Volvo Roadtalk Autumn

ROADTALKAutumn 2006 Volvo Trucks Magazine

OUTSTANDING VOLVO FH16 FUEL EFFICIENCY

SHIFT INTO GEARTHE NEW MORE POWERFUL I-SHIFT

EXCLUSIVENEW EXTENDED CAB

LAUNCH

13 LITRES!THE NEW VOLVO FH AND VOLVO FM

AUTUMN 2006

CONTENTS

2

NEWS3 New Volvo FH and Volvo FM

report for duty

4 Four percent fuel improvement and seven days more on the road every year

6 Volvo’s new generation gets thumbs up from the transport media

7 Company chief declares another recordyear for Volvo Trucks

7 Prestigious award goes to Volvo

8 Customers welcome the new generationVolvo Trucks

9 Volvo stars at Trucks in Action

10 Volvo launches extended Globetrotter XL Cab

11 Four new dealerships for Volvo Trucks

12 Volvo Trucks are ideal for new 26 metre B-Double legislation

SNAPSHOT10 Marrs moves Queensland

OPERATOR PROFILES12 Crossing Borders

14 Volvo Fuel Miser

VOLVO ACTION SERVICE16 Volvo Action Service now on call

across the country

COMMUNITY & ENVIRONMENT16 Australia welcomes the Volvo Ocean Race

to Melbourne

SAFETY18 Safety the key to new Volvo cab

19 Safety check first - save time later

VOLVO RANGE20 Volvo Range

IN THIS ISSUE VOLVO TALK

2006 is set to be an exciting year

for Volvo Trucks in Australia as we

launch new products that will facilitate

significant improvements to our customers

profitability and competitiveness.

Let’s face it that is an exciting prospect

for any road transport operator.

In this issue of Roadtalk we will highlight the new Volvo FH and

Volvo FM equipped with the new 13-litre engine and automated

I-Shift gearbox rated for 70 tonne GCM. The Volvo FH520 is a

520 hp-machine offering the performance of a larger engine while

delivering operating costs you’d expect in a much smaller truck.

More important is what these new trucks can do for your

business. In many cases our new 13-litre with I-Shift will offer

a four percent fuel improvement. In demanding B-double

operation, a four percent fuel saving per year would mean that

an operator could justify paying up to $24,000 more for a safer,

more fuel efficient and economical prime mover such as the

new Volvo FH and Volvo FM.

The new Volvo FH and Volvo FM offer greater uptime thanks

to longer service intervals and less need for preventive

maintenance. These benefits along with many more advantages

will be covered in this issue of Roadtalk.

We have always believed in providing the best possible comfort

and safety for drivers and as a natural consequence we now offer

a unique cab variant developed by our engineers in Australia in

collaboration with our cab factory in northern Sweden.

The Globetrotter XL cab has been extended by 245 mm

facilitating an excellent sleeping compartment while still being

26 metre B-double compliant.

It just goes to prove that with a Volvo truck you can combine

passion with a healthy business.

Enjoy the reading.

Anton FreieslebenSenior Vice President

Volvo Trucks

A Year of Excitement!

“We have always believed in providing

the best possible comfortand safety for drivers”

NEW VOLVO FH AND VOLVO FM REPORT FOR DUTY

NEWS

3

New generation Volvo FH and Volvo FM models

featuring higher performance, increased efficiency

and better comfort have arrived in Australia.

The fourth generation Volvo FH and Volvo FM modelsrepresent a quantum leap in terms of technology, fueleconomy, safety, environmental compatibility as well asproductivity and are the cleanest and most economicaltrucks ever launched by Volvo Trucks.

Volvo Trucks’ Senior Vice-President, Mr. AntonFreiesleben says the new Volvo FH and Volvo FMrepresent Volvo’s commitment to delivering the industry’sbest technology, productivity and performance.

“Many of the Volvo FH and Volvo FM changes will not beapparent on the surface but drivers and operators willnotice significant improvements in driveability, comfort,ease of operation and efficiency,” said Mr. Freiesleben.

The new trucks are powered by an all new 13-litreengine, capable of being configured to meet and exceedboth Euro 4 as well as the stringent Euro 5 standard,which doesn’t come into affect until 2010.

While boasting lower exhaust emissions, the all-new 13-litre engine delivers more power and better driveabilityas well as strong fuel economy.

The new Volvo FH and Volvo FM models represent aninvestment by Volvo Trucks of more than $AUD 480 million.

The new engine features overhead camshaft and fourvalve technology and is the first Volvo engine to utiliseClosed Crankcase Ventilation (CCV), which furtherreduces vehicle emissions and pollution.

Along with an all-new engine, the new trucks also feature the next generation of Volvo’s I-Shift intelligenttransmission, which is smaller, lighter and stronger.

The cabs of the new Volvo FH and Volvo FM models have been further refined to create a more comfortableand safer working environment.

The cabin boasts an improved driver’s seat with a morecomfortable sitting position and better lateral support.

External rear view mirrors have been re-designed forincreased visibility and field of vision.

New easier to read instruments have been used whilethere is also increased storage space and better internallighting to help reduce fatigue and improve driver comfort.

A major safety innovation is the new parking brake alertsystem, which emits a unique audio alert and flashingsymbol on the dash if the parking brake is not activated,reducing the risk of the truck rolling away if the driverfails to engage the brake.

Sleeping accommodation has also been improved with a more comfortable mattress.

BETTER REAR-VIEW MIRRORSRear-view mirrors with larger field of

vision, with better curvature to improveclose-quarter vision. Makes it easier to see pedestrians standing close to

the cab, thus improving safety.

CAB NEWSBrighter light in all the reading lamps.

New light sources in both the front and rearcabinets. More switches, DIN slots. New front shelf and the option of an

additional switch panel. Integrated phone in FH (optional in FM).

NEW COLOURSTwo new interior colours, light

sand-yellow (FH) and blue (FM).

ENGINE: D13APower output up to 250bhp. Displacement 12.8 litres. Engine torque up to 2500 Nm. Power take-off 650 Nm. Weight 115kg.

Quieter idling. Oil-change intervals. The enginehas been test-driven about 2.8 million km.

I-SHIFT PERFORMANCEGross combination weight 130 tonnes.

Can handle 2500 Nm. 12 forward gears plus 4 reverse gears. The new generation of I-Shift is stronger, shorter, lighter, quieter and more

economical than its predecessor was. Maintains the same high quality standard and is as reliable. New control unit and software to suit different applications.

BETTER COMFORTNew bed with high-quality

coil-sprung mattressfeaturing pocket springs.More comfortable seat -

softer seat cushion and more body-huggingshape for better support for the back and sides.

Ventilation in the backrestas an option.

NEW DESIGNGlobetrotter sign in

an attractive new design,with a globe inserted

under the name. This is a truck with attitude.

NEWS

4

FOUR PERCENT FUEL IMPROVEMENT AND SEVEN DAYS MORE ON THE ROAD EVERY YEAR TWO FACTORS WHICH CAN IMPROVE YOUR BOTTOM LINE BY 60 PERCENTBecause trucks are really production machines the key

point for any transport company must be: How is this

investment going to affect my bottom line?

Volvo Trucks has developed a business case study based

on a demanding B-double Sydney-Melbourne express line

haul operation hauling a 62.5 tonne GCM and completing

one trip per day.

In order to illustrate the improvements in the new Volvo FH,

we have compared the previous Volvo FH12 500

with manual gearbox and the new 13-litre Volvo FH520

equipped with automated I-Shift gearbox.

There will always be variations due to the unique nature

of road transport operations however all operators will

enjoy the fuel improvements and the increased uptime.

Four percent fuel efficiency improvement

Why has the fuel economy improved and how much can

you expect?

The trucks have many technical innovations starting with

the new 13-litre engine.

The new powerplant features an increase in the diesel

injection pressure from 1800 to 2000 bar for extreme

atomisation as well as a higher peak combustion pressure

delivering a more complete fuel burn.

The D13 engine has been further optimised for Volvo’s low

rev. strategy with a 100-rpm reduction in the top end of its

economic speed. The engine’s massive torque of 2500 Nm

enables the truck to stay in top gear longer and operate at

lower revs with less gear changes. This also makes it

possible to specify the taller 3.09 rear axle ratio while

maintaining good hill climbing ability.

The new Volvo developed I-Shift delivers the best possible

match between engine and transmission. The computer

controlling the new I-Shift has three times more memory

and five times more processing power than the previous

standard setting I-Shift.

The I-Shift’s fuel optimised shifting program features an

Eco-roll function putting it into neutral when the engine

is not pulling utilising the kinetic energy of the vehicle.

This alone can deliver a one percent fuel saving, while

idling losses have been reduced by 0.3 Kw.

Most importantly, the gearbox never gets tired. While an

extremely skilled driver may keep up with the I-Shift –

they won’t be able to for long. Optimising shifts hour after

hour, day after day is no longer a task best achieved by

humans, particularly when every small mistake or delay in

shifting will increase fuel consumption.

With all this technical innovation

we completed a number of

practical fuel tests indicating

the likely improvement with

the Volvo FH520 I-Shift. In a

B-double tanker application the

result saw the D13 deliver 11

percent better fuel economy

against two other makes with

different vendor engines.

In triple road train operation the new Volvo D13 delivers

a four percent fuel economy improvement against the

previous Volvo D12 500 hp.

From these tests we feel comfortable claiming a likely four

percent reduction in fuel consumption and this is the

figure we have used in our Transport Economy Calculation.

Seven more days on the road thanks to lubricationfree chassis and longer oil change intervals

The new 13 litre models have been designed to spend

less time off the road and more time on it.

In-house Volvodevelopment of key

components likeengine and gearbox

secure the perfectdriveline match.

5

NEWS

The previous Volvo FH12 model required chassislubrication every 15,000 km and an engine oil changeevery 30,000km. On the other hand the new Volvos nolonger require chassis lubrication and only need engine oil changed every 45,000km.

This means that while the time required for preventivemaintenance on the Volvo FH12 in a 275,000 km/yearB-double operation was 102 hours per annum, the newVolvo trucks in the same scenario now only require 42hours preventive maintenance each year.

Assuming an efficient work day of eight hours this reductionin maintenance time allows the new D13 to be on the roadgenerating income an extra seven days per year.

Icing on the cake: 300 kg reduced tare weight

Weight reductions in the new generation Volvo FH andVolvo FM models amount to around 300kg comparedwith the older Volvo FH12s and this means operators cancarry an extra 300 kg payload or carry more fuel stayingwithin legal weight limits. In every case the tare weightreduction facilitates a better bottom line.

Transport Economy Calculation indicates aprofitability boost of up to 77 percent

Figure 1 shows the base figures used in our TransportEconomy Calculation for the Volvo FH12 500 hpreference vehicle. Comparing the previous Volvo FH12500 hp manual box with the new Volvo FH520 13 litrewith I-Shift we have depreciated both vehicles down tozero over five years. The Volvo FH12 500 referencevehicle is delivering a 5.3 percent profit margincorresponding to an annual profit of $22,342.

The new purchase price of the Volvo FH520 will increasethe investment by 3-5 percent depending on thespecification while a slight increase in insurance, will eatinto profit by approximately $2,284 per year.

On the other side of the ledger, the Volvo FH520’s four

percent improvement in fuel efficiency will increase the

profit by $5,790, while seven days less downtime will

deliver another $9,968.

The end result is a massive 60 percent boost to the

bottom line with the new Volvo FH520 compared with

the Volvo FH12. While the Volvo FH12 would deliver a

$22,342 (5.3 percent margin) profit the Volvo FH520

would deliver an increase in profit to $35,815

(8.2 percent margin).

If the 300 kg tare weight reduction is utilised for carrying

more payload, the profit would further increase to

$39,645 (nine percent margin) representing a huge 77

percent increase compared to the Volvo FH12 500

reference vehicle (Figure 2).

As an additional bonus the new Volvo FH520 I-Shift

would reach Melbourne 16 minutes before the Volvo

FH12 500 thanks to improved engine and gearbox

performance.

Our goal with the new Volvo FM and Volvo FH was to

supply our customers with a truck that could make their

transport operation more profitable. We believe we’ve

achieved this target.

Input used in Transport Economy Calculation:

Volvo FH12 500 hp B-double reference vehicle (including trailers): 275,420 km/year

Cost (per year)

Capital cost (7.5%/5 yrs) $94,059

Insurance $19,478

Annual registration $6,118

Service & Repair $22,049

Tyres $24,242

Fuel (1.79 km/l) $153,866

Driver wages $82,626

Total Cost $402,439

Revenue (per year)$1.59/km @ 97% utilisation $424,780

Profit $22,342 = 5.3%

(Figure 1)

Bottom line improvement with new Volvo FH520 I-Shift vs FH12 500 reference vehicle:

Volvo FH12 500 New Volvo FH520 New Volvo FH520 New Volvo FH520 New Volvo FH520

Reference 3%+ chassis …and +4% …and 7 days …and 300 kg

price increase fuel efficiency more uptime more payload

(1.86 km/l) (= +6,580 km/yr)

Bottom line Profit $22,342 $20,057 $25,848 $35,815 $39,645

Bottom line profit 5.3% 4.7% 6.1% 8.2% 9.0%

margin in %

Profit margin - -10.2% +16% +60% +77%

improvement/boost

Wollongong

Nowra

Goulburn

BatemansBay

Cooma

MountHotham

CannRiver

Bairnsdale

Seymour

Bendigo

Echuca

Griffith Young

Wagga Wagga

AlburyWangaratta

Ronulla

VIC

ACTCANBERRA

SYDNEY

MELBOURNE

(Figure 2)

Transport writers are some of the toughest critics when

it comes to new models, but after the press launch of

the new Volvo FH and Volvo FM across some testing

on-highway conditions, the Australian and New Zealand

trucking press came away impressed.

The 400 kilometre test route from Brisbane down the

Cunningham Highway to Warwick and return via Toowoomba

and the Warrego Highway contains two of the best known

hills in Australia – the climb up Cunningham’s Gap

westbound and the descent down the Toowoomba Range

on the return leg.

Steve Brooks, editor of

Diesel Magazine, was

full of praise for the

new D13A engine as

the replacement for

the long-serving D12D.

“The four 13 litre ratings offer substantial performance

gains over the 12 litre models and really give Volvo some

tremendous new possibilities, strengthened even further

by the more refined I-Shift automated transmission,”

said Brooks.

Brooks took the Volvo FH 520 Globetrotter B-double

combination over Cunningham’s Gap. “In full auto mode

the combination dropped back to fifth gear around

1700rpm while on the second eight-percent grade in

manual mode the Volvo FH 520 with less than 1000

kilometres under its belt showed an impressive capacity to

hold sixth gear at around 1300rpm, maintaining that gear

all the way to the top.”

New Zealand Truck & Driver editor, Wayne Munro, was quick

to proffer his impressions of the new Volvo truck range.

“Safety features coupled with power and performance give

the driver a real sense of stability,” Wayne says. “A truck

driver needs to feel in complete control of a vehicle at all

times and the Volvo models did that in all conditions,”

Monroe said.

ATN editor Tim Giles was similarly impressed with the

engine and transmission combination.

“The 13-litre engine definitely fills a need in the heavy truck

sector for Volvo Trucks. The available horsepower ratings

combined with the new I-Shift transmission will find plenty

of favour with drivers in all applications,” Tim says.

Truckin’ Life and Truck Australia editor Jim Gibson put the

vehicles through their paces in both auto and manual

mode and found the new I-Shift to be impressive.

“With 2500Nm of torque, the 13-litre pulled the 62 tonne

B-double quietly and without protest over the toughest

climbs. When the revs drop and maximum torque takes

hold on its flat torque curve the tacho needle drops off

slightly, then digs in tenaciously on the steep climbs,”

Gibson says.

Graham Smith, writer for the Herald Sun Working Wheels

section, was impressed with the comfort of the new Volvo

FH and Volvo FM trucks on the test drive.

“I was amazed at how comfortable the trucks were to

begin with. They are like a home away from home and

offer drivers features and comfort levels only car drivers

were offered until now,” Graham said.

Power Torque managing editor Chris Mullet commented on

driver benefits offered by the new engine and transmission.

“After two days driving the three models, we came away

very impressed. The shift quality of the new I-Shift really

gets the best from the new engine to the benefit of the

driver,” he says.

Transport Today technical editor, Barry Hatfield, says what

struck him most was how the new Volvos will suit drivers

of all experience.

“There is no doubt the driver

stands to be a major beneficiary

of Volvo’s new FH and Volvo

FM models.

After putting three engine

power ratings, new I-Shift

transmission capabilities and

enhanced braking software

to the test on steep climbs

and descents the press has

delivered its verdict.

(L to R) Volvo FM 440. Steve Brooks, Editor Diesel Magazine.

Transport writers and the Volvo FH 520 at Press launch

VOLVO’S NEW GENERATION GETS THUMBSUP FROM THE TRANSPORT MEDIA

NEWS

6

I was amazed at howcomfortable the trucks

were to begin with

Volvo Commercial Vehicles Australia (VCVA) was

recently awarded the prestigious 2005 Swedish

Business in Australia Award for Long Term Success,

Large Business.

His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf together with Her

Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden presented the award

at a Royal reception at the Sydney Opera House and it

was accepted on behalf of VCVA by Anton Freiesleben,

Senior Vice President Volvo Trucks.

On announcing the

motivation for the award,

Swedish Australian

Chamber of Commerce

President, Mr Lars

Sandahl Sorensen said

that Volvo Commercial

Vehicles Australia has

shown a strong performance on the Australian

market and employs 1350 people Australia-wide with

a turnover of $720 million.

“The first Volvo truck was imported into Australia in 1967,

and presently Volvo Trucks holds the number two position

among heavy duty truck manufacturers in Australia” said

Mr Sandahl Sorensen.

“Volvo is very proud of its Swedish heritage and a strong

supporter of Swedish industry and culture in Australia.

Each year the company promotes Swedish culture to its

customers by taking them on trips to Sweden to visit the

Volvo Trucks’ factories and to experience the Swedish way

of life,” he added.

“We are very pleased to give this award to a company that

is so strongly interconnected with the image of Sweden,

and that proudly promotes their core values of safety,

quality and environmental care,” he concluded.

PRESTIGIOUS AWARD GOES TO VOLVO

To paraphrase a famous American singer,

it’s been a very good year.

That is certainly the message

that President and CEO of Volvo

Truck Corporation, Staffan

Jufors had when he visited

Australia recently for the launch

of the new Volvo FH and Volvo

FM models as well attending the

Melbourne Stopover of the Volvo

Ocean Race.

During a briefing with Australia’s

leading transport writers,

Mr Jufors revealed 2005

was another record year for

Volvo Trucks with the company

delivering a total of 103,696 trucks globally,

an increase of seven percent on 2004.

North America was the engine room of the growth

according to Mr Jufors with strong demand for

heavy trucks in the USA and Canada.

It was the highest number of deliveries ever

recorded in the history of the company in a year

which also saw the company’s sales in both South

America and Asia (including Australia) increase by

two percent, comprising 7,723 (7,580) and 17,678

(17,328) vehicles respectively.

Mr Jufors underlined Volvo Trucks’ commitment to

a global strategy delivering total transport solutions

- not just trucks but an enhanced range of trucks as

well as aftersales and customer service.

“Our long term strategy is also to develop products

to suit local demand so that they are targeted to the

particular needs of markets,” said Mr Jufors.

“A good example is the extended Globetrotter XL cab

in Australia and our new American flagship, the Volvo

VT880, on the North American market,” he added.

He was pleased to report that both journalists and

customers in Europe have been very positive to the

new 13-litre engine with customers in particular

responding strongly to the new engines.

“Our customers have been very happy with the

smoother driving and the fact that Volvo is a reliable

partner,” said Mr Jufors.

“They also tell us that they are extremely satisfied

with Volvo trucks and that the I-Shift is a really

useful innovation,” he said.

COMPANY CHIEF DECLARESANOTHER RECORD YEAR FORVOLVO TRUCKS

7

President and CEO of Volvo TruckCorporation, Staffan Jufors

NEWS

Volvo is veryproud of its

Swedish heritage

(L to R) His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and Anton Freiesleben

Melbourne was certainly the

centre of the universe when it

came to Volvo in February.

Not only was the Volvo Ocean Race

fleet in town for its three week

Australian stopover but Volvo Trucks

also held its customer launch for the

new generation Volvo FH and Volvo

FM in the Victorian capital.

The impressive new Volvo FH and

Volvo FM models had already captured

the hearts of the nation’s transport

press (see separate story) and the gala

customer launch would prove to be

similarly inspiring.

The launch was staged at the fascinating and

architecturally interesting Melbourne Museum on

Saturday 4th February where more than 270 guests

gathered to celebrate the arrival of the new trucks.

Guests of honour including Staffan Jufors, the President

and CEO of Volvo Truck Corporation and Claes Svedberg,

President Volvo Trucks International Division and Swedish

Ambassador in Australia Karin Ehnbom-Palmquist joined

Volvo Trucks’ customers and dealers from around

Australia and New Zealand, along with the new CEO of

the ATA, Mr Stuart St Clair.

On display at the museum for the glittering night were

the new Volvo FH520, Volvo FH480 and Volvo FM440.

With Volvo Ocean Race yachts in town the evening would

not have been complete without some tales from the high

seas and professional yachtsman and VOR competitor,

Magnus Olsson had the audience enthralled relating

stories of life on board the ocean flyers during an

interview like discussion with Peter Hertinge, President

and CEO Volvo Commercial Vehicles Australia.

In what was a fabulous night of great food, conversation,

entertainment and dancing the new generation Volvo

trucks were given a glittering welcome to Australia.

CUSTOMERSWELCOME THENEW GENERATIONVOLVO TRUCKS

8

NEWS

The impressive new Volvo FH and Volvo FM

models had alreadycaptured the hearts of thenation’s transport press

Anton Freiesleben, Senior Vice President Volvo Trucks welcoming guests to the dinner

Guests enjoying the festivities of the evening

The Biennial Trucks in Action is always one of the

highlights on the truck industry calendar and the 2006

expo staged as it always is at Lardner Park near

Warragul in Victoria’s Gippsland proved no different.

The only dynamic truck show in Australia, Trucks in Action

was this year staged from February 16 to 18 and allowed

customers to try the new machinery on a self contained

test course as well as viewing the many displays around

the rolling farmland of Lardner Park.

Volvo Trucks was there in force with the highlight being

the public debut of the new Volvo FH and Volvo FM

models as well as the unveiling of the new extended

Globetrotter XL cab. (See separate story)

The new Volvo FH and Volvo FM, which have just been

launched in Australia, were shown to the public for the

first time at Trucks in Action attracting enormous

attention across the three-day expo.

The all new 13-litre engine now featured in the Volvo FH

and Volvo FM, which is capable of being configured to

meet and exceed both Euro 4 as well as the stringent

Euro 5, aroused plenty of interest amongst customers

keen to find out more on the new generation “clean

engines” ahead of the introduction of new emission rules

here in 2007 and 2010 respectively.

While boasting lower exhaust emissions, the all-new

13-litre engine delivers more power and better driveability

as well as strong fuel economy.

Along with an all-new engine, the new trucks also

featured the smaller, lighter and stronger new generation

Volvo I-Shift intelligent transmission.

A special Volvo Ocean Race edition of the flagship Volvo

FH 16 Globetrotter was another major part of the Volvo

Trucks display at Warragul.

The Volvo FH 16’s powerful driveline offers low running

costs and high driving comfort.

The versatile and practical Volvo FM9 8x4 was also

featured on the Volvo display at Trucks in Action.

The Volvo FM9 8x4 twin steer has found strong favour,

particularly with market gardening and produce transport

as a result of its 11-tonne front axle rating, five tonnes

greater than a conventional single front axle

configuration.

The Volvo FM9 8x4 featured at Trucks in Action was

powered by a 380hp engine mated to a 12-speed I-Shift

transmission with air bag suspension on the rear axles

with a single day cab, and was configured as a cab

chassis truck.

Another attraction was a display of superb restored

vintage Volvo trucks, courtesy of Melbourne and

Gippsland Volvo dealer CMV Truck and Bus Pty Ltd.

The fully restored vintage Volvo trucks included a 1980

Volvo F12, a 1974 Volvo G88 and a 1973 Volvo F86, the

trucks that established Volvo’s reputation for reliability,

safety and performance in Australia and around the world.

The Volvo G88 was purchased new from CMV in

Adelaide in 1974 by the Electricity Trust of South

Australia and stayed with the organisation for 20 years

before CMV purchased and restored the truck in 1994.

Australian National railways owned and operated the

Volvo F86 for 16 years before it was bought back by

CMV and restored as part of its vintage collection.

The Volvo F12 is the newest of the vintage trucks on

display working as a line haul prime mover with Fletchers

in South Australia, for 18 years before being purchased

by CMV in 1998 for restoration and display at the

Birdwood National Motor Museum in the Adelaide Hills.

This year’s Trucks in Action marked the first Warragul

event for new local Volvo Trucks dealer, CMV Truck and

Bus - Gippsland, which took over from long time dealer

South Eastern Trucks in December 2005. Always an

important show for the CMV Group, the new dealer made

Trucks in Action even more significant for the

organisation this year.

Over the three days of this year’s Trucks in Action, more

than 40,000 people poured through the gates marking

another highly successful Warragul event.

9

NEWS

VOLVO STARS AT TRUCKS IN ACTION

Volvo FH 520

Volvo G88, Volvo F12 and Volvo F86

10

Volvo has launched a new locally developed extended

cab version of its renowned Globetrotter offering

better comfort and ergonomics as well as ensuring

a safer environment for the driver.

The new extended cab features a wider 945 mm sleeper

bunk without compromising space in the driving cab,

answering the increasing occupational health and

safety demands.

The new extended cab was a joint development between

Volvo Truck Corporation and Volvo Trucks in Australia with

the Australian engineering team working with their

Swedish counterparts during an eight month program

to bring the new cab to production.

According to Volvo Trucks National Manager Product

Strategy, Mr Ken Cowell, occupational health and safety

requirements over the last three to four years along with

the growth in the long haul segment and driver shortages

have driven the demand for a larger sleeping environment

to ensure improved rest periods for drivers.

“There is also a trend towards two up driving in long haul

interstate operations which in itself has driven the need for

a larger cabin as the sleeping environment needs to be

more removed from the driving environment to create an

isolated rest area,” said Mr Cowell.

“Clearly the demand for this type of cab has been from

single trailer and B-double operators who have overall

length constraints so we were limited to increasing the

cab by approximately 300mm,” he added.

“Our engineers worked tirelessly turning the project from

a clean sheet of paper to a prototype in just eight months.

It really is a credit to them and the flexibility of our

organisation,” said Mr Cowell.

As well as the 945 mm bunk

the extended cab also features

a larger locker storage area,

using a modular design

enabling the existing locker

doors and locks to be utilised.

The new extended cab is only 120kgs heavier than

the standard length cab and yet boasts a 23 percent

increase in overall cabin volume.

“While it might appear on the surface to

be an easy engineering task, lengthening a

cabin presents a lot of hidden challenges

including ensuring that the safety and

integrity of the new structure meets Volvo’s

demanding standards,” said Mr Cowell.

The new cab has been subjected to

computer simulated tests to verify that

it meets Volvo’s existing cab strength

requirements and to ensure it provides

the appropriate levels of safety and

structural integrity.

NEWS

VOLVO LAUNCHES EXTENDED GLOBETROTTER XL CAB

We are looking for your best shot for our next issue. If we use your photo, we will send you a gift from our merchandise range. Send your photo with some information about it

and where it was taken, together with your name, address and phone number to: SNAPSHOT – Volvo Trucks, Locked Bag 10, Chullora NSW 2190.

SNAPSHOT

Here is a photo sent in by Phillip Stanbridge, of Marrs

Furniture Removals, which is of their 3 Volvo FM9’s

and 2 Volvo FM12’s at their depot in Nambour, QLD.

The Volvo FM12’s were bought solely for hauling

B-Doubles and Roadtrains and Volvo FM9’s haul

120m3 trailers for dry freight.

The trucks run all over QLD including the Northern

and Western towns.

MARRS MOVES QUEENSLAND

Our engineers worked tirelessly

While offering a bigger

sleeping area and driving

environment the new

extended cab does not

compromise access to the

engine and driveline

providing a full cabin tilt

angle of 68 degrees. It is

tilted via twin rams with an

electric cab tilt pump.

Added driver comfort comes from new side vents in the

cabin for better air flow in the sleeper, while the truck can

be specified with either one bunk or two.

The sleeper utilises the same new, more comfortable but

245mm wider pocket spring type mattress developed for

the recently released Volvo FH and Volvo FM.

This new Globetrotter XL cab is available for the Volvo FH

range in both the 6x4 and 8x4 configurations. Production

start for the new extended cab is mid April 2006.

11

NEWS

Four new dealerships have been announced by

Volvo Trucks bringing enhanced new and used

truck sales, parts and service into New South Wales,

Victoria and Queensland.

Volvo Commercial Vehicles – Coffs Harbourbecame the new Volvo Trucks dealer in August 2005taking advantage of an opportunity to consolidate with theMack operation and build the Volvo Parts and Servicebusiness in the area.

In November 2005, CMV – one of Australia’s largestautomotive groups and presently Volvo Trucks’ dealer inMelbourne and Adelaide – took over the Volvo Trucksfranchise for Gippsland from South Eastern Trucks. The newdealership is called CMV Truck and Bus - Gippsland.

Queensland Truck Centre (QTC) has been appointedas the new Volvo Trucks parts and service dealership inToowoomba, complimenting QTC’s well established Mackparts and service dealership in the Darling Downs city.Volvo Truck & Bus Brisbane will station a specialist VolvoTrucks sales consultant in Toowoomba to handle Volvotruck sales.

Volvo Commercial Vehicles - Rockhampton, hastaken over responsibility for Volvo Truck sales, service andparts for the Rockhampton, Gympie and Bundaberg areas.

Visit www.volvotrucks.com.au for full details of all newand existing Volvo Trucks dealerships.

FOUR NEW DEALERSHIPS FOR VOLVO TRUCKS

New Volvo FH Globetrotter XL Cab

Inside the extended cab - showing increased space

12

An extract and images from a story first published in Powertorque Magazine

When Danny Matic landed in Perth he left behind a

country torn by war where reason was no longer part

of the equation of daily life. He arrived on a Saturday

morning, started work the following Monday and has

been hard at it ever since.

In the past twelve years, Danny has moved from truck driver to truck fleet owner and he’s done it through hard,consistent work and a commitment to providing the very toplevel of customer service. Today he runs his fleet of Volvoroad trains under contract to Brambles Industrial Servicesand there’s only one way to go and that is forwards.

After starting as a truck driver with Brambles, Danny tookthe plunge to head into his own business once he had theconfidence to know what level of service to provide andhow to continually improve on that level. “My wife Katia andI took a big risk when we sold our house to buy our firsttruck. Every decision is made by the two of us,’ he added.

Matic Transport owns and operates seven late model

Volvos with a new flagship, the 610hp Volvo FH16

Globetrotter delivered in late 2005. Being based in Perth,

these are not just ordinary Volvo 6x4 prime movers. These

are something special.

Some of the fleet are 6x4 Volvo FH models used for single

trailer work but when you get to the tough stuff like hauling

three pressure bulk tankers of lime or cement on a round

trip of 4500km you want muscle. That muscle comes in the

form of 550hp or 610 hp Volvo FH16s in 8x4 or 8x6

configuration.

The fleet is 100 per cent Volvo and that is for the very

good reason that the local dealer Max Winkless Volvo

thinks about customer service along the same lines as

Danny Matic.

“We receive excellent service from Volvo. The service

department runs from 07.00am until midnight weekdays

and 07.00am until 05.00pm on weekends. My trucks come

back from a run and can use the express service lane at

the dealership without having to drop trailers. If we are

CROSSING BORDERS

VOLVO TRUCKS ARE IDEALFOR NEW 26 METRE B-DOUBLE LEGISLATION

OPERATOR PROFILES

Volvo is well prepared for the recent introduction of

26 metre B-double legislation to Australian roads

with the range of Volvo FH and Volvo FM prime

movers already able to take advantage of the rules

maximising advantages for operators and are available

for delivery now.

As required by the new legislation, all Volvo cabs comply

with the ECER 29 Cab Strength Test and have Front

Underrun Protection (FUP) as standard. Volvo’s FUPS can

be further enhanced by adding Volvo Trucks’ Australian

designed “Wild Bar”.

According to Volvo Trucks’ National Manager Product

Strategy, Ken Cowell the new regulations will bring better

efficiency for transport operators.

“It is a logical step for B-doubles in this country and we

have worked closely with the National Transport

Commission (NTC) to ensure safety and efficiency for

transport operators and all road users,” said Mr Cowell.

This Wild Bar has a four point anchoring system, is strong,

easy to install and weighs only 57kgs. Operators who have

longed for Volvo’s comfort, safety and productivity can be

assured that the Volvo FH and Volvo FM range are able to

meet the challenge of the 26 metre B-double role.

Australia’s Transport Ministers unanimously approved the

legislation for 26 metre B-doubles and NTC chief

executive Tony Wilson welcomed the new legislation.

“Guidelines for approving cab strength and FUP system

standards were developed by the NTC in cooperation with

truck manufacturers,” said Mr Wilson

“This reform has been a genuine collaborative effort

between industry and government. I think it shows the way

for a successful outcome to the mutual benefit of all

parties,” he added.

NEWS

Volvo FH 520 with Wild Bar

OPERATOR PROFILES

13

short of time the service department will put more service

guys on the job to get it finished faster. They always seem

to have the right parts and we are not left waiting for

something they can’t supply,’ said Danny.

When you see a Matic Transport Volvo truck heading

through Perth or on its way out to the mines at Telfer you

can be sure of one thing. It will be immaculately presented

and so will the driver.

“In Europe truck driving is a well respected profession,” said

Danny. “We need to always show our best efforts to the

public and our customers. That means clean, well

maintained trucks and smart looking drivers. Everyone

wears the right shirt and clothes with the company logo.”

With Max Winkless Volvo handling all the Matic Transport

maintenance requirements the dealership also keeps all the

service history records for the seven vehicles in the fleet.

Oil drain and grease requirements tend to be organised on

a fuel burn time span rather than a conventional kilometre

base. Oil sampling and a full ECU download is completed

each six months with greasing at 10,000 litre fuel burn

periods (approximately15,000km) and oil drain intervals

at 20,000 litres (approximately 30,000km).

“The Volvo FH16 550 runs at 130 tonnes hauling three

trailers and is returning fuel consumption figures of 1.3

km/l. That’s now better than the 500hp Volvo FH12 and

shows that the bigger motor brings better economies.

They don’t really start to loosen up and return their best

fuel economy until they’ve passed the 180,000-200,000km

period,” said Danny.

With the latest Volvo

FH16s using Volvo’s

610hp engine, peak power

is produced at 1600-1700

rpm with peak torque of

2800Nm rated at 1100-

1500rpm. It’s an overhead

camshaft design with four

valves per cylinder and

centrally located, vertical unit injectors. The transmission is

Volvo’s synchromesh 12speed and the third axle is fitted

on the production line at Volvo’s Wacol factory. All axles

feature disc brakes with the front running on parabolic

leaf springs and the rear bogie drive with lazy third axle

running on air suspension. The cabin is fitted with Volvo’s

full front under-run protection system (FUPS) as standard.

In a typical 12 month period each of the road trains

completes around 380,000km. Now with 825,000km

completed in two years, the engine top up between oil drain

intervals for the Volvo with the 550hp engine is still less

than four litres.

We receiveexcellent service

from Volvo

Volvo FH 16 610

Danny Matic

An extract and images from Truckin’ Life Magazine’srecent visit to major Victorian Fleet operator GTSFreight in Mildura

When you round the corner into GTS Freight

Management’s street and see regimented rows of red

and white B-double trailers and shiny prime movers

parked in the yard, you realise this is not an ordinary

transport outfit, but a very professional operation.

Our impression of GTS intensifies when its

immaculately groomed managing director, Damien

Matthews, greets us with a firm handshake.

You can tell a lot from a person’s handshake and dress

code. GTS, the largest transport operator in Mildura,

employs 170 staff (120 of these are drivers), has 115

B-double sets (it only runs B-doubles) and 86 prime

movers. Unlike a lot of other operators, GTS has no trouble

finding drivers – the average age of drivers is the mid 40s.

The trailer sets are equally spread between Freighter

and Vawdrey. The prime mover armada consists of three

North American brands, plus a Volvo segment of 15

hybrid Volvo FH Cummins powered, nine Volvo FH12

500hp, three Volvo FH16 610hp and only recently two

Volvo FH16 550hp models, making a total of 29 Volvos

or 34 per cent of the fleet.

GTS was one of the first customers to own one of the

new Volvo FH16 610hp Globetrotters. We reviewed

the new model Volvo FH16 at its launch in our

September ’04 edition and our comment at the time was,

“Can Volvo’s new Viking warrior really threaten the hairy-

chested Yanks in the multi trailer arena?” Our impression

of Volvo’s sweet 16 when we drove it at that time was

outstanding – in fact, it is arguably the best of the

European prime movers.

One of the most important questions to ask any truck

operator these days, be it a fleet or owner-driver is –

how’s the fuel economy?

VOLVO FUEL MISER

14

OPERATOR PROFILES

Damien Matthews’ reply is, “One of the Volvo 610hp

models returns 1.88km/litre and that’s by far the best

fuel economy figure we get from any of our linehaul

prime movers.” We then ask about the Volvo’s competitor

engines fuel economy. He replies that the B-double fleet

average is 1.7km/litre.

The GTS monthly fuel bill is $900,000 and with the Volvo

squeezing almost 12 per cent more kilometres per litre of

diesel used than the fleet average, you’d reckon GTS

would have to think seriously about adding more of these

fuel misers to the fleet.

Driver Impressions

We ask Volvo FH 610 driver Glen Wilson who has been

driving one of the Volvos for four months, clocking up

over 100,000km in that time, what he thinks of the truck.

The first question was how did he like the Volvo and

because he had previously driven North American prime

movers, would he prefer to go back to one of them?

Wilson says, “I love the Volvo and definitely no, I never

want to drive a North American truck again.”

He says you have to adjust your driving style to get the best

performance from the truck. “You don’t drive it by ear and at

high engine revs like you do in a North American truck.

“It’s best to operate the Volvo engine below 1500rpm and

make progressive early gearshifts.

“The cab is quiet and very comfortable – I really feel less

fatigued at the end of a days driving.”

What about the rough patches of bitumen on the Newell

Highway south of the Queensland border?

His jesting answer: “I thought they’d fixed all of them.”

Power and Economy

The Volvo 16-litre engine has two-piece, iron and

aluminium oil-spray pistons. It breathes through four valves

per-cylinder operated by an overhead camshaft, gear-

driven from the rear of the

engine, improving air- flow

cooling, in-cab noise levels

and reducing front axle tare

weight. It is turbocharged/

intercooled and offered in

two horsepower ratings –

550 (405kW) and 610

(449kW) developed at

1600/1700rpm – with corresponding torque

figures of 2500Nm and 2800Nm constant

from a low 950rpm to 1500rpm. The power is

well distributed with only a 100rpm gap (1500

– 1600rpm) from maximum torque to

maximum horsepower.

The camshaft lobes are uniquely profiled

to operate the Volvo Engine Brake (VEB)

and when combined with the exhaust brake available

at 2200rpm, retards the truck at 515hp (380kW).

At the 1500rpm cruise speed it offers a rein-pull of 335

horses (250kW).

The Fleet

Damien Matthews

has his finger on the

pulse with costs to

the last cent on

running the business.

The fleet has been

operating on a full GPS MT Data tracking system for

12 months now, and he says there’s no way he would

ever operate without it again.

The fleet livery is a clean red and white design – the

trailers have alloy wheels, as do the prime movers, with

the addition of chrome hubcaps. Matthews says it’s hard

to keep up with washing the fleet by hand, but with its

new multi-million dollar, 10- acre terminal now being built

on the Benetook Road’s B-double town bypass, it will

have a drive-through wash bay facility. It will also have a

six-bay B-double workshop and storage sheds.

The existing terminal will remain as an undercover dry

storage yard and trailer parking area. The fleet travels

1.37 million kilometres each month and its prime movers

are replaced every four years.

The letters GTS come from Gol Gol Transport Service.

Gol Gol is the town near Mildura where the company

started. Damien says today it means (with tongue in

cheek) Great Transport Service.

We say because of their connection with the wine

industry it should mean Grape Transport Service.

Whichever, there is no doubt that GTS Freight

Management is a very successful transport company, built

from humble beginnings 30-odd years ago and carried

into the future with the aid of a family prodigy.

15

OPERATOR PROFILES

One of the Volvo610hp models

returns 1.88km/litre

Damien Matthews

Volvo truck owners in Australia are now

able to fully access the world’s best road side

assistance program for trucks – Volvo Action

Service (VAS).

VAS has been trialled in Australia over the past few years

and is now freely available to all Volvo truck owners.

The key to the effectiveness of VAS is the fact that unlike

other road side assistance programs, it is owned, operated

and controlled by Volvo Trucks. Most other assistance

programs are supplied by outside contractors, however

Volvo has made the decision to run its own program to

ensure that any problems encountered by Volvo truck

owners and operators can be sorted with the highest

priority and efficiency.

Kurt Grossrieder, Volvo Trucks National Customer Support

Manager, has been the architect of VAS here in Australia

and says it is a totally seamless system designed to get the

truck moving again.

“Any truck can get stranded by the road side, the key is

to get the truck back on the road as soon as possible.

“Too many times with road side assistance services the

driver calls the number, asks for help and once it is out of

the hands of the call centre, it can often take hours or days

before the problem is fixed and the truck is on its way

again,” said Grossrieder.

“With VAS we have a call centre staffed by trained

technicians who can analyse the problem and implement

a strategy to get the truck moving again.

“A Volvo Trucks’ service technician will be dispatched from

the closest dealer and will arrive fully prepared with all

necessary tools and parts to get the truck under way

again,” Kurt added.

The call centre has a follow up mechanism in place and

doesn’t close off on a case until it knows the truck is fixed

and back on the road.

VAS customers also have the assurance that any repairs

are carried out by trained Volvo technicians using only

Volvo Genuine Parts.

All new Volvo trucks enjoy a complimentary 36 month

membership of VAS from the date of delivery which can

be extended for a membership fee at the end of that time.

All Volvo trucks on Gold or Silver service contracts also

receive free membership while owners of older Volvo trucks

or any brand of truck can also join Volvo Action Service for

an annual membership fee.

VOLVO ACTION SERVICENOW ON CALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Melbourne proved to be the perfect host for the Australian

stop over of the Volvo Round the World Ocean Race with the

city’s redeveloped docklands providing a welcome respite to

the wild weather and fast run across the Southern Ocean

from South Africa.

Sports mad Melbournians turned out in record numbers to

not only welcome the ocean racing fleet but to take part in

the myriad of activities dockside in the race stop over village

at Docklands.

The drama the event……

AUSTRALIA WELCOMES THE VOLVOOCEAN RACE TO MELBOURNE

16

COMMUNITY & ENVIRONMENT

VAS in action

ABN AMRO One along side after the in port race on 4 February

The thrill of the Blow Karts

VOLVO ACTION SERVICE

The current race started in Vigo in Spain in early

November 2005 and after covering more than 31,000

nautical miles is scheduled to finish in June this year at

Volvo’s hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden.

The Volvo Ocean Race’s slogan “Technology around the

World” really sums up Volvo Trucks and its rationale for

being a part of the epic ocean-racing classic.

The race first started in 1973 and is generally run every four

years. This year it is being contested by new boats known

as Volvo 70s. These seventy foot high technology ocean

racers have set new ocean racing records in the current

event with their combination of speed and light weight

While thousands of

Melbournians turned out to

see the yachts, Volvo Trucks’

customers were also able to

witness the excitement.

The VOR also hosted an

impressive display

showcasing every aspect of Volvo’s operations including

Volvo Trucks, Volvo Car, Volvo Bus, Volvo Construction

Equipment, Volvo Aero and Volvo Penta.

The exhibition in Melbourne was one of two complete

displays travelling the world with the VOR leapfrogging

between the major stopovers. While the Melbourne display

was packed and shipped on to the USA, the equipment

from the Capetown, South Africa stopover was shipped on

to Rio de Janeiro for the next major layover.

The Melbourne Stop Over of the VOR took place from

January 17 to February12 and despite the plethora of

other entertainment being offered in Melbourne around

this time including the Australian Open tennis, one-day

cricket Internationals

and the lead into the

Commonwealth

Games the yachts

proved a strong

drawcard throughout

the time in port.

More than 335,000

people visited the

Waterfront City precinct

at Docklands during the

three-week stopover,

with leading skipper

Mike Sanderson

declaring it the

blueprint for future

stopovers.

“If you love sports and

great events then you

will love the city of

Melbourne,” said ABN

AMRO One’s skipper,

New Zealander Mike Sanderson, while his boat sported

a giant banner reading “You have been memorable

Melbourne. Thanks” as it sailed away from the docks.

Volvo Ocean Race Chief Executive Officer Glenn

Bourke rated the three-week Melbourne Stopover as

“the best-ever stopover of the Volvo

Ocean Race”.

Almost a thousand spectator boats

took advantage of perfect conditions

on Port Phillip Bay to watch the rest

of the race while thousands more

people lined the Melbourne and

Mornington Peninsula foreshores to

cheer on the teams.

The yachts were hauled out of the

water into cradles where they

underwent repairs and refurbishment

ahead of the next leg to Wellington in

New Zealand and on to Rio De

Janiero in Brasil. The Melbourne VOR

“pits” allowed members of the public

and VIPs alike to see the feverish

work being carried out on these

Formula Ones of the ocean.

After their warm reception in

Melbourne, the VOR competitors

were all too quickly heading out into

the blue water en route to

Wellington for a 24-hour pit stop

before the always feared rounding

of Cape Horn on the way to Rio in

the battle for the next leg.

COMMUNITY & ENVIRONMENT

17

You have beenmemorable

Melbourne. Thanks.

Crowds gather on the dock for the start of leg 3 from Melbourne to Wellington

Melbourne school children enjoying the Volvo Trucks display at the VOR Village

The Melbourne Wine & Food Festival is under way in the Race Village

New Volvo FH split cab at the Volvo Trucks product display at the VOR Village

SAFETY

18

Better safety and a more comfortable and lessstressful environment were the main design criteria for Larry Karlsson and his team who developed thenew Volvo FH and Volvo FM cabs.

“The aim of the in-cab changes was to improve safety,”

said Larry Karlsson.

The truck is the driver’s home on the road and that

thought guided Karlsson and the project team during

the development.

Their goal was always that the driver should be at his

peak when at work - refreshed, alert and enthusiastic.

With a new coil-spring mattress, an improved seat with

better side support, pastel colours, and subdued interior

lighting you may be forgiven for thinking the new truck

was being built for an entirely new target group. According

to Karlsson this is not the case at all.

“No, a real bed has long been on the wish-list of many

drivers, and we’ve made their dream a reality,” he said.

“Almost all the improvements in the cab have been made

to improve safety, a more comfortable bed or seat, for

instance, is often about much more than just pure comfort.”

“They improve the driver’s working environment and

makes them even better and more efficient drivers,”

explains Karlsson.

The development team was assisted by field testers –

drivers who volunteer to test the seats for several weeks

in their own trucks.

“The test drivers have to fill in a log and answer various

questions, but we are also naturally out on the roads testing

the various alternatives for ourselves,” said Karlsson.

Another new feature is

the interior red night-

light that the driver can

switch on when driving

at night. The red glow

does not interfere with

night vision, yet still

provides sufficient light

for the driver to be able to see inside the cab. It makes

for a great deal less stress in the cab at night.

New rear-view mirrors offer a larger field of vision with

carefully calculated angles so that close-quarter visibility

has also been improved,” Karlsson added.

One tiny new item illustrates that even the small things

come into play when designing a better safer driving

environment – the penholder!

“After testing an array of types and materials we finally

came up with a penholder that works. An item as small

as a pen holder can jeopardise safety if it doesn’t work

properly,” he added.

SAFETY THE KEY TO NEW VOLVO CAB

Facts: Improvements in the new cabs

The aim of the in-cabchanges was toimprove safety

• Brighter light in the reading lamps.

• New light sources in boththe front and rear cabinets.

• More switches, DIN slots.

• New front shelf and theoption of an additionalswitch panel.

• Integrated phone in FH(optional in FM).

SAFETY

19

When it comes to operating a heavy vehicle that saying is brought into sharp focus according to Volvo Trucksdriver trainer Per Hansen.

“You could say that a gram of protection is worth a kilo of cure to borrow another old saying,” said Per.

Safety checks should be second nature to all truck drivers and be a part of a regular ritual beforecommencing any journey.

“All fluids including coolant, oil, washer fluid, power steering,brake fluid and any other vital reservoirs should be checkedmaking sure that they are within limits,” says Per.

“Once this is done, start the engine, check all gauges, turn on all lights and while the truck is building up air,other external checks can be conducted,” he adds.

External Checks include:

• hydraulic, electrical and pneumatic connections to the trailer,

• air hoses and brake lines,

• ABS connections,

• vehicle lights and lenses,

• tyres for inflation as well as condition of tyres andwheels including tread depth, wheel nuts, sidewalldamage and rocks between dual tyres,

• load security ensuringthat everything is tieddown properly and thatit won’t become looseon the road.

“The external checksshould take no morethan 5 minutes and bythis time the truck should have builtup air and ready to go,” said Per.

“Before moving off the driver should also do someplanning in the cab. A trip plan should be preparedtargeting meal and rest breaks. These can be flexible tocater for any unforseen delays but will act as a guide forthe journey ahead,” he added.

He also emphasised the importance of making sure all ofthe things a driver needs such as the wallet, sunglasses,change for tolls, etc, are located within easy reach.

“The last check before moving off is to ensure that all thebrakes including the trailer brakes are operating properly.”

“All these checks will ensure that the driver enjoys asmoother and less stressful journey and will reap thebenefits of preparation,” he added. As always, buckle up,headlights on and happy motoring.

SAFETY CHECK FIRST – SAVE TIME LATERThere’s an old adage that if you fail to prepare you’ll be preparing to fail.

VOLVO RANGE

VOLVO FH 16 550 & 610 HPIntelligent Power

If you’re aiming for the stars, you need the power to getthere. The engine in the new Volvo FH16 is tailor-made for the job.

With up to 610 bhp and an impressive torque across the entire speed range, the Volvo D16C is one of the most cutting-edge engines on the market today.

VOLVO FM 300, 340 & 380HP

The Volvo FM with its 9 litre engine, is a compact truck which has been developed for a range of local and regionaltransport applications putting emphasis on productivity, safety and driver comfort.

The Volvo FM provides greater scope for tailoring your truck exactly to suit its operation. It can be delivered in a range of models designed in detail to be ready for bodybuilding or factory-ready for work from day one.

Metro and Regional

VOLVO FM 400,440 & 480HP

The Volvo FM has a new 13 litre engine and is designed tooffer customers reduced transportation costs and on-timedeliveries through low running costs, maximum uptime and anoutstanding driver’s environment.

In the Volvo FM, the entire cab from floor to roof is designedaround the driver’s work-related needs, to make his job easier,safer and more efficient - both while driving and at rest.

Productive and EconomicalVOLVO FH 480 & 520 HPIdeal for a B-Double

The Volvo FH series is renowned for maximumperformance and efficiency and the new Volvo FH series is no exception.

The new D13A engine gives you access to exceptionallyhigh performance even from low revs, and response andacceleration characteristics are in a class of their own. This coupled with the new I-Shift, reduced fuelconsumption and high driver efficiency, make the newVolvo FH the ideal transport solution.

VOLVO TRUCKS. DRIVING PROGESS

www.volvotrucks.com.auGeneral Enquiries 1800 986 586

STATE DEALERSHIP CITY TELEPHONE

NEW SOUTH WALES Volvo Commercial Vehicles - Albury Albury (02) 6024 8000

Johnson’s Truck & Coach Services Buronga/Mildura (03) 5021 2346

Volvo Commercial Vehicles - Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour (02) 6652 2453

Hi Torque Truck Spares Dubbo (02) 6882 9922

James Frizelle’s Automotive Group Lismore (02) 6627 8499

Trucksmart Newcastle (02) 4987 4888

Southern Trucks Pambula Pambula (02) 6495 6614

Southern Trucks Centre Queanbeyan (02) 6299 6433

Volvo Truck & Bus Sydney (Chullora) (02) 9036 8400

J T Fossey Sales Tamworth (02) 6762 2555

Wagga Motors Wagga Wagga (02) 6925 3411

Volvo Commercial Vehicles - Wollongong Wollongong (02) 4272 9755

NORTHERN TERRITORY Volvo Commercial Vehicles - Darwin Darwin - Berrimah (08) 8999 9200

QUEENSLAND Volvo Truck & Bus Brisbane Brisbane (Richlands) (07) 3710 3710

Cairns Trucks & Tractors Cairns (07) 4044 4440

Crokers Truck Centre Mackay (07) 4952 4952

Isa Diesel & Earthmoving Repairs Mount Isa (07) 4743 5233

Volvo Commercial Vehicles - Rockhampton Rockhampton (07) 4927 4700

Queensland Truck Centre Toowoomba (07) 4630 1977

Volvo Commercial Vehicles - Townsville Townsville - Bohle (07) 4774 5452

Transport Field Service Warwick (07) 4661 3228

SOUTH AUSTRALIA CMV Voltruck Adelaide (Gepps Cross) 1800 627 718

TASMANIA CJD Equipment Hobart (03) 6272 6851

CJD Equipment Launceston (Prospect Vale) (03) 6343 2100

VICTORIA Kirchner Trucks Horsham (03) 5382 6110

CMV Truck & Bus Melbourne (Laverton) (03) 9931 6000

CMV Truck & Bus Melbourne (Springvale) (03) 9582 6500

CMV Truck & Bus - Gippsland Warragul (03) 5623 4433

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Max Winkless Bunbury (08) 9791 3555

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Max Winkless Perth (Kewdale) (08) 9352 5252

Max Winkless Perth (Spearwood) (08) 9434 5022

Volvo Trucks

IP74

91