Derbyshire-based PW Tanking Services has taken delivery of a unique Volvo FM 6×2 drawbar rigid, specified to maximise manoeuvrability and payload capacity for its septic tank cleaning operations across the East Midlands.
Equipped with rear air suspension and a hydraulically steered tag axle, the truck features a factory-fit VBG drawbar coupling allowing it to pull an additional tanker trailer.
The FM rigid was supplied by Paul McNicholas, customer solutions manager at Thomas Hardie Commercials, and has already made a strong early impression within the growing fleet.
Owner Peter Wood said: “The quality of the Volvo product is very good and the new truck has certainly hit the ground running. We worked closely with the team at Thomas Hardie to make sure the spec was exactly what we needed.
“The waste disposal points in our region are getting gradually further afield, while labour costs are rising, as we all know. This drawbar set up allows us to take as much waste as possible in one journey. With the six-wheeler at the front, it’s quite an adaptable set-up, which makes access to the sites we’re working on nice and easy.”
The new FM is powered by a D13K Step E engine producing 460 hp and peak torque of 2,300 Nm.
This is paired with Volvo’s 12-speed I-Shift automated gearbox and I-See predictive cruise control, designed to improve efficiency through optimised gearshifts and active speed management.
A 13,500-litre vacuum tank from VJ Engineering is mounted on the rigid, while the SDC trailer carries a similar installation, enabling the business to maximise capacity on each journey from its Peak District base.
Wood added: “We’re very happy with the finished product. We have five trucks on the road now and three of them are Volvos. I’ve had a lot of experience with the product over the years, driving them on other jobs and know they are reliable, trustworthy trucks.”
The truck is fitted with a Globetrotter cab featuring leather seats, a single bunk and underbunk fridge freezer.
Finished in the firm’s Emerald Green livery and fitted with Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels, the FM is expected to cover around 80,000 km per year on private contract work, emptying septic tanks across the Midlands and supporting commercial waste operations for utility companies.
