Transport News issue one June 2016

Transp rt News June 2016

Declaration from Ministers on Green and Inclusive Transport Plus: Biodiesel’s Impact / Air Zones are not a Perfect Solution / Moscow Wins International Transport Award for Tackling Traffic Gridlock / ‘illegal’ Defeat Devices / Why Britain Has No Transport Policy

2

Welcome to the very first edition of a brand new publication, Transport News INTL, which promises to cover all modes of transport.

This remarkable new monthly magazine will be sure to inform you of the issues that matter today, including the environmental impact of mobility and exemplary case studies of best practice in the field.

The magazine not only keeps you on track with the all-important issues of rail travel, but it also pushes the boat out in terms of content on shipping, and other modes of transport such as road and air.

Responding to Network Rail’s consultation on Western Rail Link, Heathrow Airport has restated its support for the project and has called for Network Rail and the Government to accelerate the timeline for this project so its benefits can be delivered sooner.

In other news, from 1 July, as part of its enforcement of new container-weighing requirements, China will conduct random inspections on export containers at the country’s ports according to long-awaited industry guidelines issued by the Ministry of Transport.

In the deals section, SkyBitz®, the leader in commercial telematics, announced in mid-May that Paschall Truck Lines, Inc. (PTL) has selected asset management solutions from SkyBitz for its fleet of trailers In addition to some of latest transport deals, a range of industry experts take you on a monthly trip, with their views and expert insight into the vital issues that we face now and in the future. I very much look forward to taking this very exciting and thrilling journey with you, as we examine the present challenges facing the industry, and indeed the ones on the road ahead.

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Environment Contents

4. News Environment 8.

Biodiesel’s Impact: Emissions of an Extra 12m cars

on our Roads, April Figures Show 10.

Declaration from Ministers on Green

and Inclusive Transport 12.

Fleets Need Consistency Across Clean Air Zones 14.

FTA Supports Report that Claims Clean Air Zones

are not a Perfect Solution

16.

18.

20.

Freight & Logistics China to Conduct Random Inspections on Export Containers Expansion of the E-commerce Sector to Propel the Logistics Market Through 2016-2020, According to Technavio Tapa Calls for more law Enforcement Agencies and Insurers to Share data on Cargo Crime to help Industry Reduce the risk of Theft

Rail 22.

Collaboration Key for Crossrail 24.

HackTrain Announces Teams for World’s First

Rail-Tech Accelerator Programme 26.

Masabi Mobile Ticketing Coming to New York MTA 28.

PSA Group Takes on Energy Transition Challenge

by Expanding Its Petrol Line-up in Europe

and Investing in Hybrid and Electric Powertrains

in France Roads 30.

Moscow Wins International Transport Award

for Tackling Traffic Gridlock 32.

North America’s Test Bed Emerges Most Popular

Driving Growth Opportunities in Active Safety

and Automated Vehicle Technologies 34.

Three new ‘illegal’ Defeat Devices go Unpunished

in Europe 36.

Two PSA Group Autonomous Cars Drive

from Paris to Amsterdam in “Eyes off” Mode Overview 38.

Are Trams Socialist?

Why Britain Has No Transport Policy 40.

Global Military Aircraft Actuation

Systems Market 2016-2020 Increase in Number of Aircraft Drives

the Market - Research and Markets 42.

Q-Pulse to Standardise Bahrain’s Ministry

of Transportation & Telecommunication’s

Quality Management Efforts 44. Deals www.transportnews-intl.com

4

Latest Official EU Figures on new car CO2 Emissions are ‘hot air’ The official new car CO2 figures for 2016 published in April by the European Environment Agency are worthless and the claimed savings hot air, green transport group Transport & Environment (T&E) has said. The testing system is utterly discredited and the claimed fall in emissions is largely achieved through manufacturers manipulating the outdated tests. In 2015 new passenger cars emitted on average 119.6 grammes (g) of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometre – 3% lower than in the previous year.

The reality on our roads is that the efficiency of new cars has been largely unchanged for four years.

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Greg Archer, clean vehicles director at Transport & Environment, said: “Official figures on carmakers’ new car CO2 emissions are hot air.

Most of the measured improvement is being delivered through manipulating tests, not real-world reductions. The chasm between the reported data and reality makes today’s announcement worthless. Without a new test conducted by genuinely independent testing bodies, drivers will continue to be misled while the planet warms.”

The long overdue regulations to introduce the new test must be tabled immediately by the European Commission and commence next year. Until Europe gets a new test conducted by independent testing organisations drivers will continue to be deceived and progress to tackle CO2 emissions from cars will stall.

T&E has been collaborating with Peugeot-Citroën to produce a real-world driving test that generates realistic fuel consumption and CO2 data, which is typically 40% higher that the official figures. The real-world performance will be assessed for all PSA models by the summer providing drivers with the information they need to make an informed choice.

“Peugeot-Citroën is leading the way in providing realistic fuel consumption information for drivers and it is time for other manufacturers to follow suit. But the European Commission also must require real-world CO2 tests to complement those they recently introduced for nitrogen oxide air pollution from cars”, Greg Archer concluded.

The EU’s first obligatory rules on carbon emissions require car manufacturers to limit their average car to a maximum of 130g of CO2 per kilometre by 2015, and 95g by 2021.

Manipulation of tests has therefore contributed to average emissions achieving the target two years early.

News

Open Air Consultation London’s hauliers welcome Mayor’s consultation on air quality – and invite him to travel through the Capital in a truck cab

Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association has welcomed the Mayor’s announcement of a consultation regarding measures to tackle London’s air quality. He has also repeated his invitation to the Mayor to experience driving through the Capital in a truck cab to see first-hand some of the issues that truck drivers face.

Commenting, Richard Burnett said: “We welcome the Mayor’s desire to tackle London’s air quality. However, we urge him and his team to approach this with an open mind and to accept that parts of the solution may involve challenging the misguided thinking that exists in some quarters. For example, there have been calls for larger lorries to be banned in the Capital and be replaced by many more smaller vehicles and vans.

“The reality is that the use of larger vehicles is more efficient and therefore less polluting.

There is also evidence to show that allowing trucks to use bus lanes in certain circumstances reduces congestion and therefore pollution. Transport for London must identify the contribution heavy goods vehicles will make to air quality by 2020, when all trucks will be ultra-low emission. They also need to acknowledge the enormous progress that hauliers are already making in switching to cleaner, Euro 6 engines.

It is essential that we avoid jumping to solutions ahead of identifying the problems. We need to take the long view, with others, as to what the vehicle manufacturing industry is likely to be able to offer.

Concluding, Richard Burnett said: “Trucks carry 85% of everything that we build with, eat, wear and buy. We are the economic lifeblood of the Capital and that’s why we are offering the Mayor and all the Assembly members the chance to experience the city from the cab of a truck. Only by working together and acknowledging each other’s concerns can we solve London’s air quality, congestion and road safety issues.”

- See more at: https://www.rha.uk.net/

FTA Tells Minister ‘Let’s get the Economy Moving’ The Freight Transport Association plans to write to Northern Ireland’s newly-appointed Infrastructure Minister highlighting key projects that are a priority for the logistics industry.

Chris Hazzard MLA in May was named as Minister for the Department for Infrastructure, combining many of the responsibilities previously managed by the now defunct Department of Environment (DOE) and Department for Regional Development (DRD).

The DOE was previously responsible for road safety, Operator licensing, roadside enforcement, vehicle testing and driver licensing while the DRD looked after road infrastructure, sustainable and public transport as well as local ports.

Seamus Leheny, FTA’s Policy and Membership Manager for Northern Ireland, said: “FTA is pleased that all the transport-related departments in NI are now under the one department and Minister, meaning greater coherence between everything transport-related in local government.”

Mr Leheny said FTA would be writing to the new Minister outlining two key priorities: • Prioritise the upgrades of the A6 Belfast to L’Derry road and the York Street Interchange in Belfast, both pivotal components of the strategic road network in Northern Ireland ensuring funding is secured and projects are delivered on time; • Protect compliant commercial goods vehicle operators and improve road safety through targeted and consistent enforcement by the Driver & Vehicle Agency and the Transport Regulation Unit. This can be achieved through an effective enforcement strategy and adequate funding.

Other transport matters that are likely to arise during the Minister’s term at Stormont include the potential sale of Belfast Harbour and the development of new vehicle test centres - both are matters FTA will be keen to engage on with the new Minister.

Mr Leheny said: “FTA looks forward to working with Minister Hazzard and the newly-appointed Infrastructure Committee and continuing to be the voice of the transport industry at the Northern Ireland Assembly.” www.transportnews-intl.com

6

Reduction of CO2 Emissions from new vans Slowed in 2015 The fuel efficiency of new vans registered in the European Union (EU) increased slightly in 2015 compared to the previous year. Average emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) fell by less than 1 gramme (g) of CO2 per kilometre, according to preliminary data published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). This is the smallest annual reduction since monitoring of emissions from new light commercial vehicles started in 2012.

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

The average van registered in 2015 emitted 168.2 g CO2/km which is 0.9 g less than in 2014. While the reported annual reduction is small, emissions are nevertheless well below the EU’s 2017 target of 175 g CO2/km. This target was already met in 2013. Further efficiency improvements still need to be achieved to reach the EU’s more stringent target of 147 g CO2/km set for 2020.

Key findings: • In 2015, 1.5 million new vans were registered in the EU, an increase of 2 % compared to the previous year. More new vans were sold in most Member States.

However, three Member States reported lower sales: Poland (-24 %), Spain (-16 %) and France (-12 %).

• Three out of five new vans (i.e. 60 %) registered in the EU were sold in just three Member States: The United Kingdom (24 %), France (21 %) and Germany (15%).

• The average fuel-efficiency of new vans varied widely across Member States due to the different models and sizes of vehicles sold in each country. Average emissions were lowest in Portugal (141.7 g CO2/km), Cyprus (143.2 g CO2/km) and Bulgaria (143.9 g CO2/km) and highest in Slovakia (186.6 g CO2/km), Germany (186.4 g CO2/ km) and the Czech Republic (182.6 g CO2/ km).

• The average weight of vans sold also varied across countries. Smaller vehicles were sold in Malta, Bulgaria and Portugal (< 1 585 kg); larger vehicles (>1 940 kg) in Poland, Finland and Slovakia.

• Only 10 250 electric and plug-in hybrid vans were sold in 2015, representing 0.7 % of the total EU van sales. This is lower than the 184 000 electric and plug-in hybrid passenger cars sold the same year, a share of 1.3% of total car sales.

• Diesel vehicles continue to make up the vast majority of the new van fleet, constituting 97 % of sales.

Background The EEA collects and regularly publish data on new light commercial vehicles registered in Europe, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 510/2011. The data reported by all Member States in order to evaluate the efficiency of the new vehicle fleet includes information on CO2 emissions and vehicle weight.

It has not yet been confirmed whether different manufacturers have met their own specific annual targets, based on the average weight of the light commercial vehicles they sell. Part of the reason for the small annual reduction observed in 2015 was due to regulatory changes in France. Companies can no longer register company cars as light commercial vehicles as a result of which the share of lower emitting vehicles in the total number of newly registered vans in France has decreased. The EEA will publish the final data on manufacturers’ individual performances as well as additional assessment of the data in the autumn. Manufacturers now have three months to verify the preliminary data and notify errors to the European Commission.

Member States report new vehicles’ CO2 emission levels, measured under standardised laboratory conditions, following the requirements of the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test procedure. This procedure is designed to allow a comparison of emissions for different manufacturers. However, there is now wide recognition that the NEDC test procedure, dating from the 1970s, is out-dated and does not necessarily represent real-world driving conditions and emissions due inter alia to a number of flexibilities that allow vehicle manufacturers to optimise the conditions under which their vehicles are tested.

Recognising these shortcomings, in January 2016 the European Commission proposed a number of changes to the current vehicle type-approval framework. A new procedure known as the ‘Worldwide harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure’ (WLTP) will be introduced in the future so that laboratory results better represent actual vehicle performance on the road. However, the date of its introduction remains to be decided.

News

Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard Says Major Transport Connections Are Essential for Economic Growth and Social Cohesion The north of Ireland’s first Minister for Infrastructure Chris Hazzard will ensure infrastructure development supports economic growth and social cohesion.

Speaking following his appointment today Minister Hazzard said: “I am delighted to be the first Infrastructure Minister. The work of my Department will be vital in supporting economic growth and also in developing social cohesion.

“There are a number of significant projects underway to develop our road network including the A5 and A6 and I will be working with the Dublin government on progressing projects like Narrow Water Bridge and the Ulster Canal. I look forward to seeing these and other projects reach completion and the benefits they will bring for local people.”

The Minister continued: “Following the recent restructuring, for the first time the Infrastructure portfolio brings together not just planning for our roads and transport network including vehicle regulation and road safety functions, but also strategic planning and water, rivers and flooding management. I think this is hugely important as we all work together to deliver for all of the people.”

Presidency Bestows Honour of “FIATA Fellow” to Geoffrey Arend In the year when FIATA’s history becomes 90-year-old, the “FIATA Fellow” honour was bestowed upon Mr. Geoffrey Arend, the distinguished journalist who publishes the air business specialised publication “Flying Typers”. Delivering the award was none other than FIATA President Mr. Huxiang Zhao, from Beijing, China.

“The FIATA Presidency expresses appreciation for your outstanding contributions to the freight forwarding and logistics industry. We honour Geoffrey for over 40 years of work highlighting the air forwarder story in a manner that has been significantly beneficial to enhance the knowledge and reputation of FIATA Members” Mr. Zhao declared inside the exquisite Haus zum Rüden, a nearly 700-yearold restaurant near the FIATA Headquarters Session in Zurich, Switzerland where the awarding ceremony took place last week.

Mr. Arend accepted the designation as “FIATA Fellow”, telling industry leaders “Without the freight forwarder, there is no air cargo business. For FIATA to honour someone like me, who has been charged by the airlines to tell their story to the forwarders, is a completely humbling experience.”

With this award FIATA recognises Mr Arend for his longstanding successful dedication and hard work. He has served the air cargo industry for a stunning 45 years remaining an ardent and unwavering advocate for a better, more thoughtful air cargo industry through his publication (Flying Typers).

The Members of the FIATA Presidency adopted the habit of congratulating eminent personalities who have been significantly beneficial for FIATA and its members with the title of “FIATA Fellow”. The object of this title is to enable FIATA to express appreciation for outstanding contributions to the freight forwarding and logistics industry, esteem deserving individuals, and use this award as a means to motivate others to contribute their talents and efforts to the enhancement of this challenging and fascinating industry. www.transportnews-intl.com

8

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Environment

Biodiesel’s Impact:

Emissions of an Extra 12m cars on our Roads, April Figures Show Using biodiesel for transport was supposed to reduce CO2 emissions but instead it’s set to increase Europe’s overall transport emissions by almost 4%, according to a new analysis of the European Commission’s latest study on biofuels.

These extra emissions are equivalent to putting around 12 million additional cars on Europe’s roads in 2020, the analysis by green group Transport & Environment (T&E) finds. This analysis takes into account the 7% cap on the contribution of biofuels produced from food crops.

Jos Dings, executive director of Transport & Environment, said: “The European Commission has finally revealed that Europe’s policy failure in stimulating bad biofuels is even more spectacular than previous scientific research indicated. We should phase out the mandating, subsidising and zero-carbon accounting of these fuels at European and national level after 2020.”

Jos Dings concluded: “The cure is plainly worse than the disease. The 7% cap on food-based biofuels has helped though, and should be lowered to zero after 2020. These fuels should also not count as zero-emission fuels. If we do not end incentives for bad biofuels, the better ones will not stand a chance.”

“The cure is plainly worse than the disease. The 7% cap on foodbased biofuels has helped though, and should be lowered to zero after 2020. These fuels should also not count as zero-emission fuels. If we do not end incentives for bad biofuels, the better ones will not stand a chance.”

The long-delayed EU study found palm, rapeseed and soy-based biodiesel to have land-use change emissions – which occur when new or existing cropland is used for biofuel feedstock production – that alone exceed the full lifecycle emissions of fossil diesel. T&E’s analysis adds to these figures the direct emissions of biofuels e.g. from tractors, fertilisers, and the installations, and subtracts emissions from the fossil alternative.

It finds that on average, biodiesel from virgin vegetable oil leads to around 80% higher emissions than the fossil diesel it replaces. For instance, soy and palm-based biodiesel are even two and three times worse respectively. These biodiesels are the most popular biofuel in the European market and have been forecasted to have an almost 59% share in 2020.

Last year’s reform of EU biofuels policy established a limit on the growing consumption of land-based biofuels, which, because of indirect land-use change (ILUC) emissions, often increase carbon emissions rather than reducing them. But the reform failed to include ILUC emissions in the carbon accounting of biofuels under the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and Fuel Quality Directive, meaning harmful biofuels can still be counted toward the EU targets and receive public financial support.

The European Commission is currently reviewing the RED and sustainability criteria for all bioenergy including biofuels, and it will publish a proposal in the final quarter of this year.

Web Address: www.transportenvironment.org

In total more than three-quarters of biofuels, which includes bioethanol as well as biodiesel, are forecast to have lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions similar or higher than fossil petrol and diesel in 2020.

www.transportnews-intl.com

10

Declaration from Ministers on Green and Inclusive Transport A declaration from ministers on green and inclusive Transport was agreed by the Council of Ministers of Transport at the 2016 Summit of the International Transport Forum in Leipzig, Germany in May 2016 and is reproduced here.

Transport that is environmentally responsible, inclusive, efficient and economically sustainable will be central to implementing the commitments made at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris in December 2015 and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Recognition of transportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading role comes with the duty to make the sector greener and more inclusive. Our challenge is to ensure affordable access for all and provide services for the trade and mobility on which our economies and wellbeing depend, while reducing impacts on the environment and public health.

Demand for transport is growing rapidly, with particularly strong growth coming from trade-driven freight transport and rapid or persistent motorisation in urban areas. Most of this growth is CO2 intensive. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change opens a new era of initiative to secure a low- carbon future for transport. This will be essential to address the growing share of transport in global energy-related CO2 emissions.

A combination of advances in renewable power generation and propulsion technology, managing demand along with changes in behaviour, as well as novel approaches to rationalising mobility and land use, will be necessary to address these challenges. At the same time, exogenous factors such as changing demographics, rapid urbanisation, new trade patterns and digital connectivity need to be factored in.

Our ability to respond to these challenges and opportunities will determine the effectiveness of the shift to green and inclusive transport.

We, the Ministers responsible for transport in the member countries of the International Transport Forum, have assembled under the Presidency of Denmark to seek mutual understanding of, and orient our response to, these challenges.

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Decarbonising transport We: - acknowledge the dramatic increase in motorisation in countries and its impacts on climate change, air pollution, and public health, and underline the need to adjust transport operations and policies to reverse these impacts; - recognise that the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the UN Sustainable Development Goals will support integration of low-carbon transport policies in national and local initiatives to reduce the adverse effects of climate change and foster sustainable development across the ITF membership; - undertake actions to promote initiatives and effective mechanisms that foster more sustainable transport; - encourage enhanced coordination of transport and environmental policies across ministries and among all levels of authority, in order to better promote the shift to both green and inclusive transport, through aligned, cost-efficient and coherent policies; - actively support the ITFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s analytical work to help countries reduce transport-related carbon emissions and improve fuel efficiency, while enhancing transport safety and security.

Promoting inclusive transport We: - agree that transport plays a central role in providing access to jobs, education, goods and services as well as opportunities for all; - acknowledge the vital role of public transport, as well as walking and cycling, in delivering inclusive access while reducing the carbon intensity of the transport sector, and thus the need to prioritise policies and investment for promoting these modes; - recognise the need to co-ordinate transport and land-use planning and policies to foster social inclusion; in particular, the development of integrated transport and social housing policies that increase access to employment through proximity and affordable, high quality transport services;

Environment

-

-

-

advise all relevant authorities and operators to intensify efforts to make transport infrastructure, equipment and services accessible to all travellers, including those with either permanent or temporary reduced mobility, in light of projected demographic change and the benefits that accessibility can bring for all travellers; promote a continued focus on assessing the economic, environmental and social benefits of inclusive and accessible transport for incorporation in project and policy appraisal; support and facilitate, wherever possible, the harnessing of new technology to make transport services and infrastructure accessible for all, from journey planning, to information provision and on-board facilities.

Transport modes serving green and inclusive growth We: - affirm that all modes of transport play an important role in fostering greener and more inclusive growth; - recognise that growth in the maritime industry highlights the need for enhanced cooperation among transport stakeholders in order to promote the protection of the environment alongside sound framework conditions for the sector through continued collaboration in the International Maritime Organization;

-

-

-

-

-

- -

acknowledge that the forecasted growth of aviation will require measures to mitigate its impact on the environment, while adapting to climate change; in this regard; support efforts to agree a sustainable aviation framework according to the decisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization. encourage efforts to foster public transport and more efficient, modally integrated forms of individual and freight mobility in urban areas to improve safety and access and reduce congestion, CO2 emissions, air pollution and noise; promote the modernisation and development of inland waterway transport to contribute to the sustainable transport of goods and passengers; recognise that investment in rail freight and combined transport can be effective in reducing the environmental impact of logistics chains; encourage focus on the sustainable development of international road freight transport; recognise that promoting quality transport infrastructure planning, maintenance and development contributes to transport sector resilience, mitigation of climate change impacts, as well as economic growth and social inclusiveness.

New technologies and digitalisation; enabling the shift towards green and inclusive transport We: - welcome the benefits to transport brought by the advances of new technologies and business and labour models, as well as digitalisation in enhancing the sustainability of transport infrastructure and services, and providing better access to transport services for all; - affirm in particular that increased connectivity and automation in the transport sector carry the prospect for enhanced benefits for safety, efficiency, the environment and access to opportunity; - recognise that data is essential to the planning, provision and management of transport services and infrastructure, and that there are great potential benefits to automated data and data-sharing between the public and private sectors; - acknowledge that regulatory frameworks may need to be adjusted to accommodate this new economic dynamic, while protecting personal data, public health, the environment, and ensuring other economic and social benefits.

Web Address: http://www.itf-oecd.org/

www.transportnews-intl.com

12

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Environment

Fleets Need Consistency Across Clean Air Zones The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) this month commented on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee‘s report on air quality.

BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney said: “Air quality is a big issue for Britain’s urban areas, and we can understand why the Committee has called for councils to be given greater freedom to set up Clean Air Zones (CAZs). The vehicle rental and leasing industry is concerned that the UK could end up with a lack of consistency across CAZs – the Government needs to step up and deliver a framework for a nationwide network of low emission zones. It’s also important that motorists are

“Progress to improve air quality in cities is already being made, and the rental and leasing industry is leading the way, pioneering new integrated transport solutions such as car clubs, and investing in ultra-low emission vehicles. BVRLA members operate the newest, cleanest, most environmentally-friendly vehicles on UK roads, while their innovative range of new mobility services encourage motorists to adopt more sustainable transport habits.”

“We welcome this move. It’s important to design cities that encourage a smoother flow of traffic, and councils should be thinking about which road layouts minimise congestion and prevent stop-start motoring which increases NOx emissions.” not punished with retrospective measures for decisions that they have already made. Fleets operate vehicles on three, four and five-year contracts, and need time to prepare for any significant change.”

The BVRLA has published a policy paper on air quality which can be read online: www.bvrla.co.uk/2016-policy-papers For more information, visit www.bvrla.co.uk

“Fleets need consistency, but a blanket ban of all diesel vehicles in city centres would be damaging to businesses – Defra must take a carrot-and-stick approach if it wants to drive the uptake of the least polluting vehicles, and bring the UK into compliance with EU air quality targets. The Committee rightfully recognises that Government incentives are needed to establish a self-sustaining low-emissions vehicle market. The BVRLA has repeatedly asked for in-life incentives that would benefit drivers of ultra-low emission vehicles, but the Government has failed to act.”

Elsewhere in the report, MPs said the Government must give councils greater powers to improve traffic movement. Keaney added: “We welcome this move. It’s important to design cities that encourage a smoother flow of traffic, and councils should be thinking about which road layouts minimise congestion and prevent stop-start motoring which increases NOx emissions.”

BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney www.transportnews-intl.com

14

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Environment

FTA Supports Report that Claims Clean Air Zones are not a Perfect Solution The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has spoken in support of April’s report into air quality and transport that claims Government’s plans for Clean Air Zones (CAZs) are too inflexible.

The House of Commons’ Environment, Food and Rural Affairs report says CAZs as defined by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) may not best address local air pollution problems and targeted schemes could be more effective.

FTA’s Head of National and Regional Policy Christopher Snelling said: “We are glad the Committee noted FTA’s concerns on page 12 of its report that CAZs are a blunt tool. Local air quality problems are just that - local. They differ in geographical extent and sources of pollution, and they will differ in terms of best solutions.”

has shown that these issues do not apply to Euro VI. Vehicles are meeting their emissions requirements, with NOx levels 80% lower than with previous vehicles.

Mr Snelling said: “This difference is a further reason why a local strategy that focuses on heavy vehicles alone will only achieve a limited impact - successful emissions reductions are coming in this area anyway.” Euro VI has been compulsory for new trucks and buses since the beginning of 2014.

“Other options such as local traffic management could be better suited in some cases – one policy action should not be artificially promoted over others as if it was some magical solution.”

FTA supports the statement by the Committee that “cities may find it more effective to limit vehicle access at certain times of day or to target specific bus routes rather than adopt blanket access proposals”.

FTA’s Head of National and Regional Policy Christopher Snelling

FTA has consistently rejected the instruction that the burden of CAZs must fall exclusively on commercial vehicles, buses and taxis. The Association believes cars should not be excluded from consideration. Further, FTA agrees with others such as the Local Government Association that CAZs are only one potential solution.

Mr Snelling commented: “Other options such as local traffic management could be better suited in some cases – one policy action should not be artificially promoted over others as if it was some magical solution.”

Finally, FTA has called for more acknowledgement of the success of the Euro VI standard for heavy duty vehicles such as trucks and buses. Much of the report is rightly concerned with the issues over the Euro 6 light duty vehicle standard, but significant on-road testing by bodies such as Transport for London (TfL)

www.transportnews-intl.com

16

China to Conduct Random Inspections on Export Containers From 1 July, as part of its enforcement of new container-weighing requirements, China will conduct random inspections on export containers at the country’s ports according to long-awaited industry guidelines issued by the Ministry of Transport.

In a consultation paper sent to all agencies of the Transport Ministry, the guidelines stated that vessels and terminals could not load a container for which the verified gross mass, or VGM, had not been received.

This is consistent with all other jurisdictions that have so far issued information on the amendment to the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea convention that will become law in all 162 signatory states from 1 July, with Hong Kong issuing its guidelines earlier this month.

The China paper outlined enforcement actions that would be conducted at its busy ports. “All marine management agencies should perform random checks on the verified gross mass of packed containers loaded onto vessels,” the guidelines stated.

Any discrepancy between the VGM declared by the shipper and the VGM obtained by maritime agencies, vessels, carriers or terminal operators must be within plus or minus 5 percent or 1 ton. Should the variance be outside that, agencies should request that the vessel carrying the box correct the weight information “after the potential risk of safety has been minimised.” This presumably means the container contents must be reduced and the box re-weighed by the terminal and loaded back on the ship.

Should marine management agencies receive a report, or are in doubt about the accuracy of the VGM information, the agency can request the shipper who signed the VGM declaration to again verify the container’s gross mass.

The guidelines request the shipper, the carrier and its agencies and the terminal operator to cooperate in this area.

As with other jurisdictions, the China guidelines went over the SOLAS regulation governing the weighing of containers for which the shipper is responsible: Method 1, which calls for weighing the loaded and sealed export container, and Method 2, where each piece of cargo in the box was weighed and the total added to the packaging used, the pallets, the

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

securing material and the actual weight of the box itself, known as the tare weight.

From recent reports it is expected that most shippers in China will use Method 2 to obtain the VGM. The majority of containerised exports from China are regularly shipped ‘consumer goods’ that are generally packed in cartons that have the weight stamped on the box, however, it is accepted that first a shipper has to have in place company processes with standard operating procedures to be followed by internal and external vendors.

The China guidelines touch on this area, advising shippers to establish proper internal controls and management systems to ensure the VGM of a packed container met the required accuracy standards, and also to ensure the weighing staff were equipped with training and knowledge to perform the weighing services. The shipper must also ensure the packed container does not exceed the maximum payload, the guidelines stated.

Once obtained, the VGM data needs to be passed on to the carrier in time for the master to plan stowage, and then passed on to the terminal. It is widely accepted that with the volume of export containers involved, communicating the VGM will be most efficiently conveyed electronically.

In broad terms the Chinese system seems to reflect many of the key elements of the UK’s programme. There is global concern about the lack of preparedness for the introduction of the requirement to submit a VGM. It is clear that many countries are moving towards introducing procedures aimed at ensuring that shippers and forwarders are aware of how to obtain the necessary weigh and provide it to the carrier, China’s announcement should be seen as a step in the right direction.

Freight & Logistics

www.transportnews-intl.com

18

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Freight & Logistics

Expansion of the E-commerce Sector to Propel the Logistics Market Through 2016-2020, According to Technavio Technavio research analysts are forecasting positive growth for many segments of the logistics market over the next four years as several markets including the logistics market in APAC, the logistics market in Europe and the 3PL market in the US, will witness an increase in revenues.

Technavio’s market research analysts predict the logistics market in APAC to grow at an impressive CAGR of more than 13% over the forecast period. Factors such as the growing middle-class population, increasing disposable income, and increasing adoption of the Internet and mobile services have led to a significant expansion of the e-commerce sector in APAC. The prospects for growth in the e-commerce sector are also influenced by the presence of an efficient inventory and quick delivery facilities. Therefore, with the expansion of the e-commerce industry, the demand for logistics services is also envisaged to increase in the coming years.

The third-party logistics (3PL) segment dominated the logistics market in Europe and is expected to reach close to USD 45 billion by 2019. Factors such as the rise in intra-regional trades and the relocation of manufacturing facilities to countries such as Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia, where labour costs are low will contribute to the growth of both the domestic and international transportation logistics in the region. Also, different initiatives have been taken up by the EU to streamline logistics activities for domestic and international trade in Europe. The introduction of such initiatives will lead to the growth of this market over the next few years.

According to Sharan Raj, a lead research analyst at Technavio for transportation and logistics research, “Economic growth across industries such as FMCG and automobile and auto components will increase the demand for logistics services as a result of which the logistics market in the APAC region is expected to witness steady growth over the next few years.”

Technavio’s market research analysts have also predicted a steady growth of over 6% during the period 2016-2020 in the 3PL market in the US. One critical factor that impels market growth is the cost reduction achieved through the use of 3PL services. By outsourcing logistics operations to 3PL providers, companies can improve the overall efficiency of their business processes by focusing on their core competencies. “Another factor that propels the growth of the market is the increase in M&A, which will enable companies to expand their customer base and their portfolio of products, solutions, and services on a global scale,” says Sharan.

Aside from the logistics market in APAC, the second most sought after logistics market is the logistics market in Europe, which is expected to grow at a moderate CAGR of close to 7% over the forecast period. In 2015, the e-commerce market in Europe was valued close to USD 480 billion resulting in tremendous demand for professional logistics services that provide high-end logistics and supply chain solutions, along with value added services like assortment and grading of products, packaging, and information management system services. However, only a very few vendors provide such all-inclusive services.

The market is witnessing a trend where shippers prefer contract logistics providers that offer a complete solution as it helps them avoid the tediousness associated with outsourcing different tasks to different vendors. Therefore, it can be estimated that the augmented demand for contract logistics service providers during the forecast period will foster the growth of this market until the end of 2020.

Some of the key vendors for the logistics market include CJ Korea Express, Deutsche Post DHL, and Hitachi Transport System for the logistics market in APAC; DB Schenker, Kuehne + Nagel, and SNCF, for logistics market in Europe; C.H. Robinson, Expeditors, and UPS for the 3PL market in the US. Web Address: www.technavio.com

www.transportnews-intl.com

20

Tapa Calls for more law Enforcement Agencies and Insurers to Share data on Cargo Crime to help Industry Reduce the risk of Theft Increased sharing of cargo crime data by law enforcement agencies will enable manufacturers and logistics service providers to further protect high value/theft attractive goods in supply chains and relieve the pressure on police forces that have to deal with the growing number of incidents in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, says the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA).

Thorsten Neumann, Chairman of TAPA EMEA, said: “Our members are able to operate more resilient supply chains because they can use the intelligence we already receive from some police forces to avoid known ‘hotspots’ for cargo crimes and to protect their facilities and vehicles against the types of attacks we know are taking place several times a day in Europe alone.

were reported in the United Kingdom, 126 in the Netherlands, 86 in Germany and 40 in Sweden, with all four countries recording an increase year-on-year as a result of increased sharing of incident data by police authorities.

France, South Africa and Italy recorded a further total of 32 cargo crimes. The UK also recorded most of the major cargo crimes, 13 in total, followed by Germany with seven.

We already receive data from law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany and Sweden and now we have a commitment from French police to also share data with our Incident Information Service (IIS). However, we need much more crime intelligence from across the EMEA region if industry is to help the police tackle this issue.

Similarly, we are asking more insurers to help us gain a better understanding of the true level of cargo crime, which remains massively under-reported.”

Continuing a trend reported in TAPA’s IIS Annual Report for 2015, data for the first quarter of this year shows the wide variety of products being targeted by cargo thieves, with high volumes of lower value goods proving to be just as attractive to criminals as high value products. In the 16 IIS product categories reporting losses in Q1, Food & Drink recorded the highest number of incidents – as it did for the whole of 2015 – with 48 losses or 10.8% of the 444 Q1 crimes. There were 35 recorded cases of thefts of Clothing & Footwear, 25 losses of Computers/Laptops, 24 incidents involving Furniture/Household Appliances, and 20 reported crimes in both the Cosmetics & Hygiene and Tools/Building Materials categories.

His comments come as cargo crimes reported to TAPA’s IIS in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region reached a three-year high in Q1 2016, with an average of nearly five incidents every day culminating in millions of euros of losses for manufacturers and logistics service providers.

Overall, 444 incidents were reported to TAPA’s IIS in the region in the first three months of 2016, a 115% increase year-on-year. This compared to 216 and 206 freight thefts recorded by the Association in the first quarters of 2014 and 2015 respectively. Thefts of products from supply chains were reported in 19 countries in EMEA in Q1 2016 and included 29 major losses with a value of more than €100,000. The total loss for the 24.1% of incidents reporting a value was €7,979,623 and this produced an average loss of €74,547.

The highest single loss reported over the three months was the theft of eight pallets of perfume valued at €600,000 from a trailer in Lastrup, Lower Saxony, in Germany.

TAPA’s incident intelligence data shows that 86.2% of cargo thefts in the three months occurred in four countries. 131 new incidents TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Other products stolen from supply chains by cargo thieves in Q1 included Tobacco, Tyres, Toys & Games, Bicycles, Metal, Sports Equipment, Pharmaceuticals, Car Parts, Cash and Phones.

Cargo thefts involving trucks continued to dominate recorded crimes in the quarter with 56.3% of losses or 250 incidents involving Theft from Vehicle. There were a further 53 cases of Theft from Trailer and 36 reports of Theft of Vehicle, Theft from Facility was reported on 25 occasions in Q1 2016 and there were also 12 Hijacking crimes. Other types of incident included Theft of Trailer, Theft from Container, Fraud and Robbery.

The lack of secure parking locations, particularly on major trade routes across Europe, was again evident. The majority of freight thefts took place when vehicles were stopped at motorway services, in lay-bys along main highways, or on industrial estates while drivers took their required rest breaks.

Freight & Logistics

Losses involving unsecured parking locations accounted for 55.7% or 247 of the incidents reported to TAPA in the EMEA region over the three-month period to 31 March.

Origin Facility was the location of 45 crimes and incidents were also reported at Maritime, Railway and Road Transportation Facilities.

Violence and Threat with Violence was the modus operandi used by criminals in 19 or 4.3% of cases.

Thorsten Neumann added: “We do not know the full extent of cargo crime in EMEA nor globally. We do know, however, that we are barely scratching the surface of the number of incidents we believe are happening in some major countries in our region. The best way to help fight cargo crime is through public private partnership where we all contribute to making supply chains safer. That is the fastest route to putting cargo criminals out of business – and that is the message we will continue to communicate in our discussions with INTERPOL, Europol, the European Commission and insurance organisations. We are all in this together.”

www.transportnews-intl.com

22

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Rail

Collaboration Key for Crossrail Crossrail’s common data environment advances to cloud services through Bentley’s assetwise managed services.

Bentley Systems, Incorporated, a leading global provider of comprehensive software solutions for advancing infrastructure, has announced that it has successfully upgraded Crossrail’s Common Data Environment (CDE) for asset information through Bentley’s AssetWise managed services to a hybrid cloud-computing platform powered by Microsoft Azure.

This provides a single location for storing, sharing, and managing information for approximately 1 million assets.

Crossrail is Europe’s largest construction project with a total funding envelope of £14.8bn. The route will run over 100km from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new tunnels under London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It will bring an additional 1.5 million people within 45 minutes commuting distance of London’s key business districts. The Transport for London (TfL) run railway will be named the Elizabeth line when services through central London open in December 2018. The Crossrail project is being

“We’re particularly impressed by Crossrail’s groundbreaking ambition in building both a digital and physical railway, and are delighted to have had the opportunity to come together with Bentley to address the challenges and requirements of this world-class endeavor.”

Europe’s largest construction project, Crossrail has been designed in a virtual environment for 3D, 4D, and 5D BIM, powered by Bentley’s comprehensive modelling software. Bentley’s asset information management solution, AssetWise, based on Bentley’s eB technology, manages the engineering and asset information in the Crossrail project and provides a complete, federated view of “digital railway” information.

“Crossrail is leading the world in demonstrating the value of BIM to realise greater efficiency and cost effectiveness in project delivery and asset lifecycle information management,” said Alan Kiraly, SVP, Bentley Systems.

“We’re proud of our work together with Bentley Systems, one of our most important global collaborators,” said David Epp, Alliances Director, Microsoft Corp. “We’re particularly impressed by Crossrail’s groundbreaking ambition in building both a digital and physical railway, and are delighted to have had the opportunity to come together with Bentley to address the challenges and requirements of this world-class endeavor.”

delivered by Crossrail Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of TfL, and is jointly sponsored by the Department for Transport and TfL. Bentley Systems provides a range of managed services delivery options for its industry-leading project delivery and asset performance solutions through Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform and hybrid computing environments. With Service Level Agreements and Success Plans tailored to business outcomes and project objectives, Bentley Systems offers a deep bench of technology and subject matter experts who take responsibility for getting the most value from BIM advancements, as well as innovative, consumption-based commercial models tied to benefits realised.

www.transportnews-intl.com

24

HackTrain Announces Teams for World’s First RailTech Accelerator Programme The HackTrain Accelerator is a three-month programme designed to improve customer experience and operational efficiency of the UK’s rail industry by inviting early stage technology companies to trial their products in the hands of customers and railway staff.

The teams include 10 of the world’s most exciting startups including Powermat, Dojo and iGeolise

Five of the major transport owning groups and four leading industry partners have joined forces with Hack Partners to deliver the programme, which is the world’s first.

The Three-month accelerator is supported by First, Stagecoach, Govia, National Express, Arriva Group as well as the UK’s leading service providers: EY, BAE Systems, Novacroft and Osborne Clarke who are providing the teams with funding and weekly mentoring 10 teams, comprising of some of the world’s most exciting start-ups have joined the world’s first accelerator programme designed to drive innovation in the UK’s railway industry.

The three-month HackTrain Accelerator programme, which is based in the heart of London’s Tech City, marks the first time train operating companies have come together to solve some of the industry’s biggest challenges. It follows the successful 48 hour HackTrain Hackathon that took place in late 2015 which brought together 120 software developers, designers and entrepreneurs to create new solutions for some of the industry’s most persistent problems.

Led by two young hackathon and technology experts, River Tamoor Baig (27) and Alejandro Saucedo (23), the Accelerator brings together an ecosystem of software developers, designers and industry experts to officially drive forward the UK’s ‘RailTech’ movement.

The initiative is supported by the UK’s biggest transport owning companies, including First Group/GWR, Stagecoach/ Virgin Trains, Arriva, National Express and Govia, as well as the rail’s leading service providers including BAE Systems, EY, Novacroft and Osborne Clarke.

As well as financially backing the programme, each company provides mentors to the teams on a weekly basis to help them deliver trials and real innovation to the railways.

The Accelerator which runs until June 3rd, comprises of more established businesses such as PowerMat, which can equip stations and trains with wireless charging, and earlier stage companies such as Pointr, which helps passengers navigate inside large and busy stations. Both companies already operate in the aviation and

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

retail sectors and are participating on the accelerator programme to their innovative solutions to the traditionally less cutting edge rail sector.

The Accelerator also includes smaller start-ups such as iGeolise, which specialises in converting distances into travel times, and Vivacity Labs, which uses CCTV feeds and predictive models to help manage passengers in busy stations.

Co-founder of HackTrain, River Tamoor-Baig, commented: “Much like everyone who travels by train regularly, we want customer service and operational efficiency to improve. It is something that we are incredibly passionate about and why we are so driven and motivated to play our part in making the UK the world’s hub for RailTech. There are so many startups with amazing ways to make our railways more innovative, whether it be through indoor navigation, speeding up the reclaim process for delay repay or bridging communication gaps between train companies and passengers. We want to make sure their efforts and enthusiasm translate into real results by providing funding, industry contacts and a shorter and more efficient procurement cycle so that passengers can benefit from these new solutions faster”.

“We are continuing on the momentum we’ve created with last year’s HackTrain hackathon with the launch of the HackTrain Accelerator programme that nurtures early stage RailTech technology companies help them to develop, trial and introduce their products and services.”

Head of Customer Experience at GWR, Alison Smith, commented: “Technology has fundamentally changed the way that we travel. Not only distances covered, but in the way we access information about services and in our ability to purchase ‘smart’ tickets while already on the move. As one of the UKs leading transport providers, Great Western Railway is committed to providing innovative solutions to keep people moving, such as our highly regarded social media feeds, our mobile ticketing app and our live passenger information web page. That is why we support this accelerator programme, bringing together some of the brightest minds in technology and design to further improve passenger experience.”

Rail

www.transportnews-intl.com

26

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Rail

Masabi Mobile Ticketing Coming to New York MTA At an event at the Michael J. Quill Bus Depot in Manhattan this month, Governor Cuomo announced the success of a field test for MTA eTix, a free app that will allow Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North (MNR) customers to purchase train tickets anytime, anywhere on their mobile devices, instead of using paper tickets. The LIRR and Metro-North expect to launch the first phase of the MTA eTix app’s rollout on select lines in June, and the app will be available to all railroad customers by the end of 2016.

“Today, we are reimagining the MTA for the 21st century and creating a transit system that will meet the needs of the next generation of New Yorkers,” Governor Cuomo said. “With our unprecedented MTA capital plan, we are building for the future with major initiatives that will improve the commute of millions of New Yorkers, reduce overcrowding and bring new technology to our subways, buses and railroads. New York is investing the in the MTA like never before, and together we are recapturing the boldness and ambition that made this the Empire State in the first place.”

MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast said, “We see the debut of these new buses and the roll out of the MTA eTix field test as important steps forward as we continue to renew, expand the transit system and create an enhanced experience for our customers.”

A beta version of the MTA’s eTix app has been in the hands of approximately 150 customers who ride the Long Island Rail Road Port Washington Branch or Metro-North’s Hudson Line.

During the last few weeks, these railroad customers have been using the app in real-time, buying and displaying train tickets during the course of their commutes.

Both conductors and participating customers have been monitoring the app’s performance, and reporting any problems they encounter to the app development team in order to ensure that the technology works seamlessly when it is rolled out across the railroads. Preliminary survey results indicate widespread satisfaction with the app. MTA eTix will first debut on the LIRR’s Port Washington Branch and Metro-North’s Hudson Line next month. After introducing the app on these two rail lines, the MTA will make e-ticketing available to all Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North customers by the end of 2016.

MTA eTix will be accessed as a stand-alone app or through the popular TrainTime apps, where customers can check schedules and see service status. MTA eTix offers account management tools, giving railroad customers the ability to secure refunds for unused mobile

tickets, request duplicate receipts and manage profile info such as password and linked credit card numbers.

The app is being developed and implemented by Masabi, Ltd., which has also created electronic mobile ticketing programs for MBTA Commuter Rail in Boston, NICE Bus on Long Island and Metrolink in Los Angeles. Masabi was selected in April 2014 following a competitive request for proposals issued in March 2013.

In a related announcement, last month the MTA issued a request for proposals to create a new fare payment system for MTA New York City Transit subway and buses, MTA Bus, and the Staten Island Railway, which will be fully interoperable with the mobile ticketing app that is now being tested on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad.

The system will offer a variety of convenient ways to pay for fares, including smartphones, contactless bank cards and pre-paid cards.

Subways and buses will start using e-ticketing in 2018 in addition to regular fare cards.

These initiatives build on the state’s significant efforts to fundamentally transform the MTA and ensure it’s equipped to meet the challenges and demands of 21st century travel. This year, the state dedicated $8.3 billion in funding to the MTA’s $27 billion Capital Plan – the largest and most ambitious spending plan in state history. This investment, when combined with existing efforts, will add more than 3,100 buses and 1,400 subway cars to the system, add four new Metro-North stations in underserved areas of the Bronx, add a third track to the LIRR’s main line, extend the Second Avenue Subway to East Harlem, bring Metro-North service to Penn Station and continue building the East Side Access project so that LIRR riders will be able to travel into Grand Central Terminal.

Masabi works with more than 22 transport operators and agencies around the world, including: Keolis, Thames Clippers, New Orleans RTA, Boston’s MBTA, Las Vegas, Transport for Athens, and New York’s MTA. Web Address: www.masabi.com

www.transportnews-intl.com

28

Olga Besnard / Shutterstock.com TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Rail

PSA Group Takes on Energy Transition Challenge

by Expanding Its Petrol Line-up in Europe and Investing in Hybrid and Electric Powertrains in France As part of the energy transition process and in line with the technological offensive spelled out in its Push to Pass strategic plan, PSA Group (Paris:UG) is firmly focused on diversifying its technological offering with plug-in hybrid petrol engines and next-generation electric powertrains, which will be used in particular to equip e-CMP, its future electric platform developed in partnership with Dongfeng Motors.

At the same time, the Group will continue to develop next-generation internal combustion engines, both petrol and diesel. For strategic reasons, PSA Group has decided to manufacture the main electric powertrain components in France, signalling its determination to develop high-tech operations in profitable niche markets. The electric powertrain will be produced at the Trémery/Metz centre of excellence, while the gear systems will be manufactured at the Valenciennes plant.

These various decisions form part of Group PSA’s technological drive to modernise its plants and prepare for the energy transition.

Gilles Le Borgne, Executive Vice-President, Research & Development said: “We will be launching an unprecedented technological offensive as part of the Push to Pass plan, to provide our customers with an attractive offering of sustainable mobility solutions and maintain our lead in terms of pollutant emissions reduction, with seven plug-in hybrids

“We will be launching an unprecedented technological offensive as part of the Push to Pass plan, to provide our customers with an attractive offering of sustainable mobility solutions and maintain our lead in terms of pollutant emissions reduction, with seven plug-in hybrids and four other new electric vehicles scheduled for launch by 2021, in addition to our flagship engine models.”

PSA Group has also decided to fit its plug-in hybrid petrol vehicles with engines produced at the Française de Mécanique facility in Douvrin, France. To meet growing demand for petrol engines, PSA Group plans to double production in France, by 2019, of its 3-cylinder EB Turbo PureTech petrol engine, which in 2015 was named engine of the year in its category by an international jury.

and four other new electric vehicles scheduled for launch by 2021, in addition to our flagship engine models.”

For more information, please visit groupe-psa.com/en

The Douvrin and Trémery plants will produce 350,000 additional turbo petrol engines in 2018, lifting potential output to 670,000 units.

As a result of these investments, Trémery is set to become the Group’s most diversified engine plant, capable of manufacturing petrol, diesel and electric powertrains.

In addition, to increase its capacity to produce three-cylinder petrol engines and move production as close to consumers as possible, PSA Group will install an EB module at the Trnava, Slovakia plant in 2019. This will enable it to meet rising demand for petrol engines on entry-level vehicles.

Gilles Le Borgne www.transportnews-intl.com

30

Moscow Wins International Transport Award for Tackling Traffic Gridlock Transport ministers honoured the achievement of Russia’s capital city at global summit in Germany on May 19th 2016. The city of Moscow has been awarded the 2016 Transport Achievement Award for its exemplary approach to improving traffic conditions in the Russian capital. The prize is awarded by the International Transport Forum (ITF), a Paris-based intergovernmental organisation and policy think tank with 57 member countries.

Following twenty years of almost uncontrolled development of urban traffic, the city of Moscow introduced a rigorous and comprehensive set of policies to address the gridlock on its streets. Over the past five years, these measures have reduced the number of cars in central Moscow by 25% and increased the average speed of traffic by 12%, despite 600 new cars being registered in the agglomeration each day.

In 2013, Moscow traffic was ranked as worst in the world by the TomTom Traffic Index. In the 2016 edition it has improved to fifth place in that index.

The ITF jury recognized the “impressive achievement in improving overall traffic in Moscow.” In particular, the jurors highlighted “the effectiveness of coherent, coordinated initiatives and policy actions that facilitated this remarkable change.”

Measures put into place in Moscow include: - Paid car parking: Paid parking was introduced in 2012 and since then has systematically expanded to areas with high car traffic. Within the framework of a policy designed to build civilised parking space, more than 67 000 paid parking spaces have been introduced since 2012, including 7 000 parking places for disabled people. Parking violations in Moscow fell by 65%. Paid parking has generated EUR 90 million in revenues over that period. These funds are used to improve the neighbourhoods where fees are collected; residents decide how to allocate funds.

- Development of public transport: Moscow’s city transport handles over 15 million passenger journeys per day. Since 2010, 34 kilometres of subway track were added, 18 new metro stations built and about 1 500 new subway cars purchased.

Over the same period, the capital city’s fleet has been updated significantly. More than 5 000 new buses, 538 trolleybuses and 150 trams were added to service the routes.

The route network has been optimised.

Over 100 new routes have been created for surface transport, 230 kilometres of bus lanes built, over 5 000 stops renovated

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

-

-

-

-

-

and 552 electronic information boards installed. 98% of the transit fleet servicing the routes is wheelchair-accessible.

Innovative ticketing: More than 50% of trips in Moscow use electronic travel cards called “Troika”, introduced in 2013. This has reduced queues at ticket windows by one third, drastically cut the number of ticket purchases from surface transport drivers, and saved c. EUR 15 million on the production of paper tickets. To stimulate the use of long-term passes, prices have been lowered for unlimited ride passes. An intermodal 90-minute ticket makes transfers easier, cheaper and more popular.

Governance reform in public transport: Contracts for above-ground transport are now awarded through open competitive tenders. Bidders must guarantee standards set by the Moscow city government, including comfortable buses, payment via city transit passes, unified schedules, and provide free transit for eligible passengers.

Contracts for 211 city routes have been awarded to commercial operators, with operations scheduled to start in mid-2016.

Development of cycling: In 2015, 880 000 bike trips were made using the city’s shared bicycles, an eightfold increase over the previous year. 2 600 bicycles are available to city dwellers at 300 automatic bike stations. From 2011 to 2015, the total length of bike paths increased nearly hundredfold, from 2.3 kilometres to 216 kilometres. Legislation was changed to allow cyclists to use bus lanes and to take bicycles on surface transport for free. In 2016, by way of experiment, a sharing system of electric bicycles will be launched.

Car sharing and taxi reform: Moscow’s first short-term car sharing system started operations in 2015. Today, it has a pool of 550 cars and more than 70 000 registered users who have taken over 220 000 trips since its inception. Taxis account for 260 000 daily rides in Moscow. Problems with unregulated cab services, including the use of potentially unsafe cabs, have been addressed through the issue of more than 60 000 official permits to cab drivers.

Environmental requirements for cargo vehicles: To improve the environmental sit-

Roads

uation and to reduce polluting emissions into the air, restrictions were imposed on truck transits through the city in 2013.

Only trucks conforming to the emission standard Euro-3 or higher are allowed to enter Moscow’s downtown. More than 900 road cameras monitor truck traffic on a daily basis. These controls and other regulatory measures had helped reduce the air pollution level by 11% by 2015.

“For many years, Muscovites believed that traffic jams were simply the price to pay for living in a big city. This has changed”, said Sergey Sobyanin, Mayor of Moscow. “Our achievements in fighting the traffic gridlock have been made possible by the efforts of an effective team of professionals who believe in the power to make substantive changes. This important international award encourages us to continue this work.”

About the Transport Achievement Award The ITF Transport Achievement Award recognises a demonstrated achievement of excellence in transport provision in two categories: for achievements in passenger and in freight transport. The Award is open to organisations, businesses or individuals from ITF member/ observer countries. More about the ITF Awards About the International Transport Forum The International Transport Forum is an intergovernmental organisation with 57 member countries. It acts as a think tank for transport policy and organises the Annual Summit of transport ministers. ITF is the only global body that covers all transport modes. The ITF is administratively integrated with the OECD, yet politically autonomous. More about the International Transport Forum About the Annual Summit of Transport Ministers ITF’s Annual Summit is the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and the leading global platform for dialogue on transport policy. The 2016 Summit convenes in Leipzig, Germany from 18-20 May 2016 on the theme of “Green and Inclusive Transport”. More about the Summit programme Web Address: www.itf-oecd.org www.transportnews-intl.com

32

GoBOb / Shutterstock.com TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Roads

North America’s Test Bed Emerges Most Popular Driving Growth Opportunities in Active Safety and Automated Vehicle Technologies Despite the availability of advanced automated functional testing in several parts of the world, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and automotive technology providers favour North American test beds to the ones in Europe and Asia. North America has the largest number of test beds due to its favourable policies regarding testing; however, by 2020, test facilities in Europe and Asia are expected to flourish as well.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Global Test Sites and Incentive Programs for Automated Cars (http://frost.ly/cx), finds unfavourable legislation in many parts of the world can delay the testing, validation and subsequent introduction of automated vehicle technologies by a few years.

“Currently, a few states in North America have encouraging laws and regulations for the testing of automated driving technologies, and enactments are pending in several others,” said Frost & Sullivan Intelligent Mobility Senior Research Analyst Anirudh Venkitaraman.

“On the other hand, Europe and Asia have no legislation. These regions conduct testing for related technologies, but only with ad-hoc legal permits.”

port needed to keep them operational.

Nevertheless, the impending roll out of highly-to-fully automated vehicles has made it critical for OEMs to test their products in real-world test environments. OEMs and disruptors are partnering with these test locations as well as technology providers, legal advisors and insurance providers to understand the conditions and accelerate vehicle launch.

“With continuous efforts being made to ensure the safe testing of automated driving technologies in locations conducive for experimenting, many countries across the world may soon pass favourable legislation,” noted Venkitaraman. “Eventually, this policy support will fast-track innovation and attract investments along the value chain.”

“With continuous efforts being made to ensure the safe testing of automated driving technologies in locations conducive for experimenting, many countries across the world may soon pass favourable legislation,” With North America likely to be the launch pad for automated driving cars due to its policy advantages, many well-equipped major facilities have mushroomed in this region.

The clearer set of regulations and greater consumer enthusiasm for new technologies will give the region the slight edge with rates for semi-automated vehicles.

Most major automotive OEMs across the globe are working on incorporating active safety and automated vehicle technologies in their future vehicle line-up. Already, several countries have been identified to facilitate the testing and validation of these futuristic technologies in different conditions.

While the testing can be conducted in secure public roads, certain facilities have the technologies to capture and process data from vehicle sensors to simulate real-world environments. These test beds are associated with several industry partners offering the technological, legal and infrastructural sup-

Global Test Sites and Incentive Programs for Automated Cars is part of the Automotive & Transportation (http://ww2.frost.com/research/industry/automotive-transportation) Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan’s related studies include: Commercial Vehicle Telematics Market Analysis for North America, 2016 Outlook of the Latin American Passenger Vehicle Market, 2016 Outlook of Global Connected Car Market, 2016 Outlook for the Global Automotive Industry, and Global Connected Truck Market 2016 Outlook.

All studies included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

For complimentary access to more information on this research, please visit: http://frost.ly/e3

www.transportnews-intl.com

34

Kurmyshov / Shutterstock.com TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Roads

Three new ‘illegal’ Defeat Devices go Unpunished in Europe Carmakers must be forced to come clean after three new defeat devices were identified by analyses of three government investigations into the Dieselgate car emissions scandal, green group Transport & Environment (T&E) has said.

Citing testing exemptions, most carmakers switch off their emissions control systems in everyday driving and weather conditions such as temperatures below 17°C.

The government probes found but ignored a ‘thermal window’ defeat device that switches off pollution control technology in low ambient temperatures, according to an analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), which tipped off the US EPA about Volkswagen’s cheating last year.

A second device, a ‘hot restart’ defeat device, whereby the tested cars have higher emissions after warm engine restarts (compared to a cold one required by EU law), also went unpunished. An alleged third device saw some Fiat models switch off the exhaust treatment system two minutes after the lab test was completed. [1]

door locking systems in cold temperatures, neither of which would be acceptable. T&E said the widespread switch off of after treatment needs to be stopped by approval authorities and, if necessary, tested in court.

Julia Poliscanova concluded: “The national investigations illustrate the painful reality of national authorities not doing their job properly. EU oversight to ensure a uniform application of the law and quality across Europe is urgently needed to protect drivers and the environment. The current race to the bottom among national regulators that compete for testing income and support for national manufacturers must stop now.”

“The national investigations illustrate the painful reality of national authorities not doing their job properly. EU oversight to ensure a uniform application of the law and quality across Europe is urgently needed to protect drivers and the environment.

The current race to the bottom among national regulators that compete for testing income and support for national manufacturers must stop now.”

Julia Poliscanova, air quality manager at T&E, said: “The discovery in Europe of three new defeat devices, on top of Volkswagen’s, must now be followed by more comprehensive investigations to force carmakers to come clean on their emission strategies. Binding and strict EU guidelines for national testing authorities on the use of exemptions for defeat devices are also needed. In the US emissions control is allowed to be reduced only in temperatures below -3°C.” Switching off the exhaust in normal driving is outlawed by EU regulations. Industry claims it is using a loophole to exempt defeat devices used to protect an engine from severe damage or accident, not to protect individual components or address durability as applied today, according to a legal analysis carried out for the NGO Deutsche Umwelthilfe. [2] It compared unjustified “switch-off” defeat devices to reducing braking effectiveness or weakening

[1] Bild am Sonntag, Auch Fiat betrügt mit illegaler Software, 22 May 2016 http://www.bild.de/bild-plus/geld/wirtschaft/ abgas-skandal/auch-fiat-bet...

[2] Geulen & Klinger, Legal opinion on whether it is allowable to use switch-off devices in the emission control systems of passenger cars, compiled on behalf of the environmental body Deutsche Umwelthilfe, 22 March 2016. https://www.transportenvironment.org

www.transportnews-intl.com

36

Two PSA Group Autonomous Cars Drive from Paris to Amsterdam in “Eyes off” Mode On 12 April 2016, two Citroën C4 Picasso cars drove more than 300 kilometres in autonomous mode to attend a major European event in Amsterdam that brought together about a dozen car manufacturers as well as transport ministers from the European Union, of which the Netherlands currently holds the Council presidency.

The two PSA Group cars left Vélizy, France in “eyes off” mode, i.e., without driver supervision, and covered several hundred kilometres between Paris and Amsterdam on authorised stretches of road. “Eyes off” mode corresponds to the third level of autonomous driving*, which means the driver need not take any action aside from simply verifying that systems are functioning properly. Two bloggers and a journalist were invited to test drive the cars on a stage of the journey in France.

This latest PSA Group initiative coincided with “The Experience”, a European event held on 14 April 2016 as part of an informal summit of EU transport ministers in Amsterdam. In the lead-up to the summit, the European Council issued a statement urging manufacturers and governments to work together in order to step up research and development in the area of autonomous driving, bring about regulatory reform and introduce more advanced infrastructure.

The PSA Group took advantage of “The Experience”, which was organised by the Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment and the City of Amsterdam, to present its two “eyes off” level 3 autonomous demonstrators. The EU transport ministers were given the opportunity to climb aboard autonomous vehicles from the different manufacturers and test drive them for a distance of several kilometres in real traffic conditions.

In July 2015, the PSA Group became the first carmaker to obtain the necessary approvals to test its self-driving cars on the open road in France.

Four Citroën C4 Picasso prototypes have so far travelled more than 20,000 km in autonomous mode, from Paris to Bordeaux and from Paris to Vigo in Spain. As from 2018, the PSA Group will offer driver-monitored automated driving features and, as from 2020, will introduce completely autonomous driving features enabling the driver to give the car full control. *There are five levels to which autonomous vehicles can be automated: “hands on”, “hands off”, “eyes off”, “mind off”, and “driverless”.

For more information, please visit groupe-psa.com/en

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Roads

www.transportnews-intl.com

38

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Overview

Are Trams Socialist?

Why Britain Has No Transport Policy A provocative new book by Christian Wolmar argues that Britain simply doesn’t have a transport policy, and decision-making is therefore either non-existent or pretty random.

The muddle isn’t helped by the fact that the car lobby is immensely powerful (both economically and culturally) and we currently find ourselves clutching at fantastic concepts such as ‘the driverless car’ as the key to the future. The solutions actually aren’t fantastic, and good examples to follow are easy to find. We just need the political will.

Transport is key to our daily lives. The transport system is essential to ensure the movement of people and goods, and most of us use the roads or public transport every day.

Vast sums are tied up in it and are spent on trying to resolve the problems of congestion and delays. And yet it is a most neglected field of politics. Britain has never had a coherent transport policy. Transport ministers are regarded as minnows compared with their ‘big beast’ colleagues in other ministries. Successive governments have barely attempted to get to grips with the challenge of getting people around efficiently and safely while limiting the environmental damage caused by transport.

Jonathan Prynn, former Transport Correspondent for The Times and current Consumer Business Editor of the Evening Standard said: “Christian Wolmar’s persuasive and detailed critique of decades of transport policy blunders in Britain should be essential – if grim – reading for every incoming minister at Whitehall’s Cinderella department.”

John Whitelegg, Research Associate, Stockholm Environment Institute added: “This splendid book captures the intellectual bankruptcy of British transport policy with wit, good humour, sound evidence and powerful insight. Any nation that can keep building new roads with the stated intention of creating jobs or reducing congestion, when all the

“Christian Wolmar’s persuasive and detailed critique of decades of transport policy blunders in Britain should be essential – if grim – reading for every incoming minister at Whitehall’s Cinderella department.”

In this entertaining polemic, Christian Wolmar, an author and journalist who has written about transport for over two decades, explains why politicians have not addressed the crucial issue of balancing transport needs with environmental considerations. Instead, they have been seduced by the popularity of the car and pressure from the car lobby, and they have been side-tracked by dogma. Solutions are at hand – and successful examples can be seen elsewhere in Europe – but courage and clear thinking are needed if they are to be implemented.

evidence shows that this is a forlorn hope, has lost the plot – and if there is a stage beyond losing the plot, Wolmar shows that this is HS2.

Wolmar provides a rich and enjoyable analysis of the strange world of British transport policy and shows what we have to do to get it right.

For that he should be congratulated.”

Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive, Campaign for Better Transport: “This book is an entertaining and knowledgeable explanation of why British transport policy is a mess. It’s also a clarion call for change: for better public transport, for proper funding of cycle networks, and for a system of road pricing to make it all work. It should be required reading for any transport minister.”

www.transportnews-intl.com

40

Global Military Aircraft Actuation Systems Market 2016-2020 - Increase in Number of Aircraft Drives the Market - Research and Markets Research and Markets announced in late May the addition of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Global Military Aircraft Actuation Systems Market 2016-2020â&#x20AC;? report to their offering. Global Military Aircraft Actuation Systems Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.

Actuation systems form an integral part of military aircraft, controlling a broad range of applications. Almost every movable part has an actuator, which performs various functions such as extension and retraction of landing gears, monitoring and controlling velocity, and controlling engine speed by adjusting levers and flaps. These systems are operated by different sources of energy such as electricity, hydraulic fluid pressure, or pneumatic pressure, which convert energy into motion. Actuators are safety-critical systems, particularly when individuals could be catastrophically affected by failures within the aircraft.

An emerging trend in this market is the shift towards electric actuators. The growing demand for aircraft performance optimisation and reduction in operating costs and gas emissions have led to increased dispatch of reliable MEA. Rapid technological advances in electro-hydrostatic actuators, flight control systems, fault-tolerant architecture, power electronics, high-density electric motors, power generation, and conversion systems have led to the development of MEA. Specifically, MEA provides for the use of electric power for all non-propulsive systems. Traditionally, these systems were powered by a fusion of different secondary energy sources such as hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, and electricity.

According to the report, a key growth driver for this market is the increase in the number of aircraft. The defense units of many countries are strengthening themselves by manufacturing combat planes, helicopters, and transport planes. Further, the report states that one challenge that could hinder market growth is rapid changes in technology.

For more information, visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d3pls3/global_military

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Overview

www.transportnews-intl.com

42

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Overview

Q-Pulse to Standardise Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation & Telecommunication’s Quality Management Efforts Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications (MTT) has selected Ideagen’s Q-Pulse software to help it automate a number of manual processes relating to quality and safety management.

The MTT will use the software to replace manual functions around key tasks involving occurrence and incident management, audit management and overall quality and safety.

As the Government body responsible for the development and regulation of the Kingdom’s transportation and telecommunications infrastructure and systems, the MTT has also adopted Q-Pulse to handle critical job functions related to certain regulations and standards.

Maram Abdulla Al-Bastaki, Project Leader at MTT, said: “We were looking for a solution that would help in providing an automated approach to replace manual processes focusing on occurrence and incident management, audit management as well as quality and safety procedures.

Among the standards that Q-Pulse will help MTT adhere to are those associated with ICAO, IATA, IOSA, ANTR and ISO. Maram added: “These standards require us to follow certain procedures and rules whether in relation to audits, occurrences & incidents or document control. Having Q-Pulse will help in applying and enforcing these procedures.”

Maram added: “Q-Pulse’s modules basically resembles any organisation’s real life teams working together to achieve operational efficiency, accurate incident management and compliance to international standards and regulations. If implemented and utilised correctly, it could completely replace all manual paper based processes with a much better automated solution making everyone’s life easier. Indeed, our hope for Q-Pulse is that the system replaces all of our manual processes.

“We were looking for a solution that would help in providing an automated approach to replace manual processes focusing on occurrence and incident management, audit management as well as quality and safety procedures.”

“To be more specific, the Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA) sector – comprising of the Air Navigation Directorate, Safety and Security Directorate and the Aeronautical Licensing Directorate – handles critical job functions and they are required to follow certain regulations and standards in their work.

We are also hopeful of implementing the product within other sectors and directorates in the ministry.”

For more information on the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, visit their website at www.mtt.gov.bh

“As a result, they required a system to strengthen the oversight role of the CAA by providing comprehensive and secure audit capabilities as well as occurrence & incident reporting including management and analysis capabilities – not to mention overall control on their quality and safety procedures. All of that will help in ensuring compliance with ICAO Safety regulations and requirements.

We looked at different solutions used by other organisations, but Q-Pulse was the most suitable to our requirements.”

www.transportnews-intl.com

44

Beacon Rail to Supply Rolling Stock to Transpennine Express Limited Leasing (“Beacon”), a leading Pan-European rolling stock lessor, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to purchase 13 sets of five-car intercity carriages which will be leased to TransPennine Express Limited (”TPE”), a FirstGroup plc company.

The carriages will be manufactured by Spanish manufacturer, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (“CAF”) and are currently scheduled to be placed into service in 2018.

Beacon’s Class 68 diesel locomotives, which are leased to Direct Rail Services (“DRS”), will initially haul the carriages between Liverpool and Newcastle and will be sub-leased from DRS to TPE. Beacon owns a diverse portfolio of freight and passenger train rolling stock and leases these assets to operating companies in the UK and Continental Europe. It owns and manages a modern fleet of 190 locomotives, 944 freight wagons and 20 passenger train units. Beacon’s customers include many of the top freight operators in the UK and leading locomotive and rolling stock operators throughout Europe and Scandinavia.

“Whether travelling to work, for business or leisure, our services are going to offer more seats, improved connectivity and a higher standard of comfort. The on-board experience will be second to none and we will provide customers with a real alternative to the car and congested road network.”

About Beacon Rail Leasing Beacon Rail Leasing is a rolling stock leasing company focused on serving the UK and continental European markets. Beacon Rail Leasing has an industry leading management team with rail asset management expertise and capital markets experience, enabling it to meet the equipment needs of its Pan European customer base.

Earlier this month, Beacon signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ascendos Rail Leasing

“This will enable us to transform the customer experience over the life of our franchise and our three new train fleets will form a key part of this improvement.”

Commenting on the transaction, Ted Gaffney, Chief Executive Officer of Beacon, said: “Beacon is very pleased to provide a locomotive hauled coach solution to TransPennine Express. This transaction is in line with our strategy, growth ambitions, and our commitment to providing state of the art rolling stock to the UK market.”

TPE’s Managing Director, Leo Goodwin said: “This is great news for our customers and we are delighted to have concluded the deals that will bring much needed and much wanted extra carriages across our network.

“This will enable us to transform the customer experience over the life of our franchise and our three new train fleets will form a key part of this improvement.”

TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

S.à r.l. (“Ascendos”), a European locomotive and rolling stock leasing company which is headquartered in Luxembourg, and has additional offices in London and Munich. Ascendos’ current portfolio includes 35 locomotives and 100 freight wagons on lease in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, 35 passenger train units on lease in Germany, and 67 double decker coaches on lease in Denmark.

Please visit www.beaconrail.com for more information. Beacon Rail is a portfolio company of Pamplona Capital Management, a London and New York based specialist investment manager established in 2005 that provides an alternative investment platform across private equity, fund of hedge funds and single manager hedge fund investments. Please visit www. pamplonafunds.com for more information.

Deals

Paschall Truck Lines Selects SkyBitz Asset Management Solutions for Immediate Deployment Across Its Fleet SkyBitz®, the leader in commercial telematics, announced in mid-May that Paschall Truck Lines, Inc. (PTL), a Transport Topics Top 100 dryvan freight carrier, has selected asset management solutions from SkyBitz for its fleet of trailers. After researching and evaluating trailer technology systems for several years, PTL chose SkyBitz for its product reliability, intuitive web services, customer service, and the convenience of an affordable subscription platform, SkyBitz as a Service, which eliminates any upfront capital investment.

With the SkyBitz asset management solution PTL receives frequent reporting and complete visibility of its fleet which operates in the 48 contiguous United States. In their decision making process, PTL realised there were additional benefits of an asset management solution beyond trailer tracking-- the technology was more advanced and more affordable.

Reducing driver frustration over wasted time searching for trailers and increased utilisation were key drivers in PTL’s decision to move forward with implementing asset management technology across its fleet. PTL has reported they are now able to communicate estimated time of arrivals much more accurately, which helps to improve customer relationships.

“The SkyBitz asset management system has helped us get more efficient with faster turn times and fewer idle days on our trailers. We’re also able to help reduce our drivers’ frustration looking for assigned trailers,” said Misty Darnell, Director of Business Improvement & Internal Audit, PTL. “The attention to detail and service from SkyBitz was the deciding factor for us.”

“We take pride in helping PTL find efficiencies in their trailer operations in order to cut costs and help with their driver retention,” said Henry Popplewell, President, SkyBitz. “Ever since we launched SkyBitz as a Service, carriers are realising asset management technologies are more accessible than they previously thought. They can start implementing the solution without coming up with upfront capital. Ease of acquisition, coupled with the additional benefits of working with our dedicated Customer Success Team for the life of the asset, make SkyBitz the ideal choice for carriers of various sizes.”

FTA Acquires Tachodisc Ltd TDUK Limited (‘TDUK’), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Freight Transport Association (FTA), in late April announced that it had acquired the business and certain assets of Warrington-based Tachodisc Limited.

TDUK takes control of the business and certain assets with immediate effect and FTA’s Director of Operations, June Powell, will oversee the business. Staff and customers of Tachodisc Limited, which specialises in the compliance of tachograph rules and laws, are being informed of the new arrangements after the company went into administration this week. The business will continue to trade under the new name TDUK Ltd. FTA Chief Executive David Wells said: “I am delighted to be able to announce that FTA has acquired the business and certain assets of Tachodisc Limited, which fits well with FTA’s current services and operation. This acquisition will help ensure the industry remains compliant.”

The Freight Transport Association can trace its origins back to 1889 and is recognised as the voice of the freight and logistics industry, representing the transport interests of companies moving goods by road, rail, sea and air. FTA members operate over 220,000 goods vehicles - half the UK fleet - consign over 90 per cent of the freight moved by rail and 70 per cent of sea and air freight.

PTL is using real-time location reporting and cargo load status information from the SkyBitz Falcon series with cargo sensor solution.

SkyBitz provides PTL with robust reporting, dashboard analytic tools for key performance indicator (KPI) metrics, and access to a handson team of customer success managers. www.transportnews-intl.com

46

Eltel’s Rail and Road Business Buys Celer Oy - a Signalling Services Company in Finland Eltel (STO:ELTEL) is expanding its railway signalling services business further and acquires Celer Oy, a Finnish signalling services company.

Celer is a well-recognised player in the Finnish railway market with an important market position providing railway signalling services.

Eltel entered the Finnish rail market already in the 1960’s. Since then Eltel has successfully been able to capitalise on the growing market.

To meet the growing customer demand Eltel has decided to enhance its competences and resources in the signalling and safety segment also in Finland. The acquisition of Celer Oy is complementary to Eltel’s current offering in Finland and provides clear synergies with its existing rail and road business of Eltel. This acquisition further expands Eltel’s Nordic footprint in the signalling market as a complement to the acquisition of Vete Signaltjenester AS in Norway made in October 2015.

Celer Oy is one of the key players in the signalling sector for the railway market in Finland with a turnover of approximately EUR 6 million covering the whole Finnish market.

Celer has 29 employees with highly specialised signalling and safety competences. The acquisition of 100% of the company was signed and closed on 1 April 2016.

expand in the Finnish market. Our customers have extensive investment plans and there are increasing needs to ensure sufficient competences and resources within this sector.

Through this acquisition of Celer Oy, Eltel can scale up its Finnish business and further develop cross border co-operation between our Eltel entities to be able to meet the needs of our customers. We welcome all employees of Celer Oy to join Eltel”.

Tero Palosaari, CEO of Celer Oy comments: “Celer Oy has grown to be the size where we consider being part of a larger group will further boost the development of our business and our employees. After careful consideration, we came to the conclusion that Eltel would perfectly fulfil these expectations and we are very happy to make this announcement. I will continue as manager for the signalling services segment in Eltel’s rail and road business in Finland”.

“This acquisition of Celer Oy is a great step forward for Eltel and is very much aligned with our strategic plan to expand in the Finnish market. Our customers have extensive investment plans and there are increasing needs to ensure sufficient competences and resources within this sector. “ The product offering of Celer comprises new installations, corrective and preventive maintenance, project management, engineering and design services. Celer’s customers include the owner of the Finnish railway infrastructure - Liikennevirasto (Finnish Transport Agency) - the Helsinki Metro and various signalling system suppliers and construction companies. For the coming years, Liikennevirasto has announced high investment needs and plans in Finland including major needs for investments in railway signalling systems.

Fredrik Häggström, President - Rail & Road at Eltel AB comments: “This acquisition of Celer Oy is a great step forward for Eltel and is very much aligned with our strategic plan to TRANSPORT NEWS JUNE 2016

Deals

FedEx Acquires TNT Express

“This acquisition is a significant accomplishment and marks the beginning of a new era, filled with promise for our people, customers and shareowners,” said Frederick W. Smith, Chairman and CEO of FedEx. “We are proud to celebrate the joining of two iconic companies and the approximately 400,000 team members who are committed to serving customers around the world.

FedEx Corporation (FedEx), FedEx Acquisition B.V. (the Offeror) and TNT Express N.V. (TNT Express) jointly announced in late May that FedEx has acquired TNT Express. The €4.4 billion acquisition combines the strengths of the companies – the world’s largest air express network and an unparalleled European road network, which will expand the existing FedEx portfolio and reshape the global transportation and logistics industry.

“Over our 43-year history, FedEx has repeatedly reinvented and revolutionised the industry, from the first overnight express service backed by a money-back guarantee to the invention of internet shipping. And just as we revolutionised the U.S. domestic parcel business through the acquisition and development of what is now FedEx Ground, the acquisition of TNT will change the way customers view FedEx around the world,” Smith continued.

“The timing of this historic event is important, particularly in the current market environment where global e-commerce is growing at double-digit rates,” Smith added. “Adding TNT’s capabilities to our existing world-class suite of services, including GENCO and the recently relaunched FedEx CrossBorder, will further expand the ability of FedEx to support business connections around the world.

“We believe that this strategic acquisition will add significant value for FedEx shareowners, team members and customers around the globe, particularly in Europe where we will establish a strong new competitor,” said Alan B. Graf, Jr., FedEx Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “The TNT team members bring 70 years of diverse experience, which, combined with that of FedEx team members, will make this integration a success.”

Now that FedEx has acquired TNT Express, the integration process will begin immediately.

The FedEx track record of successful acquisition integrations in the U.S. and globally will serve the combined companies well to leverage investments in technology, infrastructure, facilities and operational capabilities to position the combined companies for long-term growth and success.

In the near term, customers can expect to interact with each company as they always have and receive the world-class service they have come to expect. Once the integration is complete, FedEx expects customers to enjoy an expanded global offering that draws upon the breadth of expertise from both companies.

Together, FedEx and TNT Express will continue to make a difference in the lives of people around the world, further supporting the communities in which team members live and work, connecting even more people and possibilities.

Elior Group Enters Exclusive Negotiations with Autogrill to buy Autogrill’s Railway Stations Concession Business in France Elior Group and Autogrill on May 19 announced they entered into exclusive negotiations with a view to transfer 100% of the share capital of Autogrill Restauration Service, which owns concessions of Autogrill restaurants in railway stations in France.

The business under negotiation represents annual revenue of around €50 million.

Autogrill and Elior Group will launch an information and consultation process with their respective relevant employee representatives and stakeholders with respect to the transaction. The transaction remains subject to the approval of Autogrill S.p.A. Board of Directors.

“France is and will remain one of the key markets for Autogrill’s presence in Europe.

In this market we’re assessing the advisability of selling the railway station channel, in which we can rely on operations that are high quality but limited in size and where we don’t see immediate opportunities for growth, and concentrating on other channels in which we’ll immediately be able to act to greater effect. This operation is part of our strategy of constantly strengthening and focusing our business portfolio through acquisitions and disposals to bolster growth through the winning of new contracts,” said Autogrill CEO Gianmario Tondato Da Ruos.

“This transaction allows us to accelerate Areas1’ development strategy in the railway segment and strengthens our leadership position in France. We strongly believe in the benefits of transforming train stations into enjoyable living areas for travellers and others. Together with our landlord and brands partners, we are joining our unique expertise and know-how. In order to ensure the success of those new travel environments and improve customer experience, we will develop and implement innovative and attractive product and digital concepts,” said Philippe Salle, Chairman and CEO of Elior Group.

For further information: http://www.eliorgroup.com www.transportnews-intl.com

Transp rt News Subscribe to Transport News INTL www.transportnews-intl.com