NEW SUNDAY TIMES

TRUCK AND
TRANSPORT GUIDE

MAY 22, 2010

E-mail: cars@nstp.com.my
Tel: 03-2056 9298
Sms: 012-300 6655

NI HAO!

HINA trucks are making

inroads in Malaysia. The
market was initially sceptical
about their quality and after sales
service but the Chinese brands

have worked hard to dismiss the

doubts.
Sinotruk Howo, for example, is
now the champion in the above
24-tonne truck (based on sales

from January this year to date).

Era Jinbei is also coming in strong
with its Komuter people mover.
The China trucks could well expand
their presence in Malaysia.

Integrated Logistic Solutions has 53

Chinese brand Sinotruck in its fleet.

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

II

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

NEWS

Sinotruk right on track

S

INOTRUK Malaysia is
certainly on a roll.
Last year the company
sold around 200 units of its
Howo series prime movers and
rigid trucks but this year, the
company has increased it to
500 units.
In fact, Sinotruk is the
market leader for trucks above
24-tonne with a market share
of 24 per cent.
Company managing director
Steven Foster said they began
humble operation in February
2008.
We now have our own
assembly plant in Klang
producing 2.2 units of trucks
daily. The plant has a capacity
of three trucks a day, he said.
Foster believes
Sinotruk has
found the
best recipe
for local truck
operators,
hence the
increase in
sales.
We took
five of our
potential
clients to
Sinotruks
headquarters in
China and we
sort of built a
truck around their
needs. At the
end of the trip,
we came out with
a Malaysian spec

Sinotruk.
Foster emphasised that
Sinotruk vehicles in Malaysia
reflect the needs of its
client.
During the China visit,
our clients chose the type
of springs, tyres and other
components to suit their
requirements.
According to Foster,
Sinotruks target is those

companies using European

trucks. The company has
along the way, managed
to convert a few Japanese
truck owners to Sinotruk.
Sinotruks performance
is comparable to the
European models but with
Chinese pricing, we have an
extra edge.
Sinotruk uses some
European components in its

Steven Foster

Howo Tipper 6x4

trucks like the ZF transmission

and an engine based on Steyrs.
Steyr is an Austrian company
that produces military
vehicles and Sinotruk has a
licensing agreement to use its
technology.
Even with European
technology, our pricing is
still 20 per cent cheaper than
our Japanese competitors,
said Foster who resides in
Singapore.
Another market that
Sinotruk is aiming this year
is the imported used truck
segment. Rather than
buying used trucks
from Britain, Sinotruk
offers the equivalent
performance and
price but with a new
truck warranty.
All Sinotruk come
with a 12-month or
100,000-km (whichever
comes first) warranty.
We also have a 24-hour
mobile unit to ensure
the trucks are in
operation.
Sinotruk is targeting
600 units this year
and sales is focused
on the construction
industrys cement
mixer and the tipper
truck.
Construction
is booming and we
are sure we can get some
contractors to swing to our
brand. Hezeri Samsuri

Berjayas
Komuter joy
THE Joy Long Komuter brought
in by the automotive arm of
Berjaya looks to be a success as
its Era Jinbei.
Made available late last year,
more than 200 units have been
sold and Berjaya is targeting
sales to reach 800 units by the
end of this year.
CEO Datuk Tony C. B. Khor said
they expect to sell 1,500 units
next year and 2,5000 in 2013
as more more companies are
beginning to know about the
vehicle and its specifications.
It is more luxurious than most
of the vans in the market. In fact
there is nothing to compare it to,
with its comfortable seats and
big interior space, said Khor.
Assembled by Oriental
Assemblers in Johor Baru, their
customers are mostly travel
agents and transport companies.
Khor said a 2.5 naturally
aspirated petrol version will
follow soon to widen its market
reach.
The company has the rights
to export the Joy Long Komuter
and it will start with Indonesia,
Singapore and even Laos.
Albakry Salehuddin

owners report

Value for money with Sinotruk Howo

Editor
Yamin A. Vong

News Editor
Hezeri Samsuri

Production Editor
Anthony Raj

Graphic Consultant
Noor Aziah

Writers
Albakry Salehuddin, Gokul
Kandiah, Nikolas Albakri,
Salihin Rahim, Chai Jiali

Advertising
Joseph Raj
012-300 4343
josephraj@nstp.com.my

Cars, Bikes and Trucks

Tel: 03-2282 1841
sms: 012-300 6655
Email: cars@nstp.com.my
Website: www.cbt.com.my

INTEGRATED Logistics Solutions

is no rookie in the industry,
having been in the container
haulage, freight forwarding,
warehousing, and transportation
services business since 2003,
With four warehouses
nationwide and about 80 trucks
in its hub in Teluk Gong, Port
Klang, Integrated Logistics
Solutions is always on the go,
delivering to customers based
as far as Johor and Penang
every day.
It is important for a company
of this size and business to have
reliable prime movers that can
get things moving without any
issues.
Previously, Integrated Logistics
Solutions depended solely on
Volvo FL trucks to get the job
done.
Hoo Pee Chon, Integrated
Logistics' special project and
haulage general manager, said
that in 2008, the company
decided to give China-made

trucks a try, and purchased 10

Sinotruck Howo units to replace
the old trucks.
"Since it was time for us to
replace our old trucks, we were
looking at a brand that could
provide trucks that are not only
cheaper, but perform just as
well as European trucks, said
Ho.
After conducting thorough
research, we found the
Sinotruk Howo to be a good
replacement.
"The main reason for us to
choose the Sinotruk Howo
was the price. It costs almost
as half as a European truck.
Performance wise, the Howo is
a very capable truck, as it has
371hp, compared to the FL's
320hp.
We now have 53 Howos
and these trucks are just as
good as their predecessors and
had better fuel consumption,
returning 2.9km per litre on
average.

The first batch of Howo

prime movers which we
purchased back in 2008 did
have their flaws, especially
less-responsive steering and few
other minor issues. However,
after getting our feedback,
Sinotruk Malaysia promised us
that it will work on it.
The batch of Howos which
we purchased in 2009 and 2010
were free of the flaws their
predecessors were having. This
was when I realised how much
priority Sinotruk Malaysia gives
in improving its products and
services.
Hoo said that availability of
parts and maintenance was
never an issue, thanks to the
satisfying Sinotruk maintenance
programme.
"The only thing that puts
European trucks ahead of the
Howo is the technology. The
Sinotruk still has some catching
up to do in terms of high-tech
features. Gokul Kandiah

Thumbs up! A satisfied Hoo with his Howo. Hoo is

happy with his fleet of Sinotruk Howos, as they serve
their purpose well.

New SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011 TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

PAGE III

IV

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

NEWS

Chinas No1 in Malaysia

D

ONGFENG, the number one heavy-duty

rigid trucks and prime movers in China is
planning to go bigger in Malaysia.
DongFeng Limited sold nearly 1.3 million of
vehicles last year, a 39 per cent increase from the
previous year.
Its first move was changing the name of its
Malaysian distributor from Quasar Industrial
Vehicles to DongFeng Commercial Vehicle Sdn
Bhd, a move seen by many as a commitment to
the brand.
Currently, the brand carries two product ranges
the Bison and the Kinland.
The Bison line-up has a 260hp rigid truck in 4x2
and 6x2 configurations and a 280hp 4x2 prime
mover for medium duty purposes.
The Kinland series has a 420hp 6x4 prime
mover in hypoid and hub reduction versions for
heavy-duty jobs.
The company claims its vehicles are as
European trucks but are cheaper, some 20 per
cent lower.
The DongFeng headquarters is in Batu Caves,
Kuala Lumpur and it has outlets at KLIA, Johor
Baru, Prai, Kuantan and Chemor.
With the new Kinland 375hp (4x2) to be
launched soon, the company is rushing to
set up five more outlets.
DongFeng gives a one-year or 100,000km
warranty for its vehicles.

Top 3 trucks
THE following are truck sales figures from the members
of the Malaysian Automotive Association from January to
March 2011:
5,000kg and below

The Kinland
375hp will
be launched
very soon.

1 Hino WU300R

378 units

2 Daihatsu Delta Truck V116HA

318 units

3 Hino WU410R

305 units

5,001-11,000kg
1 Hino XZU423RD3

64 units

2 Nissan NU41T5

28 units

3 Hicom MTB 170 UV

22 units

11,001-18,000kg
1 Hino G1JRPA

44 units

2 Nissan PKD214R

42 units

3 Nissan PKD211RN

34 units

18,001-25,000kg
1 Nissan CWM272H

26 units

2 Nissan CWM272M

7 units

3 MAN TGS 19.430 (CBU)

1 unit

Mitsubishi Fuso FN627M

1 Unit

Above 25,000kg
1 Hino FM2PNPD

60 units

2 Volvo FM440 64R

10 units

3 Renault Kerax 440

8 units

New SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011 TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

PAGE V

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

test drive

The Komuter looks handsome enough to draw stares from other road users.

Ace of space!
By Hezeri Samsuri

OTICE those long Toyota

Commuter window vans
running around our
country using Thai plates?
Well, look closely because
some might not be a Thai
registered version. In fact, look
closer and you will notice those
with local plates are not even
a Toyota!
It is actually a Chinese brand,
Joylong Komuter.
And the pun on the word
Komuter might be intentional
as Joylongs distributor, Berjaya
Joy Long Auto Sdn Bhd, claims
it is based on the Toyota
Commuter.
Assembled in Johor, Joylong
Komuters wheelbase stands at
3110mm long, which is 540mm
longer than the Toyota Hiace
and 395mm longer than the
Nissan Urvan.
Sold in 11-, 13-, 14- or
15-seat variants, power comes
from a 2.5-litre turbo diesel
engine with a five-speed
manual gearbox.
The dashboard looks similar
to that of a Toyota but plastic
quality is very poor though it
felt durable.
We also like the fact
that there are millions of
cubbyholes to store your stuff.
SpecificationS
Engine: DK4B1 fourcylinder 2,498cc DOHC 16V
common-rail turbo-diesel
Euro III
Max power: 114hp @
3,800rpm
Max torque: 260Nm @
1800-2600rpm
Transmission: Five-speed
manual
Features: ABS + EBD brake
system, one sliding door,
four sliding windows
Price: RM101,526 (sales
price, company registration)

Dash
mounted
gear lever
is good;
plastic
quality
needs
reworking
though.
In fact, there are two
huge glove boxes!
The Joylong Komuter
comes loaded with a
double-DIN touch-screen
DVD player hooked up to
a reverse camera (which
screams in Mandarin)
and a huge 15-inch LCD
screen screwed to the
ceiling.
The rear seats come
with armrest (so do the
two front seats) but
what we like most is the
adjustment mechanism
instead of the usual
levers, these seats
have buttons to adjust
the seats positions.
Unfortunately, the seats were
designed for Chinese nationals
who seem to be smaller built.
Well-fed Malaysians like
the writer struggled in the
passenger seats.
Air-conditioning worked
perfectly and our passengers
were happy with the ceiling
mounted vents and the air
purifying system.
While we had to keep
reminding ourselves this is a
long vehicle (its more than 17
feet long), the Komuter moved
like a regular window van.
There was enough power
from the turbocharged engine
while the gear lever was
super easy to operate, thanks
to its lofty position on the
dashboard.

Aero seats offer arm rests.

The steering felt vague
(typical of a van with an engine
that sits on the front axle)
while the brakes needed some
getting used to.
The rear hatch is long; thanks
to its height (2,285mm) but it
has a low loading floor. If you
take out the rear seats, you
can easily turn it into a mobile
office.
We might not want to
suggest this as a family
vehicle (it might look good
but it lacks airbags and many
family oriented features) but
if you need a coach to carry
your workers, it gives good
value at a price slightly above
RM100,000.

VI

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

Local three-tonner
creating waves
T

HE three-tonne truck market is

among the most active in the
trucking industry.
Japanese brands have been
dominating this field for quite
sometime but quietly, local player
Inokom has managed to sneak in
with its proven AD3 truck.
Basically a re-badged Hyundai
HD65 truck, the AD3 has its
advantages against the more
established brands.
For starters, this is a truck
designed and produced as a 6.5tonne truck, which means it is more
than capable of doing a job as a
three-tonner in Malaysia.
It is also affordable, priced up
to RM20,000 cheaper than its
Japanese competitors (chassis/cab
price).
In addition, Inokom is throwing
in a two-year or 100,000km
warranty. This is above the
industrys standard of a oneyear/40,000km warranty.
Inokom is now offering a one-

year free maintenance package

worth RM1,200 (free air, oil and fuel
filters) as well. The offer stands for
trucks bought until June this year.
According to
Inokom, an in-house
test done in the
Middle East
shows that
the AD3 is
faster than
two other
Japanese
brands,
showing
that
Hyundais
Euro 1
engine is
more than
capable of
facing the
challenges.
Inokom
has sold 800 units of the
AD3 since its launch in
2008. Sales figures are

growing steadily as Inokom swings

its focus on the AD3.
With over 30 service centres and
a mobile unit (for Klang Valley),
Inokom is surely a service oriented
truck manufacturer.

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

Confident Daihatsu
THE tsunami and earthquake that hit
Japan affected the world automotive
industry, especially top Japanese
manufacturers whose production
was down by more than half.
While Malaysian manufacturers
were not spared the effects, Daihatsu
Malaysia came through with the
tragedy having a minimal effect on
its operations.
This is because both Daihatsu's
models in Malaysia, the Gran Max
pick-up and panel van, are built
in Indonesia. The pick-up was
launched in June 2009 and the panel
van in December 2010 at the KL
International Motor Show 2010.
Eddy Chan, Daihatsu Malaysia's
marketing and sales assistant
manager, said, "We only started
selling the panel vans in March 2011,
but we have already generated
tremendous interest from global
companies looking to meet their
logistic needs.
Speaking on how different
Daihatsu's vehicles in Malaysia are,
Chan said, "The vehicles sold in
Malaysia are not much different from
the rest of the region.
Cost is an important part of the
purchase decision, but safety and
technological features as well as
environmental attributes are gaining

Eddy Chan.
importance."
On the company's medium
and long-term goals in Malaysia,
Chan said Daihatsu aims to use its
strength and experience to be the
market leader in the pick-up and
panel van segments.
"With nine branches, 42 sales
dealers and 44 service outlets
nationwide, and also two-year or
40,000km warranty for our vehicles,
we are confident of achieving
greater success in the commercial
vehicle segment.
"We believe that there will be
strong economic growth in Malaysia
in the coming years. The future of
commercial vehicles lies alongside
the economic growth and will
play a big role in the economic
development of Malaysia. GK

New SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011 TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

PAGE VII

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

test drive: Daihatsu Gran Max

Affordability
meets
practicality
By Gokul Kandiah

T might not be the best

looking panel van in the
market but the Daihatsu
Gran Max fares well in terms of
practicality.
The first thing we noticed
when we took the Gran Max
for a spin was the flat face and
small bonnet.
This is because unlike most
panel vans, the Gran Maxs
engine sits halfway under
the cab with a small panel to
access the engine fluids.
The flat-face design also
serves the purpose of freeing
up space at the back for a
larger load area.
Dashboard layout is kept
very simple. With a storage
space below the radio, a
dash-mounted cup-holder and
flip-down small compartment,
Specification
Daihatsu Gran Max
Panel Van
Engine: Inline fourcylinder, 16-valve DOHC
with DVVT
Transmission: Five-speed
manual
Displacement: 1,495cc
Max power: 95hp @
6000rpm
Max torque: 134Nm @
4,400rpm
Kerb weight: 1,130kg
Fuel tank capacity: 43
litres
Price: RM58,843 (on
the road, company
registration)

The engine is still under the drivers seat.

storing things like keys,
envelopes, and documents are
very convenient.
Even though theres ample
headroom, legroom seemed to
be an issue. It seems like this
van was built with an average
57 Asian in mind.
At the back, the highlight of
the Gran Max is the drop sides
on both sides, making it easier
to load and unload.
In fact, the Gran Max is the
only model in its class with
sliding rear doors on both
sides. It also has class-leading
load capacity, with 2.4m
long, 1.6m wide and 1.9m tall
loading space.
Powered by the 1.5 3SZ-VE
engine, which produces 95hp
and 134Nm of torque, the Gran
Max panel van claims it can
carry up to one tonne.
In terms of drive quality,
there is ample room for

The only van in its segment with double sliding doors.

improvement. The engine

vibration, and even the
grinding transmission can
be felt under the seat as the
driver is sitting right above the
engine.
The Gran Max is, however,
easily maneouverable and
turning radius is excellent, a
feature that makes a drivers
life easier.
In terms of safety, the Gran
Max comes fitted with antilock braking system (ABS).
In all, the Gran Max is
a worthy contender in
the panel van segment in
Malaysia. Even though it is
not the most powerful or the
best-looking vehicle in its
class, it serves its purpose well
as a light commercial vehicle.
If you are running a small
business and need an
affordable commercial vehicle,
do give the Gran Max a try.

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

PAGE VIII

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

PAGE IX

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

FEATURES

Subsidy woes and overloading

HE governments move
to reduce fuel subsidies
is much welcomed as it
will make the country more
competitive but it could lead
to other problems.
Truck Guide advisor Er Sui
See informed us that the
sudden increase in truck
operators fuel bill will be
hitting them hard in the long
run.
The government has
announced that from June
1, it will remove the super
subsidy for diesel fuel for nine
categories of commercial
vehicles (prime movers,
general cargo movers, Luton

box vans, rigid trucks for

bottled beverages, rigid
tanker for flour, rigid trucks
for refrigerated goods, water
tankers and limousine taxis).
Business operators in these
nine categories will have to
buy their diesel at RM1.80 per
litre instead of RM1.48. The
government expects to save
RM659.3 million a year by the
move.
Er said the 32 sen increase
will add to the cost of those
affected.
Prime movers generally use
up one litre for every 2km.
With the new pump price, it
will cost them an extra 16 sen

SPAD
officers
checking
on buses
at the
Bukit Jalil
Stadium.

Re-registration
required, says SPAD

Welcome aboard!
WE would like to welcome Er
Sui See (picture) to our team.
He will be the advisor for
the Truck and Transport Guide
pullout.
The 67-year-old Er, who is
based in Muar, made his entry
into the transport industry as
a taxi owner in 1970 before
venturing into the lorry
transport business from 1976
until 2006.
Er was the president for the
Pan-Malaysia Lorry Owners
Association from 1999 until
earlier this year.
He is also involved in
the programmes of several
government agencies, namely
Road Transport Department,
Road Safety Council and
Puspakom. Er was also
a committee member in
Sirims move to introduce the
black box and vehicle meter
standards back in 2006 and
2007.

Diesel will cost 32 sen more which

makes it difficult for truckers.

Although Er is not in the

transport business anymore,
he is still active in the
circle, thanks to his years
of involvement with the
government agencies and
truck operators.
Ers role will be bigger
now as he will help CBT to
highlight the issues in the
domestic transport industry.

per kilometre.
A journey from Muar to
Port Klang and back will cover
around 500km. This means the
truck will incur an additional
RM80 cost for diesel.
RM80 sounds little for such
a business but the transport
industry is already earning
pittance. The increase will hit
us.
Er said transport operators
are already controlled by the
Road Transport Act 1958 which
determines the maximum
charge allowable for goods
transport is 16.3 sen per tonne/
kilometre.
We buy fuel at current

prices but we are only allowed

to charge according to a rate
which is more than 50 years
old.
Er suggested that truck
operators should be allowed
to add fuel surcharge to their
rates.
If the airlines can do it, why
not us? We need it more as our
profit margin is very low, Er
suggested.
Truck operators have to
bear with the rising cost of
spare parts, engine lubricants,
batteries and tyres. The new
fuel price will only add another
reason why some operators are
overloading. HS

Truckers might resort to overloading to cope with the

increase in diesel price.

THE Land Public Transport

Commission (SPAD) recently
announced that the 80,000
operators will have to
re-register their vehicle licenses
before Sept 30 or stand to lose
their permits.
There are 350,000 vehicles
and they have less than five
months to re-register.
Lets say each registration
requires 10 copies of
documents (each registration
requires copies of vehicle
registration card, owners
identity card, the permit,
drivers particulars and theemonth bank statements),
thats 3.5 million documents to
process.
According to Er Sui See,
CBTs Truck and Transport Guide
advisor, some truck operators
have 800 vehicles under them.
This will be a waste of time
and money on their side, he
said.
Er wondered if SPAD
could handle the millions of
documents.
In response to this, the

commission said the move

is nothing more but a duediligence exercise.
Re-registration of existing
commercial licenses of all
modes (bus, taxi and freight) is
required under Section 10(1)
of the Commercial Vehicles
Licensing Board (Amendment)
Act 2011, said the commission
in its email response.
The re-registration process
will enable the commission
to identify the current status
of licensees. It will also help
us identify inactive and
problematic licensees.
The commission will use
the data for the process
of migrating all licenses to
operator-based licenses from
the current vehicle-based
licensing system.
Non-submission of
documents is the first layer
of weeding out inactive or
problematic license holders.
Documents submitted will
be acknowledged while those
who fail to submit by Sept 30
will see their permits being

revoked.
Some operators have said
that permit holders may not
be able do anything with their
vehicles during this exercise
but the commission has
assured them that this would
not be the case.
Re-registration is an
independent exercise from the
renewal, name transfer and
others. Operators are allowed
to do renewals, name transfer,
etc during the re-registration
period, said the commission.
However, please note that
new license applications are
currently under moratorium
until July 31 2011.
In anticipation of the
avalanche of documents, the
commission has already set
aside a special team in its
Control Processing Centre
to manage and process the
submissions.
We believe the move can
weed out the problematic
ali-baba set-ups which is not
really helping the Bumiputra
community. HS

Tech info
SCANIA Malaysia delivered
its longest B-Double LPG
tanker to Pusaka Gas and
Pengangkutan Aliran Teraju
earlier this year.
Measuring 25 metres from
bumper to bumper, this
tanker could well be the
longest B-Double trailer in
Asia.
Powered by a Scania R 500
LA 6X2 MNA prime mover,
safety was high on Scanias
list when it prepared the
tanker.
New Scania R-Cab offers
a flat floor, meets strict
Swedish cab structure rules
with roll-over protection
and is equipped with
airbags and pre-tensioners.

HID Xenon lights,

LED indicator
lights and Lane
Departure Warning
is standard.

DC16 04 Euro 3 V8 16-L

turbocharged diesel engine.
Maximum power is 500hp @
1,900rpm. Maximum torque
is 2,400Nm @ 1,10-300rpm

Scania Opticruise automatic

with integrated Scania Retarder,
power take-off function, speed
limiter, hill-hold function and
cruise control

350-litre
aluminium
fuel tank

Disc brakes for all

axles; Electronic
Level Control, ESP,
ABS including trailer

Tyre-pressure
monitoring system
(TPMS) for all tyres.

Self-levelling
function for
optimised handling

Maximum load:
1,155 LPG tanks

22.5-inch
aluminium wheels
Graphic by CBT team 2011

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

NEWS

Integration a national agenda

PER-ARNE Hjelmborn, the
Swedish Ambassador to
Malaysia since August 2010,
made a statement during his
early days in Kuala Lumpur
when he took public transport
to his office fully dressed in
coat and tie.
Coming from a country that
accepts suit-wearing cyclist,
he believes Malaysians should
dispel the stigma that public
transport is only for the lower
By Chai Jiali

CANIA Malaysia has

always been a versatile
company and it works
closely with clients to satisfy
their needs and requirements.
On such example of a
purpose-built truck is the
Scania P310 LB 6x2 horse
transporter which can
transport up to 12 horses at
a time.
Owned by Purple
Ventures Sdn Bhd a horse
management company which
manages and transports
horses the 8.87-litre
diesel transporter with 310hp
@ 1,900rpm of power and
1,550Nm @ 1,100-1,300rpm
of torque will be used to
transport leisure, endurance,
jumping and equestrian
horses.
It took about a year
to build this specialised
transporter which cost over
half a million ringgit, Bee
Heng Engineering did the
job under the close scrutiny
of Scania
As Scania sales executive
Justin Liew Haw Wei
explained, Scania does not
allow anyone cutting the
structural body as it might
affect the electronics of the
truck. Electronic linkages are
located everywhere in its
body.
In the horse transportation
industry, truck reliability is
important because the horses
are very sensitive, according
to a Purple Ventures
representative.
Thus we chose Scania
as they are more than just
a truck supplier. They are a
business partner and buying
a brand new Scania truck
should be a good long term
(about 10 years) investment,
he added.
The rigid axle European
style transporter is different
from other Malaysian horse
transporters where there is
an intensive use of prime
movers, according to Purple
Ventures representative.
The advantage of using a
rigid axle, the Purple Ventures
representative said, is its
greater manoeuvrability in
tight spaces and parking.

income group.
To help encourage the use
of public transportation, an
integrated approach should be
taken in a holistic way, where
infrastructure are properly
planned out to ensure speed,
reliability and safety.
"A comprehensive and
integrated study should be
conducted to identify and
maximise available vehicles
and accurate location of stops,

(and the plan should have)

strong political backing," said
Per-Arne.
In some countries, the
integrated system is so
effective and depended upon,
that the country's economy
could collapse with the
system's bus drivers going on
strike alone.
Sharing his experience on
such systems development
in countries such as Brazil,

he believes the integrated

transport system should be a
national agenda throughout
the country.
For example, 90 per cent
of Hong Kong's population
uses public transportation
and Malaysia could also adopt
the restricted zoning system
where vehicles pay a toll
to enter busy areas during
specific hours. Salihin
Rahim

Special for horses

Access to Awana, Genting
Highlands and Cameron
Highlands will be easier since
the routes are winding and
hilly.
This is also when the
hydraulic retarder comes in
handy.
Instead of using the brake,
there is a lever in the cab.
When the lever is pulled, it
slows the movement of the
long shaft which in turn
slows the movement of the
wheels, said Liew.
This reduces wear and tear
on brakes and tyres.
With the retarder, brake
pads can last up to two years.
Without the retarder, brake
pads last only about two to
three weeks according to our
clients.
The transporter is also
equipped with safety features
such as traction control,
differential lock and ABS
(anti-lock braking system).
Before the truck is
delivered, we provide driver
training to the drivers to
ensure their safety and
proper handling of Scania
trucks.
According to Liew, the

manual transmission truck

can do 2.9km-3.3km per litre
of diesel.
With two tanks carrying
some 700 litres of diesel,
the truck is able to travel
between 1,000km and
1,200km before refuelling.
The horses travel in
comfort and out from the
intense heat because the
transporter is suspended
by air suspension and there
are plenty of windows and
sunroof hatches.
The air suspension can
be lowered by two to
three inches to reduce the
entrance and exit angle for
the horse.
Two cameras have been
installed to monitor the
horses and music is piped in
to calm the sensitive animals
during their journey.
Its not just the expensive
cars that have wood in the
interior. The transporters
flooring and kick board are
finished with chengal wood.
We used chengal
because of its rigidity and
non-corrosive nature, said
Andrew Chin, the director of
Bee Heng Engineering.

The horse carriage uses chengal wood interior.

THe Scania P310 has high safety features.

New generation of city buses

SCANIA Malaysia will supply
150 low-entry city buses to
Syarikat Prasarana Sdn Bhd
to be used by Rapid KL.
This is a new range of city
buses by the Swedish bus
builder.
The new Scania K 270 UB
4x2 buses feature a full lowentry body for fast and easy
entry and disembarkation
for passengers, including
wheelchair passengers. The
body is made of aluminum
to reduce weight for better
fuel consumption and to
keep rust at bay.
Scania is pleased to
again partner Prasarana in
modernising the city bus
infrastructure in Malaysia,
said Idros Puteh, general
manager of Scania Malaysia.

The 12-metre long Rapid

KL buses are also equipped
with a ramp for wheelchair
access and two docking
slot with seatbelts for
wheelchair anchorage.
The launch of these
new generation city bus

was graced by Swedish

ambassador Per-Arne
Hjelmborn at the Pavillion
shopping complex in Kuala
Lumpur in conjunction with
Sweden-Malaysia Innovation
Days 2011 on May 6-10.
SR

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

XI

Tyre of the future

C

ONTINENTAL Truck
Tyre division said
multifunction tyres for
bus companies will likely
dominate the market in the
next few years.
The Continental
prediction is because
multifunction tyres, like its
own HD Hybrid tyre which
was launched in Malaysia
recently, offer cost saving
benefits for bus operators
who can use them for the
long haul or regional use.
The HD Hybrid tyre has a
broad range of applications
and yet compromises
nothing. In fact, Continental
said the bus companies
would be gaining even
higher mileage from the tyre.
Higher mileage, Continental
said, equals to lower
downtime (to replace the
tyres).
The HD Hybrid also offers
improved rolling resistance.
It is the best choice for bus
fleet operators who do not
exclusively use their vehicles
for either long-distance or

regional
assignments, said Benoit
Henry, executive vice
president of Business Unit
Asia Pacific Truck Tyres and

chief executive officer of

Continental Sime Tyre Sdn
Bhd.
Today, bus companies
need to use their vehicles
more flexibly than ever
before. Exclusive longdistance or regional
usage is on the decline.
We developed the HD
Hybrid for exactly this
reason. This tyre is suited
for both worlds.
Continental said this
segment of the tyre
market is still dominated
by its HDR2 all-round
tyre.
The transformation
of the market will
become even faster
due to the integrated
retreading programme as
fleet operators, who had
bought the HSR 2 and HDR
2 models can go for a HD
Hybrid tread when retreading
as the tyres have identical
casings.
The new Continental
HD Hybrid is available in
295/80R22.5.

Canter leads Fuso charge

A JAPANESE truck has
emerged as the star in a
German company operating in
Malaysia.
Over 460 Mitsubishi Fuso
trucks were sold in Malaysia
in the first quarter of this year,
an 11 per cent increase from
last year, making it the leading
Mercedes-Benz Malaysias
commercial vehicle segment.
The demand for our
Mitsubishi Fuso trucks has
been exceptional, especially

for the new Euro II Canter

launched last year, said Roland
S. Folger, president and CEO of
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.
The boost in sales largely
reflects the changing mindset
of light truck buyers who
are looking for better fuel
economy and lesser emissions.
Overall, Mercedes-Benz
Malaysias commercial vehicle
segment increased by 6 per
cent in the first quarter of 2011
compared to the same period

last year.
The gradual pick up at the
ports and improved logistics
has accounted for better truck
sales.
We are confident of
building on our record
performance last year, said
Folger.
We will continue to
enhance our dealerships in
extending our practice of
delivering the best service to
the customer.

XII

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

NEWS

By Niklas Albakri

FTER a three-year
absence is back Isuzu
Truck Malaysia and going
stronger.
Since its return to Malaysian
last November, Isuzu Trucks
has managed to claw its way
up to being the third largest
manufacturer of commercial
vehicles in the country.
Takashi Hata, the chief
executive officer of Isuzu
Malaysia, has high hopes for
the company this year.
His hopes are not misplaced.
Looking at its performance
over the last five months, Hata
is confident Isuzu will achieve
its target of being the number
one manufacturer over the next
few years.
Isuzu paying attention to its
customers needs will help it
reach the target.
Our vehicles are developed

Isuzu up and climbing

specifically for each market. For
example, the NKR 55 sold in
Malaysia has a far stronger axle
than that sold in Japan.
We are more than willing to
entertain customers who have
more specific requests for their
trucks.
Isuzu has been out of the
Malaysian market since 1997
and during its absence, grey
market suppliers brought in its
trucks.
The decision to return
was based on the volume
of trucks sold in the country
and Malaysian interest in the
vehicles. And Isuzu returned
this time as a manufacturer, not
just as an importer.
Since its return, Isuzu has

Takashi Hata
launched six models based on
its four-wheel and six-wheel
chassis and according to
Hata there have been many
inquiries and sales has been
picking up.

Hata sees Isuzus success as

a reflection of its customers
belief in what he sees as the
companys core strengths: the
high durability of its vehicles,
fuel efficiency and short down
time period.
In order for Isuzu to hit its
target of being number one,
we are concentrating on our
core strengths and increasing
our efforts to increase customer
awareness about our trucks,
said Hata.
Our industry is unique. The
customers decision is not based
on the heart; they look for
trucks that has minimum down
time, low maintenance costs
and high fuel efficiency.
Im confident customers will

see the benefit of our aftersales services and our strong

dealer network.
We have 40 experienced
dealerships in Malaysia, all of
which either operate or are
being converted into 3S centres
(sales, service and spare parts).
On how cheaper Chinamade trucks would effect
Isuzus goals, Hata said he
was confident the company
could withstand the Chinese
onslaught.
As I said before, Isuzus
customers are practical, they
will opt for long-term reliability
over immediate cost savings.
Hata said it has been a
challenging six months, made
even more so with the recent

tsunami disaster in Japan.

We have been having some
problems since the earthquake.
However, it is an issue of
allocating capacity rather than
not having the parts. On the
whole were only facing some
minor delays in production.
A major reason for Isuzu
weathering the storm as well
as it did is that its production
capacity for Malaysia is handled
primarily in-country rather than
abroad.
According to Hata, the Isuzu
plant in Penang sources 30 per
cent of its parts locally.
Isuzu is considering sourcing
more of its parts from outside
Japan to alleviate its allocation
problems, said Hata.

Metro truck
driving school
YOU may have seen their little
L cars driving cautiously on
Malaysian roads but Metro
Driving Academy is just more
than your usual driving school.
Apart for the normal driving
school training, the company
also offers advance truck
and bus driving courses for
companies.
Zainol Ibrahim, the head
instructor at Metro who
has been teaching advance
driving the last seven years,
said they have a minimum
three-day course and the most
comprehensive course is 10
days long.
The course comes in
two sides, one is theory and
complementing it is the
practical part where drivers
get to try out what they have
learned in the classes.
Metro has a fleet of Hino
trucks for that practical session.

Part of the syllabus is

breaking, emergency handling,
economical drive, town
and long distance driving,
stress management, vehicle
inspection and maintenance
and night driving.
Night driving is far more
dangerous due to the low light
and we teach drivers how to
anticipate and adapt to these
driving conditions.
Metro Driving Academy also
offers refresher courses where
a candidate driving is assessed
and a programme is designed
for him after which he is
assessed again.
The candidates company
gets a report that tells things
like driver profile, what
is he good at and what
improvements have been done
and what needs to be looked
at closely.
Felda signed up with Metro

Zainol Ibrahim
to look into their over 1,000
truck drivers and government
bodies like the Fire Brigade has
also sent in its drivers.
The aim in all this is to save
lives, time and money for the
public, the drivers and the
company so its a worth while
investment, said Metro Group
executive chairman Ahmad
Shah Wadood.
There are no requirement in
this country that drivers have
to have minimum training thus
companies will just have to
take anybody who comes with
a valid license.
However, countries like
Singapore requires bus drivers

The Hino truck that Metro uses for training.

with 220 hours of training
before they are allowed on the
road.
Ahmad Shah said the
additional benefits of
attending Metro courses is that
the drivers feel appreciated
being given a chance to learn

new skills and they become

better drivers and employees.
The Metro Driving Academy
was started in 1998 with the
main training centre, a nineacre compound complete with
test areas and classrooms,
located in Puchong,

The centre also caters to

other types of advance driving
for cars, bikes and off-road
vehicles.
n For more information,
contact Metro Driving
Academy at 03-80618989.
Albakry Salehuddin

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

NEWS

The latest Maxus V80

W

ESTAR Maxus of
Malaysia will be
assembling the latest
V80 van that was globally
launched by Shanghai Motor
Commercial Vehicle at the
Shanghai international
automobile exhibition in April.
The van has the latest
2.5L TDCI Euro-4 engine and
comes with cosmetic changes.
The Malaysian company
sealed the deal with Shanghai
Motor Commercial Vehicle,
a division of Shanghai
Automotive Group of China, at
the global launch in Shanghai.
Shanghai Automotives first
overseas joint venture partner
for Maxus, Westar will get the
CKD (completely knockeddown) components in August.
The vans will be assembled in
Port Klang.
Initial annual capacity will
be 10,000 units.
Westar has since 2006
supplied close to 2,000
units of the Maxus vans to
government agencies and
retail clients.

Group managing director

Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed
Ibrahim said the company is
expecting domestic sales to
exceed 2,000 units in 2011

and close to 10,000 units

for Asia Pacific region (the
company holds distribution
rights for Maxus in the
region).

XIII

Tech info

How does a cement mixer truck work

THE cement mixer truck
is actually a fairly simple
vehicle, but its shape makes
it among the most recognisable truck on the road.
Based on a rigid truck,
there is a hydraulic drive unit
from the engine to turn the
huge drum.
The drum has one frontbearing and two rollerbearings at the rear while at
the top is a loading chute
that allows the cement, sand
(pebbles for certain grade)
and water to be poured into
the drum.
At the opposite end, there
is another chute that can be
swivelled to pour out the
concrete.
Inside the drum are blades
that are located along the
wall, but set at an angle to
the centre axis of the drum.
As the mixture is poured
into the drum, the hydraulic
drive unit spins the drum.
Water is added and the truck
sets off to its destination.
The turning action mixes

the cement, sand and water

and the blades push and
scoop the mixture further
around.
When the cement mixer
arrives at its destination,
the concrete is ready to be
poured out. The turning
rotation of the drum is
reversed to get the cement
out via the lower chute.
The drum should be
quickly flushed out with
water to clear the concrete
mixture from its blades and
wall. This must be done

correctly as concrete can still

harden even under water.
There is time limit for the
concrete mix to remain in
the mixing drum. Leave it
too long and it will harden,
even when the drum is
turning.
If traffic is bad, chemical
retardant can be added to
ensure the mixture does not
harden before it reaches the
destination but this might
have an adverse effect to
the quality of the concrete
mix.

XIV

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

NEWS

Volvo Vista Challenge

By Paul David

The competition checks on participants proficiency in the

trucks system.

Each team was given 40 minutes to sort out each problem.

T has been said that the

sales department sells the
first vehicle but all repeat
sales are by the after sales
department.
This is particularly true in
the transport industry where
downtime costs money.
Nothing irritates a transport
manager more than a truck or
bus parked on the workshop
floor with mechanics chasing
around for parts and work not
completed in time.
All this boils down to
training, and all manufacturers
spend vast amounts of money
in upgrading the skills of
all their service staff, from
the service advisor to the
mechanic to the parts picker.
Only when all these people
work in concert together will
the vehicle be repaired quickly
and efficiently.
In addition to the training,
skills competitions are regularly
held to put the skills of service
teams against each other
and by so doing encourage
distributors to continuously
upgrade the skills of their staff.
The pride of winning a
competition always boosts
morale and pride in the
organisation.
Way back in 1957 Volvo held
its first competition for its bus
and truck after-market staff.
Evolving out of this is
Vista which has become a

Malaysian team, from left: mechanics Aldrin Wilfred and Teo Ah Meng, branch manager
Irene Kang and supervisor Ho Khee Jeo.
worldwide skills competition
that in 2009 had 13,000
participants. This is the largest
competition of its kind in the
world.
In this competition teams
are made up of different
disciplines in the service
department and they are
expected to work together to
solve problems.
There are 12 area finals in
the world from which 30 teams
will qualify for the Vista World
Championship final which will
take place in June 2011.
Since September 2010 teams
have been fighting through
three qualifying rounds, with
each round requiring the
teams to answer 30 theoretical

questions over a two-week

time period.
After the end of the third
round in February 2011,
scores were totalled up and
the semifinalist teams were
announced.
The 2011 Asia Finals were
held in Sydney, on April 13-15
and saw teams from India (3),
China, Indonesia (2), Malaysia,
Vietnam, Japan, Korea and
Philippines to fight out for
two places in the World Finals.
After three rounds of
theory, the teams were
required to be proficient in
parts, warranty and repairs
and in the tests the teams
had to be able to use the
computer for parts requisition,

use of test equipment and

actual hands-on rectification
of faults.
There were six tests in all,
covering engine, transmission,
suspension, air conditioning
and electrical and each team
had 40 minutes to sort out
each problem. Evaluators were
attached to each team who
gave points for the work done.
Malaysia was represented
in VM Vision 2011 by a team
from East Malaysia and they
were also previous finalist in
this competition.
The winners were the
Indonesian team, Lambung
Mangkurat followed by E-Pro
from Korea and Beijing Walker
from China.

Shanghai showdown
WE spotted a few specialised trucks
at the recent Auto Shanghai 2011
show.
Military trucks, specialised trucks
and the latest prime mover from
Chinese brands were on show.
China is turning into a very active
truck market and it is actively
spreading its wings beyond its
borders.

Mercedes-Benz military mobile unit on the show.

China-made Champion winch is

getting popular across the globe
Balong M507 prime mover, yet to arrive in Malaysia.

Renault
Kerax 440
tipper
truck.

TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

NEW SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011

XV

A hybrid
heavy
V

OLVO Trucks will soon be

launching the Volvo FE
Hybrid in Europe which
it promises will permit fuel
savings of up to 30 per cent
and reduce carbon emissions.
Volvo plans for its truck
to be used primarily in
distribution and rubbish
collection operations in an
urban environment.
The Volvo's FE Hybrid
feature a 7.0-litre diesel engine
mated to a three-phase 120
kW electric motor that is fed
by 600V lithium-ion batteries.
The technology switches
automatically between
the two power sources
and recharges its batteries
through recycling the energy
generated from braking thus
it does not require to be
plugged in.
As it runs on its batteries
at low speeds, the truck is
supposed to be almost silent

and during acceleration,

Volvo claims its noise
levels will be half that of a
conventional diesel truck.
Depending on its driving
cycle, the Volvo FE Hybrid
can cut fuel and carbon
dioxide emissions by
between 15 and 20 per
cent.
In addition, using the
electric compactor on the
hybrid rubbish trucks this
figure will increase to up to
30 percent.
The trucks will initially
be produced in a limited
series of about 100 vehicles,
starting in June and will be
delivered between 2011
and 2013 to customers in 13
selected European markets.
Volvo does not have any
plans yet to extend sales
into other markets yet but it
says it will consider it in the
long term.

The cleanest rubbish truck, emission wise. The battery pod looks like an oversized fuel tank.

Using hybrid technology is the easiest way to pass

the super strict Euro 5 emission control.

The Volvo FE Hybrid lowers fuel and emission between 15 and 20

per cent.

PAGE XVI

New SUNDAY TIMES MAY 22, 2011 TRUCK AND TRANSPORT GUIDE

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