VOLVO USED TRUCKS FUELS NORTHERN FREIGHT SERVICES' ASSET BASE
Northern Freight Services of Peterlee in County Durham is a haulier on the move thanks to Volvo Used Trucks.
A couple of months ago the company took delivery of its twentieth Volvo truck. The latest, a 2010 registered Euro-5 Volvo FH460 with Globetrotter XL cab and the innovative I-Shift gearbox - was sourced and supplied by Volvo Truck and Bus North & Scotland, Washington.
Fleet Manager at Northern Freight Services, Lee Lawson says: “The support we receive from the Volvo dealer in Washington and Stockton-On-Tees is first class. The sales guys know exactly what we’re after and when a suitable unit becomes available they get straight in touch to see if we’re interested.”
The latest FH460 is a perfect example of this. Lee adds: “We now have a unit that we know has been cared for throughout its early years and that will offer us the level of reliability that is so important to our business.”
A major consideration, alongside reliability, is fuel efficiency. Northern Freight Services owner and Lee’s father, David Lawson says: “We provide nationwide coverage as well crossing into northern Europe every day. With this sort of mileage, fuel is a major cost for us so striving for fuel efficiency is key. With the new Volvo we are returning figures in the order of 8.5 mpg, which we measure through a combination of monitoring fuel receipts and the tachographs. I’m pretty satisfied with this. Furthermore, with the increased use of vehicle tracking systems and drive cameras we are able to keep a keen eye on driver performance and fuel efficiency. We also consider fuel when recruiting drivers,” adds David. “We want to be sure that our employees are au-fait with the gearbox as well as the brakes as this significantly affects the fuel returns.”
Additionally the Volvo Truck and Bus Centre North & Scotland dealerships support the company with maintenance advice in relation to fuel efficiency as well as extending special workshop offers, such as engine ‘top-end set’ with valve adjustment, to improve fuel economy and running efficiency.
Operating a 34-strong fleet from a 23-acre site, which includes some 20,438 m2 of covered warehousing, is a far cry from Northern Freight Services’ humble origins. David says: “I started the company back in 1978 with a £100 flatbed pick-up operating out of a lock-up in Sunderland. Several moves later and with nearly 40-years of purely organic growth behind us we are now one of the North East’s leading hauliers with an annual turnover in the region of £5 million. Volvo is an important partner in this success, providing reliable and user-friendly trucks that are the real workhorses behind all that we do.”
Managing Director and David’s oldest son, Ian adds: “The Volvo Used Truck units that dominate our fleet are good assets to have. While we have low-loader, step-frame and curtain-sider trailers, the bulk of our work is general haulage, by and large with tri-axle curtain siders. The Used Volvo FH, especially with the I-shift gearbox, really suits the demands of our business.”