Commercial Motor articles from October 2006

Commercial Motor archives from October 2006

Now is the Time to speak out.(road transport industry )(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Democracy is a tricky business. MPs are expected to represent their parties as much as their constituents, but it falls to voters to educate politicians as relentlessly as possible in the expectation that the better informed they are, the...

Become fitter with CM's Online Health Challenge.(Commercial Motor)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Next week Commercial Motor launches the Online Health Challenge: a simple step-by step system to help you break bad habits and become fitter and healthier. The Online Health Challenge, run in association with Pall-Ex, will offer a series...

New LGV drivers will have to pay for CPCs.(Certificate of Professional Competence)(logistic vehicle drivers)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... The drivers' Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) could cost more than [pounds sterling]200 for each new driver entering the industry when regulations are introduced in 2009. In addition, training centres will have to pay [pounds...

First, the good news...
October 5, 2006... The latest DfT figures show that the rate of road accidents is falling, but the picture isn't all rosy. Dominic Perry delves behind the headlines. If you ignore the political infighting surrounding the publication of the latest Department...

Smart shopping at Hargreaves.
October 5, 2006... With another acquisition under its belt and plans to expand into the Continent the future looks healthy for Hargreaves Group. THE ANALYST Chris Morgan, Automotive & Logistics Datamonitor It has been a busy month for Hargreaves...

Iveco puts its faith in China.
October 5, 2006... Iveco has taken steps to increase its global reach over the past few months. Andy Salter caught up with chief executive Paolo Monferino at the Hanover Show to find out what its up to. While the truck media flocked around the stands of...

When empires collide...
October 5, 2006... Volvo has just extended its share of Nissan Diesel; Nissan CVs are also to be sold on Volvo and Renault Truck forecourts. What's going on? Oliver Dixon seems to know... While Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault and Nissan, wanders the floors at...

AWD delivers the goods in the woods.
October 5, 2006... With the International Van of the Year award tucked under its belt, Ford has wasted no time in expanding its Transit range with an all-wheel-road version... Julian Milnes reports. Ford Transits go through some serious real-world testing by...

road to glory.(truck engines designed with emission control standards being awarded)
October 5, 2006... The International Truck of the Year 2007 was revealed at the IAA Commercial Vehicle show in Hanover. CM editor - and UK jury member - Andy Salter reviews the winner and assesses the runners-up. Daf's XF105 was one of the stars of the show...

EVENTS.
October 5, 2006... Road Haulage Association O-licence compliance 10 October Hatfield Security Seminar 7 November Towcester Contact: 01733 261456 www.rha.net Freight Transport Association Transport manager 11 October Birmingham Dangerous goods 31 October-2...

Age of reason.
October 5, 2006... How will the transport sector be affected by the new laws that ban age discrimination? Chris Tindall reports. On 1 October regulations came into force which outlaw age discrimination in the workplace. The Employment Equality (Age)...

Wear and tear training courses.(Manheim Inspection Services)(British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association )(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Following the success of its Fair Wear and Tear Guide the BVRLA has chosen Manheim Inspection Services to provide training courses on the subject. Kevin Swallow reports. The success of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association's...

Lex joins the empire.
October 5, 2006... Lex Commercials has been bought by Imperial Holdings of South Africa and renamed Imperial Commercials. Its first act was to add the Hino franchise to its portfolio. Kevin Swallow reports. It's business as usual for customers of Lex...

Frozen waste of Antarctica.(British Antarctic Survey appoints Pearsons for waste management contract)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Thetford waste recycler Pearsons could not give its latest contract the cold shoulder; it is handling waste from the coldest place on earth - Antarctica. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has appointed Pearsons to collect waste generated...

Family run aggregates firm closes its doors.(Barnett and Graham )(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Cumbrian haulage firm Barnett and Graham has been placed into administration with the loss of 101 jobs. Up to 50 of the redundant workers are said to be drivers. Employees say the decision to shut the business on 15 September came as a...

Union demands jail threat for corporate killings.
October 5, 2006... If the T&G has its way, directors implicated in fatal accidents could be imprisoned for corporate manslaughter. David Harris reports. The UK's biggest trade union is making a last-ditch attempt to toughen up the Corporate Manslaughter Bill....

Licence crackdown in Northern Ireland.(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Northern Irish operators have been warned that the province's vehicle licensing authority plans to crack down on operators who persistently break the law. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority for Northern Ireland says repeat...

CRS buyers were unaware of of bad debts or public inquiry.
October 5, 2006... When CRS 24:7 was sold, its new owners thought they were starting with a clean sheet. How wrong they were... Chris Tindall reports. The TWO men behind the purchase of haulage contractor CRS 24:7 were unaware of inaccuracies in its costing...

Ralph Davies chills out with Chereau semis.(Chereau Trailers)(Ralph Davies International )(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Chereau Trailers has supplied Ralph Davies International with 25 new trailers engineered for temperature-controlled work. The main requirements were durability, thermal efficiency and whole-life costs. Chereau worked with Transrent to...

Freight transport turnover falls as wholesalers struggle.
October 5, 2006... Declining turnover among road transport operators is hitting the UK service sector, according to government figures. David Harris reports. Falling turnover among road transport operators has driven a drop in the output of the UK's entire...

MEPs warn EC not to rush Euro-5 launch.(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... The European Parliament's Environment Committee has published a revised timetable for the introduction of the Euro-5 emissions standard. Normally a keen supporter of robust environmental legislation, the committee has accused the European...

DHL Express strike ballot threat follows NHS deal.
October 5, 2006... Distribution workers at DHL Express are expected to take part in a strike ballot within the next month over the company's plans to casualise its workforce. The GMB union reports that a date has yet to be set for a ballot, although it is...

Tough run for good causes.(Commercial Motor Great North Run, British Lung Foundation)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... The Commercial Motor Great North Run team romped home last weekend to raise almost [pounds sterling]2,000 for the British Lung Foundation. The 21km race took runners from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields, and the hilly terrain didn't...

Chalking it up to experience.(HB Holt)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... East Yorks-based HB Holt is buying three new trucks to service a major contract hauling calcium carbonate. Dominic Perry reports. An East Yorkshire haulage firm has won a contract with one of the country's leading producers of calcium...

Top cop speaks out.
October 5, 2006... More than half the trucks stopped in a roadside check near Holyhead were unsafe to continue on their journey, according to Richard Brunstrom, Chief Constable of North Wales. Of 174 vehicles stopped, 91 were issued with immediate...

Corby acquisition pushes Innovate to number one.(Corby Chilled Distribution, Innovate Logistics)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Following its purchase of Northamptonshire-based Corby Chilled Distribution (CCD), Innovate Logistics says it is now the largest temperature-controlled storage and distribution firm in the UK. Innovate CEO Pete Osborne says: "It's just what...

Actros demonstrates its worth.
October 5, 2006... CARMARTHENSHIRE haulier M&M Greene is the proud owner of two Mercedes-Benz Actroses, thanks to a blown engine on another make of tractor. The firm had never run a M-B until it was loaned an Actros demonstrator for six weeks while another...

An age-old problem.
October 5, 2006... Mr X wonders how the age discrimination legislation that has just come into force will benefit the ageing road transport industry. I'm not the person to talk to about age discrimination. Time itself, I feel, has discriminated against me,...

Counting the cost of Vosa guide.(Letter to the editor)
October 5, 2006... In September 2005 I wrote to the Department for Transport to ask what the minimum break required after six hours' work was, as I found the information given in the Road Transport (Working Time) Guidance and Vosa's Drivers' Hours and Tachograph...

CASE STUDY.(Bill Watling & Sons )(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... CASE STUDY BILL WATLING & SONS BULMERS LOGISTICS When CM visited Bill Watling & Sons a few years ago it was heavily involved in the agricultural sector - at its height, it operated 32 LGVs and 50 curtain-sided trailers. But partner Tim...

Dangerous mythapprehensions.
October 5, 2006... Health and Safety law is frequently misunderstood - Paul Burnley and Stuart Ponting explode some popular myths. "Health and Safety is only an issue for the company" Not true. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, duties and...

Driver is suspended and two are warned for hours offences.(Kenneth Twyford)
October 5, 2006... A DRIVER WHOSE LGV licence was suspended for 14 days after he falsified tachograph records and broke drivers' hour regulations denied that being paid a percentage of his vehicle's earnings had been an incentive to offend. Two other drivers...

Extra cash on the side.(trailer advertising )
October 5, 2006... Trailer advertising is beginning to take off in a big way in the UK and for hard-pressed operators it seems to represent an easy way to increase profits. Chris Tindall reports on a market whose time has come. Advertising on trailers is just...

Fined for using truck in a dangerous state.(AJ Edwards)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... A VEHICLE stopped on suspicion of being overloaded was in such a dangerous condition it was likely to become uncontrollable at any time. Its owner, Newport, Shropshire-based AJ Edwards, was ordered to pay [pounds sterling]2,148 in fines and...

HYBRIDS BLOOM IN HANOVER.
October 5, 2006... From a product viewpoint, the Hanover show is all about the future. If you don't have a hybrid product you're nowhere, and the established manufacturers must have been uncomfortably aware of some new brands looking over the fence. Colin...

International firm given grace period to sort out its finances.(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... AN INTERNATIONAL operator has been given until January to sort out its finances before a revocation order sets in. South Eastern & Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps revoked the licence held by Margate-based John Marsh on...

Love me tender.(Scania/Carmichael Viper foam tender)
October 5, 2006... Britain's oldest airport has invested in the latest generation Scania/Carmichael Viper foam tender as part of its bid to become a major regional player. Michael Phillips reports. In 1910, when the first commercial flight departed Shoreham...

Much too busy for the details.(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... I am not in the transport industry but a foreign colleague of mine, wishing to buy two trailers for export to his own country, today approached - at my suggestion - a company that is probably known to many of your readers. As English is...

Over-chromed and over here.
October 5, 2006... It's big, it's brash and there's one in Blighty. We put on our cowboy boots and head for the Wild West of Warwick to drive the Volvo VT880. The US-built VT880 is Volvo's attempt to persuade American owner-operators to do the unthinkable:...

Prohibitions lead to cut in authorisation.(Holcroft & Sons)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... A DURHAM OPERATOR has had its six-vehicle licence cut to two after numerous prohibitions revealed poor maintenance standards across the fleet. DE Scorer, trading as Holcroft & Sons, appeared before North Eastern Deputy Traffic...

Shadow Transport Secretary wants operators to help shape his policy.
October 5, 2006... Chris Grayling MP has asked the road transport industry to talk to him about its problems to help shape his transport policy. Speaking at the Commercial Motor/Shell Euro-4 1,000-Mile Test awards lunch last week, the Shadow Transport...

Smaller is better for customers.(Letter to the editor)
October 5, 2006... I've just read with interest the story quoting Stewart Oades as saying it's the end for owner-drivers (CM 21 September). Oh wouldn't the big firms like small operators to disappear into the woodwork so they can screw down the rates ...

Tartan power.
October 5, 2006... How has devolution affected the way transport is governed? In the first of a two-part report Adam Hill looks at the more powerful of the UK's two regional assemblies. The Scottish Executive, which has looked after the day-to-day running of...

Tribunal confirmed revocation after operator blamed Poles.
October 5, 2006... Tribunal said road safety had been imperilled by hours offences. A NORFOLK OPERATOR which blamed more than 60 hours offences on its Polish drivers has failed to win back its licence. Upholding the revocation the Transport Tribunal was...

Wincanton depot job losses could reach 500 this year.
October 5, 2006... Redundancies at two Wincanton depots could affect drivers and packing staff as talks continue. Bridget Carter reports. Up to 500 jobs will be axed at Wincanton's two Northampton depots by the end of the year and 80 drivers will be among...

Quarry firm narrowly loses bid for contract extension.(Folkes Plant and Aggregates)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... A Norfolk quarry company is licking its wounds after being refused planning permission to extend a contract it has had since the 1950s, following a campaign by local residents. Folkes Plant and Aggregates may have to lay off 10 staff when...

No short cut for trucks through King's Lynn.
October 5, 2006... Weight restrictions on LGVs came into force in King's Lynn, Norfolk last week. They are designed to stop trucks using the port town as a short cut, but local hauliers say the only LGVs that drive into King's Lynn are there to make deliveries....

Upgrade for ageing Severn bridge.(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... LGVs may be banned from the outside lanes of the old Severn Bridge from November. Concerns have been raised over the bridge's safety after cables on similar bridges in the UK, most notably the Forth Bridge in Scotland, started to show...

Stobart doubles annual profits with new [pounds sterling]30m Tesco contract.
October 5, 2006... Eddie Stobart Group dramatically increased its pre-tax profits in its last financial year, with figures more than doubling from [pounds sterling]1.8m to [pounds sterling]3.7m. During the year ending 28 February 2006 the firm's turnover rose by...

Review cuts fuel bills by more than 10%.(Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Grantham, Lincs-based Treasure Transport is the latest company to sign up to a government-funded fuel savings review, which has been improving fuel efficiency by more than 10%. FuelChamp manages the programme for the Department for...

Debts lead to administration.(Via Gellia Transport)(Brief article)
October 5, 2006... Another haulier has gone into administration in the face of rising costs, resulting in 50 redundancies. Bridget Carter reports. A Derbyshire operator has been forced to close this month, leaving 50 people without jobs. Via Gellia...

Vosa considers privatisation of vehicle testing.
October 5, 2006... Vosa is considering privatising some of its functions. A study is designed to establish if "further private-sector involvement will deliver better value for money, improve customer services, lighten the regulatory burden and deliver wider...

Willi Betz finally faces 560 charges.
October 5, 2006... The controversial international haulage firm's trial has now begun in earnest following a couple of false starts. Dylan Gray reports. NO LESS THAN 560 charges have been issued, 71 hearings have been scheduled and the case can be traced back...

TRANSIT IS VAN OF YEAR.
October 5, 2006... Ford's Transit has been elected International Van of the Year 2007 - UK jury member and CM editor Andy Salter assesses the finalists' many strengths and few weaknesses. With so many new vans launched over the past 12 months the...

Operation Indicate is on the move.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Operation Indicate, the West Midlands-based police unit dedicated to fighting truck crime, has moved from its base in West Bromwich to Birmingham Central police station where it will have access to more resources. Detective Constable Andy...

Christian Salvesen boosts its turnover by 7% in six months.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Despite tough trading conditions, Salvesen has won a string of new contracts - but margins are under pressure. David Harris reports. Logistics firm Christian Salvesen has managed to increase its income by around 7% in the six months to the...

Euro-3 goes down a storm.
October 12, 2006... As predicted, many operators snapped up Euro-3 trucks in September to delay adopting Euro-4; now expect a couple of quieter months. INSIDERS' PERSPECTIVES In the end, the SMMT's prediction of a "storm" in September, as operators rushed...

EU pays millions to move freight off the road.
October 12, 2006... Marco Polo, Europe's programme to encourage intermodal transport, has had a successful start. For the second phase its budget has quadrupled to E400m - so is it inevitably bad news for hauliers? Patric Cunnane reports. No one will be...

EVENTS.
October 12, 2006... Road Haulage Association O-licence compliance 17 October Glasgow Security Seminar 7 November Towcester Contact: 01733 261456 www.rha.net Tachodisc Digital tachographs - drivers 18 October Warrington Contact: 01925 283343...

No cash for green sales.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... The absence of financial incentives to go green means operators are turning to late-year, low-mileage Euro-3 vehicles. CM's inside trader explains what can be done to prevent the market stagnating. With Euro-4 price hikes, digital...

Euro-3 shortage disprupts the used truck market.
October 12, 2006... Looking for a late-year, low-mileage Euro-3 truck? Join the queue, mate. Scepticism reigns as operators steer clear of new technology, says Kevin Swallow. Confusion and doubt surround the used truck market as operators clamour for the few...

Anti-tank mine wounds Croatian driver in Iraq.
October 12, 2006... You think driving over here is tough? Be thankful you aren't working in the Middle East. David Harris reports. The dangers of delivering freight to Iraq were underlined last week when a truck driven by a Croatian driver was blown up by an...

EU unions demonstrate for improved truckstops.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Trade union members from four countries have demonstrated to demand better rest facilities for truck drivers throughout Europe. The protest took place outside the European Commission HQ in Brussels on Tuesday (10 October) ; it involved...

Collaboration cleans up East Anglian roads.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Enforcement agencies teamed up in East Anglia to stop a law-breaking operator. Chris Tindall reports. The restructuring of an enforcement group in East Anglia is being praised by its members. The restructuring of the area's Roads...

Muldoon's 'fast response' rear-steer semi-trailer system enters the mix.
October 12, 2006... Muldoon Transport Systems of Dungannon in Northern Ireland is introducing its semi-trailer positive rear-steer system into the building block and concrete mixer sectors. It is claimed to combine the payload of an artic with the...

Former CRS owner 'fighting back' against accusations.(Gary Keenan- CRS 24:7)
October 12, 2006... An administrator's report into the collapse of a Scottish haulage firm has prompted a robust response. Chris Tindall reports. The original owner of a failed transport company which went to the wall owing almost [pounds sterling]900,000 to...

Corus safety simulator provides data for Daf.
October 12, 2006... Daf has teamed up with engineering giant Corus to produce a crash simulation model designed to improve road safety. The Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) model is expected to enhance simulation techniques, reducing the current reliance on...

Government pledges [pounds sterling]2m for research into green logistics.(University of Westminster, University of Southampton,Lancaster University)(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... The government-funded Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has awarded [pounds sterling]2m to six UK universities to launch a four-year study into green logistics. The programme will study how the environmental effects of...

Volvo sued for the cost of a truck following write-off.
October 12, 2006... A recycling firm and truck giant Volvo are squaring up for a court showdown following an accident that left a truck driver with a permanent disability. The legal action stems from an accident in September 2003 in which a truck operated by...

LAGTA pips training regs.
October 12, 2006... ScotLAND-based LAGTA Group Training has bought six new MAN TGL 12-tonners in preparation for the new rules on truck driver training that come into force next year. The new training vehicles all feature Euro-3 engines, nine-speed...

A composite glimpse of the future.
October 12, 2006... Extending warranties Many manufacturers have realised that to sell their products they must be able to offer customers ways to make operational savings. Krone, for example, is now offering its latest Profi Liner with the first 48 months...

A lifetime of knowledge.
October 12, 2006... He is one of the UK's oldest operators and has a reputation for being one of the wisest. Bridget Carter meets Scottish veteran Duncan Adams. Red-and-white trucks with the name 'Duncan Adams' emblazoned on the sides are rumbling through...

Avoid three-in-the-bed situations.(Letter to the editor)
October 12, 2006... I am registered with the Driving Standards Agency on fleet and LGVs. In our canteen at the LGV driving school, there are a range of road transport magazines for drivers to look through. An article in CM dated 25 November 2004 caught my eye...

Bell calls for different TC to take over inquiry.(Beverley Bell - North-Western Traffic Commissioner)(SJ Slater Ltd.)(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... A public INQUIRY has been adjourned for a second time after North-Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell decided a different TC should take over because she lives close to the individuals involved. Bell called for the adjournment at the...

Check up on your work.
October 12, 2006... Commercial Motor brings you alternative views from experts who are allied to road transport. This week Sergeant Mark Thompson tackles the problem of drivers with the wrong licence - or no licence at all. As a supervisor at the Metropolitan...

Firm loses O-licence after using UK base only once.
October 12, 2006... TC rules that a company's 'UK operation' was actually based in - and controlled solely from - Spain. Mike Jewell reports on the case. An international operator that only used its UK operating centre once has lost its O-licence after an...

Firm's licence is suspended until the director shows up.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... An operator HAS had its four-vehicle licence suspended until it attends an inquiry to explain how its vehicles are maintained, how its drivers are controlled and how the interests of road safety are being met. North-Western Traffic...

It ain't broke...(Vehicle and Operator Services Agency )
October 12, 2006... "What on earth is going on in Vosa?" asks Brian Weatherley, casting a deeply sceptical eye over suggestions of privatisation and outsourcing. Question: What's Vosa's current 'mission statement'? To deliver world-class LGV enforcement? To...

LEGAL BRIEFS.(Manchester Haulage )(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Haulage firm's licence revoked due to unlicensed driver A company was called to a public inquiry after being convicted of employing an unlicensed driver who was involved in a fatal accident. The resulting concerns about road safety have led...

Leasing company's vehicle is held after it failed to check hirer's O-licence.
October 12, 2006... A leasing FIRM that failed to ensure a customer had an O-licence has been refused the return of an impounded vehicle. South-Eastern and Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps said PCF Equipment Leasing had "put its head in the...

Makeover for the Hiace.(Brief article)
October 12, 2006... Toyota's slow-selling Hiace panel van has been revamped for 2007 with engine revisions and a restyled exterior. Its 2.5-litre D-4D Euro-4 turbo-diesel now produces 94 and 115hp with torque of 230 and 294Nm which, says Toyota, is available...

Power in the valleys.
October 12, 2006... In our second article on devolved power, Adam Hill looks at the Welsh Assembly and examines how it affects road transport. Under the Government of Wales Act 1998, following a referendum the previous year, power was devolved to Wales as part...

Q&A.
October 12, 2006... This week's answers have been supplied by transport lawyer Andrew Sanderson of Wightmans, London It's a hold-up I have put in an application for a site where five others have also applied. There is an existing operator who has been there...

Questions over cataplexy.
October 12, 2006... Regarding the article headed "Sleep disorder driver cleared of causing girlfriend's death" (CM 28 September). The vehicle, a recovery truck, was in a collision after leaving the road at 60mph. The driver had travelled about 450 miles in...