IDSL AND ISUZU 'STEGGLERS' FOR QUALITY TRANSPORTATION

IDSL Transport has been delivering chicken across Queensland for the past 10 years, so if you’re a Queenslander, chances are you’ve either served or been served one of IDSL’s plucky deliveries.

“I run five trucks full time for Steggles in Ipswich, Queensland,” Director Ian Philip said. “Each one of my trucks has a certain run – we cover the Sunshine Coast, out west to Toowoomba and all of the supermarkets and fast food stores in South East Queensland. “I started off with one truck and now I’ve got five trucks and seven staff. “IDSL stands out because we’re hard working, have great gear and modern, reliable trucks.” In the time since IDSL earned its first Steggles contract, the average Australian has upped their chicken consumption to over 50 kg a year, with Australians eating almost double the amount of poultry that they do red meat.

Testament to IDSL’s renowned reliability and Queensland’s voracious appetite for chicken, Ian recently expanded his fleet – with the acquisition of three new Isuzu FXL LWB 1500 trucks. The FXL 1500 has a GVM of 24,000 kg, a mammoth 257 kW @ 2,000 rpm and 1,422 Nm @ 1,400 rpm, allowing it to easily handle the long, highway expeditions required to sate Queensland’s hunger. Ian said the FXLs are the pride of his fleet. “The first truck I ever purchased was an Isuzu 10 years ago,” Ian said. “Its reliability is the reason I’ve bought another three, and will continue to buy Isuzus. “Unlike its competitors, the FXL’s don’t need AdBlue, which was massively appealing, and the power is amazing. “I can’t overstate how powerful these trucks are.” When you’re driving a truck as powerful as an FXL, the reliability and robustness of the transmission is vital and the ZF 1310 TO 9-speed manual transmission in Ian’s FXL delivers.

The ZF always ensures smooth gear changes, optimum power delivery and an even smoother ride. “My driver who handles the Toowoomba route is fully loaded,” Ian said. “Because we’ve got weighbridges, he’s going out with 21 tonnes of chicken a day. “His FXL has never even been in the low range driving up the Toowoomba ranges. It’s exceptionally impressive. “I own one other truck from a competitor brand, and it doesn’t come close to my Isuzus. Trucking is all about reliability and power, so Isuzu has its priorities right.” While Ian’s keen to praise Isuzu’s effect on his business, he’s shown an impressive level of business acumen himself. Entrusted with one of Queensland’s largest food transportation contracts, Ian’s unwavering commitment to his company has seen IDSL gain a significant role in Queensland’s food chain. There are few business owners that could have chosen a better time to enter an industry, but with typical modesty, Ian is quick to put his success down to his equipment, his relationships and his employees’ work ethic.

“My first truck is at the depot by 1 am, the drivers load and then they all leave by early in the morning,” Ian said. “All my drivers do a 12-hour shift. When they return, I use a couple of the trucks to do other night work. “My drivers love the trucks. They really appreciate the comfort, power and how spacious Isuzu’s cabs are. “They’ve also got enough capacity, which is great. You never feel like you’re straining it, no matter what. “I love Isuzu overall, but the reliability, comfort and power are particularly impressive – they’re the whole package.” With IDSL’s staff completing such long shifts, the FXL’s Isri 6860 air-suspension seat with pneumatic lumbar support, and Digital Audio Visual Equipment (DAVE) unit with 6.2 inch LCD touchscreen, digital radio, CD/DVD/Mp3 playback and Bluetooth with voice recognition ensures Ian’s drivers have the most comfortable and pleasant trip possible. Staff, customer and business relationships are Ian’s major priorities, so it comes as little surprise that Ian was also full of praise for the staff at Gold Coast Isuzu. “The service that I get from Gold Coast Isuzu is another reason why I’d never buy another brand of truck,” Ian said. “I’ve been going to them for 10 years and I’ve never had an issue, they put 100 per cent of their energy into looking after me. The relationship I have with them has made growing IDSL a lot easier.”

Ultimately, Ian is enjoying the impact his FXL 1500s are continuing to have on IDSL Transport. Continuing to meet the expectations of large contracts and the ravenous public is the first task at hand, but one that Ian’s sure is within his reach. “We’re going to carry on doing what we do and expand along the way,” Ian said. “But I’m so glad I chose Isuzus at the start, I’d heard about their amazing reputation even back then. “They’ve made a massive difference to my business and I’d recommend them to anyone. “Some of the Isuzu’s do an average of over 2,000 km a week. I’ve never had a drama mechanically with my 10-year-old Isuzu, let alone the newer models. “I wish all aspects of business were as easy and reliable as buying Isuzus.”