Rural WA fuel distributor sees its deal offering multiple benefits
Western Australian fuel distributor South East Petroleum (SEP) has extolled the virtues of repair and maintenance (R&M) agreements.
It is particularly attracted to fleet services on a tailored-schedule and a fixed-cost basis.
The company transports diesel, unleaded petrol (ULP) and premium unleaded petrol (PULP) to the southernmost tip of the WA wheatbelt.
Seeding and harvest times see SEP trucks busy keeping up with peak farm deliveries, as well as maintaining the flow of fuel to retail outlets and some BP corporate customers.
Co-owner and operator Grant Harris says changing farming methods over the past couple of decades have had a varying effect on fuel demand at certain times of the year.
“During seeding, farmers are using bigger machines, but proportionally less fuel per hectare,” he says.
“But come harvest, when the weather comes right, it’s frantic.
“They’ve got three headers, a chaser bin and two trucks, they use a lot more fuel over harvest than they used to.
“They just want to get it off while the weather’s good.”
Since the company transports dangerous goods, the fleet requires independent safety inspection every six months – a service that is part of its tailored R&M agreement with Scania.
Considering its entire six-truck fleet comprises Scania prime movers, entering the Scania R&M program made more sense to the company.
The deal ensures SEP trucks are serviced at the local Scania agent every 15,000km, while the trailers are serviced every 7,000km.
SEP employee Trevor Bale, who is a mechanic by trade and has worked for the company for over five years, says the R&M program works for SEP from both maintenance and cost point of views.
“The fixed cost factor [of the R&M agreement] makes sense for us,” Bale says.
“It helps us understand our cost base.”
He acknowledges the services offered by Scania and the local workshop.
The agreement offers multiple benefits including:
- Agreed/fixed monthly fees
- Lowest parts and labour rates available
- On-road guarantee
- Tailored service schedule
- Reduced downtime
- Full coverage
- 24/7 national roadside assistance
Scania says its tailored R&M programs offer three levels of cover – maintenance, maintenance + driveline, and maintenance + repair.
Its standard R&M program covers:
- Routine services
- Consumables plus
- Preventative maintenance
- Wear/tear and failure
- Brake components
- Cab and chassis components
- Central gear and drive axle components
- Climate control components
- Cooling system components
- Electrical system components
- Engine and transmission components
- Steering and suspension components
- Vehicle software update
- Scania communicator – monitor fleet management system
This is a section of an article by ATN technical editor Matt Wood. To read the full feature, grab a copy of ATN’s latest issue.