Something about the new Carter’s Bulk Haulage Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3263 8x4 isn’t quite what it first appears to be.

Check out the frontal styling and you’ll notice the visual deception, with the `cheese grater’ Arocs grille swapped out for the honeycomb grille from an Actros.

It’s one example of the eye for detail that Debbie and Dan Carter have for the specification and presentation of the Carter’s Bulk Haulage fleet. They not only reckon that the grille swap looks better, but it also matches the Arocs 3258 8-axle blower unit which joined the Waipapa-based fleet three years ago and received the same frontal design tweak.

And it’s not the only visual change at the front end of this new Arocs bulk tipper unit. Each new truck and trailer added to the Carter’s fleet adopts lessons learned on the job. And for that reason, Debbie and Dan ordered the latest Arocs with an optional high clearance bumper.

If you want to test a truck, Northland roads are some of the best – for all the wrong reasons.

The further north you travel from the troubled Brynderwyns, the worse it gets. The cambers are inconsistent, the potholes are many and large, and the terrain in general is challenging. So, to me this is an ideal place to test the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs bulk tipper unit with the Carter’s Bulk Haulage fleet.

Yes, it is an Arocs. You may need to take a second look with the aftermarket Actros grille providing a disguise of the true identity.

As outlined in our main article, the job today is to take wood chip from Waipapa Pine sawmill down to Marsden Point and then bring sand back to Firth at Puketona.

Regular driver Blake Dodson takes the wood chip down and I bring the sand back to north of Whangarei.