King of the road

Camden Group has added the Volvo FH-500 to its fleet. Camden driver Nicholas Thompson explains how it benefits the business.

We have invested a large amount of time and attention to detail with our latest addition on the road. When designing the additional features on the FH-500, we wanted a lorry that was striking – something you wouldn’t miss when you drove past it.

We implemented visual features such as chrome lighting bars, LED spotlights, and additional paintwork including the interior with a lime green dashboard to match Camden’s trademark branding.

Security features include an automatic emergency breaking system which is helpful on long journeys. Delivering across the UK and Ireland can mean I am driving for a long period of time on motorways, so the high security features help my journey be as comfortable and safe as possible.

With a memory foam bed, microwave, fridge, and freezer, the Volvo FH-500 is without a doubt one of the most comfortable lorries I have driven.

We have had a pretty eventful couple of months with the new lorry, especially after the success of Camden Group’s participation in the FIT Show 2017. We also got the lorry some exposure being involved in two truck festivals this summer: The Causeway Coast Truck Fest and Truckers 4 Charity 2017 Truck Festival.

Our lorries are a pride and joy of the company so we like them to make appearances at any opportunity, especially if it is charity related.

I think people will never truly understand the amount of time drivers will spend in a lorry. It is practically our second home, so comfort and cleanliness is essential. All lorries including the FH-500 are washed before and after every run, meaning they can be cleaned up to two or three times weekly. We have a full size heavy goods vehicle (HGV) washing bay on the factory site, which means all of our lorries will get the tractor and trailers of the lorry washed ensuring we keep up our reputation as one of the cleanest transportation on the roads.

It’s appearance, comfort, and security features make doing my job as comfortable as it possibly can and confirms Volvo UK’s status as an industry leader in vehicle manufacturing.

My favourite feature is the I-Shift gearbox, which allows me the flexability to drive in automatic or manual. This new lorry is definitely a contender for King of the Road in my eyes.