A 16-litre Freightliner Cascadia 126 has been put to work running as a road train hauling food-processing byproduct for Wodonga-based fleet, GABS.
Weighing in at around 79-tonnes, the Freightliner Cascadia is the best-selling heavy duty truck in the United States.
It comes with either a 13-litre DD13 Detroit engine that produces up to 505hp and approximately 2,508Nm (1,850lb-ft), or a 16-litre Detroit six-cylinder DD16 engine providing 600hp and approximately 2,779Nm (2,050lb-ft) of torque.
GABS Wodonga is operating a fleet of 13 heavy-duty trucks, and the Cascadia with the bigger engine is its first Freightliner.
Although the Freightliner is available with an advanced Detroit DT12 Automated Manual Transmission (AMT), GABS Wodonga opted for the 18-speed Eaton manual.
Company Director, Ross Spargo, said the creature comforts, more horsepower, better vision and good fuel economy has made it an incredible truck to drive.
“I’ve always operated another brand of truck, but I’m very impressed with this Cascadia so far,” he said.
“The drivers love it. The current driver likes a different truck brand, but he thinks the Cascadia is great and doesn’t want to get out of it.”
While its fuel efficiency gives the Cascadia good range, Spargo also selected four fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 1,249 litres.
“We are very happy with the fuel numbers,” he said.
“It is getting the best fuel numbers in the fleet on that application and uses very little AdBlue.”
Spargo said he was initially interested thanks to the value proposition of the new Freightliner, a factor that made him take a closer look at the specs of the model that was launched in Australia after a comprehensive local test program.
According to Freightliner, the Cascadia benefits from its understated scrollwork and pin striping, along with stainless steel wheel guards, sun visor and bonnet guard.
There are also plenty of LED lights across the top of the windscreen and on the cab skirts.
The Freghtliner is produced in Charlotte, North Carolina, with an engine manufactured in Detroit, Michigan.