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One of Britain’s leading distributors of newspapers and magazines is trialling some of the first Sprinter vans to be fitted with the new, fuel-saving ECO-Start system from Mercedes-Benz.
Menzies Distribution operates a fleet of nearly 500 commercial vehicles, the majority of them 3.5-, 6.5- and 7.5-tonners, in which the three-pointed star of Mercedes-Benz has not previously featured.
But now the Edinburgh-based company, which has a network of 21 main and 18 satellite depots nationwide, is running 10 3.5-tonne Mercedes Sprinter 311CDIs, while a 5.5-tonne Sprinter 515CDI with automatic transmission is also due to enter service soon.
Supplied by city dealer Western Commercial, the new vans are the subject of a four-year contract hire deal with Lex.
All of the 311CDIs are equipped with ECO-Start, an innovative piece of technology that can slash fuel bills and reduce harmful exhaust emissions. The system works by cutting the engine whenever the vehicle is stationary for more than two seconds, then automatically starting it again when the driver depresses the clutch pedal.
For those operating in busy town and city centres, the potential savings are significant – tests undertaken in the UK by Mercedes-Benz indicate a reduction in fuel consumption of at least six per cent and in very heavy traffic conditions this figure is likely to be considerably higher.
Menzies Distribution is the largest operating division of the John Menzies Group, and a prime example of an operator that stands to benefit from ECO-Start. On an average day the company delivers some 4.5 million newspapers and 2.5 million magazines. And to do so it relies on its own fleet and contractors’ vehicles, together totalling some 1,700 vans and trucks which between them cover 93,000 miles each day!
Stuart McLean, Logistics Manager for Menzies Distribution, says: “Given the ever-increasing cost of fuel and environmental concerns we are keen to explore any opportunity to achieve improvements in both of these areas. The risks of trialling this system are low; if ECO-Start does not deliver the expected benefit then we will still have a standard vehicle with proven reliability and a strong residual value.”
Menzies Distribution will monitor closely the fuel usage of its new Sprinters for at least six months before reaching any firm conclusions about the effectiveness of ECO-Start.
“Although we had no Mercedes Sprinters on our own fleet we do have experience of these through daily rental, which we use for peaks at the weekend when the weight of the newspaper product jumps considerably due to the inclusion of supplements.
“Menzies put in place a fuel monitoring system 18 months ago and since this was introduced the Sprinter’s consumption has been highlighted as favourable compared to other marques.”
ECO-Start is now optionally available on all new Mercedes Sprinters with four-cylinder engines and manual gearboxes. The system, including the uprated battery and alternator which are also required, retails for a combined price of £545. |
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