New Mercedes-Benz Arocs for Pro Haulage

Arocs 3243 undertaking a range of aggregates and muckaway work for Ashcourt Contracts

TIPPER operators Pro Haulage say they are making big savings on their diesel and AdBlue bills after investing in their first Mercedes-Benz truck. The 8x4 Arocs 3243 was supplied by Northside Truck & Van, the manufacturer’s reigning Truck Dealer of the Year.

Pro Haulage trade from Market Weighton, in East Yorkshire, and undertake a range of aggregates and muckaway work throughout the region on behalf of Hull-based groundworks and civil engineering specialists Ashcourt Contracts. The company also supports its principal customer’s road-planing operations, predominantly at nights and over weekends.

Resplendent in Ashcourt Contracts’ corporate blue colours, the Arocs truck also features a silver grille, weight-saving alloy wheels and a roof-mounted light bar.

The truck’s steel body is by L. Townend, of Holmfirth, while the high-pressure Binotto TFC 145 tipping gear is well suited to 32-tonne operations, thanks to its combination of speed, safety, strength and reliability. The light weight of the vehicle’s body and ancillary equipment contribute to a competitive payload allowance of 19.5 tonnes.

Pro Haulage proprietor Paul Oxtoby, who founded his business nine years ago and up to now has always favoured the two Swedish truck brands, said: ‘Previously, I’d never really considered Mercedes-Benz construction vehicles. However, they’ve really gone to town with this new Arocs, designing and building a truck specifically for my kind of application, so I decided to give it a try.’

Mr Oxtoby drives the Arocs truck, which wears his personalized registration plate P8 OXO. It went on the road in September and, 10,000km later, he is delighted with its fuel-efficiency and exceptionally low rate of AdBlue consumption.

‘My other vehicle is now a year old and returning 6.5 miles/gal,’ he said. ‘Despite the fact that it’s still loosening up, the Arocs is already averaging 7.2 miles/gal, and I’m confident that once it’s fully slackened off it will be good for 7.5–7.6 miles/gal. That will put it a full mile ahead. What’s more, the Mercedes-Benz hardly uses any AdBlue compared with the other vehicle.’

Pro Haulage’s Arocs truck is powered by a state-of-the-art, in-line six-cylinder engine producing 315kW (428hp) and driving through a 12-speed Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmission.

Although the relationship is still in its infancy, Mr Oxtoby said his early impressions of supplying dealer Northside Truck & Van was entirely impressive.

‘I specified a lot of options, including leather seats, a fridge-freezer and Sat Nav system,’ he recalled. ‘Northside’s sales executive, Chris Dyer, was very attentive and efficient, working through my requirements and ensuring that the vehicle which arrived was exactly as ordered.’

Mr Oxtoby said he also benefited from a coaching session delivered by Northside’s driver trainer, Mick Bell.

‘Mick spent half a day with me in the quarries, which was invaluable. He gave me some very good pointers, particularly with regard to the automated transmission – it took a little getting used to, but now that I’ve done so I reckon it’s a definite improvement on other auto boxes that I’ve tried.’

The Arocs truck is being inspected and serviced under a Mercedes-Benz repair and maintenance contract, by the workshop team at the dealer’s Hull branch. ‘I drop it off at the end of the day and go home in one of Northside’s courtesy vehicles, then pick it up again first thing the next morning,’ said Mr Oxtoby. ‘It couldn’t be simpler.’