Both were supplied by dealer Western Commercial and are pulling seven-car Voyager transporter trailers.
Most of Falkirk’s work is undertaken for car dealers, including Western Commercial’s parent the Eastern Western Motor Group.
“We enjoy a great relationship with Mercedes-Benz through moving vehicles, so it made perfect sense to try the trucks,” says Yvonne Guild, co-owner and director at the Grangemouth-based operator.
Commissioned last September, the first vehicle is a 503bhp Actros 2551 with GigaSpace cab and 12.8-litre straight-six engine. It has proved both reliable and economical, thanks in part to its fuel-saving Predictive Powertrain Control system.
The vehicle is also a hit with driver Jim French, who says: “My Actros has loads of power and never slows down on the hills, while the driving position and seat comfort are excellent; I can drive all day and feel good at the end of it.”
The second Actros is a 2548 model, with 470bhp engine and BigSpace cab. Both vehicles were supplied on contract hire through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
The vehicles are covered by the manufacturer’s ‘zero tolerance’ downtime pledge, which promises a replacement or rental reimbursement in the event that the vehicle cannot be repaired and on the road within 24 hours.
Guild adds: “Mercedes-Benz is a great brand and our Actros look fantastic, while the fact that they’re so well-liked by those who use them is also important – good drivers are hard to come by, so we try to look after our own.”