ASB Transport Limited, an aggregate and asphalt hauler based in Nuneaton, recently added two new Volvo FM tipper trucks to its 20-vehicle fleet, which includes 18 Volvos. Both 8x4 tippers feature D11K Euro 6 engines that produce 460 horsepower (343 kilowatts) and 2,220 newton-metres of torque, 12-speed I-Shift automated gearboxes with construction software, and sleeper cabs with 5,100-millimetre wheelbases. They will work seven days a week for an expected four years and cover 120,000 kilometres each year.
The company was considering trucks from two other marques, but chose to stick with Volvo in the end in part because ASB has a great relationship with dealer Volvo Truck and Bus Centre East Anglia, and partly because owner John Singh favours them.
“I’ve always been a big Volvo product man,” Singh says. “In my eyes, it’s superior to anything else on the market. The performance with the automated I-Shift gearbox is fantastic, and the resale value of the vehicle is considerably higher.”
Driver Incentives
ASB Transport has been collaborating with Fuelwatch Manager Andrew Wright from its local dealership to put a driver incentive program in place that takes advantage of the company’s three-year Volvo Dynafleet fleet management subscription. The goal is to monitor vehicle and operator performance to ensure they are getting the best possible fuel efficiency while maintaining compliance. The trucks are also covered by five-year Volvo Blue Contracts.
“The work we do on driver training with Andrew is really valuable,” says Singh. “We want to get the absolute maximum from every truck we operate and Dynafleet helps us to do that. Andrew is great, he’s always available to talk to, very knowledgeable, and offers us sound advice to best interpret the data and information we receive.”
More 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 N-m of torque. There is also a version of the FM that runs on LNG (liquefied natural gas), which puts off fewer emissions while producing between 420 and 460 hp (313 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 trucks, customisable through the addition of a wide range of available software packages tailored to distribution, construction, long-haul trucking, and heavy-duty transport applications. Other technologies on this range include adaptive cruise control, lane-changing support, lane-keeping assist, electronic stability control, collision warning with emergency brake, distance alert, and more.
Find The Right Volvo
You will find hundreds of new and used Volvo trucks for sale on Truck Locator, including a large selection of FMs, as well as FHs, FLs, and FMXs.