LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Volvo Trucks North America has added two new sleeper truck options to its product line for the premium owner operator market.

The Volvo VT 830 and the Volvo VN 730 mid-roof tractors provide application-focused alternatives for customers who want the same large sleeper and premium level of features and benefits already found in the Volvo VT 880 and Volvo VN 780, but with a lower roof height, the company said as it introduced the vehicles at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville.

The height at the rear of the sleeper for both trucks is 86 inches, a full two feet less than the Volvo VT 880 and Volvo VN 780. The other sleeper dimensions have not changed: the sleepers for the Volvo VT 830 and Volvo VN 730 each are 77 inches deep and 95 inches wide.

The new VT 830

Typical applications for the trucks include low trailer heights such as flatbeds, lowboys, heavy haul and containers, or other dense load applications, such as grains or liquids.

“The lower roof height on these trucks significantly improves aerodynamics,” said Peter Karlsten, president and CEO of Volvo Trucks North America. “Yet even with the mid-roof height, a 6 foot 4 inch driver can stand upright between the seats.”

Since February 2005, Volvo has introduced four new trucks — the Volvo VT 880 premium owner-operator sleeper, VT 800 daycab, and the two new trucks unveiled today. All will be equipped with the three new engines for 2007 — the Volvo D16, D13 and D11.

Karlsten said the new trucks will be in production in the second half of 2006, but the company is taking orders now for the trucks with either current engines or with new EPA-compliant engines that take affect in January next year.

Volvo, which admits it was attracted to the mid-range sleeper market’s growing demand rate (36 percent of total sleepers) — now has three different mid-roof sleepers available for customers to choose from, including the existing VN 630, which has a 61-inch-deep sleeper.

VN 730

All chassis and powertrain options currently available for the Volvo VT 880 and Volvo VN 780 are available on the two new models, includes the Volvo D16 engine, axles, suspensions, wheelbase combinations, fuel tanks and chassis aerodynamic treatments.

The company says it thinks the new models will be very popular with driver teams, especially husband and wife tandems. With that in mind, Volvo is offering three different bunk configurations available for either model. The newest is a single 53-inch by 79-inch bunk, which is the same width as a traditional full-sized mattress. Also available are two innerspring 53-inch mattress choices, which include additional underbunk storage capacity.

Two other configurations are: dual bunks, with a 42-inch-wide lower bunk and a 32-inch upper bunk; or a single 42-inch lower bunk.

The new cabs and sleepers are constructed of the same industry-leading materials as Volvo’s other offerings, high-strength steel (HSS) for the cab and sleeper walls, floorpan, firewall and doors, while the roof is lightweight, yet durable sheet molding composite (SMC).

Volvo Enhanced Stability Technology is standard with both trucks. VEST is an advanced vehicle stability system designed to protect drivers against the dangers of rollovers, as well as a higher level of security from jackknifes.

Exclusive for the Volvo VT Series:

Customers who buy the Volvo VT 830 get an additional level of protection through the Platinum Protection program — three years/600,000 miles or 10,800 operating hours, whichever comes first. The extended coverage includes: 6 years/1 million miles for cab structure; 6 years/750,000 miles for frame rails and crossmembers; 8 years/1 million miles for cab corrosion; and, 3 years/600,000 miles for transmission, driveline, rear axles. In addition, the Volvo D16 engine, when installed, is covered for 3 years/600,000 miles/10,800 operating hours.

The VT 830 also comes with Volvo’s proprietary two-way satellite communications system, Volvo Link, and the Volvo Link Sentry service for the 2007 model year.