The new additions were all delivered ready-bodied, through the DAF factory-build programme, with 8-metre curtainside bodies and Tuckaway tail-lifts.
Supplied by dealer Chatfields Truck & Van, the vehicles come with lane departure warning and advanced emergency braking. They are part of Dolphin’s four-year fleet replacement programme and their arrival means the fleet is now 100% DAF.
Jeff McGhee, Dolphin’s founder, says DAF’s factory-build programme cut the vehicles’ lead time and cost: “It saved us a good eight to 10 weeks compared to having to take delivery of chassis cabs and then getting them bodied locally – and, because it is a sort of ‘one-stop-shop’ procedure, the overall DAF package also saved us some decent money.”
He adds: “The ex-demonstrator had already given us a good feel for the fuel consumption we can expect, which is excellent, and that will be a real bonus – even in these days of lower prices.”
The trucks are specified with sleeper cabs and fridges, both of which appeal to the drivers. “Even though we certainly don’t need sleeper cabs for every trip, they do just give the guys more comfort,” says McGhee.
As part of its drive to ensure a quality service, Dolphin Transport, already an RHA member, has joined the FORS scheme, which McGhee sees as, “raising standards even higher and giving drivers a better training opportunity”.