COURTESY CANTER MOVE HOLMES REAL ESTATE CUSTOMERS

An innovative Sydney real estate agent has put on a Fuso Canter courtesy truck for its customers. Family-run Holmes Real Estate has introduced the 515 Canter, which is free for its customers to use when buying or selling their homes. Importantly, it can be driven with a car licence.

"It’s obviously very useful for people moving house, but a lot of customers also use it to declutter a house they are preparing to sell," says Troy Holmes, who runs the business with his wife Rebekah and son Kane. "It’s available for anyone who has been a customer; they don’t have to be buying or selling, they may just want to pick up a lounge suite or other bulky item."

He says the Canter 515 was chosen due to its active safety features, its ease of use for customers who may not have driven commercial vehicles before and for the lengthy manufacturer warranty.

Fuso was first to introduce Advanced Emergency Braking System technology for the light truck class in Australia and it is standard on all 4x2 Canter models. This system uses radar technology that can automatically brake the truck if it senses an imminent collision. This system can even detect, and start braking for, moving pedestrians.

Also standard is a Lane Departure Warning System, Electric Stability Control and airbags for the driver and passenger.

"The anti-collision technology was certainly a big factor for us, because the safety of our customers is paramount," Mr Holmes says. "We want to do everything that we can to make them as safe as possible."

Holmes Real Estate went a step further and added five high-resolution cameras, the footage from which can be viewed on the standard 7-inch centre touch screen display, as well as a speed limiter and GPS tracking. Ease of use was also front of mind, Mr Holmes says.

"We want to make this as accessible as possible, so that people who may not have experience driving a commercial vehicle will be able to take advantage of it. This truck really feels like a big car, it is easy to manoeuvre and has a great turning circle," Mr Holmes adds.

Mr Holmes selected the Duonic automated transmission option, which takes away the need for drivers to use a clutch. "That was an easy decision. The automated transmission just makes the truck so much more accessible," he says.

Mr Holmes, who bought the truck through Stillwell Trucks in Sydney, says the Canter manufacturer warranty, which covers the truck for five years or 200,000km, whichever comes first, was also a positive.

He says the truck, which is fitted-out with a trolley, straps and blankets, has been well received by customers.

"Our customers really appreciate having access to the truck," he says. "They really like that they don’t need to go to the trouble and expense of renting a truck every time they need to move something bulky."

In addition to the many benefits the Canter brings his customers, Mr Holmes says the courtesy truck is also a very effective way of promoting his business.

"Apart from all the other positives, it also makes a terrific mobile billboard," Mr Holmes concludes.