Trucking Magazine – August 2019

http://www.truckingmag.co.uk August 2019 TRUCKING 47

automatic tyre inflation will be allowed.

Plus Maxi tyres are required now, and

they are more expensive.”

Jim used to have three trucks in his

fleet, but a reduced workload has seen

him scale back to just the one. The Arocs

was acquired through BLS Truck and

Van in Altens, Aberdeen and came with a

five-year R&M deal. BLS carries out all

the maintenance.

Jim is complimentary of the service he

gets from BLS: “The dealer’s service team

look after me exceptionally well, and the

contract rates are very competitive. The

arrangement makes good financial sense

and gives me the peace of mind which

comes from knowing there are no nasty

surprises around the corner.”

Progression to Mercedes

Jim has been driving trucks since he

was 21. “I started with an MAN 16.232

with a column-change gearbox. Then I

progressed onto an MAN 16.321, then a

Foden with a Fuller gearbox.”

He stayed loyal to Foden for a while,

with several new Alphas for his

expanded fleet. But after Foden’s

demise, he moved to a Volvo FM12, an

MAN TGX and then, after ‘issues’ with

the MAN dealer, moved his German

allegiance to Mercedes.

You don’t expect any sparkling fuel

economy on this kind of work, and

Jim is happy with the typical 6-6.5

mpg the 2553 is delivering. “That’s

Loading in the Fetteresso Forest

will see the truck reach maximum

its weight of 44 tonnes

Buster the Schnauzer is

Jim’s occasional co-driver

Sometimes I run out of hours and can’t get home,

or I’m simply working away, so having a decent cab

is a necessity. Ji m Yu le