The 15 Atego 816 7.5-tonners and a trio of Actros 2546 tractor units are now working from the operator’s network of sites in Avonmouth, Crewe, Croydon, Larkhall, Leeds and Potters Bar.
The vehicles were supplied by dealer Ciceley Commercials of Bolton, and are all subject of CharterWay contract hire packages from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
Expert Logistics has also ordered another 38 Atego 816s from Ciceley, as well as five 7.5-tonne FUSO Canter 7C15s – Mercedes-Benz Dealers are also responsible for sales and support of the popular Japanese light truck range in the UK.
The Canters will work in Devon and Cornwall, where their compact, manoeuvrable chassis will allow them to negotiate narrow lanes and avoid tree damage. Meanwhile, the company has also been trialling a Canter Eco Hybrid in and around London.
Stuart Haynes, director of commercial finance at Expert Logistics, said: ‘Our Mercedes-Benz trucks have proved highly reliable. The rigids average 40 drops a day and 100,000 km a year, and we run them for five years, but they stand up to this workload with no trouble at all. When customers are setting aside time to accept delivery of their new fridge or washing machine, it’s just not acceptable to be late because the truck broke down on the way.
‘The Atego is a very well designed truck too,’ he continued. ‘Small details make a big difference, such as the fact that the bumper is built in three separate sections, so if one part takes a knock you don’t have to replace the whole thing.’