Owens takes on first Mercedes tractor units in 15 years

South Wales operator Owens Road Services has taken a delivery of its first Mercedes-Benz tractor units since the late 1990s, after switching its vehicle replacement programme to contract hiring.

The five Mercedes-Benz Actros 2546s have flat-floored MegaSpace cabs, 460hp V6 engines and Mercedes PowerShift 2 transmissions.

They are also fitted with Daimler FleetBoard telematics systems and their drivers have been trained by the manufacturer.

The trucks, which are based at Owens’ Newport depot, are all pulling 4.7m high curtainsiders on routes to and from the North West. They were ordered as part of a scheme to replace its fleet with contract hire vehicles, which began in 2011.

Director Eurof Owen, who founded the company with his brother Huw in 1970, said: “We’d seen and heard good things about Actros fuel efficiency so, with diesel costs at the top of the agenda these days, decided to try a couple of demonstrators.

"Both performed impressively but one did particularly well, returning 9mpg at 44 tonnes.”

The operator also runs Mercedes rigids as part of its mixed fleet of 200 tractor units and 40 rigids.