Intercounty Distribution strikes fleet deal with Ryder

Intercounty Distribution has struck a fleet deal with Ryder to add 14 new DAF trucks to its growing fleet in the South West.

Based in Launceston, Intercounty has invested in XF530 models in an effort to improve fuel efficiency and driver satisfaction.

Intercounty covers the South West peninsula as part of the Pall-Ex UK and European pallet network, while also providing general haulage and storage services.

Operating out of its base in Launceston, the logistics company fulfils collections and deliveries to homes and businesses alike across the region every day.

Five of the new trucks will be used to trunk the 480-mile round trip from the depot in Launceston to the Pall-Ex hub in Leicestershire every day and night, while the other nine are used for Intercounty’s general haulage fleet, which provides full vehicle load delivery services throughout the whole of the UK mainland.

General manager of Intercounty, Gavin Haines, said: "These trucks provide a better fuel consumption than the other DAF model, the XF480, that we looked at taking on, so this made great business sense for us as well as reducing the environmental impact of our operation."

When ordering the new trucks, Haines and the Intercounty team spoke to their drivers to see what would improve their driving experience and also make their journeys more comfortable.

"We wanted our drivers to be as comfortable as possible," Haines said. "When building the specification with Ryder, we chose the Super Space units, giving the guys the best possible interior that we could.

"Driver retention and their well-being is massively important for us, and as the drivers spend four of five nights a week living in these spaces, making them as nice as possible is vital for ensuring they are happy.

"In addition to the driver comfort, the reliability and the visibility afforded by these trucks is second to none, as is the service we have received from Ryder."

Haines added: "This has been our first experience of working with Ryder and they have been brilliant throughout. Their competitive and flexible options suited us perfectly and we are excited to continue our partnership in the future."

Ryder business development director, Steve Williams, said: "It was great to work with Intercounty and Pall-Ex to establish the correctly specified trucks for their operation.

“Intercounty is the second Pall-Ex member we have partnered with recently (after Shears Bros last year) and we look forward to supporting more network members in the future."