Commercial Motor articles from February 2007

Commercial Motor archives from February 2007

LEZ: SEND IN THE CLOWNS.(Transport for London policies, air pollution control)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... As Commercial Motor has spent time investigating the devastating effect the London low-emission zone (LEZ) will have on various sectors of the economy, it is gratifying to see that the organisations we have contacted are now taking their...

Legal.(Witness Charter)
February 1, 2007... Being a witness You may be asked to be a witness, for the defence or the prosecution, if you are a victim of crime, know something about a crime or incident, have specialist knowledge of a subject (expert witness) or know one of the people...

Operations.(evaluation of Iveco Daily)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... DAILY IMPROVEMENTS Following an exclusive interview with acclaimed vehicle designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, CM took the opportunity to assess his design, the new Iveco Daily, in the flesh. After interviewing the most influential vehicle...

Operations.
February 1, 2007... testers' choice 2007 vauxhall astravan 1.9 testers' choice 2007 m-b sprinter 311cdi Engine: 1.9-litre, 118hp Transmission: Six speed all-synchromesh manual gearbox GVW: 1,975kg Load volume: 1.6mA[sup.3] Tested:...

Operations.(blind-spot lenses in vehicles avoid road accidents)
February 1, 2007... Anyone who travels regularly on the M20 or M25 will have witnessed this scene. A foreign-registered left-hand-drive artic and a battered British car on the hard shoulder, exchanging insurance details. They are the lucky ones others end up...

Operations.(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... testers' choice 2007 DAF CF65 18 curtainsider Engine: 5.9-litre 247hp Transmission: Eaton 6309 nine-speed direct-drive synchro box GVW: 18,000kg Body/payload: 12,420kg Tested: 2 Feb 2006 The year started with an unseasonably...

Operations.
February 1, 2007... it was a funny old year! To be honest, 2006 was not a vintage year for CM's truck testers. The biggest single reason was the imminent arrival of the Euro-4 emissions standard. The heavy truck manufacturers, who were understandably...

Operations.(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... testers' choice 2007 Ford ranger TDCi thunder double cab Engine: 2.5-litre, 141hp Transmission: five-speed synchromesh gearbox with two-range transfer box and selectable 4WD GVW: 3,020kg Load volume: 2.1mA[sup.3] Tested: 24...

Operations.(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... testers' choice 2007 m-b axor 1840ls Engine: 12-litre, 395hp Transmission: M-B eight-speed synchro manual with crawler gear double-H shift pattern GCW: 40,000kg Payload: 25,861kg Tested: 29 June 2006 CM has paid close attention...

Operations.
February 1, 2007... testers' choice 2007 RENAULT PREMIUM 420.25 6x2la aml Engine: 11.1-litre, 406hp Transmission: ZF 16S-181 direct-drive synchromesh with two crawler gears GCW: 44,000kg Payload: 29,239kg Tested: 19 October 2006 Last...

This Week.
February 1, 2007... BAR calls for green grants for UK trucks The British Association of Removers (BAR) is calling on London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Transport for London to provide cash incentives for green trucks if the proposed London low-emission zone...

This Week.
February 1, 2007... Management software free for all readers CM READERS have a chance to transform their transport management for free this week as we give away DBS software worth [pounds sterling]1,000. DBS Platinum starts as a single-user version,...

This Week.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Stobart decides on EGR Eddie Stobart has placed its feet firmly in the EGR camp by ordering more than 500 EGR-equipped Scanias. Following trials, Stobart opted for a mix of Scania R420 tractors and rigids. Scania (GB) MD Dan Hoij says:...

Preparing for future expansion.(This Week)
February 1, 2007... Dover Harbour Board has unveiled expansion plans to deal with the predicted rise in traffic over the next 20 years. Dylan Gray went to Dover to discuss them with Dover Harbour Board chief executive Bob Goldfield. In 2006 no less than 2.3...

This Week.
February 1, 2007... Grinding the axe Chris Harwood of LGV Trainers has issues with training funds, agencies and driving schools. Tim Maughan gives him the opportunity to get it all off his chest. It's Friday, but there's no end-of-week cheerfulness...

This Week.
February 1, 2007... MAN drops hostile bidand goes for merger MAN has withdrawn its hostile takeover bid for Scania and is now seeking a friendly merger with the Swedish truck manufacturer and Volkswagen's South American truck business. The German truck...

This Week.(Road Haulage Association's Truckwatch in yorkshire and humber )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Funding enables Truckwatch to expand Truckwatch, the regional freight crime reduction initiative, has been extended to the Yorkshire and Humber regions. In November 2006, funding from regional development agency Yorkshire Forward...

This Week.
February 1, 2007... How it stacks up In the UK the Maxity is set to go head-to-head with the Isuzu NKR and Mitsubishi Fuso Canter 35 so that's how it has to be evaluated. Compared with the contenders from Renault, Iveco, Ford, Mercedes and Volkswagen, the...

Evans boosts profits.(This Week)(Evans Transport)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Evans Transport, the Devon-based warehousing and distribution company, made a pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]228,000 last year on a [pounds sterling]10.6m turnover. During the financial year ending 31 March 2006 the...

Vosa aims to cut annual test failures.(Vehicle and Operator Services Agency study the cause of truck failing annual tests )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Vosa is now halfway through a study into headlamp aim which is designed to find out why this is the most common cause of trucks failing their annual tests. Figures from the government agency show that since 2002 almost 20% of LGVs have been...

Digitach data download regs could lead to confusion.(United Kingdom Freight Transport Association)
February 1, 2007... Data storage proposals for digitachs look likely to differ from analogue tacho requirements, causing confusion for all. Louise Cole reports. New regulations governing data download from digital tachographs could leave the market awash with...

Pay by how you drive.(This Week)(Lloyd Latchford)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Specialist CV insurance broker Lloyd Latchford has launched a 'pay by how you drive' scheme. Premiums for this scheme, which is said to be the first of its kind in the UK, are calculated by building up a driver profile - taking into account...

Winds of change?(This Week)
February 1, 2007... Barry Proctor considers the aftermath of the recent storms and makes a couple of suggestions to reduce the impact of similar events in the future. The recent storms that hit the country with the force of a small hurricane were a disaster...

Danger! Cabbages on board...(This Week)
February 1, 2007... Sensitive anti-terrorist screening equipment is picking up natural radiation emitted by loads such as tiles and cabbages. David Harris reports. DETECTION EQUIPMENT designed to find illegal radioactive material in trucks is so sensitive it...

First Euro-5 Stralises arrive at Arcese UK.(This Week)(Arcese Trasporti)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... THE UK arm of Italian haulage company Arcese Trasporti has taken delivery of the first Euro-5 Stralis Active Space tractor units to arrive in the UK. The seven 4x2 tractors join four Euro-3 models that were delivered to the fleet last...

This Week.(GreenChem)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... AdBlue gets off to a slow start in the UK GreenChem admits it was slow to capitalise on AdBlue's introduction. Julian Milnes reports. A MAJOR UK and European supplier and producer of AdBlue admits there have been significant problems...

This Week.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Confusion over NCR jobs THE COMPANY distributing cash machines on behalf of American firm NCR insists the manufacturer is not about to close its Dundee factory, putting eight drivers' jobs at risk. The reassurance from Currie...

This Week.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Palletline network is back in black Palletline, the original hub-and-spoke-based distribution network, has climbed back into the black. It made a pre-tax profit of [pounds sterling]1.47m in the financial year ending 30 June 2006, following...

TDG Son expands its logistics deal with Betonson.(This Week)(Beton Son B.V.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... TDG SON, the heavy loads division of TDG, has clinched a [pounds sterling]26.4m deal with Benelux prefab-concrete producer Betonson to handle its inbound logistics. The two companies have worked together for 50 years and the deal will add...

This Week.(Thorburn International)
February 1, 2007... Wallace Thorburn hands over reins After 30 years, a controversial operator has given control of his firm to one of his daughters. Mike Jewell and Chris Tindall report. A controversial operator whose string of public inquiry appearances...

Countdown to new hours rules.(major work hour rules that every haulier needs to know)
February 1, 2007... New drivers' hours regulations are on the way. To help digest them, Pat Hagan focuses on the 10 things you need to know. It's 22 years since the EU published the first set of drivers' hours regulations, and a major makeover is coming. From...

Legal.
February 1, 2007... CM-1FEB-LEG-EXTRAE-DC Novodata CPC - Freight National course 14th-23rd February. CPC- Freight International course 24th-25th February. ADR - Packages and tanks course 26th-30th March. Digital Tachograph -...

This Week.
February 1, 2007... STAS names agents for UK and Ireland BELGIUM TIPPING and moving-floor trailer manufacturer STAS has finalised details of its partners for the company's UK and Ireland sales and support network outlets. l East and South-East of England:...

Unlicensed operator wants his trucks back.(This Week)(Israr Rahim of Adam Car Transporting )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... An operator whose trucks were confiscated wants to get back on the road. Peter Swingler reports. A car transporter firm owner who had two trucks confiscated after running his business without an O-licence will appear before the West...

GPS systems help livestock monitoring.(This Week)
February 1, 2007... European Union scientists have developed a tracking/monitoring system to help livestock hauliers comply with the latest EU animal welfare regulations which came into force on 1 January. The tracking system can record real-time information,...

Tyre check plan.(This Week)(Harpers Waste Management)(ATS Euromaster)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Harpers Waste Management expects to cut fuel bills by 3% under a managed tyre policy with ATS Euromaster. The waste removal and disposal specialist is having 45 CVs fitted with Michelin tyres ATS will inspect tyre pressures and tread damage...

Red for go with Euro-5 FH.(This Week)(Kingswood Pallets)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... "Most red trucks don't look so good, but I just love this colour!" says Steve Page, owner of pallet recycler Kingswood Pallets. The Bracknell-based firm has just taken delivery of this Euro-5 Volvo FH-400 4x2 tractor unit in Ferrari Red. Page...

This Week.
February 1, 2007... Withdrawal symptoms heading here The great meeting of minds and manufacturing promised in the MAN-Scania merger has failed to take place. Where will the truck makers go next in their quest for bulk? Oliver Dixon reports. MAN's...

Digitachs and Euro-4: What's the uptake?(This Week)
February 1, 2007... This month CM/Michelin business monitor talked to operators about the major changes the industry faced in 2006, with specific focus on the new digitach and emissions technology. [HEAD] [STANDFIRST] [BOX] At a glance - the key...

Accidents are caused by drivers not speed.(This Week)
February 1, 2007... I read with great interest your article surrounding the use of speed cameras and so-called 'excessive speed' (CM 25 January). As an advocate of appropriate high speed, I would like to convey a few points that the 'anti-speed freaks' would...

Legal.(Vosa vs Geometric Furniture)(Robert Burden fined for work hour violation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Administrative errors blamed for drivers' hours offences Company and driver admit admit hours and tacho offences employer also used unauthorised operating centre. Michael Jewell reports. A MANCHESTER operator has been ordered to pay...

Legal.
February 1, 2007... Anonymous complaints lead to formal warning South Eastern and Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps has told objectors to an operating centre that he shares their disappointment at his inability to take into account the...

Operations.(Staffordshire CV)(Dave Watts )(Interview)
February 1, 2007... COMMERCIAL MOTOR 60-Second Interview Dave Watts of truck dealer Staffordshire CV What got you started in transport? Riding round in my uncle's trucks during my school holidays when I was a youngster. Not taking my schooling...

Used Trucks.(British Car Auction Group PLC conducts auction of Ford Transit trucks)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... A winner second time around The first used examples of the latest Ford Transit have gone under the hammer at British Car Auctions. Kevin Swallow reports. There was some keen bidding when Ford's latest generation Transit went to auction...

New year, new directions.(Used Trucks)(appointment of David Frizzell and Matt Brookes at Commercial Vehicle Auctions )
February 1, 2007... With new people and dedicated van auctions, Commercial Vehicle Auctions is looking at a bright future. Kevin Swallow reports. Following the recent departure of auctioneer Charlie Wright,Commercial Vehicle Auctions (CVA)has brought in David...

Operations.(roadtransport)(Website overview)
February 1, 2007... Our Road Legal section is designed to be the first place you go for practical information on transport law. It consists of two main areas: Know the Law and Law on the Way. Know the Law is a structured group of articles - 46 at the moment -...

This Week.
February 1, 2007... Fatal crash driver on A38 had been using his mobile phone The families of two schoolgirls killed in a collision with an artic have made a special plea to drivers to stay off the phone. David Harris reports. A TRUCK DRIVER whose vehicle...

Operations.(automotive mechanics )(Interview)
February 8, 2007... What got you started in transport? My uncle owned a garage in the New Forest which got me hooked on anything technical. From my mid-teens I just wanted a technical apprenticeship, and Whitbread offered my dream ticket working on cars,...

This Week.(managers responsibility)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... If justice is the "quality of being fair or reasonable", then to be held responsible for something you cannot control cannot be just. As a manager you are not wholly responsible for everything that happens - employees are also responsible for...

Legal.
February 8, 2007... DO NOT DELETER

T&G backs bill on agency workers' rights.(This Week)
February 8, 2007... A Private Member's Bill designed to give agency workers the same employment rights as full-time and directly employed staff has been backed by the Transport & General Workers Union. The Temporary Agency Workers (Prevention of Less...

Living by numbers.(This Week)
February 8, 2007... GM's Luton assembly plant has pinned its hopes on winning the contract for the next-generation Vivaro. Plant director Donna Sanford tells Louise Cole why she believes it's in with a fighting chance. Donna Sanford is on a path of continuous...

Legal.(Kenneth Twyford fined for maintaining false employee records)(Farrari Demolition granted licence to keep three vehicles)(Caiross Inc. loses competitive bidding for impounded vehicle )
February 8, 2007... Absent operator awaits international decision Licence authorisation halved due to drivers' hours and tacho offences The licence authorisation of Derbyshire specialist bulk powder haulage company Kenneth Twyford has been halved from 21...

No intensification of nuisance.(Legal)
February 8, 2007... Two operators sharing a base appeared at the same inquiry. One had licence restrictions imposed, the other didn't. Michael Jewell reports. When Tolleshunt Major, Essex-based Total Waste appeared before Eastern Traffic Commissioner Geoffrey...

Operations.(Commercial Motor team up with Vantage One to give readers gift)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... WIN A STYLISH BLACK RHINO LIGHT BAR Commercial Motor has teamed up with accessories specialist Vantage One to give one lucky reader the chance to win a top-of-the-range Black Rhino 'Eagle' lightbar to include four Hella spotlights. The...

Front Cover.
February 8, 2007... "It doesn't matter what you use, as long as it's got wheels. Race you to Dakar!" With those immortal words, Frenchman Thierry Sabine launched the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1978. And 29 years later, the greatest tough-terrain event on earth has lost...

Operations.(roadtransport website)(Website overview)
February 8, 2007... Testing, testing, testing When we started thinking about the design of the site, we wanted to be sure it played to the strengths of Commercial Motor and the rest of the RBI Road Transport Group. One of CM's biggest assets is its vast...

Operations.(Vauxhall Vivaro is very impressive)(Product/service evaluation)
February 8, 2007... Vauxhall's Vivaro started off so far ahead of the pack that it has taken the opposition years to catch up. Can a modest update help it to maintain its standing? If IT AIN'T BROKE If the introduction of Euro-4 has given light CV...

French cops promise to protect Brits at Calais.(This Week)(assault on truck drivers spark concern)
February 8, 2007... Following the attack on two British drivers at Calais, the French promise to take action - but not everyone is convinced. David Harris reports. The French police have finally agreed to provide better protection for UK drivers facing...

Hours rules presume guilt.(Freight Transport Association battles United Kingdom Department for Transport over work hours)
February 8, 2007... The new drivers' hours rules are set to make UK operators automatically liable for driver infringements, allowing them only a narrow statutory defence. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has been battling with the Department for...

Job losses as Newport operator is wound down.(This Week)(KPMG advice to Hurst Parnell Group)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... KPMG administrators are winding down fruit & veg wholesaler Hurst Parnell Westland in Newport, with the loss of 20 drivers' jobs. The company, which employed 48 people, ran 28 reefers between 3.5 and 26 tonnes. They were based at Newport...

This Week.(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Busy website The RoadTransport.com website is off to a flying start in its first week with more than 5,000 users visiting the site and viewing an average of seven pages per visit. CM editor Andy Salter has given 15 radio interviews on the...

Balloting to begin on Vosa strike action.(This Week)
February 8, 2007... Prospect, the union representing Vosa's roadside enforcers and testers, will start balloting on strike action next week. This follows a 98.5% rejection by its membership of the pay deal Vosa imposed before Christmas. Kevin Warden,...

Operations.(Vehicle and Operator Services Agency conducts survey)
February 8, 2007... Vosa survey: the good, the bad and the unobtainable One of the most common gripes we hear in the CM office is from operators and, more often, dealers, about the time they must wait for a test at a Vosa test station. In...

Logistics ideas please.(This Week)
February 8, 2007... Logistics companies are being urged to contribute ideas for a National Skills Academy for their industry before the closing date of 5 March. So far the government has approved eight academies to address skills shortages in the...

M&S trials electric 7.5t.(This Week)(Marks and Spencer PLC buys from Smith Electric Vehicles)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Following Tesco's purchase of Modec electric vehicles, Marks & Spencer is trialling a 7.5-tonner from Smith Electric Vehicles, owned by the Tanfield Group - best known for producing electric milk floats. The vehicle, named Smith Newton, is...

Jobs threatened by planned depot closures at Wincanton.(This Week)(Wincanton Logistics Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... "Structural simplification" of Somerfield's supply chain could lead to more than 500 redundancies, including 200 driver jobs. David Harris reports. Wincanton plans to shut two depots, threatening 200 drivers' jobs, in a restructuring of...

This Week.(trade associations to compile report on transportation accidents)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... The Highways Agency has asked the industry trade associations to help compile a report into the effects of the recent storms in an attempt to minimise chaos sparked by high winds in future. About 35 LGVs were blown over and three drivers...

This Week.(WF Hall Transport is supporting the Noah's Arc Appeal charity)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Welsh haulier WF Hall Transport is supporting the Noah's Arc Appeal charity with the purchase of a new Mercedes truck. Proprietors Martin and Kath Hall bought the truck in memory of their 19-year-old son Ian, who died in a car accident 18...

This Week.(TNT Logistics Corp. vs Mark Elmes)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... An employee of transport giant TNT Logistics is seeking compensation for unfair dismissal after denying allegations that he harassed a woman employee with a series of sexual remarks. Lorry loader Mark Elmes was sacked from the company's...

Daf gets heavy with the XF FTM.(DAF Trucks N.V. introduces heavy haulage tractor and upgrades its dump trucks)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Daf has launched a heavy haulage tractor unit and uprated the transmission on its tippers. The XF105 FTM is an 8x4 heavy transport tractor with double-drive tandem and steered leading rear axle. Powered by the 12.9-litre six-cylinder...

Taking out the laundry in NI.(Northern Ireland)(United Kingdom Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs seizes illegal fuel)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... A "highly efficient and sophisticated" fuel-laundering plant with an estimated weekly output of 150,000 litres has been smashed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers in Northern Ireland. The joint operation with police in Co Armagh led...

Row brews over green-beltroad-rail development plan.(This Week)(Stop the Rail Freight Exchange campaigners oppose Helio Slough's plans)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Residents near a green-belt site in Hertfordshire are opposing its development as a major road-rail interchange. David Harris reports. A developer's plan to build a massive road-rail interchange on an old aerodrome near St Albans, Herts is...

Five or more axles banned from Dublin city centre.(This Week)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Driving a top-weight artic into the centre of Dublin could cost you E1,500 and a spell behind bars. Chris Tindall reports. LGVs WITH five axles or more will be fined up to E1,500 ([pounds sterling]990) and drivers could be jailed if they...

Brace of Stralises for MBT.(This Week)(Martyn Barratt Transport)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Nottingham-based Martyn Barratt Transport has taken delivery of two new Iveco Stralis Euro-3 6x2 curtainsiders with Anteo tail-lifts. They feature Cursor-8 engines rated at 310hp with 1,115Nm of torque and drive via 12-speed ZF EuroTronic...

Volvo moves into alternative fuels.(This Week)
February 8, 2007... Volvo Technology Transfer (VTT), a subsidiary of Volvo, is investing in Swedish company Chemrec to increase its involvement in the development of alternative fuels. Chemrec produces gas from 'black liquor', a residual product from wood...

This Week.(truck hijacking increase)(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Riding the truck crimewave The number OF truck hijackings grew by more than 50% last year, from 84 to 129, says TruckPol's Detective Constable Andy Round. This worrying trend represents huge losses to the road transport industry, with...

The rising wages of sin.(This Week)
February 8, 2007... The TruckPol team's latest report highlights the hijacker's favourite loads and areas - are you doing your bit to make life harder for the villains who prey on road transport? Louise Cole reports. If the value of losses or the threat to...

This Week.(UK Vehicle and Operator Services Agency investigation on roadworthiness record of vehicles)
February 8, 2007... Test failure rate and prohibition rate rise In conjunction with this week's investigation into test delays at Vosa test stations, we look at annual test failure rates and the roadworthiness record of vehicles running on UK roads. Vosa...

This Week.(Letter to the editor)
February 8, 2007... Searching for Centurion number 100 TCs still make licence decisions I would like to find out what happened to the Master Centurion number 100 of the limited edition range brought out in 1991 (reg K3 REF). The last person I know owned...

This Week.
February 8, 2007... The recent storms that battered the country blew over 35 trucks and killed three drivers. They also exposed a hole in many operators' duty of care to their staff - risk assessments based on weather conditions. Now that the Health and...

The Dubliners.(Legal)
February 8, 2007... Following the changes brought about by the recent opening of the Port Tunnel, a freight traffic management scheme comes into effect in Dublin on 19 February. Brendan Nolan assesses the likely repercussions for operators. The Port Tunnel in...

Legal.(hiring illegal migrant labor as a criminal offence)
February 8, 2007... The Foreign Legion Employing migrant workers can help to remedy recruitment nightmares, but what should operators do to avoid legal problems? Andy Moore reports. i[sup.3] Bulgarian nationals queuing outside the British Embassy in...

Operations.(Brief article)
February 8, 2007... Picture credit: WA[currency]rtsilA[currency] You may have heard of the giant new container ship, the MS Emma Maersk power-hungry operators might care to note that it is propelled by the world's most powerful reciprocating engine, the...