transport has become the owner of the R 620 Black Amber.
Greg’s Meat Transport runs a mixed fleet of more than 50 trucks, six of which are Scanias. Greg has added two R 560 6x4s and the Black Amber this year, with two P 360 8×2 rigids scheduled for delivery in 2014.
“I have been in the transport industry for 36 years and the Black Amber is the best vehicle I have ever seen,” Greg says.
“I have always wanted a truck like this, and as soon as I saw it at the Perth Truck Show and looked inside it, I knew I had to have one.
“The truck is already on the road, being driven by Greg Howard, one of my long-time drivers. He is fanatical about keeping it clean. His ute even carries a rainwater-filled tank that he uses to wash the truck. He’s got towels all over the inside to keep it pristine.”
Although Greg’s Meat Transport specialises in the refrigerated transport of a wide range of meat products, the Black Amber is hooked up to B-double containing supermarket groceries. Each day it plies the Forrest Highway to Bunbury and back, from the company’s base in Jandakot, Perth.
“We are getting excellent fuel from the truck, better performance than we expected, in fact,” Greg says.
“The response from other drivers on the road, and just anyone who sees it is phenomenal. It has been a great image-builder for our business, too, and I reckon it will help us attract good drivers in the future,” Greg says.
“We started buying Scanias because we had a good recommendation from another transport operator who has run them. We really like the quality of build and the backup from Scania, because you’re dealing with the factory. The team at Scania Bunbury is particularly good, and so I will have the Black Amber serviced by them. They’re always on the ball,” he says.
Express Freezer Transport has 10 trucks – eight of which are Scanias. Their trucks are also used in the distribution of fresh produce for supermarkets. EFT has purchased three new Scanias this year: a P 440 6×2 prime mover, the R 620 Black Amber, and a soon-to-be-delivered R 480 6×2 prime mover.
“The first truck I bought was a Scania, a second-hand 82M rigid, and my first new truck was a Scania a 4-series, a 94 310 hp 4×2,” David says.
The Express Freezer Transport R 620 Black Amber is pulling a smart new 49 ft. jumbo slider-side single refrigerated trailer that complements its stunning looks.
“That’s my truck,” David says definitively, when asked about the new Black Amber.
“I drive it most of the time and when I don’t, the driver who gets the text message that says he’ll be driving it the next day has a very big smile.
“It’s a beautiful truck to go to work in everyday,” David says.
“In the first week of driving Black Amber three guys came up and offered to come to work for me, just because we had it on the fleet. I reckon the Black Amber definitely elevates our profile. It says something positive about you as a transport operator.
“The Black Amber is such a distinctive truck, wherever we go not only do the fork lift drivers and dispatchers stop work to look at it, and pop their heads inside, but the office girls come out to see what all the fuss is about too.
“It’s like dating a movie star. I expected other drivers would be interested in it, but everyone wants to look at it,” he says.
David is not only a long-time Scania owner, he is also sold on Scania Maintenance and Repair Programmes, which means his trucks will always be in prime condition.
“All our trucks work six or seven days a week, but cover only around 80,000 km a year because we are delivering around the metro area. But they are hard kms, which is why I have these three new trucks on the Scania Maintenance and Repair Programme.
“It’s a no brainer for me because to be successful as a transport operator you have to know your costs as accurately as possible and control them.
“You need to be able to keep to your budget or know when you are not, so you can take action and adjust your prices to be in line with your costs.
“It’s about managing risk, so with the Maintenance and Repair Programme, the risk is carried by Scania over 1000 trucks, rather than my business across my 10 trucks,” he says.
According to Robert Dryland, the Scania WA Account Manager, New Trucks, who sold both vehicles, the eye-catching Black Ambers have been the talk of the town.
“We had a great response to the R 620 we had at the Perth Truck Show, and I was delighted when Greg and David expressed interest in them.
“Not only will the trucks be doing good work transporting produce and boosting the reputations of their owners, but they will raise the profile of Scania in Perth and Bunbury as well,” he says.
“Both customers were very enthusiastic about their new vehicles, and both are going to look after them through the Scania network which means they will enjoy complete peace-of-mind and maximum uptime.”
The Scania Black Amber Limited Edition trucks were created by Svempa, one of Scania’s long-time collaborators in the production of eye-catching trucks.
In addition to the Black Amber metallic paint that really glows in direct sunlight, there are carbon-fibre look flames racing up the side of the vehicle, complementing the bold Black Amber name badge adorning the front of the Highline Cab.
The special truck has black and chrome highlight wheels and plenty of piano black gloss trim, and inside the luxury continues with premium, perforated leather upholstery, a wood-and-leather-rimmed steering wheel and special carpets, while a large wooden commemorative plaque is fixed to the back wall.
