Container haulier Port Express has ordered15 Mercedes-Benz Actros 2545 tractor units equipped with the manufacturer's optional safety systems, after experiencing a demonstration of the technology.
The demonstration involved Port Express transport operator Adam Dawson being driven at speed in an Actros tractor unit, fitted with the Active Brake Assistance 4 system, towards a stationary van at a recent event at Millbrook.
Dawson said: “Unless you’ve actually sat in the cab and experienced this technology in operation you can’t fully appreciate what it does.”
His father, director Karl Dawson, added: “Adam was hugely impressed by the experience. His feedback, coupled with our determination to do everything possible to prevent one of our vehicles from being involved in an accident, convinced us that the Safety Pack represented a wise investment.”
The family firm, which runs a fleet of 82 trucks, has ordered 15 Actros units with optional safety packs which include the Active Brake Assist 4 and Proximity Control Assist systems.
The trucks also include flat-floored BigSpace sleeper cabs fitted with refrigerators and electric sunroofs and come with fuel-efficient 330 kW (450 hp) 12.8-litre six-cylinder engines, added air management kits by Hatcher Components, and the manufacturer’s Predictive Powertrain Control system.
Supplied by East Anglia dealer Orwell Truck and Van, most will operate from Port Express’s headquarters in Felixstowe, with the remainder allocated to the firm’s Southampton depot.
Dawson added: “Our Actros are highly reliable and average a very acceptable 9.5-9.6 mpg, while the drivers also like the comfort and handling of their vehicles. That’s important given that they do a difficult job in conditions which can sometimes be very challenging, so we like to provide them with the best possible working environment.”
