Uckfield-based haulier K2 Transport has taken delivery of eight new Mercedes-Benz Actros tractor units, the company’s first of the latest model generation.
Six of the new trucks have replaced Actros models acquired three years ago. The other two are an extension to the fleet. Seven of the trucks are on general haulage duties, with the other assigned to K2’s Pallex contract. Pulling a double-deck trailer, it trunks nightly to a hub in Leicestershire, and returns with consignments for onward delivery to customers in local postcode areas.
The new Actros 2545s were supplied by MBNI Truck & Van and have GigaSpace cabs. Their second-generation, 12.8-litre, in-line six-cylinder engines produce 330kW (450hp) and drive through Mercedes PowerShift automated manual transmissions.
Like the trucks they replaced, the Actros are on RentaMerc contract hire agreements. They are now being inspected and maintained in the Eastbourne workshop of Rossetts Commercials.
K2 Transport was established by Kim Brand and Nick Pearce in 2013. Having started out with a single truck, they now run 19 Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The new vehicles are their first from the latest model generation – recently crowned International Truck of the Year – but Brand and Pearce had already driven the new Actros.
“We both attended the truck’s European launch in Barcelona, so had a chance to see for ourselves what all the fuss was about,” said Brand. “We’d heard a lot about the various features, but I didn’t appreciate just how good the whole package is until I got behind the wheel.”
The new Actros includes MirrorCam, which replaces conventional mirrors with a rear-facing camera system, which improves visibility and enhances fuel efficiency.
K2’s trucks were spec’d with Multimedia Cockpit Interactive, which includes satellite navigation and a 12-inch driver display as well as two digital displays.
They also feature enhanced versions of the Active Brake Assist emergency braking system, and Predictive Powertrain Control system, which scans the road ahead then manages the vehicle’s driveline to restrict diesel consumption and cut emissions.
“MirrorCam seems to be grabbing most of the headlines, and rightly so because it’s great,” said Brand. “However, other advances in safety, efficiency and overall ease of use are hugely beneficial too. Mercedes-Benz has made a fantastic truck even better.
“They might be loaded with new technology, but these new trucks are very user-friendly and have quickly been embraced by our drivers. The customer service has been excellent too.”
One of the trucks has more bling that usual, and that was given to long-standing K2 driver Stuart Bell. “Stuart’s always kept his vehicles in pristine condition and has been telling us for a while that he’d like to exhibit his Actros at shows,” added Brand. “We were happy to indulge him and have therefore spent a little more to equip his new unit with extras such as alloy wheels and light bars, so it really stands out from the crowd.”
