Holcim Australia, a leading supplier of aggregates, concrete, and precast concrete products, has transitioned a significant portion of its fleet of concrete mixers to fully automatic transmissions to rapidly expand its potential driver pool.
With a driver shortage impacting vital Australian business sectors such as freight and construction, many businesses are migrating to fully automatic transmissions, particularly in the medium-duty, light-duty and heavy-duty truck categories.
‘Candidates no longer require the specialised skills to drive a large manual vehicle but can still be a great addition to our team,’ said Dave King, Regional Logistics Manager, Queensland, Holcim Australia. ‘Our concrete agitator truck drivers undergo a comprehensive training programme, so this is one less thing to worry about. If you’ve got a newer driver running a manual, with a clutch and a brake and a gas pedal on a vehicle, such as an agitator that has a higher centre of gravity, it can be challenging for them. The simplicity of a fully automatic transmission helps us train staff confidently and safely.’
‘Furthermore, we do an awful lot of stop/start, a lot of idling, manoeuvring and dealing with inclines of up to 12 degrees,’ said King. ‘Often, two trucks feed onto the one pump when reversing onto concrete pumps. The finesse of a smooth, fully automatic transmission helps drivers position their discharge chutes with greater accuracy.’
Allison’s Continuous Power Technology provides superior low-speed control and manoeuvrability, enabling the precise inching and positioning of the loaded mixer truck with virtually no rollback.
Another advantage for Holcim has been the connection to Allison’s service network, which manages any adjustments on new fleet arrivals and assists with ongoing maintenance. The Allison Authorised Distributors network encompasses all 57 locations covered by Heavy Automatics, Penske Australia Pty, and Transdiesel.
