Rail contractor Rail Safety Solutions (RSS) has taken delivery of 22 new Mercedes-Benz vans and minibuses.

The new vehicles — a mixture of long-bodied Vito 113 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Traveliner minibuses with nine seats, Vito Dualiner models with a second row of seats, and Citan 109 CDI Extra-longs — are on a contract hire agreement and replace rented vehicles.

Key to Rail Safety Solutions’ decision to put its faith in vehicles bearing the three-pointed star was a visit made as guests of Midlands Truck & Van, by Chief Executive Richard Toy and Fleet Manager Robert Barrett to the latest Mercedes-Benz VanExperience LIVE.

“It was an excellent day, and very reassuring to experience the various safety features fitted as standard to the Vito and Citan,” recalled Richard Toy. “This reinforced the view we had already formed, which was that in terms of the level of protection they offer for our employees Mercedes-Benz Vans are without equal.”

Safety was a big factor in RSS’s decision to move away from rental vehicles and acquire the Mercedes vehicles — prior to ordering its new fleet conducted a comprehensive analysis of safety incidents involving rail industry workers. This concluded that a number of accidents occurred not while staff worked on track, but while they were en route to the location or returning home.

These findings were borne out when three track workers employed by another operator were killed and a fourth critically injured in an horrific motorway smash last year. The accident happened as they made their way home having finished a shift in the early hours of the morning.

RSS has also fitted each of its new vans with a Driver Awareness Warning System. This employs a dash-mounted device which focuses on the driver’s retina and measures their ‘blinking pattern’ at the start of the journey, then sounds audible warnings if it detects signs of drowsiness or inattention. Fitting systems like this is not usually possible in rented vehicles, so a move to a longer-term solution made sense.

In addition to this system, the Vito and Citan are equipped with an array of standard fit active and passive safety systems. These include the ADAPTIVE version of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) pioneered by Mercedes-Benz in partnership with Bosch, as well as Brake Assist and ABS, and flashing hazard warning lights that are switched on automatically under emergency braking.