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Rise of the
January-March 2012
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BharatBenz (Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd) Editorial Board Brand Communications - BharatBenz Maxposure Media Group India Pvt. Ltd. M-108, Punj House, IInd Floor, Above Bank of Baroda, Connaught Place, New Delhi-110001 Tel: +91-11-47411100 Publisher & COO Vikas Johari CEO & Managing Director Prakash Johari CFO Kuldip Singh Information info@maxposure.in
Message
It is with great pleasure and honour that we bring to you the first edition of Smart Trucking. Just as the launch of our brand BharatBenz signifies our commitment to India, this magazine celebrates the beginning of our association with you. Apart from bringing you interesting news from the world of commercial vehicles, we intend to provide you with insightful developments and reports that will be useful to your business. In this issue, read about how modern trucking is taking over the highways due to growing demands from the core industrial sectors like construction, mining, steel, cement, etc. Check out if the Great Indian Highway Network is keeping up and what we can expect in the days to come. And, see how the latest processes and technologies can help you manage your fleet more efficiently. Also, know more about our brand BharatBenz and its philosophy. Find out about the kind of gruelling tests that trucks undergo before they are deemed fit to become part of your fleet. Finally, go back in time to 1896 and learn about the first truck ever built.
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. Unit 301 & 302, 3rd Floor, Campus 3B, RMZ Millennia Business Park, No 143, Dr. M.G. R. Road, Perungudi, Chennai-600096, India
Contents
4 Rise of the Modern Truck 10 Super Highways: Almost There 14 Efficient Fleet Management
A new breed of modern commercial vehicles is all set to hit the highways
Taking a look at the development of Indian highways and what we can expect in the future
How these latest processes and technologies can help in smart fleet management
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Modern Truck
Rise of the
The reign of boxy, bulky, smoke-spewing trucks is coming to an end. A new breed of modern commercial vehicles that are efficient, high on performance, safe and comfortable is all set to rule Indian roads
words Hari Govind Nair
e're living in exciting times full of promise and progress. India, the second largest growing economy in the world, is driving on steady and determined on the road to development. According to various reports and projections, it is all set to overtake the Chinese dragon in just a few years to become the No. 1 growing economy in the world. This phenomenal growth is being fuelled by rapid advancement in core industrial sectors such as cement, steel, infrastructure, consumer goods, mining and petroleum. To sustain and support this growth, it is essential for the road network and transport system to keep pace. Even though cutting edge technology is resulting in high productivity in these sectors, an efficient logistics system is vital for it to translate into high profitability. Which is why super highways and super-efficient commercial vehicles are the need of the hour. For instance, today, a cement manufacturer who aims to increase his output, needs his logistics and distribution network to handle the increased output. Companies which used to take a week to deliver cargo to remote locations now need to do the same in as little as two days. Steel manufacturers, wanting to increase their profits, are looking to their logistic partners to manage their fleet in an organised, efficient manner to bring down transportation costs.
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Where a driver in a traditional truck was covering 450 km in a day, in its modern avatar, he can cover upto 20-25 per cent more
time also giving a much-needed impetus to our highways. Today most of our highways are in top-notch condition. The government has already announced the completion of the Golden Quadrilateral the mammoth highway network which connects the four major metro cities in January this year. Due to this development, it is now possible for transport operators to cater to the increased demands of the core sectors of our economy. These super-fast, four to six lane highways, have the capability to take on the might of a transport system which is better, faster and more efficient than the conventional one. And seeing this need, most of the Commercial Vehicle (CV) manufacturers have come out with trucks that are equipped with state-of-the-art features leading to efficient operations. These modern trucks help drivers in comfortably achieving greater distances in less time, which in turn helps fleet owners to earn more and maximise profits.
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Booting away the earlier boxy styles, everything in these trucks from the headlamps to the indicator, to the fenders and grills has been designed to gel with the modern look. This offers not only better speed and fuel-efficiency, but also gives the driver more space to live, work and store, making his driving experience comfortable and productive.
Intelligent Design
The first thing that strikes you about these new-age trucks is how intelligently and aerodynamically they have been designed.
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Modern trucks are equipped with better aggregates powertrain, chassis and suspension which enhance the reliability and life of these vehicles
Anti-roll Bar
Anti-roll bar ensures that the tyres are in constant touch with the road, for better road grip and stability of the vehicle, especially during cornering and lane-changing at high speeds.
With ABS
Without ABS
Crash-tested Cab
Crash-tested cab ensures survival space for the cabin crew in the unfortunate event of a collision.
suspension which enhance the reliability and life of these vehicles. These features have also improved several aspects of the truck, namely, steering, acceleration, braking, etc.
comfort even after long and continuous hours on the road. The instrument cluster gives out information which keeps track of data like trip mileage, maintenance warnings, tyre pressure indicators, etc. Apart from having factory-fitted seatbelts with pre-tensioners, the modern-day trucks come with a host of technologically advanced safety features. Many trucks these days offer sideimpact protection, stability control, Anti-lock Braking System and reinforced and crash-tested cabin designs to minimise impact on collision. These enhanced features not only boost the drivers confidence, but also give him and the truck owner peace of mind. With these changes in the industry, it is now imperative for the progressive fleet operator to think about his future business model and operating strategy: Should he stick with conventional, basic trucks or decide to upgrade to these modern trucks and become a smart trucker? yz
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Super Highways
Almost There
A highly efficient road network is the backbone of a growing economy like ours. We take a look at the current state of Indian highways and what we can expect in the future
source Basic Road Statistics of India, a report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
he development of the highway network is vital to the growth of the Indian economy. Which is why, clearly, it is high on the government's agenda as reflected in the Union Budget 2012-13. The allocation for National Highways is up by 14 per cent and a target of 8800 km of tarmac to be laid out, has been set. Apart from this, earlier this year, in January, with the government announcing the completion of the Golden Quadrilateral the highway network which connects the four major metropolitan cities we can say that the era of super highways in India is almost there.
Current Scenario
According to a report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the total road length in India, which was 3.99 lakh km in 1951, has increased to 41.10 lakh km by 2008. Of this, surfaced road accounts to about 20.36 lakh km, which has increased from 1.57 lakh km during the same time frame. The total road network in the country grew from 36.21 lakh km in March 2004 to 41.10 lakh km in March 2008, reflecting an increase of 4.89 lakh km yielding a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.2% over this period. The total surfaced road length grew from 3,97,948 km (accounting for 43.5% of the total road length) in 1971 to 20,36,063 km (accounting for 49.5% of the total road length) in 2008, reflecting a more than five-fold increase in surfaced road length. Category-wise classification of road length showed that
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Phase IV
This phase involved improvement of 20,000 km of NHs to two lanes with paved shoulders.
Phase V
Six laning of 6,500 km of existing 4 lane highways in October 2006 on Design Build Finance and Operation (DBFO) basis. This included 5,700 km of Golden Quadrilateral and 800 km of other selected stretches.
Phase II
This phase was approved in December 2003. The main thrust of this phase involved upgradation (four-laning) of: a) North-South (Srinagar to Kanyakumari) and East-West (Silchar to Porbandar) corridors covering a distance of 6161 km; b) Upgradation of 486 km stretch of other National Highways. The total length coverage for upgradation under Phase II involved 6647 km out of which 4465 km has been completed by 31st March 2010.
Phase VI
Approved in November 2006, envisaged development of 1000 km of access controlled four/six lane divided carriageway expressways on DBFO basis.
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Phase VII
This phase was approved in December 2007 for construction of stand alone ring roads, by-passes (including improvements of NH links in city), Grade Separated Intersections, flyovers, elevated highways, Road Over Bridges (ROBs), underpasses and service roads on BOT Toll basis.
The length of National Highways in 2008 was 66,754 km, an increase of over 180 per cent from 1971
took place in the length of project roads which increased from 1,30,893 km in March 1971 to 2,70,189 km by March 2008, resulting in a growth of 106% and a CAGR of 1.98% only.
Phase III
It involves four-laning of 12,109 km of high-density stretches of NHs connecting
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during this period, the length of National Highways (NHs) increased from 23,838 km to 66,754 km an increase of over 180% or CAGR of 2.8%. During the same period, the length of State Highways (SHs) increased from 56,765 km to 1,54,522 km (an increase of over 172% or CAGR of 2.7%) and the length of other PWD roads increased from 2,76,833 km in 1971 to 8,63,241 km in 2008 (an increase of about 212% or CAGR of 3.1%). Various categories of urban roads together expanded in length from 72,120 km to 3,04,327 km reflecting an increase of over 322% or CAGR of 3.97%. The highest growth over these 37 years took place in respect of rural roads which increased from 3,54,530 km to 24,50,559 km, registering an increase of nearly 591% and a CAGR of 5.4%. The lowest growth, however,
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Efficient Fleet
words Sandip Sen
MAnAgEMEnT
Managing your fleet intelligently is as important as managing your family. We take you through some smart processes and technologies that will go a long way in increasing your profits
smart moves
fleet of trucks, along with their drivers, is like a big Indian joint family. There are bound to be problems and issues which keep on cropping up, and you as the head of the family, have to constantly step in and take care of them. If you introduce effective fleet management techniques, then these problems can not only be reduced but also eventually be eliminated. In todays time,
with so much advancement in technology, there are many smart fleet management solutions which can be customised according to the size of your fleet. Be it five trucks or five hundred, there are methods to efficiently streamline your fleet. The first step that one should take towards fleet management is to set up a tracking and monitoring system. And the best way to do so is by installing remote-tracking devices in your
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The remote tracking devices help in reducing unscheduled side trips by the driver, while on-board sensors aid in detecting offloading of cargo
trucks. Nowadays, apart from just tracking their real-time locations, these devices are also equipped to collect and record data related to the speed of the truck that is travelling, the number of hours it took to reach from point A to point B, etc. By using this solution, as a fleet owner, you can track every driver which in turn fosters a greater sense of accountability. By keeping an eye on the vehicles remotely, you can not only know their location but also the status of their readiness to undertake new jobs. These remote-tracking devices help in reducing unscheduled side trips by the driver,
while on-board sensors facilitate the detecting of cargo and fuel offloading, or any other improper activity. When these devices are used with fleet management software, it helps you in maintaining centralised fuel logs that calculate expenditure on fuel, lubricant, coolants and spare parts like tyres, air filters, oil filters, etc. Apart from cost per kilometre, they also calculate the cost per quarter and cost per year for each and every truck. This helps you in understanding which drivers are efficient and which need to be trained further. These tracking devices and softwares will help you, as a fleet owner, in ensuring better driver accountability, route mapping, drive-time, fuel consumption, inventory control and distribution, and finally, risk management. The main problem a fleet owner faces while taking lucrative contracts in remote areas for mining or construction is the maintenance and accountability of expenses of his fleet. Most of these kinds of projects like dam construction are located in areas which have no cellphone connectivity. By using these kinds of devices, you can ensure uninterrupted communication with your driver through satellites, and if any emergency arises, he can easily contact you. These devices also help in saving costs as unauthorized overtime billing and misuse of working time can be detected and eliminated by comparing location and work status. Bloated overtime bills is a major expense that fleet owners have to meet these days and that can be substantially reduced by the use of these softwares and tracking devices.
smart moves
Unauthorised use detection Efficient loading and dispatch Two-way satellite communication
An important use of these systems is to conserve fuel and increase the efficiency of your trucks. Most of these devices are equipped with alert features which give overspeeding, idle-time threshold and unauthorised use alerts. So instead of bringing up these issues when the driver returns, you can correct their actions on the spot, thereby minimising unwanted expenses. As a smart fleet owner who wishes to cut down costs and maximise profits, adopting these technologically advanced fleet management solutions can not only help in keeping a better check on your fleet but also on your drivers. yz
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BharatBenz
Committed to Power You Ahead
Your trucks carry more than just cargo. They carry your dreams. If youre driven to lead, BharatBenz is here to power you ahead
Brand Power
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nnovation, Understanding, Excellence, Commitment at BharatBenz, these are not just some words used to lend gravitas, but our way of life. For over a century, Daimler, our parent brand, has constantly stepped up and led the way towards development of Commercial Vehicles. Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG & Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said while unveiling BharatBenz, We are sending a clear message with our new truck brand: Daimler is at home in India. Our BharatBenz trucks are the right combination of Daimlers DNA and Indias market know-how. These trucks will be developed and built in India, for India, and by specialist employees from India. To get a better understanding of what BharatBenz signifies, read on...
Power of Innovation
At BharatBenz, we believe in delivering nothing but the very best. This brand is the result of an ongoing process of innovations accomplished over a period of 115 years. Well over a century ago, when horse-drawn modes of transport were the only known ways of mobility, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz came up with a revolutionary idea of motorized movement. By combining an engine with a cab-over-chassis structure, they invented the first truck. At Daimler, excellence is the driving force behind our history of innovations that continues into the 21st century. Our designers and engineers have ensured that we have been at the forefront of the trucking industry. Numerous
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Brand Power
With BharatBenz, we have reinvented the concept of a truck according to the needs of the Indian environment
patents in automotive performance, safety and eco-friendly innovations some of which are milestones in the history of the truck are eloquent testimonies to our commitment to redefining mobility for the world.
have deep-dived into the Indian environment, we understand the nuances of the trucking industry in India, their current needs and the ones that will emerge tomorrow.
Power of Understanding
Before launching our vehicles in the Indian market, we have put them through rigorous rounds of tests through various terrains in India. From six-lane superhighways, to treacherous Himalayan routes, to negotiating hairpin bends and the deepest mines our vehicles have seen it all. Having faced the varying logistical and geographical complexities of India, we know what it takes to build a formidable truck that can withstand anything. Its these unique Indian conditions and the expectations of the Indian customer that inspired Daimler to create BharatBenz a new brand for India. And now, as we
Power of Excellence
With BharatBenz, we have reinvented the concept of a truck according to the needs of the Indian environment. Our trucks have been engineered to not only meet your expectations but also exceed them. We put them through the stiffest of challenges and the toughest of tests, to ensure that you get the most reliable and resilient of vehicles. Whatever you could have wished for in a truck and even some things you didnt know you wanted have gone into the making of BharatBenz, a truck unlike any other. With our range of light and heavy-duty trucks, ranging from 6-49 tonnes, catering to a wide
variety of applications, Indian truckers will benefit from these world-class vehicles that offer superior value for money. Our heavy duty trucks, built on the globally proven MercedesBenz Axor platform, have been customised to excel in Indian conditions. Our light duty trucks, based on the Fuso Canter platform, have been engineered to perform for the demanding Indian customer. Our vehicles' superior pulling power and gradeability will make each trip back from a deep mine faster and easier. Their unmatched fuel-efficiency will make your trips more profitable. You will no longer need to worry about working in remote locations as they require low maintenance and have longer service intervals, which will also result in increased vehicle uptime. They can be operated at higher speeds with faster turnaround times. No more crawling up the
ghats at a snails pace. You can earn more by completing more trips than ever before. It has been designed for your drivers comfort. And with a host of safety features to protect the driver, it provides a stress-free and more productive driving experience.
Power of Commitment
For Daimler, the creation of BharatBenz brand is an indication of our commitment towards India. Our manufacturing and testing facility at Chennai has been built over a period of five years and we have already invested about `4400 crores in the Indian market. Instead of simply importing our global products, we chose to study the Indian market in-depth and came up with solutions that will work for this country. And now, once we launch our products, you will find our dealer and service network throughout
the country. With a service team that is committed to make sure that your vehicle never has to leave the roads, we will provide you with never-seen-before support solutions. Finally, with the backing of the BharatBenz Financial service, all that you now need to do is pick a vehicle that suits your need and drive down the road to success. Our class-leading vehicles will enable you to generate higher revenues while also putting you on the path to business expansion by allowing you to single-mindedly focus on new businesses. They will significantly enhance your ability to offer better service, boost your confidence and strengthen your customers confidence in you. If you wish to drive out to embrace your future and realise your aspirations, BharatBenz is the brand to power you ahead. yz
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Survival of the
FitTEST
Brand Power
BharatBenz Test Track Fact File
Overall track length Outer track length (high speed track) Inner track length (rough road) 5.93 km 1.55 km 1.16 km
The term 'testing' gets a whole new meaning at Daimler India Commercial Vehicles. Trucks have to undergo major endurance drills before they are stamped OK to step out into the real world
what our vehicles undergo during these testing sessions and the age-old philosophy behind them.
here is a story behind each and every Daimler vehicle. A gruelling tale of stress-filled testing sessions, that if retold, can thaw the coldest of hearts. And it is only when these vehicles pass successfully through these trials by fire, that they are deemed fit to become a part of your fleet. Now that we, at BharatBenz, have launched our lineup of Commercial Vehicles, let's give you a sneak-peek into
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Brand Power
a major disagreement with Nikolaus August Otto over the future of the Otto engine. While Otto wanted to produce bigger engines after the initial success of the prototype, Daimler wanted further testing and research before any horsepower upgradation. In 1885, Wilhelm Maybach, who was the design head and his colleague at Ottos manufacturing unit, also quit and joined Daimler in the DMG factory at Stuttgart that went on to produce the first 4-stroke gas engine automobile a year later. The seeds of product inspection enforced personally by Gottlieb Daimler ensured that the testing of each vehicle was carried out religiously at the Daimler works. Since the early days, each truck produced was rigorously tested by carrying bricks on rough terrain for months before being invoiced. It also ensured that the brickworks industry became the early users of Daimler trucks due to their ruggedness and dependability.
and other facilities. High-mast illumination through flood lights allows round-the-clock testing of trucks which are further monitored by supervisors from an elevated control tower alongside the tracks.
If a truck does the full 5.93 km circuit on our test track, it would have tackled all kinds of possible terrain one can find while travelling from Kashmir to Kanyakumari
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curves of the oval test track. Nearly 20 prototype vehicles ply the tracks 7 days a week for a 9-month test cycle, logging 9,000 to 10,000 km a day on which various assemblies under consideration are tested. This track is
also used for Noise Test and the Jump Test for checking the driving stability and steering checks for jump impacts.
Brand Power
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Other Facilities
Apart from these tracks, the other tests that happen at this facility include the water trough where prototypes have to tackle depths up to 1.2 m. The rough-road tests are followed by the cooling of tyres. At our inspection ramp, engineers carry out over 70 tests to check for any wear & tear and anomalies to ensure superior on-road performance. Having invested so much effort to create all the road conditions that one would find in every part of India, and having tested our trucks on this track for over 50 lakh km, we are confident that their performance will be unparalleled in the real world. And as the global market leader, we feel it is our responsibility to raise the bar of vehicle-testing to such an extent that they will never test you. yz
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Having tested our trucks on this track for over 50 lakh km, we are confident that their performance will be unparalleled
stoPover
Gottlieb Daimler
Carl Benz
bout 115 years ago, on 1st October 1896, the following was entered in the production records of Daimler-MotorenGesellschaft (DMG) in Cannstatt near Stuttgart: "Motorised goods vehicle, order No. 81, vehicle no. 42, four hp two-cylinder engine, weight of the complete vehicle: 1,200 kilograms for carrying a load of 1,500 kilograms, invoiced to British Motor Syndicate Ltd. London." And that's the description of the first truck ever built.
Tale of the
words Sandip Sen
Let's go back in time to 1896, when the first truck was built
FiRST TRuCk
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The First Truck stoPover
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Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach present a truck with a payload of 5 tons in Paris, 1898
Daimler supplied trucks in 4, 6, 8 and 10 hp versions, with payload capacity ratings between 1,500 and 5,000 kg and top speeds up to 12 kmph
The world's first truck looked like a horse-drawn cart without a drawbar. The driver was seated on the coach-box ahead of the front axle, out in the open air which means the truck was a cab-over-engine unit. The engine installed in the rear was a Daimler "Phoenix" two-cylinder mill which developed 4 hp from a displacement of 1.1 litres. Power was transmitted to the rear axle by a belt system, a design resembling that of the planetary hub reduction axles introduced decades later. Wilhelm Maybach were not content with the rear-engine configuration. In subsequent models, the engine was installed in the frame underneath the driver's seat and the rear axle was driven by means of a chain. Power was conveyed by a gearwheel transmission, and the engine was cooled by Wilhelm Maybach's tubular radiator and started by means of low-voltage magneto ignition. In the next generation, the engine was placed under a bonnet above the front axle and the conventional truck was born.
The first diesel engine with compressed-air injection for trucks, 1923
Similar Inventions
In those days at Mannheim, Carl Benz was pursuing much the same ideas as Daimler. Benz's three-wheeled Patent Motor Car and Daimler's motorised carriage had appeared on the scene at almost the same time, ten years earlier. Benz built the first bus in 1895.
In 1896, the two automotive pioneers again worked on similar ideas: Daimler launched his first truck while Benz presented his "combination delivery vehicle" the first lightweight truck which today would fall into the category of vans. Benz fitted a box body on the frame of his "Velo" car. The payload of the fourwheeled vehicle including the driver amounted to 300 kg. Its single-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1045 cm developed 2.75 hp.
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stoPover
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A year later, the "delivery vehicle" was already capable of carrying 300 kg plus two people, thanks to its new 5 hp single-cylinder engine with a displacement of 2650 cm. About 50 years after the first truck was developed, Indias tryst with trucking started when the Benz trucks were launched in collaboration with Tata Motors. And now, over a century later, BharatBenz, a new brand by Daimler, has launched a slew of modern trucks built for India in India. With efficient engines, highly reliable aggregates and various cutting-edge technologies built into the vehicle, BharatBenz trucks are the epitome of progress, development and a symbol of Smart Trucking. yz
BharatBenz, a new brand by Daimler, has launched a slew of modern trucks built for India in India