Bulk tipping and hazardous load specialist, BJ Waters is running two new Mercedes Actros tractor units with resilient steel bumpers and raised ride heights designed to restrict damage when working on rough sites.
The operator is based in Matlock, Derbyshire, and purchased the latest additions to its fleet from East Midlands dealer Mertrux Truck and Van.
BJ Waters has favoured Mercedes trucks in the past, but these are its first since 2015.
Key to the fourth-generation family firm’s decision to renew its association with the three-pointed star was the fuel-efficient performance of a pair of dealer demonstration units, which also attracted very positive driver feedback.
Run a combined fleet of almost 100 trucks
BJ Waters and its sister company Geo Siddall (Transport), which was acquired during the 1960s, run a combined fleet of almost 100 trucks, most of them 6×2 tractor units, which is currently dominated by two other brands. All these vehicles wear variations of the operator’s distinctive, two-tone green livery.
James Waters said: “We tried a couple of Actros demonstrators from Mertrux. They did very well on fuel, which didn’t surprise me because our previous Mercedes trucks were certainly economical.
“Just as importantly given the current climate, though, the drivers were very positive and have really embraced their new Actros.”
He added: “Mercedes has always been ahead of the game when it comes to innovation, particularly in relation to safety.
“Visibility from the Actros cab is better than you get with other trucks, but we’ve specified the steel bumper and straight axle as an additional precaution against accident damage when working off-road.”
New trucks are both Actros 2551 variants
BJ Waters new trucks are both Actros 2551 variants with flat-floored, aerodynamic StreamSpace cabs – at 2.5m they are in the wider of the two widths available – and 12.8-litre, in-line six-cylinder engines that produce 510 hp.
By choosing the steel bumper instead of the standard plastic item, and the same straight front axle and headlight arrangement as a flat-floored unit from the Arocs construction range, the operator has endeavoured to restrict repair costs.
This option offers up to 85mm – depending on tyre choice – of additional ground clearance, so carries a lower risk of underbody damage caused by ‘bottoming out’ or getting stuck during off-road manoeuvres.
The new trucks came with a full complement of advanced Mercedes Trucks technology, including MirrorCam, the manufacturer’s replacement for conventional mirrors, the latest version of Predictive Powertrain Control system, and Active Brake Assist 5 with enhanced pedestrian recognition capability.
The trucks are also equipped with telematics hardware by FleetBoard, which, like Mercedes Trucks, is a member of the Daimler Truck family, which records and processes data from the vehicle, and then rates the driver’s style at the wheel.
The criteria monitored include speed, braking, stops and idle times with the engine running, and use of the Mercedes PowerShift transmission’s Eco-Roll function.
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