Driver safety is essential at Goldstar Transport, and is why it fits JOST’s JSK 37C fifth wheels and sensor units across the entire fleet.
Goldstar Transport was officially started in 2004.
“We had trucks a little bit before that, but 2004 was the year we decided this is what we were going to do. We were going to be very serious about it, and now it’s come up to 20 years,” said managing director Sean Carren,
Predominantly Western Australia-based, the company covers most of WA, focusing on essential services in the areas of fast-moving consumer goods, dangerous goods, container transport and mine site supply.
Goldstar Transport prides itself on is its dedication to its employees, which Sean says are the top priority.
“When I’m asked to talk about the business, I’d rather talk about the people. They’re the key to it.”
Goldstar Transport now runs 250 trailer combinations consisting of road trains, pocket road trains and B-doubles, 60 rigids and 150 prime movers. All new prime movers are now fitted with JSK 37C fifth wheels and Sensor Coupling systems from JOST.
“When the fleet got over the 100-truck mark, JOST became a really important supplier to us,” said Sean. “As we tried to make our operations safer, and as we standardised our fleet so that the guys are dealing with the same turntable every day, JOST really became part of making it simpler and easier for them.”
Throughout Goldstar Transport’s frequent and fast-paced operations, such as daily trailer swaps in various distribution centres, Sean says JOST turntables and sensors give operators extra peace of mind by removing any doubt of whether or not a trailer is hooked up properly.
The Sensor Coupling system does this by detecting irregularities in hook-ups using three sensors fitted to the turntable – one on the plate surface to detect whether or not the skid plate on the trailer is in contact with the fifth wheel plate surface, one in the centre to detect the kingpin and ensure the lock jaws are secured around it, and one on the handle to ensure it is in the fully locked position. If any or all of these sensors detect an irregularity, the system will alert the driver that something is wrong and that the coupling process needs to be revisited.
“It just ensures that we’ve done all that we can do,” Sean added. “You need all the tools that you can get, and it certainly helps. We put a safety chain on our turntables as well, so we add another step to the process.”
When it comes to ensuring safety, Sean says it’s about providing employees with the best resources to do the job, including the available technology and innovation.
“JOST is part of that. We also run a high level of telematics management systems. Our trucks have got a lot of cameras on them to protect the driver, and the implementation of cameras across our fleet allows us to better understand what’s happening when something does happen. “We use technology and innovation as much as we can, and a lot more than most, to make it a better working environment for our people and the public.”
According to Sean, the product support JOST offers has always been a major contributing factor to his fleet’s continued business.
When Goldstar Transport accepted a major contract to deliver to over 200 supermarkets across the Perth metropolitan area, for example, JOST was there to assist.
“JOST was key in giving our vehicles the right level of safety in order to perform those tasks,” Sean said.
“We bought a large amount of new trucks in one hit, all fitted with JOST turntables.
“You hear about some people who sell you something and then you never see them again. JOST has certainly not been like that.
“They helped us originally with the piece that we needed, and they’ve been there with the training and the backup since.
“As we’ve brought on a new fleet, they’ve also been there to help us make sure that there’s a level of consistency so that our guys expect the same thing no matter what truck they drive.
“So, from a people perspective, the JOST people are doing the best job to make sure that the Goldstar people get the best result.”