Serco kickstarts Takealot fleet

Serco worked closely with e-commerce retailer, Takealot.com, in its move to own and operate its own fleet of dry body vehicles. Takealot has large warehouses in both Johannesburg and Cape Town from where they deliver consumer goods direct to online buyers.

Serco, in consultation with the Takealot team, designed some key aspects into the new fleet of 22 vehicles it has supplied to the company, including:

• Lightweight bodies fitted onto Hyundai H100 vehicles for easy access and to suit door-to-door deliveries
• Nosecones for improved performance and fuel efficiency
• Tail lifts to facilitate quick and efficient loading and offloading of goods.

Serco completed the manufacture of the bodies at its factories in Cape Town and Johannesburg earlier this year.

Serco's managing director, Clinton Holcroft, said buying online and having the goods - both dry and perishable - delivered to your home was a fast growing trend in the United Kingdom and Europe generally. “Buying online is happening in South Africa and I have no doubt it will soon become extremely popular.

“Having smaller, more maneuverable vehicles to handle deliveries makes good sense, especially as heavy vehicles are often prohibited from entering housing estates.