Outdoor advertising specialist JCDecaux has ordered “a significant volume” of Renault Master and Trafic panel vans for its maintenance fleet.

The vans will be used by technicians charged with maintaining and updating JCDecaux’s inventory of bus-stop advertising systems, billboards and street furniture.

All the new vans have been ordered with Renault’s Twin Turbo ENERGY diesel engines, which offer superior performance and efficiency by using two turbo chargers, Stop&Start engine management and the new regenerative braking system (Energy Smart Management).

The benefit of two turbos is that they can be sized so that one provides additional power at low revs, while the second is designed to work at higher engine revs.

The Trafics have Renault’s 1.6-litre ENERGY dCi 125 engine, while all the Masters feature the 2.3-litre ENERGY dCi 145 engine. Both are matched to six-speed manual transmissions and provide drive to the front wheels. All the new vans will be Euro 6 models.

To enhance both comfort and safety, all the new vans have been specified in Renault’s Business trim level. This includes a DAB radio with Bluetooth, electric front windows, remote central locking, electric and heated door mirrors, trip computer, all-round disc brakes and Electronic Stability Control (ESC).

The ESC fitted to these vans includes Hill Start Assist and Grip Xtend, an electronic traction control system which acts on the vehicle’s driven wheels to optimise traction on loose surfaces.

Inside, the vans have been kitted out by converter TEVO with a range of accessories depending on planned use. Among the pieces of kit installed are water tanks, onboard power, internal glass racks and roof racks.

I always find it interesting to see how fleet operators specify their vehicles. You can see how different companies choose to balance competing and sometimes contradictory requirements, such as:

• Operational requirements
• Upfront cost
• Resale value
• Employee preference/comfort
• Environmental considerations
• Running costs – fuel and maintenance
• Image
• Duty of care obligations to employees and other third parties

In this case, JCDecaux appears to have decided that specifying the vans generously and choosing from the latest engine options is worth the modest increase in upfront cost. I suspect they are right.

In four years’ time, these modern and well-specified models are likely to be more popular with used buyers than entry level vans powered by relatively dated engines. A good interior trim level will also helps attract used buyers, many of whom will be owner-drivers or small businesses with only a handful of employees.