One of Direct Online Services’ new Renault Master Loloader vans

The range of vans offered by van hire companies is usually enough to meet most requirements, but in some cases, standard hire vans just don’t cut it when compared to specialist models.

The specialist dual compartment refrigerated van I wrote about here is one such example, while another is the Renault Master Loloader vans now being operated by Direct Online Services, a solid wood kitchen furniture specialist.

If you think about it, a solid wood kitchen has several distinguishing features: it’s heavy; it may have long lengths of worktop and it’s basically square. Clearly what’s required is a long, low, square van body with a high payload.

Although a luton with a tail lift would meet some of these requirements, the weight of the tail lift (around 150kg for a modern lightweight model) eats into the payload of the van and makes offloading heavy, long pieces of furniture and worktop quite awkward.

It’s far easier if the driver and his mate can step straight from the load area of the vehicle onto the ground, when unloading — something that’s possible with a the Renault’s Loloader body.

This isn’t a design that’s unique to Renault, and it’s similar to the dropwell luton design favoured by removal companies (and by vanrental.co.uk advertiser Admiral Van Hire), except without the high luton roof, providing a more aerodynamic and fuel-efficient profile.

The advantages of the new, tailored design are clear, according to Direct Online’s Logisitics and Operations Director, Phil Allright, who said:

“We’ve been really impressed by our first Renault Master and in particular the size of the load area and weight carrying capacity. With our other vehicles [Iveco and Ford] we typically get 800-900 kilos but with the Renault Master we’re getting over 1,240 kilos which is obviously great news for our business. We are also currently saving money on running costs of around 7% so we are clearly keen to bring more of these vehicles on to our fleet.”

The combination of a significant increase in payload and a reduction in fuel consumption should equate to increased profits for the firm, as each van may be able to fit more deliveries on board within the legal weight limit, cutting the number of journeys required.