RDM Logistics has reached a major milestone having taken delivery of its 100th truck – a Mercedes-Benz Actros 2652 Pure – from New Vaal Motors Commercial Vehicles. For a privately owned family business, operating 100 trucks is an impressive achievement, reflecting sustained growth and a long-standing partnership with Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
“Reaching our 100th truck is a proud moment for our family and our team. Choosing Mercedes-Benz Trucks for this milestone was an easy decision. The brand represents reliability, advanced technology and strong after-sales support. This partnership has been instrumental in our success story,” says Dale Taylor, Chief Operating Officer of RDM Logistics.
Founded in 2009 by Allan Taylor and now owned and managed by Allan and his three children – Richard, Dale and Megan – the company began with a fleet of just ten trucks servicing the World Food Program into Zimbabwe.
Today, RDM operates across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia, transporting a wide range of commodities including grains, beer, chrome, lithium, soda ash, timber and mining equipment. Despite navigating the challenges of the 2009 global recession and the Covid-19 pandemic, RDM continues to grow through reliability, efficiency and customer service.
Enduring reliability
More than half of RDM’s fleet – 52 trucks – are Mercedes-Benz Actros models, a clear testament to the brand’s performance and durability. “My father, Allan Taylor, has been in the transport industry for over 45 years and his decades-long relationship with Daimler Truck Financial Services (formerly Mercedes-Benz Financial Services) made our initial decision to partner with Mercedes-Benz seamless,” says Dale.
“Our very first 10 trucks were Freightliners and since then, the partnership has only deepened. From day one, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has provided not only robust, reliable vehicles but also exceptional after-sales support and a personal approach that fosters long-term trust. This relationship has played a significant role in our growth and success story.
“Beyond the product, we value the people behind the brand: always available, always invested in our success. Over the years, we’ve built strong personal relationships across all levels of the organisation and that commitment to partnership goes a very long way in sustaining mutual growth,” says Dale.
RDM maintains a five-year equipment replacement policy to ensure uptime and service reliability. “We’re not on any maintenance contracts but we ensure that all our trucks are serviced and maintained at Mercedes-Benz truck dealerships. We budget internally for servicing and maintenance and over the 5-year period of owning each truck, have always managed to keep costs within budget,” Dale explains.
Favourite features?
Reading from here on down may read like a paid for advertisement but it is not. It is the opinion of Dale Taylor and exemplifies the importance of not only having the correctly specced product for the job but also of building and maintaining long-term relationships. He refers to it as a “partnership” so let’s hear what Dale has to say – and no, he hasn’t been paid to sing Merc’s praises.
“There are a few key features that we and our drivers enjoy. For us as a company, features like the Power Shift Control ensure smooth shifting and fuel efficiency, Lane Keeping Assist and Attention Assist ensure better safety for our drivers, assets and customers’ loads,” says Dale.
“FleetBoard and Mercedes-Benz Trucks Uptime assist us in monitoring driver performance, fuel consumption and many more key metrics for efficient fleet monitoring. These are only a few of the many key features that Mercedes-Benz Trucks offers.
“For our drivers who spend many hours driving, the unparalleled comfort from the driver suspension seat, large cab space and the advanced multimedia cockpit all makes the life of our drivers a lot better and easier.”
Quality of after-sales service?
“For any transporter, the after-sales support is key. The easiest part of logistics and transportation is buying the truck; what happens after is what really impacts your business in a positive or negative way,” states Dale.
“For us, the support, infrastructure and network are key. Paired with this is the speed and turnaround time for getting our assets back on the road and working. As mentioned, we service all our trucks at Mercedes-Benz Trucks dealerships, and our trucks are always attended to and serviced well within a reasonable timeframe.
“Mercedes-Benz Trucks also has an effective and vast support dealer network for breakdown assistance, which is another key factor for any transporter – as no matter what, breakdowns do happen.”
Let’s give the final words to Olaf Petersen, Vice President Sales and Marketing at Daimler Truck Southern Africa: “Mercedes-Benz Trucks, in partnership with New Vaal Motors Commercial Vehicles, extends its sincere appreciation to RDM Logistics for their continued loyalty and support. We congratulate them on reaching this remarkable milestone and wish them every success in the future.”
It’s congrats all round.
Editor’s Comment: Owning and operating 100 trucks in today’s transport environment is no small feat – and for a privately owned family business, it’s outstanding. RDM’s achievement stands as proof that disciplined reinvestment, sound partnerships and an unwavering focus on service still drive success in South Africa’s competitive road freight industry. The close collaboration between RDM, Mercedes-Benz Trucks and New Vaal Motors shows the value of relationships built on trust, technical excellence and shared growth. Congratulations RDM Logistics!
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