WHY 11111 SMALLER OPERATORS CHOOSE LEYLAND TERRIERS
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THE TERRIER is a range of vehicles which is seen by Leyland as the operators' answer to the problems of short and medium haul distribution where payloads of between 31 and 6 tons are carried. Distribution of these small loads forms much of the transport activity in this country.
A major part of this work is carried out by the smaller fleet operators whose special needs are recognised by Leyland. These smaller operators, running up to 20 vehicles, account for almost 98 per cent of the total number of truck operators in the UK and they run almost two thirds of the total number of trucks in use over 31 tons gross, Approximately one third of all the vehicles these operators have in their fleets are in the weight ranges covered by Terrier.
Before the Terrier was con
ceived, therefore, Leyland had to study very closely both the type of operation involved in this distribution work and also the special needs of these smaller operators. These needs, readily catered for by Terrier, fall in to the areas of: • Serviceability the Terrier has an easily removable engine cover inside the cab facilitating ready access to the components and accessories most likely to be looked at by the small operator doing his own maintenance. In the event of major work being done on the engine, the cab tilts to 38 degrees.
• Reliability—the current engines in the Terriers, the fourand six-cylinder 98 millimetre bore engines have established a reputation for economy and reliability well in excess of the engines they replaced. Over 100,000 of these units have been made. • Utilisation—the two characteristics previously mentioned combine to offer a high degree of utilisation for the Terrier range. The smaller operators who run vehicles in the Terrier weight ranges buy generally no more than three vehicles each year, assuming a fleet size of no more than 20 vehicles in total. These operators are less able to afford the luxury of a stand-by vehicle in the event of a breakdown. The Terrier with its serviceability and reliability is readily able to meet these needs.
• Spares availability—Leyland's distributor network has a high commitment to the Redline range of vehicles of which the Terrier forms a part, including some 120 distributors, all of who must carry a minimum stock of parts in order to retain their franchise with Leyla • Low operating costs—all these features mentioned combine to produce a vehicle with low cost to the operator, and therefore a high profit earning potential, enhanced by the low fuel consumption of the 98 series diesel.
• Availability in addition to these items Leyland also provides availability of vehicles through a range of bodybuilders who hold a "bank' stock" of chassis ready bodied to provide instant availability. This again is a need often required by the small operator who suffers more than most from the vagaries of our fluctuating economic climate.
While the Terrier range has been around for several years now it has seen substantial improvements over its life and there is no reason to doubt that continuing improvements will not be forthcoming from Leyland in the near future.