44 tonnes trucks (or 44 tonners) are all three axle tractor units used in combination with three axle semi-trailers.
these are the most common body type of all trucks in the UK – but they hardly exist in the rest of Europe.
The gross vehicle weight of the tractor unit is really 26 tonnes (as it only has three axles) but truck buyers always the gross combined weight (GCW), or gross train weight, (GTW) is 44 tonnes, as the tractor unit is of no use on its own.
The UK is unique across Europe (even before Brexit was even mentioned) as the European standard is 40 tonnes GVW from a two axle tractor unit and trailer.
The axle layout of the semi trailer is usually a standard tri-axle layout with three axles lined up towards the rear of the trailer. The tractor unit could have one drive axle (6×2) or two drive axles (6×4).
For 6×2 tractor units, the non-drive axle will typically be able to lift off the floor when not fully loaded at 44 tonnes. The extra axle should only be lowered if the GTW is greater than 40 tonnes. This saves on tyre wear and fuel costs plus makes the truck slightly easier to manoeuvre.
Dean Hall, truck salesman at Renault Truck Commercials can count this as a good day. One day earlier, a local haulier with 120 trucks, Knowles Transport, had no Renault trucks on their fleet. Today he has sold the first two T440 tractor units into the fleet and, no doubt, has sights set on the rest. The two T440 6x2s decked in Knowles’ striking orange livery have been added to the company’s line-up moving food, drink and ambient to retailers across the UK and Ireland. The addition of the first two Renault Trucks coincides with Knowles Transport’s 90-year Anniversary with the…>
ND Young Transport has calculated its new Volvo FH 540 6x2 tractor unit will save it roughly £7,600 per year in fuel costs versus the truck from a rival manufacturer that its driver was working in before. The haulier and sand and gravel merchant has recently added the FH, equipped with Globetrotter XL cab, to its 11-strong fleet. Paired with a Fruehauf bulk tipper trailer it will deliver aggregates across the UK, clocking up roughly 80,000 miles per year. Norman Young, who owns the Dorset-based business with his wife Madeleine, says: “The driver is averaging 8.27 mpg in this new…>
One deal for a total of fifteen trucks almost doubled the number of gas-powered Volvo trucks on Gregory Distribution’s fleet. As with many of the more progressive operators, the company is gradually investing in alternatively fuelled trucks. For long distance, haulage the only viable option at present is to head down the Bio-Methane route. The company is using the Bio-LNG Volvos for its milk transhipment operation, with the arrival this week of 12 new Volvo FM Globetrotter LNG 6x2 tractor units for its Cullompton base – each expected to clock-up 200,000 km per year for the next five years. The…>
To celebrate the 125th anniversary of its Maldon Mill, Carr’s Flour has put a new gold liveried Volvo FH Globetrotter XL into service. Supplied by Dean Harriss, Truck Sales Executive at MC Truck & Bus, the new Volvo FH 6x2 flagship tractor unit is equipped with I-Shift Dual Clutch transmission and is powered by Volvo’s D13K Euro-6 engine, rated at 500 hp. The truck’s specification also includes the Drive+ package, full leather interior, swivelling passenger seat, plus a television, microwave oven and 33-litre fridge/freezer. The FH is also equipped with I-Park Cool, Volvo’s intelligent overnight air conditioning system, allowing Carr’s…>
At the recent December auction Brian Doogue Haulage Ltd disposed of its entire UK fleet of trucks and cranes to Euro Auctions at the Leeds sale between 1st and 3rd December 2021 The decision to dispose of the fleet was made following the closure of the M1 Smart Motorway project, which Brian Doogue had been contracting to. During this time Brian Doogue had amassed a large fleet of highly specialised vehicles able to carry out varied works aligned to this project. With the Highways Agency effectively postponing further Smart Motorway schemes, the decision was made to dispose of the UK…>