Somerset, UK: Temperature-controlled operator Peter Green Chilled has taken delivery of two new Volvo FH tractors and good fuel returns have prompted an order for three more. The order represents a break with the past as they are the first Volvo trucks to join the fleet in almost 25 years.
Supplied by the local Truck and Bus Wales & West dealer, the first vehicles were acquired as the result of “positive stories about fuel consumption” and a “particularly attractive offer”, according to a spokesman for the company. Specified with a 13-litre diesel rated at 500hp and the two-pedal I-Shift automated gearbox, the three-axle tractors have Globetrotter cabs and Volvo’s Dynafleet telematics system.
The Peter Green Chilled fleet includes several marques including the Renault Premium that employs a Volvo-derived driveline. According to Peter Green Chilled driver-trainer Derek Chant, the Premiums were generally well accepted and returned good fuel figures, so the company decided to “go a step further and evaluate the Volvo”.
“It’s probably fair to say that the Volvo has established a great reputation for comfort and safety over the years so expectations were high,” says Chant. “I have to say that the feed-back from the drivers has been extremely positive so far,” he adds.
“The Dynafleet system even allows us to monitor occasions when drivers are using the Performance Mode unnecessarily as well as identifying excessive idling time. This type of information enables us to improve driver performance and maximise fuel efficiency,” says Derek.
Peter Green Chilled expects the Volvo tractor units to cover about 160,000km annually. With more than 60 vehicles in the fleet, any improvement over the benchmarked fuel figures is extremely welcome, says Chant.
Peter Green Chilled offers chilled and frozen logistics service from its two sites in Somerset where it has 15,000-pallet multi-temperature warehousing. In 2009 the company started chilled and frozen groupage services to Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Eire, France and Spain through a partner network.
