Commercial Motor articles from August 2008

Commercial Motor archives from August 2008

This Week.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Trucks may get access to bus lanes in Walsall Trucks could share bus lanes in Walsall if local residents give the thumbs up to Walsall Council's congestion-busting scheme. Under the proposal, lorries would have access to bus lanes on...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... [HEAD] Ringing the changes on CM's newsdesk From Monday 11 August, the number for Commercial Motor's newsdesk will change to 020 8652 3448. The existing number will still get you through to CM, and of course you will also still be able...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... FTA supports proposed trial of A12 overtaking ban By Chris Tindall Trucks could be banned from overtaking on the A12 after an independent inquiry recommended a 12-month trial between Hatfield Peverel and Marks Tey. While the idea...

This Week.(Scotflow)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Scotflow keeps trading at request of administrator By Roanna Avison Scottish haulier Scotflow is continuing to trade and hoping to find a buyer after its parent company was placed in administration. Scotflow is a subsidiary of...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Guard assaulted in Wincanton trailer theft administrator Six trailers containing alcohol have been stolen from Wincanton in a raid that saw a security guard attacked. At approximately 1am on Sunday 3 August, six Wincanton trailer...

This Week.(Industry overview)
August 7, 2008... Strategic thinking Swift and decisive action is vital if UK hauliers are to survive in today's economic climate, but is the Government simply glossing over the difficulties? The House of Commons Transport Select Committee is keen to...

This Week.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Is the road haulage industry an easy target? Sitting here at CM towers it sometimes appears that way. We wonder why many councils around the country seem to think that any traffic problem can be solved by penalising HGVs. We know that...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Do the maths Official figures for cabotage activity in the UK do not reflect the scale of the problem, according to the Freight Transport Association, and the 'three-in-seven' rule could encourage more work to be carried out. Words:...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... You scratch my back... The Transport Association is a self-help group of members working together for mutual benefit. CM gets the lowdown from chairman Trevor Ellis. Words: Louise Cole / Images: Graham Richardson The Transport...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... WITH REFERENCE to your article 'VDO digitach upgrade helps resolve mode switch errors' (CM 10 July), I quote your second paragraph: "Drivers are sure to welcome the fact that their tachograph can now auto-matically default to rest as soon as...

Operations.
August 7, 2008... If your truck's broken down on the roadside, how long should you wait before a mechanic turns up and (hopefully) fixes it? Based on our regular conversations with operators, most expect someone to roll up within an hour of the initial 'truck...

Operations.
August 7, 2008... Nissan's pick-up display paired the new entry-level MP300 with a range-topping Navara complete with aerodynamic hardtop. CM-07AG08-OPS-LONDON-CB Nissan's pickup display paired the new entry level MP300 with a range-topping Navara...

Legal.
August 7, 2008... Focus off cameras Speed cameras are widely criticised for being unfair and inaccurate, but are there better ways of improving road safety? Guy Sheppard reports. The relentless spread of speed cameras across the UK road network may...

Legal.
August 7, 2008... The relentless spread of speed cameras across the UK road network may have reached a turning point. After almost doubling in number since 2000, Swindon Borough Council has now decided to review its [pounds sterling]400,000-a-year funding of...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... By Roger Brown HW Coates has expanded in Scotland after buying McLellans Transport out of administration. The privately owned Leicestershire firm made the move after Blair Nimmo and Gary Fraser from KPMG were appointed joint...

This Week.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... n The wife of a disgraced haulier and her mother have been disqualified from holding an O-licence indefinitely. North-Eastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell says Katharine Oliver and Elsie Swan failed to comply with requests made by...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Weaker pound makes UK hauliers more competitive By Chris Tindall The pound's weakness against the euro has given a small ray of hope to UK-based international hauliers and those who are trying to compete with foreign firms undertaking...

This Week.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Trucks have been ignoring weight restrictions and damaging weak bridges, according to Suffolk County Council (SCC). The council cites data from its trading standards department, which shows that more than 80 lorries above the three-tonne...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Keith Taylor Logistics (KTL) has acquired the assets of the SCS Group of companies, including SCS Logistics. A spokeswoman for KTL, which is part of the TG Group, says it does not want to make any comment on the acquisition at this stage....

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Wincanton signs roof deal Wincanton has signed a five-year deal to distribute roofing products for Marley Eternit from sites in Glasgow and Reading. The company says the contract means it has doubled its business in the construction...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... The driving theory test for truck drivers has increased from 60 to 100 questions, and the number of hazard perception clips has risen from 14 to 19 as the DSA upgrades the test in the run-up to the Driver CPC. The cost of the test will increase...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... By Joanna Bourke The Welsh Environment Agency has called it "unacceptable" that chemicals were found dumped in a lay-by in an "intentionally" abandoned lorry. On 31 July, North Wales Police, fire officers, Vosa and the Environment...

HA sits on Orwell Crossing legal advice 'for public good'.(This Week)(Highways Agency)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... By Chris Tindall The Highways Agency (HA) has upheld a decision not to release the legal advice it received that would explain why it attempted to ban the public from eating and drinking at a Suffolk truck park. The boss of Orwell...

Norfolk County Council 'never says never' to HGV extension for LEZ.(This Week)
August 7, 2008... Norfolk County Council will not rule out extending its newly launched Norwich Low Emission Zone (LEZ) to target HGVs in the future. Last week, part of its city centre became the latest patch of the country to be covered by an LEZ, but the...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Fraudster is told to hand back hidden assets of diesel scam A red diesel fraud in Northern Ireland made massive profits for all those involved, a court has been told. Kevin Campbell, an independent haulier from Dungannon, Northern...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... www.roadtransport.com Dave Young, stand-in community manager for TruckNet UK, talks suzies, jack-knifing and failed firms. Despite it being the holiday season, with most drivers en famille in Barbados, TruckNet UK is busy as ever. ...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Anti-epilepsy drug driver back on road A driver who had his HGV licence revoked for 10 years after he was prescribed an anti-epilepsy drug following a fall from his wagon has gone back to work after his car licence was returned. Chris...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Norbert Dentressangle sees revenues rise Norbert Dentressangle Group has posted an 83% increase in revenue for the first half of the year, boosted by the acquisition of Christian Salvesen. The company, which made the [pounds sterling]254m...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Council dismisses hauliers' pleas for access to road By David Harris Hauliers objecting to plans to impose a weight limit on a Somerset road have been dismissed by the council introducing the restriction. This week (4 August) saw...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Strong profits for TDG during offer period By Roger Brown TDG has increased its profit and turnover in the first half of 2008, despite the company being surrounded by takeover speculation for much of the period. Operating profit...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Reason Transport has enjoyed "immense" business growth since joining the Palletways network in 2004. Between then and 2008, the number of pallets handled per night has increased from two to around 250, leading to greater employment and new...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... Better drivers slash fuel bills Telematics specialist Isotrak says its latest tests suggest that hauliers could save 19% in fuel bills if drivers practised fuel-saving driving styles. This includes gentle acceleration and braking,...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... ARR Craib expands its remit after increase in turnover Aberdeen-based haulier ARR Craib Transport has extended its business into rail freight, supply chain management and facilities management in the face of a tough road haulage market and...

This Week.
August 7, 2008... HSE 'agrees to spread word' on truck seat-belt campaign By Chris Tindall The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has written to MP Alan Milburn offering practical support for a campaign to ensure all lorries are fitted with seat-belts,...

This Week.(Sam Whittaker appointed truck sales and marketing director for Mercedes-Benz UK )(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... New man at Merc Sam Whittaker has been appointed truck sales and marketing director for Mercedes-Benz UK. Whittaker left his role as national truck fleet sales manager to take over his new job on 1 August. With 16 years'...

Legal.
August 7, 2008... Weighty matters Working together Our 'Drivers Need To Know' series is designed as a training tool. Transport managers and drivers can work through the headings at 'toolbox' meetings. If there are any subjects you would like us to...

Operations.
August 7, 2008... Modern vans may profess to have car-like handling, but as easy as they are to drive nowadays, it's only when you get into a product that's based wholly on a car that you realise the gap still exists. Having spent time with our new long-term...

Used Trucks.(Roger Dyson Group)(Company overview)
August 7, 2008... Best of British HISTORY The Roger Dyson Group is one of a dying breed a British manufacturer. Its [pounds sterling]3.5m new-build and revamp will cement its position as the leading maker of recovery vehicles. Words: Kevin Swallow/...

Vosa relaxes licence requirements.(Used Trucks)
August 7, 2008... The days of truck dealerships requiring an operator's licence to register a tractor to move customers' trailers are over as the Government and Vosa axe "impractical" legislation. Vosa says truck dealerships no longer need a registered...

Operations.(Picado )
August 7, 2008... After the load's straps are untied, they're usually left in a heap. Do you lift them on to the trailer and leave them, or untangle the bundle and stow them neatly? CM tests three gadgets designed to make the second option easier. Words:...

This Week.(JC Innes & Sons )(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... JC Innes loses five-year disqualification appeal By Chris Tindall Aberdeen-based JC Innes & Sons has lost its appeal against a five-year disqualification after the Transport Tribunal expressed surprise that its licence hadn't been...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Suffolk Lorry Park Association in call for 'time' to address issues The creation of an association to voice concerns about truck parking in Suffolk and lobby for improvements has received a tentative welcome from members. The Suffolk...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Nissan ECO Pedal tests show boosts in fuel economy Nissan has developed a 'smart' accelerator pedal which its tests show can improve fuel economy by 5-10%. Called ECO Pedal, the device, which can be switched off, detects when pedal...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Agency drivers get a lot of flak in the industry, but a few are currently using TruckNet UK to give the other side of the story - and some real horror stories have emerged. One gripe that agency drivers seem to share is turning up at a...

This Week.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Next-gen Digifob boasts additional functionality The Digifob portable device for reading digital tachograph driver cards has entered its second generation. The device will now advise you of the next rest period due, as well as inform...

This Week.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Accidental death verdict in 'sleep apnoea' case Despite causing an accident that led to a motorist's death, a lorry driver has escaped prosecution - because he was suffering from an undiagnosed sleeping disorder. Colin Wrighton's...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... A cement company switching 50,000 long-distance truck journeys a year on to rail promises there will be no job losses among drivers as a result. Lafarge Cement says its employed drivers and sub-contractors will be moved from deliveries of...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Mercedes-Benz is the latest company to cut lead times By David Harris Mercedes-Benz has slashed the time it takes to deliver its heaviest trucks by four months. A year ago, the lead time for vehicles was 12 months but this has now...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Veolia tests Iveco Daily on liquid biomethane By Julian Milnes Liquid biomethane extracted from a landfill site is being used to power a natural-gas-converted Iveco Daily. Waste management company Veolia Environmental Services is...

This Week.(Conference notes)
August 14, 2008... Driver CPC conference is go The EU Driver CPC will become law by September 2009, dictating, among other things, that all truck drivers in the UK require 35 hours of vocational training every five years in order to continue working in the...

Bedfords employs design company to overhaul brand as part of growth plan.(This Week)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... By Chris Tindall THE WEST YOrkshire-based haulier Bedfords is using the services of a design company to give it a new look as part of its five-year growth plan. Fantastic Media will update the printing and kitchen furniture haulier's...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Take a busman's holiday and earn a mint with new Euro Truck Simulator Operators not in favour of having their children sarcastically demand to know just how difficult it is to scrape a living in the haulage industry should stop reading...

Young boy dies after jumping into delivery truck for a daree_SSRq.(This Week)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... By Andrew Smith A truck driver has spoken of his horror after discovering that a 10-year-old boy had died after falling from the back of his lorry. German national Matthias Krause and his wife, Kornelia, were delivering for Lidl in...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... 06 News headlines RHA: M4 toll road will push hauliers to the edge. Tradeteam furious at London ticket blunders. Yorkshire demo haulier awaits 'prosecution' decision. Turners philosophical after sugar contract loss. 16 First drive ...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Putting the part before the source Selling parts to fit rival marques might not seem the most obvious business plan for a truck-maker. So why is Daf doing that through its TRP division? Words: Roanna Avison / Images: Tom Cunningham ...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... All for one and one for all With many haulage companies now wondering if there is actually a future for their businesses, and trade associations telling us little more than to raise our rates every time fuel prices go up, which we have...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Pembrokeshire-based Frenni Transport has been awarded a European Transport Award by Palletways at its second national sales convention. Cavendish Ships Stores has selected Trumac refrigerated box bodies to equip its temperature-controlled...

This Week.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Mechanics are offered financial incentives to move Down Under Australia is trying to tempt commercial vehicle mechanics to emigrate Down Under by offering the prospect of a better lifestyle and proposing to cover the [pounds sterling]2,000...

This Week.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... HA tells hauliers to tighten up on ratchet straps Hauliers are being warned to check that lorry ratchet straps are securely stored as part of a crackdown on motorway litter. Highways Agency traffic officers claim that errant straps have...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Turners loses British Sugar contract to Suttons Group By Chris Tindall Paul Day, boss of Turners (Soham), has spoken of his disappointment at losing a multi-million pound contract with British Sugar to Suttons Group, 34 years after it...

This Week.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Protest haulier may still face prosecution A haulage boss who organised a fuel protest says he is still waiting to hear from police whether he will face prosecution. Rob Sweeting, owner of Yorkshire haulier Sweetings of Leeds, was...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... Tradeteam slams Westminster Council for 'inadvertently' dishing out tickets By Chris Tindall Drinks distributor Tradeteam is fuming after Westminster Council issued yet another penalty charge notice (PCN) to one of its lorries, even...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... SMMT demystifies WholeVehicle Type Approval By Kevin Swallow The Society of Motor Manufacturing and Traders (SMMT) has given manufacturers a glimpse of how the new vehicle approval system will work - and the administrative web they...

Operations.
August 14, 2008... Ram recovery By definition, a tipper is only as good as its tipping ram. CM paid a visit to Thompson's factory to find out how they go wrong, and how they get fixed. Words / Images: Colin Barnett Thompson, based on the fringes of...

Operations.
August 14, 2008... A pick-me-up Truck-mounted cranes are growing in popularity, as hauliers discover added-value services can create new avenues of profitabity in today's competitive economic climate. Words / Images: Dave Young Over the past few...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... More than aname change Quick spec check Model: Isuzu N75.190 Easyshift Engine: 5.2-litre, EGR Euro-4 Power rating: 188hp at 2,600rpm Torque output: 513Nm at 1,500-2,600rpm Gearbox: Six-speed automated manual with...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... RHA sounds the alarm over M4 toll road plans By David Harris and Chris Tindall Plans for an M4 toll relief road would cripple haulage businesses delivering into Wales and seriously damage the economy, the Road Haulage Association (RHA)...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... The streets of London are cleaner this week following the handover of 10 Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Eco Hybrids to eight operators in the capital. Royal Mail, Amey, DHL, Hill Hire, Ringway, Scottish and Southern, Tesco and TNT are taking part...

Legal.(Polytech Plastics)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... No-show at inquiry condemns operator A West Midlands company that failed to appear at a public inquiry in order to face questions about its safety record has had its licence revoked. West Bromwich-based Polytech Plastics, with a...

Legal.
August 14, 2008... Operator was aware of 'tacho fiddling' Fraserburgh-based Lorna Eddie, trading as Lorne Freight, has lost her appeal against the revocation of her O-licence and her disqualification from holding an O-licence in any Traffic Area for a period...

Legal.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Interim licence granted until new hearing A bid for a four-vehicle licence has been adjourned so that more information can be gathered about the applicant's operating procedures, and the suitability of its transport manager. Tom...

Legal.
August 14, 2008... Casting the net wider A landmark ruling suggests that a law to protect disabled workers also includes employees caring for a disabled dependent. As a result, all employers must review their procedures. Words: Gareth Edwards The...

Legal.
August 14, 2008... CASE OF THE WEEK: TRANSPORT MANAGER IN DENIAL: A licence application was refused after the nominated transport manager denied he had ever worked for the applicant. CASE STUDIES: TRAINING: From ADR to CPC our weekly listing of training...

Legal.
August 14, 2008... Tangled weave of firms denies vehicle increase A nominated transport manager denies ever actually working for his 'employer' A company involved in a "tangled weave" of linked businesses has been refused a licence increase from five...

Legal.
August 14, 2008... CM-14AUGUST-WEEE-CP (HEAD) Waste not want not (STANDFIRST) Transport companies can benefit from regulations insisting on eco-friendly treatment of electronic goods as long as they have the right permits and resources to...

Legal.
August 14, 2008... Blaming new rules fails to save O-licence A Derbyshire tipper operator, whose director blamed the new drivers' hours rules for a series of offences has had its O-licence revoked by the North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner, Tom...

This Week.
August 14, 2008... n A Coatbridge-based company involved in a "tangled weave" of linked businesses has been refused a licence increase from five vehicles to 10. Scottish Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken suspected she was being misled by GB Aggregates & Tipper...

Used Trucks.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Iveco takes another step towards its three-year marketshare plan with the Five Star Customer programme and [pounds sterling]1m for the authorised service network. Iveco's 107 authorised service locations will receive [pounds sterling]1m...

This Week.(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... By Chris Tindall Just 3,300 vehicles have been modified to comply with London's low-emission zone (LEZ), which the Freight Transport Association (FTA) brands as a "damning statement" of the scheme's benefit. Vosa's figure for HGVs...

This Week.
August 21, 2008... Governments should do more to help truck manufacturers introduce environmentally-friendly technologies, according to Ian Jones, UK managing director of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles. Jones made the appeal as Royal Mail, Amey, DHL, Hill...

This Week.
August 21, 2008... KBHS of Llanelli has bought two new MAN TGS eight-wheelers, completing the acquisition of a trio of MAN 8x4 models spanning over three decades. An F8 (pictured left) and three F2000s (middle) have between them completed almost one million...

This Week.(United Kingdom. Department for Transport dismissed trial for national road pricing )(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... The Department FOR Transport (DfT) has dismissed suggestions of a trial for national road pricing after reports this week claimed that eight regions had been selected for pay-per-mile trials in 2010. According to national press reports, 100...

This Week.
August 21, 2008... By Chris Tindall Growing numbers of catalytic converter thefts from cars have spilled into the haulage industry - however, manufacturers are highlighting the fact that they have absolutely no scrap value. The presence of precious...

Port inundated after A14 Stack is lifted.(This Week)
August 21, 2008... By Chris Tindall Suffolk Police are hailing last week's Operation Stack on the A14 as a success, despite huge congestion at the Felixstowe port when the lorry queuing procedure was finally lifted. Winds of more than 45mph battered the...