Australia Post welcomes significant A-double-rated Volvo order

A sizeable order of new Volvo prime movers have just arrived at Australia Post.

The order consists of numerous Volvo FM500 and Euro 6-rated Volvo FH13 540 units, which this week were being prepared ahead of service deployment over the coming weeks.

The new prime movers are to go into operations for the national parcel and postage carrier at destinations all over the country.

While the Volvo FMs have been earmarked for Australia Post’s intrastate legs, the FHs, with their bigger cabin, will perform linehaul duties Prime Mover has learned.

Many of the trailers being towed have been built by Vawdrey, a long-term partner of Australia Post.

The trailers are fitted with BPW disc brakes axles, WABCO ABS braking and roll stability, HELLA lighting, Razor electric landing legs and Attards load-restraint curtains.

Disk brakes have also been fitted on the 17-inch wheels.

The new trucks are all A-double capable with more builds currently underway with Vawdrey.

Australia Post recently moved to a locally built ACM bullbar.

According to a spokesperson, the factory bars were good but after an animal strike, they can get damaged.

Locally made in Victoria, the ACM bar, which is now fitted across the fleet of new prime movers, is considered more robust.

The new Volvos also feature the latest generation 24-inch Narva Ultima light bar for greater nighttime visibility.

It’s the result of close collaboration between the two companies.

Australia Post helped with much of the development work, installing some preproduction samples to gauge how they would compare to the previous model.

The light bars are reportedly around 30 per cent brighter than the previous version and weigh less.

All future prime movers will have these fitted from the factory.

The safety of the drivers, according to the Australian Post spokesperson, is the key driver behind the purchase of the vehicles and the accessories which have been fitted.