Grain and fertiliser hauler, Mark Rix, now has a fleet of three Freightliner Cascadias running across Victoria, South Australia and Southern New South Wales.
Based in Bolwarrah, near Ballarat in Victoria, Rix took delivery of a stunning blue 126 Cascadia in late 2019 and was so impressed with it that he ordered two more, which arrived in his fleet last October.
While he has a mixed fleet, Rix has been buying Freightliner trucks for some time, including multiple Coronados and a Columbia that managed more than 2 million km before it was sold to a new owner.
Rix said the Cascadia is a very different vehicle compared to previous Freightliners.
“You can’t compare the Cascadia to the Freightliners that came before it, it is like a quantum leap over of anything before it,” he said.
“The technology, the comfort, the quality of the interior and the performance is just way out in front of the previous models, and any other truck from my experience.”
Rix said the combination of advanced technology and safety, previously missing from US-style bonneted trucks in Australia, with a comfortable conventional truck with a spacious sleeper has made for the perfect truck.
“They figured out a way to combine the best parts of European trucks with the best parts of American trucks,” Rix said.
Rix’s operation, which he established with his wife, Kaye selected the 126 Cascadia, equipped with the DD16 16-litre Detroit six-cylinder diesel that produces 600hp and 2050lb-ft of torque, fed through a fully automated 12-speed DT-12 Detroit transmission.
All three are recording excellent fuel consumption, but it is the single trailer 126 running at 44-tonnes across to Adelaide and back that is the standout.
“It’s getting 2.4km per litre every single day and that is fantastic. I’m really, really happy with that,” he said.
“The Detroit is the best performer on fuel and also AdBlue,” Rix said.
Rix’s operation primarily transports grain, fertiliser and lime and the most recent Cascadia 126, which features a cavernous 60-inch cabin, was hooked up to a brand-new tri-tri stag trailer set manufactured by Chris’ Body Builders.
He purchased his Cascadias through Brendan Eales at Daimler Trucks Somerton.
All Cascadias come standard with a four year/800,000km manufacturer warranty and five years/500,000km of complimentary servicing that is standard with all Cascadia models rated below 110 tonnes.
Standard equipment includes a full suite of safety features including a radar and camera-based Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) that can automatically detect, and fully brake for, moving pedestrians in addition to vehicles. Also standard is a radar-based adaptive cruise control system and a lane departure warning system in addition to Electronic Stability Program and a driver airbag.
Rix has also chosen the optional Sideguard Assist feature, which uses radar to detect people, cars and other objects down the side of the truck when it is about to move left into a lane or turn left.