Just wondering if anybody has done the Ocado driving test, and if so could they give me any advice on what I would be tested on? It’s a Merc, 7.5 ton sprinter van.
Thanks in advance.
Don’t think the sprinter goes up to 7.5 tonne thats the atego range most likely be the 3.5 tonne sprinter just like a transit type with a refridgerated square box on the back
The sprinter (by name and cab at least) goes upto 7.5t and above, look at the cash collection ones, they’re 7.5t before they go collecting tons of coins.
I worked for Ocado for 12 months, 3.5 ton refrigerated sprinters, they are all fully automatic and a doddle to use, you will be taken out by one of their appointed ADI’s , its a very basic competency test, use your mirrors frequently just like your car test, a parallel kerbside park as though you are outside someones house doing a delivery then pull away safely, a reverse around a corner following the kerb and finally a turn between the kerbs (the old three point turn) nothing to worry about just keep both hands on the wheel and stay vigilant for the car driving idiots nothing to worry about at all.
Thanks for the info!
waynedl:
The sprinter (by name and cab at least) goes upto 7.5t and above, look at the cash collection ones, they’re 7.5t before they go collecting tons of coins.
Going by the mecedes website the gross weights of the sprinter chassis cab range from 3t to 5 tonnes
The cash collection vans like G4S used i think they were the the vario chassis IIRC
ND888 BIGJ:
waynedl:
The sprinter (by name and cab at least) goes upto 7.5t and above, look at the cash collection ones, they’re 7.5t before they go collecting tons of coins.Going by the mecedes website the gross weights of the sprinter chassis cab range from 3t to 5 tonnes
The cash collection vans like G4S used i think they were the the vario chassis IIRC
HTH
ND888 BIGJ:
The cash collection vans like G4S used i think they were the the vario chassis IIRC
Nope, G4S uses Sprinters, my dad used to drive for them and he drove one of their bigger Sprinter vans 
waynedl:
ND888 BIGJ:
waynedl:
The sprinter (by name and cab at least) goes upto 7.5t and above, look at the cash collection ones, they’re 7.5t before they go collecting tons of coins.Going by the mecedes website the gross weights of the sprinter chassis cab range from 3t to 5 tonnes
The cash collection vans like G4S used i think they were the the vario chassis IIRC
HTH
Don’t see it - I think the bigger ones (as used by G4S etc for cash collections) are Vario, not Sprinter.
Roymondo:
Don’t see it - I think the bigger ones (as used by G4S etc for cash collections) are Vario, not Sprinter.
No, they are definitely Sprinters, see my last post
Roymondo:
waynedl:
ND888 BIGJ:
waynedl:
The sprinter (by name and cab at least) goes upto 7.5t and above, look at the cash collection ones, they’re 7.5t before they go collecting tons of coins.Going by the mecedes website the gross weights of the sprinter chassis cab range from 3t to 5 tonnes
The cash collection vans like G4S used i think they were the the vario chassis IIRC
HTH
Don’t see it - I think the bigger ones (as used by G4S etc for cash collections) are Vario, not Sprinter.
I went to recover something similar to the one in the pic below - but it was a different company - when I was on recovery, I was told I was picking a Sprinter van up, turned up to that, started to winch it on and my truck (a 12t max gross Renault Midlum) didn’t look very comfortable, so I asked the driver what it weighs, and he said it weighs around 7.5t before they do the cash collections and they’d done quite a few and it was all coins.
My vehicle was leaning badly to the left due to them loading in a certain order, so the left of the van was very heavy.
I requested a bigger recovery truck to do the rescue.
I know the vario’s you mean, like the post office have - we used to have the bus version of those which were known as Beaver 2’s
I don’t care what the driver said about it - that’s not a 7.5 tonner.
Roymondo:
I don’t care what the driver said about it - that’s not a 7.5 tonner.
Those tyre would never handle 7.5 ton. it’s the 313 dci model engine would never pull 7.5 ton. I’m sure the 7.5 ton range starts on the Atego range. But i stand to be corrected
Although the Sprinter chassis-cabs are available in a 5 tonne GVW version (which would require a C1 licence, so I suppose you could call it a “7.5 tonner” for driving licence purposes). Not that the Ocado ones are that big - all single rear wheels I think so 3.5 tonne max. Anyone who reckons a Sprinter of any sort starts out at 7.5 tonne before they start loading it is misinformed (or talking out their arris)
Isn’t there the vario range between the sprinter and atego. I think that’s what the UPS vans are based on.
Sorry, Roymondo beat me to it.
The vario range is now discontinued but the sprinter has a big varient like this 29 seater mini coach absolutly gutless when its loaded cant remember the unladen weight but its well over 4 tonnes
ND888 BIGJ:
The vario range is now discontinued but the sprinter has a big varient like this 29 seater mini coach absolutly gutless when its loaded cant remember the unladen weight but its well over 4 tonnes
And can carry 29 passengers + 1 driver.
When I learnt to drive a bus many years ago, we were told for basic maths, 15 people = 1 tonne. So 30 people = 2 tonnes + ‘well over 4 tonnes’ unladen, possibly plus fuel? But they don’t do a 7.5t 
waynedl:
ND888 BIGJ:
The vario range is now discontinued but the sprinter has a big varient like this 29 seater mini coach absolutly gutless when its loaded cant remember the unladen weight but its well over 4 tonnesAnd can carry 29 passengers + 1 driver.
When I learnt to drive a bus many years ago, we were told for basic maths, 15 people = 1 tonne. So 30 people = 2 tonnes + ‘well over 4 tonnes’ unladen, possibly plus fuel? But they don’t do a 7.5t
I stand corrected the mini coach is a vario 816 chassis so the vario chassis is still made. they have modernised the cab and its similar to the sprinter.
ND888 BIGJ:
waynedl:
ND888 BIGJ:
The vario range is now discontinued but the sprinter has a big varient like this 29 seater mini coach absolutly gutless when its loaded cant remember the unladen weight but its well over 4 tonnesAnd can carry 29 passengers + 1 driver.
When I learnt to drive a bus many years ago, we were told for basic maths, 15 people = 1 tonne. So 30 people = 2 tonnes + ‘well over 4 tonnes’ unladen, possibly plus fuel? But they don’t do a 7.5t
I stand corrected the mini coach is a vario 816 chassis so the vario chassis is still made. they have modernised the cab and its similar to the sprinter.
It still stands though, what I recovered could have been the same as in the photo but with a different body. Looks like a Sprinter but isn’t, which is what I said in the 1st place where I said
waynedl:
The sprinter (by name and cab at least) goes upto 7.5t and above, look at the cash collection ones, they’re 7.5t before they go collecting tons of coins.
Yes possibly would have been the same as the photo and could have been 7.5 tonnes gross but it wouldn’t have been a sprinter gross weight for sprinter chassis is 5 tonnes. So we are both right and wrong