National Transport Museum gets last ACCO

While anticipation grows in the lead up to the launch of an all-new ACCO later this year, IVECO has donated the last locally manufactured Euro 5 ACCO to the National Road Transport Museum in Alice Springs. 

The outright donation will see the truck on regular display at the Museum, allowing visitors to enjoy this iconic model of the Australian road transport industry for generations to come. 

The donated 6×4 ACCO cab chassis which is finished in bright red paintwork, was produced in November 2019 and has since been in storage; it’s the last example of the fully built local model before being superseded in 2020 by a new ACCO version based on a global platform from Europe.

The truck was recently transported from Melbourne to Alice Springs just in time for the Australian Festival of Transport which was held at the Museum during August, while adding additional interest to the delivery was the vehicle transporter, one of PrixCar Services’ stunning new S-Way AS 550 prime movers and drop deck trailer.

IVECO ANZ Managing Director, Michael May, said that the National Road Transport Museum was a fitting home for the final Euro 5 ACCO produced.

“In the late 1960s through to the early 2000s, the ACCO played a massive role in Australia and New Zealand, being the truck of choice for a great many applications including general freight, linehaul, emergency service work and vocational duties including waste collection and agitator work,” Mr May said.

“In more recent years ACCO’s primary focus was the refuse industry where it continues to be a favourite among operators for its extreme reliability and low total cost of ownership benefits, in what is arguably one of the most demanding truck applications there is.   

“At the end of 2019, IVECO celebrated the delivery of the 90,000^th ACCO, a testament to the overall success of the model, so the truck’s inclusion within the National Road Transport Museum is deserved and well earned.

“And while it may mark the end of an era, we very much look forward to what the future holds with the imminent release of all-new ACCO,” Mr May said. 

In accepting the donation, Road Transport Historical Society Inc. CEO, Nick Prus, cited the contribution that ACCO has made to the Australian road transport landscape over many years.

“We’re very very happy and grateful that IVECO considered us for this donation,” Mr Prus said.

“As an exhibit, the last locally manufactured Euro 5 ACCO aligns very well with the goals of the museum: to preserve the heritage of the local road transport industry. The ACCO will be on permanent displace in the ‘Trucks in Action’ venue, which showcases the diversity of vehicles that were built in Australia.” 

While this generation ACCO has been consigned to history, the latest all-new iteration of the model will be available in Australia in the coming months, with IVECO already taking significant multivehicle orders for the truck from several national fleet operators within the refuse sector.

The latest models build on the tough underpinnings of its predecessors, while also introducing the latest in modern technologies and appointments for owners and drivers. Advancements include the latest active and passive safety features, powerful yet efficient engines that meet stringent Euro 6 (Step E) emission standards, and enhanced cabins that are more comfortable and fatigue-reducing.  

A further benefit of the new ACCO is the availability of a locally designed and engineered dual control system that was designed specifically for the model. In developing the latest ACCO, IVECO Australia engineers and product teams also consulted widely with industry, particularly the refuse sector, to ensure the model is fit-for-task and continues to be a leader in demanding vocation-based applications.