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22nd October 2009
22nd October 2009
Page 1
Page 1, 22nd October 2009
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Rise of people power?

I once asked my admittedly younger colleague if she remembered the miners' strike. She replied: "I've seen Billy Riot,...

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Protest over Isle of Man airport contract award

By Chris Tindall CONSTRUCTION hauliers on the Isle of Man (loM) are up in arms, claiming they have been overlooked in a...

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- ▪ 2 .- ARCEL CARRIERS

Carriers to cash-in on Royal Mail strike CM COVER STORY By Joanna f3 ou rke PARCEL CARRIERS have outlined plans to deal with...

P RATES

Specialist piano transporter condemns low-quality' rivals A COMPANY THAT specialises in transporting pianos believes the...

' P Vr,YE.,P

Lack of proper incentive over ATFs condemned A HAMPSHIRE-BASED Designated Premises (DP) has accused VOSA of wanting all the...

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Northern Ireland to update 0-licensing on par with GB

By Roger Brown NORTHERN IRELAND is to bring in legislation that will result in an 0-licensing system similar to the rest of the...

P CRIME

Haulier rages that truck thief punishment is 'too Lenient' WORCESTERSHIRE-based Troughton Transport says the six-month...

RHA doubts carbon credentials of LSTs

THE ROAD HAULAGE Association (RHA) has warned that the adoption of longer semitrailers (LSTs) for 18m artics would not have the...

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ay Chris Tindatl THE ADMINISTRATOR dealing with Bodmin Blocks says

it is encouraged by the response from potential buyers of the construction haulier. Business advisers from Deloitte were...

P , .0UCAT1ON

DHL gets behind the first Logistics diploma in schools DHL IS BACKING the first diploma course to put logistics and the supply...

L Radley has noticed a change .•.°\ in attitude to

transport thanks to bc , Facebook. Is it time to take stock? Facebook has taken a hold among drivers, not least because it can...

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P CONGESTION CHARGING

Congestion charge plans met with 'disappointment' By Roger Brown THE MAYOR OF London has unveiled plans to raise the London...

P pRoDucT

Stoneridge launches updated digital tacho STONERIDGE B EATER known in the UK as Veeder-Root has launched an updated version of...

P OPERATOR

Grocontinentat expansion plan flies in the face of recession MULTI-TEMPERATURE logistics company Grocontinental is bucking the...

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Warehouse construction at the lowest Level for 10 years

By David Harris FEWER NEW warehouses were built in the first half of 2009 than in any six-month period in the previous decade,...

Fine art for the sake of business

BRADFORD-BASED haulier and freight forwarder Redhead International is using iconic pieces of art to promote its business. It...

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Competitors' suicidal rates are hauliers' greatest fear

CM COVER STORY By Justin Stanton RIVALS THAT tender at suicidal rates is the issue that concerns most operators. Of those who...

FLEET ROUND-UP

Highway contractor Amey has invested in a fleet of 20 Mercedes-Benz 18-tonners — comprising 11 low-entry Econics and nine...

P AND FINALLY.

Wanted: haulier to deliver polar bear CM HAS SEEN its share of strange loads in the past, but is anyone willing to take a...

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FTA backs calls for LSTs 111111 " 111

on 'greener' grounds By Brian Weathertey TI IE INTRODUCTION of longer semitrailers (LSTs) for 18m artics would have an...

Law enforcement and the attitude adopted by VOSA has grabbed Rikki Chequer's eye this week.

Enforcement out on the road is a regular topic of discussion across the forums. It seems that a number of users feel the amount...

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P NEWS EXTRI1

Putting the northern plight on the transport agenda In the first of a series examining the local issues hauliers face across...

STOP THE VOSA CLOSURES A VIEW FROM THE NORTH-WEST

The VOSA test station in Bredbury, Cheshire, closed on 7 May but operators in the North-West have more sympathy for others...

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P LETTER OF THE WEEK

Saying goodbye to Rod Abrahams, who had road transport in the blood A SPECIAL FRIEND and colleague passed away on 28 September...

A question of flawed thinking

I WAS INTERESTED to read the article concerning safety features on the Royal Mail vehicle in CM (1 October). I couldn't help...

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Minding the gaps

Freightex chief executive Tim Phillips reveals why the recession has proved beneficial for his firm, and why having a...

If Freightex's software has helped it to ride out the

recession better than most, Phillips is anything but complacent about the effects the downturn will have on the business. His...

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Sailing into stormy waters

Two ferry accidents have exposed the lack of compliance when it comes to securing freight on the part of both operators and the...

The trade associations linked to the road transport industry were

recommended by the MAIB report to provide guidance to shippers on the additional securing of cargo on trailers that are being...

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Licence suspended over hours offences

Allegations of fuse-pulling found to be untrue following maintenance investigation, but false records found. BREACHES OF...

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Psi CASE TWO

Driver who ignored VOSA faces prison A DRIVER WHO decided to i ore VOSA orders to stop has een convicted of dangerous riving...

IC acts after prolonged unauthorised use

A FIRM that used an unauthorised operating centre for eight years has had its licence cut from 10 vehicles and 15 trailers to...

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What about the workers?

When a business fails or is sold off, what are the responsibilities of the employer and what rights do employees have? Words:...

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PAYING OFF THE WORKERS

Where employees are dismissed because of the company's insolvency, they gain preferential status for certain debts owed to the...

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They're on their own

Brussels has decided that owner-drivers should insid remain outside the working eu rope time regulations, but N the closeness...

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The debate in Europe has raised various issues surrounding the

employment status of ownerdrivers, particularly those the EC dubs 'false owner-drivers'. Are they employees, subcontractors, or...

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The sliding fifth wheel remains something of an enigma in

the British road transport industry. Designed for operators running trailers with varying pin lengths, it's rapidly becoming...

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Lutterworth-based Core Management Logistics (CML) cut its running costs by

using the Stop Gap Coupling system to close the gap between the tractor and trailer. Martyn Norman, transport executive for...

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In the Long run

Now is a good time to look at how many trucks you need... and who might provide them. A year ago, Widdowson took on five Iveco...

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Perhaps best known as a large UK fleet operator, the Widdowson Group (www.widdowson-group. corn) has a broad business portfolio.

Today its operations are based around its Giant laid, Lecester HQ site, which is just off Junction 21a of the Ml. • Annual...

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negotiate on 2004 prices. The variance per truck was between

£5,000 to £8,000, so we decided to stand down any decision for 2008." Throughout that period Widdowson's commitment to Scania...

'REVERSING' OUT OF RECESSION

Among the many strings to the Widdowson Group's bow is the growing sector of reverse logistics. Commercial director John...

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GAINING THROUGH TRAINING

All Widdowson drivers go through a yearly assessment, including a health and safety update, and annual 'test', reveals...

SPECCING THE WIDDOWSON WAY

(Currently split between Scanias and Ivecos, with a majority of Scanias] 44-tonne tractors: 6x2, automatic transmission,...

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WORKING

Any telematics and tracking system has the potential to maximise drivers' hours by routing vehicles more efficiently, avoiding...

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The holy grail of driver management software is to have

accurate up-to-date data on driver's hours that can be imported directly into transport planning software so driver...

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Get it right first time

You know what you want, you order the product, it gets built... and it doesn't work. How many operators have gone through this?...

WHAT IS ALLMI?

The Association of Lorry Loader Manufacturers and Importers was created in 1978, largely at the request of the Health & Safety...

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uel economy is all about making the iggest savings with

the minimum outlay. M looks into some of the methods that an save you money. Words: Louise Cole The aftermarket is awash with...

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At a Fuel Economy Conference held by the Society of

Operations Engineers (SOE) recently, David Batty former engineering fleet controller at Somerfield Stores and now engineering...

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The construction industry decline is showing signs of slowing up,

but a lack of available finance is hampering growth for some companies. Also, there are calls for the Dartford Tunnel Tolls to...

P CONSTRUCTION

Building sector decline shows signs of slowing DESPITE SOME encouraging signs that the housing market is beginning to recover,...

Operators being warned to check rate revaluations

TRANSPORT OPERATORS are being warned to scrutinise their rate revaluations, because business owners in some areas are...

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Lack of finance hampering companies

Despite a substantial proportion of companies throughout the UK anticipatIng a return to growth and enjoying a stronger...

p C.;

A third of UK firms selling at a Loss ONE-1N-THREE companies in the UK is making a loss, according to industry sector analysis...

Move to ditch Dartford Crossing toll

OPERATORS UNHAPPY with the Dartford Crossing toils should take this opportunity to contact their trade association or local MP...

starling up on their own, according to a survey by

the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), which found that 50to 65-year-olds were responsible for...

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September boost for used van prices

ACCORDING TO the latest Pulse Report from British Car Auctions (BCA), average used LCV values increased by 1117 — more than 3%...

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N DEALER NEWS

Guest goes west with lveco Words: t:,oun barnett WEST MIDLANDS IVECO dealer Guest Trucks has now become the Italian brand's...

Fa INDEPENDENTS

Broadway's new site for North-East INDEPENDENT USED van and truck specialist Broadway Motor Company has opened a new 1.5-acre...

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Moving pictures

ebwatch visits the new V est Pennine Trucks website, omplete with embedded video. Words: James Clark ampany: West Pennine...