Truck & Driver articles from January 2002

Truck & Driver archives from January 2002

moggie makes tracks.(Mercedes-Benz Unimog)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Can't decide which you prefer - trucks or trains? With a modified Mercedes-Benz Unimog you no longer have to choose. Based on a U1650, the specially developed vehicle can be driven at motorway speeds on roads and, at the flick of a switch,...

hacketts.(Hackett Associates Inc. liquidates)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... in liquidation Shareholders and creditors of hauliers' membership organisation Hacketts Associates Ltd are furious that they are unlikely to receive a penny after the company was forced into compulsory liquidation. Hacketts, based...

winning dad.(Tony Entwistle,Lorry Driver of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... 'Just because you are an agency driver doesn't mean you are all bad,' writes Craig Entwistle with feeling. The proud Birmingham lad sent in this photo of himself standing next to the truck his dad was using for a rather special task. Dad,...

stobart stands accused.(Eddie Stobart Trucking accused of unsafe practices)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... A former Eddie Stobart driver has accused managers at the company's Wakefield depot of 'cajoling' drivers into making unsafe and illegal trips. Gary Sims told a hearing at Leeds Tribunal Centre that he had been asked to drive from...

take care on the continent.(truck driving advice)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Alastair Allan is warning other agency drivers working on the Continent to make sure that they keep all their time sheets and tacho discs in case they have to fight for their pay. Allan speaks from personal experience - he had to battle...

canada calling 2.
January 1, 2002... Here is the second running report from Kevin Martin, who joined the Four Corners Emigration programme to Canada and is now in the country. 'I passed my Class 1 equivalent a few weeks ago and have been on the road since then. 'I...

ved made easier.(vehicle excise duty )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... A new system of vehicle excise duty (VED) for lorries was introduced at the beginning of December, enabling around 80% of lorry VED transactions to be handled through the post office network. The changes also mean that hauliers have more...

TO THE POINT.(working hours regulation for truckers)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... One of the most chilling implications of the proposed new EC 48-hours legislation is that not only will working time law override tachograph regulations, but duty time - be it meal break or waiting to tip - will count as part of your shift....

Gurkhas still barred.(from truck driving in the United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Driving Force Logistics, which battled with the government for the right to employ Gurkhas as agency distribution drivers, believes the door on the idea is still firmly shut - despite Labour's recent relaxation of the immigration rules. ...

Four corners concern.(emigration to Canada from the United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The wife of a driver who was keen to get on the Four Corners Emigration programme to Canada has contacted T&D to voice her concerns. She claims that when she and her husband attended an initial Four Corners meeting in August, they were...

extra eyes Competition.
January 1, 2002... We had a good response to the competition (August T&D) asking for an alternative name for MAN's sophisticated safety device, the 'Turning Off Assistant'. The five winners and their entries were: Kevin Duffy of Edgbaston: 'SPECS' (Second...

Respect drivers says FTA.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The FTA is calling on industry to increase the level of respect shown towards drivers, as part of a series of recommendations designed to tackle the skills shortage crisis. A document containing the suggestions comes hot on the heels of...

Tunnel to open early.(Mount Blanc Tunnel)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Following the disaster at the St Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland, it has been decided to open the Mont Blanc tunnel earlier than originally planned. This means that, to ease the long delays, trucks are expected to be able to use the route by...

new volvo.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... flagship Volvo has launched a fresh flagship FH model with a revamped interior and exterior styling changes, such as a revised lower front panel and new headlights. The modified FH has longer service intervals (80,000km), a new...

scania cases pending.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The latest twist in the Scania 4 series back pain story has come from a lawyer. She told T&D that there are at least three teams of solicitors in the UK preparing claims against employers on behalf of drivers who say they have experienced...

INTERNET UPDATE.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Gaz 'Ferret' Cunningham recommends the Scania (www.scania.se), Mack (www.macktrucks.com) and Paccar (www.paccar.com) websites. All have downloadable desktop wallpaper or screen-savers. A tip: if you want to surf for other websites that...

your number's up.
January 1, 2002... I have been an HGV driver for 20-plus years, now driving for Asda Washington depot, and we keep up to date with road transport regulations. However, for some reason we seem to have overlooked the regulation regarding the 'removal of speed...

all power to plymouth.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... July this year saw Plymouth play host to the British Grand Prix Class 1 Offshore Powerboat Championship, writes local T&Dreader Dave Lee. Eleven teams from Norway, the United Arab Emirates, France and a handful of Italians battled it out...

Steady Eddie!
January 1, 2002... Watch out, Bob the Builder! Britain's best-known road haulier, Eddie Stobart, has created a cartoon character for children. What's more, 'Steady Eddie' has his own video in which Eddie gets up to all sorts of fun and is always ready to help,...

harmonic combo.(General Motors Corporation's new trucks)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Whether you're talking cars or light CVs, the UKarm of General Motors must be a contender for 'Most Improved Product'. Look at the Vauxhall 'vanguard': Corsavan, Astravan, Vivaro, Movano; all relatively new and all impressive in their own...

EVERLASTING HIAB?(Hiab brick crane off-loader)
January 1, 2002... I have an HGV licence and drive an artic with Hiab brick crane off-loader. I have taken a test and have had a licence to operate this crane since July 1996. While visiting some building sites I have been asked to produce my licence but,...

J LONG & SONS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Thinking of a career change, or just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side? Then this regular column has the answers. We try to discover what transport firms are really like to work for, so T&D doesn't just get the...

Unusually articulate.
January 1, 2002... Always keen to try something different, editor Dave Young tests a Japanese 'bonsai' artic - and discovers that Isuzu's combo of 7.5-tonner NQT tractor and Vipex trailer has a lot going for it Mini-artics have never been as popular in this...

In brief.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... l Lower back problems are common among drivers but the McKenzie Institute in New Zealand thinks it has an answer. It claims the 'McKenzie Lumbar Roll' can help alleviate back pain and prevent lumbar problems from becoming more severe. It...

troublespots to watch FOR in dec/jan.
January 1, 2002... A64 N Yorkshire, Copmanthorpe. Eastbound carriageway closed, contraflow on westbound carriageway. Ends Dec 20. M6 Jct 17-20, Cheshire. Gantry work; moderate delays. Ends Dec. M62 Jct 18-22. Closed some nights for installation of giant...

calling all.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... leyland fans On July 8 the Leyland Society - which promotes the study and preservation of Leyland trucks and other vehicles - held its third annual get-together at the Leyland factory, near Chorley. Despite a downpour of biblical...

pukka tucker.(Cafe de Wheels )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Cafe de Wheels has been around for years. No-one is sure how many docks it has seen close before it has moved on once more. But what is the French connection? Cafe de Wheels now sits out on its own, surrounded by rubble and marsh,...

mile-muncher.(new truck from Renault)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Another Renault? Affirmative. After all, as with the French maker's Clio supermini (see Dec T&D), there are new diesels to consider as well as fresh faces. But while Clio's bloodline is still apparent, this Laguna has a completely new look...