Knocking at Your Door: Traypack Delivers for P & G Trucking

Moving produce around the country, transporting construction materials or distributing freight, there’s no denying that trucks play an indispensable role in Australia’s supply chain. 

For those communities outside the city centre, there are hundreds of smaller, dedicated transport operators, such as P & G Trucking in Canberra which are vital in ensuring that people receive their goods—with an estimated 241.8 billion tonne-kilometres of road freight moved in the 2022-2023 financial year in Australia. ​ 

It’s common for much of this freight movement to be conducted using heavy-duty vehicles. But P & G Trucking is doing things a little differently, reserving their prime movers for bi-weekly interstate runs and trusting Isuzu’s medium wheelbase NLR 45-150 Traypack for last-mile deliveries. 

The company opened in 2018 and is based in Canberra, with a depot in the flourishing regional centre of Young and another in Brisbane. ​ 

Director Paul Smithers pilots one of the prime movers for the business, doing the Brisbane to Canberra route while his life and business partner Gemma Smithers drives one of the light-duty Traypack on rounds. 

“We have a heavy-rigid truck that travels between Young and Canberra every weekday and two prime movers with semi-trailers that travel directly twice a week between Young and Brisbane,” Gemma explained. 

“Once freight arrives at the ACT depots, our Isuzu NLR 45-150 Traypacks get in to drop off deliveries to our customers.” ​ 

Right truck, right job 

Paul and Gemma—who lend their initials to the company name—say their two Traypacks provide quick turnaround for a variety of small to medium-sized products, which are primarily ordered by industrial clients. 

“Our customers are your typical industrial businesses; one delivery might be cans of paint, electrical equipment, or tyres,” said Gemma. ​ 

“If a customer calls up last minute to ask if we can move a carton, we make sure it happens as fast, reliable, and safely as possible. 

“The Traypacks play a vital role for the business. Our semis move the freight from A to B, but when it comes to delivering that freight to the customer, our Isuzu Traypacks do 80 per cent of that work.” 

Of that 80 per cent, you’ll most likely find Gemma behind the wheel around Canberra and surrounds. She unloads freight once it arrives at the company’s primary depot, sorting and then loading up a Traypack to take out on the road, five days a week. 

She’s a big fan of her light-duty Isuzu, which she says gets the job done for her with minimal fuss and maximum comfort. ​ 

The Traypack’s 4,500 kg GVM, which is matched with a considerable 2,135 kg payload (on medium wheelbase, manual transmission models), plus a 4,000 kg towing capacity, makes it extremely attractive for drivers like Gemma, who require a tough vehicle that is driveable on a standard car licence. 

The NLR Traypack is powered by a 4-cylinder 4JJ1-TCS common rail system, offering 110 kW (150 PS) @ 2,800 rpm and a max torque of 375 Nm @1,600 – 2,800 rpm, which Gemma has matched with Isuzu’s MYY-5T five-speed manual gearbox for ultimate control. 

The 4.5-metre tray provides plenty of space with removable drop sides that assist with efficient loading. 

“As soon as I took one for a drive, I was basically in love,” remarked Gemma. 

“Isuzu came highly recommended to us, and once we put some freight on the truck, how it handled the weight was just fantastic. 

“We had wraps and signage done by Signlime Signage Canberra last December to complete the package.” ​ 

Safety first 

Coming from Isuzu's Ready-to-Work range, the NLR 45-150 Traypack is a turnkey solution that integrates necessary features without the need for any aftermarket alteration, such as a heavy-duty aluminium tray, load restraint anchor points, headboard including rear window protector, removable drop sides and rear tailgate, and a low-light capable reversing camera. 

This safe and efficient operating environment is further bolstered by Isuzu’s Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), which supports the driver and helps protect other road users with features like Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB), to name a few. 

The ability of the ADAS to detect and recognise a situation before it arises, combined with Isuzu’s in-built safety features, gives Gemma a sense of reassurance. 

“Everything about the Traypack is well-planned and easy to use,” she commented. 

“The anchorage points inside the tray for load restraint make tying down the loads very easy and prevent damage to the sides of the tray from tightly winched straps. 

“The cabs are easy to get in and out of, and the truck holds weight really well for something that can be driven on a standard car licence.” 

Reliability for the future 

As a well-known local operator, P & G Trucking knows that appearance matters when it comes to building its reputation with clients. The fleet is the pride of the business, and ensuring trucks are kept squeaky clean is an activity that Gemma says takes up most of their weekends. 

Paul and Gemma also flag preventative maintenance as a key step in offering reliable service. They trust their two Isuzu trucks to Canberra Isuzu, who also helped them with their initial purchase and trial run of the Traypacks. 

“We need to have good, reliable gear to provide a great service for our customers, so we plan on continuing having our Traypacks serviced with Canberra Isuzu,” noted Gemma. 

“We see preventative maintenance as essential to looking after our vehicles.” ​ 

P & G Trucking plans to expand its service in the near future, while Gemma also has some personal goals in mind. 

“One of my goals is to upgrade my licence to drive heavy rigid and prime movers. 

“It's tricky to find the time to study for the licence amongst my management duties, but I can't wait to make it happen.”