Trucks
Equipped to pull a tandem-axle drawbar trailer, the FH comes with a lifting rear axle on its 5,200mm wheelbase and air suspension on all three axles to aid loading and unloading, as well as protect precious cargo on the move. The truck also benefits from Volvo’s Dual-Clutch I-Shift gearbox that uses sports car technology to enable seamless gear changing.
Supplied by Adam Barnard, Transport Solutions Executive at Truck and Bus Wales and West, the FH is powered by Volvo’s latest Euro-6, Step D, 13-litre diesel engine delivering 500 hp and 2,500 Nm of torque. It joins three other Volvos on Cotswold Carriers’ fleet of five heavy trucks.
“I was always going to go back to Volvo for this latest order because we’ve been very happy with the quality of product and service we received in the past,” says Dean Cooper, Managing Director at Cotswold Carriers. “The support from Volvo’s dealer network is second to none; they are just brilliant. It’s got to be the whole package for us, I like my trucks to look nice but the reliability from the Volvos has always been fantastic as well. You can send them all over Europe with full confidence they’ll get the job done safely, and on time.
“The gearbox on this new truck is a real game-changer too. The first one we had with the I-Shift automatic gearbox was about 10 years ago now, and the driver loved it. But this latest model has the Dual Clutch I-Shift, which has just taken it up a notch, it’s so smooth.”
Supplied on a five-year contract through Volvo Financial Services, the FH is covered by Volvo’s Gold Contract repair and maintenance agreement, guaranteeing the best possible uptime.
The spacious box body was built by SBR Specialist Coachbuilders and allows Cotswold Carriers to fill the truck with multiple loads on removals runs across the UK and into Europe. The Globetrotter XL sleeper cab benefits from Volvo’s Two Bed Resting and Drive+ Packages, perfect for the company’s staff who can be away on the road for long spells.
“A lot of the work will be local removals around the Cotswolds area, but we also do big trips into France, Switzerland and beyond,” says Cooper. “So, having such a big spec of vehicle allows us to fill up the truck during these longer trips. The drivers love the Globetrotter XL cab as well. You can have two guys living in it for up to 10 days at a time when they’re on a long run, but there’s plenty of room.”
Expected to do roughly 80,000km per year, the FH is replacing an older truck from a rival manufacturer on the company’s fleet.
Established in 1978, by Dean’s father Bill, Cotswold Carriers is a family-run removal and storage business based in Chipping Norton, in Oxfordshire.
Martin Tomlinson
Head of Media, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland
Tel: +44 7775 938063
Email: martin.tomlinson@volvo.com
Volvo Trucks supplies complete transport solutions for discerning professional customers with its full range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Customer support is provided via a global network of dealers with 2,200 service points in about 130 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 12 countries across the globe. In 2023 approximately 145,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. Volvo Trucks’ work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care.