Truckpages has a wide selection of used refuse trucks for sale from dealers across the UK. Specialist equipment and very expensive when new, many of these bin lorries will end up heading for export markets.
Waste operators tend to hold onto these trucks for some while, as they are so expensive to invest in initially. This means that it is unusual to find a late example of a used refuse trucks for sale advertised – they come up, so if you are in the market for one, then we suggest you act fast as they do not hang around for too long.
Remember however, these waste trucks are specialist bits of kit. Consider not only payloads (do I want a 4×2 or a 6×2) but also the type of equipment that is fitted to the truck. For example, don’t buy a front end loader if the job you have never has the requirement to lift the bins in this way – you are simply losing payload and buying metal you don’t need.
Interested in reading more about the types of refuse trucks? Read more…>
What does a typical operator want from a refuse truck? They will need to be able to safely transport a team of workers to the job, so plenty of seating in the cab is ideal.
When dealing with trade waste, the issue of transporting a team around becomes less important and it is more about having the right payload and lifts for the jobs in hand.
Reliability is important and how easy the truck is to drive and manoeuvre – there are plenty of narrow streets to navigate. So fully automatic hydraulic gearboxes like those manufactured by Allison, (rather than automated gearboxes that are on most trucks) are the right tool for the job.
Operating refuse trucks in urban environments means that operators will encounter the Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS) and Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS). These schemes work together to help companies and truck operators work safely. The CLOCS side is driven by the construction industry that is all-encompassing, whilst the FORS is the actual transport element used by the fleet operators. If an operator is FORS silver compliant, then they are compliant with CLOCS.
Regeneration – no nothing to do with Dr. Who, but for many modern, Euro 6 trucks they need to clear out the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) on a regular basis. This usually takes place at high temperatures on motorways, but refuse trucks rarely make it onto a motorway – certainly for any great distance. This means that the truck has to heat itself up when stationary (active regeneration and can take up to one hour!). This uses fuel, is time consuming and can be dangerous.
Manufacturers such as Iveco play strongly on the fact that their Euro 6 trucks use a different (SCR Only) approach. This means that they do not have to self-regenerate – they don’t have a low-entry cab at present, so this makes purchasing one for urban refuse operations more tricky.
As the operators will be in and out of the cab plenty of times during the day, a ‘low-entry’ cab is ideal. These cabs resemble the front end of a coach more closely than a truck, but it means that there is usually just one step up rather than two, three or sometimes even four steps to get into a truck cab.
There are two main examples of low entry cabs, the Dennis Elite and the Mercedes Econic. Scania have recently launched the L-Series low entry cab, but there will not be many for sale in the UK’s used refuse truck market for some while to come.
Similarly, Volvo’s FE low entry cab has been around in its current guise since 2018 but relatively few are seen (and the cab looks less purpose designed and more like a cut and shut to the existing cab.)
Part of the Dutch Terberg Group, Dennis Eagle, (yes they used to make fire engines too but the two parts of the company were split some while back) manufacture their 1,000 or so trucks in the UK. In Their strength is the direct vision capabilities of the cab design – meeting direct vision standards (DVS) has become increasingly important across many cities. London, for example has standards beginning in 2021 Read More.
This means that we will be seeing more Dennis Eagle trucks on the road, but with non-municipal bodies on.
Whilst customers are free to buy a Dennis Elite as a chassis cab, Dennis Eagle have their own range of refuse bodies – the Olympus as well as a bin lift – the beta range. Ordering the complete refuse truck directly from Dennis should shorten overall lead times, as there will only be one stage in the build and therefore less paperwork as far as the vehicle type approval is concerned.
Around the corner is Dennis’ ‘Ecollect’ fully electric refuse truck – watch this space.
Interested in buying a used Dennis Refuse truck – see our Dennis Trucks for Sale here View all Dennis Elite trucks for sale.
With the might of Daimler, the largest truck manufacturer in the world behind it, it is perhaps not surprising that Mercedes have designed and built a specialist low-entry cab – the Econic.
With a five-star direct vision rating and Mercedes-Benz’ most up to date engine technology it is not a cheap option, but operators recognise the build quality and the support available from the manufacturer. There are always plenty of used Mercedes Econic trucks for sale at Truckpages.
Refuse bodies are highly specialist and we recommend carrying out extensive research into the type available. There are a number of UK dealers who specialise in refuse trucks, so it would be worthwhile telling them about your business for them to make suggestions about the best type of used refuse truck to suit you.
Here are some areas to bear in mind that may prompt questions that you can ask of the selling dealer.
There are plenty of different manufacturers of bodies that can be fitted to your chassis – whether a low entry cab or otherwise.
Faun (models include Variopress, Rotopress, Powerpress, Selectapress Duo, Sidepress and Frontpress
Olympus (Dennis Eagle – earlier model the Phoenix) – See all other Ros Roca bodies
Geesink Norba (models include the GPM under the Geesink brand plus the N-Series and the MF-Series under the Norba brand)
Farid – Italian company with significant UK manufacturing base – took over Heil’s European business back in 2013. (Models include Powerlink, Twintrak, Bigbite and many more)
MOL – A Belgian company that has a range of bodies and lifts. (Models include the ECO range, ECOMAX, PUSHER and the MAX). Sold through HE Municipal in the UK (Inco-Mol)
Terberg (Omnidel, Omnitrade, both available – electric or hydraulic, the Euromax or Omnimax for integrated lifts. Basic modes are the TCH and TH)
Zoeller – Same group as Faun (see above) (models include the Rotary, Omega and Delta)
The electric DAF CF rigids and tractor units are being made available for sale after successful field tests. No mention of pricing at this stage – but it will probably be from the Rolls Royce School, “If Sir has to ask the price, Sir probably can’t afford it”. DAF has beefed up the batteries, extending…
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With a full range of series production electric trucks available to order today from the 3.1 tonne GVW Renault Master ZE to the most recent addition, the 26 tonne GVW D Wide ZE, Renault Trucks claims to have the UK’s first right hand drive 100% electric serial production truck, a Range D Wide 26 tonne…
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It’s a bit like buses… There seems to be a lot of news about alternative powered refuse trucks these days. Only a couple of days ago we found ourselves writing about the Gas Mercedes Econic refuse trucks joining Liverpool council’s fleet now along comes the news that DAF have an electric CF that is running…
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If there’s one type of business that should be using gas-powered trucks, it’s the waste business. Methane was an unwanted byproduct of running a landfill site. As a gas it is worse for the environment than releasing carbon dioxide. This is why it used to be flared off at source. Imagine capturing this waste resource…
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In order to appeal to a broader range of customers, Scania has added their 7-litre D07 engine to their urban, low entry L Series truck that they launched as recently as 2017. Originally available only with the 5-cylinder, 9-litre Scania unit, the L Series was carrying quite a bit of weight for refuse truck operation,…
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