Tata Signa 3118.T — The Perfect Truck For 31-Tonne Cargo Haulage In India?

Tata Motors is India's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in terms of sheer sales numbers, and there is a reason for the brand to be where it is today. Tata has continuously developed its products over the years. Tata's trucks and buses are now modern and offer bulletproof reliability while ownership and maintenance costs have decreased.

One of the biggest examples of this growth is the Tata Signa 3118.T. It is India's first 3 axle 6x2 rigid truck with a pneumatic axle and this allows it to take up multiple roles for various requirements in the trucking industry.

The Tata Signa 3118.T was launched in March 2021, and it has been revolutionising its buyers' businesses. It slots into the Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&HCV) segment and boasts of a 31-tonne gross vehicle weight capacity.

The cost of maintenance, fuel consumption, and tyre wear & tear is similar to a 28-tonne truck, but the haulage is much higher. The 10-wheeler vehicle is India's first 3-axle 6x2 truck with a 31-tonne GVW and comes with a 3,000 kilogram higher certified payload than the corresponding 10-wheeler 28-tonne GVW rigid truck. This is dependent on the type of body and is something that buyers and operators have found hugely beneficial.

The net operating profit is said to be roughly at around ~45 percent higher than other 28-tonne trucks. Thanks to the deployment of a dual tyre lift axle in between the front and the rear drive axle, the Signa 3118.T can operate at different load capacities. With this axle lowered, the truck 3118.T boasts of a 31-tonne gross vehicle weight and with it lifted, the truck gets an 18.5-tonne gross vehicle weight rating.

In simple words, the truck could be operated as both a 10-wheeler as well as a 6-wheeler truck depending on the payload. This allows operators to increase efficiency by a significant margin while hauling loads that weigh lesser. This is of immense importance to truckers who haul a load from one city to another and then return with an empty truck.

The best example for this are the tankers. Tankers carry a full truck load from one city to another and then usually return with an empty truck load to refill again. The Tata Signa 3118.T seems like the perfect truck for such operators as the axle can be lifted while the truck isn't hauling any loads.

Tata Motors seems to have targeted such buyers as the Signa 3118.T is certified by the Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) to haul 25 kilo-litres (25,000 litres) of petroleum, oil, and lubricants. This is 2 kilo-litres higher than other 28-tonne GVW trucks and hence is more beneficial for truck fleet operators.

The Tata Signa 3118.T can also haul other loads such as chemicals, agricultural products, pressed steel rolls, edible oil, milk, water, lubricants, etc. The truck is available in the CX and LX variants and both the variants get lots of features.

As aforementioned, Tata Motors has developed its commercial vehicles over the years and today, these trucks offer a more luxurious and premium experience to the occupants in the cabin. Driver comfort is one of the prime needs for a trucking business to function efficiently and Tata Motors has done its best to keep fatigue away from the drivers.

The Tata Signa 3118.T features more comfortable seats, air-conditioning and an overall more comfortable ride. All this put together helps increase driving efficiency over long hauls. The trucks also come loaded with New generation Connected Vehicle solutions that allow fleet operators to track the trucks and keep tabs on the vehicle's maintenance and other aspects.

Tata Motors' trucks have always come with a brilliant engine and the Signa 3118.T is no exception. It is powered by a Cummins ISBe 5.6 CR engine that puts out 186bhp and 850Nm. The rearmost axle is driven via a 6-Speed Manual transmission. Tata Motors offers a brilliant driveline warranty of 6 Years/6 lakh kilometres.