Tally Ho Industries Ltd have taken delivery of a new Hino 700 Series FY2945, 10 x 4 crane truck. It is the fleets fifth Hino truck, which is driven by four drivers.
After copper refining had ended in Rotorua, John Collier’s parents started Tally Ho. More than 42 years ago the company began as scrap metal/bottle dealer, later moving into crane work.
In 1997, Tally Ho bought their first six wheeler FS series Hino truck, and a new crane to go with it, which is still in the fleet today.
Collier says the truck was a drawcard for him to come back to New Zealand and start working with the family business again.
He is very conscious of the fact that Hino trucks have safety built into them.
While thanks to high-cut boots Collier was fortunate not to lose his feet when he fell off a three-metre trailer in 2004, he did fracture his back and was told by medical specialists that he may not be able to work again.
However, Collier has made a full recovery and says it’s great to see more and more companies are being proactive about health and safety issues.
“In our industry it’s vitally important,” says Collier. “Stability is also a big thing; the crane trucks have to be tested every 12 months.”
In 2006, a second Hino and 2010 a third Hino with a PK60002 crane to match were purchased by Tally Ho.
Collier says the crane is still the biggest in the Bay today. Alongside the 700 Series FY, a Hino 500 Series FC1022 was ordered in 2014.
The new Hino 700 Series FY has a customized chassis, and the wheelbase lengthened so the truck could accommodate a large PK50002 crane and lift tag axle.
All axles can be park braked ensuring safety is paramount when the crane operates in challenging terrains. For towing purposes, the front bumpers are aluminium.
Collier says Tally Ho’s fleet of five Hino trucks works incredibly hard, towing heavy cranes on a daily basis.
He says Hino is the companies preferred truck brand due to chassis thickness, cab height from ground to top, and the ability to modify a truck to the company’s preferred specifications.
