Carey’s Freight Lines gets first limited Actros

The special edition model was developed locally to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz Trucks Actros being introduced in Australia.

Carey’s Freight Lines Managing Director, Darren Carey, put his hand up for one of the limited-run Actros trucks at the Brisbane Truck Show in May and the unit was delivered recently by Mavin Truck Centre salesman, Steve Pinkstone.

Carey’s Freight Lines added the first Actros to its fleet back in 2017 and has purchased 18 of them in all.

Mr Carey says the Actros has been a solid and reliable performer for the company.

“Right from the start, the Actros has given us great fuel economy and we also appreciate the safety features and the comfort,” Mr Carey said.

“The acceptance level among drivers has been really good too.”

Mr Carey says the aftersales support behind the Actros has been a big positive.

“The support from the team at Mercedes-Benz from head office, the sales guys and the service dealer in town has been so strong and that is really important,” he says.

The special Actros 25 Driver Edition is a welcome addition to the fleet, says Mr Carey.

“It looked good on the stand, but it looks even better in the metal, in our yard with our trailers,” Mr Carey said.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks Vice President, Andrew Assimo, is thrilled the milestone truck is joining the Carey Freight Lines fleet.

“The special edition Actros 25 Driver Edition is full of features that drivers often request and it also looks fantastic, so we know it will be a popular addition to the fleet at Carey’s Freight Lines,” he said.

Carey’s Freight Lines dates back to 1947, when Harold Carey bought his first truck after returning from World War II. Having bought the company in the 1980s, his sons, Mick and John, grew the business. Now, Harold Carey’s grandsons Darren, Todd and Rick have taken up the reigns of the business.

The Actros 25 Driver Edition is a 2663 that features the top-of-the-line 630hp 16-litre six-cylinder OM473 engine linked to the latest generation 12-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT).

It is comes with the Predictive Powertrain Control system, which uses topographical information, including pre-mapped three-dimensional GPS data, to enable the truck to make the best, and most economical, choice of throttle application and gear selection. This includes saving fuel by coasting for long periods.

The Actros 25 Driver Edition also features Active Drive Assist technology, which helps to actively help steer the truck and keep it in the centre of its lane, although the driver is still required to hold the steering wheel.

It features a grey metallic paint scheme matched with Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels and a raft of upgrades that ensure it stands out on the highway. Beyond the visual upgrades, there is also a list of comfort features to make life on the road easier.

The Actros 25 Driver Edition features the Gigaspace cab, which is taller and provides more headroom and space for front-mounted cabinets above the windscreen. One of these cabinets includes a microwave.

On the rear wall of the cab, there are two beds including a fixed bed at the bottom and folding bunk at the top. Below the bottom bed are twin fridges that are within easy reach of the driver.

The special truck features luxurious leather-seats, a leather wrapped steering wheel and woodgrain trim. A bunk curtain, with Mercedes-Benz logo, is also provided.

All Actros trucks in the Carey’s Freight Lines fleet are 2663 models.

The company has purchased all the Actros trucks with Daimler Trucks Financial Services. Mr Carey says DTFS always provided a very competitive rate, the process was simple and the team was easy to deal with.

Since it was introduced launched locally in 1998, the Actros has introduced several technical innovations and recorded a number of milestones. These include being the first truck with radar-based Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) technology, the first with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), the first with SAE Level 2 Automation and the first heavy truck with a complete range of engines meeting the Euro 6 standard.