The flat bed truck or simply ‘flat truck’ is a truly flexible workhorse. With a minimalist body, there is not much to bend or break and there are no loading restrictions like side rails, posts or curtains to get in the way. Also known as platform trucks, the major downside to a flatbed lorry is that the loads are exposed to the British weather as well as the time it takes to cover the load with sheets. Every general haulage company will have at least one flatbed truck on their fleet – usually at different weight ranges. A 7.5 tonne flatbed is just the job for running local errands, as the journeys are shorter and the weather more predictable. Eighteen tonne flatbed trucks – or indeed even triaxle flatbed semi-trailers are great for longer distance work, but the driver will need to be fully up to speed with how to safely rope and sheet a load.
There is always a great choice of used flatbed trucks for sale on Truckpages. There is less to go wrong with a flat truck, as there is a lot less bodywork to damage, so inspecting a used example on sale at your local dealer should be less of a challenge. The buyer can focus all efforts on checking over the driveline and cab, tyres etc. rather than inspecting the bodywork in more detail.
Four star direct vision rating, autonomous braking, lane keeping assist and other safety bells and whistles that come with the Mercedes Actros meant that safety conscious business, Mabey Hire was confident in their decision to buy four Actros 2535 flat bed rigids. “We’ve been upgrading our fleet and developing our use of safety systems hand in hand with Mercedes-Benz for the past five years,” said Transport Manager Martin Binns. “Safety is our number one priority. We want our trucks to be as safe as possible, not just for our drivers but for all other road users too. In my view,…
A Birmingham-based steel stockholder has become one of the first customers in Britain for a vehicle from the latest FUSO Canter light truck range. FH Warden (Steel)’s new 7.5-tonner features a redesigned cab with eye-catching ‘face’, as well as improvements over the outgoing model in comfort and safety. The Canter 7C15 was supplied by Midlands Truck & Van, and will be maintained under a three-year Best Basic Service Plan at the state-of-the-art facility in Smethwick that was opened by the Dealer in 2020. Thanks to a newly developed, compact exhaust system, the new FUSO Canter meets the EURO VI –…
Gold Fish Transport saw a clear solution to the need for optimum visibility when working in the capital, in the shape of the Mercedes-Benz Econic. The construction materials distributor runs a fleet of 30 trucks from its base in Brentwood, Essex. Its first two Mercedes-Benz vehicles have just arrived via Dealer Motus Truck & Van. Both Econics – one is a 26-tonner, the other has an 18-tonne gross weight – they were purchased primarily for their safety credentials. With its deep, panoramic windscreen and the fully glazed, folding passenger door specified by Gold Fish Transport, the low-entry model affords drivers…
Even if a truck only works within a 10 mile radius of its base, it has to be reliable and safe. To buy their first truck for local operation, Wessington Cryogenics chose a Mercedes Actros. The 18-tonne Actros was supplied by local Dealer Bell Truck and Van and boasts the manufacturer’s new MirrorCam system. The vehicle has a Classic Space S day cab and, as an 1824 variant, employs a 7.7-litre in-line six-cylinder engine that produces 175 kW (238 hp); this is paired with an eight-speed Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated manual transmission. Its platform body, meanwhile, is by Dependable Bodies,…
National provider of plant and site equipment, Garic, has taken delivery of four new Volvo FH 8x2 rear-steer rigids and one Volvo FM Globetrotter 6x2 rigid, with several additional FMs to follow later in the year. Supplying dealer Thomas Hardie Commercials fought off two rival manufacturers to win this latest order, with Volvo now the dominant force in the company’s 30-strong fleet. Barrie Ashcroft, Fleet Maintenance Manager at Garic commented: “We’ve had a great working relationship with Volvo for the past three years and we’re keen to add more of their products to our operation. In total, around 85 per…
