Ross Garrett take first Volvos for 20 years

Somerset-based haulage company takes delivery of three Euro-6 compliant FH 6 x 2 tractor units

WEST Country operators Ross Garrett have taken delivery of the first Volvo trucks to enter service with the family-owned company for 20 years. The three high-spec, Euro-6 compliant, Volvo FH 6 x 2 tractor units were supplied by Truck and Bus Wales & West.

Since the untimely death, earlier this year, of the company’s founder Ross Garrett, his son, Luke, has been running the business. Ross Garrett was one of the haulage industry’s great characters and, according to Luke, things were tough in the initial months following the death of his father.

However, thanks to the support from his family and his ‘fantastic’ team of drivers, the future is looking bright for the Somerset haulier.

Two of the three new FH Volvos were purchased as special ‘premium image’ trucks for drivers Alan and Paul. ‘I like to give all our drivers a good-spec truck. Alan has been with us for 16 years so we felt we needed to provide him with a top of the line truck to show our appreciation,’ said Luke Garrett.

‘Paul used to work for my father,’ he continued, ‘although he has been away for a number of years. After my father passed away, Paul made the decision to come back to us, so we allocated one of the new Volvos to him in appreciation of his decision to support us.’

One of the trucks is a 500hp Globetrotter XL-cabbed 6 x 2 mid-lift, which is used to transport concrete pipes. The other two FHs are in 6 x 2 tag-axle configuration, with Globetrotter cabs, 13-litre 540hp engines, I-Shift automated gearboxes with construction software and 9-tonne front-axles with steel wheels (pictured). Uprated front springs help provide additional ground clearance.

Upholstery in these two trucks is a hardwearing, ‘wipe-clean’ fabric to cope with low-loader work, which mainly involves hauling Barber-Greene paving machines and associated asphalt-laying equipment, including backhoe loaders and road rollers.

All the FHs are on three-year Volvo Gold repair and maintenance contracts, which includes Volvo’s Uptime Assurance. Maintenance is carried out at Truck and Bus Wales & West’s workshops at nearby Gurney Slade, near Bath.

With annual mileage at around 110,000km a year, the FHs tend to work between Cornwall, London and the Midlands. The low-loaders often have to deliver down narrow lanes with steep hills, where the tag-axles’ ability to aid traction and manoeuvrability are a premium asset.

Describing the FH driving experience as ‘fantastic’, Luke Garrett said: ‘The steering has been improved as has the room in the cab. I drove one of the new FHs and was particularly impressed by the new mirror design, which has completely removed any blind spots.’