'Spot hire' and long-term rental customers of Alltruck plc can now enjoy the fuel-saving and environmental benefits of operating trucks with aerodynamic Bevan21 bodies.

The fast-growing commercial vehicle contract hire and rental specialist has just taken delivery of 15 Mercedes-Benz rigids, all of which are fitted with box versions of Bevan Group's revolutionary, eco-friendly body. 

Trucks with Bevan21 bodies are already delivering impressive results for some of the biggest fleet operators on Britain's roads - but Alltruck is the first company to offer the same benefits to rental customers. 

With depots across the East Midlands and headquarters in Leicester, Alltruck plc offers a comprehensive range of commercial vehicle acquisition solutions. Its fleet has grown by 350 units over the last couple of years and now extends to some 1,500 vehicles, the majority of them trucks at 18 tonnes gvw and above.

The Bevan21 is designed to reduce wind resistance while maintaining cubic load volumes, with features including a curved roof, specially moulded air deflector and cab collar. 

Independent tests carried out under stringent conditions confirmed that Bevan Group's streamlined body - which is also available as a curtainsider - is capable of cutting fuel bills by more than 15 per cent. 

Alltruck's new bodies were manufactured at Bevan's production facility in Halesowen, West Midlands, from lightweight Carbofont recyclable panels. The fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz chassis on which they are mounted, meanwhile, were supplied by Leicester dealer Mertrux with support from the manufacturer's Fleet Truck Sales team, and are all equipped with automated transmissions. 

Most are 18-tonne Axor 1824s with high-roof sleeper cabs and twin bunks. However, the line-up also includes three premium specification 26-tonne 6x2 Actros 2532L Long Distance units, and three 12-tonne Atego 1218s with day cabs.

Alltruck plc Managing Director Paul Robinson commented: "With the environmental spotlight increasingly falling on the transport industry, we are introducing these new 'greener' trucks and bodies to reduce emissions and improve the fuel efficiency of our rental fleet.

"At Alltruck we pride ourselves on being a progressive organisation and we believe passionately that the steps we are taking will lower the carbon footprints and improve the environmental profiles not only of our own operation, but also of our customers' businesses."

In addition to the 15 rigids fitted with Bevan21 bodies, Alltruck has also taken delivery over the last few months of a further 55 Mercedes-Benz vehicles, most of them 6x2 Actros 2546 tractor units with flat-floored MegaSpace cabs and 460hp engines mated as standard to 12-speed Mercedes PowerShift automated transmissions.