18-tonne truck
courier service

It is a goods vehicle in the 18,000 kg gross weight category. That gross figure includes the completed truck, people, fuel, equipment and freight. It does not mean the truck can carry 18,000 kg of goods.

Our initial planning guide is up to 9,000 kg total consignment weight. The actual completed truck, equipment, ready-to-work weight, axle limits and handling requirements must be checked before booking. A heavier body or conversion may leave less capacity.

Chassis specifications, body construction, length, roof height, tail lifts, refrigeration, fuel and equipment vary. The ready-to-work vehicle weight changes the remaining freight allowance. A different operator’s figure is not proof that our assigned truck can accept that load.

Yes. Give the total loaded consignment weight, including pallets, packaging, wrapping and anything else travelling as freight. Equipment carried on the vehicle also needs accounting for in the ready-to-work capacity check.

Our initial guide is 7.5 m load length × 2.4 m internal width × 2.5 m internal height. These are planning references, not guaranteed door or body clearances. Body builders and equipment specifications vary. Confirm the completed vehicle for a tight or unusual load.

Multiplying 7.5 × 2.4 × 2.5 gives 45 cubic metres as a rectangular planning envelope. That is not a guarantee that every cubic metre is usable. Doors, packaging, obstructions, handling and restraint can limit an individual shipment.

The drawing illustrates one body at approximately 8,000 × 2,460 × 2,620 mm internally. Our initial category guide is 7,500 × 2,400 × 2,500 mm. The illustrated truck is an example rather than the assigned vehicle. Neither set establishes a guaranteed door opening. Confirm the actual body and freight fit.

No. The opening, packaging, loading angle, internal obstructions, usable floor and room for handling and restraint need checking. An item using every centimetre of nominal length may leave no workable clearance.

No. Wheelbase, chassis, body builder, roof, lift, mirrors and refrigeration equipment change the outside dimensions. Send access limits and ask for the completed vehicle’s actual height, length and width. The gross weight category cannot establish whether it fits a loading bay.

Box and curtainside are the usual choices for this guide. Refrigerated or temperature-controlled transport requires an agreed specification. Refrigerated retail trucks normally have tail lifts, while dry box and curtainside equipment must be requested and confirmed. Tell us the goods and loading method.

It suits compatible enclosed freight that can be loaded and unloaded using the agreed rear or fitted side access. Packaged retail stock, furniture, appliances, cartons and suitable pallets are examples. Confirm protection, securing, openings and the unloading method.

It can help when a suitable forklift needs side access to long pallets, awkward goods or a planned unloading sequence. Posts and openings still matter. It does not supply a forklift at delivery or make a long pallet suitable for rear tail-lift unloading.

Discuss the required temperature, goods, packaged size, total weight, loading temperature and monitoring needs. Purpose-built insulation is incorporated into the body, so internal load space can be comparable with a similarly sized dry box. Added refrigeration, body and lift weight can reduce payload. Refrigerated retail vehicles normally have tail lifts. Confirm the actual body, cooling obstructions, airflow, platform and working freight allowance.

They can have day or sleeper cabs. Confirm the actual allocation. A suitable sleeper may support permitted daily-rest arrangements, while a day-cab job away from base may need accommodation and parking. Regular weekly rest cannot be taken in the vehicle.

Our initial guide is up to 14 suitable UK pallets at 120 × 100 cm, or up to 18 Euro pallets at 120 × 80 cm in an appropriate body and layout. Loaded footprint, wrapping, restraint, openings and total weight must be checked. These are alternative counts, not 32 pallets together.

Fourteen nominal bases can occupy 700 × 240 cm in seven rows of two, rotated so each base uses 100 cm along the truck and 120 cm across it. This requires the full 240 cm clear width before any overhang or working space. Confirm compatible fork entry, transfer and restraint.

Up to 18 nominal bases can occupy 720 × 240 cm in nine rows of two. There is no nominal width margin at a 240 cm clear body. A narrower 750 × 220 cm illustrative body can use a fifteen-base mixed layout occupying 720 × 200 cm. The actual loaded footprint, handling and weight decide acceptance.

Twenty nominal bases can mathematically occupy 800 × 240 cm in ten rows of two. This is a zero-length-margin arrangement requiring the actual longer body and full width. It is not our initial booking guide and does not establish clearance for loaded overhang, handling or restraint.

No. A smaller pallet footprint may change the space arrangement, but the completed vehicle’s freight and axle limits remain. Confirm the count and loaded size separately instead of substituting a new pallet allowance without checks.

Fourteen loaded pallets at 650 kg total 9,100 kg, above our 9,000 kg initial freight guide. Eighteen Euro pallets at 550 kg each total 9,900 kg. A suitable larger vehicle or another agreed plan is needed. Empty floor space does not permit excess weight.

Only if the actual truck, floor, weight distribution, loading and unloading method can accept it. A single concentrated load can present different floor and axle issues from several lighter pallets. Send the item’s size, weight, support positions and centre-of-gravity concerns.

Not every dry box or curtainsider does. Refrigerated retail trucks normally have a tail lift. Confirm it explicitly and provide the heaviest item and handling method. The selected lift’s capacity, platform dimensions, load centre and operating conditions must be suitable. The truck’s freight payload is not its tail-lift rating.

Its installed mass and associated equipment contribute to vehicle weight. The reduction depends on the actual lift and completed body, so a fixed deduction should not be applied to every truck. Confirm ready-to-work freight capacity for the assigned vehicle.

The total load on the platform must comply with the applicable lift specification, including handling equipment and any permitted operator mass. A pallet matching the nominal lift rating can exceed it once those other loads are added.

For an individual loaded pallet at 800 kg or more requiring pallet-truck handling, request an electric pump truck under Synergix’s booking rule. Lighter loads may also require powered handling. This does not guarantee that the lift, ground or delivery route is suitable.

Do not assume so because it fits inside the truck. Platform support, pallet-truck engagement, load centre, rear opening and manoeuvring space all need assessment. A suitable curtainsider with forklift handling at both ends may be a different solution.

A standard pallet truck is intended for a suitable firm surface and cannot be assumed to cross soft ground, gravel, steep slopes or rough thresholds. Describe the full path and unloading point so a workable method can be assessed.

It provides an agreed way to transfer compatible goods between truck and ground. It still needs suitable freight, equipment, ground and safe operating space. Building entry, stairs and long or unusually heavy items require separate arrangements.

No. Confirm a compatible unloading method at delivery too. A side-loaded pallet may not be transferable using the destination’s rear lift arrangement. Equipment capacity must be assessed at the actual load centre, not just by a headline forklift rating.

Possibly, if the truck floor height, approach, doors, lift stowage and dock or leveller are compatible. Give the site’s vehicle and loading requirements. A dock designed for another body or vehicle size is not automatically suitable.

Only where the goods, packaging, pallet supports, available height, stability and handling method allow it. Stacking does not increase the payload. Do not load one pallet on another merely to reach an advertised position count.

Do not assume so. The load needs a suitable securing arrangement for the actual body, freight and equipment. Some rated structures have specific conditions, but a standard curtain is not a generic restraint system. Packaging wrap also does not secure the pallet to the truck.

It can where the legal approach, physical dimensions, parking and unloading arrangements permit. A smaller 7.5-tonne truck or Luton may be necessary for restricted streets or bays. An access exemption does not make a large body fit through a small entrance.

There is no universal city-centre rule. Traffic orders, signs, loading times, environmental zones, permits and physical access decide the result. A qualifying delivery exemption can matter, but it must apply to the actual restriction and destination.

Only after checking. Covered bays, height barriers, ramps and turning areas vary, and some sites require a Luton or smaller vehicle. Ask the receiving site for its maximum vehicle dimensions, gross limit, correct entrance and handling instructions before allocation.

Freight size and outside vehicle size are separate checks. A taller body or roof-mounted equipment can exceed the loading-bay height even when the consignment is small. Mirrors, ramps, turns, tail overhang and lift operating space can cause other problems.

No. A gross-weight allowance does not establish height, length or width clearance. Some covered shopping-centre bays are limited to 7.5-tonne trucks or Lutons. Confirm the complete vehicle dimensions, correct entrance and handling rules.

Tell us before booking. Check that the consignment fits the chosen Luton and its actual capacity; our tail-lift Luton planning allowance is up to 900 kg. A heavier load may require separate trips or another agreed arrangement, rather than overloading a smaller vehicle.

Not necessarily. Restrictions can be defined by permitted gross weight, actual weight, vehicle type or the relevant order and signs. Do not assume an empty truck is exempt. The route must be assessed against the restriction that actually applies.

Send the correct delivery entrance, maximum permitted height, length, width and gross weight, bay instructions, ramp and turning restrictions, booked slot, site contact and unloading method. Photos or site documents can help, but actual clearance must be confirmed.

No. State whether you need building entry, stairs, two-person handling, unpacking or assembly. A standard tail-lift delivery should not be understood as taking every item into a home. Service and access must be agreed.

Choose the smallest suitable completed vehicle that can carry and handle the freight and reach the site. Our initial freight guides are 2,400 kg for 7.5t, 9,000 kg for 18t and 15,000 kg for 26t, subject to the actual body and equipment. A heavier rating does not guarantee more pallet space.

It may be permitted for a qualifying delivery or collection within the restricted area, under the applicable exemption. Check the exact sign, supplementary plate, times and traffic order, including whether another route is required. It is not permission to use the road as a shortcut. Physical clearance and all other restrictions still apply.

No. The exemption must actually apply to that restriction. Structural bridge limits, other vehicle prohibitions and private site rules need their own assessment. Do not infer an exemption from the weight number alone.

A lorry-symbol environmental restriction is normally based on plated maximum gross weight, so travelling empty does not remove it. A structural weight restriction protects the road or bridge and can also be based on plated maximum gross weight. An empty-vehicle exception must actually be provided. Check the signed weight basis and any axle limit. Read the specific sign and order; a delivery elsewhere does not override it.

Yes. Total gross weight and each axle limit are separate constraints. A concentrated item, rear-heavy loading or a change after unloading can create an axle problem. The distribution, support and delivery sequence must be checked.

Where its body and payload are enough, a rigid can suit sites and handling arrangements that are less practical for an articulated combination. This is not a universal turning or access guarantee. Check the actual wheelbase, tail sweep, manoeuvring space and entrance.

The additional weight rating can help dense freight, but a larger body or chassis can increase cost and make access harder. If an 18-tonne truck meets weight, space, handling and route needs, unnecessary size may add little value. Conversely, a smaller truck must never be overloaded to save money.

The TfL scheme applies to HGVs over 12 tonnes gross vehicle weight in its Greater London area. An in-scope 18-tonne truck needs a valid permit and the applicable vehicle safety requirements. This is separate from clean-air compliance, local lorry controls and delivery access.

No. Flatbeds, HIAB cranes and truck-mounted forklifts need a separately agreed specification. Their equipment and mounting affect ready-to-work mass, dimensions and axle loading. A standard curtainsider booking does not supply those capabilities.

Yes, normal in-scope commercial goods work generally does. Specific exemptions must be assessed against the operation. A time-sensitive booking is not itself an exemption, and empty positioning for an in-scope job is not automatically outside the rules.

The general daily driving limit is nine hours, extendable to ten twice a week, with separate weekly and two-week limits. Previous activity, rest and breaks also matter. The full allowance cannot be assumed available when a new enquiry arrives.

A qualifying break totalling at least 45 minutes is needed by four hours 30 minutes of accumulated driving, unless an appropriate rest begins. The permitted split is at least 15 minutes followed by at least 30 minutes. Loading and unloading do not reset that clock.

Relevant loading, unloading, checks, administration and maintenance count as work for in-scope mobile workers. Driving limits and working-time limits operate together. A long loading delay can therefore affect the schedule even though the truck has not covered much distance.

Not automatically. The duties and whether a waiting period qualifies as availability, a break or rest must be assessed. A driver required to supervise goods or move the truck repeatedly is not simply free to rest.

Unloading is work. A parked vehicle does not turn a handling task into a qualifying break. A real break needs the applicable freedom from duties, and working-time and driving-break requirements must both be considered.

It can use working time, move arrival beyond a booked slot and reduce the room for onward travel and rest. Tell us when the load will actually be ready and update the expected delay. The solution may need a revised schedule or transport arrangement.

Discuss the route and deadline. A suitable vehicle, available qualified driver and lawful duty plan are needed. Night-work rules, previous activity, site hours, accommodation and onward travel can affect feasibility and price.

The truck may have a day cab and the assignment may require an overnight rest away from base. Suitable accommodation, parking and transfers can add cost. A driver should not be expected to sleep on seats or keep moving the truck during required rest.

It can change some daily-rest arrangements, subject to suitable facilities and the applicable rules. It does not permit regular weekly rest in the vehicle or remove accommodation needs in every case. Confirm the actual truck and duty plan.

No. A second person may be supplied for handling rather than qualified multi-manning. Both are distinct requirements. Additional personnel and driver arrangements must be agreed for the actual job.

No. Applicable domestic or international rules and fatigue responsibilities still matter. A truck guide makes the tachograph and driving/rest structure especially prominent, but smaller vehicles should not be presented as unrestricted.

It depends on the completed body, drivetrain, load, route and conditions. This page uses clearly labelled arithmetic scenarios, not a claimed Synergix average. Use relevant measured consumption or verified model information for the actual work.

It can use substantially more, particularly in stop-start traffic and on hills. Body aerodynamics, speed, weather, tyres, idling and refrigeration also matter. There is no single percentage penalty that can safely be applied to every completed truck.

The truck needs to reach the goods. Relevant positioning and onward travel use energy and driver time even when the customer’s site-to-site distance is shorter. A useful whole-job assessment includes that plan rather than counting only loaded miles.

Yes. Volvo’s FL Electric is an example, with configuration-dependent gross ratings, batteries, wheelbases and bodies. Verify the permitted solo gross weight and payload of the actual completed vehicle. The existence of a model does not guarantee Synergix availability or equivalence to a diesel carrying 9,000 kg.

Only where the load, usable range and charging arrangements fit a credible timetable. Required charging can add detours, queues and uncertain duration, making some urgent jobs unsuitable. A headline range or peak charging rate is not enough to confirm the job.

Sometimes, if the stop and duties meet the relevant break conditions. Connecting, moving, monitoring or dealing with a charger may involve work. Do not automatically subtract the whole charging time from the delivery schedule as if it were already a required rest.

No single answer covers every job. Diesel can offer useful refuelling and route flexibility for urgent long distances. Electric can suit predictable routes with suitable capacity and dependable charging. Compare the completed vehicles doing the required work.

Petrol and plug-in hybrid choices in some van ranges do not establish comparable mainstream 18-tonne truck options. We do not assign an invented petrol truck payload or consumption figure. A meaningful comparison needs real equivalent specifications.

It needs an actual rate or fuel use and a stated boundary. At an assumed 1,100 g tailpipe CO₂/km, 100 miles produces 177.03 kg CO₂. The separate tables use fuel/electricity supply CO₂e factors with explicitly assumed energy consumption. Neither is a measured company average.

No. Electricity supply, vehicle and battery production, replacement components and end-of-life can produce emissions. Non-exhaust particles also remain. Keep exhaust CO₂, operating CO₂e and full lifecycle emissions separate.

We can show operating scenarios using stated consumption and reporting factors. A complete lifecycle total also needs comparable manufacture, replacements and end-of-life data. This page leaves those unknown terms explicit instead of inventing production footprints or battery replacement counts.

Yes. Include the cooling energy and any separately fuelled equipment on the appropriate basis. Insulation and machinery can also affect freight capacity and vehicle energy use. A standard dry-body scenario should not be applied unchanged to every refrigerated job.

Call with the load, route, handling and deadline. Availability and a realistic lawful delivery plan must be checked. An urgent enquiry is not a guaranteed dispatch time, and a quote is not a confirmed booking.

Discuss quantities, repeat dates, delivery order, booked slots and handling at every site. The vehicle can form part of an agreed distribution plan, with the body and freight limits checked against the actual work.

Send packaged dimensions, total and individual weights, goods description, addresses, dates, deadline, body requirements, loading/unloading methods and site restrictions. Include loading-bay instructions, waiting expectations and any overnight or European requirements.

Mileage is only one input. Vehicle availability, body, freight and handling, personnel, waiting, legal duty time, charges and possible accommodation affect cost. Two quotes are only comparable when the service and access assumptions agree.

Discuss the full requirement before booking, including storage, stock movements, two-person handling, controlled temperature or fragile equipment. These are service arrangements, not automatic features of a truck category.

Use the online quote enquiry or call 01782 911 181 for a time-sensitive job. Written sales enquiries can go to sales@synergixsameday.com. The vehicle, handling and delivery plan need confirmation before dispatch.