General cargo today
The nature of general cargo distribution is constantly changing, with a paradigm shift taking place in consumer behavior. Whether operating long-haul, inter-city or locally, and whether transporting food, electrical appliances or mixed cargo, distribution companies have had to adapt to new trends in order to stay competitive.
With consumer confidence and the retail sector growing worldwide, and e-commerce exerting more pressure on distribution services, the need for smart, modern, flexible transport solutions has never been greater.
Why UD Trucks for general cargo?
UD Trucks offer time-saving flexibility, easier operations and enhanced profitability possibilities. Ideal for distribution assignments, New Quester with ESCOT delivers greater fuel efficiency, higher payload, and improved driver comfort via UD Trucks largest ever cab.
The Croner 6×2 also offers higher payload, and both trucks are super-reliable and durable for a long life on the road. And with our extensive service offer, we’ve got you covered.
Going the distance
Successful distribution means handling tough requirements on a daily basis. Getting the best out of every truck in your fleet is key. With UD trucks, heavier loads can now be carried on vehicles with more cab space. A win-win for any forward-looking business.
New Quester
Smart, comfortable and more fuel efficient than ever. New Quester is an excellent fit for distribution. ESCOT automated manual transmission means all drivers save fuel, while optimized tare weight means more can be carried. The result is a more productive working day on the move.
Croner
The Croner has a wide range of choices to keep every distribution business on schedule. Multi-purpose models are available for city, inter-city and long-haul distribution. Air suspension and automatic transmission combine to offer extremely safe and stable transportation of sensitive goods.
Quester and Croner models suitable for General Cargo
Delivering the perfect partnership
Working with any kind of distribution requires the best support network possible. UD Extra Mile Support keeps your trucks working for you.
UD Telematics
A high-tech wireless communications system designed to help you manage your fleet effectively, keeping wheels turning while reducing operational costs. Geofencing allows you to set the most efficient routes for maximum profitability.
UD Trust
Three levels of service care are available: UD Trust Standard, UD Trust Extra and UD Trust Ultimate. With these three levels, full transparency, no surprises with unplanned repair expenses and less administration are guaranteed.
UD Road Support
A fast and efficient UD Support team provide repair services at your convenience to get you back on road as fast as possible. Anytime.
UD Genuine service
Our optimized service planning helps to reduce workshop visits, lengthening service intervals for maximum uptime.
UD Driver Training
Our Driver Training program is designed to help build driver capability. Courses cover not only handover and operation, fuel efficiency and safe driving, but also feature dedicated modules for distribution.
UD Genuine Parts
Designed and tested to provide the highest quality and durability. With a one-year warranty, access to UD Genuine Parts increases uptime and lowers costs per kilometer.
Great news for general cargo distribution
Several key features combine to make the Croner 6×2 perfect for both city and highway distribution. With focus on quality, comfort and above all greater productivity, the Croner 6×2 is a configuration that offers businesses extra flexibility and stability for the transport of general cargo. It also delivers the highest payload of any UD truck on the market.
More volume and weight
All the credentials for the best possible productivity are found in this vehicle. The Croner 6×2 is an easily adaptable lightweight truck. It is able to carry more volume and weight because of its medium base lightweight chassis plus tag axle. In a segment as competitive as general cargo, the potential to carry more goods and increase the number of deliveries per journey will help customers to get one step ahead of their rivals.
Sensitive goods safely transported
Air suspension and automatic transmission on the Croner 6×2 make a huge difference when carrying sensitive products.The nature of urban deliveries involves much stopping and starting, which can naturally damage goods in transit. No gear changing and a more stable truck mean that a smoother drive is made possible, allowing cargo to reach its destination intact.
Easier driving for all
In an industry currently battling the effects of driver shortage, the ability to create easier driving can contribute significantly to attracting new talent. Automatic transmission is a great leveller in this respect, enabling drivers of all ages and experience to achieve better safety and improved fuel efficiency. Businesses can benefit from a more even and consistent quality of driving, not to mention the shorter time it takes to train new drivers using an automatic gearbox.
More comfort, better safety
With a 2.3 meter wide cab, the Croner 6×2 provides more space and greater comfort on all journeys. Increased width also means better visibility and safety for drivers and everyone in the truck’s vicinity. The wider cab also makes for an ideal office on the road.
Safety is of course paramount in all UD trucks, and an air suspension dump switch on the Croner 6×2 lowers chassis height and allows for safer and easier loading of all types and weights of general cargo. An additional bonus with the truck’s tag axle is that can be lifted when the truck is empty. This has the twin positive effects of saving fuel and wear on tyres.
Expert Story
“Tough working conditions call for an easy and comfortable truck.”
Masami Oozono, product strategy and management at UD Trucks, talks about what makes the Croner ideal for the general cargo segment.
How do you define general cargo?
We define general cargo as goods that can be carried by a delivery van. This is mainly daily commodity foods and electrical appliances – necessary things for people’s lives to function on a daily basis. Items such as food and electric appliances need to be handled carefully in transit.
Which goods and services are UD Trucks focusing on in the segment?
The recently growing e-commerce market is important. This can be small items that must be delivered to many different destinations within a limited timeslot.
The driver’s job is to deliver goods not only from A to B but also from A to 100 different destinations. These tough working conditions mean that operating an easy and comfortable truck becomes more important. Those drivers need their cab to function like an office, to be able to take care of their paperwork.
Which elements make the Croner essential for general cargo transportation?
ATM and air suspension are very important when transporting sensitive goods. ATM is particularly essential for city delivery vans. The larger cab space and fulfilling equipment supports drivers working environment.
What new benefits does the new Croner 6×2 offer to customers in the segment?
Productivity is key. The combination of an MDT base light chassis, simple air suspension and tag axle creates a lightweight solution on which more weight and volume can be carried.
Expert Story
Providing smart, efficient goods transport, New Quester is a versatile and profitable truck.
Toshi Odawara, Vice President, UD Trucks Quester Product Line talks about New Quester’s evolution as a distribution truck.
What kind of demands or current trends within general cargo are most important to customers?
Distributing various goods to core cities, logistics hub warehouses and retail networks is a foundation of a stable supply chain to our society and various industries. Fleet owners face the challenge of making sure the truck load is optimized and can make multiple trips as much as possible.
They must also manage their schedule according to delivery needs and of course make sure trucks are well maintained to keep on working. It is a tough working environment for drivers. They have a task to focus on time delivery, making sure the goods are not damaged, focusing on safety and fuel efficient driving.
Which qualities does New Quester bring to the general cargo segment?
First of all, we have to consider more payload efficiency on New Quester, bringing lighter weight chassis and driveline without compromising the durability, to make sure New Quester can carry more. Another point is to make the truck easy and safe to drive for all drivers.
We have added ESCOT Automated Manual Transmission and full automatic transmission Allison as an option for all models. Depending on customer operation, we have a good driveline to support, especially when fleet owners face various kinds of driver characteristics.
With automatic gear boxes, any driver can perform great. There is no need for extensive training. Imagine how many shifts a driver using a manual gearbox needs to do in an average day. AMT will reduce this stress, so that more focus can be on other important tasks.
Is it easy to underestimate the importance of driver comfort to successful operations?
Driver comfort is key to greater productivity. Drivers need the space to live and work for long spells on the road, regardless of the distances they cover.In this case, cabs are a second home. Fleet owners now are more conscious of having to focus on providing a comfortable working environment for their drivers. It gets results.With powerful driveline, reliability and durability as its base, New Quester then features real heavy duty cab with both high roof and standard roof, ESCOT fuel efficiency and optimized lower tare weight. These qualities add up to make it a versatile and profitable truck for any purpose. The aim is to create a truck that can be profitable for all drivers.
Which UD services with New Quester can be of particular value to distribution businesses?
UD Telematics which comes as standard will provide information to support fleet owners such as location of the vehicle, fuel consumption and driver behaviour. Geofencing will also maximize trip time and ensure the drivers are on the correct route. It is essential to support fleet owners in maximizing trip time and carrying proper loads, so that they can create trust with their business partners, providing peace of mind.
