Thinking of riding solo?
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Drivers who are being told by employers that they are going to be made redundant are also being told that they can continue to work for the company that is about to give them the chop: that is, if they buy their own truck and go self-employed. So says Joe Welbourn, the recently appointed disposal manager at Ilkeston, Derbyshire-based 02 Trucks.
"Over the past few weeks I've had several calls from drivers who have been put in this position, and I'm aware of some who have got together to set up their own haulage business," he reports. "Obviously going out on your own is a risk in the current climate, but that is what is happening."
02 is the used truck sales operation of Close Brothers Commercial Vehicle Solutions, which has recently rebranded to include its major shareholder Close Brothers Group in the company name.
Aside from obtaining an 0-licence, an operating base and finding a fuel card company willing to extend them credit — although hopefully their ex-employers will aid them in all these areas — these fledgling owner-drivers have to have the funding needed to acquire a truck. That is less likely to be an issue if they have a contract in place, and Welbourn has a variety of ex-fleet and ex-rental tractor units available that he reckons could be just what they need.
"What we're typically talking about are 2007 to 2009 Daf XF105s and Renault Premiums that have covered anywhere between 280,000km and 900,000 km," he reports. "Both models are good on fuel; although I would have to say that the Renaults are slightly better than the Dafs."
02 can put together an HP package to cover the cost for creditworthy customers. At the time of writing, it was offering 2007-vintage 07-plated 460hp XF105 6x2 Space Cab units on a 36-month deal at £474 a month or £110 a week. "We can arrange contract hire too," says Welbourn.
So far as the export market is concerned, he says that some sub-Saharan and Middle Eastern customers still remain wary of taking vehicles with automated transmissions.
Manuals sell at top price "Their view is that manual gearboxes are miles better on some of the rough road surfaces they have to contend with, and they are more comfortable with them," he observes. "As a result, anything that's manual can attract a premium price."
Eventually they will have no choice if they wish to keep sourcing trucks from the UK because of the widespread adoption of auto boxes on new vehicles, which will eventually feed through into the second-hand sector: but Welbourn believes it will be at least another two years before such boxes find truly widespread acceptance among overseas buyers.
Returning to the UK, he has yet to hear from operators clamouring to obtain late-registered Euro-5 models because they want to avoid Euro-6 when it comes into force in January 2014. "I think a lot of them are ignoring Euro-6 and hoping it will go away," he remarks. • WHAT DOES COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SOLUTIONS DO?
Founded in 2002 by MD Martin Collins, CVS offers a host of services over and above the provision of used trucks through 02. These include truck rental, sale and leaseback, maintenance and driver training. It operates out of seven locations, including sites in Glasgow, Southampton, Telford and Grays in Essex.