Delivery of the last of 32 new vehicles in 2013 completes a £6 million, all-DAF renewal programme covering the 116 vehicle delivery fleet of Nationwide Platforms, the UK’s market leader in powered access rentals.
The delivery fleet operates out of 28 depots across mainland Britain providing a delivery and collection service for the 11,300 items of powered access equipment that the company has for hire. Over the course of a year well over a quarter of a million machine moves are made by the delivery fleet.
Three types of vehicle are operated: 44 tonne DAF XF105 mid-lift axle tractors; four-axle, rear-steer FAXCF85 32 tonne rigids; and the workhorse of the fleet, three-axle rear-lift FAS CF75 26 tonne rigids.
Safety is a key issue for Nationwide, both during loading and unloading activities of the company’s machines All the new vehicles and trailers are fitted with industry-leading fall protection, in-deck lighting, newly designed load control systems, and driver walkway systems for when the driver is working on the vehicle deck, and all this without compromising payload requirements. Also now fitted as standard across the fleet, including rigids as well as artics, are blind spot side cameras and sensors for cyclist risk control.
The XF105s have the DAF Space Cab, which provides drivers with a comfortable rest area and plenty of space to store and don their personal protective equipment and wet weather gear. Power is from the 12.9 litre MX engine rated at 460 bhp to provide in excess of 10 bhp/tonne of power to weight and which has 2300 Nm of torque to assist easy move-offs in slippery site conditions. A 12-speed automated AS-tronic transmission contributes to good fuel efficiency and further enhances driver safety.
Tailor-made beaver tail plant bodies by Sterling Plant Bodies of Stokesley are fitted to the 6.4 metre wheelbase FAXCF85 rigids. These have a self-steering rear axle for increased manoeuvrability in the tight spaces in which these trucks often find themselves and which can be lifted for increased traction when required and to reduce tyre wear.
These trucks are also powered by the 12.9 litre MX engine, in this case rated at 360 bhp, and also have the AS-tronic gearbox. Day cabs have been specified to allow for maximum deck length to be achieved and extra lockers have also been fitted to the body for driver PPE and wet gear storage.
The new vehicles have been supplied through Preston based Lancashire DAF with service being carried out by them and other members of the 130 strong DAF dealer network local to the 28 Nationwide Platforms depots from which they will operate.
The company’s UK transport manager, Karl Wilshaw, said: “One of the key reasons we chose DAF is because of the availability of good local support from their dealers. As our fleet is specialised we cannot entertain down time of any nature and the DAF aftermarket team have proven to be able to support our company in maintaining our targets on vehicle uptime.
“We’ve also found their products to be reliable, durable in the often harsh environments in which they frequently have to operate, and fuel efficient. The latter is of increasing importance these days and the vehicle anti-idle, speed restriction and driver training that was provided have proved to be successful in our company meeting our targets on fuel spend and CO² reductions.
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