Truck and Fleet ME July,August 2014

MERCEDES MARAuDING Zetros off-road test

007 JULy/AUgUST 2014

rallying cool dakar low down

MIDDLE EAST

drive like a pro man truck training

power drive 85 Hp @ 3,000 RPM

XENON SHINES TATA TAkes on The pick-up giAnTs wiTh The new xenon in The gcc

02 CONTENTS

A supplement of Cmme

12

MIDDLE EAST

GROuP CHAiRMAN AND FOuNDER Dominic De soUsA GROuP CEO nADeem HooD GROuP COO ginA o’HARA PuBLiSHiNG DiRECTOR RAZ isLAm raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5483 EDiTORiAL DiRECTOR ViJAYA cHeRiAn vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5472 eDitORiAL

22

more thAn the mundAne We’re so used to seeing commercial vehicles doing the mundane it is easy to forget that they are often tasked with helping us in the most extreme and sometimes dangerous environments.

Whether it’s for sport that demands the most

TEST DRIVE

02 / tAtA Xenon A new Xenon to compete in a crowded market.

TEST DRIVE

06 / Zero in on Zetros Truck & Fleet ME’s Stian Overdahl tests the Zetros in the wilds of Germany.

TRAINING

12 / mAn’s pros A look at MAN Trucks ProDrive iniative in the Middle East.

NETWORK

14 / ZnA future ZNA and AW Rostamani Trading map out the future of the brand in the region.

HIGH ROLLERS

16 / eKo niGeriA How a fleet of trucks and equipment is helping to transform Nigeria’s coastline.

SPECIAL FEATURE

demanding of engineering feats like the Dakar Rally or in the realms of conflict as Mercedes Zetros is often deployed or simply dealing with harsh climates and terrain as the Tata Xenon is likely to traverse in the region, they are frequently re-adjusting our perceptions of what is possible. Events in Iraq, remind us that they (and of course their drivers) are also sometimes tasked with putting themselves into potential danger that they were never designed to cope with. The buses sent to rescue workers in Northern Iraq earlier in the summer had to effectively cross over a major region of conflict.

The fact the drivers managed to complete their job exhibited the very best in bravery that you could ever hope to find. Likewise those that were sent by Dutch authorities to salvage the bodies of passengers killed when a commercial flight was allegedly shot down over the Ukraine reminded us of the sad work often required.

It’s very easy to dismiss commercial vehicles as the workhorses they have replaced but every time we see them in extraordinary conditions we should be reminded of the good work of the

iNTERNATiONAL EDiTOR stiAn oVeRDAHL stian.overdahl@cpidubai.com ADVeRtiSinG COMMERCiAL DiRECTOR micHAeL stAnsFieLD michael.stansfield@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5497 SALES EXECuTiVE Bipin soneJi bipin.soneji@cpidubai.com +971 4 433 2856 DeSiGn ART DiRECTOR simon coBon SENiOR GRAPHiC DESiGNER mARLoU DeLABen JuNiOR GRAPHiC DESiGNER peRciVAL mAnALAYsAY MARKetinG MARKETiNG MANAGER LisA JUstice lisa.justice@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5498 MARKETiNG ASSiSTANT BARBARA pAnKAsZ barbara.pankasz@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5499 CiRCULAtiOn & pRODUCtiOn CiRCuLATiON AND DiSTRiBuTiON MANAGER RocHeLLe ALmeiDA rochelle.almeida@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 368 1670 DATABASE AND CiRCuLATiON MANAGER RAJeesH m rajeesh.nair@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9147 PRODuCTiON MANAGER JAmes p tHARiAn james.tharian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9146 DiGitAL DiGiTAL SERViCES MANAGER tRistAn tRoY mAAgmA

pUbLiSheD by

design teams and engineers behind them.

20 / rAllYinG Around

Registered at impZ po Box 13700 Dubai, UAe

Truck & Fleet ME reviews this year’s Dakar Rally and looks ahead to 2015.

tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 www.cpimediagroup.com pRinteD by

PARTING SHOT

printwell printing press LLc

24 / WAl floWers Why Walmart is looking to make its own fleet of vehicles to be greener.

GROuP EDiTOR stepHen wHite stephen.white@cpimediagroup.com +971 55 795 8740

© copyright 2014 cpi. All rights reserved

Stephen White Group editor

while the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

JULY/AUgUst 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 1

TEST DRIVE

Are you An X-Man? T&FME TakEs TaTa’s XEnon UTE For soME lighT oFF-roading To sEE how iT will copE on- and oFF-pisTE

2 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST 2014

TEST DRIVE

T

ata has been evolving into a variety of other segments over recent years, looking to tempt fleet buyers beyond the domestic Indian market with vehicles that match local tastes and requirements.

It’s fitting then in a year where the big summer blockbuster movie was X-Men Days of Future Past, that its latest mutation of the Xenon hits the roads of the GCC. Launched with a much more muted campaign than Wolverine’s latest adventure but hoping for a far more durable legacy, the Xenon was offered to T&FME for a short spin out on the roads and site tracks close to its offices. Mid-sized – it can comfortably sit in a passenger car park space – the Xenon doesn’t intimidate you like the more aggressively shaped and more powerful vehicles in the pick-up segment such as the Ranger and Colorado but that’s not what Tata is aiming for here.

This is a utility vehicle at its most fundamental – fit for purpose and ready to ferry man and machine from site to site or building to building – and relatively powerful.

Let’s get one thing out of the way from the start – the Xenon – is unquestionably the best priced vehicle in its class. It may not be quite at the same price point as the Great Wall Wingle, say, but the base model is at least 8,000 aed cheaper than the Mitsubishi L200. Although it is lower specced than its Japanese competitors. On the subject of its competitors, in looks and feel it is unquestionably inspired by Nissan, Toyota and Hilux. But then so is the US/ Australian love child the Ford Ranger and most other vehicles in the mid-sized pick-up segment.

Depending on your point of view then the Xenon is

PICK OF THE REST FORd RangER The Ford Ranger promises a smooth ride during the work week and as a family car after-hours. More driver comfort doesn’t mean that power has been compromised: buyers have a choice of a 2.5 litre petrol engine, or 2.2- and 3.2-litre diesel engines.

The 2.2L diesel puts out 110kW of power, with up 375Nm of torque, ideal for towing loads. The Ranger

has three available body styles – Double Cab, RAP Cab and Regular Cab – depending on whether the focus is on carrying passengers or cargo.

TOyOTa HIlux Toyota’s Hilux is one of the bestselling pick ups in the world, and also one of the best-loved. Known for its reliability and easy availability of spare parts, it’s a favourite of those who want a hard driving vehicle that can conquer tough conditions, including the high heat and dust found in the

Middle East. A durable workhorse that will hold its residual value well but the downside for buyers of second hand Hilux is that they remain expensive to buy.

VOlKSwagOn – amaROK Volkswagon is the newest of the premium European vehicle manufacturers to enter the pick-up market, but its Amarok shouldn’t be seen as lightweight, and is larger than its main market competitors. The vehicle was initially launched in the Middle East with an 188kW petrol engine in 4x2 configuration, but more recently the variant

range was bolstered by the addition of the 2.0L TDI diesel double-cabin, a move made in response to customer demand. The 4x4 variant was launched this year.

nISSan – naVaRRa While sometimes overshadowed by its more popular Japanese competitor, Nissan rightfully has a reputation as a builder of some of the most reliable vehicles on the planet. On its LCV offering the Navara this translates through to attention to detail including using timing chains rather than a belt.

Nissan claims the Navara

is class-leading in the GCC markets with a highperformance 6-speed manual transmission.

JULY/AUGUST AUGUST 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 3

TEST DRIVE

GREaT Wall – WInGlE 5 Great Wall has built a reputation in the past years as one of the leading Chinese light vehicle producers, and outside of the passenger market its pick-ups are seen as offering serious price-point competition to most of the established brands, to the point of it being a 3-for-the-priceof-2 proposition (3 Great Walls for the price of 2

regular brand pick-ups), or even cheaper. It can be delivered either in a hard 4x4 or 4x2 option, with a Premium X spec level available with both of the drive options.

MazDa BT-50 Mazda’s BT-50 was launched in 2011, and shares a base platform with the same year’s Ford Ranger. With a sporty front design and high road profile, it’s another pick-up targeting the working week + weekend driver market. Comfort features include a large and spacious cabin, wideopening doors, a digital display, and the gear stick placed closer to the wheel

for a sportier driver feel.

But while Mazda wants to impress upon you how much like a passenger car the new BT-50 feels, it can’t hide a solid architecture beneath the exterior panels.

MITsuBIshI – l200 Mitsubishi’s L200 pickup has a distinctive curving front design, and the reliable pick-up has an established fanbase amongst existing customers, due to vehicle comfort and performance.

Drivers face a balanced and slick instrumentation panel, while its body has been engineered for less drag resulting in a

smoother ride. Personal comforts include a flipdown sunglasses storage case and cup and bottle holders.

ChEVRolET ColoRaDo According to Chevrolet, its new Colorado took five-years and $2 billion to develop, the most extensive clean-sheet midsize truck programme in its 101-year history, and perhaps a sign of how competitive – and important – is the pick-up market. The Colorado is based on GM’s global body-on-frame, rear-drive midsize truck architecture,

with excellent hauling and towing capabilities.

It comes as low and high stance models, both with double wishbone suspension and a solid stabilizer bar on the front.

4 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST AUGUST 2014 2014

either a cheaper alternative to the Hilux or an expensive version of the Wingle. Tata will surely be hoping that most find it a happy medium between two popular choices for fleet buyers.

In terms of specs, Tata produces a number of different variants in two- and fourdoor/petrol and diesel guises. All of which are currently only available as manual transmissions. During the test drive, gear shifting was happily smooth enough. The 4x4 Crew Cab option tested also has an electrical shift arrangement for the 4H, 4L and 2H options. (Tata has been offering an optional rear camera, built-in sat-nav with touchscreen and Bluetooth audio streaming in some markets. T&FME is unsure whether this is available in the region, but it is certainly worth an enquiry for fleets that are operating in urban environments.)

Interior-wise the Xenon is fairly rudimentary by both passenger car and other vehicle standards on the premium end of the pick-up market.

The double cab of the ‘Crew’ version for the test drive does however include ABS as standard, as is power steering, electric windows and the obligatory cup holders. The rear-seats offer room for three passengers with comfortable leg-room.

The double cab configuration typically eats into the load capacity. The loading area offers 1.43m x 1.41m x 04m of space but this increases to 2.4m x 1.67m x 0.4m for the single cab. Conversely the diesel double Crew Cab version tested allows for 2,200kg of towing capacity for a braked trailer. Unbraked trailers are uniformly stuck to 750kg across all variants. The other alternative is to build a cage around the rear and this is offered by both dealers and a number of local companies.

The Crew Cab allows for a payload of 880kg and this improves to 1080kg for the single cab.

T&FME tested the Xenon on a number of different surfaces. On a straight line, the vehicles relatively heavy weight means that it feels slow to accelerate. As the 5-speed gear shift is smooth it does suggest that it will assist poorer drivers to avoid drops in speed when pulling off. Up to speed the ride comfort is good and the noise levels low. Braking was responsive on the model tested and certainly sound.

The 2.2l DiCOR turbocharged and water cooled engine produces 103kW of power and is capable of speeds beyond 150k/ ph. Having to carry almost 2t of pick-up does come at a cost. Running to 100kp/h in 18 seconds this is not most rapid ute around but it will not get left too far behind other road users. All round, the vehicle is comparable to other diesels out there.

Fuel economy is reportedly between 8-8.5l per 100km, comparable to the similar Hilux 2.5D four wheel drive. Handling when both sweeping around roundabouts and sharply at corners is likewise competently done. The power-assisted steering falls somewhere between being responsive and spongy but again is good enough for the long straight stretches of the region’s roads. In fact the Xenon is arguably better suited for travelling on roads here than it is India.

Off-road it is a mixed-bag. The Xenon is certainly not underpowered and was surprisingly responsive over a bumpy rising course. The vehicle has received strong notices for its ability to cope with off-road conditions, helped in no small part to having over 300Nm of torque on hand for drivers, and even on the more gentle T&FME course you got a sense of its power. Ride comfort however was underwhelming, even over this course and is a serious consideration if you expect your vehicles to traverse more extreme environments. That said it is perfectly acceptable for travelling site-to-site. Like many of its other attributes the Xenon neither excites or dismays with its off-road capabilities. Perhaps fortunately T&FME was unable to test the safety features of the Xenon. However it lacks some of the refinement in this area that is becoming fairly standard in this segment. Hopefully this will be improved in later models.

VERDICT The Tata Xenon is looking to hit the sweet spot of fleet budgets and whether it misses the target will depend on your requirements. Those that like to see their glasses as half full and need a capable workhorse that can get them from A to B and sometimes X but not at the price of some of the vehicles in its class will be tempted. Just don’t expect to look forward to taking it home for the weekend.

TesT Drive TEsT DRivE

The payload master The ZeTros is one of The ToughesT Trucks in Mercedes-BenZ’ heavy vehicles range, aBle To TransporT heavy loads in Tough off-road condiTions, and wiTh a large nuMBer of possiBle applicaTions in The Middle easT. sTian overdahl Takes The ZeTros Through iTs paces over a Tough course in souThern gerMany 6 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST 2014

TEST DRIVE

JULY/AUGUST 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 7

TesT Drive

I

t was a rainy day in Oetigheim, at the truck test driving ground for Mercedes-Benz.

Bad news for comfort, but good for testing.

And while drivers in the Middle East don’t typically see many days of rain, a vehicle’s traction – tested by the presence of water – is all important in the off-road conditions and demanding applications common to our region.

For the test drive Mercedes-Benz had supplied a Zetros, in its three variants (the 4x4 1833A, the 6x6 2733A and the 6x6 3343AS tractor unit).

Probably not the best known truck in their truck range (that would be the Actros), but a significant vehicle nonetheless in an important segment of the market. First shown at a defence show in Paris in 2008, the Zetros is one of the newest vehicles in Mercedes-Benz’ heavy vehicles lineup. At a glance its applications are diverse: fire truck, support vehicle for mining or oil and gas, transport and logistics and disaster relief and military. While the heavier 6x6 was shown as a dedicated tractor unit, both the other vehicle options can also be configured to tow loads, and all the Zetros variants can be configured as tractor head, tipper or rigid and can tow loads.

Customers can choose to fit the vehicle with additional equipment or bodies such as cranes, hoists, or water tanks. The truck is relatively svelte and lightweight, despite being built with durable components, many based on the Actros and Axor model series, meaning it is able to be carried inside a number of commonly-used transport planes, or even on a railway carriage Only 30 minutes drive from the MercedesBenz truck factory at Woerth, where the Zetros is built, the testing ground at Oetigheim is as demanding as can be imagined for heavy vehicles: steep slopes (up to 38°), pot holes, water traps and hills and stoney ground. Watching the MercedesBenz test drivers traversing the course it was clear that they were seasoned professionals: hills were taken at speed, corners roared around and tight turns completed with only a narrow gap between obstacles. But that’s partly a reflection of the Zetros’ capabilities – you wouldn’t want to experience the same ride in a vehicle designed primarily for on-road driving. The Zetros is built with a cab-behind-axle design (also called cab-behind-engine), which positions the driver behind the front axle rather than over it, and

“the testing ground at oetigheim is as demanding as can be imagined for heavy vehicles” 8 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST 2014

also at a lower position (similar in theory to a passenger car). As a result, the driver is subjected to significantly lower vertical and horizontal loads, and the speed limit at which the driver is still able to remain in control in his seat is much higher. While a truck designed with a cab-overaxle may be physically strong enough to traverse off-road terrain, the driver will be shaken and bounced-about, unable to drive competently.

Indeed the difference between cab-behindaxle and cab-over-axle is not always appreciated in the industry, even to the detriment of Mercedes-Benz at test drive events: drivers who first experience a cab-behind-axle vehicle such as the Zetros will then try to drive a cab-overaxle truck at the same speed, and on an off-road course the difference is immediately noticed: in short it’s a bouncy, uncomfortable ride. And it is precidsely this ability to drive at speed over rough terrain that makes the Zetros such a good emergency response vehicle, whether for civil services or for mining or oil and gas.

Following on from the professionals, it was time to put the truck through its paces. Due to time limitations, and with its greater terrain flexibility, we drove only the 4x4 model. One of the more popular applications for the Zetros is fire engine, and with its 9-speed manual G 131-9 gearbox (8 forward gears plus its constant mesh crawler reverse gear) with hydraulic pneumatic

TesT Drive

shift, it is easy to see why: the truck accelerates fast. If desired it can also be equipped with a six-speed Allison 3000 SP/PR fully automatic transmission. The two most common variants of the Zetros are built with the Mercedes-Benz 7.2-litre in-line six-cylinder OM 926 LA engine, capable of producing 240 kW (326 hp) and a maximum torque of 1300 Nm between 1200 and 1600/rpm (supplied to the Middle East as a Euro 3 emissions engine).

The heavy duty 6x6 tractor, a factory test unit of the vehicle that will be officially launched next year, is supplied with the heavier and more powerful OM457LA-R6 engine, a 12L putting out 315 kW (428 hp). (Some of these figures can be guessed from the Mercedes-Benz model naming convention: the first two numbers are its GVW in tonnes, and the second two its engine power in horsepower – divided by ten, so add a zero for its real horsepower.)

Zetros was built to carry heavy loads across any terrain and drive fast. The success of the Mercedes-Benz engineers can be seen in the high gross vehicle weights (GVWs) of the different variants and their respective payloads, for what is essentially an off-road truck: up to 18 tonnes GVW for the 4x4, and up to 27 tonnes for the standard 6x6, while the 6x6 3343AS tractor has a GVW of 33 tonnes (a 40t variant is also being planned), though it is built with heaver components and features twin-tyre assemblies on the two rear axles, also making it wider.

10 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST 2014

The powertrain and chassis of the Zetros are based primarily on the Actros and Axor model series, but its high payloads are possible in part because the truck design incorporates a number of lightweight components (including the engine). Payload (the carry load or GVW excluding body) is high, around 10 tonnes for the 4x4, and 16 for the 6x6. It’s also worth mentioning that operators in the Middle East may be able to put on extra weight, depending on their needs and any applicable road restrictions.

The Zetros we drove wasn’t fully laden, but the 7.2L puts out a decent burst of power, and at no stage of each gear interval did it feel underpowered. On the contrary, steep hills were taken with ease, and once the gear shifting was mastered (no mean feat as the box is configured with a 2-4-4 layout, requiring a decent shove to cross from the first 4 gears into the 4 higher ones) the Zetros began to feel that it could go anywhere, no matter how tough the conditions.

One of the best measures of off-road capability for a truck is its approach angle, and here the Zetros scores high points, especially when compared with other vehicles in its weight classes. It has a front angle of approach of 34 degrees, while at the rear angle of approach of around 30 degrees for the two-axle model, and a good 35 degrees in the case of the three-axle version. In the case of the vehicle we drove, it was able to power up steep hills in the wet weather, and only the steepest hill of 38° (the hills

were actually tiered concrete to prevent ground damage from the wheel) proved too slippery for it, the truck sliding back down, though it had managed it earlier in the morning before the rain set in. Visibility from inside the cab was good, though as can be imagined on steep hills, as the ground falls away so is visibility reduced.

The Zetros relies on drum brakes and an engine brake, the latter is engaged by a dashboard control and then automatically activates when the accelerator is not engaged: this means that on steep hills the truck will crawl down slowly at a constant pace without the driver needing to engage any of the foot pedals, but only steer the wheel. With an off-road gear ratio of 1.690 the truck is able to travel at extremely low speeds, a particularly important feature when driving downhill on the steepest of gradients.

Taking on such a demanding course would not be possible without use of the differential lock (indeed certain features were designed to demonstrate the diff lock), which is activated by a turn switch on the stripped-back dashboard, in easy reach of the driver. It has three modes – interaxle, rear interwheel and finally front interwheel. Other design features which aid off-road terrain driving are its planetary axles for high ground clearance, with high placement of the fuel tanks for good clearance.

There’s a number of features of the Zetros that have been designed with maintenance and longer vehicle life in mind, not least the forward opening

TEST DRIVE

ZOOMING IN ON THE ZETROS l l l l l

Engine: in-line, 6-cyclinder OM 926 LA, producing 240 kW (326 hp) Transmission: 9-speed manual hydraulic-pneumatic G 131-9 GVW: Up to 18 tonnes (4x4) and 27t (6x6 2733) Cab placement: cab-behind-axle Front approach angle: 34 degrees

engine bonnet which gives the maintenance team easy access to the vehicle’s vital parts (but is still strong enough to walk on). The frame and chassis are all built with Mercedes-Benz’s proven quality, and its customers in the Middle East can vouch for the long life of their vehicles. All components have been tested and verified for the most difficult off-road applications in accordance with the demanding quality standards, using simulations, test bench trials and also extreme summer and winter road tests.

And good news for the Middle East is the vertical air intake, sucking in clean air at the top of the cab, which is particularly beneficial in dusty conditions. The air intake is fitted with a cyclonic air filter or separator inside the engine bay, while the 6x6 3343AS was fitted with a filter at the top of the air intake that can be manually (and regularly) cleaned by the driver, available as an option for all models. Furthermore, and essential for desert driving if you don’t want to lug around a compressor, is an (optional) tyre pressure control system which enables the tyre pressure to be adjusted from the cab while driving.

VERDICT With a front end design that echoes the popular GL and G models, the Zetros is instantly recognisable as a vehicle designed for off-road use. And when it’s put to the test it doesn’t disappoint, with its powerful engine mated with an effective gearbox, and easy control of the differential lock. The smooth drive-feel of the cab-behind-axle design means that the driver is impressively insulated against the shocks and bounces you’d normally feel driving over rough terrain, allowing you to focus on the turns ahead rather than clutching at the wheel. The vehicle’s impressive payload capabilities underline its versatility, and it’s hard to imagine an off-road fleet that wouldn’t be bolstered by the addition of a Zetros. And for customers in demanding applications the ability to fully specify the vehicle prior to production can make a crucial contribution when it comes to having a vehicle that is fully fit for purpose. This makes the Zetros an important vehicle to be considered when needing to add speed or off-road capability to your vehicle fleet.

JULY/AUGUST 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 11

TECHNOLOGY TRAINING

Driver Safety Safety firSt T&FME looks aT MaN Trucks’ approach To crEaTiNg saFEr Trucks aNd drivErs

12 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST 2014

TRAINING

INSIDE THE TRUCKS MAN has also developed electronic assistance systems which support the driver in everyday and difficult situations.

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Speed is often underestimated and the distance to the vehicle in front overestimated. The adaptive cruise control (ACC) automatically adapts the distance to the vehicle travelling in front according to the preset settings there-by reducing the risk of rear-end collisions.

CoNTiNuouS dAMpiNg CoNTrol

M

AN Truck & Bus has been challenging the status quo in the market in recent years, making serious in-roads into the fleets of operators that may have once looked to Sweden, France and another certain – and well-known – German truck maker.

It is now targeting not just the pockets of its growing collection of customers but also the skills of their drivers. Through its ProfiDrive training it hopes to increase awareness about the benefits of situational driver training courses to raise the standards of safety on roads.

Those looking for improvement in driver standards in the Middle East will be comforted to know that 2014 has seen a 54% increase in ProfiDrive training compared to 2013. This growing surge in interest has seen MAN train 700 drivers in the region to date and is set to continue as it becomes more and more popular.

“We see a growing awareness among our customer base about the benefits of raising safety standards and as a result, they see immense value in taking part in our ProfiDrive training,” says Dr Richard Brown, head of product management MAN Middle East says.

MAN’s ProfiDrive training is a specialised training programme designed to raise the level of knowledge so that drivers can adopt the best driving practices. In a one-day seminar, they learn predictive driving techniques such as how to recognise dangerous situations, calculate the optimum stopping dis-tance and evade obstacles that suddenly emerge.

MAN has been offering the service to its customers in the Middle East for on-road operations since 2009 and recently expanded

Continuous damping Control (CdC)

its scope by launching its new off-road training module to cover all aspects of truck operation in the region. In addition to having its own certified trainer for ProfiDrive, MAN is now also assisting customers with large fleets to have their own inhouse trainer for their dedicated requirements.

According to Dr Brown, the most effective accident prevention system is behind the steering wheel – the driver.

“It is important for the driver to drive with foresight, remain calm and confident in critical situations, and stay in control of the vehicle.

Driver errors typically cause more than 90 percent of accidents. Our ProfiDrive training has been specifically designed to enhance driver skills and the growth in demand for ProfiDrive as well as repeat sessions points to the effectiveness of such training.

While technology and training have a significant bearing on raising safety standards, MAN also focuses the impact of driver fatigue in safety incidents during discussions with customers, adds Dr Brown.

“It’s important to monitor the operating hours of drivers so that they can stay alert while driving.

Even here, technology can come to the rescue with devices like the tachograph which automatically records vehicle speed and distance, together with the driver’s activity when he starts his shift.”

Driver training may be an essential component, MAN has also been communicating the importance of proper vehicle maintenance with customers to keep their vehicles in the best condition to maintain safety standards.

In addition to this, the importance of genuine spare parts in maintaining safety is also another factor that MAN has focused on in its discussions with customers.

calculates all forces required from the shock absorbers as a function of the vehicle load and the nature of the road. it does this for braking and accelerating, on bends or on gradients.

ElECTroNiC STAbiliTy progrAMME The system constantly monitors the status of the vehicle and then automatically calls on the engine management and brake system to intervene if the truck threatens to tip over or skid.

TyrE prESSurE MoNiToriNg if the tyre pressure drops to the minimum permissible value, a warning light makes the driver aware of this critical status. lANE guArd SySTEM A video camera behind the windscreen monitors the vehicle position in rela-tion to the lane edge. if the truck crosses over one of the two lane markings without the driver using the indicator, an audible signal warns the driver.

MAN brAkEMATiC The intelligent MAN brakeMatic® system, together with the Electronic braking System EbS, anti-lock braking system AbS and powerful disc brakes provide superior braking characteristics.

MAN TipMATiC driving as economically as possible depends on shifting at just the right moment. This is most easily and comfortably achieved using MAN Tip-Matic.

JULY/AUGUST 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 13

NETWORK

NETWORK 07 14

YOUR MONTHLY GUIDE TO THE MIDDLE EAST’S TRUCK AND FLEET OPERATOR NETWORK

DAF to rise in QAtAr One of Qatar’s leading equipment sellers, Mannai Heavy Equipment Division (HED), believes there is growing demand for heavy transport vehicles on the island state, and is expecting solid sales growth for its line of DAF trucks.

The DAF truck brand, started in Holland in the 1930s, is well regarded and sought after in the construction, distribution and long haul sectors. In 2013, DAF achieved a record market share of 16.2 percent in the above 16-tonne European market.

The trucks could also become a more common sight on Qatar’s road, if Mannai’s ambitious plans come to fruition. The dealership has been working to build up levels of sales service and support for the truck brand, said Ziad Shuaib, senior manager at Mannai Trading Company HED. “Mannai HED and DAF have ambitious plans to serve our partners in Qatar. In addition to delivering the most advanced range of trucks, Mannai HED has been working behind the scenes to ensure excellent after sales standards both through the quality of the facilities we have as well as the highly trained staff who cater to your customers’ needs.

“We have qualified, factory trained professionals and a technical team capable of providing the best customer service. In addition, HED Parts has a fully computerised and ably manned spare parts inventory, with easy access and support provided to ensure optimum utilisation.”

Mannai HED’s partnership with DAF allows them to deliver both standard production trucks

customised to suit clients requests, whil DAF is a global leader in ‘Build to Order’ deliveries, with vehicles built to satisfy each customer’s specification. Shuaib believes that the wide range of DAF vehicles available is well-suited to the demand for transport applications from the construction industry.

“From light 4×2 tippers for small-scale work, to four-axle concrete mixers with a capacity of 8 cubic meters or heavy transport tractors for a Gross Combination Mass (GCM) of up to 120 tons or more, DAF offers the right transport solution for every application,” he said.

Key product attributes include low costs per kilometre, high quality, driver comfort, low fuel consumption, minimal impact on the environment and high transport efficiency, noted Shuaib.

DAF is increasing its international market presence, and in 2013 its vehicle deliveries outside the EU numbered 9,400 units, a 13% increase compared to 2012. DAF also earned the UK’s Motor Transport award for “Fleet Truck of the Year 2013,” for the seventh time in the last 10 years.

The Middle East contributes 7.8% of global orders

Feeling RICH? The versatile pick-up is among 3,000 ZNA vehicles sold in the region.

HUGE POTENTIAL fOR ZNA – SAYS AWR Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile (ZNA), the 50/50 JV between the Chinese DongFeng Group and Japan giant Nissan is well positioned to be a major force in the GCC, says AW Rostamani Trading’s MK Rajkumar. AWR Trading is the exclusive regional distributor and sales and after sales partner for ZNA pickups, MPVs and SUVs. MK Rajkumar, director of AWR Trading & AAC After Sales revealed that 3,000 ZNA have so far been sold by his company in the region. “ (It) tends to show that the quality, safety and its durability is well accepted by our loyal customers,” commented Rajkumar.

Fleet customers were offered a buy-back guarantee during Ramadan on a range of ZNA models in the UAE, including the RICH 2WD & 4WD pickups, the Success minibus and cargo van and the Yumsun luxury 7-seater MPV. “Our motive is to provide economical transportation solutions to our customers,” he added. “We are the first in the UAE to announce a buy-back guranatee for a commercial vehicles; this is because we have full trust in ZNA brand and its products.”

APOLLO TyREs, INDIA’s $ 2.2 bILLION-TyRE mAjOR, hAs LAUNChED ITs ENDURACE RANgE OF TRUCK bUs RADIALs AND 4g RANgE OF PAssENgER CAR TyREs INTO OmAN. ThIs Is COmPANy’s ThIRD sUCh INTRODUCTION. 14 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST 2014

NETWORK

Man and MachinE Match-uP MAN’s D2676 LE22x has been developed as a four stroke diesel engine with 6 in-line cylinders able to yield 12.4 litre displacement with its 126 mm bore and 166 mm stroke. The 6-cylinder offers back-up mechanical performance of 396 kW at 1,500 min.-1 and 415 kW at 1,800 min.-1 for power generation in Limited Time Power (LTP) mode. The basic engine has been used by MAN for many years.

VolVo’s nEW dual clutch

GMc launchEs 2015 siErra hd

Volvo Trucks has announced it will launch a dual clutch transmission system, the first

GMC has launched its new 2015 Sierra HD lineup, with models including the Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD and the Sierra Denali HD. The line-up advances a 111-year legacy of professional heavy-duty trucks.

The vehicles have proven powertrains, with quiet, comfortable pickup interiors, and a number of pickup-first technologies and cargo box innovations. The trucks are equipped with a 6.0L Vortec V8 engine pushing out an impressive 360hp and 515Nm of torque. Trim levels include a Sierra base model, as well as SLE, SLT and Denali. The Sierra Denali HD is offered solelu as a crew cab, matching do-it-all capability with a package of design and upscale interior amenities.

The Sierra HDs’ new styling and an all-new, more comfortable and technology-infused interior are carried forward from the all-new 2014 Sierra Light Duty pickups.

RTA inTeResTed in dRiveR-less cARs foR dubAi

Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of the licensing agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said autonomous vehicles would be a welcome addition to the city’s road network, and authorities will consider working with Google in the future.

Speaking to T&FME , Bahrozyan admitted no such proposals had been made in the city so far, but self-driving cars would enhance Dubai’s multi-modal transport system. “Driverless cars would be good to have in the city,” he said. “I think Google is in talks with many cities for potential tie-ups at the moment.

“If a proposition comes our way in the future, and if the timing is right, then we would be keen on bringing such cars on Dubai’s roads.”

Google’s autonomous car has been in development since 2005. Recently, a prototype of a fully autonomous car was released by the software firm — the subcompact hatchback.

use for heavy vehicles of a technology that is already available in passenger vehicles.

The I-Shift Dual Clutch, which initially will be available on Euro 6 FH trucks later this year, will allow trucks to maintain torque and speed during gear changes.

Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks, said that the new technology would improve driving in situations requiring a large number of gear chances, for instance on hills or roads with lots of curves and bends. “Here at Volvo Trucks we are immensely proud to be able to offer this innovation to our customers.”

FLEET in aCTion

5

0 trucks have so far been delivered to transport granite blocks to the large protective wall in Lagos that is being built round Eko Atlantic.

At 10 o’clock in the evening, most of the trucks have parked inside the gates to Eko Atlantic’s huge construction site. Under the light of street lamps, a number of Muslim drivers are praying, while others have rolled out thin mats directly on the ground and pulled a blanket over their heads.

Matthew Ude is getting ready to go to sleep.

Just like every other day, he has driven his Volvo FMX to the stone quarry 150 kilometre north east of Lagos to collect blocks of granite for the 8km protective wall that separates Eko Atlantic from the sea.

“We never drive at night, it’s too dangerous.

The risk of being stopped by robbers on the road is far too great,” says Matthew.

Eko Atlantic is destined to become the Lagos of the future. Business and residential districts will be gathered together on a ten-square-kilometre artificial peninsula that is being built immediately

16 TRUCK&FLEET ME July/AuGuST 2014

adjacent to the area known as Victoria Island.

The protective wall has been tested to ensure that it is able to withstand the worst storms ever and the area inside the wall is being filled with sand dredged from the sea.

The name “Eko” comes from the local language, Yoruba, and means “people from Lagos Island” – the people who originally lived there.

However, Matthew does not come from here. He is a member of the ethnic group known as the Igbo and he has been driving trucks back and forth in Nigeria since 1978. His job has become his hobby.

“I learned to drive trucks for a French company that had Renault trucks. This is the first Volvo truck I have driven and I like it. It has a good braking system, the steering is perfect and its balance is excellent, even when I am carrying a heavy load,” he says.

Every morning, six days a week, Matthew leaves the Eko Atlantic site at 4 am. He is accompanied by his assistant, known locally as a motorboy, 24-year-old Gift Mwaele, who helps him during the day. Gift washes the truck, directs Matthew when he reverses in tight spaces and

FLEETtest in aCTion drive

acts as the extra pair of eyes that is needed when driving in the intensive traffic. Every day, as many as 200 trucks travel from different stone quarries to Eko Atlantic.

The first stop for the day is the haulage company’s office and workshop in Ibadan, where Matthew and Gift pick up their loading order. The road there is regarded as one of the country’s main roads, but the asphalt has been patched up and is in poor condition and, even if the traffic is light in the morning, it takes them more than two hours to reach their destination.

When they have been given their loading order, Matthew leaves the main road and turns onto a smaller road, which eventually turns into a gravel road leading to the quarry.

“As the roads are poor, the traffic is our greatest problem. Leaving the truck to mend a puncture can actually be dangerous,” says Matthew.

The gravel road leading to the quarry is lined by dense vegetation. Here and there, yam plants, cassava and the odd banana tree can be seen.

The truck leaves a fine cloud of dust behind

it and a few yellow butterflies flutter past the windscreen.

Suddenly, the quarry appears in the middle of the forest. White trucks with yellow hauler flat bodies drive behind one another to pick up their loads. There is a sound of banging and deafening noise as granite blocks are loaded onto the trucks and, as he waits for his turn, Matthew takes the opportunity to chat to the other drivers.

The granite blocks that are destined for the “Great Wall of Lagos” are as large as 1.5 metres in diameter and the trucks can carry loads of up to 30 cubic metres. So it is not the weight that determines the amount of stone that can be transported to the wall on each journey but the space on the hauler flat bed.

When Matthew and Gift have finished loading, they weigh their truck on the way out and it is then time to drive back to Lagos. It is now 2.30 pm and the traffic is much heavier. It normally takes four hours to drive back to Eko Atlantic and Matthew knows that it will be dark before he arrives. Stopping to eat is out of the question.

“We can’t keep stopping, otherwise we’ll never arrive,” he says.

Matthew and Gift spend basically the whole of their working day in the truck. They bring food with them and eat it as they drive and, when things get slow, Matthew turns on the CD player.

Between two well-thumbed bibles, are music compilations by Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and the country star, Skeeter Davis.

“And, of course, I also have some Nigerian music,” says Matthew and laughs.

He comes from what was previously known as Biafra and is now the state of Enugu in southeastern Nigeria. His father was a trader at the market, but the family was short of money, so Matthew had to leave school after one year at secondary school.

“There were five children in my family. I was the only son and I was forced to take care of myself at an early age. Becoming a truck driver was actually my only opportunity, as I had no money to invest in a company of my own and my family didn’t have enough land to keep us all.”

However, driving in Nigeria could be quite

a Land

apart Nigeria’s largest city is gradually chaNgiNg shape. What begaN as a plaN to protect the city of lagos’ erodiNg shoreliNe has developed to become africa’s largest coNstructioN project – eko atlaNtic – a NeW area that is beiNg built oN laNd reclaimed from the sea July/AuGuST 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 17

FLEET in aCTion

unpredictable. Matthew points to a river that overflows in heavy rain. The traffic then comes to a halt and transport has to wait until the waters subside.

We pass a tanker that overturned in the opposite direction during the morning. The locals quickly removed its contents. Everything went well on this occasion, but it sometimes happens that a spark causes the flammable fuel to catch fire – with a number of casualties or even fatalities as a result.

The truck and a couple of other crashdamaged vehicles at the side of the road clearly illustrate Matthew’s description of the traffic climate in a country where no traffic rules appear to apply.

But Matthew drives calmly and safely. Back home in Lagos, he has a wife and four children – but he only sees them on Sundays.

“We work long hours and I can’t get home in the evening. The traffic in Lagos is far too chaotic. But, on Saturday evening, after work, I go home and spend Sunday with my family. We usually go to church.”

The daytime in Nigeria quickly turns to night and, when Matthew drives into the Eko Atlantic site, it is already dark. A long line of trucks has driven onto the quay to dump their cargo where the protective wall meets the sea.

Matthew waits under the floodlight until it is his turn to drive up, turn on the narrow pier and then reverse and dump the granite blocks into the sea. The waves beat rhythmically against the wall and, even if the temperature has dropped,

thE tRuCK VolVo FMX 6×4, tRaCtoR dEsignEd FoR hEaVy loads; haulER Flat body FRoM MEillERKippER; d13 EuRo 3 EnginE with an output oF 400 bhp. bECausE oF thE inFERioR Roads, thE MaXiMuM spEEd oF thE VolVo tRuCKs that aRE dEliVEREd to nigERia is liMitEd to 75 KM/h.

China national to build in lagos China National Heavy-Duty Truck Group Co has signed a $100-million deal for a new assembly plant to produce trucks in Lagos, Nigeria. The nation’s leading heavy-duty truck maker hopes the project will give its business in Africa a further boost.

The new knocked-down assembly line is a joint investment established by the Shandong-based company, also known as Sinotruk, and Africa’s industrial giant Dangote Group. Representatives of China National Heavy-Duty Truck Group Co and Africa’s Dangote Group signed a $100-million deal on Wednesday for an

the air is still warm, salty and damp. From the shore, all that can be seen are a few pale lights from Lagos.

The working day is over. Behind his seat, Matthew has a rolled-up bundle which he takes out in the evening and spreads over the two seats in the cab where he sleeps. At four in the morning, he is once again ready to start the day.

That is when the first trucks leave Eko Atlantic and head north.

assembly plant that is designed to produce 5,000 heavy-duty trucks a year in Lagos, Nigeria. Provided to China Daily When completed, the plant is expected to produce 5,000 heavy-duty trucks a year.

The deal is part of a raft of agreements due to be signed off between China and Africa during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Ethiopia, Nigeria, Angola and Kenya from May 4 to 11. It is Li’s first visit to Africa since taking office in 2013.

Li and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,

Traffic is just one of many challenges on the project.

president of Nigeria, attended the deal signing ceremony in the Abuja Presidential Palace on Wednesday morning.

“The African market is one of the most significant parts of our ‘go-global’ strategy.

We have long been committed to developing close business ties with our partners in the continent and contributing more to the economic growth of African countries,” Ma Chunji, chairman of Sinotruk, told China Daily.

Backed by the China-Africa Development Fund, the new assembly plant will add a sharp competitive edge to Sinotruk by saving transport costs and also create more jobs for local workers and transfer skills to them, said Ma. Established in 1956, Sinotruk was a pioneer in the development of heavy-duty truck manufacturing in China.

18 TRUCK&FLEET ME July/AuGuST 2014

Truck TRUCK rally RaLLy

When the goIng

gets tough

This year’s Dakar rally was anoTher chance To see Trucks pusheD To Their absoluTe limiTs in souTh america

I

veco finished the 2014 Dakar Rally featuring a very good performance, with Gerard De Rooy making it to the podium with his Powerstar only 3m 11s away from the lead after the controversy raised with Andrey Karginov’s Kamaz. In turn, Hans Stacey and Pep Vila Roca finished among the Top 10 with three of Iveco’s four trucks being among the best positions.

Undoubtedly, Gerard De Rooy was one of the stars of the 2014 Dakar leading the competition from Stage 2 to Stage 11 inclusive. The Dutch pilot’s strong determination enabled him to win some major time differences with his Iveco Powerstar fitted with a 12.9 liter engine delivering the 900 horsepower he needed to tackle the toughest terrains in the Americas.

From the onset, the Iveco team’s main rivals were the Russian Kamaz trucks and Andrey

20 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST 2014

Karginov stood out as the strongest of all.

Gerard De Rooy, aged 33, won three stages of the race and was among the first four competitors in 12 out of 13 special stages. The Dutch pilot put on a great performance with only one mishap in the penultimate stage when he had to change a tyre due to a puncture caused by the stony road. Those vital minutes may have cost him the final victory, and the chance to earn a repeat victory having won it in 2012. Hans Stacey was the second best Iveco pilot in the overall rankings.

At the wheel of his Iveco Trakker Evolution III, the Dutch competitor had a particularly good performance in Stages 2 and 13, where he finished in the fourth position. Some delays caused by certain tough roads kept him away from a top 5 spot, a chance he began to lose as of the second week. However, he was able to

gain quite a good time difference over his closer followers keeping the seventh position easily.

The venerable Catalonian pilot Pep Vila Roca, aged 55, has vast experience in Rally Raids and especially in the Dakar, made it into the Top 10 in the overall rankings after having to fight fiercely at the start line on several occasions. He achieved his best performance early in the 2014 Dakar edition, arriving fifth and sixth in Stages 3 and 1 respectively. After the second week, his main goal was to place his Iveco Trakker Evolution II among the Top 10, which he did without a problem.

The Iveco truck that experienced the hardest time was the French Jo Adua’s Trakker Evolution II. Despite attaining some good partial results, he had some problems with his truck’s front bushing during Stage 11. This pushed him behind in the classification and denied him the

TRUCK Truck RaLLy rally

chance of fighting for a place among the Top 10, finishing over 22 hours off the leaders. His best time record was on Saturday’s last special stage, when he arrived fifth after Hans Stacey. In some partial stages he positioned himself among the Top 10, showing great strength and performance.

Several pilots have labeled this 2014 Dakar as one of the toughest editions in the 35 years of history of the competition. Marathon stages saw the competitors unable to call upon their

support teams, with the drivers and riders themselves having to sort out any problem that occur for themselves.

This year’s rally featured very tough roads that even led to a tragic event, the death of the Belgian 50-year old motorbike rider. In other categories, Nani Roma won his first victory in the car category after a fierce fight with Stephane Peterhansel. In motorbikes, Marc Coma dominated the competition from

“Several pilotS labelled thiS dakar aS one of the tougheSt editionS in the 35 yearS of hiStory”

beginning to end winning by a time difference of almost two hours. As for Quads, the withdrawal of Marcos Patronelli and Sergio Lafuente enabled Ignacio Casale to celebrate his victory in Chile, his home country.

It us all change for Dakar 2015, a new route, an exciting new manufacturer and plenty of bigname competitors.

Just like the first three South American editions, Buenos Aires will be the setting for both the start and finish of the 2015 Dakar Rally.

The route is now a perfect loop over South America, starting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before heading into Chile and the city of Iquique for rest day. The date in Iquique falls differently for each discipline, with cars and trucks stopping there on 10 January, while the bikes and quads stop on 12 January.

The route continues north into Bolivia

JULY/AUGUST 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 21

Truck rally

Make your teeth grind Hot desert air, stony stony tracks, tracks,boulders bouldersand anddust dust– –when when MAN MAN mechanic mechanic Hans Echter Hans turns Echter his thoughts turns his tothoughts the world´s to toughest the world´s rally, toughest he can rally,feel still he the cansand still feel fromthe thesand Atacama fromDesert the Atacama grindingDesert between grinding his teeth. between Having already his teeth. experienced Having already the Dakar experienced Rally several thetimes, Dakar heRally still hasn´t several had anywhere times, near he still enough. hasn´t had anywhere near enough.

Not just onlycars carsand andquads quadstake take part part in in thethe Dakar Dakar Rally, Rally, butbut motorcycles motorcycles and trucks also and compete trucks also in this compete famous in race this and famous between race.

5-8 Between January January 5 this year, 5 and a total 18,of 2014, around a total 70 MAN of around trucksseventy were in action MAN trucks duringwere the in action race, withduring sixteenthe of these Dakarbeing Rally,race sixteen trucks of driven these being by various race teams. trucks driven The Rally by leads various more teams. than The 2,700km Rally through leads more Argentina, than 2,700 Bolivia kilometers and through Chile.

MAN’s Argentina, Hans Echter Bolivia is and veryChile. familiar Hans withEchter the extreme is veryconditions familiar withthe and thestrain extreme on the conditions trucks. Since and the 2006, strain racing on the teams trucks. have Since relied on 2006, him and racing his colleagues, teams have Hans-Werner been relying Nell onand himJosef and his Kreppold. colleagues, Along Hans-Werner with their service Nelltruck, and Josef theseKreppold. three members Alongofwith MAN´s their Munich-based service truck, these three Testing Department members form of MAN´s part of the Munich-based MAN worksTesting team. Department form Aspart wellofasthe their MAN raceworks trucks, team. the racing teams also take service trucks As to well theasRally theirtorace keeptrucks, the racing the racing vehicles teams in perfect also take shapeservice at all trucks The times. to the mechanics Rally to keep in these theservice racing trucks vehicles belong in perfect to the shape team. at all times.

However, The mechanics Messrs Echter, in these Nellservice and Kreppold trucks belong not onlyto provide the team. support for customers´ However, Messrs own MAN Echter, rally Nell trucks, andbut Kreppold also assist notother only MAN provide service supportmore trucks, for customers´ or less serving ownasMAN a back-up. rally trucks, As a result, but also theassist MAN service other MAN reaches truck service trucks, a payload more of twelve or lesstons, serving withas1,500 a back-up. spare parts As a on result, board. the During MAN service the Dakar truck Rally, reaches the teams´ a payload service of twelve crews were tons,faced with with 1,500a spare parts highly challenging on board. task. Work started each evening after all the racing vehicles During had the arrived DakaratRally, the day´s the teams´ destination. service crews are faced with a highly Depending challenging on the task. amount Workand starts type each of damage, eveningwork aftercontinued all the racing

before looping back round towards Argentina and back to the starting point of Buenos Aires. The return of the Argentine capital after four years is set to be an exciting prospect. Only bikes and quads have been able to compete in marathon stages but in 2015, cars and trucks will be open to compete in them for the first time since 2005.

Arguably the biggest story in the build up so far has been the news of the return of Peugeot. The French manufacturer smashed the Pikes Peak Hill Climb record in 2013 with Sébastien Loeb and are now all set to return, with Red Bull and Total, to Dakar after a 25-year absence.

Peugeot won the Dakar four years in a row between 1987 and 1990 and will be hoping to win on the 25th anniversary of their last win.

The all-star line-up of 2010 winner Sainz and five-time winner on two wheels Despres will make Peugeot’s return even more exciting

vehicles until fourhave o´clock arrived in theat morning, the day´s thedestination. crew then took Depending turns to on sleep the amountthe during and drive type toof the damage, next bivouac. work continues Yet even during until four the day, o´clock the in team the morning, had to be the widecrew awake then and taking readyturns to respond to sleep swiftly during to any the technical drive to the next bivouac. problems encountered Yet evenalong during the the way. day, the team must be wide awake andEchter ready and to respond his teamswiftly were not to any however technical allowed problems to provide encountered support along on thethe racetrack way. itself. For according to the rules, only drivers can offer mutual support during the Dakar Rally. But teams use the trick of entering some of their service trucks in the race. The only purpose of these so-called assistance trucks is to provide support for their own team´s faster vehicles in the event of a breakdown.

The racing truck driven by the X-raid team was, for instance, escorted by two MAN assistance trucks. This saved time – X-raid racing drivers having to wait no longer than 30-40 minutes for a service truck, a tyre change taking four minutes. Along with five MAN race trucks, the Dutch VEKA team had 12 MAN service trucks taking part.

Every minute can make a difference between victory and defeat

“Peugeot won four years in a row between 1987 and 1990 and will hoPe to win on the 25th anniversary” 22 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST 2014

during the Dakar Rally. This is why service is tremendously important throughout the race – the Dakar Rally cannot be won without reliable service trucks and the untiring efforts of the mechanics.

From MAN´s viewpoint, the Dakar Rally was a good opportunity to experiment and, for instance, test the performance of traction vehicles in the mountains or on particularly difficult terrain.

“We have special shock absorbers,” says Echter, while other truck parts have also been adapted to local conditions. “But ninety percent of the trucks are the same as vehicles from our series production,” stressed Echter.

PaRTing ShoT

The fuTure of truck

fleets

W

almart’s fleet of US trucks log millions of miles every year, delivering products to more than 4,800 locations across the country.

So when it comes to sustainability and efficiency, the goal is simple: deliver more while driving fewer miles. This goal is the driving principle behind its commitment to double fleet efficiency by 2015 (compared to 2005).

“We’re already 80% of the way there. Since 2007, we’ve delivered 658 million more cases while driving 298 million fewer miles,” says Elizabeth Fretheim, Walmart.

According to Fretheim, the key to continued improvement is through technology. To do this Walmart is making use of the most efficient equipment available as it pursues and tests the technologies of tomorrow.

“Delivering more while driving less: It’s a simple idea, but bringing it to life can be a bit complicated,” she says. “Walmart US Logistics spends a

24 TRUCK&FLEET ME JULY/AUGUST 2014

One Of the wOrld’s largest retailers is wOrking On develOping its Own range Of state-Ofthe-art trucks tO make its OperatiOn greener

lot of time developing and testing advanced technologies to improve the efficiency of its trucks. We have built a variety of prototype tractors for testing in a real-life environment. And like with many emerging technologies, these trucks may never enter operation or may not stay there long. We’re testing and piloting as we search for the best answers.

“That’s why we’ve been working with our suppliers to pilot new and emerging technologies for about 20 years,” she says. “These tests have included a number of prototypes: hybrid assist, wheel-end hybrid assist, full propulsion hybrid, natural gas (LNG and CNG) and waste grease.”

“In Canada, our Supercube trailer pilot has just entered its second test phase after proving that it can ship up to 40% more merchandise than conventional tractor-trailer combinations, reducing costs by 24% and greenhouse gas emissions by 14%.”

The latest example of this is the new Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience concept truck, which is the result of collaboration between

many vendor partners, including Peterbilt, Great Dane Trailers and Capstone Turbine. The truck combines aerodynamic, mictroturbine-hybrid powertrain, electrification, and advanced control systems all in one vehicle.

Walmart has been testing five Westport Liquid Natural Gas trucks in California for the past three years, and now also has a Westport/Cummins Alpha 12l natural gas engine.

Walmart and Freightliner have also worked together to build an advanced, aerodynamic tractor with the latest in efficiency and predictive technologies. This tractor was built with further development in mind and will be retrofitted with new advancements as they become available.

“Like the concept cars you see at auto shows, this prototype will evolve before it’s ready for the road. But it’s exciting to think about how any one of the new features might become an industry standard in the future. The important thing is that we find incremental improvements while also challenging ourselves to look at fleet efficiency in new and different ways.”

MAN knows what makes the world go around.

When it comes to transporting concrete from the mixing plant to the construction site, speed and reliability are crucial: after all, the concrete has to be delivered just in time if the construction work is going to progress. If youʼre looking for a safe bet to put your money on, go with MAN. Whether itʼs an extremly light chassis with optimum payload that you want, a truck with high load reserves, or a heavy duty vehicle with maximum transport capacity, we have the solution youʼre looking for.

Bahrain Ahmed Mansoor Al A‘ali Co. BSC (c) Phone + 973 1 777 1030

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KSA Haji Husein Alireza & Co. Ltd. Phone + 966 2 6049 444

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Qatar Qatar International Automobiles Phone + 974 4603 288 UAE (Abu Dhabi) Darwish Bin Ahmed & Sons Phone + 971 2 558 4800 UAE (Dubai) United Motors & Heavy Equipment Co LLC Phone + 971 4 2829080