A Volvo FH I-Save prime mover has helped Foodbank NSW & ACT expand its transport capacity, reduce reliance on outsourced freight and reach more regional communities during its first year in operation.
The truck, paired with a Vawdrey refrigerated trailer, joined the Foodbank NSW & ACT fleet in 2025 and has since travelled almost 15,000 kilometres supporting food collection, Fresh Food Pop-ups and emergency relief operations across NSW and the ACT.
For Foodbank, the addition of a dedicated heavy vehicle has provided greater control over its logistics network at a time when demand for food relief has risen significantly.
According to Volvo Trucks Australia, demand for food relief has increased by 40%, making transport capacity an increasingly important part of Foodbank’s ability to move fresh produce and other essential supplies efficiently.
Over the first 12 months of the partnership, Volvo Trucks Australia and Foodbank NSW & ACT say the operation has helped collect and deliver more than 1,000 tonnes of food and fresh produce, contributing to the distribution of more than 2.1 million meals through a network of more than 700 Community Partners.
The truck has also been used to transport fresh fruit and vegetables for school breakfast programs and to support emergency relief during natural disasters.
Tom Chapman, Vice President Sales and Marketing at Volvo Trucks Australia, said the vehicle was demonstrating how commercial transport assets can have an impact well beyond their day-to-day logistics role.
“It’s fantastic to see the work Foodbank NSW & ACT carries out every day,” Chapman said.
He said the truck and trailer combination was helping Foodbank deliver nutritious food to families while extending its reach into communities where assistance is needed.
For fleet operators, the partnership also highlights the operational value that can come from bringing more transport capability in-house.
Rather than relying as heavily on outsourced freight, Foodbank has been able to use its own prime mover to increase collection and distribution capacity, respond to changing demand and service regional and remote locations more directly.
Samantha Prescott, CEO of Foodbank NSW & ACT, said the partnership had strengthened the organisation’s transport and logistics network.
“The prime mover has increased our capacity to deliver fresh food across NSW and the ACT,” Prescott said, noting that demand for food relief remained at record levels.
With one in three households across NSW and the ACT experiencing food insecurity, reliable transport remains a critical part of getting food from donors and suppliers to the communities that need it.
For heavy vehicle fleets, the first year of the Foodbank partnership is a practical example of how dedicated fleet assets can improve logistics resilience, provide greater control over freight movements and support organisations operating across large geographic areas.
