Not all trucks are created equal and this is definitely something Rhys Kaehler can attest to. The Northern Rivers truck salesman has carved out a 10 year career in the industry, having started as an apprentice mechanic with Daimler Trucks Murwillumbah. With his background, he is better placed than most to provide comment on a sector that has undergone vast change over the last decade.
After a brief dalliance with other manufacturers, it’s the next generation Mercedes Benz that has Rhys returning to Daimler Trucks Murwillumbah and excited for the future of the product on the North Coast.
“There’s no denying that the effort the team at Daimler has gone to in developing this product and testing it to Australian conditions has really paid off,” said Rhys. “We are seeing an entirely new era of Mercedes Benz trucks that has nothing in common with previous models”.
With a real focus on their three pillars of comfort, reliability and efficiency, Mercedes Benz spent over two billion dollars in research and development for their new range, and in a veritable display of their commitment to the emerging Australian market, the trucks were tested for 18 months and one million kilometres in intensive Australian conditions on every major freight highway prior to their launch.
“The enhanced fuel economy across the range has been key, with the Actros already achieving 7% more efficiency than its predecessor,” added Rhys. No doubt music to the ears of many operators battling ever-rising fuel costs. Whilst comfort is indisputably still unrivalled, it’s the numbers that are most compelling.
Compelling also for Rhys has been the commitment and faith of the team at Daimler Trucks Murwillumbah, leading Rhys to join them as their heavy truck salesman. With amost 40 years in the industry, Daimler Trucks Murwillumbah have a keen understanding of the category and their belief is that the new product is unmatched, so much so, they are set to have a record year in sales for the range.
With 500,000 km/five years free scheduled servicing on prime movers and a fully expanded product line up including rigid units and off-road variants, Mercedes Benz is set to be a sleeping giant no more.