The first four Sasolburg owner-drivers have successfully completed their initial five-year service agreement with Cargo Carriers.

THESE four owner-drivers have been responsible for specific deliveries of explosives under a contract (worth about R10 million) awarded by BME to Cargo Carriers in October 2002. “The owner drivers have now been offered a further five-year service contract from mid-August 2008, as a result of both Cargo Carriers and BME jointly agreeing that the programme is beneficial to both parties,” says John Sprenger, manager owner-driver at Cargo Carriers. “The four owner-drivers will again be responsible for specific deliveries of explosives under a new contract that has been awarded by BME to Cargo Carriers, commencing in August 2008.“ According to Rudie Walles, corporate sales manager for Mercedes-Benz financial services, the replacement truck chosen for this particular contract is the Mercedes-Benz Actros 2650 LS33, ideally suited for long-distance on-highway transport. It is fitting that the launch of the new five-year service agreement with the owner-drivers is officiated at Cargo Carriers Sasolburg, where Mercedes-Benz has a long-standing relationship with their fleet of oil tankers.

Finance
Mercedes-Benz financial services tailor-made this deal to the specific requirements of the Cargo Carriers owner-driver scheme, which includes a full service package from finance to insurance and the necessary maintenance contract. “Despite the fact that interest rates have risen by 2.5% in the last 12 months, and diesel prices have increased by 73% over the same period, we are pleased that we have managed to put together a favourable solution, which will assist the owner-drivers in these difficult economic times,” explaines Walles.

	Drivers celebrate the replacement truck chosen for this particular contract - Mercedes-Benz Actros 2650 LS33

Features
The Mercedes-Benz Actros 2650 LS/33 is fitted with the premium sleeper cab with high roof, lateral sun visor (driver’s side) and electric tilting sun roof. Innovative technology includes the Telligent gearshift with the Voith retarter, as well as the exemplary Telligent brake system. The driver assistance system, such as the standard lane assistant, ensures a significantly higher level of safety. It is also available on the Mercedes-Benz Actros 2650 LS/33. The Actros is powered by the proven V8 Mercedes-Benz OM 502 LA 4-stroke diesel direct injection system with turbocharger and intercooler. Engine output is 370kW (503 hp) at 1800 r/min and 2 400 N.m of torque at 1080 r/min. The truck received a very positive response from fleet operators and drivers. It has been a major success in recent years thanks to its acknowledged, high overall safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness.

Training
Driver training will be conducted on site in Sasolburg by Mercedes-Benz driver-trainer Trevor Goodwin from the Mercedes-Benz Driver Training Academy. The three-day economic and defensive driver training course will cover the following:

• Programme content
• Vehicle familiarisation
• Pre-trip inspection procedure covering the following:
• The new powershift system
• Interior / exterior checks
• Active and passive safety systems
• Primary and secondary braking systems
• Mercedes-Benz Telligent systems
• First practical drive on fixed route – pre-evaluation
• Mercedes-Benz foresighted and defensive driving
• Mercedes-Benz economic driving philosophy and techniques
• Practical demonstration by trainer
• Group work and individual feedback
• Second practical drive – post-evaluation
• Comparative analysis
• Course evaluation

Achieving optimum results on investment by reducing fuel consumption, accidents, and downtime are not new concepts to the road transport industry, but the commercial vehicle division of Mercedes-Benz SA is taking them to new heights with their hands-on, sector-driven driver training programme. Driver training is integral to the toolbox of services provided by the company.

Successful history
Two new owner-drivers, Dennis Mkhabela and Mandla Mtsetfwa, were appointed to operate out of the Simunye Branch in Swaziland, which is dedicated to the movement of potable alcohol in stainless steel interlink tankers from the Simunye Distillery to various delivery points in Durban, Richards Bay, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Cargo Carriers was awarded a five-year contract for five vehicles with the Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation Limited. It was decided that the two existing drivers at the Simunye Branch would be given the opportunity to become empowered via the owner-driver scheme entering into a five-year service agreement with the two drivers.

The same procedure was applied for the owner-driver launch at the Sasolburg and Big Bend Branch.