FUSO Canter delivers overnight comfort and efficiency for Evans European Transport

Monday, April 16, 2018 - 09:23
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Grimsby-based Evans European Transport needed a 7.5-tonne refrigerated truck with a high payload and a sleeper cab – its new FUSO Canter delivers on both fronts.

Supplied by Mercedes-Benz Dealer Northside Truck & Van – the manufacturer’s franchised Network is also responsible for sales and support of the popular FUSO light truck range in Britain – the Canter 7C18D started life as a standard chassis with Double crew-cab, offering seating for a driver and up to six passengers.

Conversion specialist Hatcher Components then replaced the second row of seats with a full-sized bed, to create a roomy sleeping compartment, before temperature-controlled transport solutions leader Gray & Adams fitted a 5.0-metre, single-compartment insulated box body and GAH EX700 refrigeration unit.

Director Colin Evans said: “The resulting vehicle provides exactly what we wanted. The living area is comfortable and spacious for our driver, who typically spends three nights a week on the road, distributing food products between manufacturing plants and supermarket distribution centres from Scotland to the South-West. Yet we were still left with plenty of room for our preferred size of body.

“Crucially, thanks to the Canter’s light yet robust chassis, we’ve been able to achieve our target payload of 3.0 tonnes with ease. That’s around a tonne more than most other manufacturers could offer for a 7.5-tonne truck with sleeper cab.”

Evans European Transport’s fifth FUSO Canter is powered by an economical 3.0-litre common-rail turbo-diesel which offers high-torque characteristics – 430 Nm is available over a broad engine speed range. The truck’s 129 kW (175 hp) output is transmitted to the road via an efficient, smooth-shifting DUONIC® dual-clutch automated gearbox, while an engine brake and stop/start system is included as standard.

It will be maintained by the workshop team at Northside Truck & Van’s Immingham branch. Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ reigning Dealer of the Year, Northside represents the three-pointed star and three-diamonds FUSO brand in Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

The operator was already running one other Canter with overnight driver accommodation, in the shape of a roof-mounted sleeper pod was also designed and fitted by Hatcher Components, of Woodbridge, near Ipswich. That vehicle has a high-volume curtainside body, but the lower profile of the new truck’s fridge box meant a roof pod was not a viable option.

“We know from experience that the 7.5-tonne Canter leads its class when it comes to payload, while we’ve also found this model to be exceptionally reliable and cost-effective to operate,” continued Mr Evans.

“Northside Truck & Van Sales Executive Nigel Hill was not thrown by our requirement for a sleeper cab, even though this was not a standard option. He and I made a joint approach to Hatcher with the idea of converting a crew-cabbed vehicle, and we’re delighted with the result.”

Founded in 1994, Evans European Transport runs a fleet of 26 vehicles. The largest are 26-tonners, while the line-up also includes a number of vans, 16 of them Mercedes-Benz Sprinters also supplied by Northside.

As well as undertaking temperature-controlled distribution, Evans European Transport offers same-day delivery, contract logistics and warehousing services to a variety of ‘blue-chip’ customers.

www.evanseuropeantransport.co.uk

www.northside.co.uk

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