Hit for Six!

Scania’s new 540hp six-pot is proving the perfect match for AAD Transport, who recently took in some of the first in Scotland. We spoke to boss Alan Davie about them

- Dougie Rankine

At a glance

Make & Model: Scania 540S Highline

Engine: Scania DC13 12.7-litre six-cylinder, Euro 6D

Power: 540hp @ 1800rpm

Torque: 2700Nm @ 1000-1300rpm

Gearbox: 12-speed Opticruise automated manual

Operator: AAD Transport, Kirriemuir, Scotland

AAD Transport took in some of the very first 540hp Scanias recently, with a batch of top-spec 540S Highlines hitting the road for UK and European work

Your dear Editor was actually supposed to go and do some driving work in one of these smart new Scanias, but accidentally letting his Driver CPC expire due to Christmas deadline obligations and then having the payment for a new digital tacho card rejected (yeah cheers for that DVLA) meant that couldn’t happen. Not to worry, we’ll be getting to work in a 540 in due course. In the meantime we caught up with boss Alan Davie to get the details on the latest additions to a very smart fleet and call in to two drivers Leighton and Gary who share one of the trucks.

We’ve visited Alan a few times over the years, but this is the first time for T&D. If you remember back to 2018 and the Volvo FH 540 rear-steer tag we had on test for a week, that was worked for AAD on night tramping. It was the last work I did as a full-time driver/freelance writer before taking the T&D editor’s job. Since then, the haulage company has moved to a smart new purpose-built yard in Kirriemuir, Angus, and is now running a total of 33 trucks, mostly involved in the food supply chain but there’s also an extending flatbed trailer and extending step frame to cover other work that comes up.