Eurocargo and Trakker team up for Carillion plc

Carillion plc, one of the UK's leading support services and construction companies, is taking delivery of 16 new Iveco Trakkers and nine Eurocargos supplied by Guest Trucks.

These new additions join a fleet of nearly 10,000 commercial vehicles, including 1,200 trucks plated at 7.5 tonnes and above, of which approximately 30 per cent are Eurocargos. Their arrival marks the first Trakker on/off-road heavy trucks to enter operation with Carillion; being used primarily to support a new utility contract with Scottish Power.

Both the Trakker AD340T36K 8x4’s and Eurocargo 75E16K 4x2’s have been fitted with Thompsons tipper bodies, whilst the Trakkers also benefit from a specification which includes a Palfinger grab loading crane, together with the vehicle’s single reduction Meritor axles and ventilated disc brakes, which are designed to maximize fuel economy and braking performance.

Martin Saxton, National Transport Manager at Carillion, explains: “We’ve got a good track record operating Iveco vehicles on the fleet, and this ensured the brand was front-of-mind when it came to placing this latest order. The nature of our contract with Scottish Power means these trucks will be operating around the clock on a multi-shift operation, seven days a week, which makes minimising unexpected downtime essential.

“Last year we trialed a Trakker demonstrator for the first time and we were very impressed. In comparison with other trucks we tested it scored highly, particularly for its ground clearance, which is an important consideration for any vehicle in our fleet,” he adds.

Common across both models is Iveco’s two-pedal automated EuroTronic transmission, which is designed to further enhance driver comfort and safety and is now fitted as standard by Iveco on all 4x2 Eurocargos. This follows a strategy successfully pioneered by Iveco with the Stralis and Trakker, when the two heavy truck ranges were first launched with an automated gearbox as standard equipment.

The Trakkers are powered by a 7.8 litre Cursor 8 engine which deliver up to 360 hp between 1,690 and 2,400 rev/min and 1,500 Nm of torque between 1,125 and 1,690 rev/min. The Eurocargos use a four cylinder 3.9 litre tector engine, capable of developing 160 hp at 2,700 rev/min and up to 530 Nm of torque between 1,200 and 2,100 rev/min.

Expected to cover up to 50,000 km a year, the vehicles will remain in operation with Carillion for four years.