In Freightliner we trust

Trust is earned, not given. Following a positive service experience with Keith Andrews, Shayne Hamilton purchased a second-hand Freightliner Columbia from the North Island Daimler dealer and, impressed with its performance, has just added a new 600hp Cascadia 126 to his fleet. Shayne’s trust is being repaid – with interest!

Shayne started Waikato Bobcat and Digger Services in 1999, after leaving his role as a corrections officer – a move he says was inspired by wanting a job he could build a life around. Nearly 25 years later, business is thriving and he hasn’t looked back.

“This is an industry that feels like home to me and I love what I do,” says Shayne. “I would never go back!”

The business initially focused on preparing construction sites for the pouring of concrete foundations. When building regulations changed in the early 2000s, making site prep more complex, it resulted in a spike of work for Shayne and his crew.

“I’d say work tripled after that, which enabled us to expand and invest more in our gear,” says Shayne, who now employs a team of 10, including his wife Denise and sons Josh and Adam.

His fleet includes five tipper and trailer units, two transporters, two tipper units, two slider trucks and one tar sealing truck, supported by two Bobcats and six diggers. The company works on projects across the middle of the North Island, including agricultural contracts for a range of site work, such as putting in new races and clearing old outbuildings.  

Happy drivers, happy life

Shayne says that using good-quality kit helps attract and retain a happy workforce – as well as getting the job done efficiently and on time!

The latest addition keeping drivers, customers and Shayne happy is the 600hp Freightliner Cascadia 126, which has been hard at work for the past 18 months.

Purchased through Keith Andrews’ Built Ready range during the height of the Covid pandemic, Shayne was able to get his Cascadia straight to work, avoiding the extended wait period he was quoted by other dealers and bodybuilders. 

“Due to the impact of Covid on supply chains, I was looking at a two-year wait for my next build,” says Shayne. “I really wanted a truck immediately to fit in with our fleet replacement strategy. Luckily, Keith Andrews had one ready to go with the right spec – and, being a Freightliner, it was a brand I was familiar with. 

“We jumped at the opportunity and I’m glad we did, because it’s a great truck.”

Keith Andrews’ Built Ready range was established to provide ready-for-work trucks across high-demand applications for operators who couldn’t afford to wait for body builds and other alterations.  Through the programme, the Cascadia came equipped with a Transport Trailers T&G alloy bin and a 4-axle trailer with Dura-Bright alloys. The only additions Shayne made was electric tarps, bin liners and super singles on the front axle. 

“I was really happy to see the Cascadia come with Durabrite alloys, as I think they stay looking good for longer,” he says.

“We aim to get eight years out of our trucks and spec them as high as possible, as we want them to retain their value in the resale market. I’m confident the Cascadia will do that – and do a good job for us in the meantime.”

Confidence in the family

Having enjoyed excellent performance and reliability from his second-hand Freightliner Columbia, Shayne had no hesitation in going with the Cascadia. 

“We didn’t bother painting the Columbia in our colours when he first bought it, because we didn’t know whether it would be around for long enough,” chuckles Shayne. “ Three years later, it was still running perfectly, so we figured we’d better correct that!”

While the Columbia has proven its worth, the Cascadia is a considerable step up from its predecessor, says Shayne. 

“For starters, it’s Euro 6, which is a must-have these days, and is much more fuel efficient, so it’s costing us less.”

He says it also has the upper hand in terms of power and performance, with both Freightliners doing similar work. 

Equipped with a 600hp 15.6L DD16 engine with max. torque of 2,700Nm, the Cascadia is “a dream” on the road, especially on longer trips, and “can go anywhere”, says Robbie Neal, who is an experienced hand with the 18-speed Roadranger transmission.

Robbie is the full-time driver of the Cascadia, clocking around 60,000km a year with a 28T payload of sand or aggregate on the back. He often has to access tricky sites and says the additional bonnet-mounted mirrors have saved the day on more than one occasion.

“I wouldn’t be without them. If you’re backing into awkward places, you can see your front wheels. That’s important, because pretty much everywhere we go is awkward! We have to back past posts, trees and all sorts.” 

In the driver’s seat, Robbie adds that it’s a comfortable cab with plenty of space and good visibility.

It’s got good bones, too! 

The Cascadia’s reinforced chassis is robust enough to negate the need for a sub-frame, which results in an 11T tare weight and an improved payload capacity.

“Once you put a sub-frame in on a lighter chassis, it takes away any tare advantage you might have – so the strength of the Cascadia’s chassis is a big positive for us.”

Shayne adds that the 48 month / 800,000km warranty also helps him manage his costs.

“It’s a great warranty and we get servicing throughout the warranty period, which covers the time we’ll take it pay it off.”

He trusts in the Cascadia to do the hard yards for close to a decade before moving it on – and, based on the proven performance of his other Freightliner, and ongoing support from Keith Andrews, he is confident his trust will continue to be repaid!