http://www.truckingmag.co.uk August 2019 TRUCKING 49
Jim is a dab hand at
using the crane for swift
loading and unloadingvery good for this kind of work, with
so many twisting and hilly roads, ” he
says, “and it’s slightly better than my
last truck.” However, the new truck is
not so good on its AdBlue
consumption: “I used to fill that up
every two weeks, but now it’s weekly.”
Jim tells us he’s been asked to do a job
in Exeter which is some way away from
his usual territory; but if it comes off,
he’ll be happy to do it. Such occasional
work justifies the decision to have a
decent cab on his truck.
“I like the Arocs. It’s better –
tougher – than the Actros,”
he tells us, adding he
typically spends up to
12 hours a day at
work. “I can easily
max out on my
driving time,
although I do have to keep an eye on the
Working Time Directive.”
The automatic gearbox
has a manual override,
which Jim says is
“useful when you
are in the forest,
especially when
you are on
wet ground”.
The Arocs
handles well and
without a
problem, and the
high ground
clearance means deep
ruts and bumps are not
an issue. “The lifting rear
axle enables me to gain more traction
from the drive axle should I need it,
while also improving manoeuvrability
for tight turns.”
Jim sometimes takes his dog Buster,
a seven-year-old Schnauzer, along for
a ride out into the woods. But sadly,
“he’s not so keen on coming out in
recent times. He’s a bit of a character
though; I think he’s just got lazy!”
Jim prefers the tag axle arrangement
to the double drive, which he feels is
harder to steer. The 2553 has a 3.2 m
wheelbase, but Jim says there’s no
need for any more power. “A 2563
would have too much power and would
throw the wheels.”
The truck also came fitted as
standard with the manufacturer’sThe lifting rear axle enables me to gain more
traction from the drive axle should I need it, and also
improves manoeuvrability for tight turns. Ji m Yu le
Safety Pack with Active Brake Assist 4,
Proximity Control Assist and a driver’s
airbag. Jim has had top-mounted Kelsa
chrome lightbar and beacons,
aluminium chequerplate catwalk, alloy
wheels and headlamp protectors all
fitted to finish things off.
When he’s done for the week, the
truck is taken to his home where his
friend, Graham Shewan, gives it a good
wash. Then the truck heads back to base
at the sawmill.Put to good use
The wood Jim hauls (today’s load is
spruce) is mostly used to make fencing
products, and when we get back to the
sawmill it is unloaded promptly. The
wood will then be stripped of its bark
and cut into relevant beams. There’s no
waste though, as all the offcuts and the
bark is turned into woodchip and used
for fuel or animal bedding.
Jim gets a stock sheet every week
outlining what loads he’s got to move
and when, and overall he’ll do about
100,000 km in the Arocs every year. The
truck, in its striking metallic green livery,
is a real head-turner – and while Jim
will take it to the occasional show, this is
most definitely a working truck. And
work hard it does.
With the load tipped at the sawmill,
it’s time for Trucking to bid farewell to
Jim and his impressive Merc. It’s a
lovely truck – and one tailor-made for
his business. n“I like the Arocs. It’s better –
tougher – than the Actros,”
The automatic gearbox
has a manual override,
which Jim says is
“useful when you
are in the forest,problem, and the
high ground
clearance means deep
ruts and bumps are not
an issue. “The lifting rearThe timber is
strapped down
for transit