Tapping the Technology

SAFE WORK PRACTICES ARE PARAMOUNT FOR ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S LEADING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES COMPANIES, RESOURCECO, WHICH INCLUDES ENSURING ITS FLEET OF TRUCKS ARE LOADED CORRECTLY AND WITHIN AXLE WEIGHT LIMITS.

ResourceCo has grown from a oneperson operation in 1992, to over 700 staff operating in 22 locations in Australia and South-East Asia. The company recycles more than 95 per cent of incoming materials while processing over two million tonnes of materials annually. ResourceCo Material Solutions, a subsidiary of the ResourceCo Group, is a leader in material transportation, supply and disposal, operating a fleet of 42 truck and quad-dog combinations Australia-wide. According to ResourceCo National Fleet Manager, John Allen, safety compliance is at the forefront of everything the company does. “Given our safety-first commitment, we’ve been drawn to the impressive

solution offered by Wabco’s OptiLink system and installed by Air Brake Corporation,” John says. “It’s a real-time onboard axle weighing system that is not only durable, reliable and user-friendly to operate but also simple and cost effective to install,” he says. “We need to be able to monitor our axle group weights at all times when working on various road building projects to meet specific compliance and Chain of Responsibility (CoR) requirements. “ResourceCo’s trailers are already fitted with Wabco’s electronic braking system (EBS), so for us it was as simple as plugging the OptiLink system into the existing technology, which turned out to be a very efficient solution.”

Air Brake Corporation’s experienced team assisted ResourceCo to install the Wabco OptiLink system to 10 of its vehicles during one day over a weekend, importantly limiting any down time for the fleet. “The technology was fitted very quickly in comparison to another weighing system we were looking at, which required a truck to be off the road for up to three days,” John adds. Wabco’s EBS communicates via Wi-Fi to an app on a driver’s phone or tablet. This eliminates the need for any wiring between the truck and trailer and avoids the potential for malfunctions. If an issue should develop, John knows the backup and support offered by Air Brake Corporation is only a phone call away. “In our operation safety is the number

one priority, closely followed by minimising downtime. The fact is, we’re able to contact Air Brake Corporation 24/7 to guide us through any queries we may have about the equipment and vehicle maintenance; that’s the service and dedication we’re looking for.” Wabco’s OptiLink can also be configured with a long list of safety and damage avoidance features in addition to the axle weighing system. “Adding to our suite of safety measures, we’re looking at the option of Air Brake Corporation installing a tipping alarm that warns the operator and stops the tipping process if the angle of the tipping body exceeds a predetermined amount from vertical. This provides even further protection in avoiding a rollover situation,” John explains. Also available is an alarm that sounds if the tailgate is left open unintentionally and a

drawbar angle alarm which prevents damage caused by a trailer jack-knifing too far when tipping the load off the truck. This works by applying the truck’s brakes when the system senses the drawbar is approaching the point of contact with the rear tyres of the truck, preventing the driver from further reversing and therefore avoiding damage to the drawbar. An all-encompassing product, Wabco’s EBS with OptiLink provides a cost-effective suite of systems that assists drivers to operate truck and trailer combinations in a safe and compliant manner. It’s a win-win for the driver and truck owner.