Engineers' report from Europe
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THE FINAL session of the conference stemmed from visits by five pairs of fleet engineers and managers — from haulage and own-account transport undertakings — to five truck manufacturers and 10 commercial vehicle operators in EEC countries on the Continent. Suggested by Walter Batstone, the deputy chief engineer of the National Freight Corporation (who felt that British fleet engineers lacked first-hand knowledge of Continental operating and engineering practices, and of the design philosophies and future plans of the main truck makers), the visits were arranged by Commercial Motor with the co-operation of the companies visited.
In their written report — expanded verbally at yesterday's conference — the engineers highlighted some trends and gave an airing to some plans and policies. At Stuttgart, for instance, they were told that Daimler-Benz envisaged the diesel engine being the prime source of truck power over the next decade, with turbocharging to meet power and emission requirements. While D-B is evaluating gas turbine propulsion, the engineers responsible for Mercedes-Benz vehicles are convinced that a 10-year development period will be needed to achieve standards comparable with the reciprocating engine.
Containing noise On noise, D-B engineers think engine encapsulation may be necessary, but they are confident of meeting the 1975 Californian noise and toxic emission levels. Tests to date on main engine structures have not proved significant in reducing noise levels, and other factors will have to be given attention.
Favouring multi-speed transmissions (9 to 11 gears), on heavy vehicles they believe the objections to the ideal of multi-ratio automatic gearboxes will be overcome by better design and increased production to reduce unit costs.
Meetings with German operators revealed strong opposition to axle taxes and a preference for a gross weight tax. The managing director of Panalpina, Stuttgart, hoped to see trade unions in other countries adopting the more moderate approach seen in Germany; and he wanted to see a tightening up of technical controls on vehicles, eg through test stations.
The managing director of Fischer Spedition, who is also vice-president of the German hauliers' BDF organization,
felt that more influence could be wielded to obtain sensible legislation and costs if all EEC operators were to agree and combine their efforts. On weights, he favoured a 13-ton driving axle and 41 tons gcw.
The British engineers felt that, while the German operations had little to teach UK fleet men on the physical side, the efficiency of control and utilization of assets held a lesson for British operators. The use of electronic data processing, in particular, was shown to be well worth the big initial investment. On the other hand, Germany lacks the professional institutions and strong trade associations of the UK transport world.
Going Dutch The visitors to DAF, in Eindhoven, were told that the company saw its future as a relatively small producer of quality vehicles, and expected to level out at a 1976 ceiling of 18,000 commercial vehicles annually.
Although International Harvester — which has bought a 30 per cent interest in DAF — is developing a truck gas turbine, the Dutch engineers see it as 20 years away from general usage. They expect to push diesel powers to 450bhp before encountering weight problems; designed engine life before major overhaul is 400,000 miles.
DAF designers expect to see an 11-tonne axle limit, perhaps 40 tonnes gcw and an overall length of 15.5m for artics. The Dutch transport labour organization is opposed to sleeper cabs but is pressing for yet more cab comfort.
The technical manager of Frans Maas, an operator visited at Venlo, was eager to see standardized weights and dimensions throughout EEC — "tomorrow would not be too soon". He foresaw complete standardization of trailer lengths and couplings and an increase in Kangaroo road-rail types.
This company operates mainly in Holland and Germany but into other countries too; Italy is avoided as unprofitable because of border delays and the difficulty of finding satisfactory back-loads.
The fleet operates 24 hours a day as nearly as possible, to get vehicle utilization, but driver recruitment is a problem and the company even offers a rented house for suitable applicants.
Vehicles are replaced regularly through the year — the highest-mileage unit going first — to keep an average fleet age of three years; maximum overall cost is reckoned to occur at three to four years (the fleet is mainly 38tonne artics).
At Eindhoven the British engineers inspected the cooperative dairy fleet of Campina SA, running petrol, diesel and battery-electric vehicles. The Dutch National Dairy Organization has a technical services department which carries out four-monthly inspections at 52 guilders per inspection (about £5).
Paris and Normandy The Caen factory anti Paris headquarters and research department of the Saviem truck-making organization were visited by two of the British team, who also inspected two operators' fleets.
Saviem engineers stated their commitment to vee diesels, V6, V10 or even V12, for engines over 300bhp, though below that figure the preference is for in-line units. They favour a high rate of turbocharge to help solve noise and pollution problems. Saviem research suggests that perhaps 60 per cent of vehicle noise is reflected from the ground and they think road surface research will help to reduce this.
They foresee bigger gearboxes with more ratios for heavy trucks — 12-speed units for 42 tonnes. and a new 15-speed box for weights above this. Despite drivers' dislike of multi-speed units, Saviem sees these becoming essential to provide adequate road performance and fuel economy. To this end, they rate an overdrive box and double-reduction axle better than a direct box and singlereduction axle.
Although both operators visited had extremely clean and well-run workshops. there was little attempt to preventive maintenance as known in Britain; vehicles are repaired when they break. As well as a central workshop, Transports Louvigny, at Gaillons, has seven mobile workshops staffed by 14 fitters, who undertake maintenance and repair of the vehicles leased or rented out to customers (about 80 per cent of the 320 vehicles with which the company is concerned).
At the Paris depot of the huge nationwide Calberson transport company, doing mainly parcels work, 40 per cent of the drivers own their vehicles and run them on permanent contract in Calberson livery.
Not so stringent The British engineers found that French operators did not have to meet the same stringent maintenance standards as are demanded by law in the UK.
This view was reinforced by the two engineers who visited Berliet, at Lyon, and two operators in south central France. No periodical inspection is required by French law; there is an annual "MoT" test, and presentation of the current test certificate is usually taken by the police, at roadside checks, to be sufficient evidence that a vehicle is being properly maintained.
At Berliet there was particular interest in the 12-litre in-line six-cylinder Maxi Torque diesel, in which the turbocharging is biased towards more boost at low engine speeds — to overcome the problems of poor mpg at low engine speeds, fall-off in pulling power and overfuelling encountered with some blown engines.
On heavy trucks, exhaust brakes or Telma retarders are standard — their fitment being a legal requirement in some French provinces.
Detailed work on Berliet engines to reduce noise has included replacing alloy rocker covers with steel, and using ribbed rocker covers and sumps with an internal coating of sound-deadening material.
Close examination of the heavy-vehicle cab revealed that while the main structure is of corrosion-inhibited steel, it has 11 grp panels forming the skirt, providing easy access to assemblies and also easy replacement if damaged.
The first operator visited was running 26-tonne three-axle tippers on a roadbuilding site. in conjunction with a batching plant with automatic loading and weighing of asphalt. On this off-road site, the 26-ton-gvw vehicles were grossing 32 tonnes.
The driver could automatically control tailgate opening, as well as tipping, from the cab, using a simple hydraulic system.
At the base of another operator, Transports Aubry. at Chalon, the UK engineers were again impressed with the clean and spacious workshops and here — as at other French fleets visited — found drivers' defect reports given great attention, as a substitute for inspection / preventive maintenance.
Italian impressions
Visits to the Fiat truck works at Turin and Brescia, and to a fleet operator, were made by the two engineers who travelled to Italy for the CM conference report.
Fiat engineers admitted their frustration over the question of EEC vehicle weights, and felt that all would have been settled but for Britain's intervention. As it is, Fiat designs comply with current EEC requirements. but Italy is a country where national regulations are influential too.
All trucks regardless of weight must, for instance, be able to climb a 1 per cent gradient in top gear. The Italian speed limit for hgv is 60kph (36mph). Fiat state that they design for 7bhpAonne, so that engines are capable of providing at least 6bhp /tonne even after reconditioning.
To combat black smoke in their hilly terrain, they have developed an electronic fuel control system in which the movement of the rack is controlled according to the temperature of the exhaust gases at the manifold.
Automatics for psv Fiat considers automatic gearboxes of interest only for psv at present, and the same is true of a conventional gearbox and torque converter combination which has two gear trains (plus reverse) and automatic lock-up at predetermined speed.
The company is investigating air /hydraulic suspension. together with a brake anti-lock system.
In Italy, Fiat trucks are given a p.d.i. before leaving the works and a dealer inspection is considered unnecessary.
A visit to a Turin operator revealed concern at the EEC limit of 450km (260 miles) in eight hours for hgv — which Italy is not yet enforcing. This operator,_ too, was most anxious to see agreement on vehicle weights soon and would like to see 16m for artic length and 40 tonnes gcw.
The impression gained was that overloading is common in Italy (the maximum fine is only £20. under a 1935 Act still in force). So long as a vehicle has a current annual-test certificate and there is nothing obviously wrong with it, it is not vulnerable at roadside checks.
The Turin operator feels that the EEC annual test will be less stringent even than the current Italian annual inspection.
It was noted that the Italian transport trade association lacks the co-operation with the Government which is established in Britain.