Supplied by dealer Watts Truck & Van, the Newport-based operator’s new additions both have Super Space Cabs, 480bhp Paccar MX-13 engines and 12-speed Traxon automated gearboxes.
The order was placed after positive experience with a ’15 plate XF and, says Paul Hurley, co-owner of the family-run firm, the new XFs are already delivering: “We are certainly seeing early signs of the sort of fuel economy promised by DAF at the launch of this New XF.”
Compared to the older XF, he adds, “the New XFs are certainly showing noticeable gains already, so that’s a nice bonus for us.
“I would expect those gains to improve further as the units bed in, and certainly don’t think DAF’s claimed 7% is out of reach.”
Dealer support was key to the decision, says Hurley: “We are growing steadily and need the fleet maintained at times when it suits our business, so evening and weekend maintenance and inspections really ticked a box for us.”
The vehicles are supplied with two-year DAF MultiSupport R&M packages.
Freight Movement has its own workshops and services some of its own smaller pallet-work rigids, as well as its whole trailer fleet. “Compliance and safety are at the front of everything we do here,” adds Hurley, “and so we use both FTA and FORS checks as our primary auditing tools. They give us the solid benchmarking we need for fleet vehicles, our service facilities and overall management of the operation.”