Driver training specialist SP Training has strengthened its fleet with the addition of a new Renault Trucks T 380 box truck, ensuring trainee HGV drivers gain hands-on experience with the latest vehicle technology used across the UK transport industry.
Supplied by Diamond Trucks, the new rigid replaces an older vehicle in SP Training’s 14-strong fleet and will support the company’s Professional Driver Training Programme, Driver Trainer Assessor courses and wider logistics training. The vehicle features a bespoke box body from Fosters Commercials and has been finished in SP Training’s distinctive livery by AST Signs.
SP Training chooses Renault Trucks T 380 for technology-led, next generation driver training
Based in Carlisle, Cumbria, SP Training has delivered professional logistics and transport training for more than 25 years. The business provides HGV and coach driver training, Driver CPC, transport manager qualifications, apprenticeships and workforce development programmes for both individuals and employers across the UK.
The company trains a diverse range of learners, from apprentices gaining their first vocational licence to experienced drivers seeking additional qualifications, mechanics requiring HGV licences, ambulance service personnel and people changing careers later in life. Supported by more than 20 instructors and additional subcontractor trainers when required, SP Training continues to invest in modern vehicles that reflect the technology used by today’s commercial fleets.
The Renault Trucks T 380 joins a varied training fleet that includes 7.5-tonne vehicles, rigid trucks and 44-tonne articulated combinations. It also builds on SP Training’s investment in a Renault Trucks T 430 4×2 tractor unit supplied by Diamond Trucks in 2024.
Modern HGV technology for driver training
The latest Renault Trucks T 380 has been selected to provide trainees with experience of the advanced safety and driver assistance technologies increasingly found on modern heavy goods vehicles.
(l-r) Michael Carr, Commercial Vehicle Sales Executive, Diamond Trucks; Richard Attenborough, Fleet and Facilities Manager and Driver Training, SP Training.
Richard Attenborough, Fleet and Facilities Manager and Driver Trainer at SP Training, said the Renault Trucks T range offers an ideal platform for preparing drivers for real-world transport operations.
“We are training tomorrow’s driver today, so we need vehicles that reflect what learners are going to experience when they move into real-world operations,” he said.
“Having a modern, professional vehicle makes a big difference to the training environment. The Renault Trucks T range gives us the cab space, comfort, visibility and ease of use we need. It is a very user-friendly platform, with a great driving position and the right environment for both learners and instructors.”
Already in daily operation, the new truck is being used for licence acquisition, driver assessments and instructor-led training.
Richard added: “The students enjoy training in the latest Renault Trucks vehicles. They get excited about training in it and, from an instructor’s point of view, it’s one of the best training platforms we’ve come across.”
Advanced safety systems improve learner experience
A key reason for choosing the Renault Trucks T 380 was its spacious T cab and the availability of Renault Trucks’ camera-based mirror system, which is becoming increasingly common across commercial vehicle fleets.
According to SP Training, exposing learners to these technologies during training helps prepare them for the vehicles they are likely to operate after qualifying.
Dave Trousdale, Driver Trainer at SP Training, commented: “The camera and sensor systems on the T 380 give us a more advanced view of what is happening around the vehicle, helping us coach learners more effectively on observation, positioning and road safety. It means drivers leave us better prepared for the technology they are likely to encounter in the real world.”
The vehicle has also been equipped with a bespoke box body from Fosters Commercials, designed specifically to meet the operational requirements of driver training and testing. It carries the necessary test weight while maintaining a body profile aligned with the cab height.
Richard added: “Fosters Commercials listened to exactly what we needed from the body. It had to meet the requirements for training and testing but also work properly with the vehicle. They did a fantastic job.”
Image: SP Training
Long-term partnership supports fleet availability
Alongside supplying both Renault Trucks vehicles, Diamond Trucks provides SP Training with servicing, inspections, MOT preparation and ongoing maintenance to maximise vehicle availability for learners.
Richard praised the dealer’s support, saying: “The support from Mike [Carr] and the team at Diamond Trucks has been brilliant. They listened to what we needed, helped put together the right platform and delivered the truck ahead of time. They also understand our training needs and how important it is to not have a vehicle off the road. They are always very accommodating and turn the vehicles around quickly.”
Michael Carr, Commercial Vehicle Sales Executive at Diamond Trucks, added: “The Renault Trucks T 380 is a great fit for SP Training, combining the cab space, visibility, safety technology and driver comfort needed in a busy training environment.
“We’re proud to support Richard and the team as they continue to invest in modern Renault Trucks vehicles. It’s a great example of how the Renault Trucks T range can deliver not only for operators, but for the people training the next generation of professional drivers.”
As advanced driver assistance systems become standard across the commercial vehicle sector, investments such as SP Training’s latest Renault Trucks T 380 help ensure newly qualified drivers enter the industry with experience of the technology they will encounter from day one.
