With the arrival of the eagerly awaited DAF Euro 6 model release due in February 2020, Southpac Trucks general sales manager Richard Smart says they had to decide how best to help their clients understand the new technology and safety features standard across the DAF range.

The new product is a completely different truck from the current Euro 5, not just a facelift – in fact the only things that haven‘t changed are the wheels and tyres.

Southpac Trucks needed a way to ensure all the new E6 DAF owners get the best out of the truck, maximising the the fuel savings but also understanding all the new driver aids.

“We looked at employing someone but decided we simply would not be able to engage all our clients to give them enough time.”

After researching the market, Smart says they quickly realised that TR Master Drive Services, with its network of 18 training specialists at 12 locations, was the only organisation able to deliver this on a national basis.

Neil Bretherton, TR Master Drive‘s strategic development general manager, was delighted to come on board.

“TR Master Drive is really excited to support Southpac in delivering introductory training on the new DAF product. We recently sent two of our specialist driver trainers to Holland to be upskilled by DAF factory trainers. The team was incredibly impressed by the new trucks and eager to show Southpac‘s customers how to get the optimal experience driving them.”

Bretherton said working with Southpac fitted perfectly with TR Master Drive Services‘ desire to lead in the heavy vehicle training space, and TR Group‘s goal to support customers and the industry to operate fleets more safely, efficiently and profitably.

TR Master Drive‘s Garry Jones and Martin Wildbore (third and fifth from left) with Ian Garnett from Southpac Trucks (sixth from left) amidst their international group of fellow driver trainers and DAF training staff. 

The training in Holland and Germany consisted of all on-road fully loaded E6 products, at times on single lane roads on the wrong side of the road, fine-tuning driving styles, focusing on fuel savings and setting the truck up to the individual driver‘s preference.

At the time of the launch early next year, all 18 TR trainers will be up to speed on the new range, as well as all of Southpac‘s frontline team. Each new E6 DAF will come with free training for two drivers of six to eight hours each, leaving the drivers with a Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving qualification, a programme that NZTA endorses.