The swap body, which can be uncoupled from the tractor unit, offers a number of benefits. According to current driving licence guidelines, the swap body is classified as a trailer, so that it is only necessary to have a car driving licence with class BE to drive the unit. In contrast to a Sprinter van, which can carry an average payload of 1,000 kilograms, the new vehicle can transport 1,500 kilograms. This means an increase in payload capacity of 50 percent.

“Using the Dock’n’Deliver vehicle, we hope to have found an opportunity to attract qualified employees more easily in times when there is a shortage of drivers and therefore be able to cope with our customers’ growth trajectory. The swap body concept also offers us new opportunities to optimise deliveries in major cities, both economically and ecologically,” says Ronny Sassen, Managing Director of Rhenus Home Delivery, explaining the concept.

As the tractor unit and swap body can be firmly attached to each other, drivers do not have to get used to any unusual manoeuvres – apart from the fact that the turning circle is slightly larger because of the three axles. The CNG drive system makes it possible to guarantee environmentally-friendly and sustainable transport operations for goods.

If the pilot project is concluded positively, the next step involves using several swap bodies. It would then be possible to make goods available outside the warehouse, thereby creating external storage space. As the trailers would already be preloaded for the delivery tours, both loading times for the delivery teams and the morning jams at the ramps could be reduced to a minimum.