Your company’s team of drivers needs a heavy-duty truck that’s built to last. The Volvo VHD 300 brings a wealth of features to the job, ensuring you can rely on it day after day. That’s what you’d expect from a company that’s the second-largest heavy-duty truck brand in the world. The VHD 300 is available in an axle back model (VHD 300B) that’s a must in tight spaces where maneuverability is at a premium. The VHD 300 also comes in an axle forward model (VHD 300F) that has you covered when you need a bridge-law compliant wheelbase. The VHD 300F’s customizable chassis, factory installed piston or gear pump, and up to nine power take-off options add up to a vehicle that is easy to tailor to your needs, according to Volvo.
BRAINS AND BRAWN
Drivers with experience behind the wheel of a Volvo with the I-Shift feature will appreciate that it is now standard on every VHD 300. This automated manual transmission ensures that shifts are made smoothly at the optimal engine speed, which reduces drivetrain and chassis wear typically seen in vocational applications. The I-Shift for Severe Duty has the brawn for heavy-haul applications, such as cement mixers and pourers; while the I-Shift with Crawler Gears provides controlled forward and reverse travel at low speeds, making it well suited for paving and curbing applications. The I-Shift helps keep fuel costs down, reduces noise and vibration, and extends the life of a transmission. P+ Power Launch is standard with the I-Shift and provides extra torque for vehicles starting from a standstill—beneficial when a truck is heavily loaded or on soft terrain.
Another standard feature is remote diagnostics, which monitors the engine, I-Shift, and after treatment at all times. The system provides a range of benefits with a net effect of reducing average diagnostic times by 70% and repair times by 22%. VHD 300s are powered either by a D11 engine, which provides 1250-1550 lb-ft of torque with 325-425 hp; or a D13 engine, which provides 1450-1850 lb-ft of torque with 375-500 hp.
UPDATED CABS
Volvo Trucks North America recently unveiled new interiors for the VHD series, placing more driver comfort and productivity in every cab.
“The new interiors for the VHD series make hard work even easier,” said Wade Long, director of product marketing, Volvo Trucks North America. “Design of the VHD’s new interiors was guided by feedback from nearly 2,000 professional drivers, and we’ve channeled that information to deliver the comfort and convenience features drivers want and fleets seek to help improve driver retention.”
The VHD 300 model features a new dashboard configuration, LED lighting, extensive connectivity points, a selection of seating options, optimized ergonomics, and more. Dashboard gauges cluster around a five-inch driver information display that reports trip and diagnostic data. A 12-volt power and USB connectivity are positioned in a dash-top tray, making it easy for drivers to keep devices fully powered.
The 300 model is now equipped with Volvo’s smart steering wheel, putting function switches at a driver’s fingertips. The steering wheel is attached to Volvo’s Perfect PositionTM fully adjustable steering column, which allows drivers to tilt and telescope the column, and also tilt the steering wheel independently. An optional infotainment system features a seven-inch color touchscreen, an exterior back-up camera, a premium audio system, and Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay. Seating options include fore-and-aft, as well as up-and-down positioning. Premium features like seat heating and ventilation are available, as well as a refrigerated passenger seat where drivers can keep food and drinks cool.
The VHD also comes equipped with a panoramic single-piece windshield, a sloped hood, sloped side windows, and a split review mirror, which combined provide the driver with expansive visibility.
SAFETY FIRST
Since 1927, when Volvo built its first vehicle, safety has been a guiding principle, the company says. Volvo invented the three-point safety belt and was the first to include it as a standard truck feature. The company introduced the driver-side airbag and is the only Class 8 manufacturer to make it standard. Volvo’s steel cabs have the industry’s highest strength-to-weight ratio, absorbing as much energy from crashes as possible, to protect drivers. Inside the cabs, the driver’s side Rolltek® seat combines automatic lowering to increase survival space, seat belt pre-tensioners, and a side airbag for head and neck protection.
Behind the wheel of a Volvo VHD 300, rest assured your drivers will be comfortable, safe, and well equipped to handle whatever the world sends their way.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Find out more about Volvo Trucks, visit www.volvotrucks.us.
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MODERN WORKTRUCK SOLUTIONS: NOVEMBER 2017 ISSUE
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