“It has proved totally reliable and very good on fuel, too,” says John Mackirdy, managing director. The truck is returning over 8.6mpg on challenging island terrain, he says, adding that it is more economical than its predecessor.
Supplied by Volvo Truck and Bus Centre North & Scotland, the 5.6m wheelbase 8x4 FM is powered by a 404bhp D11K engine driving through an I-Shift gearbox, which Mackirdy describes as “a revelation”.
“I picked the truck up from bodybuilders Muldoon Transport Systems in Dungannon, County Tyrone, and then drove it home empty. During that run I was perhaps a little nonplussed about the gearbox, until I drove the FM fully loaded. Then the I-Shift’s performance was exceptional and I was amazed at how well set up the system is,” he recalls.
The all-round steel suspension FM chassis is fitted with a four-compartment tipping body, by Muldoon Transport Systems, and is equipped with bulk blowing equipment for animal feed deliveries.
The FM rigid has a payload of 18 tonnes and has a Globetrotter cab and One Bed Resting package. The truck will be serviced at the dealer’s Glasgow West site, while its six-weekly inspections will be carried out in-house.
The FM is expected to remain in service for ten years.