Manoeuvrability & Payload Capacity Sells PW Tanking Services On Volvo FM

    Posted On: Wednesday 25 February 2026
    A green Volvo FM 6x2 rigid municipal vacuum truck pulls a tank trailer down a road in a forest.
    PW Tanking Services’ Volvo FM 6x2 rigid has a hydraulically steered tag axle and a VBG drawbar coupling to pull an extra tanker trailer for septic tank cleaning operations. (Photo courtesy of Volvo.)

    PW Tanking Services purchased a Volvo FM 6x2 rigid with a hydraulically steered tag axle and a VBG drawbar coupling to allow it to pull an extra tanker trailer, maximising routes and reducing expenses for its septic tank cleaning operations.

    Derbyshire-based PW Tanking Services was looking to maximise routes to reduce expenses for its septic tank cleaning operations throughout the East Midlands and found the solution in a Volvo FM 6x2 rigid. PW Tanking Services is a family-owned business offering interceptor tank cleaning, septic tank emptying, pond cleaning, domestic sewage treatment plant maintenance, and other tank-related services.

    The FM is expected to cover 80,000 kilometres (49,700 miles) per year, performing private contract work emptying septic tanks and hauling the waste to disposal sites, as well as transporting waste for utility companies.

    “The quality of the Volvo product is very good, and the new truck has certainly hit the ground running,” says Peter Wood, owner of PW Tanking Services. “The waste disposal points in our region are getting gradually further afield, while labour costs are rising, as we all know. This drawbar setup allows us to take as much waste as possible in one journey. With the six-wheeler at the front, it’s quite an adaptable setup, which makes access to the sites we’re working on nice and easy.”

    The Right Truck For The Operation

    PW Tanking Services’ Volvo FM is equipped with rear air suspension, a hydraulically steered tag axle, and a VBG drawbar coupling, which allow it to pull an extra tanker trailer. It is powered by a 460-horsepower (343-kilowatt) D13K Step E engine with 2,300 newton-metres (1,696 pounds-foot) of peak torque, Volvo’s 12-speed I-Shift automated gearbox, and I-See predictive cruise control. A second, trailer-mounted tank augments the truck’s 13,500-litre (3,566-gallon) vacuum tank.

    The FM’s spacious Globetrotter cab has leather seats, a single bunk, and a fridge/freezer under the bunk for operator comfort.

    A green Volvo FM 6x2 rigid municipal vacuum truck pulls a tank trailer across a long bridge.
    “This drawbar setup allows us to take as much waste as possible in one journey,” says Peter Wood, owner of PW Tanking Services. “With the six-wheeler at the front, it’s quite an adaptable setup, which makes access to the sites we’re working on nice and easy.” (Photo courtesy of Volvo.)

    Enhanced Safety

    The FM also has an array of technologies to improve driver safety, including adaptive cruise control, intelligent speed assist to track speed limits using cameras, map data, and GPS, and driver alert support to detect drowsy or inattentive driving. Volvo’s dynamic steering uses the camera to read lane markings and keeps the truck centred in the lane.

    “We’re very happy with the finished product,” says Wood. “We have five trucks on the road now, and three of them are Volvos. I’ve had a lot of experience with the product over the years, driving them on other jobs and know they are reliable, trustworthy trucks.”

    Find Volvo Trucks For Sale

    Explore TruckLocator.ie to find new and used Volvo lorries for sale, including FM tractor units and rigids like the Volvo FM460.

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