In what has been a welter of new trucks aimed at the rubbish market Volvo has become the latest truck maker to launch a vehicle targeting the waste removal industry.
Following hot on the heels of Benz’s new Econic dual control it is clear the Euros have Australia’s ageing dominator of the waste market, Iveco’s Acco in their sights.
Volvo used the recent Waste Management event at this year’s International Truck Trailer and Equipment Show to launch the dual control model of its Euro 6 FE designed for waste management. The company used the same event to launch a new road safety campaign to protect children as pedestrians around trucks.
The Volvo FE has been popular in the waste management segment globally and the company says its new FE Dual Control takes waste management to a whole new level and will take on the Australian market with a cleaner, quieter and more efficient waste truck.
Vice president of Volvo Trucks Australia Mitch Peden said the company was excited to host the world reveal of the new Australian Euro 6 FE Dual Control truck at the Waste Management in Action Event.
“This truck has been designed and adapted locally and in consultation with leading Australian waste management companies to meet and exceed the tough requirements for this market,” said Peden.
A wider windscreen and extra side mirrors provide, the FE Dual Control provides superb visibility from the cab, an essential aspect for a waste truck operating in dense urban environments where safety hazards such as running children, pets and cars reversing from driveways are commonplace.
“The new truck has unparalleled driver visibility and improved driver ergonomics and most importantly, the features Volvo’s world class safety and technological innovations, including forward collision warning and emergency braking as standard on the 6×4 model,” said Mitch Peden.
“We know that safety is paramount for councils and operators who provide waste management services in busy residential streets and high traffic urban environments so we introduced it to the market at the Melbourne Waste Management event, where its capabilities could be on show on the test track.”
The dual control system developed in consultation with Volvo’s Australian customers in the waste segment gives the driver the control and close visibility that left hand drive provides when picking up bins, as well as the confidence to drive at
higher speeds on a highway in a right hand drive position.
The FE also includes Volvo Truck’s latest electronically controlled rear air suspension
system. The air suspension system improves driver comfort and truck stability by controlling chassis height and compensating for uneven load distribution as each bin is emptied into the truck.
This truck also features ESP (Electronic Stability Program) as standard to reduce the risk of skidding and vehicle roll over. If the ESP system detects
that the truck is starting to lurch or behave abnormally, it can reduce engine torque or activate the brakes individually in order to reduce speed and lateral forces to an acceptable level.
Volvo paired the launch of the FE dual control waste industry model with the launch of its campaign to improve the safety for Australia’s most vulnerable pedestrians – our children.
The new classroom safety campaign called Stop Look Wave is being rolled out nationally ahead of a boom in the number of trucks on the road.
Volvo cites Bureau of Statistics data showing that more than 560,000 rigid and articulated trucks are registered in Australia while it also points out that the road freight task is predicted to double by 2030 and triple by 2050.
Volvo Group global safety director Carl Johan Almqvist said more traffic means a greater risk to children in particular.
“It’s especially difficult for truck drivers to see quick moving little people which is why we’re rolling out this free education campaign to teach Aussie kids
to STOP on the side of the road, LOOK both ways, and WAVE at the truck driver before they cross,” said Carl Johan.
“We don’t want children to be afraid of trucks but their attention is limited, so we need to teach them this simple tip for crossing safely.
“Even one injury or fatality is one too many,” he said.
Since its launch in Sweden last year, the interactive road safety campaign Stop, Look, Wave has fast became a global success and now aims to keep Aussie kids safe in their neighbuorhoods.
Stop, Look, Wave tool kits are now freely available for any school or child care centre to download from the Volvo website by clicking here http://www.volvotrucks.com.au/en-au/about/stop-look-wave.html
Australian waste management company, Toxfree, is partnering Volvo to implement Stop, Look, Wave and Toxfree trucks will be visiting schools across the nation to give students a look at the view from behind the wheel.
Toxfree’s executive general manager of corporate and risk Jason Dixon said 717 Toxfree drivers would be educated to wave back to kids.
“Thousands of waste and recycling trucks are on the streets every day and a lot of them are out in the morning when children are heading to school.
As safety is a top priority for our drivers, they will enjoy being part of this children’s safety initiative.
Our drivers are always conscious of their surroundings and we want them to let the children know that they have gained their attention by waving back to them.”
Carl Johan Almqvist said the transport industry had an increasing responsibility to promote road safety.
“Our global vision is zero accidents involving Volvo Trucks.”
