7 Points To Consider When Choosing A Delivery Vehicle For Your Business
If you own a business that involves goods or packages transportation at its core, you already know the challenges of delivering products on time and safely. For on-time and safe delivery, it is vital that your delivery process is smooth and that delivery vehicles are on par with the process. But it is easier said than done.
It takes a lot of effort, time, and management to place the correct delivery system as it involves numerous factors like delivery vehicles, drivers, product packaging, state laws, transportation laws, and many more. But at the core of this system, it’s the delivery vehicles and the driver. If both of them are efficient in doing their job, your delivery process becomes smooth, and you achieve on-time delivery.
Hence, it is essential you get the appropriate vehicle, like the one from Solar Logistics, for your business delivery. Solar Logistics has an extensive transport fleet and offers a range of the most suitable vehicle sizes to meet your requirements. They have solutions for every type of delivery, whether big or small, robust or fragile, within the UK or anywhere in the world.
This article states the seven points you should consider when choosing a delivery vehicle for your business. But first, let’s explore more about delivery vehicles.
What Are Delivery Vehicles And What Purpose Do They Serve
A delivery vehicle is used for transporting goods or packages from one location to another. They are used by various businesses such as courier services, e-commerce companies, retailers, wholesalers, and food delivery services.
In addition, they are available in various sizes and types, including vans, trucks, bicycles, and motorbikes.
Purpose Delivery Vehicle Serve
The purpose of delivery vehicles is to enable businesses to transport their goods to their customers or clients efficiently and safely. This, in turn, helps businesses to reach a wider audience by delivering products to remote locations, increasing customer satisfaction through timely delivery, and reducing operational costs by optimizing delivery routes.
Delivery vehicles are an essential part of the logistics and supply chain management process as they play a critical role in enabling businesses to meet their delivery goals and grow their operations.
7 Points To Consider When Choosing A Delivery Vehicle
1. Payload Capacity
Payload capacity refers to the maximum weight your delivery vehicle can carry inside without risk. It is one of the most important factors to consider as this decides how much of your package or goods will be delivered in one go.
So, you must choose the delivery vehicle with suitable payload capacity per your consignment. For example, if your consignment weight is around 1700 kg, select a vehicle with a load capacity of about 17300 kg.
2. Fuel Efficiency
The fuel efficiency of your delivery vehicle is an important consideration, as it can impact your overall operating costs. Therefore, you must look for vehicles that have good mileage. You can even consider alternative fuel options, like an electric or hybrid vehicle, that is trending these days.
Choosing a delivery vehicle with high fuel efficiency will definitely save you a lot of money.
3. Maneuverability
Before choosing a delivery vehicle, you must first analyze the delivery route. Analyzing the route helps you select a vehicle that is nimble and easy to maneuver in tight spaces. Consider factors such as vehicle length, height, width, turning radius, and pallets capacity per your route. For example, if you have a package to be delivered in the city area where the route is narrow and full of traffic, you must choose a small van or LWB. Such vehicles usually have the following specification:
- Length: 2.5 meters to 3.8 meters
- Height: 1.4 meters to 1.7 meters
- Width: 1.2 meter
- Pallets Capacity: Up To 2-3
4. Durability
Delivery vehicles are on the road throughout the year, enduring lots of wear and tear due to different weather conditions, road, and package load. Therefore, choosing a highly durable vehicle is vital.
When buying, go for a vehicle that has a good track record in terms of durability. Consider online research, read peer reviews, watch YouTube videos, and contact different businesses that use the delivery vehicle.
5. Safety Features
Safety should be your top priority when choosing a delivery vehicle. You must look for features like airbags, backup cameras, and blind spot monitoring in your delivery vehicle to help keep your drivers and goods safe. Safety features not only save a life but also help reduce operational cost due to decreased accident cases. Moreover, you save yourself from getting into irrelevant accident matters, which sometimes take a long time and a lot of money to settle.
6. Cost
If you compare the cost of your delivery vehicle and your personal vehicle, delivery vehicles are expensive. There are many reasons for this, including the price of a commercial license, additional safety features, taxes, etc. Hence you must do all the calculations right while choosing a delivery vehicle.
Consider the upfront cost of the vehicle as well as ongoing costs like fuel, maintenance, and insurance. Take help from an expert and compare the prices of different companies before finalizing the delivery vehicle.
7. Brand Image
Considering brand image before buying a delivery vehicle is essential for several reasons:
- Representation of Your Business: Your chosen delivery vehicle represents your business to the public, and the brand image of the vehicle can affect how customers perceive your business. So, selecting a well-known and respected brand can help establish your business as reliable and trustworthy.
- Brand Recognition: A recognizable brand can be essential in attracting new customers. Moreover, a delivery vehicle with a well-known brand may catch people’s attention and make them more likely to use your services.
- Resale Value: The brand image of the delivery vehicle can also affect its resale value. A vehicle with a robust brand image may retain more value over time than a lesser-known brand.
- Customer Perception: Branding on the delivery vehicle can also affect how customers perceive your business. For example, if you choose a vehicle with a reputation for being eco-friendly, customers may view your business as environmentally conscious.
Ultimately, go for a vehicle that aligns with your brand values and presents a professional image.
Conclusion
Although choosing the right delivery vehicle is not easy, doing the right thing can make it smooth. Consider the tips mentioned above to select the right delivery vehicle. Besides, you can also consider logistics delivery services, as they are economical and can save you lots of time and management hustle.
