Harbour Haulage Of Scotland Turns To Mercedes-Benz For A New Actros L Truck
In April, Harbour Haulage of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, took delivery of its new Mercedes-Benz Actros L tractor from dealer BLS Truck & Van of Aberdeen. The premium-specification sleeper truck is hauling fish offal and other seafood-related products throughout Scotland to be made into fertiliser and animal feed.
“Cost was certainly a big factor behind my decision to purchase the Actros L,” says Director Raymond Simpson, whose fleet also includes a 2016 Actros tractor unit. “Our established supplier’s prices have gone through the roof, and that applies to the servicing as well as the cost of the vehicles themselves.”
Custom Configuration
Harbour Haulage’s new Actros L 2551 is the most powerful truck in its small fleet. It came with a 12.8-litre inline six-cylinder Mercedes OM 471 engine that generates 510 horsepower (375 kilowatts). To make room for the tipping gear required to operate a bulk trailer, Bailey Hydraulics of Wisbech replaced the truck’s fuel tank with an aluminium combination tank that holds both diesel and hydraulic oil.
The company opted for driver convenience features including rear wall lockers, a refrigerator, and a microwave to reward driver Ivelin Lesev for taking excellent care of his last truck. “Ivelin spends three or four nights in his cab each week and he’s delighted with the comfort of his Actros L,” Simpson says.
Harbour Haulage selected the Actros L’s low StreamSpace cab for maximum clearance under obstacles. “We make a regular run for a major customer that takes the truck under a relatively low bridge on the west coast, near Inverawe,” says Simpson. “The BigSpace would probably get under it but we wanted to leave a margin so we opted for the StreamSpace instead.” The StreamSpace has 1,970 millimetres (78 inches) of headroom.
Simpson is no stranger to Mercedes commercial trucks. At his other Directorship at transport company R&J Simpson of Aberdeen, he oversees approximately 30 six-wheeled rigids from the manufacturer.
The Actros L
Mercedes-Benz designed its Actros L for comfort and efficiency during long-distance hauling and heavy-duty distribution. Its cab is quieter and has better thermal insulation than previous iterations. The cabin’s seating position is also lower and more comfortable and improves visibility for the driver. Cab options include 2.5-metre (8.2-foot)-wide GigaSpace, BigSpace, and StreamSpace cabs with flat floors.
The Actros L comes in four- and six-wheel tractor units with single or double drive axles, as well as in 18- and 26-tonne (20- and 29-U.S.-ton) rigid form. The truck offers low-emissions Euro 6 engines and Mercedes technological advancements such as Active Sideguard Assist to detect cyclists and pedestrians in the truck’s blind spot. Newly designed LED headlights are optional.
Find The Right Mercedes-Benz
Truck Locator lists a variety of new and used Actros trucks, including Actros 2551 models, and other Mercedes-Benz trucks for sale.
Source: Mercedes-Benz