The combined municipal areas of Van der Bijl Park and Vereeniging, now called the Emfuleni Local Municipality, released a tender in July 2009 for the supply of 16 tipper trucks to service its road maintenance and waste management departments.

Following a hotly contested bidding process involving a number of leading truck manufacturers, the contract was awarded to New Vaal Motors for the supply of 16 6x4 Mercedes-Benz Axor tipper trucks.

The recent handover of the vehicles held at the New Vaal Motors premises was attended by the Emfuleni Executive Mayor, Counsellor SA Mshudulu, along with several of his colleagues from the municipal fleet division.

According to Emfuleni Municipality Assistant Fleet Manager, Anton Bouwer, “the tender wasn’t based on price but rather on vehicle specifications and the service and support offered by the truck supplier and its dealership in our area.”

The Axor 2628B/33 tippers are fitted with 10m³ bodies, supplied by CTS Trailers, a specialised trailer and truck body manufacturer based in Spartan, Gauteng.

New Vaal Motors Sales Manager, Ben de Klerk, said, “Six of the tippers will be used for waste management duties while 10 will help maintain the roads in our municipal district. Both are on/off-road applications requiring vehicles with high torque ratios and rugged construction. The Axor is a class leader in this regard with all the necessary power and traction, thanks to the hub reduction axles.”

The Axor derivatives are equipped with a nine-speed synchromesh gearbox with hydraulically operated shift for easier gear-changing. The turbo-charged, intercooled power plant is a Euro 3 spec 6.3 litre, in-line 6-cylinder diesel engine delivering 205kW/(279hp) @ 2300 rpm and 1100Nm @ 1200 to 1500 rpm.

Purchased on a 36-month Financial Lease, the vehicles will notch up three to four hundred kilometres per day, five days a week. Said Bouwer: “Due to the harsh operating conditions, all the new Axor tippers will be serviced every 10 000 km at the state-of-the-art New Vaal Motors workshop.”

With fuel consumption a perennial factor in vehicle purchasing, the Axor 2628B/33 uses a frugal 28 litres per 100 km while carrying a hefty 14-ton payload. “The tipper bodies are designed for strength while not adding too significantly to the overall vehicle tare mass,” explains de Klerk. “The tipper bodies are built using Domex, extra-strong imported steel that is significantly lighter than normal steel.”

Safety is another important buying criteria and the Axor covers all the bases. To help prevent driver fatigue, the low-roof day cabs are comfortable with air-sprung seats, air conditioner and power steering. For sharp stopping power, the Axor 2628B/33 comes equipped with a dual-circuit air brake with ABS/ALB, powering drum brakes on all axles. For extra safety and fuel efficiency, an engine brake with a constantly-open throttle valve comes as a standard feature.

“Our fleet already includes more than 20 Axor models so our drivers are well acquainted with what’s needed to drive these new models safely and efficiently. It is our responsibility to ensure effective control of fuel use and vehicle logistics. We achieve this thanks to the Telligent engine management system on the Axor as well as using aftermarket Fleet and Fuel Management systems. At the end of the day, it’s down to the truck to do the dog work and the Axor is a proven purebred,” concluded Bouwer.