Heidelberg Materials has added five Freightliner Cascadia 126 day cabs to its Australian fleet, with the new trucks set to operate from depots around the country.
Formerly known as Hanson in Australia, Heidelberg Materials selected the Cascadia 126 for truck and dog operations, where payload capacity and tare weight are important considerations. Daimler Truck says the model’s relatively low tare helps operators maximise payload.
The trucks are powered by the 16-litre Detroit DD16 engine, producing 600hp and 2050lb-ft of torque. Heidelberg Materials has specified the 12-speed DT12 automated manual transmission, rather than the 18-speed manual gearbox that is also available on the Cascadia.
Daimler Truck Australia Pacific Vice President Sales, Marketing and Operations Andrew Assimo said the Cascadia was well matched to the Heidelberg Materials operation.
“We’re thrilled to see the Freightliner Cascadia delivering safety and productivity benefits for Heidelberg Materials,” Assimo said.
“The 126 is a fantastic package, especially when you consider its light tare and its full suite of active safety features and we know they will love them.”
Safety technology is a major part of the specification. The Cascadia is equipped with the Detroit Assurance 5.0 safety package, which includes Advanced Emergency Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Departure Warning.
Side Guard Assist is also available as an option, while the Cascadia remains the only bonneted truck in Australia to feature a steering wheel-mounted driver airbag.
The truck’s sloping bonnet is also designed to improve forward visibility, with optional bonnet-mounted spotter mirrors available to further assist the driver.
For fleet operators, the Cascadia also brings connected vehicle capability through Detroit Connect telematics. The system can provide fleet managers with detailed incident reports, including video footage captured by the integrated forward-facing camera.
The latest delivery reinforces the role of payload efficiency, safety systems and telematics in heavy vehicle procurement, particularly for operators working in demanding construction materials and bulk haulage applications.
