CRS undertakes socially distanced driver training with DAF

CRS Building Supplies has undertaken socially-distanced driver training courses thanks to DAF following the delivery of four DAF CF 370 three-axle rigids to the company in March.

CRS took advantage of DAF Trucks’ Driver Training Vouchers to maximise driver productivity and vehicle familiarity. Observing social distancing guidelines, DAF driver trainer, Ron Smith, delivered the training course to two drivers at CRS’s Keynsham location recently.

DAF Driver Training Vouchers are offered to all retail customers acquiring new DAF CF and XF trucks in exchange for a 2.5-hour training session. The initiative encourages operators and their drivers to take advantage of a professional introduction to their new trucks by one of a team of 25 regionally based DAF Dealer driver trainers. Training includes in-cab and vehicle walk-round familiarisation, followed by an on-road familiarisation session, although this latter element is not possible currently due to social distancing guidelines.

CRS’ transport manager, Paul Gibbard, said: “The Driver Training Vouchers scheme is an excellent initiative. Anything to extract maximum efficiency from our vehicles – and our drivers – can only be a good thing. We’ve been very pleased with the support from DAF Trucks and our supplying dealer, Kingdon Wessex DAF.”

The latest 26-tonne GVW DAF CFs feature ‘FAN’ axle configurations comprising a steer, drive and lifting rear-steer tag-axle, delivering what Gibbard, describes as “outstanding manoeuvrability and payload”. Gibbard had looked closely at DAF 18-tonne models already on the fleet but decided the weight and body length options of the 26-tonner offered greater operational flexibility. “We have spec’d the 26-tonne trucks to have the same overall chassis-lengths as the 18-tonners, but with our 6.1m internal body-length we can get greater payload,” he said. “For instance, on our 18-tonners we get five packs of blocks, the 26-tonners take nine, no problem.”

The new DAF fleet is on a five-year funding package from PACCAR Financial, and a seven-year R&M contract. “We’ve virtually doubled the fleet in the last 20 months,” added Gibbard. “So getting the package right was important – and getting it all through the same source makes life much simpler. We’ve set-up a build spec with DAF, Kingdon Wessex and TH White/Palfinger that enables us to replicate future new orders quickly and easily. The arrangement is working very well indeed.”

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Dan Parton
Dan Parton
Dan Parton is a former editor of Truck & Driver, the UK’s biggest selling truck magazine. He is now writes for The Van Expert and The Truck Expert.

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