Local Motive

WM Waste Management Services is keeping it local with four new Australian-engineered and assembled DAF trucks from PACCAR Australia.

WM Waste Management Services has been providing waste management and recycling services to Victoria’s south-eastern suburbs since 1985.

The Boronia-based family-owned business was established by Managing Director Mark Jeffs, who has overseen its growth into one of Victoria’s largest hard waste collection companies.

Now with a fleet of more than 70 vehicles and a workforce of about 100, WM Waste is a company built on strong professional and community relationships – one that endeavours to preserve the environment around it.

Candice Fecondo, WM Waste Hard Waste Operations Manager, says Mark has made a particular effort to support and engage with the local community through his work.

“He sponsors a lot of local sporting clubs, charities, and likes to support local businesses as well,” she says.

Candice says this mindset was a contributing factor when Mark and the WM Waste team were looking to expand the company’s fleet of rear-loading compactor trucks. This led WM Waste to purchase four new DAF CF 340 FAD (8×4) trucks through PACCAR dealer Hallam Truck Centre earlier this year.

BUILT IN AND FOR AUSTRALIA

DAF’s CF 340 FAD trucks are locally engineered and assembled by PACCAR Australia at its Bayswater facility, and optimised specifically for the needs of the country’s waste management sector.
WM Waste paired these trucks with Superior Pak rear-loading compactors, which was made simple with DAF’s bodybuilder-friendly flexible chassis layout. Candice says the trucks have been designed to deal with any situation a waste company might encounter.

“They go everywhere, from Toorak to the Yarra Valley and beyond,” she says. “I’ve found we can take these trucks across all terrains. They’re great on the highway, great on dirt roads, and great on city streets.

“Big trucks like these are not always easy to handle in cities, but they cope well. Their turning circle is pretty standout for a twin-steer, which is great for courts and other tight areas. The side camera is also great for tight streets, allowing that extra visibility on the blind side of the cabin. Our drivers really love that feature.”

Candice says the CF 340’s suspension also makes for more comfortable operation, especially when working long hours.

“When you’re fully loaded and you hit a bump, that can really throw a truck around,” she says. “But these DAFs just glide across them – you feel in control.”

EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY

The CF 340 is powered by a PACCAR MX-11 Euro 6 engine and an Allison 3200 six-speed automatic gearbox. Combined with the truck’s low tare-weight design, it is optimised to offer a balance of power and efficiency.

“PACCAR has re-engineered these chassis to be about 500 kilograms lighter, which really helps increase our payload capacity when you add that up over three or four loads per day,” Candice says.

She says one aspect that has been popular with the WM Waste team is the Driver Performance feature offered as part of the PACCAR Connect telematics system.

This system evaluates a driver’s performance by monitoring a range of behaviours and translates that data into a detailed scorecard. This also provides drivers with tips on how to operate the vehicles to maximise efficiency, reducing fuel burn and maintenance costs.

“Our drivers treat it like a bit of a challenge, they have a sense of competition about it,” Candice says. “They love going for the best score, and it’s helping them drive more efficiently. It provides live feedback to the driver through the dashboard as well – it will let them know when they’re driving too hard, advises when they should be anticipating braking events, and over-idling in order to save fuel. We’re noticing the difference with our fuel bill.”

ROBUST SUPPORT

Candice says WM Waste’s previous positive experience with DAF trucks has been strengthened by the relationship the business has developed with the local dealer and the support it has offered.
“The sales team at Hallam Truck Centre has been great, and very involved through the whole process,” she says.

“They also follow through with the service department side of things to make sure we are taken care of.”

Article reproduced courtesy of Waste Management Review (November 2022).

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