The wait for the posties whistle and the expectation of some interesting correspondence amongst the bills and invoices was something that many people had daily expectations for but it seems the daily mail has fallen by the wayside replaced by a full folder of emails on your computer including a lot of spam.
However although fewer Aussies are physically posting letters these days, the convenience of e-commerce has seen more parcels than ever being delivered to households via traditional physical mail, which means postal contractors are being kept very busy all year round, not just during the normal Christmas rush.
Long-term contractor to Australia Post, Rodney Burkett, knows the road from Bendigo to Mildura in Victoria like the back of his hand. having pounded the road as a postal contractor for close to 20 years , While the road is much the same, the trucks that he’s used over the past two decades to fulfill delivery obligations have changed.
A new Iveco S-Way 360 AT 6×2 rigid has most recently joined Burkett’s two truck fleet.
The new addition to the Burkett fleet is fitted with a tautliner body, that’s set-up to carry unit load devices, along with a tailgate lift.
The truck is loaded in Bendigo via the curtainsides and then an electric pallet jack is used by the driver to unload at five drop locations en route to Robinvale around an hour east of Mildura.
The return leg sees the truck once again reloaded with mail and parcels while in transit to Bendigo, where the process begins once again.
In a week the vehicle covers an average of around 3,500 kilometres.
The new S-Way which began work in February, apparently replaces another European truck but this is Burkett’s first Iveco.
“I was looking for another option and on paper the specs of the S-Way looked good for what I needed,” Burkett said.
“I’ve always been drawn to the European trucks – I like the quiet cabin, the comfort and the added refinement they provide compared to the Japanese and North American alternatives.
“I actually bought the S-Way without test driving it. A few years ago, I drove the earlier X-Way and was impressed by it.
“The only reason I didn’t get the Iveco back then was because there was a wait for the spec I wanted, and I needed the truck urgently. I figured that in the time since, the trucks had only gotten even better,” said Burkett.
Burkett says his S-Way has a GVM of 27.6tonnes which he says is more than ample for the application with its 360hp of power and 1650Nm of torque and is mated to Iveco’s adaptation of the ZF AMT labelled as its Hi-Tronix 12-speed automated manual transmission.
The truck is also well equipped with the usual suite of active safety features and driving aids including Advanced Emergency Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning and GPS Predictive Drive.
“The S-Way is brilliant, it’s lovely to drive and so quiet,” Burkett said.
“The engine is good as well and fuel use is excellent, we’re getting up to three kilometres per litre and it’s still early on.”
The truck is fitted with an ADR 42-compliant sleeper cab, however given the delivery schedule which sees the truck’s ‘working day’ begin in Bendigo at 1:00am and finish in Robinvale at about 6:00am, before reloading at 2:00pm for the return to Bendigo, Burkett and his three drivers use a unit in Robinvale to properly rest-up and meet fatigue management requirements.
Although Burkett is happy with the S-Way in standard trim, he says he has fitted some accessories to further boost efficiency and functionality, including an obligatory alloy bull bar to protect from animal strikes on what is a road that is infamous for. roadkill. He has also fitted an air deflector to help fuel economy along with additional fuel tanks which have been positioned just in front of the drive axle to assist with weight distribution.
Appearance has also been lifted with custom blue and silver striped livery.
Burkett said that maintenance on the new S-Way is looked after by the team at Bendigo Truck Centre (BTC).
“BTC is handling upkeep on the S-Way and I’ve found that the dealership provides a professional service,” Burkett said.
“As for the truck itself, I’ve been quite impressed and it’s performed very well in the time that I’ve had it,” he said.
