There is very little clarity in terms of the detail of the Government’s plans.  There are plenty of announcements, but it can take days for the detail to catch up with the policy.  That is why it is refreshing to see that the MD of DAF Trucks UK, Laurance Drake, has written to all of their 134 dealers to confirm what DAF is doing and, in turn, what is expected of the dealers. In the letter, Drake, said: I wanted to write to you and our customers to provide reassurance that DAF Trucks and the DAF Dealer Network have plans and a structure in place to continue delivering support. DAF Trucks is committed to providing employees with a safe working environment so that our people can continue to deliver exceptional levels of supply, service and support to you and all our customers. To this end, and in line with UK Government advice, we have already implemented wide-ranging measures.

Business as Usual

The DAF Dealer network is currently operating at, or very close to, normal levels; the dealers are still carrying out inspections, fulfilling R&M contracts and delivering parts, not just for DAF trucks, but also for other makes and trailers through its TRP parts programme.

Parts supply

DAF Trucks is monitoring the parts supply chain on a daily basis to ensure stock levels and frequency of deliveries are maintained. Action has been taken to put in place additional stock at Parts Distribution Centres across Europe, including in Eindhoven and Leyland, while critical parts have been identified and protected to be made available for every DAF Dealer if and when required. The DAF Parts distribution service which replenishes parts stock daily is currently running without delays.

DAFaid Roadside Assistance

DAFaid continues to provide breakdown assistance. The DAFaid control centre remains fully operational and DAF Dealers across the UK are responding to call-outs. Priority is given to calls relating to roadside breakdowns.

Future Considerations

While service levels for maintenance, breakdown and parts support are currently at, or very close to, normally high levels, DAF Trucks is preparing for potential disruption due to staff sickness or self-isolation, leading to the possibility of priority being given to vehicles delivering essential supplies such and food and pharmaceutical products.

Social Distancing

“Following the latest Government advice,” said Drake, “our teams are working from home where possible. We have cancelled all business travel and non-essential face-to-face meetings. Many non-essential events and activities are also being cancelled or rescheduled for later in the year. The coming weeks are undoubtedly going to put pressure on our customers and I’d like to reassure our DAF Dealers, and our customers, of the DAF Trucks commitment to supporting them throughout this extraordinary time.”

Laurence Drake - Managing Director, DAF Trucks
Laurence Drake – Managing Director, DAF Trucks