Commercial Motor articles from October 2005

Commercial Motor archives from October 2005

EVENTS.(automobile industry)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... Fleet Safety Forum Developing a fleet safety culture 20 October Crewe Contact: 01484 559909 Commercial Motor Compulsory Training Directive 24 November Birmingham Contact: 020 8652 3887 FTA transport manager seminars 11 October Belfast...

A14 lucky escape.
October 6, 2005... A truck driver had a lucky escape when a man hurled an object through his windscreen on 20 September. Tony Purkiss was driving through a section of roadworks on the A14 eastbound when an A-reg silver Mercedes C180 approached from behind...

Accidental drivers.
October 6, 2005... Truck drivers cause more accidents than anyone else on the road says a new report. Louise Cole asks why. Truck drivers are more usually to blame for accidents they are involved in than other groups of drivers, according to a new Department...

Anger at wait for WTD review.
October 6, 2005... Dave Williams, chairman of the Transport & General Workers Union commercial road transport committee, has accused the government of breaking its commitment to review the impact of the Working Time Directive. "Prior to the introduction of the...

Anger over failed Whitburn.(Whitburn Car Transport)
October 6, 2005... The closure of Whitburn Car Transport has led to allegations of asset stripping from a former manager. Guy Sheppard reports. Scottish-based Whitburn Car Transport has folded amid accusations of asset stripping less than five months after...

Back to the future...(developments in the transportation industry)
October 6, 2005... Peter Orr returns to the UK to find the price of diesel too high, the fuel protests poorly supported and the future for hauliers uncertain. Greetings one and all from the wonderful world of international glamour trucking; nice to see so...

Big deal for Hicks Logistics.(SGB Powered Access signs contract)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... Hicks Logistics of Caldicot, Monmouthshire has won a [pounds sterling]1.6m contract with SGB Powered Access, taking its turnover to more than [pounds sterling]5m. The contract is to provide SGB with transport to and from its main access hubs of...

Community orders for record offences.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... Two Stoke-on-Trent owner drivers who falsified their tachograph records while working for hauliers F Swain and Sons of Poynton, Cheshire, were given community punishment orders totalling 320 hours and ordered to pay costs totalling [pounds...

Cum on feel the noize*.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 6, 2005... Forty years on and with a major revamp just around the corner, a 2005 anniversary-special Transit comes under the CM spotlight. When the Transit was launched in 1965 no-one would have disagreed that it stood head-and-shoulders above...

DfT sponsors plan to educate White Van Man.(Momenta receives government contract)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... The TARNISHED image of White Van Man is set for a much needed revamp with a government sponsored programme designed to change their driving habits. Management consultancy Momenta has won a contract from the Department for Transport (DfT) to...

Don't let parting pull at your purse strings.
October 6, 2005... Few companies account for offloading a commercial vehicle at the end of its life and disposal costs can hit them hard. Louise Cole reports. It can cost firms up to [pounds sterling]10,000 to sell a tractor unit, yet few operators have...

Facing up to; the problems.
October 6, 2005... Our annual safety conference revealed a compelling truth - there is no longer room for manoeuvring when it comes to safe working methods. Patric Cunnane reports. More than ever the humble haulier must run an operation that is not only...

Family dispute settled over use of operating centre.(Rob Hughes Transport)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... TELFORD-BASED Rob Hughes Transport has added three trailers to its three-vehicle licence after a family dispute over the ownership of its base was settled. When the application came before West Midland Traffic Commissioner David Dixon in April...

Father granted a licence if his three sons steer clear.(Ings Transport Ltd)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... A HAULIER HAS been granted a licence for two vehicles on condition that none of his three sons take any part in his new business. Leslie Ings resigned as a director of Fordingbridge-based Ings Transport in 1997. Earlier this year the company's...

Fewer crash - more die.
October 6, 2005... The number of accidents involving commercial vehicles on Britain's roads has fallen by 6% over the past year, according to the latest government figures. The Department for Transport's report Road Casualties in Great Britain reveals there were...

First glimpse of Mitsubishi's latest L200.
October 6, 2005... Mitsubishi has released the first official picture of the all new L200 pick-up which is due to reach the dealers next March . The radical exterior is based on the company's Pajero Evolution rally car with power coming from a Euro-4 2.5-litre...

Food firm talks to union about overpaid drivers.
October 6, 2005... Drivers at 3663's Banbury depot have been overpaid for months - but the firm is not snatching its cash back. David Harris reports. Bosses at chilled distribution specialists 3663 have been left red-faced after drivers were accidently...

Gain from pain.(using tax allowances to offset fleet purchasing costs)
October 6, 2005... Finding the money for fleet replacement may be a headache, but there are some handy tax allowances. Paula Tallon does the sums. Committing hard-earned capital to buying new trucks can be a painful business, but operators should take cheer...

Geodis prepares to cut 25% of its drivers.(downsizement of employees)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... French-based international logistics company Geodis is preparing to make nearly a quarter of its 60 UK-based staff drivers redundant, citing poor trading conditions. The company has not yet issued redundancy notices, but has confirmed it is...

HISTORY IN TRANSIT Heading.
October 6, 2005... The Ford Transit has changed the face of road transport more than any other single vehicle. Colin Barnett examines its history. Before the Transit there was the Thames, but there was also the Transit! In the 1960s Ford of Britain's staple...

HISTORY OF THE HEART.
October 6, 2005... Engines are at the heart of any vehicle, so what's made the Transit tick for the past 40 years? John Kendall feels the power... The Transit broke the van design mould in 1965, turning the clock back and adding a dose of American flair. The...

LIFE BEGINS AT 40.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 6, 2005... On 10 October 1965 Commercial Motor's Ron Cater reported on a new light CV from Ford called the Transit. So who better to evaluate how Britain's favourite van has changed in 40 years? Some new CVs are launched only to disappear without...

Maritime Transport opens Leeds depot.
October 6, 2005... Container operator Maritime Transport is to open a new site in Leeds on 17 October; it is advertising for new drivers. The depot, in Garforth will service container traffic to and from ports and the Yorkshire area. Paul Heyhoe has been...

Maton's on board.(Taylors of Martley, which trades as TM Logistics, has appointed a new director, Mick Maton)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... Worcestershire-based haulage and logistics company Taylors of Martley, which trades as TM Logistics, has appointed a new director to its board. Mick Maton, who retired earlier this year as a senior partner at Taylors' auditors PKF, has joined...

Merc develops new Actros box.(DaimlerChrysler AG's new gear box)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... Mercedes is set to launch a new gearbox for the Actros by the end of the year. Mercedes engineers claim the replacement for its Telligent transmission will offer improved shift speed, smoother gear engagement and payload improvements. The...

Millers' crossing.(interview with John Miller, founder of Millers of Longton)(Interview)
October 6, 2005... Millers of Longton was born out of anger. Andy Salter talks to the man who sowed the seeds of a successful fleet when the price of lettuces left him fuming. John Miller's entry into the full-time world of road transport recovery is a...

Morrisons talks lead to peace.
October 6, 2005... The transport unions have settled their dispute with the Morrisons supermarket chain. The company has signed a national joint bargaining agreement with the GMB and T&G unions, whose members had balloted for strike action over its refusal to...

New test booking scheme is a shambles.(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2005... Why has Commercial Motor not highlighted the shambles that has become VOSA's new scheme for booking HGV test appointments? In the good old days you used to ring up the test station and within a minute or two get an appointment. In some cases it...

ON YOUR BIKE!(safety tips)
October 6, 2005... Mr X wonders how long it will be before soaring fuel prices force us all onto bicycles - and appeals for cyclists to make sure we can see them. There are nine million bicycles in Beijing, as the latest song by Katie Melua goes. And if the...

Oily rag repair leads to a formal warning.(Malcolm Sinclair of Orkney)
October 6, 2005... A LIVESTOCK haulier who 'repaired' a hole in a fuel tank with a rag has been given a formal warning over his poor maintenance record. The fuel tank incident was an example of shoddy workmanship, said Scottish Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken at...

Operator ran four trucks ; on a one-truck licence.(Traffic regulations)
October 6, 2005... Licence suspended for two weeks after Deputy Traffic Commissioner says she will not tolerate such blatant breaches of authority. A Doncaster operator has had his licence suspended for two weeks after he admitted illegally operating up to...

O'Reilly tops in Ireland.(O'Reilly Transport)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... Dublin-based O'Reilly Transport has been named Irish Haulier of the Year at the Irish Road Haulage Association's annual awards in Dublin. The prestigious awards are sponsored by Commercial Motor, O2 and Dempsey Mullen. CM legal editor Patric...

Pall-Ex faces race discrimination claim.
October 6, 2005... Pallet network Pall-Ex is gearing up to fight a race discrimination case brought against it by its former head of credit control. This follows an Employment Tribunal for unfair dismissal in September brought by network development director...

Pulling power.(Weightlifter )(Company Profile)
October 6, 2005... There's been some jostling for position at the head of the tipper market. Andy Salter went to Scunthorpe to check out a likely contender... Talk tippers with anyone in this business and Weightlifter is a name that is sure to come up. A...

Push-me-pull-you.(success methods)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... Successful dealers will change their selling tactics to stimulate sales in future. Successful dealers will change their selling strategies over the next two or three years from a 'push' to a 'pull' approach, says Professor Peter Cooke,...

SIC TRANSIT ; GLORIA MUNDI.(United Kingdom )
October 6, 2005... All hail to the Transit. Commercial Motor rarely devotes such a big chunk of its editorial pages to any one vehicle, especially a van; we have done so this time in deference to the enormous contribution this adaptable little CV has made to the...

Safety day in Wales.(occupational Health and Safety )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... North Wales operator McCarthy's Haulage recently played host to a safety day staged in Wrexham by the Health & Safety Executive. Managing director Mike McCarthy says the HSE approached him both because the firm had a suitable yard and because...

Secrets of the 7.5-tonne market exposed.(transportation magazine)
October 6, 2005... This month CM is after a no-frills 7.5-tonne box van for urban delivery work to get us started in the commercial world. The first step on the big boys' ladder for most operators (well a cab-based vehicle anyway) tends to be a 7.5-tonner....

Stobart thrives under its new management.(Eddie Stobart Ltd.)
October 6, 2005... Britian's favourite haulier Eddie Stobart is seeing its business turned around following a change in ownership. Chris Tindall reports. The new owners of high-profile haulage firm Eddie Stobart say they are well on the way to turning round...

That was the year...(Commercial Motor Magazine)
October 6, 2005... CM was launched in 1905; for our centenary year we're bringing you stories from years gone by. This week we're back in 1943 and 1993. 1943 Bouncing bombs In May Lancaster bombers from the RAF's elite 617 Squadron used the Barnes-Wallis...

The role of wrap.
October 6, 2005... The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is a non-profit making organisation, founded by the government in 2000. WRAP's purpose is clearly-defined: the team must create efficient markets for recycled materials and products. "We have a...

Thieves stage clean getaway.
October 6, 2005... Thieves have stolen a load of toiletries from a truck parked in a lay-by on A14 near Thrapston, Northamptonshire. The incident took place between 9pm on 22 September and 3.30am on 23 September. The driver woke up to see a white 7.5-tonner...

Third takeover near.(Hargreaves (UK) PLC )(Gilbraith Tankers Ltd)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... One of the UK's largest bulk transport firms is close to another acquisition. Dominic Perry reports. County Durham-based bulk haulier Hargreaves (UK) is on the acquisition trail again. The firm is in talks to take over the business of...

Too much information.(truckers' use of senses)
October 6, 2005... Stuart Thomas gives us his regular round-up of the way the newspapers have covered the world of transport this week Hats off to those unsung heroes of the medical profession. In these modern times in which we are all bombarded with so...

Truck crime round-up.(theft)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... * Thieves made off with [pounds sterling]15,000 worth of goods including computer equipment from Pendragon Haulage's yard at Kington Business Park, Shropshire on 25-26 September. Contact: West Mercia police on 08457 444 888 * A blue Iveco...

Variable limits to cut congestion on M42.
October 6, 2005... A trial ban on overtaking will come into force next week for trucks travelling along a stretch of the M42 in the Midlands. The ban is designed to reduce congestion and cut the risk of accidents caused by slow-moving traffic on a three-mile...

What about decent drivers?(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2005... re THE letter 'Where are the decent employers?' (CM 22 September), we are a small Midlands-based warehousing and distribution company based outside Derby. Our basic rates for Class 1 and 2 drivers on a guaranteed 50 hours Monday to Friday are...

Why didn't cab carry spares?(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2005... Re your news story about "faulty bulb cost [pounds sterling]1,000" (CM 1 September). Surely any responsible haulier makes sure that each of their vehicles has spare bulbs and fuses in the cab, especially when they "only cost 27p". If the...

Widdowson's in the money.(Widdowson Group)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2005... Good news for Widdowson Group, where profits have doubled year on year. Lucia Cockcroft reports. Leicester haulage firm The Widdowson Group doubled its pre-tax profits for the year ending 31 March to [pounds sterling]633,314, against a...

YOUR CAB IS YOUR castle.
October 6, 2005... Being attacked in his cab must be every driver's nightmare - Julian Milnes assesses the risk and reviews products designed to reduce it. Since the dawn of commercial vehicle time truck theft has been an unpleasant fact of life. But...

You're in the army now.(Territorial Army is prepared for driving in a war zone)
October 6, 2005... The Territorial Army makes sure its transport regiments are well prepared for driving in a war zone. Dominic Perry falls in and takes a look at a training exercise. It looks like it's going to be just an ordinary drop as the lead truck in...

waste not want not.
October 6, 2005... If you want to be taken seriously in the recycling market, you need a credible infrastructure. Tim Maughan reports on three operators, with highly specialist pieces of machinery. Motward timber recycling Recycling is a growing sector,...

[pounds sterling]10k reward offered for trailer theft info.
October 6, 2005... Littlewoods is offering a [pounds sterling]10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a gang who overpowered security staff at a Manchester depot before using their own tractor units to steal three loaded trailers....

EVENTS.
October 13, 2005... RHA courses Working Time Directive 18 October Bradford Contact: 01733 261131 Fleet Safety Forum Developing a fleet safety culture 20 October Crewe Contact: 01484 559909 Commercial Motor Compulsory Training Directive 24 November...

...and threaten action on pay.
October 13, 2005... Shortages could be looming at filling stations operated by Tesco, Total and Texaco because of a row over tanker drivers' pay. Delivery contractor Wincanton, is thought to have offered an increase worth around 5%, which was overwhelmingly...

A good month for the truck sector.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... September's registrations increase indicates this year's sales could beat last year's. However, Euro-4 engines may boost sales by even more in 2006. MANUFACTURER'S VIEW September's 6,321 registrations were the highest monthly figure...

A reputation ; for reliability.
October 13, 2005... ERF's ECT tractor range has been on the market since 2002; Geoff Ashcroft looks at the ECT mid-lift tractor In the three years that ERF's ECT tractor range has been on the market, sales have exceeded the firm's expectations and are close...

IN BRIEF.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... Bargains in Belgium The fact that fewer and fewer UK hauliers are tackling Continental work, having been driven out by cut-price competition, isn't stopping British operators from buying used tractor units from Belgian truck dealership Turbo's...

Capital expenditure.
October 13, 2005... Plans for a Low Emission Zone and an expanded Congestion Zone will make London even more expensive for hauliers. Chris Tindall reports. For haulage firms based within the M25, or those which make deliveries into the capital, costs are set...

Courts reject ignorance as defence in licence cases.
October 13, 2005... BEING CAUGHT without the right licence has cost two drivers a total of [pounds sterling]600 in fines and costs. Mark Elliott, of Lowry Road, Dagenham, pleaded guilty before Bexley magistrates to driving a 7,500kg vehicle without a C1 licence....

Creditors' meeting plan for Stansfield.(Stansfield Transport )(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... Administrators of Brighouse-based Stansfield Transport are trying to set up a creditors' meeting for 27 October. The West Yorkshire haulier went into administration on 19 August with the loss of 34 driving jobs and 11 office jobs. The company's...

Delphi in cash crisis.
October 13, 2005... Component supply giant Delphi has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The General Motors subsidiary, based in Troy, Michigan, employs 185,000 people worldwide and has been making inroads into the European CV business, primarily through...

Driver foils hijack.
October 13, 2005... An attempted HGV hijack in the West Midlands was foiled by a security-conscious driver. The incident occurred on 7 October at 5am at Castle Vale, Birmingham. Three white males in a saloon car, probably a Vauxhall Omega displaying red flashing...

Driver's return to the job ends in court.(FJ Everett Transport)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... Drivers' hours offences have cost a driver employed by FJ Everett Transport a total of [pounds sterling]700 in fines and costs. When Richard Proudfoot, of Little Gains Lane, Upminster, Essex, came before the Harlow magistrates he pleaded...

EC plans fair play on fuel.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... European transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot is to lead another EC bid to harmonise truck fuel duty rates across Europe. Barrot told last week's EU Council of Transport Ministers that his officials were "currently preparing a proposal"...

EC sticks to January 2006 smart-card launch.
October 13, 2005... EC Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot has raised the temperature in the long-running smart-card tacho saga by insisting that the regulations will come into force in January 2006. And he has warned Commercial Motor that he'll take tough...

EU offers keys of the truck to 18-year-olds.
October 13, 2005... New EU rules will allow school leavers behind the wheel of an artic in a bid to boost recruitment. Andy Salter reports. New driver training legislation due to take effect from September 2009 will open the way for 18-year-old school leavers...

EURO LOAD OF.(Fiat Doblo Cargo from Fiat Auto (U.K.) Ltd.)
October 13, 2005... APPEAL Not a big seller in the UK the Dobl Cargo is making a name for itself elsewhere in Europe. Andy Salter took an early look at its latest facelift Visitors to the RAI commercial vehicle show in Amsterdam next month (14-22...

Elbow polish helps boost sales.(used automobile dealers)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... Dealers prepared to spend a modest amount of money on smartening up a used truck can find it works wonders when it comes to boosting sales, says Brian Morris, used sales manager at Woodwards Truck & Van. At a recent show at Haydock, the St...

Extra boost for Stobart.
October 13, 2005... Eddie Stobart's successful turnaround (CM 6 October) will be further boosted now it is in the final stages of signing a contract for distribution from Tesco's Crick site. Andrew Tinkler, chairman of the Stobart's parent, WA Developments, says...

Ford image boost for White Van Man.
October 13, 2005... Ford has launched the 'Wise Van Man' initiative, in a bid to improve the largely negative image of van drivers. The programme was developed with the support of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), the Society of Motor Manufacturers and...

Four lose licences following crackdown in North Wales.(heavy goods vehicle driving)
October 13, 2005... Drivers banned for between seven days and three years, as Operation Mona reveals worst case of almost 24 hours before taking break Four drivers caught falsifying tachograph records and/or committing hours and tacho offences during Operation...

Fuels rush in...
October 13, 2005... Take a stroll with us through the little side roads of haulage - the diversions and detours, the quirky, the quixotic and the downright weird. On the Margin, confused and adrift in a world it doesn't understand, is a credulous soul at the...

Haulier under investigation.
October 13, 2005... A public inquiry is told that 23 missed inspections did not indicate a problem with maintenance. Mike Jewell reports. A public inquiry has been told that a heavily pregnant traffic examiner was unable to complete her interview with a...

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES.
October 13, 2005... We always look forward to getting our hands on a V8 Scania, but for our first outing in the latest R-Series we've driven one without the top power or cab options. Mind you, it's still a world away from being a gaffer's motor... Ask any...

Kent crisis on truckstops.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... More truck drivers will be pushed into breaking the hours rules or parking illegally unless more truckstops are provided in Kent, consultants have warned. A report, commissioned by Kent County Council and carried out by Faber Maunsell, says the...

Krone for P&O fleet.
October 13, 2005... P&O Ferrymasters has bought 500 new trailers to support its business in Ireland. The Krone sliding-roof curtainsiders will be used by firms such as roofing panel maker Kingspan, which has had the trailers fitted out in its own livery. Pictured...

Lane Group files loss of [pounds sterling]2.5m.(logistics services)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... The Lane Group made a pre-tax loss of [pounds sterling]2,467,000 in the year ending 2 October 2004, but says it has spent time turning the business around and has dealt with all the "problem areas". The group stresses that there was actually no...

Licensed ; confusion.(transportation licences)
October 13, 2005... The Transport Tribunal overturned a revocation where a haulier was providing traction for an unlicensed operator. Is this still a grey area? Sally Nash reports. What happens if a legal, licensed operator has a business relationship with...

Maritime does it again.(Maritime Transport)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... Container transport firm Maritime Transport has recorded its third year of impressive growth since its management buyout in 2001. The company's latest accounts, for the year ending November 2004, show turnover up by 35% on the previous year to...

Motorway madness is far more frightening than tailgating terrors.
October 13, 2005... According to a recent RAC poll, tailgaters are the scariest drivers. I would challenge that theory when driving a top-weight vehicle at legal speeds. What scares me the most is that after being overtaken by a vehicle the driver takes great...

My message to Robbie Burns.(Wyvern Cargo)
October 13, 2005... John Probert, chairman of Wyvern Cargo, will be filling in his Burns Inquiry form - but he's including a letter which sums up the arguments rather well... Robbie Burns is anxious for us all to have our say in his Freight Taxes Inquiry....

NFT boosts profit amid takeover speculation.(NFT Distribution)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... Chilled foods specialist NFT Distribution boosted its pre-tax profit by more than 25% last year to [pounds sterling]4.1m. The Nottinghamshire-based company, which was founded in the early 1980s, is thought to be ripe for takeover after parent...

O-licence paper due next month.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... The long-awaited consultation paper on the modernisation of the O-licensing system and fees is now expected to be published within the next two months. The paper was anticipated earlier this year, but was delayed as a result of the General...