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DAIMLER: Digitally ‘Shaping Future Transportation’ APRIL 16

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Contents APRIL 16

Fleet Transport Magazine, D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Ireland. F12 E7P2 Tel: +353 (0)94 9372819/ 9372826 Fax: +353 (0)94 9373571 Email: enquiries@fleet.ie

4 News • BUMBLEance Truck Run on the treble • IRHA AGM & Conference 2016 • HGV Stats 2015 • New Owners for Dennis Eagle • Waterford Truck Show 2016 next month • Volvo I-Shift crawler • Zero emission refers best • Charge R&D EV truck 8 Viewpoint From Neil McDonnell, GM, FTAI

Subscription Hotline: 094 93 72827 Editor: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie Contributors: Sean Murtagh, Paul White, Cathal Doyle, Jonathan Lawton, Donal Dempsey, Howard Knott, Jerry Kiersey, HSA, Dr. Betty Maguire, Michael Corcoran, Rob VanDieten, Gianenrico Griffini, Leonard Allison Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Paul White, Cathal Doyle, Rob Van Dieten, Howard Knott, Joe O'Brien, Michael Corcoran, Jerry Kiersey, Leonard Allison, Kilian Bishop - Fotodesign, Tom Lee, Arctic Van Test, Provision Photography, Jim Coughlan Administration: Denise Owens enquiries@fleet.ie Advertising: Mary Morrissey - mary@fleet.ie

10 Cover Shaping the future of transport 12 New Fleet Featuring new Scania, Mercedes-Benz & Renault Trucks 14 Report I FTAI Transport Manager Seminar 18 Preview I CV Show 2016, Birmingham 20 Preview II FPS EXPO 2016, Liverpool

www.fleet.ie | 3 26 Trailer & Bodybuilder Dennison, Thermo King & Conti tyres mentioned 28 Profile Award winning Macroom Haulage, Cork 31 Fuel Prices & Safety Matters 32 Report II CILT Seminar, Cork 33 Test Exclusive! Annual Arctic Van Test 2016 38 Health Matters Watching what we eat!

40 Times Past Open Top buses 42 Comment Exit Left or Right Britain?

44 Finance Succession 46-49 Fleet Maritime

Sponsorship/Events: Orla Sweeney - orla@fleet.ie Design: Eamonn Wynne

22 Safety 5th annual CLOCS Conference, London

50 Legal Mobile phone abuse

25 Fleeting Shots A Movie, an Award & a new Book featured

53 Opinion Insurance & Tachograph issues raised

Printed in Ireland

54 Soapbox Us and the EU

P12

P25

P26

Fleet Transport/ Fleet Car/ Fleet Bus & Coach/ Fleet Van & Utility/ Fleet Trailer & Body Builder/ Fleet Maritime/ Green Fleet Management are published by JJDS Publications Ltd. Registered Office: D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo.

Co. Reg. 368767 Directors: Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh.

Transport Barometer: Data from 16/01/2016 - 14/02/2016

TimoCom performed well in 2015 Disclaimer: Fleet Transport Magazine management can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributed articles or statements appearing in this magazine and any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Fleet Transport management, save where otherwise indicated. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the authors, contributors, Editors or publishers.

The Editor reserves the right to make publishing decisions on any advertisements or editorial article submitted to the magazine and to refuse publication or to edit any editorial material as seems appropriate to him. Professional legal advice should always be sought in relation to any specific matter.

Fleet Transport Official Irish Jury Member of the International Truck of the Year Award

Official Irish jury member of the International Forklift Truck Award

During 2015, TimoCom once again strengthened its position as Europe's lar ge s t tr ansp or t platform with over 110,000 users enter/ publish up to 500,000 freight and vehicle offers daily. Projected over the whole of last year, that equates to 68.1 million offers published via it s platform in 2015. Its newly introduced TimoCom Messenger is also a success: already over 700,000 messages have been sent using the service.

TimoCom will be exhibitor at Multimodal 2016 in Birmingham 10-12 May 2016, stand 1204.

Find more information about TimoCom at www.timocom.ie

follow us on twitter.com/fleettransport

4 | NEWS 1

BUMBLEance Truck Run 2016 on the treble!

B

UMBLEance,thechildren’snational ambulance service is set to benefit on the treble from a mammoth charity truck run due to take place on 1 May next. This follows on from the inaugural BUMBLEance Truck Run which was held last May and organised by Tierney International and the Barack Obama Plaza.

This year sees the truck run broaden its reach with the integration of three separate runs into one, taking in the Tipperary Town Plaza and newly opened Galway Plaza at Killtulagh, finishing at the Barack Obama Plaza in Moneygall, County Tipperary (Jct 23 M7).

The routes are as follows: • Barack Obama Plaza > Toomevara > Nenagh > Borrisokane > Birr > Roscrea > Dunkerrin > Moneygall.

Registration: 11:30am – 1:30pm Departing - 2pm • Tipperary Town Plaza > Limerick > Nenagh > Borrisokane > Birr > Roscrea > Dunkerrin > Moneygall.

Registration: 11am – 1pm Departing - 1:30pm

fully interactive and most modern ambulance service for children and provides stressreducing journeys for sick children in stateof-the-art, safe and fun vehicles.

• The Galway Plaza > Killimor > Portumna > Birr > Roscrea > Dunkerrin > Moneygall.

Registration: 11:30am – 1pm Departing - 2pm Main organiser Jennifer Tierney, Tierney International is very grateful to both the Tipperary Truck Show and O’Toole Transport for coming on board to help out at the Tipperary Town Plaza and the Galway Plaza venues. The event will also see Bikemarshals.ie taking over all marshalling duties of the run. With a variety of trucks taking to the roads of Counties Offaly, Tipperary, Limerick and Galway, the aim is to raise vital funds to support the important work of BUMBLEance, a specifically adapted ambulance for children. It is the world’s first

IRHA's 43rd AGM & Conference 2016

O

n the weekend of 15/16 next, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), holds its 43rd Annual General Meeting & Conference at Clayton Whites Hotel, Wexford.

President of the IRHA Verona Murphy in looking forward to the event and welcoming delegates to her native county commented: “We are pleased to host our national AGM and Conference in Wexford Town this year.

While there will be plenty for attendees to see and do during the course of the weekend, there will also be important decisions to be made by the membership in regards to the currently challenging operating conditions within the sector; primarily the unsustainable increase in fleet insurance over the last number of months.”

“The on-going migrant crisis in Europe, and in particular Calais, is creating untold difficulties for our international fleet. We are continuously incurring additional cost as a result of this current crisis and meaningful support is needed. It is of the utmost urgency FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

that a stable Government is formed in order to progress such pressing matters,” Ms. Murphy continued.

In terms of future proofing the industry, the Association will be making information available over the Conference weekend on the new HGV Driver Apprenticeship programme that the IRHA has been awarded

by Government, and due to commence in September.

Wright Insurance Brokers, Wexford, the main sponsors will have a large marquee on Wexford’s Quayside for the members welcome gathering on Friday evening from 9pm. The IRHA’s traditional commercial display will also be featured on the Quayside, sponsored

by Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles, through local dealers Somers Commercials Ltd., Camolin. Additional sponsorship is from Rosslare Europort. Among the confirmed exhibitors are Ashbourne Truck Centre, DAF Trucks, Dennison Trailers, Krone Trailers, Quinn Refrigerated Vehicles, Scania (KD Garages) and Schmitz Cargobull.

“We were completely overwhelmed by the generous and positive response to the first ever BUMBLEance truck run last May, where almost €35,000 was raised to help buy equipment for the second BUMBLEance.

It is a privilege for our company to lead the co-ordination of this event again and we welcome the entire industry to come on board and support this wonderful service,” said Jennifer.

All trucks will return to the Barack Obama Plaza at approximately 4pm on 1 May where there will be a wide variety of family fun entertainment. The event will be followed by a social night in Ollie Hayes Bar, Moneygall.

“Truck owners and drivers from all over Ireland (and beyond) are invited to take part in this event. All makes and models of trucks are welcome but the run is restricted to tractorunits and rigids. Secure overnight parking will be available in the Barack Obama Plaza,” explained Jennifer.

Follow the event on Facebook https://www. facebook.com/bumbleancetruckrun2016/ Interested sponsors please contact Jennifer Tierney -jennifer@tierneyinternational.com or call 0505-45277.

Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics

S

ome key numbers from the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport’s annual Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics have been released. The bulletin is the result of a broad analysis of the national vehicle fleet and contains statistical tables.

The total number of licensed (taxed) vehicles recorded on Irish roads at the 31 December 2015 was 2,570,294. This represents an increase of 54,972 vehicles (2.19%) on the previous year. The main components of the vehicle fleet include 1,985,130 private cars, 330,541 goods vehicles, 82,046 agricultural tractors and 36,974 motorcycles.

80.51% of goods vehicles are 4 years old and over, while 73.17% are 6 years old and over.

NEWS II | 5

Dennis Eagle owners merge with Terberg Environmental All-new Dennis Eagle Elite6 from the Low Entry RCV Specialist

‘A

strong team, producing waste collection systems throughout the world,’ is the abiding objective in Dennis Eagle’s parent company Ros Roca Environment merging with Terberg Environmental, a division of the Terberg Group B.V. The coming together of the Spanish-Dutch partnership aims to establish a leading international group providing innovative solutions such as truck chassis, waste collection vehicle bodies and waste loading systems for the recycling and waste disposal industry. Future plans are to enter the reemerging construction sector.

The new company called Terberg-Ros Roca Group Ltd., will be based at Dennis Eagle’s HQ in Warwick (UK) and will have a network of production plants in England, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany,

Brazil and China.

Terberg Group B.V. will have a majority shareholding in the merged company and Godfried Terberg will be its Chief Executive. TerbergRos Roca Group Ltd., will have revenues of approximately €350 million annually.

Based in IJsselstein, Netherlands, the Terberg Group is a family run business which started as a village forge in 1869 and now consists of 20 operating companies in 9 countries.

With annual revenues of €450 million and over 1200 employees, the Terberg Group has 6 divisions: Terminal & RoRo tractors, Loading systems for the waste and recycling industry, Truck-mounted forklift trucks,

Special vehicles, Car/Commercial Vehicle modifications and vehicle leasing.

Ros Roca’s key business is producing equipment and designing and developing technical systems and processes for the recycling and waste disposal industry, present on five continents. Ros Roca has annual revenues of €320 million and has 1300 employees.

Waterford Truck & Motor Show 2016 – Steel Horses return to Tramore!

T

ramore, Waterford’s seaside resort and popular racing venue, sees the return of horses of a different kind this summer. The occasion is the Waterford Truck & Motor Show 2016 which will take place on the weekend of 28/29 May next, with trucks stopping off along the Promenade just like the tourist trains from long ago.

From its humble beginnings four years ago, the Waterford Truck & Motor Show has seen considerable growth year-on-year and has become known as the top event for transport company owners, truck drivers, fleet managers and motor enthusiasts in general to attend.

“This year will see us move from the Waterford Airport Industrial Estate which has been our home for the past four years to the Promenade in Tramore with the help and support of Waterford City & County Council,” stated Lynda Lonergan, on behalf of the organising committee.

Past runnings of this two-day event have att racted exhibitors and attendees from all over Ireland and the UK, who have commented that the Waterford Truck &

Motor Show is completely unrivalled in Ireland. A big customised truck display from The Netherlands and Britain has just been confi rmed for this year. “It has been noted by many to be comparable to the prestigious Truckfest event in Peterborough in the UK. The Waterford Truck & Motor Show has been of huge commercial success to past exhibitors, all of whom have returned year after year. Visitors to the show are key people from within the Irish road transport and haulage industries,” added Lynda.

Show 2016 at Tramore: • Customised and Vintage trucks • HGVs & LCVs from local main Dealers • Everyday working trucks, trailers & fleets • Vintage & Classic tractors • Trade Stands • Newly launched and registered trucks • Adjacent to Funfare Park “Just 15 minutes from Waterford City, Tramore is an ideal location for exhibitors and families and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the new event venue along the Promenade. As we have supported local charities with proceeds from the event from day one, this year’s supported charities will be the RNLI Lifeboats, Pieta House and the Irish Red Cross,” concluded Lynda.

The Waterford Truck & Motor Show 2016 is sponsored by Bridgestone Tyres and Topaz, with Fleet Transport as media partners. For further details and to book vehicles on-line please log-on to www. waterfordtruckshow.com

What to see at Waterford Truck & Motor www.fleet.ie

6 | NEWS 111

Volvo adds crawler gears to I-Shift transmission *Can start off from standstill with 325 tonnes GCW

V

olvo Trucks’ new version of its award winning and popular I-Shift automated transmission adds up to two new crawler gears. This means, among other things, that the truck can move off from standstill and transport a gross combination weight (GCW) of up to 325 tonnes. According to Peter Hardin, Product Manager FM & FMX, Volvo Trucks: “I-Shift with crawler gears offers an entirely new scope for heavy trucks with automated transmission to regulate their speed when crawling slowly and reversing. The driver can haul a heavy load without worrying about getting into situations that may lead to costly standstills.”

For haulage firms carrying out heavy transport operations on demanding surfaces as well as regular highway driving, crawler gears also offer considerable flexibility and the possibility of improved fuel economy.

With the new crawler gears, the truck can drive

“I-Shift with crawler gears makes it possible to

at speeds as low as 0.5-2 km/h. “The vastly improved driveability and startability with the new crawler gears makes the driver’s job far easier when operating in difficult terrain on slippery surfaces with heavy loads, such as at construction sites, in mines or in forests.

The heavier the transport operation and the poorer the surface or the terrain, the more the driver gains from a truck with crawler gears,” explained Peter.

start off from standstill in extreme situations.

Combining them with a suitable rear axle ratio that optimises engine revs at high speeds results in lower fuel consumption on the highway. This is a significant benefit to haulage firms doing this kind of work,” added Peter.

Depending on application area, I-Shift is available with one or two forward crawler gears, and with or without two reverse crawler gears.

Zero-emission transport refrigeration systems can vastly improve air quality

D

earman,thecleancoldtechnology specialist, has indicated through research that zero-emission transport refrigeration systems could cut overall engine pollution from refrigerated vehicles by up to 93% and thereby have a major impact on air quality.

Refrigeration systems on trucks are typically powered by an auxiliary diesel engine. Poorly regulated, these small secondary engines can emit up to six times the NOx and 29 times the Particulate Matter (PM) of a truck’s Euro6 propulsion engine.

The findings of Dearman’s research indicate that equipping a Euro6-standard distribution rigid body truck with a zero-emission refrigeration system, as opposed to a dieselpowered unit, would cut the vehicle’s overall engine emissions of particulate matter by 93%, and reduce NOx emissions by 73%.

A similar study released last year found that pollution from transport refrigeration could cost European Union (EU) countries €22 billion over the next decade, as the EU refrigerated road vehicle fleet grows to almost 1.2 million by 2025. If nothing is done, the environmental and health impacts of emissions of CO2 , HFCs, NOx and PM will impose an annual burden of more than €2.5 billion in 2025.

Toby Peters, Chief Executive of Dearman said: “Air pollution accounts for 400,000 premature deaths in Europe each year, so reducing emissions wherever possible has to be a priority. Companies have already invested billions into R&D to make truck and car engines significantly cleaner.

But auxiliary engines, including transport

refrigeration units, are lagging behind. By increasingly moving over to zero-emission alternatives, there is an opportunity to have a major environmental impact without forcing companies to change the way they operate.

It could be a small change that makes a big difference.”

Range extended electric powered truck prototype on test

C

harge, the appropriately named project created to develop a revolutionary range extended electric truck and bus prototype is hard at work at the Millbrook test track in the UK, proving its potential to deliver ultra low emissions at operating costs which are far lower than fossil fuel equivalents.

Charge R&D, an internationally funded

FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

UK-based high technology company, has designed this zero-emission new truck and bus platform to be used in trucks and buses from 2 to 26 tonnes GVW. The endurance testing programme using this first prototype, which will be followed by several others this year, is designed to evaluate major components and the fuel efficiency of the range extended electric concept truck.

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* The TÜV Rheinland , an independent certification body has certified a 10,9% reduction in the fuel consumption of a Renault Trucks T Optifuel vehicle compared with a standard vehicle. The two vehicles compared were 2 Renault Trucks T 4x2 tractors, Renault Trucks T Optifuel and Renault Trucks T standard, both fitted with a 430 hp Euro 6 DTI 11 engine with the same drive axle ratio (2.64). The 2 vehicles each had a 32 t load. The test was carried out over a 200 km route, typical of long-distance inter-regional operations. Both drivers benefited from Optifuel Training in economic driving.

8 | VIEWPOINT

Neil McDonnell, General Manager, Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI)

Road Transport Enforcement needs investigation

A

ttendees at FTA Ireland’s recent Transport Managers’ Conference in Enfield last month heard from a wide range of enforcement officials, from both Ireland and the UK. Most interesting of all was the warm and engaging reception enjoyed by Beverley Bell, Senior Traffic Commissioner in Great Britain.

Irish transport operators are not known for their love of regulation, but the standout message from Ms. Bell was that the British system of transport enforcement, through a dedicated group of seven full-time Traffic Commissioners, is fair, robust, and consistently applied.

The contrast with the Irish system, administered in the main through the District Court, is stark.

But what objective evidence is there that enforcement in Ireland is variable or arbitrary? FTA Ireland studied fi nes data relating to road transport offences prosecuted by the RSA from February 2010 to July 2015, some 779 prosecutions in total.

The largest proportion of prosecutions (41%) was under EU Reg 561/2006, (Drivers’ Hours). The next most common offence (27% of total) was EU Reg 3821/1985 (Tachograph). It should be immediately apparent to the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation why we took such a hard stance last year on insisting that the Labour Court formally recognised these key pieces of transport legislation. A transport operator cannot be a slave to two masters when it comes to regulation of employees’ working time.

The average District Court fi ne for Drivers’ Hours was €1,032. The average fi ne for tachograph offences was €931. The average fine for illegal haulage was just €519, something which irks licenced operators a very great deal.

FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

for court. It must be very disappointing for the authorities who have worked hard on a prosecution to see a judge award a nominal fi ne, or a donation to the poor box.

However, it is the range and inconsistency of the fi nes which is most revealing in the data. For example, the highest operator fi ne for Drivers’ Hours was €30,000, in Carlow, the lowest (other than the eight cases where no fi ne was attached at all) was €50, in Drogheda. The highest operator fi ne for tachograph offences was €15,000 (Athy), the lowest, other than no fi ne at all, was €75, in Naas. The highest fi ne for illegal haulage was €4,000, in Naas, the lowest, other than no fi ne at all, was €73, in Ardee. There were two cases of mixed tachograph and drivers' offences dealt with in Cork where the District Justice fi ned the defendant €1.

Looking across all offences, the lowest average fi nes are awarded in Kerry (€206), and the highest average in Carlow (€3,505).

While the District Justices in all these cases would no doubt cite their judicial independence, and the principle in each case must be decided on its merits, the administration of road transport law is severely undermined by this divergence in enforcement. Were a transport operator to ask an actuary to assess the costs of non-compliance with transport law based on these figures, the actuary could hardly conclude that breaking the law is a costly affair. The outcome on the day in court is no more than the luck of the draw!

The effect on the enforcement authorities from the Gardai and RSA should also be noted here. Road transport prosecutions are technical in nature, and difficult to prepare

Coincidentally, the regulatory issue also arose with a second speaker at the conference.

Alastair Purdy of Purdy Fitzgerald Solicitors, addressed the conference on matters of employment law for transport operators.

He noted the difficulties experienced by employers in getting the Workplace Relations Commission to recognise the applicable EU regulations on tachograph and drivers’ hours.

Apropos Beverley Bell’s contribution, he said that a dedicated professional regulatory body for road transport operations would also be useful in the application of labour laws for the sector. Unlike working time in other settings, working time (as a component of drivers’ hours) in the transport sector is subject to Garda enforcement through the tachograph. The WRC has litt le expertise in the area. An opportunity therefore arose for an expert body which could enforce both areas.

The only sign that the courts might be taking road transport more seriously is that the level of fi nes is slowly increasing. In 2010, the average fi ne was €971. Last year it rose to €1,339. Operators should also note that the courts fi x costs on the defendant in most road transport cases (66%), and in one third of cases, the level of costs awarded exceeds the fi ne imposed.

However, it is clear that the enforcement of road transport law through our courts at present is capricious and subjective. It cannot honestly or objectively be said to constitute a deterrent to unlawful operations.

In her closing remarks, Beverley Bell asked conference delegates for a show of hands in support of professional regulation of the sector. Roughly two thirds of delegates raised their hands. It is time for our incoming Justice Minister and Transport Minister to rethink the way we administer road transport law.

REGISTER NOW at www.CVRT.ie All Operators of Heavy Goods Vehicles, Goods Trailers, Buses and Ambulances are required by law to make an online ‘Self-Declaration’ every year with the RSA. Register online at www.cvrt.ie to complete and submit your ‘Self-Declaration’ and access your CVRT Online Account. It only takes a few moments to register!

What you can do online with us: •

• • • • •

WHAT YOU N

EED TO REGIS TER:

Email Addre ss and Mobil e Number Company Re gistration N (or PPSN if So umber le Trader o

View your vehicle information (test reports, pass statements, r Partnership ) Transport Lic roadside/premises inspection Chassis/VIN ence Number & reports, and CRW details) of your vehicnumber of one les (only if you Receive alerts and reminders a licensed o are perator with R TO L) about your vehicles Book commercial vehicle tests Apply for ADR certificates and replacement CRWs Upload additional vehicle documentation (that can be accessed for vehicle testing and reduce the need for paperwork at test time) Add and remove vehicles from your online fleet list

There is no charge to register with us!

TIP ONE Display your disc. All commercial vehicles should have a disc displayed, failure to do so can mean lengthier delays for you at roadside enforcement checks as well as being against the law.

TIP TWO Test on time. The CRW issuing date is now aligned to your test due date so there is no incentive/benefit in delaying having your annual test. CRWs for 12 months are only issued where your vehicle is tested on time.

Register now at www.CVRT.ie If you are having problems registering online then you can contact our helpdesk @ 091 480981 or email us at selfdec@rsa.ie

10 | COVER

Daimler is paving the way fo

I

t’s back to the future at Daimler Trucks as the German global brand chose the iconic Areal Böhler steel works factory in Düsseldorf to herald the beginning of the third Industrial Revolution. In taking a major step forward in bringing the truck into the world of the Internet, Daimler Trucks is investing €500m over the next four years to bring together complete connectivity of trucks with all other transport participants. Dovetailing this innovative move is perfecting and further refining autonomous driving and the platooning of trucks, in which it is taking a worldwide lead.

“The completely connected truck initiates a radical change in transport, which will make road goods traffic even more effective and efficient – not only for drivers, haulers and vehicle manufactures, but also for society as a whole,” stated Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard (pictured), Head of Daimler Trucks & Buses in opening Daimler’s annual ‘Shaping Future Transportation Conference’ with the theme Campus Connectivity. As demand from e-commerce continues to increase, Dr. Bernhard sees the connection and connectivity of trucks to the whole logistical process as essential for the suppliers to meet customers’ delivery expectations.

“Global road freight transport is expected to triple by 2050. One thing is clear, the road network will not triple, and this is a huge challenge for everyone and everything involved with logistics. In fact, logistics takes place in a big network, with the truck in its centre. Apart from that, there are many more players. We have manufacturers, logistics providers, cargo terminals, customers, rest areas, infrastructure, other vehicles, workshops, authorities, insurance, finance partners and many more players. So far, the connections of this network are sketchy; FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

sometimes they barely exist, because the flow of information, of real information – is weak.

The consequence is a waste of resources,” added Wolfgang.

“A lack of real time information regarding arrival time, cargo space, traffic flow, rest areas and I could go on and on. There’s a lack of real-time information for all stakeholders and with respect, to the entire transportation process.”

“Soon, these problems can be problems of the past. We now have the solution at hand - connectivity. The connected truck can provide the real time information that is now lacking. That means, the connected truck becomes the main data node of the logistics network. Right in its centre.”

Internet of things all tools and machinery will be equipped with sensors, which constantly provide a real time information flow. This will fundamentally change the way we make business. The Internet of things is offering completely new opportunities,” emphasised Jeremy Rifk in.

Mr. Rifk in painted the bigger picture during his presentation, sharing with us his grand vision of the future of technology and how the “Internet of things” may evolve over time. “Fact is, the Internet of things is real already. It’s real as we speak. In 2016, experts predict 1.5 billion things will come online. In the very minute I’ve been on stage, another 3,000 things got plugged into the Internet of Th ings,” said Mr. Bernhard in support.

“See what happens when we connect the truck to the Internet of things. Take the example of the problem of waiting times during deliveries.

With connectivity, the truck can send its freight papers to its destination, the cargo terminal, in advance - and completely digital.

That means – no paperwork, no waiting when entering the cargo area. At the destination, the freight papers can be updated online and sent back to the logistics provider, along with real time data on departure of the truck. Plus the truck can inform the customer; goods delivered, zero damage, photo attached. All that happens without waiting times, without paperwork.”

Paramount in the delivery of this advanced technology is further developments made with Daimler’s FleetBoard telematics system and its North American counterpart Detroit Connect. Together, these systems can handle the large volume of data, which the truck can send and receive, plus correspond with each other. “When the first iPhone was introduced in November 2007, our customers had already been using FleetBoard for seven years. For over 15 years they have now been able to control their fleet and driver management efficiently both in their Mercedes-Benz trucks and in those from other manufacturers,” explained Stefan Buchner, Head of MercedesBenz Trucks.

“Today, Daimler has laid the foundation for the third Industrial Revolution. In the era of the

“To ensure that it remains ahead in the development of new digital solutions related

COVER | 11

for new Industrial Revolution to the connected truck, on 1 April 2016, Mercedes-Benz is establishing the new unit Digital Solutions and Services headed by Dr. Daniela Gerd tom Markotten, who has many years of experience in the field of IT supported vehicle telematics. Th is unit, which will also have FleetBoard as its nucleus, will direct all activities concerning digital applications for Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles,” he added.

Based on Daimler’s Highway Pilot System seen with its autonomously driven heavy trucks project in Germany (with the MercedesBenz Actros) and in Navara, USA (with the Freightliner Inspiration) in the last two years, the Highway Pilot Connect programme goes several steps further. To demonstrate the advantages of electronic vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) networking, a live presentation was undertaken on the A52 Autobahn near Düsseldorf, and also led the way for the next phase of autonomous driving with platooning. For the demo, with trade press on-board, Daimler used three fully loaded (at 40 GVW) Mercedes-Benz Actros 1845 4x2 tractor-units with Krone curtainside semi-trailers. Connecting the articulated vehicles in the platoon required a distance of only 15 metres instead of the usual 50 metres between them. Th is shorter space between tail to cab produces a significant reduction in aerodynamic drag. In this way a platoon of three trucks can achieve a fuel saving of around 7%, reducing CO2 emissions in the same measure. (The first truck achieves 2% saving, truck number two 11%, and the third gaining 9%.)

systems’ compatibility is paramount for the combinations.

“The smart, self-optimising truck has the highest priority for us. Using connected communication between the truck and other vehicles and the surroundings, we can improve traffic flow and lower fuel consumption and emissions. At the same time intelligent trucks help to lower the number of traffic accidents.

This is an important step on our way towards accident-free driving,” says Sven Ennerst, Head of Truck Product Engineering & Global Procurement.

Compared to the Highway Pilot, Highway Pilot Connect has additional software developments and additional technical functions for electronic vehicle docking (or platooning). Communication between vehicles is made possible by an onboard telematics platform. A specific V2V communication module using special WiFi standard reserved exclusively for automotive enables secure and safe direct data transfer between the trucks. Highway Pilot Connect uses this for a constant exchange of information with other trucks and the environment.

While on the demo drive on the three truck platoon, Christian Ballarin, technical expert who worked on the project explained the many aspects to the technology. “All members of such a platoon can be autonomously driven trucks. They are able to maintain their direction independently of the vehicle ahead, and thanks to their combination of linear and

Just two blue switches engage or disengage the platoon

lateral guidance, along set markings on the road, they can react to expected situations at any time. Th is applies if other vehicles cut into or leave the platoon’s space. In this case the vehicle can smoothly disengage from the platoon, reduce speed and continue alone in autonomous mode. The driver does not need to intervene.”

In conclusion, Dr. Bernhard laid out Daimler's stall, “There's a revolution going on – and the truck is in its centre. We have a vision of the future, where the entire transportation process is completely seamless. Where the flow of goods on the road is mirrored by a flow of information in the Internet – in real time. Where the connected truck is the main data node right at the centre of the logistics network.

“120 years after inventing the truck, time has come to re-invent it. To connect it to the cloud in order to unleash it’s full potential for industry and society. As the industry leader it is our proud ambition to shape the future of transportation. As the industry leader it is our ambition to set the pace in connectivity.”

In addition, platooning allows much more efficient use of the road space; thanks to the shorter distance between vehicles, a platoon of three linked trucks has a length of only 80 metres, compared to 150 metres of road space normally required for the separate articulated units. At the same time platooning makes road traffic much safer, while a human behind the wheel has a reaction time of 1.4 seconds, Highway Pilot Connect transmits braking signals to the vehicles behind in less than 0.1 seconds. Th is considerably reduced reaction time can make a major contribution towards reducing rear-end collisions such as occur when encountering traffic jams on motorways.

Platooning can take up to ten trucks maximum with a minimum of two. Brake Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

www.fleet.ie

12 | NEW FLEET

BM Transport ‘Driven by Service’ with Scania

‘D

riven by Service’ the company motto at BM Transport (Newbliss, County Monaghan) could equally extend to the levels of professionalism the company receives from Scania trucks and local dealer McElvaney Motors.

BM Transport, which specialises in cross-channel haulage, operates 75 trucks, 40 of which are recently purchased Scanias. Six new R450 Topline 6x2 tractor-units have joined the strong Scania fleet, which includes R490s/R560s/R580s and R620 V8s, 4x2/6x2/6x2.4 tractors with Topline and Highline cabs.

According to Dave Murphy, BM Transport; “By utilising state-of-the-art vehicles and equipment, it guarantees our customers the best possible service with minimum downtime. In buying Scanias we know we receive

backup from a supplier in McElvaney Motors, which provides us with the same level of co-operation and service that we provide our customers, and it is for this reason we have our fleet now mainly Scania.”

McElvaneys, a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Dealer also supplied four new Caddy vans to BM Transport recently.

Strong livery sales for O’Connell & Perennial 1

T

here is nothing like an attractive livery on a truck fleet. Strong, statement-making colour schemes and graphics set out to identify the company and what it does. Two companies with such eye-catching mobile advertising units were put onto operations by O’Connell Concrete and Perennial Freight recently.

Located in Ardnacrusha, County Clare, O’Connell Concrete’s new Mercedes-Benz Arocs 1827L 4x2 rigid with Midi-Cab comes

factory painted! Equipped with a Liebherr mixed concrete tanker, it will undertake deliveries around Limerick City. Dennis O'Brien at Truckcar Sales, Limerick did the deal.

Having recently taken delivery of four new Mercedes-Benz Actros earlier this year, Perennial Freight has ordered a further 15 new Actros 2545LS, 6x2 tractor units, featuring 2.5m StreamSpace cabs, to be delivered on a phased basis over the next 18 months.

Europe. Once delivered, the new order will bring to the number of Actros in the firm’s fleet to over 70.

The new units come highly specified – all with flat floor, driver suspension seats, air conditioning, night heaters, Lane Keeping Assist, and Active Brake Assist, and they come equipped with the latest FleetBoard telematics system.

Finished in Perennial's distinctive cobalt blue livery, the trucks will be put to work at the company's Taghmon base in Wexford, servicing daily routes across Ireland, the UK and mainland

Brian Cunningham adds another Renault Truck to fleet

O

n the occasion of the official opening of Shaw Commercials’ new Renault Vans Centre in Castlebar, Brian Cunningham, Managing Director, Brian Cunningham Transport (Castlebar) received the keys to a new Renault Range T460 Comfort cab 6x2 tractor-unit from Mick Shaw, Managing Director, Shaw Commercials.

Brian is pleased to add yet another Renault truck to his growing fleet which now amounts to six vehicles comprising 2 x Range Ts & 4 x Premium LDs. “The drivers like them and they are great on fuel. Plus, the back up from Shaw Commercials is second to none," he said.

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14 | REPORT I

FTAI Transport Manager Seminar 2016 Brexit and the potential threat to international trade for Ireland - A view from the British Irish Chamber of Commerce - John McGrane, Director General

A

t the annual Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI) Transport Manager Seminar 2016 a broad range of topics and matters relating to operating a transport company in Ireland and overseas were covered. Over 150 transport and fleet managers attended the day long event held at the Johnstown House Hotel, Enfield to hear presentations from ten experts in the fields of business, legislation and compliance.

Chair - Neil McDonnell, GM FTAI

New Fuel Duel Mercedes-Benz Actros

Top of the agenda were the implications of Britain exiting the European Union, the suggestion of establishing a dedicated Traffic Court and approval of the appointment of a Transport Ombudsman.

FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

John McGrane, DG British Irish Chamber of Commerce stressed the significance of British withdrawal from the EU, particularly for Irish export producers and their carriers, plus the serious consequences for Northern Ireland.

“Britain was always only half in. We are with Europe, but we are not of Europe,” John began. “Ireland and Britain trade over £1 billion worth of goods and services every week and the UK is Ireland’s most important market, with the value of Irish exports to the UK at their highest level ever.” The UK exports more to Ireland than it does to China, India and Brazil combined.

“We’re joined at the economic hip relating to food, energy and services,” he added. “The ESRI estimate Brexit risks a 20% potential reduction in trade and 45% in wages.” In discussing the Norway and Swiss options, John claimed, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu!”

In highlighting the implication for the freight industry, John stated that Ireland would not get a special deal despite its periphery to the UK. Adding complexity is that Northern Ireland may have to be treated as another non-EU country. “Ireland and the United Kingdom may have to agree their own bilateral [arrangements], otherwise Border Controls, Customs and Passport issues arise.

Ultimately the freight business should plan ahead as costs will rise and delivery times will increase.”

Roadside enforcement - Focus on key areas for the freight industry - Superintendent Con O’Donohue, National Traffic Bureau

Supt. Con O'Donohue focused on the key areas for roadside enforcement for the road transport sector such as fatigue, seat belt usage, driver distraction, loads, speed and inadequate repairs.

“Fatigue is a contributory factor in 20% of collisions, with HGV drivers reported to have higher levels of sleepiness, primarily on long journeys and between certain times at night and during the afternoon. Other factors include alcohol intake, medication dependence, and long drives home after long shifts,” stated Con. “Prevention is key, which can be aided with a look at the work schedules for drivers relating to journey management. Health screening and the fitt ing of telematics in the vehicle can also help.”

Video footage dramatically demonstrated the significance of seat-belt usage, and the damage caused by driver distraction with mobile phone use. In highlighting multiagency roadside checks with the RSA and HSA, pictures of poorly loaded vehicles with a serious lack of load security were demonstrated, while the actual overloading of trucks and trailers was another major issue of concern. “High speed, and lack of control of the vehicle lead to serious incidents,” said Con. Th rough video footage taken near the roundabout at the 3 Arena in Dublin, a complete rollover of the vehicle was shown to highlight that it can happen so easily.

On the maintenance issue (or lack of it in many of the cases mentioned), pictures shown of bald tyres, well-worn loading straps, and even actual wheels coming off a truck due

REPORT I | 15

focuses on Legislation & Compliance to lack of regular checking, means that the authorities will be carrying out even more roadside checks in the future.

Commercial Vehicle Operator Risk Indicator (CVORI) - What it is and how it works – Ada Mulvihill, Head of CV & Driver Compliance Strategy Unit at the RSA

continually reviewed and we understand that there may be exceptions that need to be considered, which will lead to continued improvements.”

externally, but added, “It is a vibrant and exciting industry that has a major role in society, delivering everything from people to goods.”

The role of Traffic Commissioners in Great Britain - Senior Traffic Commissioner GB, Beverley Bell explains

Beverley also mentioned that the latest Statutory Guidance document, which explains the legal basis and the way Traffic Commissioners approach its functions, is now on-line.

Mobile worker law - The impact of S1 342, court rulings and current interpretations – Alastair Purdy, Purdy Fitzgerald

Following on from the earlier topic of maintenance, Ada Mulvihill from the Road Safety Authority explained in detail the Self Declaration programme for licensed hauliers to adhere to in order to meet compliance in two areas: drivers' hours and commercial vehicle roadworthiness.

Transport operators that make serious efforts to meet compliance are likely to get the green light from the RSA in more ways than realised, according to Ada, as interruptions to their business are minimised. By entering the annual on-line Self Declaration process it reduces the risk rating and improves the company’s profi le with the RSA. Using green, amber and red light designations, the RSA’s Operator Risk Indicator is in place internally, with pilot tests underway with a small group of hauliers to get their feedback.

After fi nal fi ne-tuning, it will go live in Q4 2016. “Dread to be red, and its good to be green,” were two points of significance made

by Ada in mentioning the consequences and benefits of both levels plus the influences of same. “Compliance at premises and roadside inspections are the most influential factors, as are successfully upheld prosecutions,” she added, while covering Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness and Drivers Hours & Tachograph legislation. Interestingly, she mentioned these two elements under the Overall Risk Rating, whichever is the highest across the two compliance areas. “The Operator Risk Rating will be

Beverley Bell, Senior Traffic Commissioner GB explained the functions of her office which covers licensing and regulation of those who operate HGVs & PSVs. She outlined the need for transport manager and drivers to undergo refresher training.

"Drivers are a company's best asset but biggest risk," she said.

With 16 years’ experience and as President of the UK Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport, Beverley has expertise in the industry. She works with six other Transport Commissioners in keeping control of over 500,000 licensed vehicles. Conscious of the trials and tribulations of operating an efficient and safe transport fleet, Beverley has heard all the excuses and broken promises, but understands that there is a need to get the industry on side “for the benefit of the industry.” For serious offenders, Operator Licences have been suspended, followed up by having safety inspections and driver’s hours’ historical records checked.

On occasion licenses have been revoked, and fleet sizes cut to half.

Beverley commented on a loophole that could have consequences for Ireland in that there is nothing (as yet) to stop de-licensed UK hauliers from sett ing up and operating their transport business over here.

She admitted that the perception of the industry is not as good as it should be and there is litt le att ractive about transport

The complexities that are the Working Time Directive and Driving Time regulations were discussed by Alistair Purdy, Purdy Fitzgerald Solicitors. Regulation SI 342, the recent Labour Court rulings, and District Court examples involving hauliers and drivers were mentioned. He called for a dedicated traffic court, similar to the UK, which would free up valuable Garda and judiciary time.

Regarding Working Time, Alastair explained the obligations on the employer such as maintaining a record of working patterns in relation to driving, other work, breaks, daily and weekly rest periods and periods of availability. “Records have to be kept for at least 2 years to show that the regulations are being complied with and provided on request.”

The Mobile Workers' Driving Time for Road Transport Directive is covered, measured and regulated in the main by the tachograph, which monitors breaks, driving time and rest periods.

There are some differences between the Mobile Workers’ Working Time general regulation and driving time in that some transport activities are exempt from certain www.fleet.ie

16 | REPORT I sections. Special emphasis is on nighttime work and adequate rest periods.

Much confusion therefore is how these regulations interact between each other, leading to infringements and often court proceedings. Alastair mentioned some recent cases to explain the seriousness of the situation. “Complexities arise when the actual work begins for the driver, and when the person fi nishes work behind the wheel to get home.”

and with the latest Active Brake Assist 3, it evaluates the speed of forward traffic and detects stationary vehicles. “Stage based warning to full automatic braking is obtained,” said Fergus prior to promoting the technology with a test track video.

Total transport efficiency - MercedesBenz gives advice – Fergus Conheady, Sales Manager, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Ireland

Accreditation: the operator’s perspective Explaining the benefits of the accreditation process - Alastair Gordon, BOC Gases

Fergus Conheady, Sales Manager for one of the event sponsors Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles, addressed the 150 plus audience on the merits of the brand's latest Euro6 Diesel engine OM471, which offers up to 3% improves fuel efficiency, as well as on the benefits of the FleetBoard telematics system.

“To achieve Total Transport Efficiency there are three main pillars – Lowest Total Cost, Safety Trip and Maximal Use,” opened Fergus. Having introduced a whole new truck line-up in recent years, modifications and improvements are ongoing to the benefit of the customer/operators. The second generation OM471 Euro 6 diesel engine was introduced last year and already paying dividends, while later in 2016, a face-lifted Actros range will emerge.

Emphasising its Lowest Total Cost policy, the success of the Fuel Duel programme with transport companies is making the headlines.

Combining the new drivetrain, Predictive Powertrain Control and monitoring through FleetBoard Telematics, more than 10%m fuel savings have been achieved. That’s a EU wide figure from over 2,000 Fuel Duels covering distances of 9.5 million kilometres.

Providing the safest trip is paramount, FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

Gett ing the most out of the machinery is vital, and with FleetBoard both the vehicle and driver are constantly monitored with instant feedback for analysis.

Alastair Gordon from BOC Gases explored the journey from attaining Bronze Accreditation with FTAI initially and the progression to Silver status within three years. Every aspect of the company's operation comes under the microscope, with actions undertaken to improve areas of compliance and efficiency.

BOC Gases Ireland Ltd is a member of the Linde Group which operates a mixed fleet of commercial vehicles from vans, trucks, trailers, tankers and forklifts.

The nature of its business ranges from handling and distributing hazardous goods, chemicals and compressed gases, covering circa 4 million kilometres per annum.

Existing standards reached include ISO quality and environment, and a host of operational licences and certificates relating to BOC Gases’ specific sector. Relating to the FTAI Accreditation, BOC Gases Ireland has achieved the Bronze status annually since 2012, and was elevated to Silver last September. “Att aining the Silver Accreditation Standard has been very beneficial to the company, said Alistair. “It was a big jump,” he admitted, as the company continuously focused on four key areas of its business – safety, compliance, efficiency and sustainability. Projects such as driver

training, load security, and other aspects in portraying a better image for the company are ongoing.

The UK Border Force Civil Penalty regime and the current situations in Northern France - The latest information - Andy Coram, Assistant Director, UK Border Force

Andy Coram outlined the ongoing situation in Calais and Dunkirk in Northern France, and how the UK Border Force authority is dealing with the matter with its French counterparts. A priority in implementing safer and secure conditions for international hauliers transiting both countries.

In explaining the round-the-clock activities by the UK and French authorities collaborating to prevent clandestine entry to the UK, Andy did not need to remind attendees of the constantly developing situation. At the time of his presentation, French authorities were removing the assembled refugee group from the area known as the ‘Jungle’ in Calais, Andy’s concern was to prevent further intrusion into the UK through North-western France.

Measures include deployment of a range of technologies to target three different categories of vehicles through heartbeat detectors, CO2 probes, passive millimetre wave images, body detection dogs (most effective) and by visual means.

“In the joint declaration from last August, additional French police, extra security on both sides of the Channel plus intelligence sharing and prosecutions have been implemented,” he said. “Approximately 32kms of perimeter security fencing have been erected.” While the main concentration was on Calais, the Port of Dunkirk has seen vastly improved security measures installed.

“Two codes of practice introduced govern what is expected of hauliers and drivers

REPORT I | 17 in preventing the carriage of clandestine entrants and the level of penalty that can be imposed in a given set of circumstances.

Companies can join an accreditation scheme once they meet our security system requirements.”

The transport harm landscape - Safety issues in the spotlight - Deirdre Sinnott, Health & Safety Authority

together with the hidden costs, vehicle damage, driver costs and third party costs.

“A safe systems approach covering vehicle, driver, journey/deliveries has a number of points of interests to all involved in running transport related vehicles.” Another area of concern is being aware of vehicle blind spots and those who are at risk such as cyclists and pedestrians. In order to prevents falls from vehicles, providing safe access and egress is paramount, Deirdre advised.

Compliance in the light commercial sector - Managing fleet compliance Tadhg Crowley & Seamus Nolan, ESB Networks

Deirdre Sinnott from the Health & Safety Authority provided an update on the number of fatalities and injuries in the transport workplace, highlighting how incidents happen and how they can be prevented.

Trips, slips and falls are high on the list of frequently occurring accidents.

“The transport sector has the highest worker death rate after agriculture and construction, with the main fatal accident triggers being: driving forward, loading, unloading and load security, coupling and uncoupling of trailers, reversing, and slow speed manoeuvring and maintenance activities,” stated Deirdre. On average 1,000 related injuries are reported each year, while the average reported worker absence is one month.

Understanding the consequences and reducing costs involved that are recoverable or non-recoverable were highlighted,

relating to vehicle specification, and driver and operative requirements, together with catering for all health and safety needs.

Ensuring that everyone in Ireland has power and energy at all times requires a huge commercial vehicle fleet. To add to the task, the fleet of ESB Network vehicles vary in specification from mainstream panel vans to 4x4 trucks with specially built bodywork. Seamus emphasised the dangers in not managing road safety and its legal and family implications. To that end all of its drivers and operatives undergo regular training. Checks on driver licences are done to ensure the driver is qualified to use the vehicle under their control.

Recent investments to increase efficiency and additional safety include the installation of telematics system in all vehicles. These are monitored by newly recruited experts to analyse the data and report regularly to management.

Tadhg Crowley

Seamus Nolan

Representing ESB Networks were Tadhg Crowley and Seamus Nolan who head up the running of the largest commercial vehicle fleet in Ireland. They relayed the experiences

On the vehicles themselves, reflective marker strips have been placed, in addition to beacons, daytime running lights, the installation of racking systems, etc. On each fleet replacement, specification is constantly being upgraded, according to Tadhg who said that 650 new CVs were put into service last year, and for 2016, 100 new HGVs will join the fleet. Other developments include monthly safety meetings which highlight any issues, incidents or items relating to the fleet.

Chair for the event Neil McDonnell, General Manager, FTAI thanked the speakers and sponsors which included Enprova, Good year, Mercedes-Benz, Reflex & Allen, Total/Finol Oils and media partners Fleet Transport.

Neil McDonnell, General Manager FTAI pictured with the guest speakers at the FTAI Transport Managers Seminar 2016 Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

www.fleet.ie

18 | PREVIEW I

Commercial Vehicle Show 2016 NEC, Birmingham 26/28 April The annual Commercial Vehicle (CV) Show is the largest and most comprehensive road transport event staged in Britain, catering for every transport operator’s business needs.

It will take place in Halls 3a, 4 and 5 at the NEC in Birmingham from 26-28 April.

Visitors can register for their free ticket at www.cvshow.com.

Following on from last month’s feature, Fleet Transport continues its preview of the event, and will feature a comprehensive report from the show in next month’s edition.

AutoStyling Truckman – Hall 4 Stand G111

Hardtops or canopys for Pick-up trucks are an essential requirement for many owners. For the IPUA Award winning Nissan Navara, recently revamped Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max and Volkswagen Amarok, specialists AutoStyling Truckman, will advise and provide.

Mike Wheeler, Managing Director, said: “The CV Show has come at an exciting time for the business and provides us with the perfect opportunity to showcase our latest hardtops and accessories to the commercial vehicle sector.

We have invested heavily in our production facilities and are continuing to expand and adjust as the needs of our customers evolve.”

Terberg DTS – Hall 5 Stand G120 For the fi rst time in the UK, Terberg DTS is exhibiting the innovative DT183, a market specific, specialist distribution tractor-unit that was launched last year. Alongside will be one of the latest Kinglifter truck and trailer mounted forklift trucks that are proving to be increasingly popular.

FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

The powertrain for the DT183 is based on the latest Cummins Tier 4 Final diesel engine, matched to an Allison auto gearbox.

Alisdair Couper, Managing Director, said: “2016 is an exciting time for us and visitors will get a fi rst-hand demonstration of how Terberg, through its policy of constantly developing a proven product range, is able to present new, innovative and att ractive options for their vehicle and material handling requirements.”

TOTAL – Hall 4 Stand H75 TOTAL, the prominent fuel and lubricants manufacturer in the world of transport and motorsport will demonstrate its full fleet solutions package, aimed at keeping CV fleets on the road and in the best of health.

TOTAL Fleet Management is a resource that brings all the company’s experience and knowledge together, helping fleet managers by minimising downtime, reducing running costs and making f leet management altogether simpler.

Using its pioneering diagnostic system, ANAC, TOTAL Analysis checks the condition of a vehicle’s lubricant and calculates the wear to provide an early warning of any maintenance issues, helping to prolong the life of the vehicle and reduce maintenance costs.

Renault Commercial Vehicles – Hall 5 Stand H60

April 26 - 28th NEC BIRMINGHAM

Renault’s stand will showcase 11 vehicles that illustrate the diversity and versatility of the French manufacturer’s LCV offering with themes of design, technology and conversions. The stand will also provide an insight into the recently-introduced panEuropean Pro+ specialist dealer network.

On display will be everything from a Master LHL35 RWD with 17 cubic metres of load space, to the Kangoo Z.E electric van, latest Trafic and Twizy Cargo.

James Boyer, Marketing Director, Groupe Renault UK & Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to once again have a strong presence at the Commercial Vehicle Show and it comes at an incredibly exciting time for everyone with an interest in Renault LCV models is more popular and versatile than it’s ever been.”

Iveco – Hall 5 Stand F10

Iveco will be the only main commercial vehicle brand to actually exhibit a truck at the CV Show 2016, with all other HGV manufacturers conspicuous by their absence.

Its high profile external display at the entrance to the NEC will comprise the New Eurocargo, International Truck of the Year 2016; Daily, International Van of the Year 2015 and Stralis Hi-Way, International Truck of the Year 2013.

Inside the show, Iveco will feature a 7.5 tonne Eurocargo and at least 7 different models of Daily - including panel vans, chassis cabs, a 4x4 model and a minibus powered by the latest in Iveco diesel engine technology.

Transdek – Hall 3 Stands C98 & B100 Double-deck trailer manufacturer, Transdek UK, will exhibit its award-winning, temperature-controlled double deck Wedge trailer, alongside its unique DUET urban

PREVIEW I | 19 double deck trailer.

Designed specifically to carry high volume multi-temperature produce on trunking runs, the double deck Wedge trailer is capable of transporting up to 50 standard pallets or up to 90 roll cages, which is twice the load of a standard single deck reefer.

Also on display will be a working model of Transdek’s innovative V2G double deck lifts, which is supplied as a pre-clad, pretested loadhouse unit, providing a readymade temperature-controlled and secure environment for the movement of products between vehicles and the warehouse.

truck and bus display which is divided into long haul, regional, mixed service, urban and winter operations for a more defi ned visitor experience.

Tony McHugh, Sales & Marketing Director, said: “The CV Show has always been an excellent event for the GT Radial brand.

Every year we are proud to display an everevolving portfolio of new and next generation tyres, as well as services, which ultimately means our entire proposition becomes stronger and more competitive.”

SDC – Hall 5 Stand F101

Brigade Electronics – Hall 4 Stand J98

Brigade Electronics, the commercial vehicle safety solutions supplier, returns to the CV Show this year to mark the 40th anniversary of its debut at the same show in Earl’s Court, London.

A 70s retro themed stand will explore the company’s history and successes alongside a display of its latest products, including the new Mobile Digital Recorder and Backeye 360 Camera Monitor System.

Emily Hardy, Brigade’s UK Marketing Manager said: “We are really excited about this year’s show and plan to add a touch of nostalgia and real seventies f lavour, juxtaposed against Brigade today in 2016.

We are really proud of Brigade’s history and want to walk customers through time to show them how far the original concept of reversing safety has come.”

Giti Tire – Hall 4 Stand G20 Asian tyre brand Giti Tire will be demonstrating examples from its popular range, including its expanded GT Radial GSR225 Combi Road line-up, its growing GT REE Tread and three-peak mountain snowfl ake (3PMSF) certified programmes.

The tyres form part of a comprehensive Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

Irish & GB based trailer manufacturer SDC plans to showcase six units, as well as debuting a new fuel saving Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) Curtainsider, which has been designed to maximise operational efficiency.

SDC’s pioneering 13.6m KERS Curtainsider utilises a hybrid system, consisting of a bank of high-power ultra-capacitors, working alongside an electrically-driven axle to capture energy loss and use this energy to re-power the vehicle. During braking, the motor becomes a generator, recovering kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost as heat and storing it in the ultra-capacitors.

The futurist technology is controlled by an intelligent management system that tracks driver input, in order to control the boost and regenerative braking provided by the trailer.

Don-Bur – Hall 5 Stand A50 Don-Bur will be demonstrating remarkable new aerodynamic technology referred to as 'Plasma Actuators'. The cutt ing-edge project replaces standard design components normally required for boat-tails and is

expected to generate fuel savings of up to 7%.

Current boat-tail solutions are principally designed using large folding tail-'fins', which are angled in at the rear to reduce the negative pressure pocket normally associated with bluff rear faces. While there is significant research to prove the effectiveness of boat-tails, the difficulty with these mechanical solutions is that they are vulnerable to damage.

In association with Glasgow University, Don-Bur will be highlighting this technology placed around the rear perimeter of a maximum height double deck trailer; a trailer shape usually well-known for its lack of aerodynamic properties.

Search Impex – Hall 4 Stand D20

Customised promotional model vehicle specialists, Search Impex, will display (among others) its new release of a 1:50 scale Volvo FH14 Globetrotter (6x2) and 3-axle, walking floor trailer, customised in the well known livery of Irish operator, L. W. Surphlis.

The models, produced exclusively are a certificated Limited Edition (330 pieces). As with previous Search Impex model releases for this haulier, every Limited Edition certificate has been personally signed by the Company owner - Maurice Surphlis.

April 26 - 28th NEC BIRMINGHAM www.fleet.ie

20 | PREVIEW II

New location. New venue for

FPS EXPO 2016 -

A

move from Harrogate to Liverpool with an attractive new venue and an increase in exhibition space means that FPS EXPO 2016 is set to be the biggest and best to date!

The event, which takes place on 20 & 21 April 2016 at the new Exhibition Centre, Liverpool, has seen exhibition spaces fi lled faster than ever, according to the event organisers, the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS), the oil distribution trade association.

New exhibitors have signed up to take space including Argent Energy UK Ltd, Netwatch Systems, Carberry Plastics, Binboy Ltd, British Engineering Services, Ecom Instruments UK Ltd, IMA Ltd, Fairbanks Environmental Limited, Oriel Systems and WEC Leeds.

The FPS took the decision to extend the stand space available such is the demand for space by new exhibitors.

Dawn Shakespeare, FPS Marketing & Events Manager (pictured) commented on the buoyant event ahead: “FPS EXPO is always extremely popular because of the diverse range of industry experts that exhibit at the show. With the new venue at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, 2016 looks set to be even more successful than our recordbreaking 2014 and 2015 events,” she said.

Se m i na r

progr a m m e

“We are seeing lots of new companies exhibiting at FPS EXPO as well as companies who have not exhibited for a number of years

now returning to the show, and many are booking much larger stands due to the space available at the new venue.

We are set to have over 130 exhibitors from across the UK, Ireland and Europe, and across the manufacturing, supply, distribution and technology sectors. Some of the biggest names in the industry are confirmed, including Scania, Wincanton, MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd, Phillips 66 UK, RTN, Kingspan Environmental, Hytek, Emco Wheaton, Pen Underwriting incorporating OAMPS, Williams Tankers, Valero Energy and Mabanaft Ltd.,” added Dawn.

Visitors can register for FPS EXPO 2016 free of charge, as well as book tickets for the After-Show party. Tickets priced at £39 per person include welcome drinks, hot bowl food buffet, free drinks vouchers, a Fun Casino and exciting entertainment.

For more information on the show, you can contact Dawn Shakespeare on Tel: +44 (0)121 767 1321 Fax: +44 (0)121 767 1315 Email: expo@ fpsonline.co.uk.

Hotel bookings can be made through http://www.reservation-highway. co.uk/conference_info.php.

Wednesday 20th April 2016 Thursday 21st April 2016 • 10.00 - Exhibition Opens Seminar Theatre • 10.00 - Exhibition Opens Seminar Theatre • 11.00 - 12.30 Tim Aspell, Traffic Examiner, DVSA • 11.00 - 12.00 Ian Walton, SLR Consuting Ltd ADR Issues, Developments within DVSA & topical issues • Containment systems, Risk Assessment & issues • 13.30 - 14.30 Rachel McGann, Policy Advisor, HSE • 13.00 - 14.00 Simon Evans, Deputy Traffic Commissioner Hazardous installations Directorate, Investigation OCRS, Operators Licence compliance issues Procedures • 14.30 - 14.45 Brian Worrall, FPS with Cheshire Fire & Rescue • 15.00 FPS Annual General - How to Defi ne & Support our vulnerable customers • 17.00 Exhibition Closes • 16.00 - Exhibition Closes • 17.00 - 19.00 Networking Drinks Reception in the Riverside • 19.30 - 3.00 - After Show Party Terrace, upper level ECL, open to Exhibitors, Delegates, FPS members & invited guests Seminars are free of charge to attend but places are limited to 40 delegates per seminar. For more information or to reserve your place please contact Dawn Shakespeare on 0044 121 7671320 or ds@fpsonline.co.uk FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

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22 | SAFETY

CLOCS go forward after

A

t the Transport for London’s (Tf L) f i f t h Construction Logistics & Cyclist Safety (CLOCS) exhibition at the ExCel, London, the context and future strategy of the programme that protects vulnerable road users was highlighted at a conference held in conjunction with the show.

DAF CF

Over the years, CLOCS has brought together stakeholders in the construction logistics industry to set and raise standards in the management of work related road risk, and ensure a road safety culture is embedded across the industry. By working together, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other road users who share the roads with construction vehicles are better protected.

Attended by over 650 delegates, the exhibition showcased twenty-nine safer and cleaner vehicles from the eight principal commercial vehicle manufacturers, and from ‘CLOCS champion’ operators. The new vehicles have increased direct driver vision and are fitted with the latest technology such as cameras and sensors. New trucks premiered included the Volvo FE Low Entry Cab, Scania’s low profile P cab tipper and the Dennis Eagle Elite skip loader.

Dennis Eagle

The high profile speakers included Mike Brown MVO, London Transport Commissioner, and Suzannah Nichol MBE, Chief Executive, Build UK, who commended the progress and success of the CLOCS programme, now in its third year. Perspectives on road safety procedures and practice were also provided by Tideway, Volvo Trucks and Mercedes-Benz while Build UK launched its ‘Don’t break the Chain’ campaign in support of CLOCS as the recognised industry standard for managing road safety.

Mike Brown, who opened proceedings with the keynote address, said CLOCS has been an extremely positive story for the construction industry. “I want to ensure CLOCS continues to lead the way in tackling road risk in supply chains.

Transport for London (TfL) has an on-going commitment to CLOCS and I ask the industry to continue to work with us and encourage other organisations and sectors to join us. I hope we can all commit to using our influence to promote CLOCS more widely so the benefits are felt nationwide,” he stated.

Iveco Eurocargo

The Commissioner went on to thank those who have become ‘CLOCS champions’ by implementing the CLOCS standard in their contracts, and acknowledged the fantastic support and commitment from the working groups.

Suzannah Nichol is CEO of Build UK, a member organisation for over 11,000 companies involved in the logistics supply chain. It recently cemented its links with CLOCS and many if its members attended the event to gain a broad understanding of the CLOCS standard. Suzannah said, “Build UK members are committed to improving safety across all aspects of their business, and by following the agreed CLOCS standards when delivering to sites, they can help to play their part in making our roads safer. I am delighted that some of our members have already endorsed CLOCS and we are confident that more will be keen to get involved.”

MAN TGM 18.250 FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

Peter Shipley, Programme Director on the Thames Tideway Tunnel, explained that Tideway is a major construction client and has embraced the work of CLOCS from the very start. He outlined the benefits of the CLOCS standards from the company's perspective and how it has impacted on the way the company views

SAFETY | 23

three progressive years work related road risk. Work on the new 17km long sewer system for London has commenced, and appointed contractors have to comply with the CLOCS standard. In tandem, Peter and his team have looked at ways of reducing truck movements around the city by using the waterways – rivers and canals.

Under the theme Safer Trucks - Fit for the City, John Comer, Product Marketing Manager, Volvo Trucks, and Ross Paterson, Head of Sales Engineering & Technical Support, Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles UK jointly presented examples of models from their respective brands’ current range that meet the CLOCS requirements. John mentioned N3 & N3G, the two types of construction vehicle specifications required under CLOCS that cover on-road and off-road transport operations. He highlighted the merits of the recently launched FE Low Entry Cab (LEC), that more than meets the regulations required.

Mercedes-Benz Econic

Ross chronicled the history of the Econic truck from the Daimler Trucks family that has been easily transformable from a primarily innovative refuse collection vehicle to a high visibility construction type vehicle. Its specification dedicated to the sector offers many advantages in terms of expansive glazed areas, adjustable suspension, and factory fitted camera systems. The option of Natural Gas power means that the unit is cleaner in the urban environment. On the subject of ecofriendliness, sister brand FUSO has the diesel/electric hybrid Canter light truck with an all-electric E-CELL version due into the marketplace soon.

Both presenters updated delegates on Transport for London’s Future Truck Design Awards, which their brands co-sponsor, giving a preview of the shortlisted entrants. The winners will be announced at the CV Show in Birmingham later this month.

Renault Range C460

Speaking on the future of CLOCS, Glen Davies, Freight & Fleet Programme Manager at TfL asked the CLOCS community to form a collective view of the future of CLOCS, and establish how the industry can take ownership of the CLOCS standard. “The ultimate goal is that the management of CLOCS and work related road risk is treated in the same way as health and safety on site premises, and becomes embedded across the industry as a ‘business as usual’ activity,” said Glen.

Working alongside CLOCS is FORS - the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme, which looks after road risk compliance in a three tiered accreditation programme (Gold, Silver & Bronze) that recognises safer, greener and more efficient operators.

Scania P410 Low Entry

The event was attended by senior delegates from a range of construction and other logistics sectors, vehicle manufacturer trade associations, and road user groups from across the UK. The morning's activity was chaired by Road Transport Media MD Andy Salter. Attendees left the event with a detailed understanding of the practical steps which can be taken to improve the safety record of commercial vehicles.

The 29 safer urban trucks from the major manufacturers on display all met the Transport for London (TfL) CLOCS and FORS requirements. Their specially adapted cabs, which were fitted with additional glazing to increase visibility along with cameras and bodywork sensors, demonstrated the strong response from the HGV industry as a whole, to protect the vulnerable road user (VRU). Specification/ configuration of the said trucks showcased included 4x2,6x2,6x4 & 8x4 rigids, fitted with tipper, mixer, refuse collection and curtainside box bodies.

Volvo FE Low Entry Cab Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie Photos: Jarlath Sweeney & Tom Lee

www.fleet.ie

April 26 - 28th NEC BIRMINGHAM

The UK’s

BIGGEST Commercial Vehicle Show

The number one road transport and logistics event in Britain, catering for every operator’s business needs, the CV Show is the leading meeting place for suppliers and operators alike – a true one stop shop for the industry.

Located at the NEC, at the heart of the motorway network, the Show is open from 08:30 to 17:30 April 26 – 28.

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Get your FREE ticket Register today www.cvshow.com Exhibitor enquiries call +44 (0) 20 7630 2102

FLEETING SHOTS | 25

Iveco Stralis features strongly in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

T

he Iveco Stralis Hi-Way is presently featuring prominently at a BoxOffice near you. It stars in the blockbuster movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which opened worldwide last month. The inclusion of Iveco’s heavyduty commercial vehicle is part of a oneof-kind co-branded partnership between CNH Industrial sister company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA US LLC) and Warner Bros.

The fi lm, which stars Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, sees the heavy-duty Iveco Stralis HiWay tractor-unit make its cinematic debut in a high-speed chase scene alongside the iconic Batmobile.

Much of the action in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is captured in and around FCA’s own backyard of Detroit. In addition to the Stralis, the film’s fleet includes Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, FIAT, Alfa Romeo and Maserati vehicles.

Global prize for Renault Trucks & Solvay

H

eld in Paris last month, JEC World 2016, the global event which rewards the finest innovations in the field of composite materials, saw Renault Trucks, together with its partner Solvay (France), presented with top honours in the Automotive, structural items category.

The innovation concerns the creation of a structural module on the front of a cab truck. This module is made of composite thermoplastic reinforced by continuous glass fibres.

Renault Trucks, together with the support of suppliers HBW Gubesch (Germany), SIKA (Switzerland) and Böllhoff (France), earned an Innovation Prize in the automotive category

for producing an item of cab structure in thermoplastic composite materials reinforced by continuous glass fibres.

Already used in many sectors such as aeronautics, composite materials are lighter than steel while remaining just as resilient, making it possible to reduce the number of parts required. Renault Trucks’ research focuses on composite materials based on thermoplastic resin.

“We are very pleased to have won this prize, it proves we are heading in the right direction,” said Marc Lejeune, Renault Trucks’ Director of Research. “In this study, the use of composite materials reinforced

by continuous glass fibres will enable us to reduce the unpainted cab’s frontal mass by 25% compared with its steel equivalent. As far as clients are concerned, these significant gains will translate into potential fuel savings and higher payloads.”

Trade Journalist publishes mystery drama with a logistics theme

P

eter Rowlands worked as a freelance journalist in the transport and logistics press for many years. He has turned his hand to writing a novel related to the trade in a unique way.

Picture the theme – ‘A parcels carrier confronts a cash flow crisis. A regional logistics group strives to extend its national coverage. A haulage company boss gets caught up in people smuggling.’ These are among the plots points of the book entitled Alternative Outcome, now available on Amazon Kindle.

The leading character, Mike, is a logistics journalist like Peter himself - but as Peter puts it: "That's where the similarities end. Mike is much more resourceful than I could ever be, though when the book opens Mike has allowed his commitment to slide somewhat. In a bid to break away from the daily grind, Mike has selfpublished his first novel online, unaware that this will trigger a sequence of events in which fact and fiction start to become intertwined.

In a way the whole of Alternative Outcome is a mirror on itself," Peter added.

logistics," Peter emphasised. "It's a mystery drama with a romantic thread, and has elements of a thriller too. I've aimed to make it a compelling read for anybody, whether they know anything about logistics or not, but there's a strong business background and the story also raises a few intriguing moral issues."

"Alternative Outcome is not just about

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26 | TRAILER & BODYBUILDER

Dennison by the DHL 'Double Decker High-Loader' Ten at South Airline Catering Concept hermo King has collaborated with Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and meets Coast Logistics DHL to develop a new concept all safety and environmental standards

A

ward winning South Coast Logistics from Fermoy, County Cork has taken delivery of ten new Dennison skeletal trailers, joining an expanding fleet of in excess of 120 tanker chassis to cater for an increasing work load.

As explained by Richie Flynn, South Coast Logistics, “The chassis have a tare weight of 3.5 tonnes that enables increased payload and are installed with the latest in braking technology such as parking sensors. While reversing, these sensors will detect persons walking around the rear of the trailer, or assist the driver in reversing into a loading or unloading gantry area.”

T

airside catering truck which is now being tested at London Heathrow airport.

The ‘Double Decker High-Loader’ concept airline catering vehicle also had an input from Mallaghan, one of the fastest-growing airport ground support equipment manufacturers, which built the body. Thermo King’s UT1200 unit was selected to provide the optimal temperature controlled environment inside the uniquely designed catering truck.

“The unique element of our vehicle’s design is that when in transit, it is under the 4-metre height restriction within the airport. However once engaged with the aircraft, the vehicle’s roof can be raised and the internal lift ing deck can be operated,” said Martin Bryce, Engineering Manager UK & Ireland at DHL. “Th is enables the truck to achieve 80 percent more payload potential, which should operationally reduce the total number of vehicles necessary, further improving the efficiency and carbon footprint reduction for DHL and the airport.”

set by the Transport for London,” added Steve Williams, UK Area Sales Manager at Thermo King. “We are pleased to be part of this project and to provide solutions that contribute to the significant environmental and operational improvements achieved

by DHL.” To meet the challenging temperature control requirements set by the unique design and ensure good air circulation, Thermo King installed additional fans on the lower deck.

Temperature mapping carried out on the upper and lower decks following the build and installation, verified good temperature management in all areas with the ceiling fans ensuring good airflow distribution to complete the cycle.

“The vehicle has been designed to operate within the London

Conti Hybrid HT3 Trailer Tyre wins iF Design Award

A

mong the successful products which were honoured during the official presentation ceremony at the iF Design Awards held at the BMW Welt in Munich was Continental Tyres’ Conti Hybrid HT3 445/45 R 19.5.

quality, innovation, safety, environmental compatibility, and other criteria.

The Conti Hybrid HT3 445/45 R 19.5, offers a highly durable and fuel efficient trailer tyre that has been specially developed for volume transport. Its retread-able carcass improves the carbon footprint of transport companies and makes a positive contribution to sustainable and environmentally friendly goods transportation. Like all tyres from the German premium tyre manufacturer, the Conti Hybrid HT3 445/45 R 19.5 was fully developed at the in-house design department based at the firm’s site in Hannover-Stöcken.

"The Conti Hybrid HT3 445/45 R 19.5 beat more than 5,000 other entries. We accept this award with joy and pride. The iF Design Award recognises the high standards we constantly apply to the development of our tyres in terms of performance, safety, and efficiency - and which of course can be seen in their design as well," explained Constantin Batsch, Vice President Business Region Truck Tyres EMEA. The low profi le tyre came out on top in the "Product" category and impressed the FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

58-person panel, made up of international design experts, on account of its design

The iF Design competition has been held annually by the iF International Forum Design GmbH since 1954.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

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28 | PROFILE

Macroom Haulage builds

S

even months ago, Macroom Haulage won the title of Fleet Transport Irish Haulier of the Year 2016. A recent visit to the family run business at their base in County Cork discovered what winning the award has meant to them.

Tucked amongst the rolling hills in the townland of Droumree, just north of the Cork town of Macroom, is one of Ireland’s most successful haulage companies that certainly doesn’t shout about its presence. A discreet sign located up a narrow road is the only indicator to the location of the twice Fleet Transport Irish Haulier of the Year Award winning Macroom Haulage.

A Goal is a Dream Better Believe and Achieve it!

Enter and score to win a Fleet Transport Award Pictured at the launch of the Fleet Transport Awards 2017, in association with Rosslare Europort, are Orla Sweeney, Fleet Transport Awards; Paddy Murphy, Macroom Haulage - reigning Irish Haulier of the Year winner and Briege Corkery, Captain, Cork Ladies Senior Football Team.

Celebrating its 10th Anniversary, the Fleet Transport Awards are designed to recongise and reward excellence and good practice and to inspire others to follow the winner’s examples.

There are 16 categories in the Awards programme and the entry process is simple and fast and can be done on-line at www. fleet.ie. The Entry Form with details of the categories is included in this magazine and online at www.fleet.ie The annual Awards Gala event takes place on Thursday 13 October next at the Citywest Hotel, Dublin.

FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

Perhaps that’s not too surprising. Successful companies tend to let their business rather than flash premises do the talking. For a transport company that means vehicles on the road rather than sitting in the yard, and on the day we visited, only the two trucks to be used for the photo-shoot were present, all the rest of the thirty-five strong fleet were out hard at work earning money.

Back in 2013, when Macroom Haulage won their first overall Fleet Transport Irish Haulier of the Year title, the delight of the family business headed up by Paddy Murphy and ably supported by wife Bridie and sons Ciaran and Olan was obvious, with huge celebrations on the stage at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin that continued long into the night.

That elation was no less palpable last September in the same venue when Macroom Haulage became only the second company in the history of the awards to win the prestigious title on the double. But surely, having won the award previously, there must have been an expectation of a repeat success?

“It was a surprise to win,” said Paddy, the softly spoken family patriarch. “First of all the National award, perhaps if we hoped to win it, we wouldn’t have been totally surprised if we hadn’t, because our competition in the category was very good.

For the announcement of the overall award, we were actually standing at

Bridie Bri dii an die andd Padd add ddy Murp uurrrpphy hy

Padddy P ddyy Murr phy ph

the end of the room congratulating Martin Ryans for winning their award. We were delighted to have won the overall title on one occasion, so we knew what it was about. When Macroom Haulage was called out we were actually in shock. It took a while to sink in, there was no preparation for acknowledgement speeches or anything. Anything that was spoken was from the heart.”

What did winning the award for the second time mean? A huge sense of achievement was the consensus from the family members. “Something to be proud of,” noted Ciaran. He added that while Macroom Haulage might not have got any more business directly from winning the award, that wasn’t a strict answer. “It’s on the business card now and we’re very proud to show it to the new customer. It shows the work that was put in,” he explained.

The explosion in social media use has given added impetus to the significance of winning the award.

Paddy points out that even in comparison to the first success in 2013, the recognition afforded them this time around was significant. “A lot

PROFILE | 29

ds on double title winning success of people know about us winning the award through social media. Since 2013 when we won the first award, a lot of people knew we won something, but mainly through family or friends. But this time, the amount of people that contacted us on Monday outside of this industry, from builders to accountants to bank people was amazing.”

Olan added: “Winning the award I found was brilliant for our own local friends. Again with the social media, Facebook, all the drivers knew immediately. Even fellows below in the pub who wouldn’t know the difference between a truck and a trailer, they knew we won something.”

Being a family business you suspect that it must be difficult to separate work from family life. Especially when even their social interests are shared. The Murphy family has a long-standing close connection with Macroom GAA club, with both sons togging out for the team regularly, while Paddy is a past Chairman. The key, as Ciaran explains is a clear segregation of work life. “It [the work] involves long hours, it can be unsociable, but we do the best we can. We’re stuck together at work, we’re stuck together socially, and we’re stuck together on the football pitch. But when we go to the football pitch, I don’t be talking about needing a driver, we leave work at work.

We go home and have a family dinner, and have a go at each other. We do leave work at work. I find that an achievement.”

Getting the thoughts of the family members as to why they thought they won the award for a second time was interesting. What is clear is that a lot of consideration and decision making is continually going on into the running of the company, what works, what doesn’t, and crucially, where areas of improvement are identified, that fixes or changes are

implemented. A clear segregation of roles is one contributor with each family member having clearly defined responsibilities.

Paddy points to the use of technology as another key factor in ensuring an effective and cost efficient operation. The company uses Stratum transport soft ware combined with Blue Tree tracking to ensure the fleet is operating to the maximum. It means that each truck has its own profit and loss centre, while with monthly management reports, steps to address failings can be quickly identified and rectified.

Building lasting relationships have been a feature of Macroom Haulage since the company was founded by Paddy and Bridie back in 1983, with two in particular standing out. One is with DAF Trucks - the company’s entire fleet comprises of DAF Trucks vehicles. Separately the business enjoys a strong relationship with AIB, of which Paddy said: “Without proper financial structure in place you’re in serious trouble. What we said we’d do, we did. We have ongoing projections in place.”

The Macroom Haulage team credit the Fleet Transport Awards judging panel for providing useful guidance for them as a business. As Paddy observed: “As we say around here, they’re no daws. We’re fantastic at telling how good we are, but it’s the questions they ask that give you a different point of view. It also brings on your own business profile because you are asking yourself these questions”. Olan, who was part of the interviewee team, added: “I found it very enjoyable, It certainly wasn’t us two lads sitting down for a chat.”

Company accountant Donal Dempsey explained about participating in the Fleet Transport Awards programme, “Even before the interviews it’s a three-month process

Cia iiarran an Mu Murph pphhyy,, B Bre re ree reege eggee Co eg Corke k ryy an ke and nd Ol nd Olan an Mur Murphy ph phy Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

Photos: Provision Photography

getting ready, looking at what we’re doing, even at what we’ll be doing twelve months ahead.

And it becomes continuous because we’ll analyse to see if we achieved what we said we will. It’s a good benchmark for us to say we’re going to do this next year. Every aspect of the business is looked at.”

Business might be on an upward spiral at the moment, but like every other transport company in Ireland, Macroom Haulage went through tough times during the recent recession. Listening to Paddy, it’s clear that the tough decisions he had to make back then didn’t rest easy with him. “I pinch myself sometimes when I think back to a few years ago and things weren’t going well. Luckily, we came out the right side of it but we had to do a lot of hard cuts. Hard to believe that we let nine guys go in one week.”

Interestingly, as part of the re-focus needed to survive, Paddy returned to his roots, namely delivering coal. “The recession caused us to look around at the site here. We started coal deliveries [as Murphy Fuels] in 2011 at the turn of the recession. The fuel business was born out of the recession and it has grown and grown.”

Having a diverse product is important. Today the coal delivery side of the business sits alongside a thriving waste recycling service, a long-standing relationship with Calor Gas, as well as general haulage work.

What’s clear is that this is a family business that takes nothing for granted, one that is continually looking to improve, diversify and do things in better ways. Who would bet against Macroom Haulage claiming a third Fleet Transport Irish Haulier of the Year some time in the future?

Ciaran Cia ran,, Padd ran Padd addyy andd Ola Olann Murp Ol urpphy hy - Macccrroom om H om Haaulaage g Ltd Ltd.. www.fleet.ie

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FUEL PRICES (WEEK 13) / SAFETY MATTERS | 31 Country

Currency

95 Lead Free

98 Lead Free

Diesel

Country

Currency

95 Lead Free

98 Lead Free

Diesel

Albania

ALL

154.00

-

153.00

Lithuania

EUR

1.045

1.093

0.920

Andorra

EUR

0.997

1.056

0.816

Luxemburg

EUR

1.035

1.090

0.887

Austria

EUR

1.056

1.201

0.988

Macedonia

MKD

60.50

62.50

45.00

Belarus

EUR

0.527

-

0.545

Moldova

MDL

15.77

16.37

13.07

Belgium

EUR

1.277

1.334

1.135

Montenegro

EUR

1.050

1.090

0.900

Bosnia-Herzegovina

BAM

1.76

-

1.66

Netherlands

EUR

1.523

1.599

1.189

Bulgaria

BGN

1.80

2.01

1.74

Norway

NOK

14.68

-

13.13

Croatia

HRK

8.81

-

7.76

Poland

PLN

4.09

4.42

3.94

Czech Republic

CZK

26.55

-

25.29

Portugal

EUR

1.415

1.541

1.171

Denmark

DKK

10.19

-

8.19

Romania

RON

4.64

5.11

4.30

Estonia

EUR

1.049

1.099

1.049

Russia

RUB

37.60

-

35.53

Finland

EUR

1.329

1.399

1.153

Serbia

RSD

127.70

-

129.90

France

EUR

1.305

1.361

1.098

Slovakia

EUR

1.170

-

1.010

Georgia

GEL

1.55

1.65

1.35

Slovenia

EUR

1.157

1.205

1.038

Germany

EUR

1.228

-

1.032

Spain

EUR

1.129

1.264

0.994

Greece

EUR

1.341

1.597

1.000

Sweden

SEK

13.02

13.62

12.18

Hungary

HUF

317.00

-

300.00

Switzerland

CHF

1.352

1.408

1.379

Ireland

EUR

1.219

-

1.089

Turkey

TRY

4.34

4.36

3.59

Italy

EUR

1.436

-

1.257

Ukraine

UAH

20.00

22.50

17.00

Kosovo

EUR

0.90

-

0.88

UK

GBP

1.039

1.142

1.045

Latvia

EUR

1.014

1.069

0.914

USA

USD

-

-

0.560

Safety Matters . . .

Safety Matters . . .

Transport Safety Seminars - June 2016

Learn How to protect your Employees and others from Vehicle Related Harm

T

he Health & Safety Authority (HSA) is running a series of regional seminars in June to highlight the importance of managing Vehicle Related Risk. The seminars will be of interest to all employers who operate vehicles in the workplace and on the road.

Why Attend?

Every year, people are killed by accidents involving vehicles in the workplace and on the road. On average this represents 41% of all work related deaths reported to the HSA each year. Thousands are injured as a result of vehicle related activity in the workplace and on the road every year. A lot of damage is also done to vehicles, cargo, property, and company reputation. This can have an adverse effect on the business’s balance sheet. Better planning, training, awareness, along with workplace arrangements, procedures, appropriate selection and use of vehicles, can prevent vehicle related accidents at work.

Seminar Content Attendees will be provided with information, guidelines and tools to understand and manage Work Related Vehicle Risks. As well as highlighting the legal, safety and business cases for action, the seminars will outline: • the key elements of a workplace transport risk management system.

• how to achieve and maintain a safe workplace for vehicle related activities.

www.fleet.ie

32 | REPORT II

CILT (Southern Section) hosts ‘Sustainable Transport & Fleet Operators Seminar’

A

s part of the 2016 season of Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport Seminars, the Southern Section held an evening event dealing with the topical issue of sustainable energy and the key role Irish transport fi rms have in the roll-out of leading edge developments in this crucial area.

Martin Howley from Sustainable Energy Association Ireland (SEAI) detailed statistics behind Ireland’s use of non-renewable fossil based fuels. He highlighted that transport operators have reversed the trend which has seen private motorists and heating and power supply users increase fossil fuel usage over pre-2006 levels. On the other hand road transport has decreased its use using 2006 as a base, even with our current economic recovery.

Colm Looby from Mitsubishi Motors Ireland outlined the benefits of hybrid and electric only vehicles. He mentioned the tax incentives and commercial incentives offered in Northern European countries to adapt motor and light commercials to electricity, and how European cities are eliminating fossil burning commercial vehicles through the adaption of out-of-town logistics hubs, and use of electric road trains within city limits. He added that tax incentives affecting benefit-in-kind, road tolls and parking are needed here for early adoption of such vehicles.

Ian Winning outlined Cork Corporation’s use of electric vehicles, and the key reasons behind their implementation. He explained that modern electric cars and vans can meet the highest expectations of services such as Cork Fire Brigade, using an electric powered rapid response unit as fi rst responder to cardiac arrest emergencies. Speed and acceleration are crucial to the operation of the vehicle, whereas its limited range is not an issue as its area of coverage is within city limits.

Rodger O’Connor, Research Engineer, Gas Networks Ireland covered the company’s strategy relating to new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) gas stations to service the commercial vehicle user. Of the crucial factors in the development of CNG for FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

commercial use in HGVs in Ireland, topping the list is a network of fuelling points that are strategically placed to cater for the needs of converted trucks and buses. As CNG is on average 30 per cent cheaper than equivalent diesel fuel, a HGV could run on CNG only but the most likely combination will be diesel/ CNG mix. Further technical innovation that makes its use in HGVs viable needs to be undertaken, while transport operators need to be incentivised to adapt this technology, for example, through the elimination of road tolls or increased capital allowances on the purchases of these trucks.

Final speaker on the night was Paddy Murphy, Managing Director, Macroom Haulage Ltd, who has converted three tractor units in his DAF Trucks fleet to operate on diesel/LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas). Overall on these units Paddy stated there is an 8 to 10 per cent fuel cost saving, with a repayment on the conversion in less than three years. Paddy’s talk centred on the technology adapted in his business to maximise productivity and reduce the volume of diesel used per cubic metre carried.

Being Ireland’s largest bulk load carrier, Macroom Haulage has achieved a 75 per cent reduction in diesel used per cubic metre carried thanks to a combination of technology adoption, efficient work practices, modern, efficient equipment and, crucially, LPG use in the fleet. Paddy added that it was the support and backup he received from DAF Truck Services (Cork) and Calor Gas that made the smooth implementation possible. Operating ultra modern, fuel efficient and eco-friendly units are key to his business growth.

While this award winning business keeps a close eye on the bottom line, it’s achieved through efficiencies that have also benefitted the environment. Paddy concluded that his company distributes Calor Gas cylinders throughout Ireland and that few road users realise that Macroom Haulage does so in trucks that are LPG powered, with minimal carbon emissions.

Tommy Smith and Stephen Ferriter, DAF Trucks with Donal Dempsey, Fleet TransportMagazine.

Gràinne Lynch, Chairperson of the Southern Section, Chartered Institute Logistics & Transport with Rodger O'Connor, Research & Innovation Engineer, Gas Networks Ireland and Kastytis Bereznocenko, CILT Committ ee member.

Gràinne Lynch, Chairperson of the Southern Section, Chartered Institute Logistics & Transport with Jason Byrne, Sales Manager, Mitsubishi Ireland; Colm Looby, Dealer Relations Representative Mitsubishi Motors and Gerard Rice, Managing Director Mitsubishi Ireland, alongside the Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In-Hybrid (PHEV).

Gràinne Lynch, Chairperson of the Southern Section, Chartered Institute Logistics & Transport and Ruth Lanigan, Business Development Executive CILT with John O'Mahony, DAF Truck Services and Paddy Murphy, Macroom Haulage.

Text: Donal Dempsey - donal@fleet.ie

Photos: Jim Coughlan

TEST | 33

Arctic Van Test 2016

C

elebrating its 30th anniversary, the highly respected week long Arctic Van Test was once again held around Helsinki and in northern Finland during the first two weeks of February 2016, in what proved to be one of the warmest events on record.

Six light commercial vehicles took part in the test - Citroën Berlingo, Dacia Dokker, Fiat Professional Doblò Cargo, Opel Combo, Renault Kangoo and Volkswagen Caddy. The Ford Transit Connect was also supposed to take part, but unfortunately the test vehicle was in an accident just before the appointed date and Ford didn’t have time to replace it.

The Citroën Berlingo and Volkswagen Caddy were equipped with the latest Euro 6 engines and the rest had Euro 5s. The Fiat Doblò had the most powerful engine with its 1.6-litre MultiJet II with 105 hp (77 kW) while the Caddy’s 2.0-litre TDI engine had100 hp (75 kW). The Citroën Berlingo used its 1.6-litre HDi engine with 98 hp (73 kW), with both the Kangoo and Dokker being powered by the Renault Group’s 1.5-litre dCi engines offering 90 hp (67 kW). The engine with the lowest capacity was from the Combo’s 1.3-litre CDTi with 88 hp (66 kW).

Every vehicle had front-wheel drive traction and all of the panel vans had 5-speed manual gearboxes, with the exception of the Doblò which had a 6-speed unit.

Slippery conditions Each vehicle had 250 kg cargo on board and was equipped with Nokian Hakkapeliitta studless winter tyres and fuelled with renewed Neste Oil Pro Diesel during the whole test. For the first part of the test held in Helsinki and surrounding areas, different measurements were made and the initial section of the urban drives were held.

In northern Finland, additional urban tests were held in Oulu, with the open road sections moving from Oulu via Arctic Circle to Iso-Syöte followed by handling tests at Pudasjärvi Airport. The early morning cold start tests were recorded at Iso-Syöte.

This year was unusually warm with winter temperatures close to 0 °C. Not particularly Arctic! But as for the road conditions, these were extremely slippery. Both the driver’s and van's abilities were pushed to their limits especially on the minor roads and during the handling tests, which were literally on a sheet of ice. Impressively, the vehicles functioned well on these extremely slippery conditions and the traction provided by studless tyres amazed the international trade press taking part.

Volkswagen Caddy 2.0 TDI BlueMotion Launch Edition All-Round Champion he test group really enjoyed the Euro 6 engine in the new fourth generation Volkswagen Caddy. Having the highest displacement in the competition might explain the positive reception, and points to why Caddy4 received the best points in driveability, both in the city or out on the roads. Top points were also given to the driver’s seat which was evaluated as the most comfortable, and for the cabin in general. The panel also rated highly the VW's steerability, smooth clutch and gearbox shift ing and its strong brakes.

T

Visibility and side-mirrors were something that Caddy was criticised for and its interior space wasn’t top of the list either.

By merit of scoring most points all round, the Volkswagen Caddy4 was elected overall winner of Arctic Van Test 2016.

Test points: 188 + Engine + Driveability + Ergonomics - Visibility on side windows - Traction control system - Litt le room for folders etc www.fleet.ie

34 | TEST Renault Kangoo Express Maxi 1.5 dCi 90 Best cargo space The current Renault Kangoo received best points for its cargo space and received merits for its durable surface and numerous load securing hooks. On the negative side it scored poorly for its side-door loading access, which is exceptionally narrow because of the shape of the dividing wall.

Storage places around the cabin and the simplicity of the van's interior were ticked as good by test drivers, as was the quality of the materials used. The driver’s seat was noted as comfortable.

Kangoo proved reliable in the driveability tests, with the suspension sett ings and especially the engine power to weight ratio receiving positive remarks. All over visibility was excellent, particularly in the reversing module. However, the Kangoo’s side-mirrors are small.

Test points: 187 + Suspension + Cargo space + Visibility - Mirrors - Side door - Adjustment buttons on the radio

Opel Combo 1.3 CDTI L2H1 Strongest carrier The cargo space of Opel Combo was the most spacious of all as its load capacity is almost in a different class. With a 1175 kg load capacity it has over 400 kg more payload than the next van on the list. So the Combo is more suitable for moving heavier objects.

As they are essentially the same vehicle, both the Combo and Doblò’s side-mirrors were noted as exceptional, as their two-piece side-mirrors are large and are real commercial vehicle mirrors.

While the wing mirrors provide good rear visibility, the A-pillar blocks the forward view a litt le, especially to the front-left on these left hand drive vehicles.

The Combo with the smallest engine, got the thumbs down for on-road performance and its lack of torque in the city. That said, its fuel-economy was noted. Along with the poor engine performance, the gear-ratio in the city was seen as the weakest. Besides that, Opel’s start-stop-system excelled in the city.

Test points: 186 + Heaviest load capacity + Mirrors + Doors - Gear-ratio in the city - Torque in the city - Visibility FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

TEST | 35 Dacia Dokker Van 1.5 dCi 90 Ambiance Most cost-efficient The Dacia Dokker surprised many in the test, in a positive way.

Despite being the cheapest vehicle there, it is still very functional.

Besides having the lowest price, Dokker was the most fuel-efficient.

Its engine received praise for its flexibility and high torque levels.

The group also liked the simple design of the cabin, with its easy to use functions, even for the fi rst timers driving it.

Dacia’s heater got the best result in cold start test. Unfortunately, it was not possible to test the heaters in really freezing temperatures.

The Romanian brand received low marks for its uncomfortable driver’s seat. Other critical comments related to noise inside the cabin, and from the side-mirrors and the wipers. Dokker got least points in the handling test.

Test points: 183 + Cost-efficient + Simple design + Engine - Seats - Handling on slick road - Visibility

Fiat Doblò Cargo 1.6 MultiJet II L1 High-performance Having the most powerful engine in the Arctic Test 2016 was not enough for the Fiat Doblò to finish ahead of the Opel Combo. Doblò gained best marks for its performance and it also got the laurels in the acceleration comparison. The drivers liked Fiat’s suspension.

Noted too was that Doblò Cargo was the only vehicle in the test with a 6-speed gearbox.

Like Opel, Doblò has the two-piece side-mirror set-up that are largest in the test but the A-Pillar disrupts the view. An armrest which can be found in between the seats enhances comfort when driving long distances. Fiat's Traction+ feature adds extra grip when driving on slippery conditions, but only works when the speed is under 50 km/h.

While the Doblò’s engine was the most powerful, it performed poorest in the fuel-economy tests. The vehicle tested had tyres that were 10 mm wider than recommended by the factory, which might have something to do with its overall performance in fuel-economy.

Test points: 183 + Acceleration + Mirrors + Suspension - Visibility - Heater controls - Fuel economy www.fleet.ie

36 | TEST Citroën Berlingo Van 1.6 BlueHDi 100 L2 Pro Agility in the city The Citroën Berlingo was the other vehicle in the test that also had a Euro 6 engine. It worked well in the urban arena and got positive remarks for its pleasant drive and silence. When driving in the city, the latest Berlingo’s start-stop-system worked very efficiently and the good functionality of the suspension added up to the overall appealing driving experience.

Visibility from the cabin was noted as good, especially when reversing. Berlingo and Kangoo were the only test vehicles that had three seats in the cabin.

Berlingo has an opening hatch in a dividing wall that allows longer objects to be put in the cargo space. However, the bulging dividing wall reduces a bit of the usage of the vehicle’s side-door.

Gear shift ing while driving, and ergonomics inside the cabin were items that received negativity. According the test drivers, Berlingo didn’t perform that well in the category of handling, either on the minor roads or in the dedicated handling test.

Test points: 178 + Visibility + Engine + Suspension - Handling - Ergonomics - Cargo space

TEST POINTS

Max.

Citroën

Dacia

Fiat Professional

Opel

Renault

Volkswagen

Berlingo

Dokker

Doblò Cargo

Combo

Kangoo

Caddy 4

Urban area test

40

27.2

26.4

27.6

27.2

27.6

28.4

Road test

40

26.4

24.4

28.4

26.4

27.2

30.4

Drive without load 10

5.5

6.3

7.3

6.8

7.7

7.3

Handling test

10

5.5

4.0

7.5

7.0

6.5

7.5

Cargo space

10

6.2

7.6

6.2

7.4

7.9

6.9

Acceleration

10

8.0

8.0

9.0

8.0

8.5

8.0

Heating

40

32.0

36.0

32.0

34.0

32.0

34.0

Visibility and backing test 10

7.0

5.8

6.5

6.3

7.0

6.5

Noise in cabin

10

8.5

9.0

9.0

9.0

8.5

9.0

Fuel economy

40

36.0

40.0

32.0

36.0

36.0

34.0

Service

10

6.5

6.5

8.5

8.5

9.0

8.0

Warranty

10

9.0

9.0

8.5

9.0

9.0

8.0

178

183

183

186

187

188

Use and service

TEST POINTS TOTAL 240 FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

Text: Rob Van Dieten - rob@fleet.ie

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38 | HEALTH MATTERS

An Early Clinical Trial

T

he British Navy may have “ruled the waves” - a form of licensed piracy in the early days - but sailors had a hard life at sea. Recruiting measures were somewhat unsuccessful, so roving bands of sailors in port just kidnapped young men off the street and pressed them into servitude to work on the ships for one or more voyages. Dublin’s Ringsend was a favourite place for this activity, and it was unlikely that the unfortunate victim would be able to return to his home even after the voyage.

Apart from the usual hazards of sailing to unknown lands under wind power with only a compass and the stars to guide them, there were injuries acquired in sea battles, and diseases acquired in foreign lands.

Then there was always scurvy, the universal condition of sailors who had been a while at sea.

The mortality rate for scurvy was appalling - in one round the world voyage, 380 out of a crew of 510 died. We now know scurvy to be a potentially fatal disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, which is normally sourced from fresh fruit and vegetables. Vitamin C is not

www.volvotrucks.ie

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stored in the body, so a deficiency manifests itself rapidly, resulting in the breakdown of the body tissues, bones and blood vessels. This causes haemorrhages, bony defects and healed wounds to reopen.

The patient suffers lassitude, weakness, muscle and joint pain, followed by loosening of the teeth - leading to an inability to eat - infection and gangrene.

A crew affected in this manner would not be much good in a naval battle even under a first class officer such as Captain Cook. Although diagnosis was not very accurate in the early 1700s these symptoms were so universal they were assumed to be the same disease – scurvy.

Captain Cook did his best to avoid disease and instigated a strict regime of cleanliness for the sailors and their clothes in an effort to avoid dysentery and typhus. He deduced that scurvy was associated with digestion and decided on a particular diet for the crew - beer and malt among other nourishments.

Naval surgeons rarely travelled on voyages, but Dr. James Lind was

HEALTH MATTERS | 39 one who did. Observing scurvy on a 10 week voyage, with 80 out of the 350 sailors struck down with the disease, he decided to try what he called an experiment. It was actually a clinical trial.

He isolated six pairs of seamen with scurvy and compared the relative merits of six treatments then in use for the disease. Five pairs of men were prescribed vinegar, mustard, garlic and other remedies. These remained ill.

The remaining two men were given oranges and lemons.

They recovered quickly and were declared fit for work in six days. Dr. Lind wrote up his experiment in 1753 - “Treatise of the Scurvy”. It took forty two years for this treatment to be introduced to the naval personnel by Naval authorities.

Th is was because Dr. Lind’s status as a naval surgeon within the medical profession was lower than other more qualified members who had disagreed with his theory.

There was some resistance (due to cost) to providing oranges and lemons to the sailors. Limes were eventually provided as they were less expensive.

It seems that Dr. Lind thought that scurvy was a disease of the digestive system, and didn’t deduce that it was a nutritional deficiency.

treatment for scurvy. He didn’t understand the disorder to which he had devoted his career, but he was the first medical person in the 18th century to do an effective clinical trial. The significance of the trial result escaped him. When it was finally implemented, its importance in maintaining naval superiority with healthy sailors probably changed the course of European history in Napoleonic times, when Nelson needed mariners that were fighting fit.

Text: Dr. Betty Maguire

He knew nothing of vitamins and only used the fruits as a form of

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Volvo Trucks. Driving Progress

40 | TIMES PAST

Open Top

O

ne of the most familiar sights in cities all over the world is the opentop bus. Full of camera clicking tourists, laughing school children and various other groups, they travel our streets all year round, with several operators competing for business. Making an enormous contribution to our tourist industry, they are associated in most people’s minds with happy days out and most particularly with victory parades for successful sports teams or to honour some other special occasion. But they weren’t always there and how they arrived on the scene and then proliferated is worth recording.

The Museum's Bristol open-topper carrying the Dublin GAA team, September 1977

Bristol No 1108 as it is today

In the late 1920s, some, mainly obsolete, opentop double-deckers operated during the summer months in British seaside resorts. They proved to be very popular and were eventually replaced by somewhat newer vehicles and these in turn gave way to more modern buses and so the line lived on.

And among these was one, which ended up here (at the National Transport Museum) and has a very chequered history.

The highly regarded Hants & Dorset Motor Services, which operated in the Bournemouth area, removed the 1937 Brush-built body from an old Leyland chassis in 1945. It was rebuilt as a 59-seater open-topper on an AEC-engined Bristol chassis, registered FRU 305 (Fleet No. 1108) and operated some 18 years before sale. It came to Ireland in 1969 as an advertising bus for Jacobs Biscuits and later, Calor Gas. It was bought by the Museum in 1975 to save it from the scrapyard and made a journey of fame in September 1977 when it carried the victorious Dublin GAA All-Ireland football team on their tour of honour from the Mansion House to the GPO. It is believed to be the fi rst open-topper used for a victory parade in the Republic.

No. 1108 subsequently served at a number of other celebrations and was stored in Stack A, the famous Rennie building also known as the Crimea Warehouse (now the CHQ Building) at the Custom House Docks in 1991. Over a Bank Holiday weekend, vandals broke in and damaged several vehicles, including No. 1108, which had all its windows broken and two pillars damaged when a lorry was driven into it. Th is bus, regarded as the progenitor of Irish open-toppers by Transport Museum members, is currently in secure storage, awaiting repairs and reglazing. The Museum has a second open-topper, an AEC Regent donated by Kavanagh’s of Urlingford.

Dubln Bus Leyland Atlantean D413.

FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

There was litt le or no further interest in open-top

TIMES PAST | 41

p Buses buses until the establishment of Dublin Bus in 1987, after which some, modern Leyland Atlanteans, were converted for and proved most successful; Bus Éireann also converted a vehicle for Cork.

Today, several companies are in competition for the lucrative open-top trade and many have invested in brand-new vehicles - a trend that would have been regarded as very risky only a few years ago.

Apart from the cities and towns in these islands, very few open-toppers were to be found until a few years ago, but today they are working in nearly every large city throughout Europe and the United States - and further afield. Seeing left-hand drive open-toppers with the door on the “wrong” side looks odd, but they are proliferating. Some of the buses are convertibles - they have detachable top sections containing the roof side windows, which can be fitted for winter use. However, this idea is not entirely new, being pioneered in Britain more than fi ft y years ago.

Dublin Bus Leyland Olympian RH86 - part Open Topper

Because of our frequently unreliable weather, open-toppers can sometimes be a risky choice for passengers. Such considerations led to the appearance of the partly open top bus with a section at the front under a normal roof section. There are many variants of this, but for some passengers - and operators - the concept of an open-topper should be simply that, open to the sky but with the option of escaping downstairs if the weather changes. Rome or San Francisco are thought by many to be the natural home of the full open-topper.

Not all open-toppers are used for passenger work.

The most obvious is the tree-lopper, a requirement for many bus companies operating vehicles along routes with low trees, especially at stops where the bus has to pull into the kerb very close to roadside trees. And, as will appear in a forthcoming issue, this is of vital importance to many bus companies.

Dualway Volvo partly Open Topper

The National Transport Museum Heritage Depot, Howth Demense, Howth, Dublin 13.

Opening Times: Saturdays, Sundays & Bank Holidays - 2.00 - 5.00pm

CIE Leyland Titan R495, Tree Lopper

Text & Photos: Michael Corcoran - contributor@fleet.ie

www.fleet.ie

42 | COMMENT

BREXIT must be stopped!

From where I'm sitting - Howard Knott

A

s the evenings lengthen and temperatures rise, we have begun to look forward to what 2016 will bring on all different levels. For those with an interest in all things freight transport, there is a lot to think

about.

The year started with rock-bottom oil prices and a relatively strong US Dollar and Sterling, all of which are helpful to the further expansion of the export of Irish made goods. The disappointment was that the anticipated bonanza in milk prices for the increased production volumes following the CAP reform did not happen, mainly thanks to a significant slowdown of growth in the Chinese market. As the months have begun to tick past, oil prices have begun to creep up again and Sterling’s value has dropped by over 10%, hurting the profitability of suppliers to the British market.

On 1 May the whole basis of customs control within the EU will be changed, reflecting a much more IT based trading environment from 1st July no container can be shipped without an independently verified weight. However, the big potential danger to every Irish business has to be the UK BREXIT referendum.

The top headline in a recent Financial Times read: “BoE readies funds to keep banks going if UK votes Out”. The piece states that the Bank of England is preparing to protect British banks against running out of funds in the event of a BREXIT vote by flooding them with money in what is the latest sign of the authorities’ nervousness surrounding the EU referendum. That all seems to me to contradict what the bookies are saying that the vote will go in favour of staying within the European Community.

An even bigger worry must be that if the UK goes, what is there to stop other countries who feel that they have issues with the Community from heading out of the door and, in doing so, to undermine all of FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

the good work that has been done over the last 60 years to build a peaceful and, on the whole, prosperous Europe?

If the UK does vote to leave, even in the face of considerable opposition from the communities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, all of which, at a business and an official level, have been much more active participants in the European project than their English counterparts, things will begin to get more difficult for hauliers operating to Britain and those using the British landbridge.

As time goes on, feeder container ships will become reluctant to get involved in port call patterns that involve calls at EU and nonEU Ports? Might British based retailers pull back from the Irish market and will, for example, Irish artisan foods producers find their expansion dreams thwarted by the difficulties involved in expanding into what will now be a “foreign” market? Will the availability of the opportunity, which so many of us have taken at some stage in our lives, of working in the UK and then coming back to Ireland with improved skills,be lost?

The potential for the disaster that is a BREXIT is perhaps the one political issue on which everybody in the Republic of Ireland is in agreement. A “YES” vote on 23 June is the only way to stop it. Given that nearly every Irish person has relations and friends living in the UK, then we should all get after these people to actively encourage their friends and neighbours to vote “YES”. Perhaps even more than that encourage English businesses and administrations at local and national levels to take a much more active role in EU activities, enabling them to help shape policies there to reflect the common sense that is sometimes absent from some of the stuff that comes down from Brussels.

Stopping BREXIT has to be the most important challenge that we face in 2016.

Text: Howard Knott - howard@fleet.ie

44 | FINANCE

Seven Steps to Successful Succession

T

he Irish road transport industry is made up, in the majority, of small to medium sized family businesses. In speaking to the owners of these SMEs, their aim in operating is not just short term to maximise profit and personal income, but rather the development of a strong business that their immediate family will inherit. All of us are proud to see our sons and daughters follow in our footsteps, and the hard work and risk involved in self-employment seems only worthwhile for many, if this is the case.

This article outlines seven easy steps in order to plan early for this to occur. Remember the motto, ‘Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail’. In order to achieve a successful succession, and reduce confl ict where there is more than one child in the family, there is a need to recognise and promote talent at an early age and deal with issues straight away.

1. Business Ownership: Quite obviously you need to own or control the majority shareholding in the company in order to promote the family member. Very often the reins of power from someone who has been the dominant force in a business will not automatically transfer to their offspring if multiple shareholders are involved.

2. Start the process early: As soon as you realise the business is suitable to be passed on to the next generation start the processes, the longer you have to

plan and implement the more successful you will be.

3. Involve children at an early age: Regardless of the generation gap all children are proud of the achievements of their parents. Involving children from an early age gives them a work ethic and allows a business owner to ascertain if they have a genuine interest in working in the business.

4. Create other wealth streams: The current business may give you a good living but will it support one if not two additional families? In order to pass on the business, create income streams through other businesses or pension investments, or also create new niches to the business such as warehousing, commercial maintenance etc., that can generate additional income. Remember if you cannot afford to step away from the business then you have not created an entity that can be successfully and profitably transferred.

5. How many family members will be involved?: Tough decisions need to be made early on as to how many of your children the business will support.

Who are the most capable to take up the reins and lead the business forward?

Many fi ne businesses have failed due to gender bias, and this is a huge risk in transport. Remember transport is a business and where your son may look the part behind the wheel, your business may be better managed and controlled by his sibling behind the desk. If the

business is large it may be possible to split various parts of it into separate entities, but take good fi nancial advice as the separated businesses may not have the benefit of economies of scale enjoyed by the full company. Another important realisation is that perhaps the best people to run your business are not your sons or daughters and that a manager may be needed to be the Managing Director. Remember also a good education is no hindrance to your children, and what you have achieved with a driving license and hard work may not be sufficient for the next generation to succeed.

6. Tax Planning: In relation to any future business decision of this magnitude, consult an expert tax advisor. A litt le foresight now can reap dividends in the future. Key to any decision is your ability, with professional advice, to maximise the net proceeds from your business.

7. Go at the right time: Many businesses successions fail due to the fact that the older generation wait too long to hand over the reins. They may no longer want to progress the business, while the younger generation want to implement new business ideas and drive the business on. A business is best run with a single mind in authority, and the toughest business decision you may ever make is to know when to hand over control.

Tyrellstown Big, Lusk, Co. Dublin.

Stas & Kassbohrer Trailer Dealers for the 32 Counties Web: www.tctrailers.com E-mail: sales@tctrailers.com Mobile: Tom 086 9890445 Brian 087 8373110 FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

Text: Donal Dempsey - donal@fleet.ie

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46 | MARITIME I

fleetMaritime: IRISH SHIPPING & FREIGHT Compiled by Howard Knott Edited by Jarlath Sweeney email: maritime@fleet.ie

Volume 11, No. 2 Spring 2016

Peel’s Liverpool 2 project begins to deliver

I

n early March, at an event hosted by Liverpool Port owners the Peel Ports Group ,as part of its promotional programme for the Liverpool 2 deep water container terminal, the company urged the global container lines that currently call at ports in the southeast of England to consider operating into the Merseyside Port.

Peel Ports believes that the new terminal, the first phase of which is expected to open in October this year, will provide the larger carriers with the ideal platform to enable them to add Liverpool to their Asia-Europe network. The development will enable Liverpool to handle vessels with capacity of 13,500 TEU rather than the present maximum of 4,000 TEU. Physical work commenced on the Liverpool 2 project in 2013 and it had been expected that the deep water riverside terminal would be operational by the end of 2015, but things have slipped back somewhat from that first plan; the ever increasing vessel size of container vessels has also challenged the developers and it is now expected that vessels with capacity in excess of 16,000 TEU will be able to work at the terminal. In fact it appears that container ships have reached a maximum practical depth and length – around 400 metres – so that larger capacity vessels will be built wider and with higher stacks to accommodate containers.

This development will seriously challenge Liebherr and the other major builders of Ship to Shore cranes. To handle these vessels the cranes will have to have a further reach out over the ship and be built taller.

A major part of Peel Ports’ rationalisation for the new project was that while the south of England is the major area for consumption of consumer goods and food and drink, the area of England from Birmingham northwards was the major production area, so that the use of Liverpool as an export port made a lot of sense. Add to this the links by canal to Manchester and by sea to Irish and West Coast Scottish ports, which are further sources of export cargo, and the case becomes much stronger. For exporters based near any of these ports, shipping through Liverpool rather than through Rotterdam or Antwerp means that the carriers of the cargo can escape the extra fuel related costs that are a result of the establishment of the Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA) in the English Channel and the North Sea. While it has yet to secure or develop any deep sea services using very large vessels, over the last few months a lot of progress has been made in the area of more local links. All of these have potential to develop improved services for Irish importers and exporters.

Combilift introduces container weighing system

M

onaghan based builder of container and other cargo handling equipment, Combilift has introduced what it claims to be a container weighing system that meets the requirements of container shippers under the “verified gross mass” rules being introduced for all container movements by sea being introduced on 1 July.

Th is system is built into the fi rm’s Straddle carriers and is claimed to weigh a container to within 1% accuracy. Weighing this way avoids the risks of error that would apply using the normal weighbridge scales, as to get an accurate figure there the container would have to be weighed while on the truck and then the truck weighed without the container so as to calculate the container gross weight.

At the time of writing there is still some confusion as to how the various member countries of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will interpret the new rule, but it is becoming clear that a number of European countries in particular will adopt a hard-line policy with minimal tolerance of any weight discretion. This is understandable in the light of a number of safety incidents including this IMO reported example: June 2011: Container ship Deneb in Algeciras: The ship in this picture suffered a significant stability incident. A review after the incident found that out of the 168 containers on the load list, 16 - or roughly

1 out of 10 - containers had actual weights far in excess of the declared weights. The actual weights exceeded the declared weight in a range from between 1.9 times as much as the declared weight to as much as 6.7 times the declared weight.

The total, actual weight of these 16 containers was more than 278 tonnes above their total, declared weight of about 93 tonnes or 4 times higher than their declared weight.

(Readers in the south-east should note that this issue of compliance by exporters will be discussed at the IEA Supply Chain Group meeting taking place in Waterford on 13 April next). Details from; sineadbranigan@irishexporters.ie E bookings@derrybros.com T 0044 28 87784949 www.derrybros.com

FREIGHT FERRY SERVICES FLEETMARITIME | Spring 2016

MARITIME II | 47

Ship to Shore Shorts In December 2015 the Grimaldi Line owned Atlantic Container Line (ACL) introduced its fi rst of a fleet of five new vessels into its weekly Container and Ro-Ro service, linking European ports with others on the US and Canadian East Coast. By the end of 2016 all of the previous fleet will have been retired and ACL will be able to take advantage of the significant increase in capacity and lower operating costs on the new vessels to look to call at further ports, perhaps in Central America. As Liverpool is the last port heading west and first coming east and ACL is the main carrier for the ever increasing export from Ireland of ‘high and heavy’ cargo, this is a significant development from an Irish perspective.

In February WEC Lines, the long established shipping line operating out of North Sea ports to Iberia and African destinations, announced that it is expanding with a major new development. Th is is a dedicated, faster, direct and weekly container service connecting Liverpool with Lisbon, Setubal, Leixoes and Sines.

In the course of its announcement WEC Lines stated that this new service has been introduced in response to the growing demand from the trade to ship via the port of Liverpool to Portugal and vice versa, also linking Scotland and Ireland with Morocco and Spain including the Canary Islands.

WEC Lines’ Irish Agent, Johnson Stevens advises that WEC will offer a wide range

of container equipment on this service including 45ft . units for Portuguese and Canary Island destinations, and that the connection to Liverpool is made using the BG freight vessel, sailing from Dublin on each Friday, though transit times vary with destination port, ranging from seven days to Lisbon to thirteen days to Casablanca.

In early March Maersk Line subsidiary Seago Line announced what could be a ground breaking new service, linking the Ports of Liverpool and Dublin with one of Maersk’s major hub ports, Algeciras which is located just east of Gibraltar at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. With the new service, Maersk launches its fi rst ever direct service to Dublin.

Providing a direct service between the British Isles and Algeciras to connect to the whole of Mediterranean and North Africa, the newly announced Irish Sea product into Liverpool and Dublin compliments the existing network and offers improved transportation solutions for serving local markets.

Operated by Seago Line, the Intra-European shipping expert and part of the Maersk Group, the new service further allows easier access to other trades and helps sister companies Maersk Line and Safmarine deliver for its customers in the North West of England and Ireland. Most notably, the new short sea service creates a great opportunity for a West Africa product offering, with a new trans-shipment option to connect both markets to Nigeria.

“We are thrilled to offer a new service and expand our product portfolio for both countries,” explained Seago Line General Manager for UK & Ireland, Robert

Clegg. “With competitive transit times and convenient berthing windows, we are wellplaced to serve customers who seek new opportunities through this Mediterranean connection. For Irish cargo this becomes an att ractive alternative to the current feeder option via Rotterdam.”

With the introduction of Seago Line’s Irish Sea service, Maersk Group returns to Liverpool with a direct product after a 10 year absence. At the same time, it will be Maersk Group’s fi rst ever direct connection to the Irish capital, supplementing the existing Latin American service to Cork operated

by Maersk Line. Brian Godsafe, Managing Director at Maersk Line UK & Ireland commented: “This service is a positive addition to our current portfolio. The Irish Sea feeder offers flexibility to customers in and around the Liverpool area. It is also a major change for our Irish customers, who will now receive a faster and direct product to better serve their import and export needs.”

The new service will offer 6 days transit time between Algeciras and Liverpool and 7 days between Algeciras and Dublin. The first call to Liverpool is planned on April 13 and to Dublin on April 14.

In introducing this new service, Maersk is breaking the established mould of feedering deep sea traffic through North West European ports. Irish shippers and their freight forwarders will be watching how this service develops and the through transit times to destination using this new link. It is unclear at time of writing whether the Line will continue to ship containers on DublinRotterdam services or will concentrate exclusively on the new Spanish link. It is assumed that current feeder arrangements through Belfast and Cork will remain in operation.

Maersk Line is the world’s largest container shipping company and operates 590 container vessels. It is headquartered in Copenhagen.

E bookings@derrybros.com T 0044 28 87784949 www.derrybros.com

IRISH SEA ROUTES FLEETMARITIME | Spring 2016

48 | MARITIME III ensure that Seatruck can deal with the strong and continued growth in its DublinLiverpool route. Mid-week, Seatruck now offers three sailings per day in each direction.

Seatruck Ferries, the Irish Sea freight specialist has added a larger third vessel to the Liverpool - Dublin route. The vessel, which Seatruck deployed on the route in November 2015, has been replaced by a larger and faster P series vessel almost doubling the freight capacity with space for 110 trailers per sailing.

The third vessel on the route runs alongside the two larger FSG built vessels, and will

In a comment on the introduction of the increased capacity a Seatruck spokesman said: "Driver shortages are causing operators to reassess their traditional accompanied method. Seatruck Ferries believes in a switch to greater volumes of unaccompanied movements from ports, which reduces road mileage compared with the transit through Wales or Scotland. As economic conditions improve, this addition is the next stage in Seatruck Ferries’ strategic development plan.

Th is positive move will complement the existing Seatruck services from Warrenpoint - Heysham and from Dublin - Heysham.

The M6 Link road is nearing completion and will dramatically reduce the transit time to Heysham Port from junction 34 of the M6."

Between the two Ro-Ro operators, Seatruck and P & O Ferries, there are now up to six sailings each day out of Dublin to Liverpool with a combined capacity of almost 1000 trailers, most of them unaccompanied.

Stena Line operates up to three sailings daily out of Belfast to Liverpool while Seatruck also serves to the nearby Peel Ports owned Heysham Port.

DFDS Logistics support Waterford sailings with extra rail service

D

FDS has announced an immediate doubling of capacity on its weekly intermodal rail service from Waterford Port to Ballina, County Mayo.

The Line comments that the new capacity will benefit customers in the west and north-west of Ireland in particular, providing them with a cost effective alternative when compared with a road based shipping option. Coupled with this, the customer also reduces their carbon footprint.

The train timetable is optimised to meet the DFDS sailing schedules from Waterford Port to Rotterdam, which allows for onward delivery into Europe. Customers can now load in the West of Ireland on Tuesday morning and deliver in Holland on Friday. Rotterdam also provides access to DFDS sailings to Norway, and rail connections to Italy and Turkey, allowing for a rail-sea-rail connection from Ballina to Milan and Istanbul.

Importers into Ireland will also benefit from this extra capacity, with the Intermodal rail solution particularly suitable for bulk tank operators and also shippers of large volume to the west and north of Ireland.

DFDS also advises that it is also working with its partners in the service, Irish Rail, to further develop rail freight capacity by offering longer trains.

Commenting on the trials currently underway of longer and heavier trains serving Waterford and Dublin Ports, Iarnród Éireann General Manager, Rail Freight, Glenn Carr said: “Iarnród Éireann is working with existing customers as well as freight forwarders, Ports and the Irish Exporters Association to identify opportunities and trends for rail freight development within the Irish and

European markets. Longer freight trains will further enhance both the commercial and environmental competitiveness of rail freight in Ireland.” The current trials involve trains of 27 flat wagons for containers and of 18 pulp wood wagons.

The additional DFDS train from Ballina brings the weekly train numbers out of the Mayo town to Irish Ports to twelve, seven of which are chartered by IWT to Dublin while three pulp wood trains run to Waterford for Coillte and two container trains also to Waterford on behalf of DFDS.

E bookings@derrybros.com T 0044 28 87784949 www.derrybros.com

EUROPEAN ROUTES FLEETMARITIME | Spring 2016

MARITIME IV | 49 celebrating

TRANSPORT AWARDS 2017

Citywest Hotel, Dublin.

Fleet Transport Awards

Thursday 13 October 2016

years

www.fleet.ie

Dublin Port kicks off development project…..

W

ork has now commenced on the first phase of Dublin Port’s development plan as set out in its 2012 Development masterplan. The initial focus is on the Alexandra Basin project involving a combination of Quay re-building, a reduction in the size of North Wall Quay to allow vessels of up to 340 metres long to safely turn in the river, and dredging of the Basin, the river channel and for a distance in the channel outside the Port. The dredging alone will involve the removal of some six million tonnes of sand and silt including some 470,000 cubic metres of contaminated material.

installed a large Liebherr container crane at its Dublin Port terminal.

This should enable the company to handle the larger vessels that will come to the Port following completion of the Alexandra Basin redevelopment project.

…..and will host major Conferences Dublin Port Company will host the 13th edition of the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) annual Conference in June this year. The ESPO is inviting its members, policy makers and stakeholders to join this event, which is being organised in co-operation with Dublin Port.

The conference will take place on 2 & 3 June next.

The 2016 ESPO Conference will look into ways to improve the efficiency of maritime transport and ports from different perspectives namely, how to remove the remaining barriers in maritime transport? How to set the digital agenda for ports? How can ports benefit from new trade agreements? The conference brings together European Commission Officials, Members of the European Parliament, Government Ministers, top managers of European ports and representatives of major players of the maritime business.

The Alexandra Basin project should be completed by 2020 allowing for the re-location of cruise vessels to new dedicated berths in the Basin and in the river close to the East Link bridge and Point Village. New Ferry berths will be located in the Basin area and these would facilitate larger vessels than the Port can accommodate at present. While the work is in progress, the Port will operate fully. In 2015 trailer traffic through the Port grew by 7%, container traffic was up by 10%, while bulk traffic through Dublin grew by 2% over 2014 figures. These very strong figures are causing the Port’s management to re-visit the figures in the Master Plan. The number of cruise vessels to visit Dublin Port during the summer months now appears to be likely to top the 120 mark.

This follows closely on the heels of the Cruise Europe Conference running at the port from 31 May to 3 June. Cruise Europe represents 120 ports and associate members from all over Europe. Dublin Port advises that the conference will be a great opportunity to showcase Ireland to the Cruise industry. In advance of that event, Dublin Port Company is working closely with Dublin City Council, Dublin Airport Authority, Fáilte Ireland and others to further develop its Cruise product.

Burke Shipping Group re-named The Terminal Operator and Agency company, Burke Shipping Group has been re-named as Doyle Shipping Group. This is part of a re-branding of a diverse range of businesses to present themselves under common branding. The company has recently purchased and

E bookings@derrybros.com T 0044 28 87784949 www.derrybros.com

AN ESSENTIAL PART OF YOUR TEAM FLEETMARITIME | Spring 2016

50 | LEGAL

The curse of the mobile phone

I

t is now difficult if not impossible to avoid the evidence that demonstrates that driver distraction is a major contributory factor in an alarming number of road traffic accidents.

In the UK, the Department or Transport has announced an intention to increase the penalties that follow a conviction for the use of a mobile phone whilst driving.

We can assume from this announcement that, despite continuous publicity about the dangers that can flow from the use of a mobile phone whilst driving, the problem continues to escalate.

In the Irish Republic, relying on the authority contained in the Road Traffic Act 2006, legislation covering ‘Restriction on Use of Mobile Phones Regulations 2014’, was introduced to come into effect on 1 May 2014. These regulations made it an offence to send or read a text message from a mobile phone whilst driving. It was, of course, already an offence to hold a mobile phone whilst driving (RTA 2006 Section 3), but this new regulation covers the use of mobile phones which are not being held. Probably this was a response to catch those drivers who simply dropped their mobile phone when they saw an enforcement officer and then denied that they were ‘holding it’.

Initially the penalties were included in ‘the general penalties’, set out in the amended Section 102 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, but on 1 August 2014, the offences connected with the use of a mobile phone were brought within the fi xed charge/penalty point regime.

As a result an offence will attract 3 penalty points with an initial fi ne of €60 provided that the fi ne is paid within 28 days. Th is fi ne will increase to €90 if not paid within the specified 28 days.

Clearly this is an offence that can only be committed by the driver of a vehicle but, once again, the haulage operator needs to be concerned with the actions of any individual driver who is in employment.

In the event of a serious accident the detail of the circumstances will come under investigation. Any mobile phone or similar device will be examined to ascertain whether or not it was in use at the time of the accident. Additionally, with the aid of modern technology, if the phone was in use, it is possible to discover whether the call was to or from the driver and from where the call originated. In a situation in which the call proves to have originated from the employer’s FLEETTRANSPORT | APRIL 16

hat the employer premises it is possible that will have to accept some responsibility for the accident.

A n en forcement of f icer investigating a company’s policy obile in relation to the use of mobile e: 1. phones will expect to see: bs Short notices in the cabs es of all company vehicles se warning against the use ort of mobile phones. 2. Short rom which notices in any office from calls might be made to company drivers. 3.

Copies of letters written to individual drivers warning about the dangers arising from the use of mobile phones. These letters should be repeated at acceptable intervals.

Judging by the number of drivers of all types of vehicles who can be seen on our roads at any time talking on a phone or, in extreme cases, texting, the majority of drivers believe that their driving skills are such that they do not need to be concerned, and, of course, that enforcement is inadequate.

Until the driving public accepts that real dangers follow from the use of a phone whilst driving, accidents, which all too frequently are fatal, will continue to occur. Officers of companies whose vehicles travel on the public roads cannot avoid an ongoing obligation to advise drivers of the dangers that flow from the use of mobile phones, an obligation to try to limit that use, and an obligation to spread these warnings to all drivers.

Text: Jonathan Lawton - jonathan@fleet.ie

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OPINION | 53

Rising Insurance Premiums View from the Operators Desk

by Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie a focal point

R

ising insurance premiums are still a problem for road transport companies. As premium renewals fall due, companies are fearful as to the likely increase they face. As the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) members prepare for their AGM and Conference in Wexford later this month, uncertainty around premiums is sure to dominate discussion between hauliers. Those who have gone through the renewal process will be able to give litt le word of comfort to those heading into the process.

Unfortunately, there will not be a fast solution to rising premiums. Most people will remember the last insurance premium crisis, which seemed to start after the Twin Towers’ attack in New York. Although it is believed that this event had litt le to do with it, it was often blamed for premiums rising at enormous rates. During that period some

companies saw their premiums more than double in some cases.

In a clear signal from Government, then Finance Minister Michael Noonan, speaking in Limerick at an event hosted by AIB, informed hauliers that while he was aware of problems in the insurance sector and in particular rising premiums, “it is an issue that must be dealt with by your trade associations.”

So far the current crisis has not reached these types of proportions, but it is early days. One thing that should not be forgotten from the last crisis was that it took the arrival of a new competitor/underwriter to the market place, namely Quinn Insurance, to reduce premiums.

Of course, the establishment of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) from the Motor Insurance Advisory Board (MIAB)

also had a big effect, but the arrival of competition in the market place then and now is the key to a reality market. Nobody could argue with the fact that the Quinn Insurance saga ended badly and that all of us are paying for it for the foreseeable future, however, the Quinn model worked and worked well for many years. Is there another unknown ‘Maverick’ lurking in the background waiting in the shadows to shake up the insurance sector? For all our sakes, I hope so.

Review of tachograph registrations y now some of you may have been contacted by Competence Assurance Solutions (CAS).

It has been approved by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to conduct two independent reviews in relation to tachograph use:-

B

In the discussion document issued by CAS, it wants to get a broad range of views from trade associations, transport companies, reg ulator y bodies and public sector organisations.

•

Two things strike me about this review. First of all, the word driver is not mentioned in relation to being part of the process, strange to say the least. Secondly and possibly more importantly, the review seems to focus on people’s opinions rather than fact. If this review is to be effective, CAS should consider gett ing themselves a

•

Driving times and reducing risk behaviours of professional drivers including those not covered by driving time regulations.

Sanctions which might apply to drivers and owners who continue to flout driving time or roadworthiness standards.

tent and travelling around all of the various truck shows and other events that will be held during the summer. I have no doubt if they listened they would get original ideas for their review.

celebrating

TRANSPORT AWARDS 2017

Citywest Hotel, Dublin.

Thursday 13 October 2016 www.fleet.ie

Fleet Transport Awards

years www.fleet.ie

54 | SOAPBOX

“Oh for the gift to see ourselves as others would see us”

T

he view of a European Union (EU) Official put the above headline from the famous Scottish poet Robbie Burns into my head, at an International Road Transport Union (IRU) Road Transport Workshop in Brussels. Robert Missen, the Head of the Land & Maritime Security Unit of DG Move told the audience: “You are at the bottom of the food chain politically.” He was talking about Calais, and in addressing the issues IRU members had raised, demonstrated the total willingness of authorities to blame hauliers and their drivers for every clandestine found on a truck at the French port, whilst overlooking their own complete failure. He displayed a complete ignorance of the workings of the industry, which he is paid to protect, referring in one case to a rear protruding trailer load as an “unsecured load”, ignorant of the fact that the load was longer than the trailer. Worse still, the driver was leaning against the cab smoking a “Woodbine”. this was not seen as achievable in the medium-to-long term.

Nothing from the IRU Workshop entitled: “Upcoming EU initiatives relating to the functioning of the EU road freight transport market and to truck security” could be taken as a positive for the industry.

DG Move commissioned AEA Ricardo to carry out a survey into the differing workings of Cabotage in the Member States (1071/72-2009) - on the basis, I assume, that there are confl icting interpretations?

WOW! Well done DG Move, given that Mr. Kallas as Transport Commissioner in 2009 introduced this Regulation as a precursor to a completely open market in 2013. Here we are in 2016 talking as though what we have arrived at is the finished product rather than a step towards complete liberalisation. Kallas’ initiative has cost the European road transport industry billions of euro. Rather than decreasing the growing pollution, cabotage has increased it by a factor of millions of tonnes of CO2 , destroying in the process highly efficient shipping patterns that hauliers had built up over the previous twentyfive years. Why not a survey into the cost to Europe of this debacle?

When asked when was the supposed liberalisation going to finally take place, the EC representative Eddy Liegeois advised that politically s

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Moving on to the review of EU Regulation 561 and more flexibility of digital tacho hours to allow drivers, particularly from the peripheral corners of the EU, to get home, the solution talked about leaves much to be concerned about. The idea is that if a driver has done a weekend away but cannot make it home for the second weekend, you will be allowed to fly him home! That is the sort of flexibility only a bureaucrat (such as those discussed above) could come up with. Perhaps they want us to leave our loaded trucks in the “Secure Areas” in Calais?

It is two years since we were invited to give our views on a more useful Driver CPC, with more than four hundred representatives of the industry from all sides attending a one-day consultation in Brussels, yet there has been no update from DG Move. That it fails totally in its stated aim of reducing deaths and injuries on our roads by increasing driver professionalism, seems not a matter of urgency in DG Move.

I cannot honestly say that I left Brussels with anything other than a deep feeling of concern at the ineptitude of the EU. Gone are the days of cheer and hope when we saw the ending of having to buy your haulage licence for thousands of pounds in the interest of loss making State railways, the ending of Customs borders and tariffs, and the clarity of the euro. Instead, I see legislation seemingly for the sake of it, the bureaucratic machine grinds on without regard to whether what has gone before it works, needs updating or does anything only to add to the EU’s mountain of youth unemployment and loss of competitiveness. We might be at the “bottom of the food chain” however the bottom is the foundation of everything that is built on top of it.

Brussels is a bubble and DG Move is a bubble within a bubble. It is time for them to heed Robbie Burns’ words and see themselves as we see them, ‘Not Fit for Purpose!’

Text: Jerry Kiersey - jerry@fleet.ie

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