“You don’t need to swing out so much when cornering, so this truck is definitely safer for cyclists and other vulnerable road users,” enthuses owner Simon Irwin, pointing out that this is an N3 on-road spec vehicle.
“Another safety feature is the mirrors... The all-round visibility is second-to-none,” he says, adding that the new truck also has a Brigade four-camera system with nearside sensors.
Sean McGrae, senior manager for national transport at Tarmac, agrees: “The Tridem configuration offers our customers and Tarmac real flexibility alongside a design which supports our broader approach to road-user safety.”
“When tipping into the hopper, the rear wheels and air suspension are in locked mode, so butting-up to the paving machine is no different than a traditional 8x4 tipper,” continues Irwin.
And he adds that the paver’s push roller connects to the rear wheels and pushes the truck along in the usual way.
“There have been no issues at all when tipping into the paver, and, when the PTO is engaged, the air system automatically locks, with air in the bags, to offer total stability for tipping,” he explains.
Simon Irwin’s Volvo FH Tridem has been mounted with a Wilcox Wilcolite insulated aluminium body equipped with Edbro tipping gear and a cab-operated Dawbarn ‘Wraptor-2’ side-to-side sheeting system.