Truck & Fleet ME February 2014

TRACK DAY VOLVO’S TRUCK GOES FOR A SPIN AT YAS

002 FEBRUARY 2014

MIDDLE EAST

ROAD SMARTS THE WAYS OF THE FUTURE

TO THE D-MAX ISUZU’S PERFECT BALANCE

BETWEEN WORK AND PLAY

ISUZU D-MAX Diesel engine outputs 100kW @ 3400rpm

BUDGET BUSTERS 2014’S BEST VALUE TRUCKS A SUPPLEMENT OF CMME

ISUZU MIGHTY TRUCKS 3 DECADES OF SUCCESS A remarkable partnership since 1980, shifted ISUZU into one of the top UAE market leaders. The Environment-Friendly Diesel Engine, Technological Prowess and Strength of ISUZU trucks are features that aim to meet the intensive market demands and to become the dependable name in its sector.

Best Quality . Best After Sales . Best Value

02 CONTENTS

A SUPPLEMENT OF CMME

22

MIDDLE EAST

GROUP CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA GROUP CEO NADEEM HOOD GROUP COO GINA O’HARA PUBLISHING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5483 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5472 EDITORIAL

06

BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN I was back in the UK in January to catch the birth of my first son and first daughter (both

A guide to the best trucks money can buy on a budget in the Middle East.

TRACK DAY

06 / A RANGE ROLLING OUT Truck & Fleet ME is back on Yas Marina Circuit to watch Volvo’s new range roll-out.

NETWORK

10 / AFTER THE FOG Your monthly guide to what’s going on in the global and local truck and fleet markets.

HEAVY ROLLERS

12 / WORTHY OF THE NAME Meet ALE, Abu Dhabi’s big and heavy transportation specialists.

NEXT GENERATION

18 / SMART ROADS What can we expect from the next generation of intelligent road networks?

ATVS SPECIAL LOOK

to and from hospital as my wife and they recuperated. January is a notoriously dif-

DESIGN

ficult time to be on the road as the weather is

ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER PERCIVAL MANALAYSAY

generally wet, cold or snowy (but mostly wet) making driving at times very difficult. While I’m always disappointed by the level of driving in the Middle East, it should be worth mentioning that I saw the aftermath of several accidents

MARKETING MANAGER LISA JUSTICE lisa.justice@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5498

which occurred during some big rain storms that hit the country in the middle of the month.

CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION

It made me realise that you can have all the experience and technology at your disposal but accidents will happen. The lack of any major news of deaths relating involving trucks made me also realise where we need to be heading in this region. This month’s edition is packed with

CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER ROCHELLE ALMEIDA rochelle.almeida@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 368 1670 DATABASE AND CIRCULATION MANAGER RAJEESH M rajeesh.nair@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9147

technology that promise a future of greater

PRODUCTION MANAGER JAMES P THARIAN james.tharian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9146

safety for drivers. But while you can give all the

DIGITAL

driver training you want and, yes, you can put

DIGITAL SERVICES MANAGER TRISTAN TROY MAAGMA

new trucks and a special look at road-building

them in the most advanced trucks, you also need to instill awareness of other drivers on the road.

When things go wrong – and they will – we must ensure that a driver is minimising the impact of

WEB DEVELOPERS JOEL AZCUNA JANICE FULGENCIO PUBLISHED BY

his error or a truck’s fault on other road-users.

Registered at IMPZ PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE

The little vehicles with a big future in providing security and emergency support.

Tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 www.cpimediagroup.com PRINTED BY

PARTING SHOT TATA looks to its own Formula One race to develop new technology.

MARKETING

MARKETING ASSISTANT BARBARA PANKASZ barbara.pankasz@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5499

involving heavy vehicles during my stay. Most of

22 / SERIOUS TOYS

24 / FORMULA TONNE

INTERNATIONAL EDITOR STIAN OVERDAHL stian.overdahl@cpidubai.com

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR MICHAEL STANSFIELD michael.stansfield@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5497

spent many hours on the road travelling

02 / BUDGET BUSTERS

DEPUTY EDITOR GAVIN DAVIDS gavin.davids@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5480

ADVERTISING

healthy and early, I’m happy to report!) and

2014 PREVIEW

GROUP EDITOR STEPHEN WHITE stephen.white@cpimediagroup.com +971 55 795 8740

Printwell Printing Press LLC © Copyright 2014 CPI. All rights reserved

STEPHEN WHITE GROUP EDITOR

While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

FEBRUARY 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 1

TRUCK PREVIEW

BUDGET 2014

GET MORE BANG FROM YOUR TRUCK IN 2014

I

t’s no secret that competition is heating up in the global truck market, as new brands and JVs rise from Asia. And while the premium brands may be assured of a certain cachet, there’s many worthy contenders out there for your fleet

budget. Buying a cheaper vehicle results in extra units or extra savings, especially useful when it’s a shorter duration project, or a vehicle that will see lower usage.

But, as is always the case, a lower up-front price can disguise other costs, underlining the importance

of investigating the reliability of the after-sales offering from your local dealer – this is just as important as build quality. A vehicle won’t run for long if you can’t easily source expertise and spare-parts. Happily, many of the value models we profile are represented by premium

trading houses in the GCC. When looking, also take into account that the lower residual value of a less-common brand is likely to be written into the sale price – so if you’re looking for a vehicle that you’ll use for its entire life, then this is another way to save costs.

dominated by the traditional brands, and consequently the Great Wall vehicles are sold across the GCC by a number of reputable dealers. The Wingle 5 is its latest pickup or Ute, launched in 2011, and is the perfect vehicle to use on a busy site, whether it’s construction, quarrying, agriculture, or oil and gas, and there’s also a strong

appeal for small businesses, since the aggressive pricing of the Great Wall models means that a business can often buy two pickups for the same price as one fully-specced out pickup from a traditional brand. The Great Wall product range is available in 4x2 or 4x4 with single cabin, double cabin and double cabin extra long models, in petrol and diesel, thus

ensuring flexibility and options for buyers.

CROSSING THE GREAT DIVIDE GREAT WALL WINGLE 5 Great Wall Motors is one of China’s best recognised light commercial vehicle producers, with a history of producing durable pickup trucks that sell for far less than their EuroAmerican-Japanese counterparts.

Brands such as Great Wall have been viewed by local trading companies as a way to make inroads into the market

2 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

Wingle 5 2.8TC specs Capacity: Long 1.68m body ensures high load capacity Kerb Mass: 1,740kg Transmission: 5MT Engine: Direct injection, turbocharged diesel engine Displacement: 2771cc

TRUCK PREVIEW

PRIMED FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

THE ONE MADE HERE AVIA D-LINE Despite being manufactured for a time in the UAE, the Avia D-Line is not a common sight on the roads.

Owned by Indian company Ashok Leyland, which produces a range of buses popular across the GCC, last year the company closed down its production facilities in the Czech Republic, but Avia Ashok Leyland has said it will restart production in India in order to meet the demand

of local markets. The D-Line range is available from a 7.5 to 12t GVW, with wheel base options of 3400m to 5100mm, with engine ratings from 105kW – 134kW. D120 specs: Chassis GVW: 11.9t Gross combination weight: 21.9t Gearbox: manual 6-speed, fully synchromesh ZF6S850 Brakes: ABS air operated discs

TATA PRIMA 4028S Tata Motors is another Indian vehicle marque which we can expect to see more of in the coming years. The Prima 4028S is a twoaxle, 40-tonne GVW tractor, built with a 9-speed ZF transmission.

Specs include new generation brakes, ABS and specialised axles for heavy-duty and high-speed application. The Prima 4028S is ideal for carrying freight in and

out of the city and especially for freight movement at ports with fast loading and unloading times. The tractor-trailer is specially designed to facilitate short distance travel.

Prima 4028S specs: Engine: Cummins ISBe 270, Euro-III Displacement: 6.7l Power: 198kW Fuel tank capacity: 625l

HEAVY LOAD, LIGHT SPENDING MAKING AU-MARK

KAMAZ 6520 With a slogan that says “Kamaz Trucks – heavy load for light money” – Kamaz is a Russian heavy vehicle brand finding favour with fleet operators in the GCC. Kamaz is the largest Russian truck manufacture. It is said that every second truck produced in CIS countries is a Kamaz vehicle, while 20% of its production output is slated for export to foreign

markets. The 6520 is a larger-sized dump truck with a kerb weight of 12,950kg, a maximum payload of 20,150kg, and is powered by a 12l V8 engine.

6520 specs: Wheel config: 4x6 GVW: 33,100 kg Engine: Kamaz 740.51, Euro 2 Gross power: 235kW (320HP) Gearbox: ZF 16S151, 16-speed

FOTON AUMARK C The Foton Aumark C is quickly becoming known in the region as a smart way to expand your company’s short-haul distribution fleet. The Aumark C is available in a number of GVW configurations, from 3 to 14 tonnes. Foton trucks are manufactured by Beiqi Foton Motor Co. Ltd. (Foton), China, in partnership with Daimler AG and Cummins. Their vehicle

volume makes Foton the largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the world. With a high ground clearance and a tight turning angle, the truck is well suited for tight urban and logistic spaces.

Aumark C, 7.1t GVW specs: GVW: 7150t Rated payload: 3955t Cargo body: 4230×2050×400mm

FEBRUARY 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 3

TRUCK PREVIEW

HYUNDAI PUTS ITSELF IN THE MIX

STOCKHOLM TO DELHI TO DUBAI

EICHER 10.90 E2 PLUS Built to deliver low total cost-ofownership (TCO), Eicher Trucks will be familiar sight to anyone who has spent time in India, but are a relative newcomer to the GCC. Nevertheless, the Volvo AB-owned brand has arrived with aplomb, following news that in the UAE, FAMCO had established a new subsidiary (Pacific Machinery) to market and support the vehicle

line-up, which includes trucks and buses. From its E2 Plus series haulage product range (comprising light- to medium-duty haulers, 5-14t), the 10.90 E2 Plus is suited for long distance heavy transportation, while retaining all the features of an LCV. 10.90 E2 Plus specs: Max power: 70.6kW (96 ps) Max speed: 91 km/h

HYUNDAI HD 370S MIXER While Hyundai’s passenger and light commercial range is well-known, its range of heavy commercial vehicles is less familir to fleet and commercial buyers.

The range comprises smaller trucks, refrigerated vehicles, tractors, dumpers, and mixer trucks, the smaller HD270S and the larger HD 370S mixer.

Compared with the smaller mixer, the HD370S boasts a one metre longer wheel base to provide better driving comfort as well as partsmounting convenience, reflecting local customers’ needs.

HD 370S mixer specs: GVW: 38 tonnes Front axle load: 8 tonnes Rear axle load: 30 tonnes Drive configuration: 4x6

THE ONE TO WATCH

THE PERFECT FUSION DONGFENG DFL4240A2 One of the largest manufacturers of motor vehicles in China, DongFeng has established relations with a number of foreign auto firms, most recently agreeing to form a JV with Volvo to make medium and heavy commercial vehicles. The DFL420A2 tractor head is available in a 6x2 and 6x4 configuration, and built with a Cummins ISLe310 30 engine, a 9L engine developing

228kW at optimum RPMs of 2100.

Overall dimensions for the tractor head are 6940mm x 2500mm x 3030mm. Minimum ground clearance for the vehicle is 280mm, and approach angle is just 18°.

DFL4240A2 specs: Engine: Cummins ISLe310 30 Power: 228kW @ 2100 RPM Curb weight: 8,200 kg Trailer weights: 32.6t; 35.8t

4 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

FUSO CANTER FG Mitsubishi Fuso’s Canter range of light trucks slots in beneath the heavier FK/FM series, but despite the Canter’s diminutive size there’s still a tonne of options for fleet operaters, whether they want a standard cargo truck, dumper or van. The FG is the toughest of the Canter range, with the 4x4 variant is designed to be used on the demanding terrain of construction

sites. 4x4 is activated by a switch, or it can be run in 2WD. It also has a high/low gear range switch, when needed for more demanding slopes with heavy loads.

Canter FG specs: Engine: Mitsubishi Fuso 4D34-3A Displacement: 3.0L Power: 80kW @ 3200rpm Torque: 255Nm @ 1800rpm GVW: 5.5t

TRUCK PREVIEW

WHILE THE PREMIUM BRANDS MAY BE ASSURED OF A CERTAIN CACHET, THERE’S MANY WORTHY CONTENDERS OUT THERE FOR YOUR FLEET BUDGET.

TO THE D-MAX!

ISUZU D-MAX 3L DIESEL Isuzu has a long history as a truck builder, and its D-Max range of pickups have gained a reputation as a durable workhorse since their launch on the world markets in 2002. For commercial buyers they offer an alternative to the other big Japanese brands in the market, with a similar emphasis on fine engineering and build

quality. In the GCC the D-Max is available with two different diesel engines, the 2.5 litre 4JA1-L and the 3 litre 4JJ1-TC. The 4JJ1-TC is common-rail engine that guarantees driving and towing performance on rough, hilly terrain, with an electronic controlled fuel injection pump with intercooled turbo charger,

combining 100 KW (136PS) of power with greatly reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. As expected for a pickup, there are a large variety of options for the specification, whether 2WD with regular cab, or crew cab, or the 4WD with regular or crew cab, and the crew cab is able to seat 5 or up to 6 people.

Transmission options are a 4 speed automatic or 5 speed manual.

GVW for all variants is 2,750kg.

D-Max 3L diesel specs: Engine: 4JJ1-TC, 4 cyl, common rail diesel Max output: 100kW @ 3400 GVW: 2,750kg Kerb weight: 1,625 – 1,890 kg

FEBRUARY 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 5

TEST DRIVE

Out on track. Volvo’s new range gets put through its paces on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

6 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

TEST DRIVE

VOLVO RELOADED

NEHA BHATIA MEETS THE TEAM BEHIND VOLVO’S REVAMPED RANGE AND TAKES THEM FOR A SPIN IN ABU DHABI

A

snowstorm hit the Middle East in December 2013, marking it as a globallyhistoric occurrence for the traditionally hot desert lands.

At a Hollywood-style event late January 2014, it snowed again in the region; this time at Yas Island, in UAE’s capital of Abu Dhabi.

Held in the last week of January, Volvo Trucks’ launch of their new range was split across two days – an unveiling session on one evening, and a day-long set of test-driving sessions the next morning. Mercifully, it did not follow the standard programme of soberness and suited hierarchies.

Free interactions between guests and Volvo’s top executives was the highlight of the two-day event the Swedish company hosted for its associates in the Middle East.

Volvo brought along a taste of Sweden for the launch – complete with its cultural hotpot of snow, music and dance – to an exclusive group of industry professionals as it unveiled its brand new FH, FM and FMX model trucks over a gala dinner at the Palm Garden, Yas Viceroy Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

“The Middle East is an extremely important market for Volvo Trucks,” said Lars-Erik Forsbergh, President of Volvo Trucks for the Middle East. “I look forward to having you test these new trucks at the Yas Marina Circuit

(YMC), and promise it will be a rare and enriching experience for all of you tomorrow,” added Forsbergh, concluding the evening on an enticing anticipatory note.

TEST DAY “Not too many people can claim to have driven a truck at the Yas Marina Circuit.”

Forsbergh looked visibly delighted with the remark passed next morning by a Volvo coworker – and rightly so.

Arranged at the specially-created ‘Volvo Village’, the company organised intensive handson test-drives for the corralled customers and journalists from across the Middle East and Africa. Accompanied by helpful operators for over three hours, nearly 75 guests tested the new FH, FM and FMX models at YMC’s smooth and off-road tracks.

A much-discussed innovation was the Dynamic Steering, Volvo’s most popular feature in the recent past, and the drivers were thoroughly impressed with the directional control it allowed for while driving, especially on the off-road track where the FMX was tested out.

Equally celebrated was the I-Shift technology, Volvo’s intelligent 12-speed gear system that involves automated, clutch-free speed shifting, popularly preferred for its fuel maximisation potential. While the FH and FM, on the smooth YMC track drove effortlessly on automatic

transmission, test-drivers had the chance to try out the seamless – clutch-free – manual transmission too while driving the FMX off-road.

Advances to the chassis add to the directional stability in the Volvo FH. The FM is also enhanced by the three-steered axles; one at the front and two at the rear on the 8x2 with tridem, two at the front and one at the rear on the 8x2 with two front axles.

“The new system results in a smaller turning circle without the tyres cutting into the road surface, appropriate for areas with tight spaces to make turns,” said Peter Frleta, chassis expert at Volvo Trucks, explaining the rationale behind this development.

Solid suspension enhanced driver performance on all three trucks; even on the steep gravel-laden bumps at YMC’s off-road track, the FMX trucks – manually brought down to the second gear – sturdily drove through, perfectly controlled by the I-Shift technology and aided by the Dynamic Steering. The new rear-air suspension on the FMX features automatic rideheight control with ground clearance of 300mm, making for better mobility of the truck.

“The air suspension offers considerable comfort and agility both when the truck is loaded and when it is empty,” Frleta added.

The temptation to speed on YMC’s famed F1 track was obvious – as the FH and FM operators guided test-drivers around the circuit, the trucks

“THERE’S ONLY ONE ACCEPTABLE NUMBER OF INJURIES IN TRAFFIC – ZERO.” FEBRUARY 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 7

TEST DRIVE

smoothly powered on – in both automated and manual transmission – to swiftly reach the higher gear variations of eight and nine.

Most obvious, however, were the enhancements made to the exteriors of the trucks.

Large, well-directed mirrors provide drivers with excellent views of the trucks’ immediate surroundings, and the driver’s blind spot is adequately covered on each side. Sources from within Volvo’s Swedish offices also revealed there are plans to integrate camera systems within the vehicles to facilitate rear-view visibility.

To make for increased relay of information, the dashboard on the trucks has been organised to bring critical details – such as the analogue and digital speedometer, gear position and transmission point (1-12) – to the centre, ensuring the driver can easily access the data.

The steering wheel also features switches for auxiliary functions, such as radio controls and phone-call options. Cabin space has been given due significance; most trucks in the range have sufficient storage compartments and can accommodate at least three people in the cabin.

Design and safety played an important role in product development, as was revealed at the product information interactions alongside the test-driving sessions at YMC’s premises.

“The trucks have been redesigned with tough construction environment in mind,” said Jonas Odermalm, business manager truck sales for Volvo Trucks. “The bullbar is larger and tougher than earlier; the bumper corners are made of 3mm thick steel ready to take beatings as impact on-site.

“The interiors have been designed bearing in the mind the need for driver-comfort in order to increase productivity,” Odermalm added.

Asok George, chief designer exterior for the company echoed the need for customer-oriented product development. “When creating the design for a new range, we have to foresee the future customers’ needs and demands so as to exceed their expectations. Safety and quality are the strongest points of focus for us.”

A large quota of research and development time at Volvo is dedicated to improving traffic safety. Volvo Enhanced Cruise (VEC) with Active Braking, Lane Departure Warning, and Volvo Enhanced Stability Technology (VEST) are some of the technologies developed by the company to address active safety concerns (i.e.) those that occur while driving the vehicle. While VEST detects dangerous driving situations to automatically reduce engine torque and activate the necessary brakes, VEC uses the engine and foundation brakes to slow and maintain a safedriving distance using collision-warning systems.

Carl Johan Almqvist, traffic and product safety director at Volvo Trucks outlined the company’s vision for the safety-quotient of their products. “We should be able to achieve a zero-accident target on the roads, much like the aviation industry,” he said. “They affect businesses besides human lives – 60 to 350 work hours can be lost, depending on the size of the accident.

“There’s only one acceptable number of injuries in traffic – zero. It is a mindset that needs to be developed,” Almqvist added.

Volvo’s ME president Forsbergh says it has potential to achieve its target of becoming the region’s premium transport solutions provider.

THE PROS OF COPY AND PASTING Lars-Erik Forsbergh, president, Volvo Trucks Middle East discussed his ideology and strategies for the company’s operations in the Middle East. “Volvo is the leading brand for trucks across the region. We have a strong network of local partners, and we’re hoping to build and develop our relationships with service agents, financing bodies and trade facilitators – as a brand, we’re only as strong as our local dealers.

“We’re learning from the successes of our operations in Europe and applying them to here. In a way, we’re copy-pasting those strategies for the Middle East! The Asian and South American markets have also been a learning curve in Volvo’s history.

“Our workings in the Middle East are fairly distributed – Saudi Arabia is a huge market for us; however, KSA levies high

Ready for action. An offroad demonstration of the range’s capability in the sandpit.

import duties, a factor that motivated us to set-up a local assembly unit in the country almost 12 years ago. UAE is a booming market with the Expo 2020 due to take place soon, and markets such as Iraq and Qatar have massive potential for infrastructural growth.

“So long as the world is addicted to oil, the region will thrive. Transport is a necessity across all sectors – even outside of construction, our trucks can be – and are – employed to undertake other logistical operations, such as transportation between factories, warehouses, retail units, end-users and on a global level, even to recycling plants. This is a period of huge growth, and we’re confident we will meet our objective of being regional leaders for the truck industry.”

8 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

NETWORK

NETWORK 02 14

YOUR MONTHLY GUIDE TO THE MIDDLE EAST’S TRUCK AND FLEET OPERATOR NETWORK DUBAI TAXIS CLOCK 100 MILLION TRIPS

Abu Dhabi Police are turning to social media to encourage safer driving.

HEAVY VEHICLES BANNED DURING FOG IN ABU DHABI The Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police has forbidden trucks and large vehicles to drive on internal and external roads during foggy conditions.

As part of an on-going safety campaign to reduce the number of accidents, the vehicles will only be allowed to continue their trips after clear visibility returns.

Restrictions were also announced for the Abu Dhabi City area during peak taffic hours.

Drivers have been warned that if the rules are violated, punishments will be considerable, including fines of 1000AED or temporary confiscation of the vehicle. Patrol officers were shown handing out information pamphlets to drivers of trucks.

Lt. Colonel Jamal Salem Al Ameri, chief of public relations section in the Traffic and Patrols Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police, called upon company owners and truck drivers to adhere to traffic laws and regulations.

He said that trucks weighing 2.5 tons or more are not allowed to enter Abu Dhabi City during foggy weather conditions and peak traffic hours, which were identified as the hours between 7:30-9:30am and 1:00- 3:00pm.

As a part of the “Safety During Fog” initiative, , Al Ameri urged all drivers, especially truck drivers, to reduce speed, maintain sufficient distances between cars, and to refrain from overtaking in general and avoid the use of emergency flashers.

The fleet of taxis operating in Dubai clocked up more than 100 million trips in 2013, an increase from 97.4m the previous year.

The vehicles are operated by five franchise companies in the emirate - Dubai Taxi, Cars Taxi, Arabia Taxi, National Taxi, and Metro Taxi. Commenting on the achievement, Adel Mohammed Shakri, the director of transportation systems, Public Transport Agency, (RTA) said: “The trips made by taxis that have broken the 100 million barrier in 2013 had been implemented via the handling of the Dispatch Center at the Transportation Systems Department of the PTA with 7.1 million calls during the same year.”

Shakri lauded the companies operating taxicabs and their concerted efforts.

The D8 System, considered the backbone of taxi operation in Dubai, links together more than 8,700 taxicabs. It also generates operational reports that specify the efficiency of the fleet, and controls 18,000 driver details.

Highly adaptable, ATVs are at home working as emergency response units in the Middle East.

THE CHANCE OF US TRUCK DRIVERS DYING ON THE JOB IS EXTR IN AUTO ACCIDENTS ACCOUNTING FOR 12% OF ALL WORK REL 10 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

NETWORK

KAMAZ TO USE LIEBHERR ENGINES Liebherr and the Russian truck builder Kamaz

The alarm, alert button, door lock, gas detector, enables truck drivers to be able to protect themselves.

OJSC have signed a contract to develop and manufacture 6-cylinder diesel engines, to be used in Kamaz’s heavy vehicles. The 12l engines will be built to comply with the Euro 5 and then Euro 6 emission standards. Other advantages for Kamaz were the modern design concept, and a good power to weight ratio.

LEASEPLAN EMIRATES SIGNS DEAL WITH GREENDOT Major fleet provider LeasePlan Emirates has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi-based GreenDot LLC, a carbon emissions specialist, aimed at enhancing its current suite of fleet transportation services and products. The partnership aims to provide LeasePlan’s clients with greater fleet and asset management efficiencies specifically relating to CO2 emissions and environmental considerations.

“The partnership is a major milestone for us since it underlines our commitment to create and add value to our client’s fleet and asset management capabilities,” said Hicham Boueri, commercial director, LeasePlan Emirates.

RENAULT TRUCKS OFFERS ANTI-ROBBERY TOOLS Renault Trucks has unveiled a range of truck security solutions to protect drivers and passengers from the threat of physical violence which can accompany theft of goods. To protect them in the most efficient way possible, Renault Trucks offers drivers several different devices.

HOW IT WORKS… Trucks can be equipped with a multifunction

Quentin Curtis, director of GreenDot added: “We will help companies reduce their expenses and carbon footprint at the same time by using their existing fleet more efficiently.”

alarm, that will be activated when someone tries to get into the truck by forcing the doors, the exterior trunks or by breaking a window. The alarm will be set off and its siren will emit a 90 dB signal up to 10 times

DAIMLER INDIA WINS MANUFACTURER AWARD

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) has been awarded as Commercial Vehicle Maker of the Year, only 15 months after the new Daimler subsidiary was formed. The Apollo CV Award, which named the company Commercial Vehicle

Maker of the Year, recognised the company’s impact in modernising India’s entire commercial vehicle industry. The DICV-produced BharatBenz 1217C truck also won the sector award in the category Commercial Vehicle Innovation of the Year 2013”. Designed for construction work, the vehicle is the first tipper in its weight category in India.

The BharatBenz 3128C also received the award in the category HCV Cargo Carrier over 25 tons. DICV launched its first BharatBenz models on the market in September 2012. It has since then gradually rolled out its product range, which includes dump trucks and freight-haulage trucks in the segments ranging from nine to 49t.

REMELY HIGH, WITH DEATHS OF TRUCKERS LATED DEATHS IN THE COUNTRY

for 30 seconds.

The alarm is also set off if the vehicle is towed or the cab is tipped. Similarly, Renault Trucks has also made provisions for linking this alarm to the trailer and prevent any attempts at breaking in and stealing goods.

When in the cab or at the wheel, the driver has an alert button within easy reach on the dashboard that can be activated in the event of any potential danger. This button sets off the alarm and the flashing lights.

To make sure that drivers are protected as well as possible during their rest periods, Renault Trucks also offers a system of anti-intrusion mechanical locking called Doorlock. This system locks the door to the step handle, making it impossible to open the door from outside.

Finally, since gas attacks on drivers are becoming more common, Renault Trucks can also supply a gas detector. Connected to a 12 V/24 V outlet in the, it warns the driver in the event of any common asphyxiating gas being detected.

HEAVY ROLLERS

ALE is one of the only companies in the Middle East to have barges, road units and cranes.

12 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

HEAVY ROLLERS

LAND OF THE

GIANTS JONATHON SAVILL MEETS ALE, A COMPANY THAT SPECIALISES IN MOVING THE VERY BIG TO THE VERY SMALLEST DETAIL

A

LE is a heavy lift company that specialises in moving abnormal loads. Loads are abnormal by virtue of volume, weight or size, and they move them by trailer, barge, crane and other specialist equipment.

Their head office is in Staffordshire UK, but they have an R&D facility in Holland. They have been in Abu Dhabi for twenty one years in June.

It was started by Roger Harries, the founder of ALE, with a couple of trailers.

ALE is not a transport company, and like an iceberg much, of what they achieve is not visible to the casual observer. They are principally engineers, and much of that engineering skill goes into planning. During a busy period they execute six or eight movements a night.

They don’t just jump in the trucks and drive. Some of the bigger jobs have to be planned up to a year ahead. On a recent job they negotiated an extra hour of movement with the police, which gave them an extra few kilometres a day. It was a 260km road movement so that made a big difference.

Their Abu Dhabi office employs around 25 engineers, a mixture of civil and mechanical.

They also utilise specialist software and equipment to plan load movement.

Cameron Waugh, general manager of ALE’s Abu Dhabi branch explains: “We have software for trailer stability calculations, software for bending calculations, swept path analysis, when we are doing route simulation. There is a lot of engineering here.”

What stands them apart from other FEBRUARY 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 13

HEAVY ROLLERS

There is one key factor that unites both ALE’s plant and normal trucks – axle weight.

“WE HAVE SO MANY PERMITS THAT EVERYTHING WE DO IS MONITORED BEYOND BELIEF. THE LOADING WE PUT ONTO THE ROAD IS ACTUALLY VERY LOW.” companies is the amazing statistics of their load factor. A standard road going truck has two or three axles on both truck and trailer. The total unit will be around 60m and weigh up to 38t.

With the capacity to lift 60,000t a small job for ALE would start around a hundred tons.

There are two parts to the specialist services that ALE provides. The first is to come to terms with the terrain. Abu Dhabi, their base, is an island. Many loads come and go off by barge.

This in turn engenders a need for cranes.

There is a standard rule for any abnormal load travelling by road; it’s to get the load from position to port as quickly as possible. Much of the skilled planning comes into optimising, and thus reducing, that distance.

You start by applying pragmatic engineering. Firstly you limit the hours that the load will move; large loads often only work from 1am to 5am to minimise disruption to road users. Then you assess the optimum route, and what the hazards are. These can include telegraph poles, bridges roundabouts, narrow 14 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

access and height limitations. In Abu Dhabi there is sometimes a need to reinforce parts of the infrastructure of the routes, there may be damage to culverts, for example. ALE has recently had to build steel reinforcements to cross a bridge, so theirs is a combination of mechanical and civil engineering.

There are other hazards: “Sometimes, in places like Yemen or Iraq, we have to address security issues as well. The client will often request it, but we have our own set of procedures rules that are carried out regardless of whether they have been requested or not.”

The ALE plant has little in common with road going trucks, but there is one monumental key factor that unites both kinds, and it is axle weight. If you put a load onto a truck and there is too much weight on one axle, it can cause road fatigue because of the way it sits on the road surface. So elements of weight and distribution are key factors, and multiplied by the number of times the maximum load exceeds normal load bearing.

Waugh explains: “We have a lot of axles so it spreads the load. We can prove how much load each wheel is putting onto the road surface. We have so many permits that everything we do is monitored beyond belief. The loading we put onto the road is actually very low.”

They achieve part of this balance by using specialised modular trailers. There are two kinds, the first is SPMT or Self-Propelled Modular Transporter. These as the name suggests, are self-propelled. They are mostly used inside yards or ports but on some jobs ALE uses a mixture of trailers. They recently used an SPMT to cross a narrow bridge and then reverted to road trailers.

What both types of trailers have in common is a group of interlocking axles that can be configured to any width and length required.

They can also be adjusted for camber. So if the road dips to the right they can pump up the corresponding axles and adjust individual axle height. At extreme lengths you also have to be aware of the trailers flexing and twisting and

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HEAVY ROLLERS

“A NORMAL TRUCK DRIVER WOULD GET INTO THESE TRUCKS AND RIP THE DIFF RIGHT OUT.” these trailers adjust to address that. The longest configuration they have made so far is 100 metres in length.

They don’t talk about trucks, their power units are called ‘prime movers’. ALE owns 13 of them and they are highly specialised. They carry extra compressors to power the braking on the trailers, and are heavily modified. They have Scammells and ex-military MAN multiwheel units, called 8x8s. They are mostly 660 horsepower but have a reduction gearbox, so they only do around 25km/h. Again the application of pragmatic engineering dictates different utility to most trucks.

A major one is that prime movers have the ability to be linked together to provide massive

drive power. Once moving this convoy stays in the same gear and can be moving as slowly as 7km/h.

ALE drivers have a specific skillset. Waugh explains: “A normal truck driver would get into these trucks and rip the diff right out.”

“They are able to drive in pairs, or in teams of up to five drivers. They need to be able to let the clutch out smoothly, and at the right time, issued instructions by radio. They also work closely with a steersman, who steers the back part, and are watched by eighteen or twenty people to make sure they are clear of obstruction. We tend to retain our drivers, we don’t hire and fire. We look after them.”

Waugh tells me about some of their work: “We did a job where we moved two ships called wind carriers. From keel to bridge they were 30 metres high.”

While I am trying to picture this I ask him how big the ships were?

“They were about 40m wide, around 120m long. There were 408 axle lines.”

“We moved them across from the yard and over a road. Actually it was a record. We are probably the only company in the Middle East that could have done the job.”

For the record the ships weighed 12,000t each.

ALE is a well-established company with a 20-year track record and one of the only companies in the Middle East to have barges, road units and cranes. It’s clear then that they’re here for the long haul, and competing with them is not something you’d undertake lightly.

The 8:1 replica Dodge Power Wagon vehicle has four bedrooms inside the cabin, weighs over 50T, and it’s mobile.

HARD TO DODGE Abu Dhabi isn’t just home to ALE’s behemoths in the UAE, it’s also the location of the world’s biggest replica truck at Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan’s Emirates National Auto Museum.

The 8:1 replica vehicle he built has four bedrooms inside the cabin. It weighs over 50T, and it’s mobile.

The original Dodge Power Wagon was introduced in 1946. It was based on the 3/4T Army truck’s chassis with a civilian cab and a purpose designed 8-foot cargo box.

It had a 3,200mm wheelbase chassis and featured the 230 cubic-inch flat head six engine, a two-speed transfer case, a 4-speed transmission with a power take off opening which would send power to the front and back of the truck for operating auxiliary equipment and large 9.00/16-8 ply tires on 16X6.50 inch 5-stud wheels. In 1961, the 230

ALE owns 13 prime movers, they are highly specialised transportation systems.

was replaced with the 251 cubic-inch flat head six. The nominal one-ton rated Power Wagon’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) was 8,700 pounds.

A two-ton W500 Power Wagon (only a chassis cab was built) was introduced in 1956 as the C3-HW, and lasted through the 1971 model year. This was replaced in 1972 with the W600 (also cab and chassis only), which was produced until 1977, when all Dodge medium-duty models were discontinued. To compensate for the loss of the medium-duty W600 a new W400 chassis cab was introduced in 1977. The Power Wagon nameplate was discontinued in 1981 with the introduction of the Dodge Ram, with the four-wheel-drive models being sold under the “Power Ram” nameplate through 1993.

16 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

SMART ROADS

DIGITAL REVOLUTION DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING OUR LIVES. IS THE TIME RIGHT FOR THE WAY WE BUILD OUR ROADS TO JOIN THE REVOLUTION?

Roads in the Middle East need to be designed for the vehicles we will use in the future.

T

he Roman Empire was the first entity to recognise the benefit of a developed road system, as early as 2500 years ago. Their network comprised of more than 400,000 km of roads. Major roads were often stone-paved, metalled, cambered for drainage, and flanked by footpaths, bridleways and drainage ditches. Roman roads tended to be straight, and all roads led to Rome. Presumably the reason GPS took so long to invent.

Many of these Roman roads still exist, some paved over. During the next 2,000 years we took a very advanced infrastructure system, painted 18 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

white lines on some roads, lit some, and added parking meters. Not a great deal of advancement for two millennia. The result is that we take roads for granted, largely. We use them every day but only notice when they don’t work, because they are blocked with traffic.

The UAE has a lot of roads. Currently the total network is more than 35,000km, of which 30,000 are in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Dubai has a car ownership rate of 541 cars per 1,000 of population. This figure exceeds that of cities like New York (444 cars per 1,000 population), London (345 cars per 1,000 population) and Singapore (111 cars per 1,000 population).

Dubai roads carried 1,031,961 cars in 2010 or 22.6% more than the 841,852 vehicles registered in 2009. Dubai needs more roads. According to one source, a further 500 km of roads plus 120 multi-level interchanges will also be built before 2020 at a cost of around $12 billion. Roads are expensive; on the whole they cost around $1 million per kilometre. This it is construction cost and does not include land acquisition.

It’s time for roads to change. Not only in the way in construction but also in their signs and development in general.

There are two elements to roads, the first is how we build them and the next is how

SMART ROADS

In the medium term there could be special lanes that will charge an electric car as it drives along it.

The Dutch are also experimenting with special paint that stores sunlight to glow at night.

we control them, once built. Obviously as a magazine for the construction industry we are more interested in building highways than working them, complex systems require more construction and therefore cost more money.

We spoke to Sameer Daoud, managing director of Transport at Hyder Consulting Middle East. He sees roads as a philosophy.

To him a road is the core of infrastructure, and he points out that once a road is built other development follows. What is amazing is the amount of space roads take: “In any development 30% of your space is allocated to right of way.

That’s a rule of thumb across the world.”

Daoud expands his theory: “The roads we have in the UAE are not built for the traffic we have, but the traffic we are going to have.”

Temporary roads can last anything from a few months to three years or so. Permanent roads can be designed to last up to twenty years, depending on materials. So who pays for all this?

“The developers. In any major development there is an agreement between the Chairman of the RTA and the Chairman of the developer. It’s a fixed cost and its calculation is tried and tested.”

Currently one mile of two-lane asphalt road with aggregate base can require up to 25,000 tons of aggregate. Once the removal of unsuitable

material from site is factored this equates to roughly 5,000 truck movements. The total construction can emit pollution equal up to 3,000 tons of CO2.

Daoud points out that: “Asphalt is not a big cost in roads. We are an oil producing country so materials cost is not huge. What is important is what’s under the road and around it. For example the road structure has to carry the five water network; these are Potable water, Fire water (hydrants etc.), Irrigation water, Surface Drainage Water, and Sewage. Then add electric cables and fibre optic lines and you are building something more complex than it appears.”

FEBRUARY 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 19

SMART ROADS

Some of Abu Dhabi’s projects are investigating the use of recycled asphalt and concrete. The municipality believes this change will improve the emirate’s environmental footprint. One technique the manual promotes is recycling asphalt and other building materials, such as the concrete from demolished buildings, to use as aggregate.

Abu Dhabi has already conducted studies into the use of such materials, including a project in Shahama last year that cut the costs of pavement construction by 25 per cent. A similar project in Bani Yas, is testing other techniques, such as reducing the thickness of pavements.

“A lot of countries in Africa used to think that more asphalt made the roads stronger. In fact the opposite is true. The more you put in the less durability you give to the area. The amount of expansion and contraction will be higher. This makes for wavy roads.”

In the USA, the University of Michigan is conducting experiments with self-healing concrete. The material is laced with microfibers and when it cracks calcium ions in the mix react with rainwater and carbon monoxide and repairs small cracks. Obviously there is a shortage of rainwater in this part of the world, but it is an interesting emergent technology.

So how are roads going to get smarter? In the short to medium term the aim is to control driver behavior. So the fact that there are lots of traffic cameras is not just coincidental, or mean, these are designed to save lives. And now in the UAE if you get a speeding ticket you receive a text immediately. Daoud explains: “The police don’t want you to find out ten days later. They want to make you change your behaviour immediately.”

In Holland they are moving forward further.

Special paint takes light from the sun and glows at night. They are experimenting with a special road surface that will display logos if the road is frosty. A longer term view is that in the medium term there will be special lanes that will charge

an electric car as it drives along it. A host of other warning systems can communicate via Bluetooth, radio signals or Internet.

Dutch smart road design expert Daan Roosegaarde, said: “I think the future of roads is important because when we look at cities, and almost everyone lives in cities, they are more determined by roads than architecture and buildings - so roads are super important in the way they look and behave.”

But Daoud is more pragmatic. He sees these improvements as incremental to the overall point of roads. The Romans used roads to transport armies quickly so as to grow their empire. But there was also the point that trade and supplies also benefitted.

What Daoud sees as the point of roads is to be the backbone of a society: “Companies like Hyder Consulting take a holistic approach to the entire infrastructure. If the road network is the backbone of the future UAE then the planning must also be for the heart of new cities and settlements.”

In the short term roads will improve in construction by using sustainable standards and by incorporating building rubble and waste to use as aggregate. But one way that standards have changed is that there is a seamless way to get approval and letters of no objection from all of the government departments before the first shovel touches the surface. But above all the major utilities that serve the community are all hidden underneath the roads.

Daoud makes a final but very valid point: “Improvements to construction have already started. The point is to optimise the cost.

We need to make better use of construction waste and to use this as part of a strategy to minimise waste. This will reduce the amount of landfill in the UAE. When they demolish a building or cut and fill, they have no use for this material. We can use this for roads and then utilise it for better highways.”

FedEx and Nissan have started testing the Nissan e-NV200, a 100% electric compact cargo vehicle under real world conditions in Washington, D.C.

ADVANCE TRUCK TECHNOLOGY TO GO GREENER Advanced vehicle technologies are hitting the road in delivery trucks, tractor-trailers, and other medium- and heavy-duty vehicles Advanced vehicle technologies — similar to technologies used in today’s hybrid and electric cars — have the potential to dramatically reduce fuel consumption, cutting fuel costs for businesses, improving air quality and public health.

Hybrid-electric trucks achieve increased fuel efficiency by combining a conventional internal combustion engine with an electric motor, batteries, and braking-energy capture (known as regenerative braking).

Fuel-consumption reductions of 20-35% are possible with current hybrid truck technology, according to a review by the National Academy of Sciences in the US. Urban delivery trucks, which travel short and well-defined routes, are less constrained by battery range and ideal candidates for full electrification. Yard hostlers, which move cargo containers at ports and warehouse complexes, also represent an excellent opportunity for all-electric technologies.

These electric trucks are powered by fuel cells, which convert hydrogen and air into electricity while emitting only water vapor.

Some electric technologies do not directly move the truck but can still reduce

“ALMOST EVERYONE LIVES IN CITIES, THEY ARE MORE DETERMINED BY ROADS THAN BY ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDINGS.” 20 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

its fuel consumption. Battery-powered auxiliary power units can provide power to the cabs of long-haul trucks when the drivers are sleeping or resting during multiday trips. Traditionally power is provided by the truck’s internal combustion engine, but converting these systems to battery power enables operators to shut off the engine when parked at the work site.

Truck electricfication has only begun, but it is off to a strong and promising start.

ATVS

O R D N A K C O R s Highly adaptable, ATV as are at home working emergenc y response t. units in the Middle Eas

fect for these vehicles.

The terrain here is per of ers tur fac y nu ma t ges environment where the One of the world’s big And yet it is the urban rted out sta wles sno hic a Ve as in d sirra rte bu Te sta ll They Farid Ismail is the these vehicles is Polaris. were are beginning to shine. strictly for fun. They stol. mobile company. who ness unit manager of Bri also and , iles ob snowmobiles for people wm sno ke ing mobile firefightNow they still ma They specialise in build trail es sal ir the of for ity jor didn’t have snow, and ma the ing a growing demand make motorcycles. But y else. ing units. Ismail is notic od ryb iles eve ob for wm sno ers t eck fac wr icles. In come from off road veh these small vehicles. y began s Then, like all of us, the percent of the sales of thi ten ut us for them,” he exare now only abo “People are coming to rk. wo for k loo y. and pan first response units for to grow up $3 billion dollar com plains. “They are ideal d that these d lise roa rea off o m wh fro e rs me com far es s First it wa such as Dubai Mall and Two-thirds of their sal ils and cramped areas. In places tra t, est firs for At wn . do ing ke ng sna cha file is carry CAFS (comtiny vehicles could vehicles and their pro the fountains they can re nd we rou ey Th . ds. day roi a ste les on mi ts of ically go kar as where we could let them cover dozens these vehicles were bas air foam system) to are d sse pre en. sm de’s od let wo other work. First of all used by shepherds and it.”

But now they’re going to never get a full size un catch on and to an beg ng ers tur fac Then manu mic dimension to usi st. no bea eco fine the Is there an bikes for rts ad qu spo a e ng lik pti is ta ada le no is rs hic Ve this point: “Cost instead of the use An ATV, or All Terrain s se? Farid is definite on icle the veh g kin can ma you an and beg art es und leisure to fire equipment. Ap their use the big nam bike. It’s largely based aro question when it comes nes all du d se san wn do and se. up for purpo fire in a mall could cau seem them running from anything else a s popping up seg wa s thi icle in veh of ers e tur typ fac s nu thi .”

Suddenly of damage over the UAE. Major ma millions of dollars’ worth were used for transport Motors, Artic Cat, s ort Sp ha used for ambulances.

Alp g e all over the place. They tin lud ment inc ds They are also get loa g lin hau wa for Ka a, and nd ft Ho e of these into n America, ing pilots to their aircra Argo, Bombardier, Eto ut it. You can move on abo go. ink ’t Th can s icle veh . st a mo Suzuki and Yamaha uction site or through across territory where saki, Kazuma, Polaris, a tight area on a constr le hic .

Ve als y tiv ilit ry fes Ut k car the roc is and at d ty icle k up a casual They were use The other type of veh crowd. You can then pic ort men and equipger and they cost big s, iou ser re And the ability to transp mo is is (UTV). Th them to safety. n has been spotted by the that customise ment across rough terrai more. are several companies ere Th m fro ent ed field are differ ing the above mention military and police.

And the players in this these vehicles, includ p a low cost n dro Joh to is, lar lity Po abi had are the we t ry ers tha lita tur t fac For the mi you though above. Here the manu Bristol. And just when uable. For the police the B. unit via parachute is val JC Deere and hs is important. ability to patrol small pat

A

22 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014

ATVS

OLE

Y A W T S A F D N A N U F ATVS MAY BE A SOME R&R BUT TO CATCH UP ON US POTENTIAL THEY HAVE SERIO Simple and reliable, ATVS can work in and on a number of env ironments .

are getting in the UAE. popular these vehicles . abi Dh u Ab in p shi dealer re or less invented the world’s biggest Polaris “Our Razor product mo it deicle veh ke of e spo , typ ief s h Ch thi of President and e UAE is a real growt used up the versatility Bennett Morgan, their side by side product. Th velops a new twist. to us in Dubai recently. market for us. phibious ATV is the deAm ki ads Qu bs Gib is first 50 years were in doing amazing things lar The new Po of ost “M “Some of these guys are For patrolV. elAT s dev o ou ibi int g ph vin am mo an – we’re in the dunes. The UAE just what it says veloped world but now able th these vehicles” out alu wi inv an is s thi s sse ma markets it is shapling sites or large land oping world markets.” just one of our top ten t ne. no chi is ma of nt ss cla me s seg thi of an emerging developing our product. addition to the capability And of course there is ing the way we look at stop speed of 45 This a s. ch tor rea mo m. to ic e ctr abl ele is it by y ers and learn from the Unbelievabl of ATV which is driven We listen to our custom to a 175 hp s as nk h tha suc , s ter ing ny wa ild ma bu and in d ide ins r customers, and mph on both lan would enable their use Our engineers talk to ou m a mofro en the tak to ion sin iss cou t nsm are a distan our customers.”

BMW engine and tra malls. These vehicles cases our engineers are of nearly by the way. es , liv led the coo t gh ter bli wa y of vehicle had a Its ead le. alr torcyc airport taxis that ms then that this class see paIt ty uri sec A s. thi s. of ll airport concourse Imagine the versatility construction sites as we every pedestrian inside growing part to play in then save and sim n is rai s ter icle of use veh les se are mi the ey munity. Th trol could cover Part of the DNA of all of a dam. as other parts of our com or e lak oa ss wm cro sno to as use lity ple and ere peo miles by having the abi rolling and security plicity and reliability. Wh ful for firefighting, pat r of life or t of this is $40,000 but tte cos ma a the ly nt ral me lite mo is y the At ’s not forget that they are biles their reliabilit ambulances. Oh, and let where it is only want t int no po uld the wo to get you to ent ing ext ry, I mean important site they are try death and to a certain also really good fun. Sor a parable jet ski. er cov com a dis n and tha n ow ive r ens you 15% more exp lity tools. to be out on the dunes on based management uti most committed brand ett explains how nn Be . icle veh r you in Polaris is probably the design fault y have just opened the in the Middle East, the

P O T R U O F O E N O ST U J T O N IS E A U E E H T W “ Y A W E H T G IN P HA S IS IT S T E K R A M N E .”

T T C U D O R P R U O G IN P O L E V E D T A K O O L FEBRUARY 2014 TRUCK&FLEET ME 23

PARTING SHOT

Finding the right n formula. TATA is kee ve to use the race to pro technolog y.

THE FORMULA ONE FOR TRUCKERS

T

ata Motors, which has an over 60% share in the Indian truck market, is launching of T1 Tata Prima race, which it billed as the Formula 1 for truckers. The race will be held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Tata Motors managing director Karl Slym has told Indian media.

“This will add an exciting new dimension to one of the largest truck markets in the world,” Slym said.

The Hindustan reported that the heavily modified Tata Prima trucks on BIC at the gala event on 23 March will be driven by a team of 12 international drivers, handpicked by truck racing champion Steve Horne.

“It would be unfair to pitch inexperienced local drivers straight on to the race track,” said R. Ramakrishan, a senior vice-president at Tata Motors said. “As it becomes a regular event, over the years, local drivers will be selected and trained, and will participate in the event. And other truck makers may also eventually like to participate.”

The specially modified Tata Prima truck will be powered by a Cummins engine that produces 370 bhp of peak power and 1,550 Nm of torque, with a top speed of 110 kph. Though 110 kph does not sound much compared to typical F1 speeds of 300 kph, the sheer mass of a truck hurtling on a race track at 110 kph will translate into an awesome experience.

The race will consist of 25 laps of the 5.1-km circuit. The race itself is divided into two parts

– a qualifying race, and the main race. Other attractions on race day would be a bike race, a truck parade and truck stunts, apart from truck art – which is a genre all by itself – and a concert to wind up the proceedings.

“The DNA of trucking is identified with carrying goods,” said Pisharody. “With this, we hope to bring in some glory into the profession.”

“Truckers would be able to visualize themselves as racers, which will bring some self-esteem,” added Ramakrishnan.

Technology introduced in the racing machines will eventually find their way into production trucks, said Karl Slym. “This will create a laboratory for technological advancement and development in safety, durability, reliability and performance,” he added.

“WITH THIS, WE HOPE TO BRING IN SOME GLORY INTO THE PROFESSION.” 24 TRUCK&FLEET ME FEBRUARY 2014