Sittingbourne-based JBS Haulage Contractors has added a new Volvo FH 540 Globetrotter XL 6×2 tractor unit to its growing fleet to help the business keep up with increasing customer demand.
The general haulage firm runs trucks from several different manufacturers but opted for Volvo for its latest addition due to the driving performance of the FH, plus good product availability. Supplied by Jack Nutley, Truck Sales Executive at MC Truck & Bus, the FH is already making a strong impression.
Jason Whent, Director at JBS Haulage Contractors, says: “I’ve been doing this job for about 30 odd years now and I’ve always been a big Volvo fan. It was the first truck I had when I started as an owner driver. We have several Volvos currently on the fleet and they never let us down. It’s a good truck, the drivers all like them and it’s no different with this latest FH.
“We tend to change about 10 trucks annually and over the last couple of years it’s been a real challenge to get the vehicles we need – we are absolutely flat-out – so lead time and availability has played a major factor in our purchasing decisions. Jack and the team at MC Truck & Bus did a good job to meet our needs this time.”
Built on a 4,100mm wheelbase, the new FH is powered by a D13K, Euro-6, Step D diesel engine producing 540 hp and a maximum torque figure of 2,600Nm. Driving performance is delivered through Volvo’s popular automated 12-speed I-Shift gearbox, which is combined with Volvo’s I-See predictive cruise control system to yield additional sustainability benefits and operational efficiency via active speed management and perfectly timed gearshifts.
Its spacious Globetrotter XL cab is kitted out with all the creature comforts required for life on the road. Specified with a Drive+ package, the features include an adjustable steering wheel with neck tilt, electric air conditioning with a carbon filter and sun, mist and air quality sensors, tinted glass roof hatch, dual armrests and leather upholstery.
The interior also benefits from a one bed Living+ package, complete with a reclining bunk with a premium 50mm mattress topper and a luxury sleeper control panel. Also onboard is 245 litres of rear cab upper storage, a 33-litre under bunk mounted fridge and a microwave. Volvo’s Media package with navigation provides a complete onboard infotainment experience including DAB radio and a dynamic 12-inch high-resolution instrument cluster with an accompanying secondary colour information display.
“The Volvo I-Shift gearbox is the best on the market by far and it is certainly a very comfy truck to drive,” adds Whent. “We’ve had no complaints from the driver, that’s for sure!”
The exterior is decked out in JBS Haulage Contractors’ striking blue livery, with Alcoa Dura-Bright aluminium wheel rims adding a glossy touch.
Expected to clock up in the region of 100-120,000km per year, the FH Globetrotter XL will be used for general haulage work, predominantly delivering and collecting materials such as plastic guttering and fascia boards to builders’ merchants across the UK.
Established in 1995, JBS Haulage Contractors currently operates a fleet of more than 50 trucks working out of its headquarters in Sittingbourne, Kent, plus a secondary depot in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.