Scania update the "R-Series"

[Scania]

Scania have given their R Series a mid term facelift, I think these things will become a common sight on the UK's roads.

Not sure if Stobart have any on order (probable) I'll be making some enquiries tomorrow with my fingers crossed.....

- "Driver support" - I can see this getting disabled by most drivers!

More video's found here. http://www.youtube.com/user/ScaniaGroup

One interesting feature is they have got rid of the clutch pedal, whilst current Scanias have an automatic option, you still need the clutch to pull away & when coming to a stop. I hope this new automated clutch is better than that found in DAF's for example. Time will tell.


http://www3.scania.com/en/New-R-series/International/ - Quite a cool site!

http://www.scania.com/media/calendar/2009/new-scania-r-series.aspx

http://www3.scania.com/en/New-R-series/International/Gallery/# lots of images....

Enjoy.

 

[Scania]

Will you be driving one then if they're added to your fleet?

Will you get one?

Also, what is the average life expectancy of the average cab? (Age and/or mileage)

I asked at work today and was told given that Stobart Group is Scania GB Ltd's biggest customer then its "a given that we will get some soon."

Stobart's average fleet age is under 3 years, normally,fleet trucks within the group are disposed of after approx 600,000km at which point they get snapped up by other hauliers which has always made me wonder why they don't keep them a bit longer!

How much do these things cost new? They look great

Price of a house i heard £100k+ ??... that correct??

Correct - Little change from £100k for a 3 axle 420BHP tractor unit.

Do you ever get bored of truck driving R420LA6X2/4MNA?

I personally am starting to go mad after 14 months of it, Although i drive **** heap dump trucks up and down trhe same hill every day.

Not at all tbh mate, I do get bored of the waiting around (4 hours sitting around tonight loading for example) that said, I am an avid reader (no, not porn mags!) so thats not much of a problem for me, and when I'm not reading, I get my head down.....

Driving a dump truck or any other kind of truck in the same location, day in & day out would do my head in I'm sure, its for this reason that I have always avoided doing "shunting" work.

We get rid of our trucks on "buyback" every three years.

Things I have found as a trucker driving Daf's Scanias Renaults Mercs & volvos

Daf's:
Resistant to cross winds (heavy cab ?)
Auto box lurches when reversing
Handling = Solid
Seating = adequate
Vision = Poor mirror vision
Built quality = Solid
conclusion: Does what it says on the tin

Renault:
CRAP in cross winds.. Quiver all over the place ( Light Cab ?)
Brilliant Reversing steering ratio .. Get it in anywhere easily
Autobox = one of the best..if not THE best
Handling = Good
Seating = good
Vision = Very good.. Electric mirrors so can adjust when reversing on blind side.
Build Quality = Does that exist ? Always something (intermittently) wrong
conclusion: cheaper truck and shows but does the job adequately. Wouldn't want to keep it far past guarantee though.

Scania
Cross winds = in between Daf & Renault
Auto gearbox tends to change up too early meaning you switch into "Semi-auto" mode to thrash it up to speed. Tend to forget to press the clutch in when stopping as you only use the clutch to start & stop. Clutch good for reversing though.
Handling = Top heavy
Steering ratio UBER crap for reversing.. Spin that wheel Dooper Dog !!
Seating = Scania were embroiled in a lawsuit over seating. Seating in Scanias been good for past three years (as a result ?)
Vision = Mirrors same as Renault providing you got the model that allows nearside electric adjustment
Build Quality = FIRST RATE
Choice truck for Paddies & Owner drivers as Speed limiter can be donked by simply pulling a fuse (Duelled with indicators).

Mercs:
Actros = Good ( Long time since I drove one)
Axx0r = Hahahahahahaaaaaa (Your boss REALLY hates you)

Volvo

Good (Long time since I drove one)

Interesting opinions, I actually think the Scania steering ratio is good for reversing, if anything a bit too quick....

Your spot on about the DAF's, I spent 3 years driving 95 XF's & 105 XF's at James Irlam - much better without the truly awful automatic box imo.
Actros's are superb, the Axor is pants.

Can't say much about renault, I avoid them like the proverbial....

Have to ask, r420, i've seen you post a load about lorrys on motors. I have to ask, do you drive lorry for a living or is it a hobby?

If I was rich, it would be a hobby, alas, its my living that keeps Mr Stobart rich..... - My username is the actual model of truck that I drive, in the picture on the plate where it says "Ch type"

He works at James Irlam I think, or Stobart? But it's definitely a hobby - most of the drivers where I used to work at TNT were not the slightest bit interested in the truck itself.

I used to work for James Irlam Logistics - www.jamesirlam.co.uk - who were bought by Stobart in March 2008 and have slowly merged into the Stobart group, soon you won't see any Irlam livered vehicles as that name is being dropped from the Stobart group.

Our trucks are so rubbish

We don't make trucks here anymore. or are you thinking of the monsters you saw recently in Australia? - Our roads can barely cope with a 54ft 44tonner so anything bigger & better would not be that great over here tbh.

That's the argument about seatbelts in trucks.

If you hit a car/light vehicle - They make no difference

Hit a truck..... they wont make a difference !! (Your'll be jam)

And if the truck rolls?

Seatbelts are pretty useless in an HGV if you hit something solid (like a tree, bridge support or another truck, anything else you bash out of the way or run over!) the only time a seatbelt will really save you is in a roll over situation.

In bad weather & high winds, when you hear of a trucker getting killed when his rig is blown over invariably its due to him not wearing a seatbelt, getting thrown from the cab and the truck landing ontop of him. ouch!

 

[Scania]

My Scania assessment was a 52 plate Topliner. The one where the top bunk was above the drivers seat (Lovely BIG bunk) which is why the handling was top heavy. The steering ratio on that was about 5 turns to 1½ turns on everything else !!

I did temporarily drive an 07 plate but iirc the steering ratio was about the same.. Absolutely freaking awesome power though (560)

Put it this way... Our maxxed Renaults Climb the bank on the A2 near Canterbury and are down to about 35mph by the time they crest.. That Scania only dropped to 52mph !!

There is no replacement... For displacement !!

Yours Truly

Just out of interest - do you wear a seatbelt?

It's interesting reading about this sort of thing. The country's infrastructure basically runs off the haulage industry and so its interesting to get some insight.

What are the bunks usually like and what sort of amount of sleep do you usually get?

Do you work shifts?

Yes I wear a seatbelt.

1, Its a legal requirement.

2, It could save my life (see what I wrote re rollovers)

The bunks are generally ok, no where near as good as a decent bed you have at home, but, after upto 10 hours driving, over a 15 hour shift, you really don't care too much!

When i used to "tramp" (live in the truck) I got on average 6 - 8 hours per night which, tbh, is more than I tend to get now that I work night shifts and sleep at home (where I have distractions).

I meant in an 8 hour (+OT) shift, which I thought he did, working out of Tesco.

Yes, I work shifts, start @ 14:00 and finish anywhere between midnight - 5AM.

Driving time is (over a 5 day week) 9 hours per shift with the option to extend to 10 hours twice in a week, shift times vary but the normal is 13 hours on, 11 off reducable to 15 hours on, 9 hours off.

8 hours + O/T? - I wish!

Daft question, does the A/C work with the engine off? bet it gets stuffy in there..

No.

Many foreign registered trucks have roof mounted aux air con units that get around this problem.

Looks like one way to gimp the system to avoid getting penalised for excessive brake use is to wait until the last minute and then panic brake. Not good.

The system will mark you down for this. Its simply bad driving and will very quickly cook your brakes!

Stobart already use a similar system called "Canbus".

It monitors a range of driving activities such as:

Harsh braking
Harsh acceleration
Use of the vehicles momentum.
Idling time
Interaction with gearbox (monitoring gear changes and if your using the correct ratio and / or split gears)
Driving above 90% engine torque, i.e. out of the "Green zone" on the tachometer.

Its linked to the engine management system and feeds an F1 style telemetary back to ESL HQ via the trucks "Isotrak" system.

 

[Scania]

Also I find it amusing that trucks use canbus too, though I guess it makes sense.

Why does it amuse you?