“The trucks fitted with Allison automatics are very comfortable,” said one operator, “much more so than similar vehicles fitted with manual gearboxes. With a fully-automatic vehicle, the driver is not busy with gear changes, and that’s a great advantage when driving on the streets of Marbella.”
In fact, Marbella’s drivers and technicians agree unanimously that the Allison-equipped vehicles cannot be beaten; not just in terms of comfort, but also in superior performance.
“Excellent vehicle launch is an additional advantage,” said another worker. “For instance, it is useful when taking off on a steep slope. With Allison transmissions, vehicle tyres do not spin. Superior performance is also noticeable on normal take-off, where a second or third gear launch with a manual gearbox may easily lead to premature clutch wear.”
Those responsible for truck maintenance also emphasise the advantages of a fully-automatic transmission over manual gearboxes, and all are particularly pleased to be working with Allison.
“The reliability of automatic gearboxes with torque converters must be emphasised,” said Marbella Department of Street Cleaning’s Workshop Manager, “because there is no wear on the clutch – something very common with a manual gearbox. It is a fact that breakdowns are prevented through the use of fully-automatic transmissions and this means lower operating costs for the company.”
The Renault Midlum 270.15 delivers 270 bhp from its engine and features a 15-ton truck chassis with sweeper bodywork by Ros Roca, together with an Allison 3000 Series transmission. The truck is an excellent example of solid reliability. For about two and a half years, the vehicle has been trouble-free, clocking a total of 21,696 km. It performs around 20 street cleaning operations, running two shifts daily, with an average sweeping speed of 5 kph.
Street cleaning, and the municipal services sector in general, requires robust, productive vehicles. Allison fully-automatic transmissions have been proven globally to work tirelessly in intense duty cycles, situations where driving involves continuous stops and starts, as well as manoeuvring in tight spaces and on significant grades. Superior vehicle performance and driver comfort increase fleet productivity. Moreover, vehicle maintenance is routine, drastically reducing downtime and repair costs, as the torque converter protects the whole drivetrain from stress and shocks.
Officials at Marbella’s town hall have seen the benefits and the results of vehicles equipped with fully-automatic transmissions. For this reason, they also use Allison automatics for the region’s solid waste collection services, and operate nine Allison-equipped refuse trucks (8 Renault 280 and 320, 1 Stralis 300).
