Fraikin has delivered 19 new commercial vehicles to Waterlogic on full-service contract hire, strengthening a 13-year relationship with the national water cooler company.

The new deal is structured over four years, as opposed to six years previously, to enhance vehicle reliability and uptime for a fleet which is worked hard running fully laden most of the time.

Fraikin also recommended a move to Iveco Daily 7.2-tonne chassis cabs, replacing the previous fleet of 7.5 tonners from another manufacturer, as despite a lighter gross vehicle weight, the Daily offers greater payload capacity.

The vehicles, which will transport water bottles nationwide, making a number of drops a day, five days a week, represent a mix of fleet additions and replacements, enhancing the fuel economy and environmental footprint of an 80-strong fleet.

Fraikin specified the new vehicles with an eight-speed automated transmission to deliver improved driver comfort and fuel economy.

The vehicles are mounted with bespoke-built curtainside bodies manufactured by Transload, featuring stillages mounted to the floor for carrying water bottles.

As part of the contract, Waterlogic will benefit from fixed monthly payments as well as full servicing, maintenance and repair, tyre replacement, routine safety inspections, road fund licensing and 24/7 breakdown support.

Fraikin will manage all maintenance via an approved third-party network on a collection and delivery basis.