National fleet services provider Sargent is boosting its fleet of specialised truck-buses with a new 14-seater vehicle which can carry both personnel and equipment.
Sargent will soon receive the first six of 14 Fuso ‘Canter’ truck buses which will be used on pipeline projects in the Surat Basin and mine sites in the Bowen Basin and across Australia.
The company earlier this year introduced twenty 18-seat heavy duty off road vehicles to its fleet which are also being used in major pipeline projects.
“The new 14-seat truck buses feature a tray back which provides greater functionality on projects as they are able to carry both personnel and equipment at the same time,” Sargent CEO Grant Chugg says.
“This reduces the number of vehicles needed on a site and allows more people and equipment to be carried around at any given time, making it safer for crews and reducing environmental impacts.
“Demand for truck buses is growing within the resources industry because of their reputation for safe operation, sturdy and long lasting construction and their ability to operate in extreme terrains.”
The 4×4 vehicles are being supplied by Zupps Truck & Bus Centre Gold Coast, which has been supplying vehicles to Sargent’s national fleet for just more than two years.
The truck buses are being fitted out to Sargent’s specifications by Sunshine Coast-based company All Terrain Warriors.
Chugg says the truck buses were being modified to cope with extreme conditions as well as provide extra safety for crews.
“The main modifications include a single rear wheel conversion which allows for a better ride and handling over common mining surfaces such as mud, greater fuel efficiency and means no more rocks stuck in dual wheels which can cause damage to the tyres,” he says.
“The vehicles also feature roll over protection, collision avoidance and GPS tracking systems and parabolic spring suspension which delivers improved flexibility, stability, load capacity and shock absorption.
“Sargent is committed to safety and the safe use of vehicles in all sectors we work with, and we continue to seek out products that fit the needs of our clients and keep everyone safe, both at work and play,” says Chugg.
Zupps Truck & Bus Centre Gold Coast General Sales Manager Greg Cooper says the vehicles were built to withstand the toughest terrain.
“In testing, the new Fuso Canter travelled a distance of over 3 million kilometres, the equivalent of seven times the distance from Earth to the moon in a wide variety of climates and terrains,” he says.