Five Essential Tips for Choosing the Right Volvo Truck for City Distribution

Volvo trucks are a globally well-known truck brand. They manufacture and distribute the trucks to more than 140 countries across the globe. While there are several Volvo truck models well-adapted for the city distribution industry, such as Volvo FE, Volvo FM, and Volvo FL, it can be challenging when it comes to choosing the best truck for city distribution.

Picking the right volvo trucks for the market is also highly challenging because most customers in this industry are not primarily focusing on logistics. Instead, businesses purchasing the vehicles focus on markets like bakeries or entrepreneurs hauling tools. Some of these businesses might even use vans for delivery before deciding on buying a truck, which offers more space and versatility to satisfy their growing demands.

To help you choose the right Volvo truck best suited to your business’ needs, consider the following tips:

Tip #1: Plan ahead

Before purchasing a Volvo truck, buyers should think about the business needs, cost, and versatility of the vehicle. Trucks that are specifically designed to a task can offer a lower cost of ownership. However, a truck with more versatility and less design specifications can usually be resold at a higher price.

Buyers should consider both the benefits and disadvantages of a precisely-tailored truck based on their business predictions. This would result including instances whether they need to upgrade their fleet down the line or they are likely to change primary tasks.

Tip #2: Consider the emission regulations

Most cities have strict guidelines on noise and air emissions, and these regulations are getting more stringent over the years. These regulations can significantly affect decision-making, especially when it comes to truck selection and terms of purchase.

Fortunately, volvo trucks can usually offer a buy-back option if the customers buy a new vehicle. This option can be useful in future-proofing their business. Alternatively, customers can opt for an operational lease.

Tip #3: Prioritise visibility

Since the vehicle will operate in cities, some of which have narrow streets and are filled with pedestrians and cyclists, choosing a truck with excellent visibility will promote safety. Vehicles with small wheels and clear visibility allow operators to see their surroundings better and avoid mishaps. Some cities even began to enact laws on visibility, with which trucks need to comply.

Tip #4: Consider your timing and place of loading

Another critical thing to consider before buying a truck is how often and where it will be loaded and unloaded. Typically, an average operator for city distribution may get in and out of the truck about every 200 to 300m. A low in-step can prevent injury and save time. Choosing a compact vehicle is also useful, especially when it comes to delivery to small stores, which usually have small loading bays and narrow ramps.

Tip #5: Take manoeuvrability into consideration

Smaller vehicles are more comfortable to manoeuvre. This function is an essential factor to consider, especially if the cars often get to and from loading zones and navigate down steep ramps or within narrow streets. Still, no standard has been determined on how large loading areas should be. If the truck often loads at big depots, choosing a bigger vehicle should be fine.

There are several Volvo truck options for city distribution, all of which can satisfy the specific requirements of customers. To choose the right one for your business, you need to consider several factors, including future business plan, emission rules, vehicle’s visibility, and maneuverability, as well as the timing and place of loading.