Since joining the Auctus Management Group less than three years ago, RSS has grown rapidly and now provides a range of track safety and workforce solutions to the likes of Babcock, AmeyColas, Colas Rail and Transport for London,
Birmingham-based RSS has acquired 22 vehicles, all of which arrived via Midlands Truck & Van and are the subject of a CharterWay contract hire agreement from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. They will be maintained within the manufacturer’s franchised UK network, with most of the work undertaken at the supplying Dealer’s workshop in Saltley, Birmingham.
Most are Long-bodied Vito 113 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Traveliner minibuses with nine seats, although the line-up also includes 10 Dualiner models with second rows of seats – of these, two are Vito 113 CDI Longs and eight are smaller Citan 109 CDI Extra-longs.
The Vito and Citan are equipped with ADAPTIVE versions of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) pioneered by Mercedes-Benz in partnership with Bosch, as well as Brake Assist and ABS, and flashing hazard warning lights that are switched on automatically under emergency braking.
RSS has also fitted each of its new vans with a Driver Awareness Warning System. This employs a dash-mounted device which focuses on the driver’s retina and measures their "blinking pattern" at the start of the journey, then sounds audible warnings if it detects signs of drowsiness or inattention.
‘We’re a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation and our work is often time-critical. It is essential, therefore, that in the event we have a problem with a vehicle, someone is out to get it back up and running very quickly, commented Richard Toy, RSS chief executive.
‘Our Service Level Agreement with Mercedes-Benz is based on a one-hour response time, but when we had a problem (caused by driver error) with one of Midlands Truck & Van’s demonstration units the technician was on site within 40 minutes, which was very encouraging.’