Commercial fleet briefs: Latest from Aebi Schmidt, Alltruck, FORS. Aston Barclay, Intercounty Truck & Van, Hills, Durite, North West Trucks and Rygor

Aebi Schmidt launches new Street King 660 truck-mounted sweeper

Aebi Schmidt UK has launched its new Street King 660  truck-mounted sweeper with the very latest safety features.

It is based around Volvo’s FMX 4x2 rigid chassis with full air suspension and has a three-star DVS (Direct Vision Standard) rating.

Safety features have been further enhanced  by Aebi Schmidt’s collaboration with vehicle safety specialists, SM UK.

Volvo‘s FMX has a myriad of inbuilt safety features, including Front Short Range Assist, Side Collision Avoidance Support, Collision Warning with Emergency Brake, Driver Alert Support, Intelligent Speed Assist, Lane Keeping Support and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.

It also includes SM UK‘s six-camera system which includes forward facing, near/offside and reverse cameras with two additional camaeras focused on the SK660‘s sweeper brushes to allow operators to assess their progress. These come with 4G live view and remote footage download capability  as well as tracking.

Further features include front and rear strobe lights, a white noise reverse alarm and SM UK’s innovative and trade-marked Red Zone system, which clearly marks out the work area around the vehicle, indicating exactly where the vehicle is operating and how much space is needed to allow the operator to work safely.

Aebi Schmidt UK sales manager, Matt Elderkin, said: “By collaborating with Volvo and SM UK in this way, we have sought to achieve the highest safety levels possible on our new SK660, making driver and pedestrian safety paramount.“

Alltruck offers contract hire solutions for food and drink transporters

Alltruck has introduced a range of vehicle contract hire solutions tailored to the specific requirements of the food and beverage industry.

It has invested in the latest equipment, from purpose-built ambient vans, and trailers to high specification trucks and refrigerated vehicles.

An Alltruck spokesperson said: “Whether it’s a refrigerated vehicle with dual compartments, direct drive eco carriers, deep freeze fridges or simply a triple rear door to help drivers with their deliveries, Alltruck takes the time to get to know customers’ needs. This way, we can confidently offer bespoke solutions to enhance efficiency, ensure operational efficiency and reduce downtime.”

An early adopter of Alltruck’s food industry-specific services is the specialist oriental food wholesaler and distributor Asco Foods.

Director Sunny Chadha said: “We look forward to working with Alltruck in the future. We’re looking forward to a long relationship with Alltruck.”

Aston Barclay launches used pick-up insights 

Aston Barclay has launched a pick-up insights data report which features quarterly prices and trends for both double cab and single cab vehicles.

This follows the growth in interest in the used market following HMRC’s decision to launch and then disband its new benefit-in-kind (BIK) taxation legislation for one-tonne pick-ups in February 2024.

Geoff Flood, Aston Barclay’s head of LCVs, said: “We record sale data on used pick-ups and based on the increased interest in the sector we have decided to share this with the industry. They currently account for between 8-12% of the used LCVs we sell across the group.

“We are seeing ex-fleet vehicles going under the hammer alongside ex-recreational vehicles across our five weekly LCV sales, so we are well placed to give a view on the market.”

Aston Barclay has been keeping a close eye on the sector and for every 20 double cab vehicles going under the hammer, it is selling just one single cab pick-up at auction.

Single cabs are therefore quite rare and when they do hit the used market prices are strong despite their aging vehicle parc. In Q1 24 on average a single cab pick-up was 126 months old with 76,321 miles on the clock, but it still made a healthy £7,867.

In Q1 2024 double cab pick-up prices averaged £11,177 at 86 months and 75,079 miles, which is the lowest for five quarters, but reflects the general fall in values across the LCV sector over the past six months.

“The new pick-up market has been very buoyant over the past 18 months with sales growing by 38.7% year on year in 2023 to over 41,000 vehicles,” explained Flood. “In the first four months of 2024 sales rose by 9.6% year on year to 13,151 vehicles.

	Q1 24	Q4 23	Q3 23	Q2 23	Q1 23
Double cab pick-up	£11,777	£13,339	£12,628	£13,195	£14,057
Average age and mileage	86 months/ 75,079 miles	67 months/ 73,502 miles	71 months/ 81,362 miles	77 months/ 79,205 miles	66 months/ 77,164 miles
Single cab pick-up	£7,867	£7,714	£6,888	£7,880	£6,552
Average age and mileage	126 months/ 76,321 miles	95 months/ 83,891 miles	113 months/ 101,547 miles	152 months/ 95,929 miles	125 months/ 95,671 miles

FORS announces first accredited cargo bike operator

FORS, the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme, has expanded into the cargo bikes sector, announcing its first accredited fleet bicycle operator, Pedal Me.

The new partnership comes in response to growing demands for the professionalisation of vocational cycling, with operators seeking to reduce costs and carbon by deploying cargo bikes within their supply chain. 

Geraint Davies, concession director at FORS, said: “By refining the Bronze audit to suit cargo bike operations, we’re not only diversifying our offering, but we’re also aligning with forward-thinking partners, like Pedal Me, who are just as committed to reshaping urban transport as we are. It's a major step towards a safer, greener, and more efficient future for everyone.”

Pedal Me CEO, Ben Knowles, added: “For too long, cycling logistics has suffered a reputation for ‘cutting corners’ when it comes to demonstrating best practice.

“That’s why we’ve made it our mission to show that cargo bikes can offer an exceptional service, backed by comprehensive training and operational excellence that drives up sector-wide standards.

“Now that we have FORS Bronze accreditation and the support and benefits it brings, we have all the tools we need to continue setting benchmarks in safety and efficiency within the industry.

“We’re looking forward to working with FORS to showcase the unique capabilities that cargo bikes can offer to all types of businesses.”

Hills makes move away from diesel to HVO

Hills Waste Solutions’ Bristol fleet of HGVs has changed fuel from diesel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) to reduce fuel-related Carbon (CO2) emissions.

Nathan Carr, Hills Waste Solutions’ divisional fleet manager, said: “We are committed to not only managing waste sustainably but also powering our operations in a more environmentally friendly way. 

“Changing to HVO is another example of our commitment to operating sustainably, which already includes route planning to minimise mileage and driver training to ensure that vehicles are driven in a careful manner to help optimise fuel efficiency.”

Neil Luce, operations manager at Hills Waste Solutions, added: “By utilising Certas Energy HVO-powered waste collection vehicles, we're enabling businesses to reduce their end-to-end environmental impact, not just within their own operations but as part of their sustainability commitments applied to their supply chain.”

Mercedes-Benz truck and van dealer make £2m investment

Intercounty Truck and Van, operating across the Midlands and Lincolnshire, has announced a £2 million investment in a new service and parts location in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, creating 30 new jobs for the local economy.

The site offers a workshop for the servicing and maintenance of all makes of vans, over-the-counter parts and a range of electric vehicle (EV) facilities, including eight EV charge points. 

The dealership will be located Dunstable’s Woodside Industrial Estate, a few minutes from J11/J11a of the M1 and London Luton Airport.

Offering a priority service for customers who encounter issues, the site will allow for swift and effective assistance, minimising downtime for drivers and reducing disruption within the local area.

The Intercounty Truck & Van site will also house three 24-hour service vans, which will provide round-the-clock roadside assistance in the local area and emergency customer site visits– with plans to introduce full 24-hour servicing at the dealership in the near future.

In addition to facility upgrades, the dealership is investing in technician training.

Nick Skillman, managing director at Intercounty Truck and Van, said: “The launch of our new Dunstable site offers incredible opportunity, both for us as a business and for the local economy – particularly as we welcome the transition to electric.

“We’ve been operating as a Mercedes-Benz franchise for over 20 years, covering Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Lincolnshire. 

“Now, we have a new, state-of-the-art dealership with huge market potential that sits in a prime location in Bedfordshire – a stone's throw from the M1 and around the corner from our customers at Luton Airport, which is set to double in capacity over the next 20 years.” 

Simon Neill, customer operations director at Mercedes-Benz Vans in the UK, added: “We are delighted to support the launch of this new, exciting customer service and parts location. 

“We’re also incredibly pleased to see Intercounty Truck and Van investing in 30 more roles that will bring new talent and skill sets to the Mercedes-Benz Vans brand network.”

New demonstration vehicle brings safety and compliance closer

Durite has commissioned a new demonstration vehicle designed to bring their range of road safety products closer to fleet operators throughout the UK.

The Durite-branded demo’ van is fully equipped with a selection of the company’s latest safety additions, including DVR kits, 4G live-streaming DVR and CCTV kits, AI and Progressive Safe Systems, innovative lighting and smart telematics tracking.

On the road throughout the UK, the demo unit will travel from one operator to the next and managers can book a slot, with a minimum of one month’s notice at any time via the Durite team or by visiting the Durite website.

North West Trucks expands parts department

Daf dealer group, North West Trucks, has announced is investing in its parts department, doubling its parts offering and enhancing service capabilities.

With sites in Huyton, Northwich, Warrington and Wigan, North West Trucks is part of Greenhous Group, one of the UK’s largest automotive groups.

Craig Heathershaw, dealer principal at North West Trucks, explained: “With an improved in-house stock offering of over 90,000 parts, we now have the largest range of all-makes truck, trailer, and van parts, including workshop consumables, in the region.”

As part of the investment in their parts infrastructure, North West Trucks has doubled the number of parts delivery vans and drivers in their fleet.

Additionally, North West Trucks has also extended their opening hours from 6am to 7pm, Monday to Friday and 8am to 12pm on Saturdays.

Kevin Swinnerton, managing director of the Greenhous Group Truck Division, said: “The investment made by Greenhous Group to double North West Trucks parts offering and increase their delivery capacity means they can now support customers better and ensure their vehicle downtime is reduced.

“This is all part of our commitment as a group to continue to provide leading levels of service to our customers and position ourselves as a trusted partner for all their commercial vehicle needs.”

Rygor Auto becomes a Novuna approved supplier

Rygor Auto – formally known as Rygor Commercials – has officially joined the Novuna Approved Supplier Network.

Mark Askey, fleet operations engineer at Novuna Vehicle Solutions, said: “At Novuna we put our customers at the heart of everything we do and rely on our repair and maintenance suppliers to help us achieve this.

“We regularly undertake reviews of our strategic supplier network to ensure we continue to work with the best companies to provide exceptional customer service.

“Before joining our approved network, suppliers must meet our stringent quality, service and training standards, which Rygor Auto has absolutely done.

“We are delighted to consider Rygor Auto, part of the Rygor Group, a preferred supplier and strategic supplier, and look forward to continuing to forge our working relationship moving forwards.”

Sean Joyce, Rygor aftersales director, added: “This achievement for Rygor Auto is down to the brilliant service levels and commitment to quality that our team offers customers.

“One of our Rygor values is ‘reliable’ and we understand that this is a non-negotiable for customers and our strategic partners. I am delighted to be working with Novuna Vehicle Solutions in this manner.”