TNT takes delivery of its first Iveco Eurocargos "in some time"

TNT Express has taken delivery of 69 Iveco Eurocargos for its multi-drop urban distribution fleet, and will be benchmarking their performance against competitor brands.

The 30 Eurocargo E16s and 39 low-height EL18s are the first Ivecos to join the parcel giant’s fleet in several years. They form part of a £12m investment on a bumper order of 300 Euro-5 mid-range trucks for its urban delivery fleet renewal programme.

Both models feature an automated EuroTronic transmission as standard, while power is provided by 3.9-litre and 5.9-litre Tector engines.

TNT said it opted for the 12-tonne ELs for their low chassis height and payload capacity. Built on the regular Eurocargo production line, they have reduced ride height of more than 55mm compared with a standard model and a ‘one-step’ entry design provides easier access to the cab and body for drivers on multi-drop work.

For its 7.5-tonne requirements, the courier firm selected the E16.

Simon Harper, director of operations and engineering at TNT Express, said: “We operate more than 2,250 commercial vehicles, plus a further 2,000 trailers in the UK, but these are our first Eurocargos for some time.

"The current product looks very competitive, so we are using this order as a chance to re-evaluate the Eurocargo’s performance against other marques we operate.”

TNT Express maintains its fleet in-house and expects to keep the Eurocargos in service for the next seven years, with each truck operating for up to five-and-a-half days each week.