Estimated at a total value of $75 billion, and covering some 913,000 kilometres, Australia's road network is the most vital component of the national infrastructure, providing access to homes, businesses, health, education, community services and recreational pursuits.
Ensuring that roads are clearly delineated and safe for road users is Australian Company A1 Roadlines. Founded in 1972 by Karl Hohendorf - who is credited with inventing the first airless line marking machine in Australia - A1 Roadlines is the country's leading supplier and manufacturer of line marking and traffic control equipment.
Today, A1 Roadlines employs approximately 14 people ranging from paint specialists, mechanics and production managers, to technicians and project managers and supplies specialist equipment to local government, airports, contractors and commercial construction firms.
Fitted with over $160,000 worth of specially designed precision equipment, A1 Roadlines' newly acquired Isuzu NQR 450 is purpose-built for line marking and related applications.
According to A1 Roadlines Production Manager and Head Mechanic, Tim Hohendorf, the defining reason for selecting the Isuzu truck was previous experience with the brand as well as the NQR 450's versatility.
"We have used and built line marking equipment on Isuzu trucks before for our clients," Tim said.
"In our experience with Isuzu over many years, we have found their trucks to be very reliable mechanically. This is an important factor for us, as the vehicles used in line marking do not drive many kilometres, but have extremely high engine hours."
Used exclusively for line marking newly paved roads as well as patch work on old roads and commercial sites such as car parks, A1 Roadlines' Isuzu NQR 450 is fitted with a self contained truck-mounted Graco RoadLazer striping machine, supporting laser equipment, electronics, pumps, tanks and an 18 horsepower generator.
Travelling at a maximum speed of 15 kilometres per hour, the Isuzu NQR 450 line marker paints lines on the road with a selection of paint guns and has a range of around 50 to 60 kilometres.
Controlled from a toggle switch inside the cab, the operator syphons paint directly from the onboard paint drums, and uses a state-of-the art video guidance system to spray various patterns on the road. Furthermore, the direction and line of the vehicle is controlled by a laser guidance system mounted on the roof of the cab, enabling the operator to follow an illuminated green dot in front of the truck.
According to Tim, the power and torque performance of the Isuzu NQR 450's SiTEC SERIES II 185 engine has been very impressive.
"Unlike commercial freight operation fleets, where the trucks operate laden about 40 to 50 per cent of the time, the line marking truck operates at about 80 per cent GCM (Gross Combination Mass) all of the time," Tim said.
"Isuzu's SiTEC SERIES II 185 engine has performed very well in terms of offering power and torque at low crawling speeds, which is what the truck's operating conditions are for most of its lifespan."
According to Tim, other defining features of the Isuzu NQR 450 include its stringent EURO IV emissions rating.
"Currently, A1 Roadlines is not required to adhere to any government environmental restrictions, however as company policy we like to do our bit for the environment where we can," Tim said.
"The Isuzu's EURO IV rating is the best on the market in terms of conventional diesel power, and it fits in with our policy of sourcing the most environmentally friendly suppliers."
As well as the strong environmental credentials, A1 Roadlines is also pleased with the spacious cabin layout, the ease of use of the Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) and the impressive manoeuvrability of the truck.
"Often on smaller car park and commercial contract jobs, we are required to mark lines in a very small and confined space. The Isuzu's tight turning circle has been a great asset, as it means we are not restricted to just urban road and freeway line marking," Tim said.
"Coupled with a tight turning circle, the Isuzu AMT has enabled the truck to paint commercial jobs ranging from forklift symbols, school crossings, numbering, and lettering to sports courts and school playground markings."