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17th May 2007
17th May 2007
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Page 1, 17th May 2007
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Page 6

LEZ gets go-ahead despite opposition

Critics say it will be costly to business and unenforceable, but the London low-emission zone will come into force next...

Operator comment

OWNER-DRIVER Derek Whippen has worked in London all his life. He says: bought a Euro-2 vehicle three years ago and thought it...

Employee sacked for theft wins compensation

A LORRY LOADING supervisor for Spar stores who was accused of taking part in the theft of £200,000 worth of cigarettes has won...

Page 7

Amtrak opts for double-deckers to cut costs on trunking routes

EXPRESS PARCELS company Amtrak has invested in an addtional 18 double-deck trailers to operate on the company's trunk routes...

Dairy Crest to consult on plant closure

UPTO 60 DRIVERS' jobs are at risk because of Dairy Crest plans to close its plant in Totnes,Devon. In total more than 200 jobs...

Oil together

Contract logistics specialist DHL Excel Supply Chain is working with pub chain JD VVetherspoon and biodiesel supplier Argent...

Page 8

Tesco drivers vote to strike over pay and derecognition

Tesco drivers based at Livingston have voted for strike action which may affect the supermarket's bank holiday trading. Dylan...

Fears over cost of the Driving Licence Directive

AN MEP HAS warned that operators could face a "horrendous" cost burden as a result of measures proposed in the Driving Licence...

Page 9

Euro-4/5 confusion 'will cut truck sales'

CONFUSION OVER which trucks are best equipped to meei new emissions limits means that sales of LGVs will drop by 10% this year,...

Tyre purchase list agreed for 300,000 government vehicles

MICHELIN. GOODYEAR and An OGC spokesman says the their service partners ATS Euroagreement covers vehicles from master and Hi-0...

No place for delicate blooms

CM's truck-driving columnist L Radley warns that any delicate flowers tempted behind the wheel by public money will soon...

Page 10

Firm that 'failed to keep vital documents' loses licence

In addition, the company's director has been disqualified from holding an 0-licence due to loss of repute. Chris Tindall...

Chieftain Trailers prepares to launch Moffett basher

NORTHERN IRISH trailer builder Chieftain Trailers will take the wraps off a new truck-mounted forklift at next week's SED show...

Big deals for Axis

TRUCK AND TRAILER contract-hire group Axis In termodal has signed a 0.5m deal to supply operators including Bulmers Logistics...

Page 12

Vosa and police target

foreign trucks on M4 The "proactive targeting" of dangerous foreign registered trucks results in three arrests and 21...

IV EPs back retrofit ng blind-spot mirrors

PROPOSALS TO retrofit trucks with blind-spot mirrors have received the support of MEPs. An EU Directive requires new trucks to...

APC opts for Sprinters and Vitos

INDEPENDENT PARCELS carrier APC Overnight is to provide its 128 UK depots with Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Vito vans after...

Page 14

Judge says driver fatigue is not wilful misconduct

TNT global wins its appeal against a court ruling that said it was responsible for damage caused by a subcontractors driver....

Daf CF65 delivers when the chips are down

FARMER AND HAULIER Frank Redman & Sons of Lower Gravenhurst, Beds, has bought an 18-tonne Daf CF65 curtainsider to collect...

Page 16

Unexpected Felixstowe Port closure causes A14 chaos

High winds caused chaos on the A14 when Felixstowe Port was closed before Operation Stack could be instigated. Chris Tindall...

Rikki Chequer, community manager for TruckNet UK, reports on the

past week's hot topes of discussion among members of the UK's leading internet forum for professional drivers. SO TRUCKFEST IS...

Page 18

Michelin launches court cases over copycat tyres

The manufacturer is taking legal action in the US and Europe against distributors that sell Michelin lookalikes. David Harris...

Saints soars into the black

AIRFREIGHT SPECIALIST Saints Transport boosted its turnover to nearly £22m in its last financial year and turned a loss into a...

Upgrade for Tebay Services

ONE OF THE country's best known privately owned motorway truckstops has had a500000 upgrade. Tebay Services, just off the M6...

Page 21

Revised Trakkers take a bow at SED

IVECO LOOKS READY to steal the limelight at the SED construction show next week when it takes the wraps off its UK line-up of...

Page 22

1.0SEMEUES

Vosa pulls testing staff off the roadside to cut queues Vosa is trying to reduce waiting times for annual tests by redeploying...

Is Vosa's new system to blame?

SOME STAFF AT Vosa believe the problems with forward booking times have been brought about by a new programme which, they say,...

Page 24

LEZ: Flawed and costly

Cars are by far the biggest polluters in London, but trucks are still bearing the brunt of environmental regulations. Dylan...

Page 26

Meals on wheels

With the government determined to make us feel guilty about our carbon footprint, this week's Yardstick looks at the changing...

Page 29

Know your business

A lack of high-quality recruits is one of the biggest issues facing firms today. As Andy Salter discovers, the modern...

Page 30

Vosa no longer cares about its customers

FURTHERTO THE running debate on Vosa. it's impossible to get a test within 4-6 weeks now in Manchester: we even have to wait a...

There's no mystery to wheel loss

THERE IS LITTLE or no reason for returning to the subject of wheelnut looseness as "a problem that won't go away" (CM 3 May)....

iVoD went Euro-4 with aircraft refuelling system

I READ WITH interest the story 'MAN fleet for MoD' (CM 26 April) in which a claim is made that this contract will be providing...

Page 32

Buy now to beat the rush!

Manufacturers are urging operators thinking of buying new vehicles to get their orders in early to cope with ever increasing...

Page 35

Haulier who drove 'day and night' remains off the road

Magistrates fined him, the Traffic Commissioner disqualified him — now the Transport Tribunal has rejected his appeal. Mike...

Page 36

New licence granted New licence granted

with strid conditions •••*1-0 A MAN WITH close links to a company that was refused an 0-licence has been granted one to operate...

First inquiry in 40 years ends in warning

A FIRM THAT faced its first public inquiry in more than 40 years of trading has received a warning for a string of prohibitions...

Page 37

Revoked but given time to make fresh application

AN OWNER-DRIVER was given a second chance by Senior Traffic Commissioner Philip Brown at a public inquiry in Bristol after...

Records were lost due to theft of office

A DONCASTER operator escaped with a warning about its maintenance standards after replacing its fleet with new vehicles. It...

Page 38

FUTURE LEGISLATION

Corporate manslaughter: The government wishes to introduce a new offence to hold organisations to account for gross failings by...

Page 39

Keep it to yourself or else

Individuals who fall foul of the Data Protection Act face unlimited fines and up to two years in jail. Nigel Miller explains...

Page 40

The state of Europe

CM went to Brussels to find out what is coming our way. From proposing five-year driving licences to reviewing cabotage,...

Page 44

UPPER L MIT

Volkswagen's big Grafter brings takes us into a new era of digitachs and speed limiters, but what kind of van hides behind the...

Page 50

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

Fuel suppliers are being hit by shortages of vehicles and parts for them. Bryan Jarvis reports from the FPS exhibition 2007....

TASKATANKERS Despite the current shortage of truck chassis, Taska Tankers

reported orders for more than 50 ADR 4x2, 6x2 and 8x4 rigid tankers. Its two show Scanias, both with aluminium vessels, were...

Munich-based Rohr's short 46,200-litre ADR tanker is for Irish operator

Top Oil. An 11.5m round main section is linked by a short collar to a specially rolled front end with rounded top and...

CENTRAL WELDING Northern Irish tanker builder Central Welding exhibited a

Volvo FM9-based 20,000-litre fivecompartment mild-steel ADR tanker It's the third such 6x2 in Crossroad Fuels' fleet. and is...

Page 51

MAIDMENT TANKERS The smartest little tanker at the event was

this attractive Euro-4 Renault Midlu m 220DK for Malmesbury oil distributor Kinch Fuel Oils, An 8,000-litre, stainless steel...

CROSSLANDTANKERS

Crossland's new aluminium tanker is now carrying heavy `black' fuel oils for the ITS Tanker Rentals fleet. lt is ADR-certified...

DAF This Oaf 85.460 FTP 6x2 for Redruth haulier Mitchell

& Webber uses the narrow, single-wheeled 4.4-tonne mid-lift axle. Compared with the FTG version, it takes up less chassis space...

FELDBINDER Feldbinder's 42,000-litre TSA-42.3-6 is built for Turners (Soharn) to

work under contract to BVVOC. The six-compartment vessel is made from 5088 aluminium and was shown 'parked over' a Oaf 85.410...

Secu-Tech is marketing a radio-controlled overfill prevention system that plugs

into receiving tanks. It is already used in Ireland, Germany, Holland and Scandinavia. Contact Dag mar Hockner on 0043 2256...

Page 52

131111 THAT ENDS" WELL

• As truck engines become increasingly sophisticated, it is more importa • " I ' er t se th right oil, Steve Ba r xplai nrie...

Page 56

REAR STEERING

ON THE FRONT LINE Muldoon will be at SED next week to launch its range of trailer products onto the British market. Andy...

Page 58

TIPPED FOR THE TOP

Tip-Ex 2007 opened to high expectations which proved justified as exhibitors took advantage of the launched dozens opportunity...

Steel is a new material for manufacturer Wilcox as it

launches two rigid muokaway bodies. The Aggrelite steel body weighs in at 2,400kg with the Mightylite version weighing 2,650kg....

Page 59

Abba on the way up...

A tipper and grab-body combination from Abba Commercials came with an innovative ladder designed to meet health and safety...

Environmental Trailers on the move

Environmental Trailers is now UK agent for Belgian-built Serrus Trailers moving-floor trailers, featuring the US...

The resurgent Fruehauf launched three products : two for the rigid

market. Its 15m 3 steel rigid body, the first from its Grantham site : weighs in at 2,900kg. The aluminium bathtub rigid tipper...

Several trucks at Harrogate were fitted with PM On board's

latest PM1155 BulkWeig h. The system includes tipping stability and axle loading as standard and audibly warns if any axle is...

Page 60

With so many used dealerships supplying the tipper market, it

was surprising that only one was involved with Tip-Ex. DO Taylor Commercials, based in et% Driffield, East Yorks, took the...

Axle developments at ArvinVeritor

AryinMerilor has launched the CS air suspension axle. On a triaxle trailer it saves 45kg and its trailing arm is now clamped to...

Brit-Tipp boosts payload

The heavier kerb weight of Euro-4 trucks has led Brit-Tipp to reduce the weight of its products. It supplies off-the-shelf...

SDC Trailers loses a rib

The well established aggregate step-frame bathtub from SDC Trailers has been slimmed down to help keep weight-consclous...

Page 61

Alcoa covers up disc brakes

One 'Ate biggest problems for tippers on site with disc brakes Is discharging loads that fall between the rear bogie, ruining...

Weightlifter's on the up

Weightlifter has introduced its moving-floor trailers to the UK market. The firm believes the keys to success are the backup...

Two new from Benalu

Benalu, once in bed with General Trailers and Fruehauf, is hitting the UK market with lightweight aluminium chassis and...

The last heavy-duty MAN F2000 rolled off the production line

in April 2004; in its absence the market has undergone a sea change. Traditionally the Germans have been successful in this...

Aliweld branches out

Aliweld's lightweight aluminium Veer features a 76rnm step-frame that works up into the body over the fifth wheel and allows a...

Page 62

MAN will be replacing the UK's ageing fleet of military

support vehicles with iTs HX and SX ranges. Dylan Gray went on a white-knuckle ride to try out the models. illbrook testing...

Page 64

COMPACT TRAINING

David Scott-Smith has condensed 26 years of trucking knowledge into a 40-hour training package. 11rn Maughan meets him as le...

Page 65

Optimum Recruitment opts for change

The Milton Keynes recruiter has diversified, rationalised and rebranded with a smaller team but a higher turnover. OPTIMUM...

Page 66

Don't drink and... learn

Being three limes over the II mil may not help you pass your WV test People who have been driving for quite sometime will...

Page 69

Export older trucks in bits

Fears that the export market will be affected by countries imposing age restrictions on used vehicles is encouraging a growing...

Page 70

On the search for stock

Dealers are struggling to meet orders as the shortage of late-year, low-mileage tractors with analogue tachos reaches crisis...

Page 71

TO CHARGE OR NOT TO CHARGE

The temptation to charge an outrageous premium for the most desirable trucks in a climate in which prices remain strong is...