Hauling in the Pink

Pink is a colour usually reserved for little girls' bedrooms and feminine fashionistas. At the very least it's certainly not normally associated with the tough talking world of truck driving. But one young lady and her brand new hot pink Volvo FM tipper truck are putting an end to the stereotypes and turning heads all over the UK – all in a very good cause.

Trucking in the Pink

April Forder, who has a haulage contract to transport gravel and sand for the production of asphalt for AR & PA Transport in East Anglia, hit upon the idea for the striking hot pink wrap for her vehicle as a way to raise awareness for breast cancer.

April's personal encounters with cancer (through both grandparents and her sister's experiences) have led her to a place where she wants to raise the profile of the various forms of the disease and contribute to fund raising efforts. She saw the purchase of her new truck as a very high-profile way of getting the message out into her local community and beyond.

The Big Pink Truck Specs

Even aside from its striking pink wrap, the truck is impressive in its own right. The Volvo FM is an 8 x 4 rigid, fitted with an Edbro ram, a Wilcox Wilcolite insulated tipper body and a 450hp 12-speed, I-shift automatic transmission gearbox – offering the very best in both power and performance. The inside of the cab has every mod-con, including leather upholstery, a bunk bed (great for a long distance haulage contract), full integrated sat-nav and internet connectivity, an air-suspended heated driver's seat and Volvo's patented dynamic power steering.

The Volvo's safety features are unparalleled in its class, with close-proximity sensors, an overhead cable detector, audible turning alerters and a five camera tracking system. It is CLOCS (Construction Logistics and Community Safety) and Crossrail compliant and is installed with a collision warning system and a feature that engages the handbrake if the driver's door is opened.

April says she chose the truck for its outstanding safety features as she also intends using it to visit schools in the local area, in order to educate children on the issues of road safety and cycle awareness. What a woman!

Good Looks and Good Deeds

April's unique pink truck wrap was sponsored by the Volvo Truck and Bus Centre, from where she purchased the vehicle. The wrapping was fitted by local East Anglian business Chapple Signs, but the creativity did not stop at the body of the lorry itself. April arranged for upgraded wheels and wing mirrors in brushed aluminium and stainless steel respectively, and LEDs, strobes and super spot lighting were also installed.

A Family Affair

While April drives the big pink truck for three days a week to fulfil the company's asphalt haulage contract, she hands over the keys to her father for the other two days. The lorry is becoming a familiar and much-admired sight throughout East Anglia and April sees it as a travelling billboard for the breast cancer cause, as well as the most impressive truck she's ever driven.

This impressive young woman is making a contribution to highlighting awareness of the disease in a very original way, enabling her to give something back and repay the kindness and support her own family received while fighting cancer.

Author Plate

Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching drivers with an available haulage contract. Over 4,500 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.