Browns Distribution has put its first Mercedes-Benz trucks on the road. The three Actros tractor units were supplied eStar Truck & Van, whose site on Chemical Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, is just metres away from Browns’ premises.
They have joined an existing mixed fleet, but Managing Director David Brown said an approach from eStar’s Truck Sales Consultant, Ryan Lockett, came at the perfect moment.
“Ryan’s timing was spot-on,” he recalled. “He couldn’t have known, but he got in touch just as we considered changes to our fleet purchase policy. We took a demo truck from eStar for a couple of weeks and were impressed enough to decide we would include Mercedes-Benz in the mix.
“The demonstrator was handed to one of our most experienced drivers, who gave us positive feedback. The cab was well-designed and comfortable, the truck’s fuel returns were easily as good as anything else on our fleet, and overall it looked like a nice bit of kit.
“The most important thing with any vehicle, though, is its availability for work – uptime is everything,” he continued. “Having eStar’s round-the-clock workshop on our doorstep and hearing the team there make all the right promises regarding how they’ll back us up decided to invest in Mercedes-Benz a ‘no-brainer’. We also took up the offer of a five-year Service Contract, at a highly competitive rate, making budgeting for running costs much more predictable.”
The trucks are Actros 2546 models, powered by 460 hp 10.7-litre six-cylinder engines. The StreamSpace cabs have 170 mm engine tunnels, but the lower driving position helps the vehicles meet Direct Vision Standard requirements for working in London. They are assigned to general haulage duties all over the UK, working with SDC curtainside trailers, and are typically away from home for one or two nights at a time.
