MRA Rousell & Sons add C460 tridem to fleet
New Renault Trucks tridem delivers comfort and drives profitability for MRA Rousell & Sons
SOMERSET-based MRA Rousell & Sons have added a Renault Trucks C460 8x4 tridem with PPG aluminium insulated tipper body to their five-strong fleet.
Supplied by Sparks Commercial Services, the C460 is the fleet’s first tridem and has been bought in to give more flexibility as well as drive profitability on MRA Rousell and Sons’ aggregate and tarmac jobs.
Chris Rousell, who runs MRA Rousell & Sons with his brother, Kevin, explained why the C460 tridem helps to widen their business offering: ‘We’ve been running Renault trucks for 13 years and we’ve been very happy with them. The tridem, which has a retractable rear axle, gives us the flexibility to get into smaller and tighter-access construction sites as well as farm deliveries that are often down narrow country lanes.’
The Renault Trucks C tridem with factory-fitted extra axle adaption offers enhanced manoeuvrability as well as good traction and, with its three-axle bogie, a shorter wheelbase of 3.7m, improving the turning circle by 20% compared with a conventional 8x4, and access to sites not usually accessible by an eight-wheeler.
This is the company’s fourth Renault truck, having run a used vehicle back in 2008, a 62-plate eight-wheeler tipper and a 2016 C460 six-wheeler.
Explaining why the company opted for the new vehicle, Mr Rousell said: ‘The tridem was bought in to replace a six-wheeler and, as there wasn’t a massive price difference between the new truck and a standard eight-wheeler, we opted for the tridem as it offers more flexibility. It also carries 19.5 tonnes compared with 15.5 tonnes, which gives us an extra 4 tonnes, and ultimately makes a difference to us in terms of profit.’
The C460 tridem is equipped with Dura-Bright alloys wheels and a Night and Day cab fitted with optional extras for added comfort, including leather seat trim, Road Pad +, DAB radio, and Sat Nav.
Praising the new vehicle, Mr Rousell said: ‘The truck has a busy life out on the road working on jobs across the South and South West, including Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, and areas of Berkshire too, and as I’m personally driving the truck, I decided to treat myself to a few extras. I can honestly say it’s the most comfortable truck I’ve ever driven, it really is a lovely bit of kit and a step up from all our previous six- and eight-wheelers.
