Southern Water has announced an investment of over £1M in a new fleet of 4x4 vehicles, enhancing its ability to service remote and difficult-to-access areas.
Bosses say they have added 30 Ford Ranger trucks to its operations, specifically designed to tackle off-road tasks such as sewer bursts and leaks.
Daniel Rayner-Gray, 39, is an Operations Assistant Manager, lives in Newhaven and works in and around the Peacehaven area. He has worked at Southern Water for 12 years and works with a team of ten.
He uses his truck daily, towing jetting equipment, carrying out site audits, supplying stores and supporting his team.
Daniel Rayner-Gray, Operations Assistant Manager at Southern Water, who drives the new trucks on a daily basis, said:
“The truck is our office. It’s really important to be comfortable, which the cabs are. The vehicles have heated seats, extra room, reverse cameras and parking sensors. The new trucks are a big hit with me and my team. We often use the four-wheel drive for off-road jobs, they are especially useful in boggy fields and farmland.
“The trucks are also used to tow heavy jetting equipment and can pull machinery that weighs more than 3 tons. The vehicles have lots of room as they are double cabs with safety cruise control and they are very reliable.”
The Ford Rangers are part of a wider roll-out of over 300 new vehicles, which include a range of enhancements to keep our teams and our customers safer on the road. These features include solar panels located on the roofs, which can help drivers and engineers charge equipment while out and about – meaning they can get more done without taking trips to our sites.
They also feature on board weighing, all season tyres and 70mph controlled speed limiters. The trucks are driven by operational, technical and customers teams across the Southeast.
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