Cookers has added a Scania P-series rigid to its fleet for frugal, clean and safe regional transport.

“We aim to be 1% better, every day,” says Matthew Weinert, National Fleet Safety and Compliance Manager for Cookers, distributors and collectors of new and used cooking oil to the local food industry.

This dedication to improvement and to providing excellence is reflected in the selection of a new Scania P 360 to deliver to regional areas, with safety, fuel efficiency, low emissions and sustainability their core focus.

“We have just put a new Scania P-series into the fleet to handle some of our regional deliveries. The driver will be away through the week in the truck, so reliability and safety are critical. We have seen already in the first few weeks on the road that the truck is returning impressive fuel figures,” Matthew says.

“Soon after delivery we had the Scania driver trainer visit to provide some expert guidance on how to get the best from the truck. Our Scania driver enjoyed the experience and found it very informative, particularly introducing him to the Scania Retarder and how to understand the onboard Scania Driver Support scoring system.

“Using the Scania fleet management portal we’re able to track his driving performance as well as fuel efficiency. The detail provided is exceptional,” Matthew says.

“The fuel consumption has delivered excellent results even though the engine is still being run in. Because we spend a lot of time idling and running the PTO to pump oil in and out, we’re scheduling servicing on an engine hours basis rather than km. We will service it at between 900-1000 hours through the Scania Repair and Maintenance programme, which gives us full running cost transparency.

“We have been able to track the fuel burn and compare it with other trucks doing similar routes and carrying similar payloads, and the Scania fuel consumption is a lot better, so we expect to come out in front by a good margin over 12 months and around about 100,000 km plus all the idling hours,” he says. “It works out to thousands of dollars in savings on fuel, which is obviously good from a financial perspective, but also it means you're burning less fuel, so your environmental emissions are down as well.

“We’re also looking for durability and minimal downtime, because our customers rely on us to deliver.

“Everyone who has driven the Scania so far, loves it. It's comfortable, quiet, roomy, has great ergonomics and with the all-round air suspension, the ride is very pleasant, laden or unladen,” he says.

New oil for cooking is sourced locally in a controlled manner to ensure consistency of product anywhere in Australia. Cookers’ fleet facilitate continual top ups and or collection to avoid landfill and packaging traditionally used in commercial kitchens.

The majority of Cookers’ fleet consists of medium rigids on urban routes, but the Scania will be used in regional areas due to its comfort, safety, and payload.

“The truck will be doing a decent km, so we need it to be a safe, reliable and comfortable vehicle,” Matthew says. “This new Scania will be based at Derrimut and will be covering vast distances across the state.

“When we were looking to replace our existing truck, we wanted the very latest safety features. Scania has standard side curtain roll over airbags and a driver airbag, lane departure warning and all the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, especially Advanced Emergency Braking. As I understand it, all Scanias are fitted the same size brake package across the range, which is comforting, along with downhill cruise control and the Retarder which will pull the vehicle up without using the service brakes or relying on a low gear and over-revving the engine,” Matthew says.

Scania is renowned for its excellent visibility out of a large windscreen and with mirrors positioned to avoid blind spots at intersections, and these combine to meet the needs of the Cookers’ drivers because they undertake a lot of deliveries in tight or confined parking areas at the back of eateries.

"The vision is actually excellent, which helps enhance safety outcomes for everyone and reduces damage to the vehicle, ultimately leading to less time off the road,” Matthew says.

Judging by the success of the first Scania on the fleet, further examples could be pending, possibly including some dedicated to waste oil collection.

“We established a very strong relationship with Scania in Victoria right away through the Account Manager as well as with Jarrod Hegarty, the National Sales Manager. They came to see us and could visualize what we were looking for. Nothing was too much trouble. Now we have Key Account Manager Tevfik Onguc looking after us, and his knowledge is exceptional. What I liked about the Scania team was that they have been with the business a very long time,” Matthew says.

“I really felt that I was dealing with a reputable company that values their staff. And it shows that these guys care about the brand. All the way through the service has been great, plus if I have a question, I know who to ask for advice or help. I just need to make a call and then I can get the answer. It’s good for us that the branch is a subsidiary of Scania, so we’re effectively talking to the factory, so you won’t get the runaround,” he says.

“I've met some other people from Scania Head Office in Campbellfield; they’re all long-term employees too. I visited during the truck’s pre-delivery, and the people working on it, adding the local spec to the body, were dedicated to doing the job properly,” he says.

“The Cookers experience with Scania has been positive, and we aim to ensure that continues,” says Tevik Onguc.

“Scania has configured the truck to meet Cookers’ exact needs for intra-state delivery and the 360 hp engine has plenty of power and torque for the terrain it will cover, as well as the air suspension all round for a very smooth ride. These elements will help reduce driver fatigue and keep him and other road users safe,” Tevfik says.

“Scania anticipates providing Cookers with further examples of the versatile P-series in due course.”