GTS lifts to new heights

To address its growing freight task, GTS Freight Management has placed its most significant B-double order to date from Australian trailer powerhouse, Vawdrey Australia.

Maximising cubic space is the driving force behind every trailer purchase by GTS Freight Management, which is why high-cube expert, Vawdrey Australia, has become an integral part of its 170 B-double-strong fleet.

“We have been purchasing from Vawdrey for almost two decades now and our relationship with Paul Vawdrey has been terrific for all those years. I’d say most of the fleet now consists of Vawdrey trailers,” says Damien Matthews, Managing Director of GTS Freight Management.

To address the company’s ever-growing freight task, GTS has recently taken delivery of another nine Vawdrey straight deck B-double sets, fitted with a range

of high-tech features to increase both performance and safety, including Vawdrey’s patented LatchLiner curtain system.

“Each set of B-doubles has a 36-pallet capacity – 14 in the lead trailer and 22 in the B-trailer – to accommodate glass bottles and palletised goods,” says Damien. “The LatchLiner system is one of the most user-friendly concepts on the market because it works at the pull of a handle.”

As part of the same order, GTS Freight Management has also taken delivery of a new Performance-Based Standards (PBS) approved hi-cube triple drop deck B-double. It is the ninth triple drop deck B-double purchased in the past 18 months and the first to have been fitted with Vawdrey’s auto mezzanine deck system.

Like the previous hi-cube triple drop deck B-doubles, the new combination will operate in GTS Freight’s G1 Logistics linehaul division and also boasts a 4.6m high frame capable of handling 72 pallets across the whole combination.

Under PBS requirements, the triple drop B-double can operate at a 68.5 tonne gross vehicle mass, Damien says.

“With the added bonus of the auto mezzanine decks we can add another two pallets on the second order diflucan level so long as they stay within the 1.8m height requirement – all without the operator or forklift driver having to manually remove or adjust the deck, which can create OH&S issues.”

Designed to simplify the mezz deck loading process, Vawdrey says the new auto mezz system will accelerate loading times without loss of pallet space.

Vawdrey Australia General Manager, Alastair Lang, explains the advantages of the new system. “Our engineers have worked hard to update our auto mezz deck design, creating a solution that is fast, reliable and user-friendly,” he says.

“The system can be easily operated remotely at the push of the button. It is certain to speed up loading times for operators, saving them the hassle of having to raise and lower mezzanine decks with a forklift.”

Next to the equipment itself, Vawdrey’s reliable backup service has also proven a mainstay of GTS’ on-going success. “As a business that also has a strong family focus, we believe in building solid relationships with our clients. But obviously, it’s the finished product that is most important, which Vawdrey understands,” he says.

As GTS’ workload continues to increase, the need for transport equipment that is both innovative and versatile will be key in the years ahead.

“In our industry, you’re always looking for an edge to separate yourself from the competition, and Vawdrey is delivering on it time and again,” Damien says. “The high level of detail that’s put into each trailer design is why we continue doing business together.

“Vawdrey has always found a way to perfectly match its equipment to our operation. Its engineers are some of the industry’s best and that’s reflected well in the creativity and innovativeness of the finished product. These new B-double straight decks and the triple drop deck B-double are a big reason why our partnership continues to flourish.”