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MAKE & OPERATOR
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RENAULT LAN GDONS
Based: Bridgewater Industry: Chilled and frozen food stuffs fleet size: 65 at depot Fuel economy: 9.13mpg; 4.75% AdBlue use Mileage: 222,000kms Problems: Water pump, fuel tank From its seven depots, Langdons operates more than 180 vehicles and 140 trailers, and the group houses 12,000 pallets at any one time The firm has two sites in Bridgwater and runs 65 trucks, ranging from a solitary 7.5-tonne vehicle through 26-tanners to 44-tonners.
When we asked Langdons Transport's fleet engineer. Graham Millard, if he was happy with the vehicle's performance, he responded with "we're still buying Renaults" and 45% of its fleet at Bridgwater is French.
It is the best endorsement a person in his position can make. The Premium arrived to work on the tramping fleet, which runs out of Bridgwater. The trucks, he reveals, runs consistently.
He says: "The tractors tramp for five days a week, returning Friday night before they trunk over the weekend then start the new week again," During this period, the truck was returning 9.13mpg, but last Christmas, the vehicle was replaced and moved on to local distribution work and overnight trunking. The local work, admits Millard, has affected the fuel economy because of the routes through Devon and Cornwall, and the more stop-start nature of the journeys, bringing the figure down to 8.7mpg.
At night, the trunking brings fuel economy back up, and in its own right, matches the work done by tampers. "On fuel, its is very good. Really, it's a flagship truck regarding fuel, it sets the pace," he says.
When it came to AdBlue, Millard doesn't mind admitting he was dreading it. "But it hasn't been a problem, drivers took to it and we use a network [to fill up]. The drivers carry 15 litres in case of emergencies, but we never buy it 'up the road'," he says.
Overall, AdBlue use has been 4.75%. "That has dropped off since it changed work and it uses less on Euro-4," he says. Problems have been kept to a minimum, with a water pump and a fuel tank the only causes for concern. "Overall, I have been very satisfied."