THE BIG DEAL JW YULE MERCEDES-BENZ AROCS
44 TRUCKING August 2019 http://www.truckingmag.co.ukwww.truckingmag.co.uk
AROCS LOGS
A BIG WIN
T
he market for Scottish
timber is big, and to get all
that wood from the forests
to the sawmills requires
tough trucks and tough
drivers. This is not curtainsider work!
Most timber trucks are 44-tonners,
and most are a 6x2 tractor with a
tri-axle trailer – though six-axle
wagon-and-drag outfits are favoured by
some operators.
The shorter wheelbases give greater
manoeuvrability, while the lift axle
and mandatory tyre inflation
equipment gives the trucks
better traction when in
boggy woodland conditions.
They also weigh less than
6x4 tractor units and use
less fuel.
Partly because of their popularity in
their Scandinavian homeland, Scanias
and Volvos are familiar brands when
spec’ing loggers. But it’s not unknown
for Renaults, Mercedes-Benz, MANs and
DAFs to find favour as they all offer
tag-axle tractor units.
One timber haulier who prefers the
Merc brand is owner-driver Jim Yule
from Laurencekirk, some 30 miles
south of Aberdeen. Jim has just put a
brand new Arocs 2553 6x2 tag-axle
tractor on the road to replace a similar
vehicle, so Trucking went to see him and
his new steed.
Jim, 54, hails from nearby Auchenblae,
but has lived in Laurencekirk for the last
three decades. He’s the third generation
Jim Yule, and his son – also James – is
already making noises about taking on
the family firm.
Scottish timber haulier
Jim Yule has just put a
meaty Mercedes-Benz
Arocs 2553 tag-axle tractor
on the road. Trucking
heads into the woods to
watch it get to work
By Pip Dunn
PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE McCANN / PIP DUNN