The Econic has already won praise from London’s construction industry for its low driving position and field of vision from the cab.
Mercedes-Benz Econics trucks in tipper, crane-truck and skip-loader variants have been seeing growing take-up among safety-conscious urban operators.
Judges singled out the Econic’s cab design, which affords drivers a deep panoramic view, and its seating position, which places the driver’s head almost level with that of a cyclist – so that each is in the other’s direct line of sight.
“Mercedes-Benz was the first company to respond to the call from both CLOCS [Construction Logistics and Cyclist Safety] and the London Cycling Campaign for a construction vehicle with a low-entry cab and panoramic vision that greatly reduces blind spots,” said the judges.
“Since first demonstrating such a vehicle in 2014, an adaptation of the Econic refuse vehicle, more than 130 units have been put into service in London,” they added.
“What better way to celebrate this than to honour some of those whose vim and vigour, innovation and determination, has helped to make this happen,” commented London Cycling Campaign chief executive Ashok Sinha.