Supplied by dealer Roanza, the Wirral-based operator’s new addition is fitted with a twin-compartment insulated box body, by Solomon Commercials, and a Carrier Transicold refrigeration unit. It also has a sleeper compartment behind the cab.
PDQ has also ordered two more Sprinters from Roanza, for delivery before the end of the year, and plans to add a further eight to its fleet during 2016. All will have similar box bodies and sleeper compartments in roof-top ‘pods’.
The company provides time-critical, temperature-controlled delivery solutions to the pharmaceutical, hazardous goods and scientific analysis sectors. Managing director Brian Brennan launched the business 18 months ago and says he relies on the fleet of Sprinter, Citan and Vito vehicles.
“Working in a field like this, reliable vehicles and reliable back-up are absolutely crucial – failing to arrive on time with a consignment is simply not an option,” he says.
“Our vans are worked extremely hard, each covering an average of 100,000 miles a year, but we know we can depend on them. In 18 years of operation the number of breakdowns we’ve suffered is negligible – and when something has failed, it’s invariably a minor wear-and-tear part rather than a significant fault with the vehicle itself.”
PDQ has 24-hour European breakdown cover with the Mercedes MobiloVan service and all vehicles are supplied with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty.
The operator has used external finance to date, but Brennan says he will acquire its next two Sprinters with funding from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services: “The entire package is so good that I just wouldn’t consider going elsewhere.”