Mercedes-Benz Trucks and bp have conducted a successful pilot trial with Wren Kitchens on the UK’s first digital in-truck fuel payment system. Based on Mercedes-Benz’s bp In-Truck Pay app, the system makes purchasing fuel faster and safer for drivers while making payment management more efficient for fleet managers. The app was developed for the latest generation of Actros trucks specified with Multimedia Cockpit, Interactive. The pay system incorporates the open-platform Truck App Portal that enables fleet managers to assign apps to trucks’ Multi-Touch Displays.
“Connectivity is integral to the strategy of Mercedes-Benz Trucks,” says Richard Skidmore, Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK head of customer service delivery. “bp In-Truck Pay demonstrates perfectly how the Truck App Portal can amplify the benefit of running Mercedes-Benz trucks by helping customers to save money, increase efficiency, and retain drivers.”
Ahead Of The Game
The system was inspired by customers’ responses to a survey Mercedes-Benz conducted after launching its new Actros range in 2019, asking what apps could enhance business—refuelling solutions topped the list. Launched in May 2021, the pilot involved installing bp In-Truck Pay on six Actros tractor units and five 18-tonne (19.8-U.S.-ton) Actros rigids from Wren Kitchens’ fleet. Billed as the UK’s No. 1 kitchen retailer, Wren Kitchens has roughly 100 Mercedes-Benz trucks in its 300-truck fleet, and it buys most of its fuel from bp.
“We strive to always be ahead of the game, and trialling innovative initiatives like this means we can potentially drive progress within our business, and, ultimately, the logistics sector as a whole,” says Wren Kitchens National Fleet Manager Lee Thompson-Halls. “The trials have shown an increase in efficiency, with savings of approximately five minutes per transaction. When you add that up over time, it will have a hugely positive impact on our business, which delivers over 100,000 kitchens per year across the UK. Not only that, but it will also be beneficial for our drivers, by creating a safer and quicker way to pay for fuel.”
Making Drivers’ Lives Easier
Using bp In-Truck Pay, drivers confirm the refuelling site, unlock the pump, and refuel. The app logs the transaction and pays for the fuel without the driver entering the shop or entering data. Purchasing, mileage, and other data automatically transfers to the fleet manager. No cards are required to refuel, eliminating risks concerning lost cards and fraudulent usage. The system also eliminates mileage-entry errors. Wren Kitchens says driver feedback has been resoundingly positive.
“Our team of drivers do a challenging job, so anything we can do to make their lives easier and less stressful has to be a good thing, not least because it will help to make them that bit safer at the wheel,” says Thompson-Halls.
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Source: Mercedes-Benz