Woodside Logistics Group, a supply chain business based in Northern Ireland, recently added 12 new-generation Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks to its Woodside Haulage fleet. Woodside Haulage is a division of the firm that specialises in full and part loads. It’s based in Preston and operates a fleet of more than 100 vehicles, to which 16 previous Actros tractor units have been added in the past two years.
The most recent dozen are all Actros 2545s with BigSpace cabs featuring Benz’s Multimedia Cockpit and 12.8-litre, 443-horsepower (330-kilowatt) engines. They are also equipped with Mercedes PowerShift 3 transmissions with an Eco Roll mode, and Predictive Powertrain Control that uses GPS and 3D mapping to make more efficient gear shifts.
Woodside loves the efficiency its Actros truck provide, but it ranks safety and driver comfort even higher. For this reason, the firm opted for the innovative MirrorCam system, which replaces traditional side mirrors with roof-mounted cameras and A-pillar-mounted displays inside the cab to reduce blind spots and maximise visibility. Active Brake Assist 5 is another key safety feature; it can bring the vehicle to a full stop while traveling at 50 km/h or below if it detects a pedestrian.
Positive Feedback For The MirrorCam System
“When it comes to choosing new vehicles, we work through a checklist of attributes,” says Glenn Alderdice, operations director at Woodside Haulage. “Our trucks must be safe, provide a comfortable working and living environment for our drivers, and offer competitive whole-life running costs. By putting new technology to the most effective use, the Actros ticks all of these boxes.
“MirrorCam is, perhaps, the most high-profile example of new technology on any vehicle at the moment, and has been very well received by our drivers,” Alderdice continues. “The feedback from those who’ve been using the system since we introduced our first new-generation Actros last year has been extremely positive. They find it intuitive to use and say it provides an exceptionally clear view, especially when manoeuvring.”
More On The Actros
The fifth-generation Actros, winner of the International Truck of the Year 2020 award, is built for long-distance haulage and heavy-duty distribution. The 18- to 33-tonne truck is available as a rigid or tractor unit with axle configurations ranging from 4x2 to 6x4. There are 17 cab variants in two widths, with roof shape options such as GigaSpace, BigSpace, StreamSpace, ClassicSpace, and CompactSpace. Euro VI engine outputs range from 235 to 617 hp (175 to 460 kW) and from 1,000 to 3,000 newton-metres of max torque.
The Actros’ Multimedia Cockpit combines ergonomic and connectivity refinements to allow operators to drive and live in comfort. Standard safety features include a driver side airbag and the Mercedes-Benz Safety Package, which includes Active Brake Assist with Proximity Control Assist and pedestrian recognition technology.
Find Your Next Mercedes-Benz
You will find hundreds of new and used Mercedes-Benz trucks for sale on Truck Locator, including a large selection of Actros, Atego, Axor, and Econic models.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
