Commercial Motor articles from June 2006

Commercial Motor archives from June 2006

The true cost of road charging.
June 1, 2006... Just remind us - why are we welcoming road charging? Ah yes, because it seems to be the great white hope for achieving some measure of competitive parity with foreign operators. Certainly some of our reader panel (on page 38) are hoping that...

A cab is a private space, not a public place - so why ban smoking?
June 1, 2006... Regarding the smoking ban in the cab that has recently come into force in Scotland, does this mean that all cabs will be fitted with smoke detectors? Yes, I understand that smoke is no joke healthwise if you're in an enclosed public place,...

Industry's problems are caused by appalling short-termism.
June 1, 2006... I worked for several years as an LGV driver, mainly for temping agencies, and drove my last truck in 1997. Since then I've maintained a keen interest in the industry, which demonstrates to me some of the passion it inspires. I left road...

Bigger is better for the Ducato.
June 1, 2006... Fiat may not rule the light CV market but its new Ducato scores highly in several areas, making it a viable alternative to more established rivals. The effect of a negative reputation can far outlast its justification. Take Fiat, for...

Cause for concern.(automobile drivers)
June 1, 2006... The TCs produce an annual report expressing any concerns about operators in their Traffic Areas or planned changes to the O-licence system. Bridget Carter examines the latest edition, for 2004-05. There were 1,600 new licence holders in the...

Pay as you go.
June 1, 2006... Could road charging be a better way of paying for Britain's roads? Might it reduce journey times by cutting congestion? CM's operators' panel say there could be advantages - as long as the system is fair. Pat Hagan reports. Road charging...

Schemes force up residuals.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Two independent truck dealers have voiced their concerns over manufacturers tightening their grip on prime used stock. Truck manufacturers are having a detrimental effect on the road transport industry by taking ever tighter control...

A weighty decision - but it pays off.
June 1, 2006... A visitor to SED had a query for Mystery Shopper about the fuel consumption and productivity of artics compared to tippers. Commercial Motor is happy to oblige. Late on the third day at SED, Mike Pritchard, an owner-driver running an...

Wright man for the job at CVA.(Commercial Vehicle Auctions )
June 1, 2006... With fortnightly sales at capacity, Commercial Vehicle Auctions has had to broaden its horizon to increase revenue. Kevin Swallow finds out more. The yard on the edge of Doncaster is quiet. The next Commercial Vehicle Auctions sale...

Public inquiry 'highly likely' for A1 upgrade.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... After more than a decade of delays, plans to upgrade a dangerous 40km-long stretch of the A1 in North Yorkshire may be decided at a public inquiry. The [pounds sterling]325m project, to create a three-lane motorway from Dishforth...

Aspray expands warehousing for a one-stop shop.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Aspray Logistics has extended its warehouse space by 6,500m2 feet in a bid to make the business more of a one-stop shop for its existing clients. Operations director Stuart Laight explains that the extra space at its West Midlands base...

UK Pallets' problems with franchises.
June 1, 2006... UK Pallets' vetting procedures have again been questioned after it signed up a firm to replace another debt-ridden partner - only to see that company wind up in administration. When former UK Pallets member Chartatruc became insolvent, its...

Negotiations resume over S&N pensions.(Scottish & Newcastle Importers Co.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Union leaders and bosses at Scottish & Newcastle were due to meet again today (1 June) in an attempt to resolve a looming dispute over pensions for 1,900 distribution staff. The drivers, mates and warehouse staff are being transferred...

Green light for biodiesel in Harwich-based fleet.
June 1, 2006... A Harwich-based haulage firm has decided to run its entire fleet on 100% biodiesel to reduce environmental damage. Express International (UK), has just taken on four new Daf CF85s as part of the commitment - these trucks will all run on the...

'New and extended' milk contract for Gregory.
June 1, 2006... Devon transporT giant Gregory Distribution has renewed its haulage contract with milk producer Milk Link. The firm has been doing business with Milk Link or its predecessors for the past 12 years. The new five-year contract covers an...

Hull launches Logistics Institute.(supply-chain management)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The country's newest university logistics department, based in Hull, holds its inaugural convention next week and is will take its first students in September. The Logistics Institute at the University of Hull has been set up with...

Revised pay offer for Kraft Foods drivers.(Transport and General Workers Union)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Drivers at the Kraft Foods factory in Banbury, Oxon are expected to lift their threat of industrial action when they are presented with a new pay offer on Sunday 4 June. The 17 drivers, who deliver foodstuffs throughout the UK, are all...

It's a case of red lorry yellow lorry as Currie European boosts its image.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Dumfries haulier Currie European has changed the colour of its trailers from yellow to red in a move to strengthen its brand in the UK. MD Tom Barrie says 100 new red trailers began coming on stream at the start of May. "The new red...

Haulier slates police response to theft.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A Yorkshire haulier is accusing police of failing to do their job after being told that an investigation into the theft of his [pounds sterling]20,000 tanker was closed within three days. Alexander Peel of AW Peel (Haulage Contractors) says...

Boughey plans for a [pounds sterling]30m turnover with 50 new trucks.(food transport firm Boughey)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Cheshire-based food transport firm Boughey Distribution plans to expand and boost its turnover to [pounds sterling]30m per year. This will involve recruiting another 250 staff this year and acquiring 50 more trucks; it has already taken on...

RHA calls for a new road to end M6 congestion misery.
June 1, 2006... Upgrading the M6 is causing controversy before the first turf has been cut, and operators are having their say. Guy Sheppard reports. A new road through Shropshire and Cheshire is needed to reduce traffic congestion between Birmingham and...

BACK UP TO THE FUTURE.
June 1, 2006... High injury levels leading to tougher legislation have made reversing aids more relevant than ever. But what equipment should you pick? CM checks out some of the latest gadgets. With nearly a quarter of all deaths involving...

Consortium offers more to buy ABP.
June 1, 2006... Associated British Ports (ABP) has received a revised takeover offer from a consortium led by US investment bank Goldman Sachs. The new offer is worth 810p per share. The UK's largest port operator has now allowed the consortium to go...

Convicted drivers must wait for decision over licences.
June 1, 2006... A TC heard missing tachograph charts had been "damaged in a flood". Michael Jewell reports on the case involving Whitkirk Produce. Twenty drivers convicted of drivers hours and tachograph offences, including the falsification of records,...

Drawbar market is in good health.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2006... I read with interest the feature on drawbars entitled 'Quick on the draw' (CM 16 March). Unfortunately, the writer appears to be ill-informed on this subject matter and his article draws incorrect conclusions on the UK drawbar market. ...

Five-vehicle licence is cut to three until standards improve.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A Scottish operator had its five-vehicle licence curtailed to three vehicles after attracting several prohibitions and demonstrating a poor pass rate over a two-year period. John and William Noble, trading as Noble Brothers Contractors, of...

Fuel laundry gang is hung out to dry...(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A fuel-laundering ring that cost the Exchequer [pounds sterling]500m has been broken. David Harris reports. Customs officers have smashed a nationwide fuel- laundering ring after a seven-month undercover operation. Last week...

Ignorance really is bliss.
June 1, 2006... CM's new column brings you alternative views from experts allied to road transport. This week John Peers gives the lowdown on cutting your insurance premiums. Grandparents, I think, are genetically programmed to fret about you. And the...

Keep on running.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Participants in the 45th HCVS London to Brighton Run woke to a grey, dismal dawn - but by the time the first arrivals made it to the coast, the sun was shining. Once every six years or so, the first Sunday in May is not the day before...

Osborne is still at the helm.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Innovate Logistics' owner Pete Osborne denies he has lost overall control of his business after Icelandic logistics group Eimskip bought up a majority stake in the Nottingham company. The Iceland-based transport company surprised many in...

Roadside check leads to owner-driver being fined [pounds sterling]900 for licence offence.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... An owner-driver who was stopped at a roadside check claimed he had applied for an O-licence more than a month before. The offence of using a vehicle without the authority of an O-licence cost him [pounds sterling]898 in fines and costs. ...

Straight from the horse's mouth.
June 1, 2006... It's not often we're offered an exclusive interview with a Minister of State for Transport, so editor Andy Salter jumped at the chance to get out the thumbscrews... CM EXCLUSIVE Don't ask me to find my way out - we've been...

Sweeting keeps it simple.(automobile industry)
June 1, 2006... After more than 45 years in business and operating just about every marque, Sweeting of Leeds has now turned to Hino. Kevin Swallow travelled to Yorkshire to see them in action. The first sighting of one of the new arrivals is at the...

Terms of endearment.
June 1, 2006... Workplace problems are reduced by making terms and conditions clear from the start. Johnathan Exten-Wright explains. Every employee will feel reassured by knowing his or her terms and conditions of employment. Likewise, an employer cannot...

Tribunal upholds decision to sack duo.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A driver and crewman have lost their cases for unfair dismissal after they were sacked for falsifying a tachograph chart and claiming a night out. The pair were employed by Hull-based caravan transporter Glen Holt, trading as City Plant....

Troubled operator was not frank about his finances.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... An operator who avoided bankruptcy by entering an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) may have action taken against his licence because he failed to disclose the IVA at a previous hearing. Consideration of action against the licence held...

Who needs agency drivers?(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... There's a blue-sky session down at the Mermaid Tavern this month as Peter Larner and the chaps try to imagine a world without agency drivers. Mush was crying into his beer and drowning his sorrows at the Mermaid. An agency driver had...

Lanxess picks Potter.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Road and rail distribution firm The Potter Group has won a three-year distribution contract with international chemical and agricultural product manufacturer Lanxess. To manage its European distribution, Lanxess has set up a partnership with...

M6 abnormal loads ban looms.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Operators with abnormal loads will be banned from using the M6 in the Midlands during roadworks between J5 and J9 from 5 June until December. Malcolm Bingham, the Freight Transport Association's head of road network management policy, says...

Rental fleet beats Euro-4 deadline with bulk order.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Truck rental firm Salford Van Hire has placed itself firmly in the Euro-3 camp by ordering 200 new Dafs to arrive before October's Euro-4 deadline. Salford believes they will offer bigger savings to its customers as the technology is less...

End of the line for Seddon Atkinson.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Last year Paccar ditched the Foden brand; now Iveco has followed suit by calling time on Seddon Atkinson. Andy Salter reports. Iveco has upset dealers by deciding to follow in the footsteps of Paccar and dump its 'niche' UK brand....

Look out - there's a truck thief about.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Truckpol, the nationaL intelligence unit on UK road freight crime, is warning operators about rising truck thefts. Detective Constable Mark Galliers says that 1,000 trucks have been stolen since the start of the year, compared with 971...

Gilbraith Tankers joins the Hargreaves Services empire.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Hargreaves Services is back on the acquisition trail with a deal intended to increase its geographic and client coverage. Bridget Carter reports. Hargreaves Services has bought Gilbraith Tankers in a [pounds sterling]2m deal that continues...

UK share of Continental haulage rises.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... UK hauliers seem to have stopped the decline in the cross-Channel trade. David Harris reports. The UK share of haulage to the Continent is rising after 10 years of decline, according to the Department for Transport (DfT). ...

More timber will travel by rail in Scotland.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Scottish timber transport could be in line for a shake-up following the unveiling of a new rail-freight plan. Guy Sheppard reports. A business consortium plans to build a giant rail loading facility in north-west Scotland which will remove...

DRIVING RANGE.
June 1, 2006... All professional truck drivers will have to train for the Driver CPC: Tim Maughan takes a look at this far-reaching piece of legislation. The only qualification you need to get behind the wheel of a truck is a driving licence for that class...

660: NUMBER OF THE BEAST.
June 1, 2006... You can count the number of UK operators with a genuine operational need for the 660hp Volvo FH16 on one hand. But that won't stop others from buying Europe's most powerful tractor. Brian Weatherley asks "Why?" There's a strange Nordic...

MIX AND MATCH.
June 1, 2006... Colin Barnett has ventured north for exclusive first drives in a couple of new Mitsubishi Canter variants. One of the less obvious stars of the recent CV Show was the Mitsubishi Canter Eco Hybrid parked outside the main entrance. Just...

IF IT'S SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE...
June 8, 2006... Impounding is probably the single most effective weapon our enforcement agencies have been given in the war against illegal operators. The TCs told us that the rate of O-licence applications was never higher than when impounding was first...

Green light for greener fleets.
June 8, 2006... The biofuels market has been hindered by warranty issues - but now manufacturers are starting to give this fuel their blessing. Louise Cole reports. Suddenly, it seems, biofuel has come of age. After years of being seen as a fringe...

MAN sets the standard on auto distribution vehicles.(Letter to the editor)
June 8, 2006... I noted with great interest your question: "When will a manufacturer put auto as standard into its distribution specialists?" (CM 18 May). MAN-ERF UK announced exactly this initiative for all its Euro-4 EGR-engined distribution vehicles...

TCs must maintain independence and gain experience of industry.(Technical Committee)(Waugh & Musgrave Solicitors)(Letter to the editor)
June 8, 2006... I would disagree with Ray Sal'tiel's assessment of the blame to be attached to Traffic Commissioners for having "climbed into bed" with Vosa (CM 25 May). The Vosa empire has been growing steadily throughout the years. Ray talks about a...

Consolidation for London.(Construction Consolidation Centre helps to control transportation traffic)
June 8, 2006... Prepare for a shock: Transport for London has come up with a congestion-busting scheme that operators and their drivers approve of. Yes, really. Dominic Perry investigates. Viewed from the train, the area immediately south of London Bridge...

No hiding place.
June 8, 2006... Fines can now be taken directly from a driver's wages by the court, and owner- drivers could have their trucks clamped if they fail to pay up. Transport lawyer Tim Ridyard reports on new methods to foil the fine defaulters. At the...

Banned and delivered.(Dublin Port Tunnel helps to control truck traffic)
June 8, 2006... Once the port tunnel opens, heavy trucks will be banned from Dublin's streets unless they have a permitted city-centre delivery. Ann Marie Foley reports. When Dublin Port Tunnel opens at the end of this year, it will take 9,000...

The big stick.
June 8, 2006... Impounding is the 'nuclear option' to deter rogue operators. But does it work? Emma Page reports. Vosa has been empowered to impound vehicles not covered by an O-licence since January 2002 under the Goods Vehicles (Enforcement Powers)...

As good as it gets - for now.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... The used commercial vehicle trade is performing strongly and looking good well into the third quarter, but there is still reason for caution. Chief commercial vehicle editor for Glass's Guide George Alexander reports that the used CV...

BCA expands its quarterly report to include light CVs.(British Car Auction Group PLC)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... BCA says its review of used CVs, Pulse, will be a compilation of "accurate, meaningful information". British Car Auctions has extended its quarterly report on used cars to used CVs, offering operators, buyers and trade an idea of the...

WEBSITE WATCH Tracking down used bargains online.(North Norfolk Vehicle Solutions launches webservices)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... This month, resident web expert Chris Snook lands on the very slick website belonging to North Norfolk Vehicle Solutions. Company: North Norfolk Vehicle Solutions Address: www.nnvs.co.uk Overview: Glossy, clever and well branded....

Only the best is good enough!
June 8, 2006... In the teeming conurbation of Slough, Citron is preparing to reap the benefits of its carefully planned marketing strategy for new and used vehicles. Kevin Swallow reports. Bath Road in Slough is industrial, retail...

Asda drivers vote on strike.(ASDA Group Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... The union recognition row at Asda is hotting up with a GMB strike ballot. Bridget Carter reports. Asda drivers are voting this week over whether to take industrial action against their employer, which they claim is denying some workers the...

O-licence does not open the door to phoenix companies.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Licence application is successful - but only because the owner of a new company has no connection to a collapsed firm. Mike Jewell reports. A Traffic Commissioner has granted a licence to a haulage company formed just weeks before its...

Prepare to pay more for your tyres.(automobile tires to hike on prices)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Escalating costs of raw materials, particularly rubber, will lead to dramatic rises in the price of truck tyres over the next 12 months. Arthur Gregg (pictured, left), Continental's UK business director for CV tyres, warns that by the end...

First look at DaimlerChrysler's HPEP global engine family.
June 8, 2006... Colin Barnett goes behind the scenes at DC's engine-development site in Michigan and reports on its plans for world domination. CM EXCLUSIVE DaimlerChrysler's dream of a 'world truck' may be a long way from coming true, but its plan...

Row brews over bypass plan affecting the A57 and A628.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Objectors fear the proposed [pounds sterling]112.5m bypass will result in more traffic, more pollution and more accidents. David Harris reports. Plans for a bypass around several villages along the main route from Sheffield to Manchester...

Drivers say Iceland plan will cut their pay by 25%.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Nearly 120 drivers at frozen food retailer Iceland will decide within the next fortnight whether to strike in a bid to prevent changes to their terms and conditions. The Transport & General Workers Union (T&G) says the drivers at Iceland's...

Fuel bunkering at motorway services.(BP Oil International Ltd. to offer diesel fuels)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Operators are promised savings in time and money with the launch of BP's motorway-based fuel-bunkering network. David Harris reports. BP has set up a fuel-bunkering network at its motorway fuel stations to offer cheaper diesel to...

German firms fight over [pounds sterling]300m ERF damages.
June 8, 2006... Truck builders MAN and DaimlerChrysler appear to be at loggerheads once again. The two firms have been locked in negotiations to agree an out-of-court settlement for a [pounds sterling]300m damages claim that was brought against Daimler-...

Severe driver drought in Northern Ireland.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Northern Ireland is facing a critical driver shortage as figures from Skills for Logistics (SfL) reveal that only 8% of recruits in the past year were new to the job. SfL warns that Northern Ireland could be one of the worst affected...

Duetting with Santana.(Iveco B.V. to acquire Santana Motor S.A.)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Iveco has joined forces with Spanish 4x4 specialist Santana to manufacture and market the PS10. This is seen as potentially the first step to full Iveco ownership. The move was revealed at the Madrid Motor Show at the same time as the...

Freedom and full pardon after two years in a Spanish jail.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... British truck driver Stephen Toplass has been given a full pardon after serving two years in a Spanish jail for a crime he did not commit. Toplass is back with his family in Stoke-on-Trent - and is believed to be suing the UK government for...

Langdon Group improves its fortunes after a tough 2004.(Langdon Group Inc. reports on its profits)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Langdon Group, the temperature controlled haulage and warehousing specialist, has had a "record year" for sales and profits. The Somerset-based group, which was bought by Germany's Nagel Group in 2004, boosted pre-tax profits from [pounds...

Relocation causes trailer axle shortage.
June 8, 2006... Component maKER ArvinMeritor CVS has been struggling to overcome axle shortages following problems relocating production to its Cwmbran, Gwent factory. The shift to Cwmbran, originally the company's brake plant, followed a decision in July...

Golden future for John Mitchell.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... The boss of Grangemouth-based John Mitchell, which is celebrating its golden anniversary, believes keeping the company's fleet young is key to its future. The Scottish timber, chemicals and container operator has just taken on a specially...

Redundant drivers lodge 220 claims against Morrisons.(Morrison Supermarkets)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Drivers axed by Morrisons are heading to the Employment Tribunal this month to settle a dispute over redundancy pay. According to the GMB union, Morrisons excluded bank holiday payments from compulsory redundancy payments. The other...

Thousands of jobs at risk as NFT goes up for sale.(Northern Foods PLC)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Northern Foods has ended months of speculation by confirming it is selling NFT Distribution due to "disappointing" annual results. The latest results from Northern Foods shows that its profits fell last year; now its 16 distribution sites...

60-second interview.(Bob Terris of Meachers being interviewed)(Interview)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Bob Terris MD, Meachers Group What got you started in transport? I selected transport from a range of activities studied as a management trainee in an engineering company. What do you love/hate about it? I love the challenge and...

Applicant fails to follow Practice Direction.(Chillway Express Specials' license application rejected)(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... The Transport Tribunal has backed a Traffic Commissioner's refusal to grant an O-licence to an applicant who gave a transport consultant's address as its correspondence address. Tewkesbury, Glos-based Chillway Express Specials had sought a...

Clean kit for a dirty job.(transportation industry)
June 8, 2006... Where there's muck there's brass, but to cash in on the waste handling boom you need the right equipment. Dean Stiles reviews the options. Waste which, by definition, no one wants, has traditionally been a low-value load, so transporting...

Did you witness a fatal M1 smash on 30 May?
June 8, 2006... Northamptonshire Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision that took place on the southbound carriageway of the M1 last week. The accident happened in the late afternoon of 30 May just past Junction 15, when a white Mercedes...

Don't despise 'road officers'.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... I read Matt Lee's letter regarding "self-styled Road Traffic Officers" (CM 25 May) with interest. Long ago, when my MP was in government, it was proposed that traffic congestion at roadworks could be solved by letting all the lines go...

EVENTS.(Diary entry)
June 8, 2006... FTA courses Digitachs - members' briefings 12 June Exeter Construction and plant 20 June Birmingham Home deliveries 21 June Birmingham Contact: 08717 112 222 Tachodisc Digital tachographs - drivers 21 June Warrington Digital tachographs -...

Fishy business causes brake pipes to rot.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... Scottish Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken has revoked the licence held by Aberdeen-based James Porter, but her decision will not take effect until midnight on 20 July. Meanwhile his licence has been cut from 10 vehicles to the three in...

Leeds owner-driver escapes with a formal warning.(Brief article)
June 8, 2006... A series OF undertakings about his future maintenance arrangements saved a West Yorkshire owner-driver from action against his O-licence. Instead Leeds-based Joseph Cunningham received a formal warning from North-Eastern Deputy Traffic...