Commercial Motor articles from April 2007

Commercial Motor archives from April 2007

This Week.
April 5, 2007... It's all about teamwork On his third day as regional business development manager at Fortec Pallet Distribution Network, Andrew Harrison talks to Roanna Avison about the intricacies of the role and why he is so optimistic about this...

Legal.(traffic commissioner David Dixon rejects DC Haulage and Storage license application)
April 5, 2007... Licence application is rejected after firm operates illegally for 10 months A company that operated illegally claimed not to know that a change of status required a new licence. Michael Jewell reports. Falsified bank statements and...

Legal.(James Knight of H Greaves and Sons fined for falsifying tachograph records)(Roderick D MacDougall looses license)(OJ Jones and Sons Ltd. looses license)
April 5, 2007... Naive driver fined for tacho offences Learning curve for confused operator A Lancashire TRUCK driver has been ordered to pay [pounds sterling]1,450 in fines and costs for falsifying tachograph records. James Knight, of Chequer...

Operations.
April 5, 2007... As well as the night heater testing, we tested a few other aspects of the driving experience as well. On today's congested road network, the ability to see from the driving cab is becoming more important. We measured the distance from the cab...

Operations.(Tim Huggins of Renault Trucks UK)(Interview)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... Tim Huggins General sales manager, fleet Renault Trucks UK What got you started in transport? I needed a job! What do you love/hate about it? I love the people, hate the hassle. What's your poison? A nicely...

'Real buzz' at Ranger auctionThe latest-generation Ford Ranger has debuted at British Car Auctions, making three quarters of its list price. Kevin Swallow reports.(Used Trucks)
April 5, 2007... Nottingham's BCA site enjoys its exclusives (CM29 March)and its latest pioneer is the Ford Ranger. The firstexamples to gounder the hammer were sold ina closed sale - fetching up to 75% of list price. The sale, which featured79 Ford light...

It's good to talk at GuestNew technology has helped Iveco dealership Guest Motors to slash its running costs and improve the efficiency of its vehicle recovery and sales operations.(Used Trucks)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... It's good to talk at GuestNew technology has helped Iveco dealership Guest Motors to slash its running costs and improve the efficiency of its vehicle recovery and sales operations. Kevin Swallow reports. Introducing technology is one thingbut...

Used Trucks.
April 5, 2007... THREE-POINTED STAR Yorkshire dealership Northside Truck and Van beat 21 competitors to be crowned Mercedes-Benz Dealer of the Year 2006. And thiswasn't the only trophy Northside picked up - Leigh Margel was namedVan Sales Manager of the...

Used Trucks.(ProTruck Auctions's turnover)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... Steady growth at ProTruck Sales have risen steadily since Christmas at ProTruck Auctions as the new operation settles down and finds its mark. Kevin Swallow reports. Six months ago Charlie Wright kicked off ProTruck Auctions with...

All under one roof.(Used Trucks)
April 5, 2007... It is becoming essential for expanding, entrepreneurial businesses to offer a 'one-stop shop', and Junction 6 Commercials is a perfect example. Kevin Swallow reports. e_SDRqA lot of people are going to 12-tonners as the supply of drivers...

A capital idea.(This Week)(Central London Freight Quality Partnership)(Transport for London)(rules for parking and traffic congestion)
April 5, 2007... A group has been formed to bring order out of the chaos of delivering in the capital - and these Londoners are happy to follow the Parisian lead. Louise Cole reports. The Central London Freight Quality Partnership (FQP) was launched this...

Legal.
April 5, 2007... On the road to recovery Recovery operators and the drivers' hours regs Like the emergency services, recovery operators used to be exempt from the drivers' hours rules. But that is set to change on 11 April. Recovery operators will...

back?Bye bye buy-.(Operations)
April 5, 2007... After coming a cropper with buy-backs in the late 1990s the manufacturers are now more cautious about what they offer. But as Steve Banner reports, there are still deals to be had... In the late 1990s a number of truck manufacturers...

Operations.
April 5, 2007... Dimensions (mm) Daf MAN Mercedes Renault Volvo Internal height - maximum 2,230 1,950 1,920 2,060 1,930 Internal length 2,070 2,100 2,070 1,970 2,000 Internal width 2,240 2,160 2,130 2,220 2,280 Windscreen depth 780 810 790 800...

SLEEPOVER PARTYForget catkins and daffodils - if CM's annual cab test is here, it must be spring. This time round we are comparing the 'biggest' fleet cabs that most employed drivers rely on as their home from home.(Operations)
April 5, 2007... SLEEPOVER PARTYForget catkins and daffodils - if CM's annual cab test is here, it must be spring. This time round we are comparing the 'biggest' fleet cabs that most employed drivers rely on as their home from home.For two days at the start of...

Operations.(Jack the Lad gets negative response on commenting about men using beauty products)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... When Southern FM presenter Jack the Lad accused men who use beauty products of being ponces, claiming women like their men rugged, the response he got was more than he bargained for. A listener called Woody phoned in and said he spend 40...

Operations.
April 5, 2007... On an unseasonably mild January morning this year, 200 police and financial investigators conducted dawn raids across the Midlands on company directors thought to have defrauded legitimate businesses of more than [pounds sterling]10m. ...

Operations.(Isuzu Rodeo Denver)(Product/service evaluation)
April 5, 2007... ISUZU RODEO DENVER What's new? - 2.5-litre turbo-diesel that outperforms its 3.0-litre predecessor - Performance-based LE version with 158hp - Restyled exterior High risk? - Update has left the chassis untouched...

Operations.(corporate taxes)
April 5, 2007... Let's get fiscal FACT If the return that was due to be submitted on 31 January is not submitted by 31 July, a second fixed penalty of [pounds sterling]100 is imposed Just like individuals, companies have to comply with a number of...

Operations.
April 5, 2007... It's Showtime! Peterborough Truckfest 2007 18-19 April: FPS 2007 Telford International Centre www.fpsshow.co.uk 24-26 April: Commercial Vehicle Show 2007 NEC, Birmingham www.cvshow.com 3-5 May: Tip-Ex 2007 ...

This Week.(SDC in India)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... SDC considers Indian joint venture trailers Northern Ireland trailer manufacturer SDC has set up a company in India to investigate a joint venture to make trailers for the Indian market. The company, to be based at Chennai (formerly...

This Week.(reroute of trucks from Towcester)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... Operators asked to keep trucks out of Towcester OPERATORS have been asked to avoid sending their vehicles through Towcester, which is on the A5 in Northamptonshire, and reroute them along the M1. The A5 was declared an air-quality...

This Week.(proposal for bridge construction)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... If only... government looked at Channel bridge scheme Before the Chunnel, proposals were put to the government for a 21-mile bridge across the sea to France. Roanna Avison reports. Hauliers could have driven across the English Channel...

This Week.(Eclipse Haulage and Couriers and Adrian Close fined)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... Operator begs court to help keep his firm afloat The boss of a Nailsworth, Glos haulage firm pleaded with the Solihull magistrates to help save his business after being accused of causing danger to road users by overloading a vehicle with...

This Week.(Knights of Old buys new trailers from Lawrence David)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... Going with the flow at Knights of Old Knights of Old has expanded its fleet of 120 trailers with two new trailers built by Peterborough-based Lawrence David. Both feature the newly designed fuel-saving curve (FSC) which incorporates an...

Buncefield leads to a series of safety recommendations.(This Week)(Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board, oil depot safety)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... The Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board has called for a "programme of revisions" to minimise risks within the oil industry. Chris Tindall reports. A report into the explosion at the Buncefield oil-storage depot in Hertfordshire...

Taymix base raided following fatal accident.(This Week)(truck driver arrested )(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... More than 30 officers from Wiltshire and Dorset police executed a search warrant at the premises of Dorset-based transport and logistics firm Taymix last month following a fatal accident on the A303. Two people died in the accident, at West...

...as cash is found for Scottish timber routes.(This Week)
April 5, 2007... The Scottish Executive is spending [pounds sterling]3.7m to reduce the impact of timber transport on its roads, including [pounds sterling]2.5m on a forest haulage route for trucks. The money, being distributed through the Strategic Timber...

Weigh-in-motion to make Scottish debut...(This Week)(Transport Scotland uses trigger cameras to fine overloaded trucks)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... Technology designed to detect overweight trucks as they drive along the road is to be used in Scotland for the first time. Transport Scotland, the national transport agency, is to set up weigh-in-motion equipment on major routes, following...

Parliament is warned of the dangers of sat-nav.(This Week)(Shona McIsaac presses for weight restriction regulations for trucks)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... Cleethorpes MP Shona McIsaac told Parliament last week that satellite navigation systems were sending trucks down streets with weight restrictions. McIsaac reported that drivers are following their sat-nav instructions, ignoring weight...

This Week.
April 5, 2007... Denby makes the jump to Euro-5 Denby Transport has gone straight to Euro-5 with its 2007 fleet purchasing programme. The high-profile Lincoln-based operator has specified Euro-5 engines for all 14 of the Volvo FH-480...

This Week.(United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive to check trucking retail premises )(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... HSE targets LGV deliveries in Norfolk Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors are to drop in unannounced on retail premises in Norfolk to check that deliveries made by LGVs are being carried out in accordance with safety legislation....

This Week.(jail to disqualifying driver)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... The disqualified driver, who was caught at the wheel of a skip-hire vehicle after a row with its driver, is jailed for three months. Peter Swingler reports. The truck-driving son of the boss of one of Birmingham's biggest skip-hire firms,...

This Week.(use of energy crops for biofuels is afecting food industry)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... Biofuel use may force up the price of food The use of arable crops to make biofuels could force up the price of food by putting crops in short supply, according to the Food and Drink Federation (FDF). The FDF says that while it...

This Week.(new rules for drivers and operators)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... What's changing? From 11 April, the following new responsibilities apply to: l Drivers l Transport undertakings (operators) l Enforcement officers Drivers must: l Record other work and POAs for driving and non-driving...

This Week.
April 5, 2007... Mersey container terminal project will boost prospects Green light for [pounds sterling]90m terminal which will double container capacity at the Port of Liverpool and is set for a 2010 opening. Chris Tindall reports. The government has...

This Week.
April 5, 2007... Angloco Masters firefighting chassis conversion Firefighting and rescue-vehicle manufacturer Angloco has completed a vehicle based on a Renault Master 100.35 chassis. It was supplied through Renault Distributor JDS Trucks. The Renault...

This Week.(North-East Assembly's plans to control global warming)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... North-East plans to meet 'environmental challenge' The North-East Assembly plans to produce a five-year strategy designed to help the region's transport operators do their bit to tackle global warming. The assembly admits that its...

Possibly the best pay rise in the world...(This Week)
April 5, 2007... A 10% PAY RISE was being celebrated by 700 Carlsberg draymen this week. The deal, negotiated by the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G), puts the drivers on just over [pounds sterling]24,000 a year, with a [pounds sterling]1,250...

Road projects launched.(This Week)
April 5, 2007... The government has given the go-ahead to the construction of a [pounds sterling]10.5m link between the A1(M) and the A19 in Durham, designed to remove trucks from local roads. Under secretary Gillian Merron says the 2.3km single carriageway...

This Week.
April 5, 2007... Pallet move Online MBT, formerly Mike Beer Transport, has joined the Palletforce distribution network. The company used to work with Pall-Ex. Volvo deal Volvo has bought Nissan Diesel for [pounds sterling]540m. Volvo will postpone...

Fast conversion.(This Week)(SHAWtrack Services converts tractor unit into plant carrier for John Byrne and Sons)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... When Surrey contract haulier John Byrne and Sons needed a new plant carrier with a 19-tonne payload in a hurry for a new contract, Mansfield's SHAWtrack Services came to the rescue. A 2002 Scania R124L 420 6x2 twin-steer tractor unit was...

Stobart is open to merger possibility.(This Week)(Eddie Stobart Ltd. and Norbert Dentressangle merger)
April 5, 2007... Roanna Avison reports on the latest moves between UK stalwart Eddie Stobart and French giant Norbert Dentressangle. Eddie Stobart has rebuffed overtures of a takeover from French haulier Norbert Dentressangle (ND), but might consider a...

DfT stalls launch of UK hours regs.(This Week)(United Kingdom Department for Transport)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... The DfT HAS withdrawn the domestic version of the drivers' hours legislation from the parliamentary rosters where it was due to be debated, citing various 'typographical issues'. This will not affect the EU hours regs which come into force...

This Week.(Clipper Logistics' pilot scheme)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... Clipper scheme 'a success' Clipper Logistics' pilot scheme to offer retailers at Sheffield's Meadowhall shopping centre an Accelerated Response Centre (ARC) has been so successful that it will be extended nationwide. The storage and...

This Week.
April 5, 2007... Police warn truck drivers of hijackers in East Anglia The shortage of secure truck parks has been highlighted by two night attacks on artics in lay-bys on the A14. Roanna Avison reports. Drivers using the A14 north of Cambridge have...

This Week.
April 5, 2007... Digitachs and Euro-4 hit LGV figures Digital tachographs and the Euro-4 deadline led to a 2.3% reduction in LGV registrations last year, according to the SMMT. And the latest figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) show that the...

This Week.(www.TruckNet UK.com)(Brief article)
April 5, 2007... New and Old and Petty www.TruckNet UK.com This week's topics on TruckNet UK range from guaranteed pass/job training offers to memories of 'coffin cabs'. Rikki Chequer, community manager of the popular drivers' website, draws the...

This Week.
April 5, 2007... The port of Felixstowe is introducing a Vehicle Booking System (VBS) similar to the one Southampton Container Terminal rolled out when queues of trucks caused chaos at the port (CM 12 May 2005). On average the Suffolk port rejects 15% of...

MAKE SECURITY OUR PRIORITY.(This Week)
April 5, 2007... Truck drivers going about their business, keeping the wheels of this industry turning, deserve to be permitted to go about their business without threats to their physical well-being. The job is stressful enough without hijackings and muggings,...

This Week.
April 5, 2007... Don't be stung by immigration Transport lawyer Tim Culpin, partner in the transport team at Aaron & Partners, says drivers need to check their load every time they stop, record the time of the check and, where possible, get a witness to...

This Week.(Letter to the editor)
April 5, 2007... I must take issue with DS Boyes' letter and his belief that the up-to-3.5-tonne haulage sector needs increased regulation (CM 22 March). The first thing I have to ask is, where is the problem? As shown by your news story 'The truth about...

Pointing in the right direction.(This Week)(Freight Transport Association survey on trucking trends)(Statistical data)
April 5, 2007... Good news from operators in the latest FTA quarterly survey: costs are down and business is increasing. However journey times are as bad as ever and sat-nav isn't always all it's cracked up to be. Almost half the hauliers that use sat-nav...

Legal.
April 5, 2007... Trucks may only park up in designated areas such as lay-bys this is prohibited in residential areas under local by-laws. LGV drivers who stop on motorways/dual carriageways except in emergencies face on-the-spot fines of E80 ([pounds...

Bucking an upward trend.(This Week)
April 12, 2007... After years of registration figures climbing, fewer new commercial vehicles were registered last year. Was this down to the introduction of Euro-4 and digital tachographs? David Harris reports. Truck buyers had a cautious year in 2006 - the...

This Week.
April 12, 2007... Alan Bunting is right to be sceptical about spurious claims made for fuel consumption-reducing add-ons (CM 29 March). However, in the case of DaimlerChrysler's improved air management kit, the figures quoted are based on genuine controlled test...

Legal.
April 12, 2007... The international licence for five vehicles and five trailers held by Iver, Bucks-based Diane Healey has been revoked by Eastern Traffic Commissioner Geoffrey Simms. Healey was also disqualified indefinitely from holding or obtaining an...

It's a sellers' market for heavies.(Front Cover)
April 12, 2007... Used heavies are buoyant, says Glass's Guide chief CV editor George Alexander. But things are not so easy when it comes to trailers. The used trailer market traditionally swings betweenfeast andfamine and at the moment, says George...

One dealer - two awards.(Used Trucks)(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... Iveco dealers have just been wined and dined at their annual awards - Guest Trucks did the double. Guest Trucks Was on the podium twiceat Iveco Trucks' annual awards ceremony, where it was namedDistributor of the Year. Robert...

Used Trucks.
April 12, 2007... Used trucks will be a major feature at this season's trade shows -Kevin Swallow reports. It's trade show timeagain and that always means plenty of sparkling new vehicles and equipment to tempt your wallet. But this year it also...

Used Trucks.
April 12, 2007... The used truck and trailer trade often draws criticism for being too simplistic, offering basic websites with little content. H LL Davies, based in Chester, falls into this category. Itshome page offerstwo sets of listings, across the top and...

STAND UP FOR TRUCKSTOPS.(This Week)(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... "You need to park up - but you can't do it here." That seems to be the message going out to professional drivers up and down the country. It is an absurdity that a nation which requires LGV drivers to pull off the road at specified intervals...

Used Trucks.
April 12, 2007... 67 XXXXX: TRAILERS The used trailer market continues to struggle with too much dross up for grabs, says Glass's Guide. 68 e_SIhtXXXXX: DEALER NEWS Winners, new specialist van sites and used truck activity at trade shows - here's...

No more random digging.(Operations)(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... Any of you frustrated by roadworks should sigh with relief if you don't have to drive down Copenhagen Road in Islington, North London. Apparently it has been dug up 375 times over the past five years, with most of the work carried out by the...

Operations.
April 12, 2007... Yourse_SFlbBY DESign Have you come up with an innovation that will excite the industry, but don't want others to steal it? Richard Marke and Lucy Etherton explain what you can do to protect your ideas. Often the best ideas come from...

Operations.
April 12, 2007... On the right track Although rail and water freight have their limitations, increased capacity can be of benefit to road haulage. As more and more operators embrace intermodal transport, what opportunities will be theirs for the...

Steady as she goes Insecure loads kill people, and since the earliest days of road haulage drivers have had to know how to keep things in place. But rising speeds and weights have brought rising risks - so if you want to stay in the business you'd better take this subject very seriously indeed. Dave Young reports.(Operations)
April 12, 2007... Little more than a generation ago, load security wasn't what you would call complex. First the load went onto a haulier's ubiquitous, flexible and thankfully cheap flatbed trailer or rigid. Then the driver covered it with a stout tarpaulin - to...

Operations.(Financial report)
April 12, 2007... Keeping afloat SCHMITZ CARGOBULL German trailer and bodybuilding giant Schmitz Cargobull recently revealed an impressive E1,308m ([pounds sterling]934m) group turnover for its 2005/6 financial year. What's more, new UK managing...

Operations.
April 12, 2007... Model: Importer: Engine: Cylinders: Bore/stroke: Capacity: Compression ratio: Maximum power: Maximum torque: Transmission: Gear ratios: Final drive ratio: Clutch: Brakes: Brake...

This Week.(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... Crimewatch appeal helps police in hijacking cases Police received 69 calls after a reconstruction of two truck hijackings on the A14 in Cambridgeshire appeared on the BBC's Crimewatch programme. The two incidents happened last month,...

This Week.
April 12, 2007... Do you want to work for CM? Commercial Motor is seeking a writer with a passion for the industry to join our busy news desk. The full-time position, based in Sutton, Surrey, offers a competitive salary and a chance to be part of the...

This Week.
April 12, 2007... Groups of hauliers, their associations, highways authorities and transport service providers have been asked to bid for [euro]57m ([pounds sterling]39m) in grants this year from the European Union's (EU) renewed Marco Polo freight reform...

This Week.
April 12, 2007... Town considers anti-truck barriers to protect streets The West Sussex town of Petworth is hoping to introduce barriers preventing vehicles wider than 2m entering its narrow streets. A signed route directs LGVs away from the town centre,...

This Week.(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... Sneezing LGV driver cleared of death by dangerous driving A truck driver who said a sneeze distracted him just before a crash that killed three members of the same family has been fined [pounds sterling]2,000 by Lincoln Crown Court. ...

This Week.(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... TNT promises there will be no UK redundancies TNT has moved quickly to reassure employees that it has no plans for redundancies in the UK after revealing heavy cutbacks in the Netherlands. TNT Post in The Hague said last week that...

This Week.
April 12, 2007... Christian Salvesen finds that Spain is a tough environment The logistics provider's restructuring programme will have 'particular focus' on the firm's UK and Spanish transport businesses. Chris Tindall reports. Christian Salvesen...

This Week.
April 12, 2007... Low risk of manslaughter charges on Irish roads Irish drivers are unlikely to face manslaughter prosecutions for causing fatal accidents except in the most extreme cases, the country's Law Reform Commission said last week. The...

MEPs go for 2008 deadline.(This Week)
April 12, 2007... The European Parliament's Transport Committee is pushing for a binding deadline of 30 June 2008 for retrofitting heavy trucks in operation since 2000 with blind-spot mirrors. European Union ministers support a deadline that effectively...

Active Space delivery is not small potatoes.(This Week)
April 12, 2007... Berwickshire-based Drysdale Freight and Roxburghshire-based Olivers Transport have each taken delivery of a pair of Iveco Stralis Active Space 440S48TX/P tractor units powered by the 480hp Cursor 13 engine. The Ivecos will operate on a...

Concerns over EU satellite negotiations.(This Week)
April 12, 2007... European Union (EU) Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot has acted to shore up the future of the EU global positioning satellite network Galileo, which has been designed to offer hauliers reliable high-tech navigation services from 2010. ...

Towcester needs a bypass -all it will get is a 'link road'.(This Week)
April 12, 2007... Plans by developer Persimmon Homes to construct a trunk road have been rejected by the Highways Agency. Roanna Avison reports. A week after hauliers were asked to re-route their trucks to avoid passing through Towcester, Northants (CM 5...

Irish farmers face haulage clampdown.(This Week)
April 12, 2007... Irish hauliers have won their battle to have the operation of agricultural vehicles for hire-or-reward work properly regulated. For years the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has campaigned to bring agricultural vehicles under the...

Truckstop planned in wake of attack.(This Week)(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... A haulier plans to build a truckstop on the A55, saying an attack on one of his drivers shows the need for secure sites. Roanna Avison reports. The owner of haulier JD Owen is to submit planning application for a truckstop on the A55 he...

Artics routinely break 40mph limit.(This Week)(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... The Department for Transport claims that 76% of artics broke the single-carriageway 40mph limit last year, 28% by more than 10mph. It says the average speed of artics on these roads was 46mph, just 2mph less than that of cars. DfT figures...