The Coventry-based business selected the FH with I-Save after recording great fuel economy and driver feedback from a demonstrator supplied by Rory Kelly, Transport Solutions Executive at Volvo Truck and Bus Centre East Anglia.
The new trucks benefit from Volvo’s D13TC Euro-6 Step D engine, rated to 460 hp, with turbo-compounding and updated fuel-efficiency features. This allows them to drive at lower revs and a higher gear for a longer time, contributing to a smoother, quieter and more fuel-efficient journey.
Danny Gould, Transport Manager and a partner at Slam Transport, says: “Our priorities when selecting new trucks are safety, reliability and fuel efficiency, and the Volvo ticked all the boxes. Plus, the FH has proven to be a hugely popular choice with our drivers.
“The majority of our work is moving parcels between Amazon e-fulfilment centres, which means lightweight payloads, but extremely tight deadlines – leaving little room for downtime. Since we put the new FHs into service they haven’t skipped a beat and are averaging 12.6mpg. It’s still early days on fuel, but it’s an impressive start versus our fleet average.”
Each of the new FHs benefit from a Globetrotter sleeper cab featuring a lower fixed bunk with a semi-firm pocket sprung mattress, luxury sleeper control panel, extensive storage options, 33-litre fridge/freezer and both driver and passenger seats finished in stylish black and red trim.
Gould adds: “The support we’ve had from Volvo Trucks at every stage has been superb, right from the initial enquiry through to getting our drivers quickly up to speed with the new I-Save technology. Fuelwatch Manager Andrew Wright has been fantastic, helping our drivers to unlock the full capability of the new trucks and record some impressive fuel scores in a very short space of time.”
Slam Transport is closely monitoring the performance of the new vehicles using Volvo Connect, which combines a host of digital and connected services via one user-friendly portal.
The new fleet has been supplied through Volvo Financial Services and is backed by a Volvo Gold Contract, the manufacturer’s highest tier service contract. This will see all routine maintenance undertaken by Volvo Truck and Bus Centre East Anglia - Coventry, which is located just seven miles from Slam Transport’s base.