The AA reinforces its fleet with 200 Transporter vans

The UK’s largest breakdown organisation, the AA, has strengthened its roadside recovery fleet with an order for 200 Volkswagen Transporters. The vans will operate all over the country helping to provide emergency assistance to the AA’s 15 million members. The new Transporters have been acquired through Lombard Vehicle Management on a four-year operating lease. The total retail value of the order is in the region of £3 million.

AA patrols have been using the Volkswagen Transporter since the late 1990s and there are now around 1,850 Transporter vans operating as part of the breakdown and recovery fleet. The new vans will be equipped with the latest vehicle recovery systems and have all been fitted with racking and storage supplied by Bri-Stor Systems Ltd.

The Transporter offers customers a choice of four diesel engines ranging from 85 PS to 174 PS. All feature Volkswagen’s unit injector technology which gives high fuel economy and low emissions. Impressed by its fuel efficiency, power and torque, the AA has opted for the 1.9-litre 104 PS unit.

The AA’s Head of Fleet Operations, Wayne Millward, said: ‘As the Volkswagen Transporter is under two metres high, its physical size fully met our requirements as it’s able to access most car parks but still has a generous payload. Long service and maintenance intervals also contribute to low whole-life costs.’

The Transporter also scored highly in the areas of driver comfort and safety, important factors given that the vans will cover around 25,000 miles per year. The Transporter has a comprehensive safety package featuring ABS, Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) and Engine Braking Control (EBC).

Inside the cab, the AA’s patrols will find a range of features designed to make their driving experience more enjoyable: a dash-mounted gear lever, adjustable steering wheel, driver’s airbag and plenty of practical storage spaces.