National Veterinary Services (NVS), the UK’s largest wholesale veterinary supplier, recently received 11 new Mercedes-Benz Actros StreamSpace tractor units from eStar Truck & Van. The new trucks will ensure deliveries to London and other cities will remain in compliance due to the switch from flat-floored cabs to narrower, lower variants. Since 1989, NVS has supplied and distributed pharmaceuticals, instrumentation, pet products, and accessories to animal health practices and other outlets nationwide. The Actros trucks will work from the firm’s headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent, pulling temperature-controlled semi-trailers and servicing 11 hubs that provide deliveries to around 2,700 veterinary practices.
About The Actros
The 11 new Actros are all 2545 models equipped with 2.3-metre (7.5-foot)-wide StreamSpace cabs with 170-millimetre (6.7-inch) engine tunnels. The trucks are also equipped with Mercedes-Benz MirrorCam technology, which eliminates conventional mirrors and have additional windows in the lower half of the nearside doors to earn a three-star Direct Vision rating from Transport for London. Starting in 2024, all heavy goods vehicles will be required to have at least three stars to operate in the capital.
NVS’ new trucks have 330-kilowatt (450-horsepower) 12.8-litre in-line six-cylinder engines and are equipped with Jost sliding fifth wheels. The trucks will each log around 150,000 kilometres (93,205 miles) per year. The company added the upgraded twin-screen Multimedia Cockpit which features a 12-inch instrument panel and satellite navigation. The trucks also have safety features such as Active Brake Assist 5, which uses a camera and radar to detect objects crossing the truck’s path, as well as Proximity Control Assist, a system that scans traffic up to 150 m (500 ft) ahead, records the speed and distance of vehicles, and automatically adapts the Actros to changing traffic conditions. The cabs include fridges and have driver- and passenger-side suspension seats for the double-manned routes NVS’ drivers often make to Scotland and the South West.
“We’ve embraced Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ MirrorCam and other technology because of the tangible benefits it offers in terms of compliance, not only for London but for other towns and cities too,” says Transport Operations Manager Phil Bate. “By moving to three-star-rated vehicles we’ve effectively future-proofed our fleet. We’ve also done everything we can to ensure the safety of our driving colleagues and of the public in general, particularly vulnerable road users, while at the same time specifying a few additional features to make what can be a very tough job that bit more comfortable.”
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You’ll find a large selection of new and used Mercedes-Benz trucks, including Actros tractors and rigids like the 2545, for sale on Truck Locator.
Source: Mercedes-Benz