Freight Assist Australia began operating in 2012 out of Victoria, and since then, it has completely evolved into a national bulk transport and logistics provider with a large presence throughout Australia.
Utilising a reliable fleet of Vawdrey trailers, the company specialises in the transport of general palletised freight of all commodity types including food and retail as well as a large amount of both packaged and bulk Dangerous Goods (DG).
In its latest development, Freight Assist Australia has brought two new Vawdrey 36.5m A-double Performance-Based Standards (PBS) trailer combinations into the fold, each consisting of two 22-pallet double drop deck tautliners approved for PBS Level 3A.
The trailers feature a double drop chassis for maximum cubic capacity, BPW Transpec axles and suspension, mezzanine decks to suit the double loading of palletised freight, Super-Strap load restraint curtains, a Rite-Weigh Digital On-Board Mass (OBM) weighing system and Vawdrey’s full height and lightweight load rated Lift-A-Gate hanging gate system.
Among many other custom specifications, the units also have a new and unique livery for the fleet. The curtains feature the Australian flag which is very different to Freight Assist Australia’s regular branding.
Moving away from the white in its standard artwork, the business is testing the new design as part of its goal to maintain its image as a reliable national transport carrier. The curtains also feature the logo of One Warehousing, Freight Assist Australia’s third-party logistics (3PL) warehousing division between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Freight Assist Australia is very familiar with PBS, thanks in part to multiple sets of 42-pallet Super B-doubles from Vawdrey deployed over the last few years. Now, it is expanding its abilities in this field even further with the latest A-doubles from the trailer builder.
Freight Assist Australia Managing Director, Dean Wrigley, says the rationale behind purchasing the new PBS A-doubles was to move more freight on less vehicles between Melbourne and Sydney. The combinations, being trialled in these corridors, will now look to achieve this.
“In effect, they’re going to allow us an extra 10 tonnes per vehicle, or 20 tonnes combined,” he says. “I’m estimating them to save up to the equivalent of 12 B-doubles per month, which will be a significant cost saving because of the reduction in the number of linehaul vehicles required.
“So, if this works, it’s likely that we’ll introduce additional A-doubles into our fleet going forward, and it’s likely that we’ll start running triples into Brisbane as well.”
According to Dean, the A-doubles’ higher carrying capacities will play a major role in this objective of increasing load margin profitability for the business.
“A standard B-double set has 34 pallet spaces and a 35-tonne carrying capacity, while the A-double sets have 44 pallet spaces,” he says. “So, by adding the additional 10 pallet spaces per tonne to each movement, that will result in additional load margin per unit each day.”
While Freight Assist Australia has been running a large B-double fleet since its establishment it is now venturing into the field of A-doubles and triples, with the new Vawdrey trailers being at the forefront of this journey.
“These trailers are certainly new for us,” Dean says. “We have seen a lot of them running the highways. A lot of operators have been using them for quite some time, which has allowed me to come to the realisation that there’s been a lot more accessibility to get into certain locations.”
The combinations will be used in Freight Assist Australia’s shuttle runs where they will complete changeovers in approved locations between Victoria and New South Wales, in what Dean says will be a “more controlled environment” from depot to depot.
“The idea is that we will be running fewer prime movers, and more freight will be moving on the PBS trailer sets,” he says. “I have no doubt that they’re definitely going to meet our requirements. They’re only running through our depots, so they’re not going out on deliveries and pickups. It means they will be utilised five to six days a week out of both Melbourne and Sydney.”
The high calibre associated with Vawdrey’s trailers is initially what attracted Dean to the product. And, as the years went on and he accumulated more units, he continued to adjust his specifications with Vawdrey to end up with a perfect setup to better suit his needs.
Based on his own experience, Dean says you get what you pay for with Vawdrey.
“Their equipment is impressive,” he says. “People look at a trailer and they think, ‘It’s just a trailer’, but it’s not. You can see the quality within Vawdrey. I think their product is superior. It has done wonders for us.
“I honestly feel that they build a quality product, but they also know that it’s going to benefit their customers financially by greater returns on investment.”
Dean values Vawdrey greatly. Not only due to its manufacturing abilities, he says, but because the OEM is able to build relationships with its customers.
“One thing I’ve noticed over the last several years in dealing with Vawdrey is that they like to bring likeminded people from similar industries together that they feel would benefit from each other’s experience and knowledge,” he says.
In overview, the overall reliability that comes with a Vawdrey product is what Freight Assist Australia has gained from the most.
“Our trailer maintenance is done internally, so I’ve got my own drive-through workshops,” Dean says. “I haven’t had any major defects on any of the Vawdrey trailers that I have purchased since we started.
“I value the relationship between Freight Assist Australia and Vawdrey. I feel that we’re an extension of them and that they’re an extension of us. I’m impressed with Vawdrey overall. All of my recent trailer acquisitions have been with Vawdrey, and I will continue to stay with them.”
