Mercedes-Benz New Actros tops fuel trials for haulage firm 11 October 2013

Ramage Transport has chosen 10 Mercedes-Benz New Actros trucks, after tests revealed the vehicles delivered a mile per gallon better fuel efficiency than others in the trial.

The Newcastle upon Tyne-based haulier's New Actros 2545 BigSpace tractor units were supplied by local dealer Bell Truck and Van and will clock up 250,000 km per year.

Operations director Robin Ramage says the high mileage made fuel efficiency a must: "We knew these trucks would be double-shifted, with regular runs to the South East and Scotland… Even small differences in mpg performance would have a major effect on running costs, so a full fuel evaluation was the obvious way forward."

Ramage obtained demonstrators from several suppliers and ran them against each other in back-to-back trials. "The Mercedes-Benz New Actros recorded the best figures by a significant margin," he says. "It was a full mile per gallon better than our established fleet vehicles."

Fuel efficiency was not the only criteria, however: "With such a high-mileage application, the quality of the back-up is also crucial," adds Ramage. "The fact that free repair and maintenance cover is included within the cost of the vehicle, and that Mercedes-Benz provides first-class, round-the-clock emergency breakdown cover, was also key to our purchasing decision."

A member of the Palletways network, Ramage runs 90 top-weight tractor units and more than 100 trailers, as well as some smaller rigids and vans.

Author
Laura Cork

Related Companies
Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd

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