WELCOME FROM YOUR PUBLISHER
WELCOME TO THE LATEST EDITION OF DAF DRIVER MAGAZINE
Rising fuel costs, we’ve got tips to save you money. Publisher - Matthew Eisenegger
RISING PROSPECTS, RISING PRICES
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here’s a new air of optimism about the industry as we put the dark days of Covid well and truly behind us, and the focus is on the future. In the short term, DAF has stolen a march on the rest of the industry with the launch of tis extended cabs, and we’ve got the inside story on how this was achieved. We can also look forward to more new product news from DAF in the Autumn, this time on the distribution truck front, but for the moment my lips must remain sealed on this topic! Longer-term, of course, we are all viewing the end of fossil-fuelled road transport with a degree of trepidation, but as our write-up on the new allelectric Porsche Taycan proves, switching from oilbased fuels to batteries certainly won’t take the fun out of driving. Meanwhile, it’s worth remembering that all current and recent DAF trucks can run on ‘fossil-free’ HVO without modification or downgraded performance. A move worth considering, particularly if customers are pressing you to reduce your carbon footprint. But there is a cloud on the horizon: and that’s inflation. This is a bit of a double-edged sword for the transport industry. On the positive side, truck drivers are now enjoying wage increases of the likes not seen for decades: awards of 25 per cent are not unheard of in some sectors, and these headline-grabbing figures are doing a lot to solve the driver shortage by making trucking an attractive and rewarding profession again.
Rising fuel prices are less welcome. We’ve got some tips in this issue on how fuel consumption can be reduced by carrying out easy routine checks and simple modifications to existing vehicles, but ultimately this is a cost hike that is going to be with us for a while, and the industry, and its customers, are going to have to get used to it. Fortunately, rising costs and inflation are being widely debated right across all business communities now. Discussions about ‘taking cost out of transport’ are no longer taking place: clients are now just grateful to be getting their goods moved in a safe and timely manner. Shortages of drivers and vehicles mean that there are no longer three hauliers knocking on the door looking for every job: quite the reverse, in fact. If ever there was a time for the industry to put its collective brave pants on and ask for more money, then this is it. Don’t worry about upsetting people: transport has never actually been a charitable operation, and the days when hauliers had to work hard to save money so they could pass the savings onto their clients are now over. It’s time to know your own worth, and ask for what the job is worth. That way, you might even be able to save the planet by buying an electric Porsche! Enjoy the read, and enjoy the greater rewards that these times will bring.
The Bigger Picture
Look out for the dynamic QR codes in this issue of DAF Driver magazine. Simply open the camera on your mobile device and point it at the code, then sit back for some exciting additional content.
SPRING 2022 DAF DRIVER
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