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TruckForce, the UK’s only dedicated truck tyre supplier and service provider offering truck tyre servicing and breakdown assistance throughout the UK, rolled straight back to Mercedes-Benz Vans for the latest additions to its growing fleet.
Owned by leading tyre manufacturer Goodyear Dunlop, Truckforce acquired its first Sprinters seven years ago and has remained loyal to the three-pointed star ever since. Its 69 new 314 CDI models were supplied, like their predecessors, by Dealer Midlands Truck & Van.
They have joined a fleet of 165 Mercedes-Benz vans which are allocated to technicians who repair, replace and service tyres at customers’ premises or the roadside.
Most of TruckForce’s vans work from a network of 13 operating centres, each of which supports several satellite locations across England and Wales. For larger fleets, however, it stations technicians permanently at customer premises to provide a full-time service.
Among these is John Holmes, who is based together with a colleague at the Consett headquarters of high-profile Elddis Transport. Together, they maintain the Goodyear tyres fitted to the haulier’s fleet of 150 tractor units and 300 trailers.
John is running one of the latest Sprinters, and is delighted with its comfort and performance. “The cab is even nicer than my previous vehicle, and the new van seems to be more economical too,” he confirmed. “It’s kitted out with all of the tools and equipment I need, including a compressor, generator and lights for working in the dark, so ideally suited to the job.”
TruckForce Business Manager Bob Mason, who began his own career with the company as a tyre technician working on the Elddis fleet, added: “John’s verdict is typical. The Sprinter is very popular with our technicians across the country, as well as being extremely reliable and hard-wearing.
“Experience has shown that this vehicle copes easily with demanding work over a five-year life, unlike rival products which might look smart when they’re new but tend to deteriorate at a rapid rate.
“Equally important, though, is the quality of the aftersales support we receive from the manufacturer’s franchised network,” he continued. “Mercedes-Benz Dealers are proper commercial vehicle specialists – they understand the pressures facing an operation like ours, and offer servicing outside normal working hours.
“This means our mobile tyre technicians can drop their vans off at the end of the working day so they can be maintained at night, then pick them up ready to start work again in the morning. It’s a facility that works very well for our business.”
Powered by advanced, fuel-efficient 143 hp engines, TruckForce’s new Sprinters came – like all Mercedes-Benz vans – with a class-leading array of standard-fit safety features. They are backed by three-year, unlimited mileage warranties, as well as the manufacturer’s MobiloVan cover, which includes free, 24-hour emergency breakdown assistance.
