Details to confirm before a truck or lorry quote
Describe the load by weight, dimensions and packing, whether palletised, loose or crated. Ask the recipient whether unloading will be by forklift, at a loading dock or by hand, and whether their site has height, length or weight limits for delivery vehicles. Provide driver licence details and say whether the hire is for business use, so the team can confirm driver and operator requirements with you before booking.
Picking a suitable truck
Let the job, not the headline size, guide your choice of truck. Ask about gross weight, body length, whether a tail lift is needed, load security, turning space and whether timed delivery windows affect which vehicle can be supplied. The range on offer includes the Ford Luton 3.5 Tonne Box with Tail Lift, 3.5 Tonne Tipper Transit Truck, 3.5 Tonne Recovery Truck, 7.5 Tonne Box Truck With Tail Lift and 7.5 Tonne Curtain Side Truck, depending on dates, driver details and availability. Make, model, transmission, seats, payload and licence position are all confirmed at quote stage, so treat the listed vehicles as a guide to the kind of hire available, not as a guaranteed reservation of a particular model.
Last checks before booking
Before your hire is confirmed, go over the key points: whether the vehicle is available, driver requirements, mileage, insurance, delivery or collection arrangements and any extras you have asked for. For truck hire, also establish whether the work involves pallet freight, site access, use of a tail lift, timed drops, long-distance mileage or any driver and operator checks before anything is agreed. A useful request gives the date, length of hire, rough route, delivery or pickup address, expected passengers or load, and any special requirements that might affect which vehicle is suitable.
Preparing details for bulky equipment
Write down the specifics of the equipment before you make any enquiries, because bulky items are where vague descriptions cause the most trouble. For each piece, note its rough size, its weight if known, and anything about its shape or construction that affects how it travels, such as protruding parts or an awkward frame. If the equipment comes with manufacturer documentation or a delivery note that states dimensions, keep that paperwork to hand, since it is more reliable than memory. Consider the collection end as well: where the equipment is now, who can release it, and whether it sits somewhere that affects how it can be collected. Group the items if there are several, so you can describe the load as a whole rather than item by item when you call.
Briefing the driver on site rules
The driver of the truck, whether that is you or a colleague, needs to know what awaits at each end of the journey, and that information comes from the people at the sites themselves. Speak to the contact at the collection point and the contact at the delivery point, and ask each how they want the visit handled: when to arrive, which entrance to use, who will meet the vehicle, and what the arrangements are for taking the load on or off. Ask specifically about anything that could affect the visit, such as limited turning space, a gate that must be opened, or a requirement to report somewhere on arrival. Write the answers next to each contact's name and number, so the driver has a single page covering both sites.