A few decades ago, some business analysts speculated that the demise of the long haul trucking business was imminent as governments developed high-speed trains and airline prices began to dip. Nevertheless, the rise of small and medium enterprises has led to the devolution of transport services and boosted the income avenues of key players in the truck and bus industry. In the past, trucks were owned and operated by large organizations and were only able to transport payloads for the specific organization like Scania truck spares. Smaller companies and institutions were forced to use courier services or registered mail which was expensive and time-consuming. Now, we have companies that exclusively own trucks for transporting a wide range of goods. Like UPS or DHL, the trucks can carry goods from various companies and deliver to collection points all over Australia and New Zealand. This allows each company to pay a fraction of the transportation costs and enjoy the reliability of a bulk transporter.
In order to make this service profitable, the trucking companies need their drivers to work late hours and stay out on the road for days on end. For this reason, most truck manufacturers have taken steps to improve the driver experience by making the truck cab more comfortable and welcoming.
The success of your trucking operations is highly dependent on your driver’s comfort and alertness. Nothing keeps a driver awake better than the assurance of a good night’s sleep anywhere he stops. While some truck cabs have been described as a corner office on wheels, the Western Star’s 4964FXT Road Star’s cab is a home away from home. The Road Star comes fitted with several comfort features designed to keep the driver relaxed and entertained even if he must spend weeks away from home making deliveries.
The Road Star background
To commemorate the 50 year anniversary of the company, Western Star decided to pull all the stops and make an iconic heavy duty truck with a sleeper cab that will be the envy of all truckers on the lot. The truck itself turns heads long before you can take a look inside the cab. It looks like a shiny new toy pulling into the lot with its glossy metallic finish and signature Western Star logo at the front. The Road Star’s robust design gives assurance that it will deliver any load to its destination without breaking a sweat.
The ‘Road Star’ name was issued to this truck to honour the two eras that define the company’s history. Before the company took its present brand name, Western Star, it was known as the White Corporation and had a production facility in Wacol, Australia, where the original long-haul truck was produced and called the ‘Road Boss’. The 4964 FXT truck is a coming together of the old and new truck, combining the flair and finesse of the Road Boss truck and the new state-of-the-art long-haul Western Star truck earning it the ‘Road Star’ name which combines the Road Boss and Western Star brands.
A home away from home
The Road Star has the most welcoming sleeper cab in the business. From the onset, Western Star aimed to make an iconic sleeper cab for the Road Star to as a memento for reaching a half-century mark in 2017. The truck would have a retro design with the most modern technology solutions in the market. In order to bring the old and new worlds together, the company contracted the specialized 4×4 motorhome manufacturer, SLRV. SLRV is famed for building luxurious yet functional expedition trucks for individuals and families that wish to go walkabout in the Australian outback. These vehicles are robust and sturdy but have classy modern interiors that lavish the users with luxury and unmatched comfort. Some of the unique features incorporated in the Road Star are listed below.
- Quality Rest
A full-size single bed with an innerspring mattress is tucked away in the sleeper cab ceiling and can be lowered or tucked away at the flick of a switch.
- Entertainment System
The truck comes with a 32 inch curved TV mounted in the cab wall and a 5.1 surround sound system with 6-inch alpine speakers to entertain the driver in his downtime.
- Fully Equipped Kitchenette
The driver can stop anywhere he wishes because he has a modern kitchen complete with a microwave, sink and every driver’s dream, a coffee maker.
Conclusion
The list of features on this truck is endless and cannot be described in one sitting. Western Star has really gone all out in building the Road Star and it will remain an icon of the trucking industry for decades. The company has made a public statement that they are ready for another fifty years of excellence in the industry without a doubt.
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