OPERATOR PROFILE HAWKINS LOGISTICS
64 TRUCKING Summer 2019 http://www.truckingmag.co.ukAttention to detail:
Impressive artwork adorns
almost all of the cabMaking an impression:
Comic book artwork is
really turning heads!own workshops, run for us by an
independent technician.”
The latter is part of Hawkins Logistics’
goal of zero working hours downtime,
focusing on overnight and weekend
servicing in-house or through
Imperial Commercials.Growing the fleet
Growing the fleet has seen Hawkins
Logistics follow the same clear thought
process as with building its business.
Whereas the company looked carefully
at customer needs, fleet selection has
been partly driven by its drivers.
“We had big Volvos at the start and
had stayed with them in the early years,”
says Paul, “but as new drivers cameonboard, we heard more and more about
the DAFs they had driven elsewhere. So
in 2014 we started talking to Imperial
Commercials in Derby and took our first
two XFs in 2015.
“Driver views are important to us.
They love the comfort and performance
of the DAFs, which now account for over
25 per cent of the fleet.
“However, we also have to control
costs and use telematics for fuel and
general fleet management, as well
as back-office systems that give
customers a flexible, efficient service.
My brother Gareth is our finance
director, so a key part of our family
team, and he keeps a very close eye on
things in this area.➤
“Like any operator though, fuel is a
major factor – and we have been
delighted by the DAFs in this respect.
We’ve just ordered four more for early
2019, so I see them being an important
part of the fleet going forward.”
And more beautiful airbrush liveries,
we enquired? “Who knows?” chuckles
Paul. “We did the ‘bikes’ because we’d
doubled our fleet target of just 10. This
Deadpool truck happened to coincide
with passing the 60 mark, so I guess we
might wait now until we get to 100!”
Having listened to Paul talk, and
given the track record to date, we
wouldn’t bet against that target being
met – and quickly! ■