The new vehicles, in the form of 520 hp 6×2 tractors with range-topping GX cabs, all support the Company’s striking new livery. Each of the vehicles will pull New high-cube 15-meter double trailers, delivering goods across the UK through the Palletways consortium.
Founded by Steve Radcliffe in 1999 Sovereign Transport Services began life in Liverpool with one 7.5 tonne vehicle, delivering 10 pallets a day. Today with a fleet of 60 vehicles, ranging from a 3.5-tonne van through to 44-tonne double deck trailers capable of holding 50 pallets, Sovereign Transport Services delivers over a750,000 pallets a year Nationwide.
All four New vehicles are powered by MAN’s latest generation Euro6E compliant, six-cylinder D26, 12.4 litre, 520 hp (375 kW) engines. This latest generation low-consumption engine range has proven to be gentle on service costs as well as frugal on fuel. Not only are these engines proving more efficient than their predecessors, but they are also lighter, therefore, improving payload efficiency, which in turn positively impacts a fleet’s total cost of ownership (TCO) and vehicle whole-life performance.
Adam Radcliffe, Managing Director of Sovereign Transport Services, said: “We’ve established a great relationship with both MAN Truck & Bus, our local Sales Executive Tony Davidson and our local dealership, MAN Truck & Bus Preston. All parties involved recognise the importance of our operation and how their high level of service greatly impacts our day to day operation. I’m delighted to say that with MAN’s can do partnering approach and their consistent focus on customer service, we very much appreciated the high level of wrap-around care they deliver.”
Adam continues, “Health and safety is an important aspect across the business and we prioritise the wellbeing of our staff at all times. MAN has clearly taken an industry leading stance in this area, both in terms of standard and optional equipment, as our new trucks are laden with advanced safety features.”
Sovereign Transport Services new TGX tractors are all equipped as standard with a host of new and advanced safety assistance features, all designed to aide and help and support the driver, including Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) Turn Assist, Lane Change Support (LCS) Lane Return Assist (LRA) ACC Stop&Go, MAN AttentionGuard, High Beam Assist, Airbag and a driver’s seat belt tensioner system.
Renowned for their exceptionally high standards and recognised within Pallet Networks as an exclusive Platinum Member, Sovereign Transport Services collects and delivers thousands of pallets every day from satisfied customers. Their UK services include next-day AM delivery including Saturdays, timed deliveries, premium and economy delivery and collection, express door-to-door services, tail lift and oversized delivery, track and trace of consignments Nationwide, and, through their network partners further afield, a range of inclusive transport options all designed at meet customers wants and needs, to over 30 countries across Europe.
In 2009 Sovereign Transport Services was recognised within Pallet Networks for their Industry-leading services and inducted into an exclusive Platinum Members club, a club that they are still members of today.
In addition to numerous bespoke transport solutions Sovereign Transport Services also offers customers a range of secure warehousing and storage options. Headquartered to the North East of Knowsley and Kirkby, just two miles off the A580 dual carriageway and sandwiched between the M6, M62, M57 and M58 motorways, their vehicles can easily travel to the likes of London, Glasgow and Edinburgh in around four hours and even quicker to the cities of Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham, meaning that as a business they can provide customers with a suite of bespoke and tailored services built to suit their transport needs. In 2023 they opened a brand new 47,000 square foot, 6,500 pallet, warehouse unit just a few hundred meters from their current depot.
“We pride ourselves in running an efficient operation which is a key factor when considering ever-increasing operating costs,” continued Adam. “As a business it’s vital that we offer our customers a completely transparent and tailored level of service built on honesty, integrity, and reliability and to do this we need to ensure all our vehicles are one hundred percent ready to move at all times.”
“In the short time we’ve had the new vehicles on the fleet we’ve kept track of their fuel consumption and we are already noticing improvements week on week. This bodes well for the future as we look to further reduce our carbon footprint.
“I’m also impressed with the positive feedback we’ve received from the drivers. Driver comfort is an important factor within our business, they spend a lot of time on their own away from home and their family, so it’s key to make their immediate surroundings as comfortable and as safe as we can.” Concluded Adam.
To guarantee comfort for the drivers each of the new Sovereign Transport Services TGX’s is fitted with the largest GX cab, they all feature an under bunk fridge, satellite navigation featuring the MAN SmartSelect control unit, the enhanced driver’s pack, premium comfort seat, double bunks, copious amounts of smart storage and full-width electric sunblind’s.
Joining the new Sovereign TGX tractor units are three new MAN TGM 18.220 4×2 rigids. Each of these vehicles, in the Sovereign Transport Services livery, has been bodied by Kurt Hobbs Coachworks and are fitted with 28-foot curtainsiders and tuck-away tail lifts.
As well as adding four New MAN TGX tractors and three New TGM rigids to their instantly recognisable fleet, Sovereign Transport Services has just taken delivery of two New double-deck tri-axle step-frame trailers and two New 40-foot curtainsiders. Supplied by Decker Trailers of Litchfield, these high cube trailers, also in the company’s new livery, can carry over 50 pallets.
Being firm believers of giving back to the local community Sovereign Transport Services has teamed up with the Owen McVeigh Foundation. This Merseyside-based charity helps children and their families who are suffering from cancer and for the first time in 23 years of trading, they have named their trucks in honour of the boys and girls who are going through tough times with their illness. In addition to the children’s names, each of the New vehicles carries the Owen McVeigh logo on the sides of the cabs.
Tony Davidson, MAN Truck & Bus Sales Executive, added, “Sovereign Transport Services has been a much-valued MAN customer for nine years now, seven of those directly with me. Having a close relationship means we have a solid understanding of the operation and how our high level of service, across the board, both adds value to Adams business and looks after his drivers wants and needs.
“We understand that fuel is a big cost for any operator and we’re delighted to both see and hear that these vehicles are already delivering upon Adam’s expectations and our promise. We very much look forward to continuing this relationship.”
MAN Truck & Bus Preston will service and maintain the vehicles through their busy lives.
All MAN vehicles are supported by MAN Truck & Bus UK’s Nationwide Commercial Vehicle Dealer network, with many operating extended hours, including round-the-clock servicing and customer-tailored solution maintenance.
The entire MAN range benefits from MAN’s Mobile24 24-hour assistance service, which guarantees customers a professional roadside partner throughout Europe 365 days of the year.
