Buffaload has continued its transition to an all bio-LNG (liquified natural gas) truck fleet with the addition of 20 new Volvo FH Aero gas-powered 6×2 tractor units.
The Huntingdon-based business has been running biomethane trucks since 2020 and has a clear long-term strategy to move its entire 300-strong commercial vehicle operation away from diesel to the cleaner and greener fuel.
Operating around the clock, the new additions will be paired with double-deck refrigerated trailers delivering temperature-controlled goods to a wide customer base throughout the UK.
Ross Taylor, Founder and CEO of Buffaload, says: “Every fleet decision we make now is driven by our impact on the environment. We have been running gas powered Volvos for the best part of five years, very successfully. The technology works well for our operations. By the middle of 2025 we will have 85 LNG trucks on the road, and we are determined to continue on this pathway.
“To meet our sustainability commitments, we feel that LNG is the only option in long distance distribution work, and we are very excited to see what these latest generation trucks can deliver.”
The Volvo FH Aeros are designed for ultimate fuel-efficiency. The 460 hp gas-powered engines deliver the same performance as the diesel version – with the new arrivals delivering an immediate 25 per cent carbon emission reduction for Buffaload. However, the company aims to take that further by producing its own biogas – a move that will allow the business to reach a total tailpipe emission reduction of 96 per cent.
“We have plans to produce our own gas from food and farm waste via an anaerobic digestion system,” confirms Taylor. “That’s our route to Net Zero and will allow us to offer our customers a truly sustainable transportation solution.”
Supplied by Alan Didwell, Key Account Sales Manager at Volvo Truck and Bus Centre South & East, each FH Aero delivers substantial energy consumption and emission reductions in comparison to a standard FH through a refined, streamlined design.
Additional efficiency gains are unlocked by deploying new technologies, most notably Volvo’s Camera Monitoring System (CMS). Replacing traditional exterior mirrors, CMS increases the driver’s field of view and, when driving with a trailer, deploys auto-panning functionality to follow the rear of the trailer as it turns.
Buffaload has also focused on safety in the specification with technologies including Volvo’s Forward Collision Warning with advanced emergency braking and Lane Departure Warning systems.
“We’ve recorded a significant reduction in accidents since we started running Volvos on the fleet,” adds Taylor. “It’s an area where I don’t think they can be matched.”
Backed by a full Volvo Gold contract, which guarantees maximum uptime and covers all maintenance and repairs, the new FH Aeros will refuel via Buffaload’s biomethane tanker facility at its Huntingdon depot and the wider LNG network, including Gasrec’s open-access site at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT).
