GIANT Australian-based transport business Toll Group has announced it will invest $1.5 billion in new fleet and equipment as part of a six-year global strategic procurement replacement program.

The news comes less than six months after the company’s parent, Japan Post that bought Toll in 2015 for $6.5 billion, reported a 2017 financial year net loss of $477 million after the Japanese company wrote off $4.9 billion of debt. Toll’s financial result was not disclosed.

Now the transport company, which has reduced its overseas offices, subsidiaries and staff levels, wants an equipment replacement plan to ensure it has the latest in safety, innovation, ergonomics, fatigue management, fuel efficiency and emission standards.

It will buy 388 new prime movers, 229 rigid trucks and 359 trailers to replace its fleet over the six-year period.

In its in-house Toll Today magazine, the company said: “It is essential that all our vehicles across our fleet are safe and efficient.

“Our new vehicles will be monitored with a global telematics system that has 24-hour centralised monitoring of all vehicles. We’re also fitting cameras to vehicles that capture events on the road to assist with safe driving analysis.”

It said the features that will be included as standard on its new trucks will include electronic braking systems, lane-assist departure warning and active cruise control.

The vehicles will also have a minimum Euro 5 emissions standard and aerodynamic designs, including low-rolling resistance tyres.

Toll has 37,000 customers, including major retailers Woolworths and Coles and is working with Amazon to investigate providing its transport services to the online retailer.

By Neil Dowling