“The Trident? My drivers love to drive them.”

Jamie Harrington of Cromwell Bulk Distribution runs his three Macks all over New Zealand’s South Island.

In 2008, Jamie Harrington decided to shift back to Central Otago and started a joint venture with the HW Richardson Group carting bulk aggregate for a concrete plant. Six years later he’s got three Macks carting bulk products all over the south island.

“We’re running a tipper and trailer configuration with a Mack Vision and two new Tridents,” says Jamie, “the Vision’s done 930,000 kilometres, but she’s still going strong and I drive her six days a week.”

Ranging over the ranges

Based in Cromwell, near Queenstown in Central Otago, the company covers the full length of the island, from Invercargill to Blenheim, with the drivers normally running 12 hours a day carting anything from one to five loads and often ending up away overnight.

“The Tridents really get going on the longer line-haul runs,” says Jamie, “they don’t just look cool, they handle the higher temperatures of continuous running pulling five-axle trailers 800 kilometres a day.”

Jamie still drives the Vision though, letting his drivers take the new trucks.

“I’ve driven a long way in that truck,” he says “and when we were expanding six months ago we bought a new Trident and traded in a Granite for a Trident at the same time, but I hung on to the Vision.

Comfort and fuel economy

The Tridents are equipped with 535hp MP8 engines, and one of them has Mack’s m DRIVE automated manual transmission. According to Jamie the drivers are big fans of the new trucks.

“My drivers Cory and Mike are both a real asset to our company. They love to drive their Macks and they keep them in top condition,” says Jamie. “The cabs are very comfortable and they give a good ride, and they really rate the one with m DRIVE. Plus, from the perspective of fuel consumption they go really well, I’m very impressed with them.”

Backup for the business

MTD has provided the Macks to Cromwell Bulk Distribution and have been right behind the business all the way.

“They’ve been exceptional,” says Jamie, “from the salesman to the general manager. They service the trucks and they’ve looked after us well. We’ve had a good run with our Macks and lot of that is down to the service.”

Veterans both

After over twenty years in the transport business, a lot of it spent on the road, Jamie knows his trucks. He and his Mack Vision are both veterans, but Jamie reckons he’s going to outlast the truck.

“When the Vision reaches a million kilometres I’ll have to think about replacing it,” says Jamie “I don’t want to, but if I have to I reckon I’ll be getting a Mack Trident.”