Details to confirm before a truck or lorry quote
Describe the load by weight, dimensions and packing, whether palletised, loose or crated. Ask the recipient whether unloading will be by forklift, at a loading dock or by hand, and whether their site has height, length or weight limits for delivery vehicles. Provide driver licence details and say whether the hire is for business use, so the team can confirm driver and operator requirements with you before booking.
Fitting the truck to your route
Let the job, not the headline size, guide your choice of truck. Ask about gross weight, body length, whether a tail lift is needed, load security, turning space and whether timed delivery windows affect which vehicle can be supplied. The range on offer includes the Ford Luton 3.5 Tonne Box with Tail Lift, 3.5 Tonne Tipper Transit Truck, 3.5 Tonne Recovery Truck, 7.5 Tonne Box Truck With Tail Lift and 7.5 Tonne Curtain Side Truck, depending on dates, driver details and availability. Make, model, transmission, seats, payload and licence position are all confirmed at quote stage, so treat the listed vehicles as a guide to the kind of hire available, not as a guaranteed reservation of a particular model.
Note down the load details
Begin by writing out what the truck will carry: the type of goods, the rough quantity, and how the items are packed, for example pallets, crates, machinery or loose furniture. Record anything unusually heavy or bulky, plus the collection and delivery addresses and any dates that matter to the job. This note becomes the basis of your conversation with the team, who can then look at body types and mileage terms against what you actually need. If a pallet count might grow or shrink before the job, keep the list current so the vehicle category still fits. Passing a clear load description to the delivery contact also helps them prepare at their end.
Ask about access at both ends
Your notes should also cover the physical approach to each site. Ask the recipient or site contact about gate widths, height barriers, weight limits on any bridge or yard entrance, and where a truck can stand while loading or unloading takes place. Questions about permissions, permits or who signs for goods belong with that same contact rather than the hire team. Once you have the answers, share them with SDVH London so the body type and route can be reviewed against the real conditions. If anything remains uncertain, such as whether a barrier lifts or a yard is in use that day, it is worth settling with the site before the truck sets off.
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What to confirm on the phone
Before your hire is confirmed, go over the key points: whether the vehicle is available, driver requirements, mileage, insurance, delivery or collection arrangements and any extras you have asked for. For truck hire, also establish whether the work involves pallet freight, site access, use of a tail lift, timed drops, long-distance mileage or any driver and operator checks before anything is agreed. A useful request gives the date, length of hire, rough route, delivery or pickup address, expected passengers or load, and any special requirements that might affect which vehicle is suitable.