Trio's complete package
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• Borough engineers have often been thought of as dogged individualists, determined to have their own design of vehicle to suit their own conditions— whether or not it is the most cost-effective type. But the growth of environmental legislation and increasing pressures on spending mean it has become tempting to turn to specialist suppliers able to offer an all-in-one package for a particular job.
Although Trio will offer a completely individual service if you prefer, it also provides such packages for renting, leasing or buying. Though most are sold outright, some vehicles (including the Holdall-equipped Dennis) are offered on a "rent-to-buy" scheme, with contract maintenance available on the body, the chassis or both.
The outright purchase price of the Dennis/Trio combination is about 186,000; a similar body on a MercedesBenz Econic chassis would cost about the same. Alternatively, a 12-month contract-hire scheme (inclusive of tax and full maintenance) would cost 560 a week (ex-VAT)—you just provide the driver and the sorters. Such predictable costs are exactly what many municipal operators are looking for.