Bywater picks Ecostralis
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by ueorge barrow IVECO'S ECOSTRALIS is winning favour at John Bywater Transport, with the Kent-based operator taking delivery of another unit next week following a sixmonth trial against rival vehicles.
MD John Bywater said: "We have renewed our fleet over the last 18 months with Daf, Iveco, MAN, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo trucks. We have distinct sections of work, with specialist trailers running at lightweights, tautliners at 44 tonnes, as well as fridges — but across the specialist and tautliner work, the fuel consumption in the Ecostralis was the best."
The firm analysed fuel consumption figures across its fleet of 61and 12-plate vehicles, which included 440hp, 450hp and 460hp Daf XF, Volvo FH, MAN TGX and Mercedes Actros 6x2 tractor units.
"I'm a Volvo and Daf man at heart," continued Bywater. "But most of the fleet was four years old and needed replacing.
We started the trial [in March 20121 and the Stralis units averaged 9.45mpg, well above the 8.25mpg average. Across 45 trucks, that's one heck of a saving."
Along with the rest of the fleet replacement vehicles, the 460hp Ecostralis units have been purchased outright and will be maintained by Iveco. "We used to do our own maintenance, but the workshop is just for repairing the trailers and inspections nowadays," Bywater added.
The fleet now has six Ivecos, including a 15-tonner that Bywater says was taken on as a replacement for a 7.5-tonne vehicle being used on pallet work.
He says: "A 7.5-tonner is ah-ight if you have a lightweight contract, but working as a Pall-Ex member we could get two pallets and be up to maximum payload. A 15-tonne truck is a [small] lorry, with an 8.5-tonne payload that is still economical. We tried two 18-tonners, but would be lucky to get 8.5mpg. A 15-tonner is far better than a 7.5or 18-tonne truck and can still get 12mpg."