Suffolk haulier Bacton Transport has returned to Mercedes-Benz to buy a further eight Actros tractor units.
Enthusiastic driver feedback about the fuel-efficient vehicles made the new Actros 2545 an obvious choice. The models come with aerodynamic StreamSpace cabs, and are the subject of a CharterWay contract hire agreement with Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
Bacton’s Stowmarket-based fleet already comprises eight other tractor units from the current Actros generation, five of which were among the first to enter service in the UK, as well as four MegaSpace units from the previous Actros range.
The new Euro-6 trucks, which will go to work on Bacton’s palletised freight and distribution services, are powered by state-of-the-art 330kW (449bhp) straight-six engines which drive through Mercedes’ PowerShift 3 automated transmissions.
They are also equipped with Predictive Powertrain Control – a cruise control system that uses 3D GPS mapping to read three kilometres of topography ahead, adjusting speed, braking and the transmission accordingly to maximise fuel efficiency. Mercedes-Benz says the system can cut fuel costs by up to 5%, though some operators have reported significantly higher savings.
Bacton Transport Director, Edward Downie, said, “We commissioned our first Actros in 2004 and the fuel efficiency and driver acceptance were very good from the outset. The new-shape Actros models have performed particularly well in terms of fuel efficiency, regularly returning over 10mpg. We look forward to seeing by how much the PPC systems can improve on figures which are already excellent.”
