Supplied by dealer City West Commercials, the Canter 7C15 models have Comfort day cabs and 3.0-litre common-rail diesel engines, delivering 148bhp and 370Nm of torque over a broad engine speed range. The steel tipping bodies are by Brit-Tipp, of Warrington.
The Canters join the Somerset-based operator’s growing line-up of vehicles, which ranges from small tippers to larger crane vehicles.
“Our smallest vehicles are 3.5-tonne tippers, which offer payloads of 900kg. The Canters are barely any bigger in terms of their external dimensions, but can carry an impressive 3.8 tonnes,” says Paul Gibbard, transport manager for CRS.
“Their compact footprint and excellent turning circle mean they’re also every bit as manoeuvrable, so they can easily get on and off domestic driveways, and small building sites where access can be tight.
“We can therefore deliver significantly more product on a single journey. The resulting reduction in total vehicle miles is helping to cut our fuel bill while also reducing the impact of our operations on local air quality and traffic levels.”
Safety was also a priority; the Canters have a low seating position for the driver, deep windscreen and side windows, along with lane departure warning system. In addition, CRS specified all-round recording cameras by Leeds-based SM UK, strobe-light beacons and side repeating marker lights.
Gibbard adds: “Of course, as 7.5-tonners, the Canters fall into operator regulations so we have trained more staff to meet these requirements. The cost of so doing is more than outweighed, though, by the significant gains they’re delivering in overall efficiency and productivity.”
Two of the Canters were purchased outright; the other two were funded through Mercedes-Benz Finance. All four are on fixed-cost Complete Service contracts.