Palletised freight carrier TDW Distribution recently placed a great deal of emphasis on fuel efficiency and reliability when it specified two new Volvo FE 280 6x2 rigid trucks. The trucks’ Euro 6-compliant D8K E engines rated for 280 horsepower (209 kilowatts) and up to 1,050 newton-metres (774 pounds-foot) of torque are complemented by Volvo I-Shift automated gearboxes that TDW Distribution upgraded with a Distribution and Construction I-Shift software package to further enhance fuel efficiency. The company also opted for an adjustable roof air deflector and cab side deflectors to lower fuel consumption while reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
“For the first two to three years, we do ask a lot of our trucks in terms of their mileage,” says Andrew Williams, TDW Distribution managing director. “When we invest in a new truck, we need to know that it is both efficient on fuel, but that it can also clock-up those hard miles without issues. Time and time again, our Volvos have proven they are up to the task.”
Even More Volvos
Based in Bridgend, TDW Distribution provides next-day delivery service anywhere in the UK, as well as service across mainland Europe and beyond. As part of a three-year contract with Rockwool, a producer of insulation products for the construction industry, TDW is using its new FEs to deliver goods into central London. Supplied by local dealer Truck & Bus Wales & West, the FEs join the 15 new Volvo FH 460 6x2 tractor units acquired by TDW Distribution this year for various general haulage tasks. Williams expects to get at least six years’ usage from all 17 trucks, which joined a fleet that already had 90 trucks and 150 trailers.
“We work our trucks hard, but no matter the distance they cover during their time on the fleet, you can practically guarantee there will be interest from the secondhand market when you decide it is time to replace them. And the residual values are always strong,” says Williams.
Safe Driving
Each of TDW’s FEs is outfitted with a sleeper cab, a curtainside body, and a Moffett truck-mounted forklift. The firm’s recent Volvo purchases also benefit from a host of safety and driver assistance features, including a lower passenger door window and forward collision warning, advanced emergency brake, and lane departure warning systems. Additional cameras and side-scan-proximity sensors, meanwhile, improve drivers’ visibility around the trucks.
Volvo FE and FH trucks are available with Volvo’s I-Shift transmission. The FE is designed for city delivery, regional distribution, refuse collection, and construction jobs and offers four cab options and diesel, electric, or compressed natural gas (CNG) powertrains. Power options for the FE’s D8K diesel engines range from 250 to 350 HP (186 to 261 kilowatts).
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Source: Volvo