This requirement was generated from a contract with BT Openreach. The vehicles have joined Ferns Group's fleet of more than 500 commercial vehicles.
The company provides aggregate, surfacing, recycling, and utility services all over the UK, with these vehicles being used to service contracts in Kent and throughout East Anglia.
The quartet of twin rear wheel IVECO Dailys house a Brit Tipp double-skinned aluminium dropside body. Meanwhile, a 3.5-tonne towing capacity enables the Ferns Group to tow its desilting jetter machine trailers at the same time as carrying up to 1.2 tonnes of aggregate and equipment on the load bed.
The 140hp 2.3-litre diesel engine, with maximum torque of 370Nm, is mated to IVECO’s new six-speed manual transmission that is expected to offer 50% less play than its predecessor to deliver more precise shifts. This powertrain combination is said to have 18% greater clutch durability and 217,000-mile gearbox oil service intervals.
James Gupwell, Ferns Group transport director, said: “We needed a vehicle that was rear-wheel drive and could tow a trailer and that was durable enough to work in challenging environments on and off-road.”