RAC celebrates more than 30 years of roadside assistance with DAFaid
The RAC is celebrating the 50thanniversary and a 32-year contract with the commercial vehicle industry’s benchmark roadside assistance programme, DAFaid.
While DAFaid has existed as a scheme since 1974, it has partnered with the RAC since 1992, making DAFaid the RAC’s longest-standing business roadside customer.
Since the partnership began, the RAC has built a bespoke 24/7 control centre operation for the DAF customer network. Last year, the control centre handled over 113,000 calls for assistance, up 5.6% on 2022.*
The DAFaid Control Centre also supports DAF’s European roadside assistance service, International Truck Service (ITS), assisting more than 1,100 DAF customers whilst operating within the UK.
To mark the scheme’s 50thanniversary, the DAFaid team at the RAC’s Walsall HQ played ‘guess the part’ of a DAFAid truck and received a tour of two models: a specialist RAC DAF LF Tilt Slide Recovery Truck, and a New Generation DAF XG 450. DAFaid also provided DAFaid colleagues with hospitality tickets for the Silverstone Classics Festival.
RAC DAF operations manager Sharon Simmonds, who has worked on the DAFaid contract since 1992, said: “It’s been a huge honour to be part of the DAFaid team since its early days at the RAC HQ at Walsall, before which it operated above a fish and chip shop in Leeds! Together we have recovered thousands of customers around the clock, from companies such as Sainsbury’s and DHL to independent truck drivers working for themselves. From getting a sleeping rhinoceros moving before it woke up, to delivering vaccines during COVID-19, we have a shared ethos to deliver the best outcome for customers which means getting them back on the road quickly and safely.”
Andy Mudie, DAFaid and aftersales systems manager at DAF Trucks, said: “DAFaid is a crucial part of the DAF aftersales support provided to our customers, keeping their trucks and trailers moving, and key to helping DAF maintain almost 30 years of UK market leadership. DAFaid relies on over 500 technicians to deliver roadside assistance, although the dedication of the team at the DAFaid control centre, which is provided by the RAC, is no less important – fielding calls and providing updates for drivers, customers and technicians with each and every callout. With the RAC very much at the heart of the programme, DAFaid today is recognised as the UK truck industry’s benchmark roadside assistance service.”
