Highland Council takes testing in-house with Totalkare
Highland Council’s municipal vehicle fleet is set to benefit from increased availability following its investment in Totalkare brake testing equipment.
The council operates a large fleet of vehicles which are vital in supporting local infrastructure, from waste and recycling vehicles to road sweepers, gritter trucks, snow ploughs and public transport.
In response to increased testing requirements, it identified a requirement to bring brake testing in-house, and lease purchased two mobile brake testers from Totalkare for two separate sites in the summer of 2019.
Impressed with the immediate time and cost savings associated with not having to visit an external test centre, the council returned to Totalkare earlier this year to lease purchase an additional mobile brake tester and two in-ground brake testers, each to be installed at three further sites.
Supplied with a tablet that enables brake tests to be conducted from the driver’s seat, Totalkare’s mobile and in-ground brake testers can test up to 20,000kg per axle, and can be customised with tachograph calibration, load simulation and play detection.
All five of Highland Council’s brake testers feature bi-directional rollers, and the mobile brake testers were also supplied with extended on-ramps to accommodate longer vehicles.
Each brake tester will be supported through a Totalkare Afterkare service plan, which includes two service and calibration visits per year per brake tester.
“Ensuring our entire vehicle fleet remains roadworthy, thus ensuring their safety and that of the public, is of the upmost importance,” said Mike Cooper, transport and logistics manager at Highland Council.
“Having the ability to test in-house not only saves us the time it would take to drive each vehicle to a test centre, but over time the capital investment will save the council a significant amount of taxpayer money which can be diverted to other areas.”
Jack Longstaff, area sales manager for Totalkare, added: “Highland Council recognise the value of brake testing their vehicles in house and reduced the impact of the capital investment by taking advantage of flexible finance options provided by Totalkare.
“We are pleased to offer ongoing support and look forward to extending our relationship with the council further in the future.”
