“…comparisons are odious
but what we’re saying now is true.” Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums.
Any tradie will tell you: you gotta have the right tool for the job. There’s no point trying to knock in a nail with a sledgie; and you can’t undo a 10mm nut with a 12mm socket because you can’t find the bloody ten mil one!
And it’s no different with your choice of machinery for waste collection. You have to select the best configuration for the type of waste you are collecting, the layout and complexity of the collection area, and the distances you will have to travel between the collection point and the disposal point.
So while it is perhaps true that comparisons are odious, in this article we are going to take a look at the different garbage truck options produced by STG Global, compare their features, and give you the skinny on which truck will be best suited for your business’s needs.
Up Front With the Tusk
When you’ve got a sh*t-load of…well, sh*t to collect, the Tusk Front-loader is the beast to have. We’re not stuffing around here: the Tusk is built for the big jobs and the heavy, industrial collection routes. Let’s lift up a bin — the Tusk can lift 2,500 KG — and tip out the specs.
It’s big!
With a body capable of holding between 28m³ and a whopping 33.5m³ (depending on the type of the waste being collected) the Tusk is built to take big loads and minimise the number of times your drivers need to empty. This impressive capacity means that less fuel is expended in driving back to the disposal facility and the machine can stay on the job for longer.
Add to that the 6×4 or 8×4 wheel configurations and you can use the Tusk in almost any location and on any kind of terrain: an important consideration given Australia’s often rough and isolated roads and long distances.
It’s tough!
The Tusk’s superstructure is built from the highest quality Hardox 450 & Hardox HiAce for maximum resistance to acidic materials and the kind of messy goo that always accompanies garbage. Its 2,500 kilo lift capacity ensures that even the heaviest waste bins can be lifted with ease.
It’s safe!
In-cab controls mean that your operators can work from the safety and security of the cab and not have to venture out into potentially hazardous or dusty environments. Hopper-mounted sensors detect the presence of persons or limbs within the operational area and automatically shut down the pack operation.
The iPad-based control system integrates every phase of the collection cycle: from pull-up at the pick-up site to dumping at the disposal ground. This system reduces cabin clutter and creates more room for the operator to store their lunch and cold drinks.
The muck-out doors make it easy for the bin/hopper to be cleaned safely and efficiently: a vital feature at the end of long days when operators are tired and want to finish their shifts.
It’s lemon-scented!
That’s a Spongebob gag, by the way. But in all seriousness, when it comes to handling chum buckets-full of garbage, the Tusk Front-loader is packed with more features than a fiendish Plankton scheme. Here are just a few:
- Integrated Fleet Management. Track where your machines are at all times, keep an eye on servicing dates and set up electronic pre-start functions.
- CANBUS control system. This intelligent system keeps an eye on all of the Tusk’s systems, hydraulics and wiring looms.
- Body-mounted tool boxes for your spare 10mm sockets. No more rummaging in the dust for tools. All STG Global machines have dedicated toolboxes for tidy storage of tools, spares and bits ‘n’ bobs.
- GPS guidance. No more driving aimlessly around looking for number 10 Evolution Drive. The Tusk’s GPS system provides built-in guidance to pick-up points and optimum routes to disposal sites in real time.
Watch Ol Bandit Run
When it came to designing an optimum machine for collecting domestic waste from town and city streets, the crew at STG Global had a simple brief: make it efficient and make it safe. The resulting garbage truck is the famous Bandit, now a part of STG Global folklore and our flagship model. Here’s a brief rundown on the ‘ol Bandit.
The long arm of the lawn
It goes without saying that wheelie bins are sometimes going to be difficult to reach. Parked cars, road works, uneven ground and traffic make it hard for operators to reach across and safely pick up bins from the roadside, and to replace them efficiently when they’ve been tipped into the hopper. To overcome these obstacles, the Bandit has the longest reach pick-up arm in the industry.
Efficient, comfortable and safe
Efficiency is of paramount importance in domestic waste collection. There are a lot of bins on a lot of streets, so getting around them all has to be fast, but also safe. The Bandit’s fast compaction rate — along with its long reach — means that each pickup is completed rapidly and the bin returned safely to the kerb in the minimum time.
The shorter wheelbase and low centre of gravity means that tight turns on narrow cul-de-sacs are easy in the Bandit and the 12m³ – 24m³ capacity Hardox 450 steel body requires fewer return trips to the dumping facility. A proximity warning system ensures that cyclists and pedestrians are detected well in advance, giving the Bandit’s driver time to halt operations before they get into harm’s way.
A built-in electronic pre-start system checklist ensures that all operating parameters are optimal before a pick-up run begins and the nifty modular design makes it easy for separate parts of the Bandit to be removed for servicing or repairs. Add to that an ergonomic joystick and iPad-based control interface, and you have a machine that is pleasant for the operator to use and thus less stressful and tiring.
Do the Mamba.
The Mamba is one of a series of waste collection models made by American firm New Way Trucks that STG Global is adding to its range. The Mamba is a slender-bodied collection truck that can be loaded from both sides and is able to transfer its load to a bigger rear-loader.
Slither into small spaces
The Mamba’s small footprint makes it ideal for narrow streets, hilly suburbs, university campuses, shopping malls and back alleys, where access is tight and turning room is non-existent. The Mamba system is fully customizable and can be fitted to almost any chassis type available in Australia meaning that whatever your preference of truck body, a Mamba module can be fitted to it.
Diamondback and Viper.
These two sound like pilot call signs from Top Gun! But that’s where the fantasy ends and the reality begins. Both of these modular machines — also made by New Way Trucks — are big, tough, rear-load garbage collection systems that are designed to maximise safety, load capacity and efficiency.
Fast and safe
The Diamondback and Viper rear loaders feature capacious hoppers and rapid cycle times to maximise load rate and keep the machines moving fast along city streets where garbage bags or bins are still in use. The Diamondback also features a bin tipper suitable for all domestic wheelie bin sizes.
The large-capacity compaction chambers of both machines have high-speed rams capable of exerting nearly 600 kg/m³ of pressure, enough to squash the hardest or bulkiest waste into submission.
With colour cameras to monitor the surroundings for hazards and pedestrians, side-mounted controls and a riding plate for the operator, both the Diamondback and Viper offer extensive margins of safety. Their modular designs make them easy to fit onto almost any chassis type making them 100% compatible with Australian truck safety codes.
And now…The ROTO PAC.
The next step in waste collection comes in the form of the New Way Trucks’ revolutionary ROTO PAC system. Based around an auger that pushes waste from the collection hopper into the compaction chamber, the ROTO PAC makes it easy to change from standard waste to FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) waste, thus eliminating the need for separate vehicles.
The auger configuration at the heart of the ROTO PAC system is able to move waste into the compaction chamber three times faster than the conventional “pack panel” design. This is a far more efficient way in which to compact the waste and it allows for more time on the collection routes and less time travelling to and from the refuse tipping facility.
