It takes a robust truck to deliver the heavy aggregate materials M E Saunders moves from quarries Cumbrian quarries to customers across Northern England. M E Saunders & Sons’ latest fleet addition, a new 44-tonne (48.5-U.S.-ton) Volvo FM 500 tractor unit is the first of three on order, and offers the performance to reliably haul coal, sand, salt, and stone across long distances, while its drivers enjoy more space than ever before in the new FM Globetrotter cab.
“We did look at some other options, but the FM came out on top because we know they won’t let us down—you can’t afford to have vehicles off the road in this line of work,” says co-owner Rowland Saunders. “The new cab interior of the FM is really impressive, very comfortable, and everything is where it should be—the driver of the first one that we’ve had delivered likes it a lot, with the next two due to arrive very shortly.”
Maximised Payload With Bulk Tippers
M E Saunders & Sons pairs each Volvo FM 500 with a Fruehauf or Wilcox bulk tipper trailer, and each truck will be expected to run between 130,000 to 150,000 kilometres (80,778 to 93,206 miles) per year. All three tractor units are powered by a 500-horsepower (368-kilowatt) Volvo D13K Euro 6 engine that generates 2,500 newton-metres (1,843 pounds-foot) of peak torque. Volvo’s I-Shift 12-speed automated transmission is on board, helping drivers improve fuel efficiency and offering smoother shifting and reduced vibration.
“These new FMs are a big step up on the trucks we are replacing,” says Saunders. “It’s early days, but we’re expecting good fuel figures and the payload matches anything else we have run before.”
The Works
Driver amenities abound in the new Volvo FM 500 tractor units, starting with the FM Globetrotter cab, where Volvo provides drivers with multiple convenient storage spaces. Visibility is another key factor, as Volvo combines raised A pillars with a large windscreen and a low door line to improve sight lines all around. M E Saunders & Sons goes the extra mile, so to speak, by enhancing the FM 500 tractor units with full electronic air conditioning, a 28-litre wall-mounted fridge, and Volvo’s ultra-comfy bunk sleeping compartment.
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Source: Volvo