Volvo Truck and Bus Centre Midlands think bike for parts

Volvo Truck and Bus Centre Midlands have set up their own motorcycle delivery service to beat the traffic and ferry truck and bus parts to customers in an area which stretches from Coventry to Kettering, Worcester and the Cotswolds. The unique and innovative approach is proving both customer-friendly and cost-effective, says Depot Manager Brent Norton. “We are seeing some journey times, such as that to Worcester from Coventry, cut by as much as 25 minutes using the bike compared to a van, without breaking speed limits. The bike is also proving to be more fuel efficient.”

The Coventry-based Volvo Dealer, which, says Brent, has seen strong growth in the market for Genuine Volvo Parts in the last two years, has depots across the Midlands and is also using the bike to deliver urgently needed deliveries between them. Before buying the bike, deliveries were monitored over a trial period during which it was found that 66% could be made by bike.

The decision to purchase a motorcycle was taken following news that the Tollbar Island adjacent to the Dealership’s Coventry depot will be suffering up to 18 months of severe disruption of the traffic flow from 2008 while a flyover and underpass are constructed to ease congestion at the frequently gridlocked A45 – A46 junction.

The Honda Transalp, which was supplied by local Dealer Kestrel, is equipped with a full set of panniers and a large capacity top-box and a hard-wired communication system located under the seat, which features a Nokia mobile phone which automatically goes to answer mode after two rings.

Brent reports that the Dealership is also considering using the bike, a 650cc Honda Transalp V-twin, on night-shift duties to back up the Dealership’s Volvo Action Service roadside assistance programme by providing a first-responder service to breakdowns. This will enable a fault diagnosis or repair to be made in advance of, or as an alternative to the van-based Technican. The bike should also prove better able to reach stranded trucks considerably quicker than a van, which often get stuck behind the traffic jam caused by the breakdown.