Scott Jones, a professional truck driver for Abbott Oil Company in Augusta, Georgia, worked with Volvo Trucks to discover how Adaptive Gearing was right for their application.

Tell us about your operation and application and why Adaptive Gearing works in that application.

Abbott Oil Company is a fuel transport company. We deliver gas and diesel to convenience stores and trucking companies across Georgia and South Carolina. As a fuel transport company, a little over 50 percent of our miles are empty miles, so we see tremendous fuel-efficiency improvements coming back in 12th gear using Adaptive Gearing.

Tell us about your experience with Volvo’s Adaptive Gearing.

Adaptive Gearing is like having a truck with two personalities. It gives us a truck with the power to pull the loads when loaded, but a truck with fuel-saving capabilities when returning empty. We’ve had these trucks with Adaptive Gearing for about six months, and both management and drivers enjoy them. It’s really a win-win.

What are the main benefits you receive by spec’ing Adaptive Gearing?

Without a doubt, fuel-efficiency. It’s not unusual for these trucks to get 12 mpg coming back lightly loaded.

How have you worked with Volvo Trucks to determine if Adaptive Gearing was right for your operation?

Our dealer was well informed on Adaptive Gearing, and by asking a few questions on our operation, they were able to explain the benefits of Adaptive Gearing. We have a great relationship with the salesperson, and he understands that we usually come back empty approximately 50 percent of the time. Adaptive Gearing was an easy choice.

What feedback have you received from your drivers operating tractors with Adaptive Gearing?

The feedback from the drivers has been very positive. For the amount of loads we deliver around town, using the I-Shift and not having to shift gears is a huge plus. The drivers enjoy it.

When driving/operating a tractor equipped with Adaptive Gearing, are there any noticeable differences when handling on unusual terrains and grades?

On a hill, with Adaptive Gearing using direct drive, the truck doesn’t slow down as much. We have noticed that when loaded, we have better hill climbing ability than similar spec’d tractors from different manufacturers.

What feedback have you received from drivers returning home, lightly loaded, in 12th gear?

They enjoy a few more mph and were impressed by the engine maintaining speed at such a low rpm. Also we don’t run the engine as hard, which makes the cab much quieter.

What feedback have you received from driver’s going out, fully loaded, in 11th gear?

Adaptive Gearing performs great fully loaded in 11th gear. You get a direct drive and that keeps the RPM’s higher, which gives us more power to pull the hills.

Any feedback that you can provide on how Adaptive Gearing is helping your business?

In the past, we’ve always had to spec a truck to run the same way all the time. Adaptive Gearing has allowed us to spec tractors with power to efficiently deliver the full loads while increasing fuel efficiency coming home lightly loaded. This has helped our bottom line ­tremendously.

The Driver

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