The gentlemen of the road.

Drain pipes, construction equipment, cement and the like – building materials supplier Travis Perkins ensures that construction sites across London receive the right materials at the right time. Not an easy job, quite literally. The staff behind the wheel, who have to make their way through the hustle and bustle of the British capital every day, face a wide range of challenges. The new 6x2 Econic 2628LL is intended to make that task as easy as possible for them.

“The Econic is ideally suited to urban use,” says James Taylor, fleet manager at Travis Perkins. “In cities, road users usually share narrow streets — trucks and cars, cyclists and pedestrians,” James Taylor continues. Those who want to increase safety for everyone do not selfishly insist on their own right here, but also look to the left and right.

This consideration is made as simple as possible thanks to the Econic. Its deep panoramic windscreen and fully glazed passenger door allow for an almost complete all-round view. The driver benefits from this comfortable field of vision, which makes it easier to spot particularly vulnerable road users such as cyclists at an early stage. A lower seating position than is normally found in construction vehicles brings the driver to eye level with other road users.

The Econic 2628 LL from Travis Perkins has been retrofitted with a camera system. Areas the driver cannot see from the driver's seat are captured by front, rear and side cameras and displayed on a monitor in the cab. The Sidescan® system also emits an audible signal when a cyclist approaches.

A good overview of the road, however, is only half the story. Additional safety features offered by Mercedes-Benz are what make the Special Truck the convincing complete package that prompted Travis Perkins to add a third Econic to its fleet.

The technical details of the Econic leave nothing to be desired. A low entry, air-sprung driver's seats and a steerable rear axle that provides increased manoeuvrability make life easier for the staff at Travis Perkins. The chassis of the new Econic was fitted with a flatbed body from Massey Truck Engineering of Sheffield and a rear-mounted crane from HMF with a lifting capacity of 14 mt.

"When purchasing our Econic vehicles, Wellingborough Intercounty Truck & Van, our long-standing partner, were a great help. The Econic vehicles are perfectly adapted to our needs," reports James Taylor. It is therefore no surprise that a fourth Econic has already been ordered; it will also be painted in the company colours green and gold and will support the crew in London's hectic city traffic.