Capital Equipment News December 2015

TRANSPORT

2015, this truck showed why it is capable of 24/7 operation without showing any signs of slowing down. This was achieved in part owing to its strong custom chassis frame, a purpose-built drivetrain and constantly look- ing for ways to reduce customer’s cost per ton. DT&B’s superior telematics system, Fleet- Board, remains the product of choice for most of Daimler’s vehicles as more than 60% of all Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks purchased were fitted with FleetBoard at point of sale. Another exemplary division of MBSA is Truck- Store, based in Centurion, established as the first outlet of TruckStore outside Europe. As a pre-owned vehicles business, TruckStore proved to be one of the most successful di- visions within MBSA during 2015, building on the success already achieved in 2014, with sales of more than 700 units In yet another effort to enhance the user’s experience, DT&B’s maintenance and ser- vice contracts arm, CharterWay, guarantees customer uptime and ensures a single point of contact for all after-sales requirements. Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS) being the in-house finance company has proved its worth in supporting the sales drive by offering innovative financial products to customers. In their support of the product range, MBFS has achieved the billion Rand mark in sales. “As the pace setter in safety, efficiency, fi- nancing, maintenance, and all other com- mercial vehicle related activities, 2015 has proven to be a mixed bag for DT&B, but as a company who has been in the lead for 125 years, we allowed what was previously thought to be impossible, we consistently made it possible. One of the reasons DT&B remains a leader is our value chain offer- ings, which allow us to walk the journey with our customers, right from point of purchase until the vehicle is decommissioned. We could not have had such a resounding year had it not been for all of our stakeholders,” concludes Van Zyl.

Study Customer Service Index for sales and service, as well as leading in the productivity category in terms of fuel consumption and payload. This was topped by the Freightliner Argosy winning its category in the Focus on Transport Truck Test. The FUSO team launched the FA 9-137, the first vehicle to be imported by FUSO Trucks Southern Africa from the Daimler India Commercial Vehicle (DICV) plant in Chennai, which will see more ‘built in India’ products in the future. Not to be outdone, Mercedes-Benz Bus & Coach was the first manufacturer to offer buses running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to the local market. These engines

surpass Euro V standards, with up to a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxide and 20% in carbon monoxide emissions. These envi- ronmentally-friendly vehicles also result in no particulate matter (ash) or solid residual being generated. As testament to its customer commitment, Mercedes-Benz Bus & Coach will soon be offering dual-fuel buses as well. This inno- vative technology works by mixing diesel and gas together to produce eco-friendly vehicles. Regarded as an indestructible truck, the Western Star continued being associated with impossible recovery situations and abnormal load applications. Throughout

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