Running a waste business means running trucks. Most operators know roughly what their fleet costs, but not precisely enough to make confident replacement, pricing, and capital decisions.
"I've worked with Will before and knew what to expect. He's a quick operator - he helped me take information that was sitting in my head and turn it into something I could actually use to run the business." - James Wallace, East Coast Waste Services
Client & Context
James Wallace at East Coast Waste Services needed a clear picture of what each truck really costs to run.
The information existed, mostly in his head and spread across a few different places, but it had never been pulled into a model he could use to plan ahead.
Without that clarity, it is hard to make confident decisions about when to replace a vehicle, how to price contracts, and what the next few years of capital spend will look like.
Runwise was engaged to turn those inputs into a repeatable financial view that could stand up to real-world questions.
What We Built
We built an Excel financial model that calculates each truck's cost to run per hour - then projects it forward across the life of the fleet.
The model accounts for the core drivers James needed to see: fuel, maintenance, depreciation and capital.
From there, we added scenario planning so decisions could be stress tested before action is taken.
- Fuel and operating cost assumptions at a per-hour level
- Maintenance costs tracked and smoothed across the operating life
- Depreciation and capital components included in the hourly view
- Replacement and timeline scenarios to compare outcomes side by side
How It Was Implemented
The model was developed iteratively with James using the information he already had - then structured so the numbers could be updated as conditions changed.
Rather than building a generic template, we focused on mapping the assumptions that actually drive decisions inside the business.
Once the model matched the way James thinks about the fleet, it became a tool he could use directly to evaluate trade-offs and plan capital responsibly.
Outcome
James now has a clear view of what each truck costs to run, including operating and capital components.
He can compare options such as holding a truck longer versus bringing forward a replacement, and see how those decisions change the hourly rate over time.
The model also produces a projected capex profile across the next few years, not just for one vehicle, but as a view of the broader fleet decision.
The result is confidence: a practical way to stress test fleet decisions before he commits capital.
For more information, visit eastcoastwasteservices.com.au.