AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

22nd November 2007
22nd November 2007
Page 1
Page 1, 22nd November 2007
Close

Page 6

First sight of Merc's flagship in waiti

Dur exclusive photos show off the next-generation Mercedes tractor Nhich is scheduled for release in 2010, Andy Salter...

Page 8

Cross-border driving leads to thousands of collisions

Foreign truas cause 18,000 accidents a year in the UK; UK drivers cause 5,000 crashes on the Continent. Chris Tindall reports....

EU to lay down law on stability control systems

ELECTRONIC STABILITY control systems are set to become compulsory on all LGVs used in the EU following the approval of global...

Page 9

EC rules on hours exemptions

THE DEPARTMENT FOR Transport (DfT) is considering the implications of a European Commission (EC) statement which says some...

Go Dutch...

very quietly DUTCH MOVES to create ultraquiet trucks suitable for late night and early morning supermarket deliveries have led...

Are you ready for the London LEZ?

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON (TfL) believes operators will comply with the London lowemission zone (LEZ) which comes into force in...

Eddie's back

Edward Stobart has returned to the road transport industry having bought Boalloy Fastruck from its administrators. The company...

Trailer lite

Crossland Tankers has developed a lightweight milk reload tanker. At five tonnes it is 800kg lighter than most modern milk...

Secure parking

The Freight Transport Association is backing JD Owen Transport's plan to develop a secure truck park off Junction 31 of the A55...

Teaming up

Two of the country's leading food and drink supply-chain specialists will merge on 1 January. Culina Logistics and Baylis...

Robert Bedford

Bedfords Transport MD Robert Bedford, 52, has died while on a business trip to Spain. He was the third generation of the...

Page 10

RHA pushes for LHV trials as DfT waits on a 'desk study'

Trade association tells government longer, heavier vehicles might have environmental and economic benefits. Roanna Avison...

Thieves target the A303 MPs' road cost fury WILTSHIRE POLICE

ARE warning hauliers to take extra precautions in the run-up to Christmas,following several thefts from trucks parked in...

Page 13

Volvo joins CO, redudion team

11 - le proposed measures include increased fuel-efficient driving and greater reliance on renewable fuels. Chris Tindall...

Overloading could have caused a 'major accident', magistrates told

A I IAU LI ER IS facing disqualification from driving after overloading a truck so much it was said tube on the verge of...

Win Christmas goodies with RoadTransport.com

THE RoaciTransport.com Christmas prize draw is now up and running, so don't miss out on your chance to win: a plasma TV with...

Page 14

Take the digitach plunge!

Making the move to digital tachograph has had far r eaching consequences for LGV driver L Radicles driving style, fuel...

Loss of secure site leads to more attacks

The police warn drivers to remain vigilant and are considering a sting operation. Chris Tindall reports. THERE HAS BEEN a...

Page 16

filconbury truckstop site to be sold as owner 're-jigs its focus'

[he owner of the former Alconbury truckstop has decided to sell the ;ite — truckers hope it will remain a truckstop. Chris...

ern doubles profits with fuel escalator

POOLE, DORSET-BASED hauler Wyvern Cargo more than doubled pre-tax profits in the last financial year, partly by persuading its...

Page 17

Rikki Chequer, community manager of TruckNet UK, reports on current hot topics at the driver forum.

This week on TruckNet UK the topics under discussion are as diverse as always. From biofuels to longer, heavier vehicles...

Page 18

Chocs away! Ecotec heads for Timbuktu on chocofuel

3iodiesel specialist Ecotec is running a truck to Timbuktu on biodiesel - nade from broken chocolate. Yes, really. David...

Craib chooses VAN over Daf after EGR beats SCR in tests

AFTER DECIDING TO move away from AdBlue and SCR, Aberdeen-based ARR Craib has taken delivery of 25 MAN TGA tractor units and...

Page 20

Exel opposes unfair dismissal claims after losing contrad

Three drivers are making unfair dismissal claims against Exel after a and Rover contract was lost to Bost. Peter Swingier...

Smith increases production

SMITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES, the maker of electric vans and trucks, is increasing manufacturing capacity at its Tyne and Wear...

Mail increase of 60% helps Business Post double first-half profit

BUSINESS POST doubled its pre-tax profits to £4.8m on turnover up 9% to £167m in the first half of 2007. Turnover in Business...

Page 22

EC promises leeway for multi-drop digital' use

frie EC plans to allow digitach users 15 minutes' leeway — if they can Nove they are doing multi-drop work. Roanna Avison...

Page 24

Vehicle thefts head list of truck crime reports

- ruckPolis third quarter truck crime statistics not only gives the number ind types of theft; it suggests areas to avoid....

Page 26

Pointing in the right diredion

it's nearly a year since Ceva Logistics was formed from the separation of the TNT organisation. Andy Salter caught up with...

Page 28

Jnbecoming Jehaviour

HE COMMERCIAL truck usiness has a reputation for eing stuck in the Stone Age with ..gard to its attitude to women. his...

:Tarred e-mail

'HANK YOU for publishing my tter (Beware the DIY approach 1 , reclaiming VAT, CM 1 lovember). I hope it will be elpful to some...

(eynes mystery

THEY SAY YOU wait ages for a ius and then two turn up. Ashton Ceynes was a place I had never ieard of. But then, to and behold,...

Alternative fuels are positive

I READ WITH interest the story regarding Waitrose using rapeseed oil in their trucks for a trial period (CM 15 November). I...

Was the relaunch of TipCon really inspired by the success of TipEx?

I WAS SURPRISED to see the article in Commercial Motor (18 November) with regard to the relaunch of TipCon at the Commercial...

Page 30

Eastward hi)!

As the demand for trucks in Eastern Europe rises western manufacturers are casting an acquisitive eye over the region. But as...

Page 36

Operator wins licence after fresh undertakings

iT HELENS,Merseyside-based All Plant & Haulage las succeeded in winning a new licence for 15 vehicles Ind four trailers after...

Licence refused due to business concerns

A WOMAN WHO continued to operate without a licence following a previous revocation has been refused a new one until she sorts...

Page 37

Exhausted driver fell asleep on trunk road after missing lay-by

A LIVERPOOL lorry driver, accused of taking a nap in his cab on the inside lane of the A.55 in North Wales, has been warned by...

Death by dangerous driving charge is dropped after CPS offers no evidence

AN IRISH-BASED lorry driver, who admitted falsifying tachograph records, was cleared at Mold Crown Court of causing death by...

Page 38

Our panel opposes 0-licence transfer from Its to Vosa

Department for Transport (DfT) proposals to transfer 0-licensing from the Traffic Commissioners to Vosa have received a big...

Page 39

NICK MATTH EWS Logistics manager Panther Platform Rentals Luton

i=mit As a former police officer Matthews has a useful analogy for any transfer of powers to Vosa: "My job as an officer was...

PAUL ARTHURTON Managing director Paul Arthurton Transport Norfolk Arthurton agrees

with the FTA —the system don't need fixing because it ain't broke. "Thankfully, I have only limited contact with the Traffic...

Page 40

MARTIN BARNES Project manager Operational Logistics Navarm Somerset

Barnes is convinced that any dilution of TCs powers at this stage would signal their eventual abolition. "I think it's a short...

JOHN BELL

Transport manager Huntapac Produce Preston Lancs Bell backs the FTA and the majority of panel members on the question of...

MALCOLM MILLARD Owner-driver

MGM Haulage Flexford, Southampton With 50 years experience in the road transport industry, Millard has had his fair share of...

NEIL JAMES

Managing director Hunts of Redditch James has had little or no contact with his regional TC for several years and a recent...

Page 42

CHARLES BURKE

Owner-driver/truck dealer IRS Engineering Rhonda Valley Unlike the majority of other panel members, Burke believes there...

ED PARGETER Director, EP Training Leatherhead, Surrey Pargeter Is concerned

that plans to appoint a lead Traffic Commissioner will dilute vital local knowledge. "Traffic Commlssioners should remain...

THE VERDICT

• TCs mostly do an excellent job • They are seen as fair and independent • The current 0-licensing system works reasonably well...

Page 43

FUTURE LEGISLATION

Northern Ireland operator licensing reform: The DOE intends to amend the Northern Ireland operator licensing system to mirror...

Page 45

irne waits for no van, hut in the past couple

of years all the major manufac turers at the heavy end of the light CV market have updated their products to produce what...

Page 46

The French manufacturer Is a heavy-hitter in the UK thanks

to a comprehensive LCV range and a sales position that sits in the upper echelons of the market. A key reason for this is the...

Page 48

There was plenty riding on the Ford Transit, not least

the fact tnat it holds the European Van of the Year title. It's already garnered the CMthumbs up; tested here in 2.4-litre,...

Page 50

LDV MAXUS

Price: l 19.045 Engine:Euro-4, 2.5-litre. common-rail Power/torque: 134hp1330lArn Transmission: Five-speed manual frontwheel...

Page 52

The no-frills Vauxhall Movano is one of the most dated

models on test. With its almost-10-year-old design, it was fighting an uphill battle from the start. Mind you, with Vauxhall...

Page 55

Every van in this group can earn its keep —

otherwise people wouldn't keep driving them. But while you're spending a lot of money on a light CV you might as well pick one...

Page 56

I n the world of truck-mounted cranes Finnish firm Hiab is

a byword; it produces more than 100 models, although, as its ;orporate brochure states, customisation o meet customers' demands...

Page 58

ROADS TAKEN

VVe spoke to half a dozen leading figures in road transport about how they became involved in the industry — and what advice...

Bob Adamson now a key executive at TNT, started his

career as a bobby on the beat with Lancashire Police. He was one of the pioneers of teaching and enforcing tachograph laws for...

Page 59

Anne Reston

CHAIRMAN, PRESTONS OF POTTO Belonging to a haulage family can buy a ticket into the industry, even if it does not guarantee...

Page 60

Theo de Pencier loves his job as chief executive of

the FTA, but if he had a youthful dream it was to be a rugby union international. He wasn't bad he played in the front row for...

Richard Fry

GENERAL MANAGER, FRAMPTONS TRANSPORT Richard Fry was the first non-family member of the board of Somerset-based Framptons...

Page 61

Roger King

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ROAD HAULAGE ASSOCIATION (RHA) lyou had met the chief executive of the RHA as a school boy in 1950s Bi -...

A la! of haulage companies are family firms, but not every

memder of every family is keen to carry on the tradition. Peter Denby, now managing director of Lincoln-based Denby Transport,...

Page 62

T he UK market for moving-floor trailers — b is booming,

with some trailer and body uilders claiming full order books for 2008 and beyond, demonstrating that the selfunloading trailer...

Page 66

Global Pedalling Service

Using GPS to keep track of sponsored cyclists Every sensible transport operator likes to keep track of its trucks and trailers...

Page 67

Dealers warn 0-licence delays are hitting sales

Dealers fear 0-licence delays could hit their business as funders delay cash releases. Steve Banner reports. U sed truck...

Page 68

There's a light at the end of the tunnel

It's been a tough 18 months for used truck dealers — and with the benefit of hindsight many insiders feel digital tachographs...

Page 69

Tracking down used bargains

One-stop shop" Britcom interational recently redesigned and etaunched its website; James Clark hecks it out. Company: Britcom...