Owner Driver Mike Boyd and his partner Caroline Gardner originally planned to get married in 2016. Unusually, their wedding list included a new Volvo FH16, which they were planning to order in time for it to be at the ceremony in Kinlochbervie, north-west Scotland.
However, a visit to this year’s Truckfest at Peterborough, resulted in a change of plan when they saw the new series, Euro-6, FH16-750 on the Volvo Trucks stand.
“We were originally going to get married in 2016, in Scotland and we wanted to have the FH16 at the wedding,” says Mike.
“But, when we saw the new FH16-750 at Truckfest, we were so impressed, we decided to order one there and then. We also brought the date of the wedding forward to 13th September 2014, so we could have the new truck at the ceremony on Oldshoremoor Beach, Kinlochbervie,” explained Mike, before adding, “After the wedding, we also used it to take us on a tour round the Highlands and Islands of Scotland on our honeymoon.”
The FH16-750, which was supplied by Thomas Hardie Commercials at Trafford Park, Manchester, is the first new truck that Mike has owned.
It is being maintained by Thomas Hardie Commercials on a Gold Contract that includes Volvo’s unique Uptime Assurance. Mike’s new Krone trailer is also being maintained on a contract package at the dealership.
Its specification includes most of the available options from Volvo. For example, it is equipped with Durabrite wheels, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with emergency braking, bi-xenon headlamps, cornering lamps, Lane Change Support, I-See topography reading, fuel saving software that is linked to GPS and the I-Shift automated gearbox.
The truck is also fitted with I-Park Cool (integrated air conditioning), Audio High top spec sound system. The 4100mm wheelbase was specified to accommodate larger fuel tanks, which are painted black.
Mike delivers industrial gases to factories in Germany and Switzerland and has been truck driving for 34 years. He has sub-contracted for Freight Forwarder DLH Worldwide Limited for three years. Caroline accompanies Mike on continental deliveries three or four times a year. She will be accompanying Mike when he makes the first delivery, later in September.
Mike has owned two Volvo FH16s, an F16 and an FH12-460 since becoming an Owner Driver. “I just love Volvo,” he enthuses: “They have come on so much and are so reliable.”
Asked why he chose the FH16, Mike says: “The FH16-750 has fantastic torque. It’s King of the Hills. It’s capable of demolishing big climbs on the continental runs. From what I’ve seen and experienced, it will make the gradients on the M62 look as flat as parts of Lincolnshire.”
