UPS: Its square-bodied vans are designed to reduce drivers' stress.
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• Final deliveries are often done with car-derived vans, panel vans or purpose-built parcels carriers. The vehicles do not do high mileages, but working in congested city streets puts extra wear and tear on engines and transmissions, and accidental damage rates can be high.
As a result, van specifications are often beefed up by parcels operators. Heavy-duty clutches, batteries and alternators all help reduce downtime. Extra bodywork protection includes front nudge bars, polycarbonate lenses, steel mesh light cages and extra sturdy rear steps. Sliding driver doors reduce the risk of door damage, and can speed entry and exit. Plywood or timber battens protect body panels from interior damage. Racking systems and good lighting are other essentials, so the driver can find a package fast.
Parcelforce,11IT and UPS are three of the parcels companies which specify purpose-built bodies. The driver steps from the cab into the load compartment via a doorway. There is plenty of headroom, so he can move around, and also a low floor with shallow steps to speed his entry and exit. The improvements in driver productivity are said to offset the higher capital cost of the equipment and the lower residual values. Parcelforce has specified powered plug-style nearside doors on the 7110 3.54onne Ivaco Daily and LDV Convoys in its fleet.
"Since we put these into service productivity has gone up between 8% and 11%," says Graham Boughton. The driver has walk-through access to the load compartment, then simply presses a button to open the door, which is immediately behind the cab."
Perhaps the most distinctive parcels delivery vans are those operated by UPS. The square bodies look oldfashioned to European eyes, but UPS has designed them to reduce stress and strain on the driver, and they have been engineered to ensure they have a 15year life. The bodies are built by German bodybuilders Spier, FFG and Kassbohrer on DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen and Citroen chassis.
Some companies prefer non-glazed doors for security. Others opt for glazed doors with mesh linings, believing it helps drivers manoeuvre in tight spaces. Slam locks that secure the door as the driver pushes it closed are also popular.
The common-rail diesel engines which have been introduced by DaimlerChrysler, Noce Renault, Flat and the Peugeot/Citroen group this year promise bettor fuel economy for urban parcels operations. The high-pressure fuel injection systems of common-rail engines boost performance at the lower engine speeds that are typical for a lot of parcels delivery work.
Urgent pre-9am parcels are often delivered by car-derived vans.