Story Wayne Munro Photos Gerald Shacklock BIG TEST - Isuzu

Above: Performance from the new EGR six-cylinder engine seems fine for the truck’s metro duties
Opposite page, top: As with the operation of the F Series, its dashboard display and controls are simple and straightforward
Opposite page, bottom left: Diesel particulate diffuser is part of Isuzu’s exhaust emissions control system
Opposite page, bottom right: Cab feels quite roomy, has comfy Isri air seat for driver
Says Ferguson: “I’m convinced, particularly in today’s economic
climate, that you’ve got to have some point of difference out there. And
there’s a lot of trucks rolling around the Auckland streets at the moment
that are looking pretty tired and faded and jaded. Having good gear
out there sets you apart from that”
The homebound rush-hour run is a test, says Anthony: “Yeah, it is
the worst part of the job – but you’ve just got to go with it. There’s
nothing you can do.”
Accidents that trigger traffic jams and diversions have on occasions
made the 35-kilometre trip from Albany back to Bullet’s depot a two
hours-plus proposition, rather than the usual 45 minutes.
So this is the lot of this new Isuzu and another three identical
trucks added to the Bullet fleet in the past few months – delivering
metro freight…and delivering a number of benefits to the company, as
MD Owen Ferguson details.
The Isuzus – added to the fleet via longterm lease deals with TR
Group – are good for the company’s high-profile image, good for the
bottom line….and good for the drivers.
So much so that the original commitment to one truck extended to
take in the other three: “The first one came in and the feedback was
good – from the marketplace and from the drivers. It was so driverfriendly,”
says Owen Ferguson.
“One of the key things we got back from all of the drivers is that
the Isuzus are just so quiet.” So tick off driver comfort – and an
ongoing employment benefit: “If you’ve got good gear you’ll attract
good drivers – and retain good drivers,” says Ferguson.
Adding the Isuzus to the operation started out as an exercise to
update what had become an ageing metro fleet, mostly comprising
secondhand Japanese imports: They were trucks that had given the
freight forwarder “a capability of a tail-lift and decent space at a
decent price.” Painted up in Bullet Freight’s eyecatching purple, orange
and white livery, the imports had served the company well – but
increasing maintenance costs dictated a renewal programme.
“In talking with TR we felt that we could get some technically
highly-specced bits of equipment to replace some of the older units
that we had on the fleet, put ‘em on fully-maintained five-year leases
– taking potential frights away – and get the benefit of good fuel
economy and also the benefit of having good-looking gear out in
the marketplace.” Trucks also able to tow the two-axle and three-axle
trailers built by Opinion for Bullet’s metro runs (and the odd out-oftown
fill-in job).
Ferguson took TR’s recommendation of Isuzu being the right trucks
– price-wise, fuel economy-wise…and because their engines comply
with the Euro 4 exhaust emissions standard, which is a bit more
stringent than the parallel Japanese or North American standards.
“Everybody’s got to be environmentally conscious,” says Ferguson,
adding: “We don’t run specific statistics on the local fleet (we could
if we wished to) – but I’m sure we’d be getting greatly-enhanced fuel
economy compared to the older trucks we’d been running.”
Just as importantly for Bullet – a rarity among transport operators in
that it regularly advertises its freight-forwarding services on tv – “it’s
good-looking gear.”
Says Ferguson: “I’m convinced, particularly in today’s economic
climate, that you’ve got to have some point of difference out there.
And there’s a lot of trucks rolling around the Auckland streets at the
24 | Truck & Driver
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