Aug 10 2010
The 500-strong fleet of one of Australia’s largest concrete companies is operating reliably and efficiently thanks to Allison’s 3000 Series. Now LBSS promises additional fuel economy savings.
For almost a decade Allison has been specified as the transmission of choice for the Hanson fleet of concrete agitators across Australia with more than 500 trucks fitted with Allison automatic transmissions mated to Cummins powerplants. The company is now introducing Allison’s new Load-Based Shift Schedule (LBSS) programmes in its trucks in a bid to maximise efficiency.
Hanson unified its purchasing requirements around 2003 with a single national specification, resulting in Allison becoming the company’s driveline choice for all of its concrete agitators. In major cities around Australia, the company’s concrete agitator fleet comprises of a mixture of mainly Iveco Accos and Mack Metroliners all of which are equipped with Allison 3000 Series transmissions.
According to Hanson’s national fleet logistics manager, Peter Black, Allison Transmissions have been a logical and rational choice given their track record for reliability and performance over many years. “Automatic transmissions are really the only choice for our operations. They make our drivers’ jobs that much easier and safer. Given all the things that drivers have to look out for, we don’t want them to have the extra task of changing gears,” said Peter Black. “Allison transmissions have proven themselves over many years. With the back up and service support place through its extensive distributor and dealer network, they are a tried and trusted choice for our fleet of concrete trucks.
Introducing LBSS
Allison’s LBSS adjusts the transmission shift schedule to best match the current vehicle load and operating conditions. This is achieved by monitoring vehicle throttle/engine torque demand and the vehicle acceleration rate. When light load conditions are identified, shifts are adjusted to ensure engine RPM is maintained at the most efficient point. When load is increased or grades are encountered, the shift schedule is adjusted to provide the operator with maximum performance. “More than ever, fuel consumption is very important to us. We are expecting LBSS to deliver a significant improvement in fuel economy to the fleet,” says Black.
Hanson has an annual vehicle replacement program. New trucks are put into service in metropolitan operations in major cities across the country. After a number of years they move to country operations in rural areas for the remainder of their time on the Hanson fleet.
“Prior to implementing a national purchasing regime, buying decisions were made individually by state offices which meant we had a mixed fleet,” added Black. “Since introducing a consistent national policy we have been able to maximise efficiency by using components that are the most efficient and reliable. Minimising downtime is very important to us. The performance of Allison over many years means we really don’t have a reason to move away from them. They are a known entity with great service back up and reliability.”