Cascadia draws Derham back to Freightliner

Derham Transport has added a Freightliner Cascadia to its transport fleet based in Lara, Victoria.

Owner David Derham, who runs a mixed fleet of more than 40 trucks delivering quarry products all over regional Victoria and South Australia, has put the new Cascadia 126 to work hauling a five-axle trailer at a combined weight of at 63-tonnes.

Mr Derham says the truck has been a hit with his drivers and has also impressed him with its fuel consumption, which is always above the 2km per litre mark despite tackling the Adelaide hills on each run.

“We are very happy with the fuel economy we are currently experiencing with the Cascadia 126,” Mr Derham said.

He has some older Freightliners in his fleet that have served him well, but the Cascadia is the first for more than a decade.

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The Cascadia appeared on Mr Derham’s radar after a positive experience with another Daimler product, a Mercedes-Benz Actros 2658 purchased through David Waugh at Daimler Trucks Laverton.

Knowing that the two trucks share several key components including engine platforms and safety systems, Mr Derham paid close attention to the arrival of the new Cascadia before signing up for one.

Part of the appeal was the manufacturer warranty of four years or 800,000km (whichever comes first) for the truck and engine and five years/500,000km of free Best Basic servicing.

Then there are the safety features that come standard, including advanced emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, a driver airbag, intelligent high beam and auto wipers and headlights.

Mr Derham also selected the Side Guard Assist radar-based system that warns the driver if the truck’s turning trailer could hit objects such as power poles when turning left, and also if they are about to merge left into an occupied lane.

The 126 Cascadia features a 16-litre Detroit six-cylinder engine that betters Euro 6 emissions standards. It is paired with a 12-speed Detroit automated transmission, while an 18-speed Eaton manual transmission is available as an option.

The Cascadia uses Intelligent Powertrain Management, which means the truck reads topographic route data and combines it with the truck’s precise GPS location to help it achieve optimum fuel economy. For example, it knows exactly when to hold on to a gear (and not change up just before the crest of a hill), when to use the engine brake and when to save fuel and select neutral in order to coast.