NV Transport has added four refrigerated longer semi-trailers (LSTs) to its 60-strong fleet of vehicles to boost its supermarket delivery service.
The longer semi-trailers, which were built by UK manufacturer Gray & Adams and supplied by Asset Alliance Group, will operate in southern England.
NV Transport MD Steven Zwinkels said the four LSTs were added to the fleet to enhance efficiency and ensure fresh produce can be delivered as quickly as possible to the firm’s customers which include Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.
He added: “Supermarkets are pushing for environmental efficiencies, so these trailers are highly appealing to our customers. They allow us to load a lot more pallets, which means we’re getting more out of each chilled produce delivery.
“We’re not worried about weight as much as other hauliers because we have a lot of salad products, and we can’t use double-deckers because the pallet heights don’t allow us to. These longer trailers give us the efficiency we need and will benefit the environment because fewer vehicles will be on the roads. It’s a case of doing more with less.”
The extra-long reefers have been provided to the Chichester-based fruit and vegetable distributor on a seven-year full-service contract hire agreement.
Under the agreement, Asset Alliance will retain ownership of the 15.65m trailers and will shoulder the associated operational costs including servicing, maintenance and repair requirements, tyre replacements, breakdown cover and safety inspections.
Zwinkels said: “Everything will be fully maintained – tyres, fridges, the whole lot – and it’s a fixed cost for the entire term which is so important for planning."
