UPS has ordered an additional 150 ‘Reach’ walk-in vans from the commercial-vehicle manufacturerUtilimaster following a successful year-long field test with five pilot vehicles in five regions in
western USA.The new order follows UPS’s initial order in June for the first 150 plastic-body deliverytrucks, which are expected to arrive by the end of this year to be deployed on high-mileageroutes.
The manufacturer claims the truck offers several advantages over a traditional walk-in van,including greater manoeuvrability, improved access, nearly 500 kg lower weight and improved fuelefficiency of up to 40% through the use of advanced, lightweight composites and recycledmaterials.
Confirming the benefits of its newly ordered vehicles, UPS achieved a 40% increase in fuelefficiency through the truck’s 10% weight reduction, the advanced powertrain technology and itsaerodynamic design. The trucks’ composite body also led to easier maintenance and eliminated anyneed for paint and expensive body repairs.
John Forbes, president of Utilimaster, explained: “As UPS has demonstrated with the Reach, it ispossible to achieve improved vehicle performance while meeting a number of green/sustainabilitygoals.”
Utilimaster, a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, designs, develops and manufactures walk-in vans andcommercial truck bodies to customer specifications for use in package delivery, one-way truckrental, bakery/snack delivery, utility and linen/uniform rental businesses.
