Often viewed as the unheralded backbone of the UK’s delivery
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process, the 18-tonner needs to be adept at urban delivery, specialist work and tackling the long haul. CM brought three leading products together to determine which is the most industrious
Words: Ian Norwell, Andy Salter and Kevin Swallow / Images: Tom Lee
In the road transport sector, only one vehicle is all things to all operators – whether it’s a haulier carrying out for hire and own-account businesses, or municipal and vehicle recovery operations. The vehicle in question is the 18-tonner.
Since the recession knocked operators’ buying conidence and reduced lending capabilities, the rental market is arguably the biggest buyer of the 18-tonner. As the largest two-axle chassis-cab on the market, operators use it as a main delivery vehicle, while other companies buy it to complement articulated leets.
Many businesses migrate to the 18-tonner from smaller GVWs as they look to increase productivity. Those running at 7.5 tonnes tend to move towards the 10to 15-tonne range, and it appears those running at the mid-weights eventually utilise two axles to its fullest GVW and move to 18 tonnes.
The 18-tonne sector accounts for 15% of annual registrations, beaten only by 7.5-tonners and three-axle tractors. However, a shift in favour of the 18-tonner, at the expense of the 7.5-tonner, is likely to take place over the next ive years. The licensing law introduced on 1 October 1997 requiring a heavy goods licence to drive a 7.5-tonne truck if you gained your car license after that date is having a drip-drip effect, as the number of people with grandfather rights diminish. More legislation looms in the shape of Euro-6, which will see heavier engines reduce payloads, not to mention the price hike for new technology and the general belief that fuel economy will plummet, forcing operators to review transport operations.
The UK’s 18-tonne market is highly competitive, with 10 viable options available. CM, with help from rental giant Dawson Group, brought three 18-tonners together for our group test. As well as assessing the driving experience, we looked at values, residuals, fuel economy, payload and overall productivity.
The trucks, MAN TGM, Renault Midlum and Scania P-series are fairly uniform with sleeper cab, box body, tail-lift and 6m-plus wheelbases.