Commercial Motor articles from June 2009

Commercial Motor archives from June 2009

Reading thesmall printA cool analysis of the Budget reveals some useful benefits for haulage businesses as well as new penalties for late tax payers.(Legal)
June 4, 2009... Words: Paula Tallon In his 2009 Budget Report, Chancellor Alistair Darling decided to address the huge fiscal deficit with a combination of short-term borrowing, tax increases and more public sector cost-cutting. He intends to provide...

Legal.(traffic rules and regulations)
June 4, 2009... Look and learn Misreading road signs can lead to costly mistakes. With the biggest review of signs for 40 years about to start we find out what drivers should know to ensure a safe passage. Road signs play a vital role in making the...

Operations.
June 4, 2009... Road transport playsa pivotalrole in the construction industry. CM went along to the annual SED Construction Show at Rockingham Speedway to check out the vehicles and other products on display. Words: Ian Tonkin / Images: Graham Richardson...

Haulier promises to do better in future.(Legal)
June 4, 2009... A SERIES of undertakings about future vehicle maintenance arrangements led to a West Yorkshire haulage company escaping with a warning after it appeared before the North Eastern Traffic Commissioner Tom Macartney. Bradford-based Peter Gray...

No improvement leads to licence loss.(Legal)(Gurchetan Singh into cases for not maintaining his vehicle)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... THE ONE-VEHICLE licence held by Birmingham-based Gurchetan Singh has been revoked by West Midland Deputy Traffic Commissioner Fiona Harrington. She had earlier suspended the licence following a Birmingham public inquiry, which Singh failed to...

DTC delays decision over tacho offences.(Legal)(truck drivers into investigations )(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... A BISHOP Auckland international haulier must wait to see what action North Eastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Elizabeth Perrett will take against his licence for five vehicles and seven trailers after tachograph interrupter devices were found...

Poor test results lead to fewer vehicles.(Legal)(Barnes Logistics'S trailers inspected)
June 4, 2009... A POOR annual test pass rate and extended periods between safety inspections has resulted in the licence held by Oldham-based Barnes Logistics being cut by six vehicles and two trailers. The company had been called before North Western...

Operations.(Drivers' licenses)
June 4, 2009... When Skills for Logistics (SfL) spent the day at Rugby Truckstop recently to find out what drivers did and did not know about the Driver CPC, it got what it described as a "mixed response". Only just over a quarter (27%) of those questioned...

Operations.
June 4, 2009... The shape of things to come? Matthew Rogers: Dyson Cross Atlas all-terrain truck. Rogers' flexible hybrid 4x4 world traveller has massive ground clearance and extra cross-axle-articulation. Supplies for your world expedition can be...

Operations.(employee safety education)
June 4, 2009... Truck drivers know the value of a first aid qualification, even if not all of them have one - and those who haven't yet got around to being trained tend to regret it. The strength of feeling was indicated by an appeal by Commercial Motor...

Death crash haulier has licence revoked.(Legal)
June 4, 2009... THE LICENCE for 16 vehicles and 11 trailers held by Alness-based Munro & Sons (Highland) has been revoked by Scottish Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken. She also disqualified directors David and William Munro from holding an O-licence for seven...

Legal.
June 4, 2009... Don't lose touch! Now's not the time to let the daily pressures of surviving in a recession deflect you from your ongoing O-licence undertakings. But how can you manage both and come out on top? Sign up for our joint CM/MT and RT.com...

Legal.
June 4, 2009... FOLLOWINGLASTWEEK'Sdecision by Scottish Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken to revoke the O-licence held by Alness-based Munro & Sons (Highland), more information has emerged from the public inquiry into the activities of the firm, which had...

Operations.(truck training)
June 4, 2009... Renault TRUCKS/rac training Back to school Renault Trucks UK's apprentice training programme, overseen by the RAC, is ensuring a steady flow of top-quality HGV technicians, electricians, aftermarket specialists and even sales...

This Week.
June 4, 2009... Iveco strator Ahead by a nose... There is no doubt that the Iveco Strator is a niche product. But for those operators that can use a bonneted truck it's literally the only game in town. When Scania 'retired' its T-cab tractor back...

This Week.(Report)
June 4, 2009... Last month Commercial Motor investigated how hauliers were coping with the slow but gradual rise in the pump price of diesel. To keep operators on top of their costs CM brings you the AA's Fuel Price Report for May. Words: Joanna Bourke...

This Week.(O-licences )
June 4, 2009... It should come as no surprise to learn that the number of applications for new O-licences is at its lowest for 10 years. Let's face it, what sensible person would want to be a road haulier right now? But it's worth pointing out that the number...

This Week.(fuel industry)
June 4, 2009... The call of duty His constituency might have only a handful of hauliers but Scottish MP Angus MacNeil is fighting for what he believes is a fair deal on fuel for all the industry. CM went to the House of Commons to meet the man from Na...

This Week.
June 4, 2009... For a relatively small town on the banks of the Thames in Essex, Tilbury is a particularly evocative word for those involved in road transport. It is the mainport for London,and ithandles1 million tonnes of grain, 2.5 million tonnes of paper...

This Week.(trucking safety measures)
June 4, 2009... Technology override Colerne in Wiltshire has reduced the number of truck drivers who blindly follow their sat-navs' directions through its narrow village streets. CM finds out how. au[sup.2] More and more drivers are using sat-nav ...

This Week.
June 4, 2009... I would be interested to know whetherany other readers ofCommercial Motor have been wheelclamped in Swan Valley Park, North-ampton, whilethey were waiting to enter their delivery there. On Monday4 May I had a delivery for Outdoor Group in...

This Week.
June 4, 2009... Pall-Ex boss 'on the mend' and back in the driving seat After taking time off through illness, Hilary Devey is ready to tackle new challenges, such as launching the pallet network in Spain and Poland. Words: Lindsay Clark Pall-Ex...

This Week.(Shetland Transport's trailers set on fire)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... 'Wilful fire-raising' destroys Shetland Transport trailer By David Harris A trailer belonging to ShetlandTransport was set on fire and destroyed last week while it was parked up outside the firm's Aberdeen depot. A spokeswoman for...

This Week.(truck traffic reports)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... A 19% slump in truck traffic to Continent In the first three months of 2009, the number of HGVs travelling from the UK to the Continent dropped to 576,000 -19% downon the same period in 2008. Of these trucks,82,000 (19%) were...

This Week.(Karol Bienkowski jailed for truck accident)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... Jailed after death crash A Polish truck driver who crushed a woman to death when he drove over her sports car was jailed for six years last week. Karol Bienkowski's Scania collided with the car on the A16 near Spalding, Lincolnshire....

This Week.(Certificate of Professional Competence)(TIR Training Services)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... Interest in training rises as CPC nears By Christopher Walton Interest in low-cost Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) training is increasing as the industry prepares for the legislation to come into force in September....

This Week.
June 4, 2009... GPS 'breakdown'? The global positioning system (GPS) that helps many hauliers pinpoint the whereabouts of their vehicles could begin to break down at the beginning of next year, says the US government. The GPS network depends on US...

This Week.(driving licenses regulations)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... O-licence applications slump to a 10-year low By Chris Tindall The number of new O-licence applications made to VOSA is at its lowest level forthe last 10years, thanks to a toxic mixture of fuel costs, inflation-busting fees and...

This Week.(light duty trucks maintainence)(testing station closes)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... BREAKING NEWS... As CM closed for press, directors of van-maker LDV have been forced to reapply for administration after essential funds to maintain the business and workforce as a going concern were not made available. LDV says the move was...

This Week.(Norbert Dentressangle's negotiations)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... Norbert staff reject firm's initial offer UK transportation employees at Norbert Dentressangle (ND) have rejected the company's initial annual negotiations offer. An ND spokesman says: "We are currently in the process of the annual...

This Week.(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... New RHA boss says fuel is the priority By Christopher Walton Just days after taking the reins as the newchief executive of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), Geoff Dunning has told CMhe will make the trade association's"voice heard"...

This Week.(theft investigations)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... Haulier at 'rock bottom' after third robbery Warringtonhaulier Mike Spence claims that three thefts totalling almost [pounds sterling]100,000 have leftthe company "at rock bottom". On 2 May, three thieves wearing balaclavas broke into...

This Week.(Van Doorne's Bedrijfswagenfabriek DAF B.V. revised its light duty trucks)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... DAF revamps LF range in time for Euro-5 Daf Trucks has boosted the appeal of its popular LF middleweight range with a revised interior, higher-power engine options for Euro-5 and chassis improvements. Inside the latest 'Edition 2009'...

This Week.(funds provided for constructing truckstops)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... RHA sees red over MEP's comments on truck park By Chris Tindall The Road Haulage Association(RHA) is furious at comments made by an MEP after she apparently claimed that a vital Midlands lorry park forced to close down last year had...

This Week.(Cameron McFarlane jailed for smuggling cocaine )(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... BREAKING NEWS... Cameron McFarlane, a lorry driver from Alloa, Clackmannanshire, has been jailed for five years and four months, as well as being ordered to pay [pounds sterling]39,799 by December for trying to smuggle cocaine with an estimated...

This Week.(Industry overview)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... Rail freight aims for 20% share of market by 2039 By Chris Tindall The rail freight industry wants to double the amount of goods currently moved by rail in the next 30 years,and has set out its vision of the future ina newly published...

This Week.
June 4, 2009... As Rikki Chequer explains, the average internet forum user fits into the road transport demographic. A few columnsago I showed how the TruckNet UK forums can be used as a high-value networking tool for small businesses and owner-operators...

This Week.(Skills for Logistics's relicensing and business plans)(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... SfL calls for industry support during relicensing process Dr Mick Jackson, chief executive officer of Skills for Logistics (SfL), has called on the industry to support the sector skills council through its bid for relicensing. All 25...

Used Trucks.(Brief article)
June 4, 2009... Is the cheap and cheerful, fleet-specification, modestly-powered tractor unit making a comeback on the used market? Some dealers are suggesting that it is. They contend that the abundance of drivers desperately looking for work means...

Used Trucks.(used trucks in demand due to recessions)
June 4, 2009... Truck prices appear to have turned the corner as the used commercial vehicle industry starts to see renewed interest. After a calamitous collapse over the past 12 months used truck prices have steadied and in some instances might even be...

Operations.
June 11, 2009... While debate may rage between car magazines over which is the best Ferrari, we at CM have bigger fish to fry, and that means focusing on vehicles that provide fuel economy, payload and residuals - three areas that put the aforementioned Italian...

This Week.(bad debts )(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... Hauliers fail to carry out proper credit checks Hauliers are failing to carry out thorough credit checks of new customersdespite the numberof bad debts being chased through court claims risingby 87%. A debt collection company says it...

This Week.
June 11, 2009... BREAKING NEWS... The Freight Transport Association is asking for hauliers moving containers to and from the ports of Felixstowe, Southampton, Liverpool, Hull and Bristol to get in touch with the trade body as part of a Highways Agency project...

This Week.(dignity at workplace )
June 11, 2009... HGV driver Lucy Radley explains why being given dignity in the workplace is so important to her. I've come up against a fair bit of sexism over the years, and, to be honest, I don't find it that big a deal. But attitudes towards disability...

This Week.
June 11, 2009... BREAKING NEWS... Shadow transport minister and former truck driver Robert Goodwill has responded in writing to Truckersworld founder Barrie Tozer following a meeting in Westminster last week. For his thoughts on industry issues, see the...

This Week.(heavy haulier)(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... Wind of change blowing for heavy haulier Heavy haulage specialist Collett Transport is pictured carrying wind turbine parts that have been shipped over from a manufacturer in Germany to the Port of Goole. The parts are stockpiled,...

Operations.(Fiat S.p.A.)
June 11, 2009... Fiat gave the Doblo Cargo a thorough working-over in 2005 and it snatched the coveted Van of the Year title the year after that. However, this is 2009 and the game has moved up a gear. Next to the dated looks of the Vauxhall, VW and Ford,...

Operations.
June 11, 2009... The Caddy's bigbrother, the Transport T30 TDi, took the honours in CM's mega van shootout lastDecember, so the pressure was on the smaller VW.The van world doesn't change as quickly as the car sector and one look at the Caddy bears testimony to...

Operations.
June 11, 2009... To keep the Combo competitive Vauxhall has continually updated its small van with styling tweaks both inside and out, but underneath it's the same vehicle that arrived on the LCV scene back in 2001. It's got a lot going for it too, not...

This Week.(truck trailers sales)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... Trailer-maker to close its doors after workload tails off As CMwent to press,Walsall, West Midlands-based waste trailer-makerJBC Trailersconfirmed it plans towinddown the business after struggling to find work in the sector. A...

Content Team.(freight crime fighting )(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... Home Office will fund TruckPol until 2010 By Joanne Bourke The Home Office has reinstated funding for freight crime fighting unit TruckPol until at least March 2010,finally calming industryfears that the division could have been left...

This Week.
June 11, 2009... Dairy co-op receivership The Dairy Farmersof Britain (DFOB) has goneinto receivership, casting doubt over the long-term prospects of its haulage contractors. The dairy co-operative, responsible for 10% of the UK's annual milk...

This Week.(United Kingdom. Department for Transport)(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... It's bad enough that UK Road Transport plc has to put up with the slings and arrows of outrageous prejudice from the 'Great British Public'. But when you find out that the Department for Transport (DfT) has been giving out duff data on the...

Operations.
June 11, 2009... Choosing the right truck tyre can be a daunting task, especially whenyou consider the wide variety of manufacturers, sizes and applications available - and that's before settling on remoulds or new rubber. Continental recently launched its...

This Week.(Jim Fitzpatrick has been moved to Department for Environment)(Lord Adonis has been appointed)(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... Reshuffle may stall transport progress By Lindsay Clark The road freight industry has warned that progress on infrastructure and fuel duty could stall as a result of the reshuffle within the Department for Transport (DfT). Last...

This Week.(with 2012 Olympics, freight transportation grows)(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... FTA is game for night drops The 2012 Olympics in London could bethe catalyst hauliers need to carry out night-time deliveries throughout the UK, arguesthe Freight Transport Association (FTA). During the three weeks the Olympics will...

Operations.(Dual-fuel technology )(Fuel economy Diesel )
June 11, 2009... HOW IT WORKS MAKING IT PAY Fuel economy Diesel only Dual-Fuel With Clean Air Power's equivalent with 39% claimed 50% diesel displacement diesel displacement Diesel 35.3lit/100km 21.5lit/100km 17.6lit/100km LNG...

Getting a grip on the future.(Operations)
June 11, 2009... The latest generation of van tyres not only give good performance but can also increase fuel economy. Van tyre manufacturers have a tricky juggling act: drivers want car-like handling and performance, but as well as giving good...

This Week.(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... BMC wins council work BMC plc, the UK importer for the Turkish-built trucks and buses, has scored a major sales coup with East Riding Council after it ordered 18 full-width, low-entry cabbed six-wheeler refuse trucks.The deal is worth...

This Week.
June 11, 2009... Government's HGV CO2 stats 'wildly inaccurate' By Christopher Walton The volumeof carbon dioxide produced by the UK road transport industry over the past 20years has been thrown into doubt in light of revised research that shows...

This Week.(agricultural produce prices)
June 11, 2009... Tales from the farmyard Agricultural produce prices are at their highest levels in a year, yet haulage firms are finding it hard to make ends meet. CM looks at the reasons why. Words: Ian Tonkin We all need to eat and drink,...

This Week.
June 11, 2009... BREAKING NEWS... A freight-carrying catamaran that crosses the Channel in one hour started last weekend. The service, run by LD Lines between Dover and Boulogne, will run four times a day in each direction. The Norman Arrow has capacity for 30...

This Week.
June 11, 2009... If drivers want facilities, they must use them In reply to the story'Drivers' fury over 'lay-by' claims (CM 28May): what a can of worms has been unleashed, to use a metaphor (no slur intended on anyone)? Firstly, yes, I received a very...

This Week.(rail frieght services)(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... Legal action likely for EC states that scupper movement The Rail Freight Group has welcomed a report by a House of Lords committee urgingthe European Commission to take legal action against member states that have prevented international...

This Week.(Carrier Transicold Co.)(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... Carrier in roof aerofoil development Truck refrigeration-maker Carrier Transicold has entered the market for rigid truck cab roof aerofoils.The company believes that access to fridge units mounted at the top front of rigid truck bodies is...

This Week.
June 11, 2009... Third of drivers feel 'under pressure' to break hours law By David Harris More than a thirdof truck drivers feel under pressure to work longer hours than the law permits, according to a Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) survey. And...

This Week.(traffic commisioners licensing work )(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... TCs had 'legal issues' with VOSA centralisation plan By Chris Tindall Concerns among the Traffic Commissioners (TCs) about the centralisation of power relating to licensing work prompted a numberof them to questionits legality. ...

This Week.(Prime Logistics's quality services)(Brief article)
June 11, 2009... Logistics market seeing oversupply of property Declining occupier demand and an increase in available space have led to oversupply in some areas of the logistics property market, according to a leading firm of chartered surveyors. ...

Operations.(Ford Motor Co.'s minivans)
June 11, 2009... There was a time when the Transit Connect was seen as untouchable in the high-cube class. However, the subsequent competition latched onto this robust approach, providing more mature and focused products that took the Ford on at its own game....

Operations.
June 11, 2009... And the winner is... While there were always going to be winners and losers, what came across during our three days together was the overall quality of the vehicles. Granted, some are a little long in tooth when stacked up against...

This Week.
June 11, 2009... BREAKING NEWS... After weeks of speculation over the long-term future of the Birmingham truck show, spring 2010 sees the launch of the 'Commercial Vehicle Operator Show'. The team behind the exhibition, the CV Show partnership, reveals that the...

This Week.
June 11, 2009... CV registrations fell by 50% last month, with both the truck and van sectors continuing to plummet, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Vans were the poorest performer with a 50.2% fall for the month and a...

Operations.
June 11, 2009... Being the newest contender in the group the Renault Kangoo had the development advantage over the rest of the gang. However, the company decided not to bump up the latest version in size, preferring to offer a smaller version as well. This put...

Operations.(Ford Motor Co.'s trucks)
June 11, 2009... Price: [pounds sterling]13,065 Engine: Euro-4 1.6-litre common-rail turbo-diesel Power/torque: 90hp/215Nm Transmission: Five-speed manual GVW: 2,150kg Payload: 749kg Load volume: 3.7mA[sup.3] Bigger and more practical than the outgoing...

Swap shop for trucks.(Used Trucks)
June 11, 2009... The road haulage industry is delivering its version of the car scrappage scheme with progressive part exchanges and swappage. We assess who is doing what. Type 'scrappage' into Google and you'll discover exactly who is participating. Since...

'If drivers want facilities like ours to remain open, they must use us'.(This Week)
June 11, 2009... IN REPLY TO the story "Drivers' fury over 'lay-by' claims" (CM 28 May): what a can of worms has been unleashed, to use a metaphor (no slur intended on anyone). Firstly, yes, I received a very damning email from Pat [Nicholson of the...

Legal.(holiday leave)
June 18, 2009... We're all going on a summer holiday... All UK employees are now entitled to 28 days' paid leave. But if weekly pay varies, how should holiday pay be calculated? Words: Gareth Edwards Many employers seem confused over the amount of...

This Week.(TruckNet)
June 18, 2009... TruckNet UK's Rikki Chequer encounters stereotyping on both sides of the fence. A recent article in the Melksham local paper about the Wiltshire town's residents calling for its lorry park to be closed caused a strong reaction on the...

This Week.(Isle of Man Assurance to introduce O-licensing system)(Brief article)
June 18, 2009... Isle of Man operators in dark over licensing plan By Chris Tindall Operators on the Isle of Man say they have been left in the dark over plans to introduce an O-licensing system on the island following a consultation last year. ...

This Week.(Duncan Morris to join John Mack)
June 18, 2009... Fears that an established Norfolk haulage firm was on the verge of financial meltdown have proven correct after administrators were called in to handle the affairs of John Mack (Haulage). The appointment of insolvency practitioner Duncan...

Operations.(Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders)
June 18, 2009... Are extended warranties really worth the paper they are printed on? It's a question that many buyers of new and second-hand trucks ask. Is it worth paying for a warranty rather than, say, a straightforward repair and maintenance contract? Or...

This Week.(United Kingdom. Driving Standards Agency)
June 18, 2009... DSA bows to pressure over laden HGV tests By Joanna Bourke The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has finally bowed to industry pressure, not least from CM, to make HGV driving tests more realistic by agreeing to look at tests with loaded...

This Week.(Nikki King gets PricewaterhouseCoopers Lifetime Achievement Award)(Department for Transport )(Brief article)
June 18, 2009... BREAKING NEWS... BREAKING NEWS... BREAKING NEWS... Provisional figures for the first quarter of 2009 produced by the Department for Transport (DfT) show that total freight traffic at the leading 52 UK ports for the first quarter of...

This Week.(Brief article)
June 18, 2009... Law-breaking agencies won't be named By Chris Tindall The government is not releasing the names of 18 driver recruitment agencies it has warned for breaking the law following an investigation, because it doesn't want to "blacklist"...