Story & Photo by Patrick P. Tulfo
VAN Doorne Aanhangwagen Fabriek (DAF), which simply means Van Doorne’s Trailer factory, is a Dutch truck company that started way back in 1928. It has a long, colorful history in trucks and bus production. The company also went into car production for some time before selling its car division to Volvo.
In 1996 Paccar, an American truck company, which manufactures the Peterbilt and Kenworth brands, acquired DAF and Leyland trucks.
In the Philippines the official distributor of DAF Trucks is Pioneer Trucks and Equipment Corp., which is at 341. G. Araneta Avenue, Barangay Santol, Quezon City.
Recently, Pioneer Trucks and Equipment Corp. invited several members of the motoring beat, including this writer, for a tour of their sprawling 8,000-square-meter covered truck and maintenance facility in Cabuyao, Laguna. The facility is immediately on the left after the Cabuyao Exit.
The first thing that caught my attention was the DAF showroom that is being built in front of the sprawling facility (It is expected to be finished before December).
According to Aaron Go, the young managing director of the company, “Pioneer is a family-owned and operated import-based company that wholesales and retails United States- and European- made truck and trailer parts that cater to the domestic logistics and transport of commercial goods.”
Once inside, we were greeted with rows of trucks undergoing modifications and repairs. Go went into details on the works that are being done inside the facility. He said, “From windshield replacement, brake repair and engine overhaul or replacement, all major and minor jobs are done in this facility with our well-trained personnel and our extensive inventory of truck parts and accessories.”
But, aside from trucks, Pioneer is also the exclusive distributor of Speed Limiter. Go said this is also a part of the service they offer. “We do in-house installation or send mechanics on site, depending on the client’s requirements, In fact, we have already installed speed limiters to truck fleets of major logistics companies and truck manufacturers, such as Isuzu Philippines Corp.”
After the tour of their extensive facility, two DAF tractor head trucks were presented to the media together with their other offerings, such as the third wheel for trailers. Go explained, “DAF Trucks NV is a Dutch truck-manufacturing company and a division of Paccar. Its headquarters and main plant are in Eindhoven. Cabs and axles assemblies are produced at its Westerlo plant in Belgium. Some of the truck models with the DAF brand are designed and built by Leyland Trucks at their Farington in Leyland near Preston, England.”
Aside from DAF, Pioneer also imports other Paccar trucks, such as Kenworth, International and Peterbilt brands. They also carry a complete lineup of trucks and trailer parts from Paccar, PNW systems, JOST and Kenworth, making them a complete one-stop shop for anyone looking for a truck and trailer for their business.
Meanwhile, aside from showcasing their truck offerings, they also demonstrated another important product in their lineup, the Speed Limiter. With the upcoming implementation of the government legislation on installation of speed limiters on trucks and public-utility vehicles, a speed limiter is a device that electronically controls a vehicle’s top speed. Go said, “Aside from reducing road accidents due to controlling the vehicle’s speed, the system offers other benefits to the owners, such as fuel savings and emission reduction.”
He explained that the device works by controlling the fuel-flow system (for vehicles without engine management) or by drive-by-wire system. In a video presentation, Go further explained how the electronic speed limiter works. He said, “The ECU is connected to a speed signal [electronic speedometer, ABS or mechanical sensor] and receives frequency signal while the vehicle is in motion. At a preset frequency, say, at 80 kph [kilometers per hour], the ECU transmits to the engine management, which holds the vehicle’s speed. The owner and operator has the luxury of presetting the maximum speed of their vehicles.”
Aside from enjoying the benefits of increase in fuel economy and reduction of emissions, owners are assured of reduced maintenance cost, thereby lengthening the life of the engine and, most of all, safety of the commuting public, he added.
According to Go, they have been in the trucking business for almost a decade and have witnessed the industry’s gradual growth through the years. “We are at the crossroads of our career, and the upward trend in the logistics industry is very encouraging. We will be here to provide the needs of the industry,” he finished.
Image credits: Patrick P. Tulfo
1 comment
DAF trucks are great