New Ryder fleet helps GW Topham increase payload 26 September 2013

The bulk haulage division of Cambridgeshire-based GW Topham & Sons (GWT) has taken delivery of ten DAF XF460 FTP 6x2 44-tonne Super Spacecab tractor units on contract hire from Ryder.

The new trucks are part of the agricultural specialist's plan to maximise vehicle uptime and increase payload capacity, and the new DAFs replace an existing owned fleet of Scanias and Volvos.

"Our fleet grew quickly to seven artics, but we were incurring lots of expensive breakdowns due to vehicle age," states GWT transport manager Will Barton, explaining that the firm commenced transport operations in 2008 with one ex-fleet vehicle.

"This made it hard to budget and these unexpected costs were having a major impact on our bottom line," he continues.

"We looked at a number of vehicle acquisition methods and possible suppliers, but the package offered by Ryder stood out as the most cost-effective overall," says Barton.

"The new DAFs are lighter than the Scanias and Volvos they replace, and with the combination of the lightweight mid-lift axle and alloy wheels, we have increased the payload capacity of our bulk tipping trailers to almost 30 tonnes. This is of key importance to us as we are paid by the weight of load carried."

Barton also says he purposely chose the top-of-the-range DAF XF model over the CF model for the driver comfort aspect. "Many of our vehicles operate away from base and so the larger cab, complete with a flat walk-through floor and even a microwave, was a major selling point."

And he says that another benefit of the deal is Ryder's ful R&M cover, which includes overnight servicing of the vehicles at no extra cost to GWT.

"Ryder's nearby Fenstanton depot will arrange to collect the vehicle at the end of the day and return it fully serviced, first thing the next morning so that we never miss a single load," explains Barton. "This will prove invaluable for us and we are also now arranging for Ryder to service our own trailers as well."

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
DAF Trucks Ltd
Ryder Ltd

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