Direct Trade has treated itself to a special 20^th birthday present in the shape of 15 fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz trucks.

The Doncaster-based fabricator acquired its new Atego rigids from the local branch of Northside Truck & Van, the reigning Mercedes-Benz trucks dealer of the year.

They are Direct Trade’s first Mercedes-Benz trucks. Transport manager Dave Smith said: “The vehicle we trialled did very well on fuel. Our previous trucks in the same weight class were returning 16mpg at best, but the Mercedes-Benz produced a figure of 21mpg. An improvement of 5mpg and more represents a very substantial cost saving for the business.

“The drivers really liked the Atego too, which was another factor that weighed heavily in its favour – if you can keep your drivers happy they’ll perform better at the wheel.”