Transport and distribution company John Mackirdy Ltd of Rothesay, Isle of Bute, recently added a new Volvo FM truck to its fleet. The 8x4 rigid features a Globetrotter Cab with One Bed Resting package, a 410-horsepower (306-kilowatt) D11K engine, and an I-Shift transmission. The truck also features a tipping body with four compartments from Muldoon Transport Systems and has a maximum payload capacity of 18 tonnes, which will serve the vehicle well in delivering animal feed.
John Mackirdy has been a longtime Volvo customer and purchased its first truck from the marquee, an F86 4x2 tractor unit, back in 1974. The company also still has a 7.5-tonne Volvo FLC in its fleet that has been in operation for 20 years and currently handles local deliveries.
An Efficient & Exceptional Performer
“Our latest Volvo FM rigid went into service last October. It has proved totally reliable and very good on fuel too. The FM is returning over 8.6mpg on challenging island roads, carrying out farm deliveries. The new truck is proving more economical than the previous vehicle,” says John Mackirdy, managing director of John Mackirdy Ltd. “The I-Shift gearbox has been a revelation. I picked the truck up from bodybuilders Muldoon Transport Systems in Dungannon, County Tyrone, and then drove it home empty. During that run, I was perhaps a little nonplussed about the gearbox, until I drove the FM fully loaded. Then the I-Shift’s performance was exceptional and I was amazed at how well set-up the system is.”
Volvo FM Details
Volvo FM trucks are available with standard day, sleeper, and low sleeper cabs or with Globetrotter or Globetrotter LXL cabs. There are three Euro 6 engine options, including the D11K, D13K, and G13C, ranging from 330 to 500 HP (246 to 373 kW) and producing between 1,600 and 2,500 newton-metres (1,180 and 1,844 pounds-foot) of torque. There is also a version of the FM that runs on liquefied natural gas, which generates fewer emissions while producing between 420 and 460 HP (313.2 and 343 kW) and between 2,100 and 2,300 N-m (1,550 and 1,696 lbf-ft) of torque.
I-Shift transmissions come standard on all Volvo FM models, but a wide range of available software packages are available, tailored to distribution, construction, long-haul trucking, and heavy-duty transport applications. Other technologies on this range include adaptive cruise control, lane-changing support, electronic stability program, and driver alert support.
You will find a large selection of new and used Volvo trucks for sale every day on TruckLocator, including a number of FM tipper trucks.