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TOUGH ON TEST MUDDER

IVECO/ NIKOLA TRE

ARMY DRIVERS

SCANIA P410XT DRIVEN

HYDROGEN TRUCK TO HIT UK

RECRUITS BEHIND THE WHEEL

TOP SPE C

PURE MAH UK'S 25 YEAR SPECIAL EDITION VOLVO BLASTS ONTO TNT CONTACT SKILLS WARNING

BRACING FOR BREXIT Driver shortage set to worsen MIDDLE EAST OPS

DESTINATION DUBAI Haulage in the pearl of the UAE CLASSIC TRUCK

KILLED BY PERFECTION? Rise & fall of Gardner diesels

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IVECO/ NIKOLA TRE

ARMY DRIVERS

SCANIA P410XT DRIVEN

HYDROGEN TRUCK TO HIT UK

RECRUITS BEHIND THE WHEEL

TOP SPEC

PURE MAH UK'S 25 YEAR SPECIAL EDITION VOLVO BLASTS ONTO TNT CONTACT SKILLS WARNING

BRACING FOR BREXIT Driver shortage set to worsen MIDDLE EAST OPS

DESTINATION DUBAI Haulage in the pearl of the UAE CLASSIC TRUCK

KILLED BY PERFECTION? Rise & fall of Gardner diesels

K TRUCIAL ON TR

HEAVY HAUL UT SHOOT-O & VOLVO FH13-540

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SCANIA R580 BATTLE IT OUT AT HC WILSON

www.truckingmag.co.uk

On the cover…

52 Pure Dynamite MAH UK Transport 25 Year Special Edition Volvo FH16-750 blasts onto TNT contract

6 Bracing for Brexit

16

Warning issued as immigration policy signals worsening driver shortage post-Brexit

Iveco/ Nikola TRE

ON THE WEB! For the latest ne ws

Welcome to

TRUCKING

, features and mor e, see www.truckingm ag.co.uk, find us on facebo ok and follow us on twitter!

A

s we wrap up this issue just a few days before Christmas, it’s hard not to reflect on the year gone by and the changing landscape of British road haulage. In a year fraught with Brexit frustration, political confusion and a groundswell of environmental activism, it’s safe to say great changes are on the horizon. Now the General Election is over, we’ll likely begin to see how Brexit will work early in the New Year. Hauliers have waited long enough with baited breath – businesses need concrete terms and conditions on which to base their operating and purchasing decisions for the future.

One thing that can be banked on is the shift towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly transport. Manufacturers are racing to bring vehicles powered by alternative fuels to market, and some have already commenced production. At the close of 2019, MAN announced a “small” production run of its eTGM (see Industry News, page 6) – but undoubtedly the biggest news is the reveal of the Nikola TRE. The US start-up has joined forces with Iveco to produce a battery and hydrogenbattery powered tractor unit ready for the UK and Europe. Though wearing the Nikola badge, the truck will be based on Iveco’s S-WAY chassis, with Nikola providing the powertrain and bespoke digital infotainment kit. At December’s launch event in Turin, we heard Nikola boss Trevor Milton promise the company “was coming into Europe like a freight train” to offer operators the ultimate zero-emission truck. It’s a bold statement, and time will of course tell if the technology can back up the claims. But Iveco parent CNH Industrial’s $250 million investment in the project reinforces its confidence that the TRE will deliver. Don’t miss our full report from the launch, starting page 16. We’ll be watching TRE’s development with interest.

All that remains is to wish you all the very best for the New Year. Thanks for choosing Trucking.

16 Iveco/Nikola TRE Iveco and Nikola join forces to launch the TRE battery and hydrogen-battery electric tractor unit for the UK and Europe

28 Army Drivers How new recruits are steering towards a life behind the wheel

34 Tough Mudder Scania P410XT tipper chassis on UK road test

40 Heavy Haul Shoot-Out Volvo FH13-540 and Scania R580 specials go head to head at HC Wilson

60 Destination Dubai We explore road haulage in the pearl of the UAE

78 Killed by Perfection?

Andy Stewart, editor www.truckingmag.co.uk

Find us on facebook (www.facebook.com/truckingmag) Follow us on twitter (@truckingmag) and on Instagram (truckingmaguk)

The rise and fall of Gardner diesels, once the favourite of ERF, Foden and Atkinson February 2020 TRUCKING 3

Contents 28

Army drivers

Truck on Trial

40 50 Me &

My Truck

52

Dynamite Volvo FH16-750

Inside your February 2020 issue…

6 Industry News

14 International News

24 New Gear

40 Truck on Trial

Driver shortage to worsen under post-Brexit immigration policy, MAN begins limited e-truck production, Volvo reveals electric tipper concept

SNAP launches smart payment tech into Germany, DAF launches CF Electric 6x2 rigid, Daimler sends Freightliner Cascadia Down Under

Stuff to ease your life on the road

10 Operator’s News

16 Nikola TRE

Driver opinion leads Gardner to grab nine new Volvos, first Actros arrives at A&D, Crouch confirms XF fits for Euro recovery ops

US start-up joins forces with Iveco to launch the Nikola TRE – a battery and hydrogen-battery electric tractor unit for the UK and Europe

How new recruits are steering towards a life behind the wheel as professional Army drivers

52 Present Time

12 Driver’s News

20 Staying Ahead of the Game

34 Driven: Scania P410XT

MAH UK Transport owner celebrates anniversary with Volvo FH16-750 25 Year Special Edition

Compliance, safety, counterterrorism and more discussed at the FTA Transport Manager Conference

We load up to max weight for a tough Swedish tipper chassis road test

Truck-spotting on the A1231

One in five CV drivers breaching UK road fatigue laws, truckers “deprived of human right to sanitation”, Microlise kicks on driver contest 4 TRUCKING February 2020

26 Best of the Forum

Volvo FH13-540 and Scania R580 heavy-haulage specials go head to head at HC Wilson

Bits and bobs we’ve found on the web this month

50 Me & My Truck

28 Hitting the Target

This month, Neil Galloway’s stunning Scania R450 tractor unit takes over our centre spread

58 Out & About www.truckingmag.co.uk

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60 Destination Dubai

74 ADR Advice

We explore road haulage in the pearl of the UAE

Your hazardous load queries answered

66 Reviews

76 Trucker’s Diary

Books, music and movies rated

If it’s on, it’s in here

Services 87 Owner-Drivers Increase your productivity

88 Return Loads Maximise your profits

68 Letters

78 Classic Truck

Vintage oversize load secret, HVO carbon query

Free legal advice from our expert

How Gardner built the world’s first diesel suitable for powering road transport vehicles – and became the engine of choice for ERF, Foden, Atkinson and Scammell

Expand your horizons

72 Court & Inquiry

98 Last Drop

93 Trucking Trader

The latest road transport cases straight from the courtrooms

The backwards evolution of the British motorway system

Track down your next used truck bargain

70 You & the Law

www.truckingmag.co.uk

89 Insurance Protect your investments

91 Training

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www.kelsey.co.uk February 2020 TRUCKING 5

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS IN BRIEF

S-series name change Scania has announced it is renaming its S-series trucks to avoid a clash with rival manufacturer MercedesBenz’s S-class cars. Instead of the letter S followed by the horsepower figure, Scania said the new naming style for its sleeper-cab equipped S-cab vehicles will be the bhp followed by an S – for example, 450S or 730S instead of S450 or S730. The reversed naming order applies only to the sleeper cabs with a flat floor. Scania’s current way of naming trucks by the cab series followed by the engine power was introduced back in 2004 with the introduction of the PGR series. The new type of trade name for the S-series, with the horsepower figure stated first, will be introduced on S-series trucks ordered from now and does not affect any other trucks. “We are keen to protect our brands and recognise why Daimler, with its long-standing S-class passenger car history, had an issue with the S-series trade name,” said Alexander Vlaskamp, SVP, Scania Trucks.

F&G BECOMES MOTUS Northern England-based DAF dealership F&G Commercials has changed its name to Motus Commercials following its acquisition of the F&G Commercials business in 2019. Motus Commercials is one of the largest DAF dealer groups in the UK and Europe, and also has a network of Ford, VW, Isuzu, Fiat and LDV van and light commercials sites. The number of Motusoperated DAF sites in the UK is 29. F&G Commercials has four full-service DAF dealerships in total, located at Manchester, Huddersfield, Oldham and Barnsley – the latter of which is joined by an Accident Repair Centre. All five of these sites have now taken on the Motus Commercials name.

6 TRUCKING February 2020

Driver shortage to worsen under post-Brexit immigration policy

T

he Freight Transport Association (FTA) has issued a fresh warning that the industry’s growing shortfall of 59,000 HGV drivers will get “significantly worse” in 2020, unless the government amends its post-Brexit immigration policy to retain existing EU workers and welcome new ones after the UK leaves the EU. In a statement released in the middle of the busy 2019 holiday season, FTA’s head of skills campaigns, Sally Gilson said: “With UK Christmas present spending now topping £19 billion a year, and 42 per cent of that spent online, the pressure on logistics businesses to deliver a flawless Christmas for consumers and businesses alike is increasing every year.

“At the same time, the availability of HGV drivers to deliver these gifts and other vital

commodities has declined by 16,000 year-on-year despite soaring demand for their services.”

Gilson added that while the industry is “resilient and flexible”, with the skills shortage worsening each year, delivering consumer goods on time will become increasingly difficult after the UK’s departure from the EU – unless the government provides focused support.

“The logistics sector is heavily reliant on EU workers: they currently constitute 13 per cent of the sector’s entire workforce,” she said. “But the government’s proposed post-Brexit immigration policy fails to take into account what these employees bring to industry and, instead, is based around arbitrary academic levels and minimum salary requirements – not what the UK economy needs to remain functional.”

FTA said it is urging the government to amend its future

ABOVE FTA said EU workers currently constitute 13 per cent of the UK’s driver workforce

immigration policy to allow these workers continued access postBrexit. “The government must prioritise the recruitment and retention of HGV drivers alongside other logistics staff,” Gilson argued.

The number of EU nationals moving to the UK for work is now more than 50 per cent lower than its peak period between June 2015 and June 2016.

MAN begins “small” production run of all-electric trucks

M

AN Truck & Bus has announced it has commenced a “small” production run of TGM 26.360 E LL electric distribution trucks, which are being built at the manufacturer’s plant in Steyr, Austria.

Since autumn 2018, MAN, together with nine Austrian customers from the CNL Council for Sustainable Logistics consortium, has been carrying out practical testing of e-trucks. The nine companies - Gebrüder Weiss, HOFER, Magna Steyr, METRO, Quehenberger Logistics, REWE, Schachinger Logistik, SPAR and Stieglbrauerei – have each put an MAN eTGM electric truck into on the road and have been gathering operational data on their day-to-day performance.

MAN said eTGM “meets all the essential demands” for urban deliveries of the future thanks to its zeroemission profile in local operation, quiet noise levels, and sufficient payload to

cope with “typical” urban transport tasks.

The e-truck for medium and heavy-duty distribution traffic can be configured as a refrigerated vehicle with either a swap body or beverage body.

The all-electric MAN eTGM distribution vehicle is offered in a three-axle 6x2-4 chassis configuration as a 26-tonner, with a steerable and liftable trailing axle and four-corner air suspension. The vehicle is powered by a 264 kW electric motor, developing a maximum torque of 3100 Nm. Auxiliary units such as power steering, air compressors and the air-conditioning system are operated electrically, controlled as required by the energy management system.

ABOVE German manufacturer commenced eTGM trials with several European customers in 2018

When decelerating and braking, the vehicle’s motive energy is converted into electrical energy and fed back into the battery – which can increase the vehicle’s operational range. A display in the cockpit informs the driver about the batteries’ current energy level.

The truck is powered by high-performance lithium-ion batteries made by the Volkswagen Group, which are located underneath the cab on top of the front axle, where conventional vehicles have their diesel power train.

Additional batteries are located on the vehicle frame.

MAN said eTGM’s operational range is up to 200 km depending on the area of application, climatic conditions and topography.

To help make the transition to e-mobility as easy as possible, MAN will provide customers with a team offering comprehensive, tailored advice. This will cover needs analysis, fleet configuration, charging infrastructure and energy management. www.truckingmag.co.uk

Pall-Ex completes sale to UK membership & senior management Pall-Ex said it is now the first UK network to be owned by its members

P

all-Ex Group has announced its sale to its UK network membership and senior management team (Trucking, December) has now been finalised – making the network the first to be owned by industry personnel from within the business and throughout the membership.

Since distributing 117 pallets on its first night on November 29, 1996, Pall-Ex has grown into a sprawling European network that handles thousands of pallets each night, with partnerships established across the Continent.

RUN D.M.C Investments Ltd, a company created by Dave Fairbrother, Maggie Larimore

and Craig Stevens, founder members of Pall-Ex, funded the initial membership part of the acquisition.

“We are delighted that more than 70 per cent of Pall-Ex’s UK membership will be shareholders and that the senior management have chosen to commit their long-term futures to help us grow,” said RUN D.M.C’s Maggie Larimore.

Kevin Buchanan, CEO of Pall-Ex Group, added: “The senior management have bought into a five-year vision to build Pall-Ex, which is already an outstanding brand, into a market-leading European network. We are already in discussion with our international partners to invest further into Pall-Ex Group to

deliver an ambitious development programme. We are also actively growing our UK network membership, to further increase our shareholder members within Pall-Ex UK. “I am excited about this journey and how far we can take the business. We have some key

developments happening in the next few weeks and will be releasing information about these in due course,” he said.

The new owners are also discussing shareholder options with Pall-Ex’s international partners, to further grow the European arm of the business.

TRL develops new device to speed up road repairs

Volvo develops electric concepts for construction and regional distribution vehicles

T

H

ransport Research Laboratory (TRL) has developed a new cost-effective and easy-to-use road condition monitoring device which it reckons will streamline the process of monitoring road surfaces throughout the UK. Designed to enable highways maintenance organisations to assess the condition of their road network, the device also assists with planning ahead by identifying roads that require maintenance in the short, medium and long-term.

Pitched as a low-risk, cost-effective and efficient alternative to the current annual high-resolution surveys, TRL said its new device is “a key innovation” that will have a positive impact on the future of transport by improving existing maintenance speeds.

The device is a small box that can be attached to any vehicle, making use of existing fleets of vehicles which regularly cover the network. Incorporating a high-resolution digital video camera, the device records images as the vehicle moves along. Once installed, the device requires no input from the driver as it switches on when the vehicle is started.

The live data produced is transmitted wirelessly to the cloud for analysis, with any issues reported daily on an electronic dashboard.

This, said TRL, enables “quick and efficient decisions” to be made on what roads require urgent maintenance.

LEFT New camera kit can fit onto existing fleets and send road surface condition data to the cloud for analysis, ahead of repair www.truckingmag.co.uk

aving recently started sales of electric trucks for urban transport, Volvo Trucks has now unveiled electric concept trucks aimed for construction operations and regional distribution.

“We see great potential for heavy-duty electric trucks for regional transport and construction in the longer term,” said Roger Alm, president, Volvo Trucks. “With our concept trucks, we aim to explore and demonstrate different solutions while evaluating the level of interest in the market and in society.”

Alm said that to increase demand for electrified trucks, the charging infrastructure “needs to be rapidly expanded”, while stronger financial incentives must be created for hauliers who act as pioneers by choosing new vehicles with a lower environmental and climate footprint.

Heavy duty electric trucks can help improve the work environment for drivers and construction workers due to low noise levels and zero exhaust emissions during operation.

Due to the lack of noise disturbance, these trucks also make it possible to perform transport operations for more hours per day – which opens up new possibilities for streamlining operations, for instance in large construction projects and for transport in and around cities.

A reduction of the overall climate

ABOVE Volvo said zero emissions and reduced noise output are significant advantages for electric tipper concept

impact of the transport sector is possible by using heavy electric vehicles in regional distribution.

The majority of goods distribution by truck within the EU is regional.

“In Europe there is an enormous number of trucks used for regional goods transport that have an average annual mileage of 80,000 km. This means that increased use of electric vehicles for regional distribution would result in significant climate gains, provided the electricity is fossilfree,” said Lars Mårtensson, Volvo’s director of environment and innovation.

Volvo said its plan for electric heavy-duty trucks for construction and regional distribution is to start by having selected customers in Europe pilot a small number of future electric vehicles. More extensive commercialisation will follow at a later point.

February 2020 TRUCKING 7

NEWS INDUSTRY

DAWES WINS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST FLEETS TO PROTECT ITS SAFETY TECH

D

awes Highway Safety, which has fitted its PeoplePanels to more than 5000 HGVs across the UK, has warned fleets to be on their guard against businesses selling similar products that infringe the company’s intellectual property and copyright.

PeoplePanels – flat panels designed to fit over existing sideguards to prevent vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians from being crushed under the wheels of vehicles – are available for use on a wide range of commercial vehicles ranging from 3.5-tonne units to four-wheel tippers and articulated trucks.

However, Dawes Highway Safety has now successfully taken legal action against eight organisations – settling out of court for “substantial damages” of more than £10,000 in each case – that have fitted replica panels to vehicles.

The technology, which is accredited by both the Fleet

Tarmac vehicle equipped with Dawes’ PeoplePanels equipment

Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) and Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS), has been adopted by safety-focused fleets that include Tarmac, Martin Browers, Keltbray, Mick George and Travis Perkins.

PeoplePanels are also supplied to the industry via almost all major bodybuilders in the UK. Tarmac has to date fitted around 300 HGVs with PeoplePanels and has

committed to fitting all new tippers and mixers with the lifesaving equipment.

“PeoplePanels is a growing business with a great reputation,” said Paul Holmes, commercial director, PeoplePanels. “We commissioned a design agency to create unique icons for use on our panels. The copyright and other intellectual property rights relating to these designs have been assigned to Dawes Highway Safety.

“In recent months it has come

ADVERTORIAL

Witham launches winter deal on antifreeze & coolants With anti-freeze and coolants prices possibly set to rise due to unique market influences such as Brexit and other disruption, one manufacturer is taking steps to mitigate uncertainty by securing a good early rate on orders from coolant makers to ensure there is enough supply at the best price for customers.

The Witham Group has also launched a special winter deal giving customers free winter products with orders of antifreeze and coolants. The deal works like this: Order 50 litres or more of ANY antifreeze/coolants and get a FREE 5-litre screenwash Order 75 litres or more of ANY antifreeze/coolant and get a FREE 5-litre screenwash AND de-icer spray “We are encouraging customers to place orders for anti-freeze and coolants as soon as possible to get the best value price,” said Witham MD, Nigel Bottom. “We supply coolants in large quantities at this time of year and we wanted to give our customers extra help by giving away some winter essentials.”

Witham’s new antifreeze/coolant range includes three products to suit varying budgets and different applications which protects engines from frost damage, overheating and corrosion in both older and brand-new vehicles.

To order, customers can either contact their local depot or order from Witham’s online shop (www.withamgroup. co.uk/online-shop) while stocks last.

Offer Terms & Conditions: Offer includes a free 5 litres of All Seasons Concentrated Screen Wash with every 50 litres of Qualguard Antifreeze or Coolant (orders of 75 litres or more will also include a free 600 ml de-icer spray). Offer ends February 1, 2020. Delivery charges are not included.

8 TRUCKING February 2020

to our attention that some fleets are using a design on their vehicles identical to those of PeoplePanels. Those designs have not been produced by Dawes Highway Safety or authorised for use by the company, and thus infringe copyright and other intellectual property rights.

“PeoplePanels has built up a significant reputation and goodwill for its road safety product and the designs associated with the panels.

Consequently we feel it is only right to protect the business.

“PeoplePanels is backed by a £6 million product liability insurance policy and the guard safety panels have been fully researched and impact tested. We believe fleets were probably unaware they had infringed PeoplePanels’ copyright and other intellectual property rights by fitting guard panels with identical icons obtained from other sources,” Holmes concluded.

Alcoa rolls out Ultra ONE heavyduty truck wheels

A

rconic Wheel and Transportation Products has announced the European roll out of its lightest heavy-duty truck wheel: the Alcoa Ultra ONE. The new wheel uses a new breakthrough alloy called MagnaForce. With 17 per cent added strength compared to the industry standard, the MagnaForce alloy enables an even lighter wheel without compromising strength – making Ultra ONE the lightest and strongest in its class, according to the manufacturer.

“We continue to reinvent the wheel,” said István Katus, VP EMEA of Arconic Wheel and Transportation Products. “The latest Alcoa Wheels innovation is heavy-duty without the ‘heavy’, and it looks great too.

Our ground-breaking Ultra ONE wheels help fleets increase payload and fuel efficiency, while reducing CO2 emissions, contributing to Europe’s ambitious emission reduction goals.”

The new Ultra ONE Alcoa Wheels are available in two sizes: 22.5 x 900 inch and 22.5 x 8.25 inch. Benefits include an increased payload (4250 kg for 22.5 x 9.00 version); weight reduction up to 1 kg; and compatibility with clip-on and adhesive balancing weights and TPMS valve mounting systems.

They are available with extra rim flange protection as Dura-Flange wheels, and can be specified in all Alcoa Wheels finishes: Brushed, LvL ONE and Dura-Bright. www.truckingmag.co.uk

NEWS OPERATORS NEWS IN BRIEF

DRIVER OPINION SEES GARDNER GRAB NINE NEW VOLVOS

D Wrings’ Actros Edition 1 Bristol-based Wrings Transport is celebrating 25 years of trading in 2020 and has marked the occasion by investing in a limited edition Mercedes-Benz Actros Edition 1 with MirrorCam. The investment was made with a six-figure funding package from Lombard Asset Finance. Wrings said 2019 was one of its most successful years to date, increasing turnover to £7.5m from £6.9m posted in 2018. Wrings is a family-run business with roots in Bristol for nearly a century. It was first set up in 1927 by Sidney Joseph Wring, who delivered coal to hospitals and schools across Bristol with a horse and cart. The company closed down in the late ’60s after Sidney passed away. But in 1995, Sidney’s grandson Stuart Wring set up Wrings Transport in its current form. Stuart, MD, said: “We’ve just had our best year in terms of turnover and profit, and next year is looking even better still. Our 25th anniversary couldn’t have come at a better time, and it’s great that Lombard Asset Finance has helped us mark the occasion with a state-ofthe-art, limited-edition truck.”

Charity bash Haulage firms from around Gloucestershire came together for this year’s Gloucestershire Hauliers Ball, raising a total of £15,000 for three local charities: Pied Piper, National Star Centre, and the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity.

Attendees also included representatives from truck makers such as Volvo and Scania, alongside the region’s most recognisable haulage names. The Ball was organised by the Gloucestershire Hauliers Social Committee – a collective of representatives from local haulage firms The Cullimore Group and CM Downton, truck insurance specialist MR Ratcliffe, and Stroud consultancy firm All Things Transport – and was supported by the RHA. The Ball also held an auction, which itself raised more than £12,000. Committee member Shaun Byard, of The Cullimore Group, said: “It was a real team effort by the whole committee and the fact we’ve raised such a vast sum of money for three incredible charities speaks volumes.” To date, the annual Ball has raised more than £60,000 for charitable causes.

10 TRUCKING February 2020

evon-based Gardner Distribution has added nine new Volvo trucks to its 77-strong vehicle operation. The eight FL and FE rigids will be used on work for The Pallet Network, while a sole FH tractor unit is being deployed on long-distance general haulage.

The operator said Volvos tick a lot of boxes. “Firstly our Volvos have great driver acceptance,” said Kevin Gardner, MD, Gardner Distribution. “This is important with the current skills shortage.

Consideration of drivers’ feedback has become an important part of the vehicle purchasing process.

Our Volvo distribution vehicles are robust and economical.”

Supplied by Stuarts Truck and Bus Ltd, the group of seven FL 4x2 rigids consists of four 16-tonne chassis and a trio of 12-tonne models. Used on Gardner’s daily deliveries and collections for The Pallet Network, the 5.3 m wheelbase FLs have D8K engines rated at 250 bhp, driving six-speed manual gearboxes. A sole FE 6x2 rigid comes with the 320 bhp

Eight FL and FE rigids will work for The Pallet Network, while FH tractor will tackle long-distance general haulage

engine and an I-Shift automated gearbox, with a 5.5 m wheelbase.

The FLs and the FE were all ordered with Day Cabs, in addition to curtainside bodywork by local manufacturer, Exeter Coachworks Ltd. The group also debuts cantilever style tail lifts into this 56-year-old business.

An FH500 6x2 tractor unit was also part of the Gardner order.

Equipped with Globetrotter XL cab, the 6x2 pusher chassis will be

used on the company’s longdistance operations.

All nine trucks are covered by five-year Volvo Gold Service Contracts.

“We’ve spilt the rigid group between our Exeter and Plymouth sites,” concluded Luke Gardner, director, Gardner Distribution.

“The new Volvos will be retained for full life service and we try wherever possible to use a one driver, one truck policy.”

FIRST ACTROS ARRIVES AT A&D AFTER TRIAL WIN

R

enfrewshire’s A&D Logistics has dropped the chequered flag on a recent truck shootout (see Truck on Trial in the September 2019 issue of Trucking) and declared the Mercedes-Benz Actros the winner.

Western Commercial sent a 476 bhp seed vehicle, smartly finished in the Linwood-based operator’s colours, into battle against similarly specified tractor units by two other manufacturers.

Fast-forward six months and the operator reckons the Merc is ahead of the rest in terms of fuel-efficiency, but it has also been 100 per cent reliable and scored highly for driver appeal.

In addition, the workshop team at the dealer's Govan branch have won praise for flexible and attentive customer service.

A&D Logistics, which moved to its £3.5m headquarters in 2017, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2020. The company’s fleet of more than 90 tractor units is dominated by Scania, which has been well entrenched for two decades.

But the container specialist reckons it’s been so impressed with the Actros that it had “no hesitation” in purchasing its first Mercedes-Benz unit at the end of the trial.

A 2548 model with secondgeneration 12.8-litre in-line six-cylinder engine and rangetopping GigaSpace cab, the truck has now clocked-up over 65,000 km.

A&D Logistics adheres as closely as possible to a ‘one driver, one vehicle’ policy – and with Polish-born Martin Urbanczyk at the wheel, it is returning an average of 10.5 mpg.

“That’s a good figure, and better than anything else we have right

now,” said Alan Bolsworth, co-director, A&D Logistics. “The Actros and Western Commercial have both done everything we could have hoped for.

“Mercedes-Benz now has a well-earned ‘foot in the door’, and we’ll certainly be giving its dealer a chance in 2020 when we come to consider our next round of fleet acquisitions.”

Former driver Eric MacLeod rejoined A&D Logistics last year as its head of driver training & recruitment, and played a key role in initiating the trial. “The Actros is very competitive on fuel, but just as importantly we’ve not heard a squeak from that motor,” he said.

A&D’s Actros shoot-out was the subject of our Sept 2019 Truck on Trial

www.truckingmag.co.uk

Crouch confirms XF as right fit for Wincanton renews Euro-trotting recovery ops

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rouch Recovery has added a DAF XF530 FAS 6x2 rigid with rear lift-axle to its recovery fleet as business continues to grow for the specialist UK operation.

With contracted work and emergency calls from across the UK and Europe, the operator now runs 125 vehicles out of six modern bases spread across the Midlands, making it one of the largest in the country.

The company’s network manager, Rob Garner, said growth has come about organically as the operation’s reputation has spread. “We have been careful to promise only what we felt we could deliver, and more and more operators have come to trust and rely on us,” he said.

“Though well over 80 per cent of our work is UK-based, we also get European recovery work on a regular basis, so the new DAF XF was delivered fully MAUT prepared.”

The new XF was sent out to Germany on its very first recovery mission to bring back a failed rigid truck. “Ironically it was actually a German-made truck, but the owners wanted it brought back to the UK for repair,” Garner said.

The DAF has a dedicated driver, Ian Ashby (AKA ‘Fluff’) – “Our go-to guy for European recoveries,” said Garner. Fluff has been working in the

specialised arena of recovery for over 20 years and already prefers the cab comfort and overall performance of his XF with its Super Space Cab to his previous ride.

“He’s very happy in it,” Garner said, “and that’s always a very good sign. In any form of transport, it’s the drivers that can make or break a truck, so we like to give them the best trucks we can for the work they do – and the new DAF XF is a prime example of that.”

The latest truck was spec’d by Crouch Recovery director, Adam Crouch, a son of David and Barbara Crouch, and grandson of the late Jack Crouch, the founder of the business over 70 years ago.

“We hadn’t had a DAF for a while, but in the past we had always had a great relationship with Ford & Slater in Leicester, DW Commercials and FW Abbotts, the local DAF dealers and repair agents that we work closely with, so we trust the quality of the trucks,” Crouch said.

“Because of the work we do, however, we sourced this latest DAF entirely through Boniface Engineering. We wanted it to fit the latest specialist gear we needed and give us an all-round supply and service support package on its equipment and bodywork. Boniface bought the XF450 FAS through

Chassis Cab, the DAF dealer in Ipswich, though aftersales support for the truck itself will now be handled through Ford & Slater.”

On delivery, the XF had been fitted by Boniface with its MK 6 Interstater with an additional twin winch and a Maxireach Lowline Under-Lift. The winches handle up to 30,000 lb and the Maxireach Under-lift is claimed to be the lowest and longest in the industry, capable of handling up to 33 tonnes.

The Boniface Interstater has a reputation as a versatile unit that can handle tough recoveries, being equipped with rear outboard legs with pivoting feet that provide a flat pad or a spade depending on surface conditions.

ABOVE New XF530 FAS 6x2 features specialised recovery gear fitted by Boniface Engineering

Perkins perks up with new Range T tractors

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erkins Distribution has added six new Renault Range T460 6x2 tractor units to its 25-vehicle fleet in a move that coincides with its 20th anniversary.

Based at The Metal Centre, a purpose-built 240,000 sq ft storage and logistics facility in Wednesbury in the West Midlands, Perkins distributes high-value metals to British industry.

Perkins is the logistics partner of British independent metals sales firm, Amari Metals Ltd. The new Renaults are working on nationwide timed deliveries, moving high-value metals to a network of local, specialised metals stockists. They were supplied by Renault Truck Commercials Midlands.

“Our work is time-critical, so reliability and service provider back-up are crucial,” said transport manager, Antonio Esposito. “We are proud of our 98 per cent delivery performance level and the reliability of Renault Trucks as a service provider is an important factor in helping to maintain this.

ABOVE Operator has added six new Range T460 6x2s to its 25-vehicle fleet www.truckingmag.co.uk

“From the day we introduced our first Premiums, the Renault Trucks team has been extremely supportive of Perkins and since the introduction of the Range T in 2014 we haven’t looked back; they remain at the forefront of our vehicle supply.”

As the Perkins fleet clocks up some 1.7 million miles across the UK each year, an effective repair and maintenance package was key. The vehicles are all on a five-year Start & Drive Excellence Contract providing full cover and an extensive repair and maintenance contract on offer.

The new Range Ts, all in Perkins’ distinctive livery, have been specified for driver comfort with Ultimate convertible upper bunk, multimedia screen and refrigerator. Perkins said its drivers have also been won over by the new safety features, including the braking system.

“Our drivers are happy with the vehicles’ safety, efficiency and comfort, as well as the all-important service back up,” Esposito said. “They rack up a lot of miles, so the comfort seats are ideal. They like the way the vehicles drive, commenting they are particularly smooth and comfortable for a commercial vehicle.

“In fact, we had five Perkins drivers in the Renault Trucks Optifuel Challenge Finals 2019 with one of our drivers, Paul Faulkener, coming a very creditable fifth out of 70 in the UK. “We’ve taken six new Renault trucks in 2019, but have been so impressed by the overall package that we aim to add six to eight more for 2020,” Esposito concluded.

Waitrose wines & spirits contract

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ritish third-party logistics (3PL) firm Wincanton will continue to manage the storage and distribution of wines and spirits for Waitrose & Partners after signing a three-year contract renewal with the Partnership.

From its bonded warehouse facility in Greenford, London, Wincanton will coordinate the distribution of around 12.5m cases of wines and spirits for the retailer every year.

The operation will serve Waitrose’s network of supermarkets, convenience stores and service stations, as well as Waitrose Cellar – totalling close to 365 outlets across the UK. “We have a long-standing relationship with Wincanton,” said a Waitrose & Partners spokesperson. “Over the many years we have worked together, Wincanton has proven itself to be flexible and responsive in support of category growth.

“Their expertise in the area of bonded storage is also essential and valued by Waitrose & Partners. We see Wincanton as a trusted provider that will help Waitrose to build on its position within the UK grocery market.”

James Hurrell, director of grocery at Wincanton, said: “Extending our long-standing and much valued relationship with Waitrose demonstrates our strength and expertise in grocery logistics. Wincanton prides itself on its excellent level of service, innovation and commitment to continuous improvement, and this contract extension is evidence of success in what we do every day.

“We are proud to have worked with Waitrose & Partners for more than 20 years, and we look forward to building upon our solid partnership based on collaborative working, flexibility and trust,” he concluded.

ABOVE Wincanton has been working with Waitrose for the last 20 years February 2020 TRUCKING 11

NEWS DRIVERS NEWS IN BRIEF

Best tanker driver comp The search is underway to find the best liquid fuel tanker driver in the UK and Ireland by trade association, UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA). “Every year UKIFDA searches for the best fuel tanker drivers to reward and thank everyone for all their hard work and commitment to the exacting standards set by the industry bodies – and every year we’re so impressed by the high calibre of the winners,” said Guy Pulham, UKIFDA chief executive. “The award celebrates our industry by finding the individual who drives with the highest standards of safety and customer care.” To enter into the Driver of the Year competitions, the company must be a member of UKIFDA. For the Driver of the Year Award, judges are looking for a driver with an outstanding safety record and who goes the extra mile for customers.

The winner receives the prestigious title of Tanker Driver of the Year, £1000 prize money and a certificate.

Applications can be sent to UKIFDA before April 24, 2020.

New driver dangers A new study has revealed over three quarters (82 per cent) of newly qualified drivers have made dangerous or serious mistakes in the past year which would cause them to fail a driving test. The study, conducted by sat nav maker Garmin and supported by road safety charity Brake, highlighted the dangers new drivers may be to themselves and those they share the roads with.

Receiving a full driving licence is a significant step towards independence, so much so almost two thirds (63 per cent) of parents surveyed were more worried about their child passing their driving test than achieving an exam result.

However, research revealed having their child alone on the roads leaves over three quarters (81 per cent) of parents with worry, stress and concerns. Indeed, in the past year, new drivers have admitted to making ‘major’ mistakes which could see them instantly fail their driving test, including distractions both generally and by in-car media (35 per cent), driving nervously (33 per cent), not using their mirrors (20 per cent), speeding (20 per cent) and road rage (17 per cent).

12 TRUCKING February 2020

One in five commercial drivers “breaching UK road fatigue laws”

ABOVE Research found a fifth of UK CV drivers were spending more than 4.5 hours at the wheel without a break

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ew data has revealed over a fifth of commercial drivers in the UK are breaking road traffic safety regulations by failing to take appropriate rest breaks.

According to a recent survey of fleet managers across the UK by Verizon Connect, more than one in five commercial drivers (22 per cent) spends more than 4.5 hours at the wheel without taking a mandated rest break of 45 minutes. Fleet managers also identified fatigue as the cause of almost one fifth (18 per cent) of vehicle accidents, second only to speeding with 19 per cent.

The research also highlights the challenges fleet managers face to ensure drivers remain safe and compliant. Driver fatigue is cited as their top safety concern (45 per cent), followed by speeding and harsh braking (44 per cent), and mobile phone use in vehicle (39 per cent).

These results reflect the increase in penalties awarded to CV operators,

with the total value of fixed penalties issued by the DVSA rising 75 per cent from £4 million in 2017-18 to £7 million in 2018-19.

In addition to ensuring driver compliance, the study also revealed fleet managers’ struggles to ensure their own regulatory compliance.

Finding the time to ensure records are up to date was the most pressing concern, with almost a third (32 per cent) spending four hours or more per week correcting and following up on mistakes in drivers’ tachograph data – the equivalent of 18.5 working days per year.

Fleet managers and operators are required to download their drivers’ tachograph data regularly. However, the survey found that while seven in 10 (72 per cent) of fleet managers download their driver tacho data regularly, it happens on average 10 times per year – which does not comply with the legal requirement to download the data every 28 days.

“This is one of the busiest periods of the year for many commercial vehicle operators and they have an incredibly difficult job,” said Derek Bryan, VP, EMEA, Verizon Connect.

“There is a lot of pressure to meet strict service level agreements and cope with increased demand. But safety must always come first.

“Simple systems can cut down time spent on admin while ensuring compliance and driver safety. Fleet management systems can integrate tachographs so that managers can get near-real-time alerts when drivers are approaching their legal limits and ensure they take appropriate rest.

“Managers can also schedule to download driver tacho data remotely to automatically ensure compliance. The benefit is improved driver safety, compliance and productivity, which lets managers reclaim time to focus on growing and improving the business,” Bryan concluded.

HGV DRIVERS DEPRIVED OF HUMAN RIGHT TO SANITATION

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any of the UK’s HGV drivers are deprived of the United Nations (UN) Human Right to sanitation due to the lack of toilet facilities on the national road network, according to FTA. Speaking on the UN’s World Toilet Day (November 19, 2019), FTA renewed its calls for government to prioritise the provision of sufficient welfare facilities for professional drivers across the UK. “Despite the invaluable contribution HGV drivers provide to the economy, they are often denied

access to very basic amenities,” said Elizabeth de Jong, FTA’s director of UK policy.

“The inconsistent provision of toilets and other facilities for HGV drivers across the road network is not good enough; access to hygiene amenities and other welfare services are a basic right for all workers. No other industry would be expected to work without access to toilets, so why should HGV drivers?” de Jong pointed out that more than 18 months ago, the government vowed to improve and expand the provision of facilities

for truck drivers – but argued since that promise, amenities have actually become worse.

“Nearly all the respondents to a survey conducted by FTA of its member organisations felt there had been no improvement in the facilities for drivers on local roads, and over half of them felt the provision had become worse over the last 12 months.

“In an industry where you are compelled by law to take regular breaks and rest, it is vital drivers have access to these most basic facilities,” de Jong concluded.

www.truckingmag.co.uk

MICROLISE BEGINS SEARCH FOR DRIVER OF THE YEAR 2020

ABOVE Telematics data scrutinised to find the country’s top performing drivers

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he hunt is on for the UK’s best truck driver for the sixth annual Microlise Driver of the Year competition.

The award initiative shortlists drivers by analysing a year’s worth of Microlise telematics performance data to reveal the most talented short, medium and long-distance drivers. The coveted top slot of Driver of the Year will formally be announced at the Microlise Transport Conference on May 20, 2020.

The awards process begins with the Microlise Data Science team, who will analyse in excess of 225,000 drivers’ telematics records from 2019. Data will be anonymised with company, contract and driver personal identification information removed. In this way, the process, which was initially developed in conjunction with The University of Nottingham’s Advanced Data Analytics Centre, will identify the best performing drivers.

Five additional nomination-based categories – Young Driver, Most Improved, Lifetime Achievement, HGV Hero and Extra Mile – are also open to the entire HGV community, regardless of whether Microlise

telematics technology is used. Drivers and transport managers are invited to nominate their colleagues, employers are then asked to support the nomination and provide further qualitative evidence that may result in a driver being named as a winner.

Shortlisted drivers across all categories will win a track day and will be guests at a special awards evening prior to the Microlise Transport Conference in May. The Microlise Driver of the Year will receive their award at the Conference itself in front of a packed house of over 1200 delegates.

“These are the most comprehensive awards for drivers of heavy commercial vehicles,” said Bob Harbey, executive director, Microlise. “Our data science team uses the latest technology to evaluate data from hundreds of thousands of anonymous drivers, to help us to understand who is the country’s best driver.

“This is one of our favourite projects in the year as it allows us to recognise and celebrate the tremendous contribution drivers make to the transport industry and to our economy as a whole.”

Bibby Distribution driver Mark Field beat off stiff competition in 2019 to win the Microlise Driver of the Year Award, and also won the short-distance category featuring drivers who regularly undertake journeys of up to 30,000 miles each year.

Nominations can be made at the Microlise Driver of the Year Award website on or before February 14, 2020 (http://awards.microliseconference.com).

Revealed: The road laws you didn’t know you were breaking

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ith over 300 laws and counting in the Highway Code, it can hard for drivers to keep track – but while most are pretty savvy with the basics, new research has shown many are breaking laws they may well have been unaware of.

Motoring website Click4reg.co.uk quizzed 2192 British drivers on some of the more unusual/niche rules of the road – and it seems hungry drivers are most likely to put their foot in their mouths when it comes to staying compliant.

The survey showed that by far, the niche rule most broken by drivers is using a phone to pay at drive-throughs. Using a phone behind the wheel is a known offence, but only 23 per cent were aware it was illegal at drive-through restaurants – and a whopping 78 per cent admitted to doing it.

To the displeasure of hot-heads, drivers can be prosecuted for being overly aggressive behind the wheel. As the second most broken rule, only 41 per cent knew this and 67 per cent admitted to doing it.

Similarly, beeping the horn while stationary (unless for a valid reason) can also get drivers into trouble. Only 30 per cent knew this wasn’t allowed and 63 per cent have done it, placing it in third.

www.truckingmag.co.uk

Considering the bottom of the table, drivers are most confident with not resting on the hard shoulder, with 71 per cent knowing this isn’t allowed – and thankfully only seven per cent have done it.

Brits also seem disciplined when it comes to alerting other drivers of speed cameras/ traps. While only 37 per cent knew the law does not permit this, only 10 per cent of drivers said they have actually done it.

And similarly, driving too slowly doesn’t appear to be an issue. Some 68 per cent of respondents knew this was against the Highway Code, and only 15 per cent admitted to having done it.

Five most broken rules: Using phone to pay at drive-through – 78% Swearing/aggressive behaviour – 67% Beeping horn while stationary – 63% Driving over 30 mph on street-lit road – 61% Fitting sat nav to the wrong part of windscreen – 55% Five least known rules: Sleeping in the car while drunk – 13% Fitting sat nav to the wrong part of windscreen – 15% Splashing pedestrians – 18% Using phone to pay at drive-through – 23% Leaving a car idling – 24%

Driver strikes out at Bute Street rail bridge in Cardiff

Drivers urged to ‘Wise Up, Size Up’ in holiday rush to ease bridge-bash burden Network Rail is issuing a renewed plea to drivers to ensure they always check the height of their vehicles before making journeys.

Research carried out by Network Rail has shown 52 per cent of truck drivers do not take low bridges into account when planning their route, while 43 per cent admitted they did not measure their vehicle before heading out on the road.

In the last year alone, almost 2000 instances of vehicles striking railway bridges were reported across Britain – more than five a day – causing an average of more than nine hours of delays to rail passengers every day, Network Rail said.

It added the increase in the number of LGVs on the road in the holiday season coincides with an annual spike in the number of bridge strikes, with as many as 14 recorded in a single day on three separate occasions between October and December last year.

“It’s a very busy time of year for LGV drivers, so it’s understandable there may be additional pressure to get to destinations on time,” said Sir Peter Hendy CBE, chair of Network Rail. “But there is no excuse to not know the height of your vehicle before starting your journey.

“As well as putting lives in danger on both road and rail and causing lengthy delays for passengers and road users, drivers who chance it at bridges are at risk of losing their licences and leaving their employers with a hefty bill for repairs and train delay costs, along with a strong threat to their own operator’s licence.”

Network Rail said it is working with a number of leading hauliers and retailers to tackle the issue as part of a ‘Wise Up, Size Up’ campaign, which aims to improve education and provide support to drivers to reduce the number of bridge strikes.

The issue of bridge strikes was raised in the senior traffic commissioner’s annual report to the secretary of state in November, with the number of bridge strikes condemned as “unacceptable”.

Operators were warned regulatory action is a “real possibility” should they fail to take action on reducing them.

February 2020 TRUCKING 13

NEWS INTERNATIONAL NEWS IN BRIEF

Caught on camera Drivers using mobile phones illegally in Australia are now at greater risk of being caught in the act, as the NSW government has introduced the world’s first automated mobile phone detection cameras. Minister for roads Andrew Constance said the world-first safety technology will target illegal mobile phone use by drivers through fixed and mobile trailer-mounted cameras. “The NSW government is serious about reducing our state’s road toll and rolling out mobile phone detection cameras is another way we will do this,” he said. “As we enter a notoriously dangerous time of the year on our roads, I want all drivers to know that if you use your mobile phone while behind the wheel of a vehicle in NSW you will have a greater chance of being caught, anywhere at anytime. Some people have not got the message about using their phones legally and safely. If they think they can continue to put the safety of themselves, their passengers and the community at risk without consequence, they are in for a rude shock.” For the first three months, drivers caught by a mobile phone detection camera will receive a warning letter. After that drivers will cop a $344 fine, or a $457 fine in a school zone, and five ‘demerit’ points (10 during ‘double demerit’ periods). Minister for regional roads, Paul Toole, said the programme will progressively expand to perform an estimated 135 million vehicle checks on NSW roads each year by 2023. “The decision to pick up your phone can have fatal consequences. Whether you’re driving on a major highway or an isolated road in the bush, there’s no excuse for using your phone illegally,” he said.

HOLIDAYS Restrictions on truck movements may be applicable in the following countries on the dates listed, in addition to any weekend bans on truck movements:

Andorra Belarus Estonia Germany Kosovo Liechtenstein Lithuania Malta Serbia Spain

February 25 February 23 February 24 February 24 February 17 February 2 February 16 February 10 February 15/17 February 28

14 TRUCKING February 2020

SNAP launches smart payment tech into Germany SNAP system can now be used to pay for truck parking and other facilities in Germany

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smart payment technology that provides truck drivers with hassle-free parking, and gives operators total visibility and control over their parking and operational costs, is being launched in Germany.

Already proven in the UK and France and used by almost 4000 haulage fleets, SNAP Account’s Depot Parking System uses a driver’s licence plate number to pay

for key parking and washing expenses. Registered users simply turn up on site, provide their licence plate details, and their payment is invoiced to the driver’s employer directly. No cash is required, and drivers can also use a dedicated app to locate parking locations to help plan their journeys.

SNAP managing director, Mark Garner, said Germany is a key market.

“In addition to sourcing much-needed parking spaces, we know we are making the lives of drivers easier by

removing the need to carry cash or track receipts,” he said.

“Further, registered truck parks and logistics firms will never need to chase payment for parking or washes, with payment automated through our easy-to-use platform.”

SNAP recently acquired German-based KXF (Kiosk-Future), a payment kiosk provider specialising in truck parking payment systems. SNAP has also employed sales and site liaison staff based in Germany to support the high levels of activity anticipated.

Currently operating in 216 locations across Europe, SNAP’s services are used by over 95,000 drivers. In the last year, SNAP said it helped to open an additional 220,000 secure parking spaces through its Depot Parking System.

Within the UK it works with brands such as Royal Mail, DSV, Bartrums, RD Williams, Pollocks, Kersey Freight and Premier Logistics, as well as the busiest road hub in Europe: the Delta Park A1/E17 Truck Parking area in Northern France.

Daimler sends Freightliner Cascadia Down Under

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aimler Truck AG has announced it is sending its most successful truck from the North American market, the Class 8 Freightliner Cascadia, to Australia and New Zealand.

With a market share of around 38 per cent, the Cascadia is the market leader in the segment of long-distance heavy-haulage trucks (Class 8) in the USA. The US subsidiary Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has been exporting trucks to Australia and New Zealand since 1989, but this is the first time the Cascadia model series will be offered in the two markets.

At the end of November, the first Cascadia was presented to customers and media representatives in Sydney by Daimler boss Martin Daum and Freightliner/Western Star chief Roger Nielsen.

After trials of the new truck in the demanding markets of Australia and New Zealand, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) made “significant” financial investments to make

modifications such as adapting the vehicle to right-hand drive.

The drive system also had to be optimised for transport tasks in Australia, which typically exceed 100 tonnes permissible GVW. Special bumpers with underride guard are also now fitted, along with a cab developed specially for Australia.

Daimler Trucks North America launched the new Freightliner Cascadia in the USA at the beginning of 2019, and the truck now features partially automated driving functions similar to the Active Drive Assist feature on Merc’s New Actros. Around 20,000 Freightliner trucks are in operation in Australia and New Zealand.

ABOVE Freightliner parent company Daimler has modified the Cascadia for RHD as part of Aussie market prep

Daimler said the Freightliner Cascadia’s improved drivetrain and aerodynamics contribute to a fuel reduction of around five per cent compared with the predecessor model.

Daimler Trucks North America exports its heavy-duty longdistance trucks to more than 30 countries worldwide. In 2018, the company contributed almost 40 per cent of the total sales figure of the Daimler Trucks and Buses business operation, having sold around 190,000 units.

www.truckingmag.co.uk

DAF launches CF Electric with 6x2 rigid chassis

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AF Trucks has introduced a new CF Electric 6x2 rigid chassis, with the first vehicles commencing field-testing as refuse collection trucks with Dutch public waste disposal firms HVC and ROVA. The city of Rotterdam and Cure will follow early in 2020 with a fully electric 6x2 refuse collection truck fitted with a loader crane. All of these vehicles are equipped with a VDL E-Power driveline. The fully electric superstructure is supplied

by VDL Translift.

Since the end of 2018, the first CF Electric vehicles have been

operating as 4x2 tractors with various Dutch transporters, including Peter Appel, Simon Loos and Tinie Manders, as well as the supermarket chain Jumbo. These trucks are part of an extensive field test in which they are required to transport goods to and from destinations such as supermarkets and distribution centres.

German logistics firm Rhenus is currently using two CF Electrics for regional container transport.

Because the truck is low on both emissions and noise when in use, DAF said the CF Electric is ideal not only for urban distribution, but also for the collection of household

6x2 CF electric has a GVW of 28 tonnes

waste. To this end, the Dutch manufacturer has designed a three-axle rigid with steering axle for increased manoeuvrability and an even higher loading capacity, with a GVW of 28 tonnes.

The truck’s electric VDL E-power driveline provides 210 kW of power and a torque of 2000 Nm – just like the CF Electric tractor. The driveline is powered by a battery pack with a (gross) energy content of 170 kWh – sufficient for covering regular garbage collection routes.

Refuse collection trucks usually return to the depot every few hours to unload, where an electric truck can recharge up to 80 per cent battery capacity in 30 minutes.

HVC is active in Noord-Holland, the Rijnmond area and Flevoland, and ROVA in central and eastern regions of the Netherlands. Both firms make use of sideloaders by which containers can be emptied from the side of the truck.

The city of Rotterdam and the Cure firm in the Eindhoven region will be using the CF Electric complete with loader crane to collect garbage from underground containers.

DIESEL PRICES The Automobile Association’s monthly price guide to diesel prices around Europe

Pence/

Country Austria Belgium Czech Rep Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece The Netherlands Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Norway Poland Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland UK

litre 103.0 122.0 105.1 118.4 115.2 121.3 123.0 106.9 118.0 116.7 103.5 112.2 125.4 101.7 97.44 94.80 123.8 98.52 116.7 106.0 106.7 103.6 130.0 132.9 130.4

Euro/ litre 01.23 01.46 01.26 01.42 01.38 01.45 01.47 01.28 01.41 01.40 01.24 01.34 01.50 01.22 01.17 01.14 01.48 01.18 01.40 01.27 01.28 01.24 01.56 01.59 01.56

International operator chooses Ekeri for secure & flexible loading

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irginia International Logistics, based in Maghera, Virginia, Co. Cavan, Ireland has recently added a new Ekeri trailer to its fleet – and the company said it is already making a “big difference” to loading and handling on its national and international routes.

Specialising in food products, FMCG, electronics, manufacturing and pharma products, the family-owned business operates every day of the year between Ireland, the UK and throughout Europe. Some 120 trucks and 400 trailers are supported by three ambient and chilled warehousing facilities in Ireland – the main one being in Virginia – with a fourth distribution and forwarding hub in Tamworth, England.

“We knew someone who had been operating an Ekeri for 17 years, and the remarkable condition of the trailer made us take a closer look,” said company co-director, James www.truckingmag.co.uk

Cole. “Also, we were very impressed by the combination of high security and multiple loading access through the sides. All the speed and ease of a curtainsider, but with the strength and reliability of an insulated van-type body.”

Much of the cargo handled by Virginia Logistics is of high value, Virginia said it picked Ekeri for secure and flexible loading

Cole said, and certain routes are prone to migrants attempting to board vehicles as they pass through ferry terminals. Both these factors pointed towards the Ekeri trailer being ideal for the job, he added.

“The multiple side-door opening on both sides of the trailer enables us to quickly access any part of the

load and this is important for multi-drop routes. Plus, with remote central locking, we can be confident that nobody but us can gain access to the inside,” Cole said.

Owing to the diverse nature of the freight which Virginia handles, the trailer’s unique internal strapping system enables the firm to secure virtually any load at any point along the aluminium trailer bed. The Ekeri trailer is carrying a mixture of fibre bales, plastic bins and pharma products.

“The Ekeri strapping system is truly one of a kind,” Cole continued. “There are channels in the floor and ceiling along which the straps can slide, so unlike conventional systems, there are limitless strapping options, which helps us to make optimum use of the load area.

“Although the Ekeri Trailer is just one small part of a large vehicle fleet, it’s already pulling its weight,” he concluded.

February 2020 TRUCKING 15

NEW TRUCK NIKOLA TRE

HYDROGEN FUTURE Iveco and US tech firm Nikola vow to “disrupt” the industry with the TRE – a battery electric and eventually hydrogen-powered tractor unit for the UK and Europe

By Andy Stewart PHOTOGRAPHY IVECO / ANDY STEWART

TRE will be available in 4x2 and 6x2 configurations

16 TRUCKING February 2020

www.truckingmag.co.uk

I

veco has partnered with Arizona, US-based hydrogen fuel cell and electric drivetrain manufacturer Nikola to reveal the zero-emission Nikola TRE – a battery electric tractor unit that will also be offered as a hydrogen fuel-cell powered version.

At a grand reveal event held in Turin, Spain and attended by Trucking, Iveco and Nikola took the wraps of a TRE concept tractor unit that will wear the Nikola badge, though is built around Iveco’s latest S-WAY chassis. Aside from some obvious aesthetic changes, the S-WAY forms the bare bones of the TRE, while Nikola provides the powertrain – and the truck will be sold and maintained by Iveco’s dealer network.

“There will be no Iveco electric truck.

It will be the Nikola TRE,” Gerrit Marx, CNH Industrial president of commercial and speciality vehicles, told the gathered members of the press.

In terms of total cost of operation (TCO), the manufacturers said they are aiming for parity with a diesel truck – or better – over TRE’s operational lifetime.

At the reveal, Hubertus Mühlhauser, CEO of Iveco’s parent company CNH Industrial, didn’t mince words. He described the TRE as “a step-change revelation in the global truck market”, billing the vehicle as “the coolest, most exciting, hippest truck on the planet.”

He was joined on stage by Nikola CEO Trevor Milton, who issued something of a war cry to Europe’s commercial vehicle

OEMs: “Nikola is coming into Europe like a freight train,” he said, with a truck he said will be “the disruptor” of the established European CV market.

The battery electric TRE will launch at the IAA Show in 2020 and will hit the market as soon as 2021. The hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) will launch in mainland Europe in 2023 and arrive in the UK in 2026.

Environmental pressure

Even split According to Gerrit Marx, the joint venture between Iveco and Nikola is a 50/50 split, with Iveco the exclusive sales and aftersales partner. This means Iveco will benefit from Nikola sales in Europe and will add them to its registration and CO2 reduction figures once launched. “The partnership also opens up the US market for Iveco,” said CNH Industrial boss, Hubertus Mühlhauser, adding it will benefit both its on-highway and off-highway businesses.

CNH boss Mühlhauser said rapidly escalating concerns over carbon emissions has accelerated the race towards zero-emissions commercial vehicles. He said while LNG (liquefied natural gas) trucks are the logical next step on the path away from diesel fuel, it is “paving the way” into the next fuel cell economy. “Fuel cell hydrogen is the only way to sustainably store energy from the sun, wind and tide,” he said, adding Iveco was out to “regain market share through its new developments.”

Gerrit Marx said the new partnership with Nikola, which was first announced ➤

Concept truck sports ultra-modern design

Nikola CEO Trevor Milton launched the TRE in Turin

TRE will wear Nikola badge, though will be sold by Iveco

Cab design has plenty of aerodynamic touches www.truckingmag.co.uk

Vehicle will have bespoke digital mirror system February 2020 TRUCKING 17

NEW TRUCK NIKOLA TRE Fully digital cab has mirror screens, dash screen and oversize driver information console

Digital future TRE’s high-tech interior will feature a new infotainment system based on Nikola’s proprietary operating system that integrates infotainment and navigation functions, as well as controls for the bulk of the vehicle’s ancillary systems.

Features include climate control, mirror adjustment (TRE will use a mirror camera system with screens on the A-pillars, much like Merc’s MirrorCam), suspension height adjustment, 360-degree camera system, navigation, Bluetooth audio system, comprehensive vehicle settings and admin vehicle diagnostics.

The vehicle will link to the driver’s mobile phone via Bluetooth to enable a smart keyless entry system to unlock the cab as the driver approaches the vehicle. Nikola said the system can even adjust settings such as ride height and climate temperature to driver preference.

TRE is the coolest, most exciting, hippest truck on the planet.

Hubertus Mühlhauser, CEO, CNH Industrial

(average recharging time is quoted as 120 minutes). It features a modular battery system with a total capacity of up to 720 kWh. The electric driveline delivers 480 kW of continuous power along with 1800 Nm of peak torque.

Two- and three-axle rigid versions are also mooted, with GVWs ranging from 18-26 tonnes for urban distribution.

➤ in September 2019, should put the

company in a strong position. “It’s a lot better to be the disruptor than the disrupted,” he said. “We can’t outspend the competition, but we can outpace and outsmart them.

“Our industry is changing fast, driven by tightening emissions regulations and younger generations demanding the creation of a circular economy to preserve the environment for their future. Hydrogen and battery – depending on the mission – are the only viable solutions for green energy, and have the advantage of enabling nations to become more independent from fossil fuels.”

Nikola president Mark Russell added the choice of Iveco as partner offered sizeable benefits on the global stage, particularly because Iveco’s tech will also be used to help accelerate the production of Nikola’s ONE and TWO fuel-cell powered Class 8 heavy-duty chassis in American markets.

“Iveco doesn’t compete with other OEMs in the US, which makes 18 TRUCKING February 2020

Dash display can be customised

them a problem-free partner for us,” Russell said.

Nikola CEO Trevor Milton backed this up, saying the partnership was “a win-win”. “From the moment we launched the Nikola ONE in 2016, truck drivers and government officials have been asking for us to bring Nikola to Europe. The Nikola TRE is gorgeous and innovative and unlike any other truck in the world.

“We needed the right partner to help us enter the European market, and CNH Industrial is the right commercial partner. While other OEMs are laying off tens of thousands of employees, Nikola is creating thousands of jobs and forcing the trucking industry to react and go zero emission.”

The battery electric TRE on show was a concept 4x2 tractor unit targeting regional distribution with a range of up to 400 km (250 miles) on a single charge

Hydrogen FCEV The hydrogen fuel cell battery electric version of the TRE is largely similar in spec to its BEV sibling as it runs on the same battery electric driveline, though the fuel cell acts as a range extender to charge the batteries and push the maximum operating range to 800 km (500 miles) before refilling with hydrogen (a process that takes an average of 15 minutes). This requires fewer battery packs to be carried on the chassis, and therefore boosts payload.

The output from the FCEV truck is water in the form of steam.

This boosted range is based on the truck storing up to 80 kg of hydrogen in high-pressure (70 MPa) carbon fibre tanks to enable US drivers to operate at the country’s legal maximum speed 75 mph. However, Nikola chief technology officer Dane Davis told Trucking European versions will require less hydrogen (around 62 kg) to enable similar autonomy at lower max legal road speeds. www.truckingmag.co.uk

TRE is based on Iveco’s S-WAY chassis

H2 network Along with the fuel-cell battery electric TRE, Nikola will also provide the hydrogen. In the US, it operates a seven-year, 700,000-mile lease to customers which includes vehicle and fuel costs – and it will be looking to offer a similar plan in Europe.

The firm said its main goal is to be a completely zero-emissions hydrogen manufacturer, gathering energy from the sun, wind and tide. “With hydrogen, you can control the whole supply chain from beginning to end,” said Nikola president, Mark Russell. “Hydrogen is the only fuel you can do this with.”

While the BEV charging network is growing in Europe and the UK, the availability of hydrogen is scarce – and trucks cannot be filled with hydrogen used to power cars, because it is stored at a different bar pressure. Nikola’s answer is to avoid the ‘chicken and egg’ scenario by only building hydrogen fuelling stations based on vehicle orders, rather than “speculation” on which locations might work best. “We will provide the chicken AND the egg,” promised Russell.

Nikola is aiming to build 700 hydrogen filling stations to cover the US by 2028,

but reckons only 70 or fewer will be required in Europe.

Concept vehicle is 4x2 with sleeper cab

The road to zero emissions Rolling out the fuel cell battery electric TRE and a new fuelling infrastructure simultaneously is a grand ambition.

There are many obstacles still to overcome – including some tough laws currently restricting the storage of hydrogen in significant quantities in Europe based on concerns over its volatility. But both Nikola and Iveco are convinced hydrogen trucks are the ultimate goal in the race for a zeroemissions future for road transport, and the journey has to start somewhere. The TRE is a bold statement that FCEV technology is here and ready to go. ■

Hydrogen manufacture Nikola said its hydrogen plants will be emissions-free by using mostly solar power to create electricity during manufacture, though wind will also be harnessed in some parts of the world. This power is then used in electrolysis of water, which produces hydrogen. Nikola said one hydrogen factory can use 75,000 litres of water per day to create eight tonnes of hydrogen, which is stored in gas form at filling stations.

www.truckingmag.co.uk

CNH’s Gerrit Marx: “There will be no Iveco electric truck. It will be the Nikola TRE”

February 2020 TRUCKING 19

SPECIAL REPORT FTA TRANSPORT MANAGER CONFERENCE 2019

Measures are already being implemented ahead of Operation Brock

STAYING AHEAD OF

THE GAME Tightening regulations, driver and operator compliance, thwarting terrorist action and lots more discussed at the FTA’s recent transport manager briefing

By Kieron Fennelly PHOTOGRAPHY FTA

T

he approach of winter is heralded by falling leaves, colder and ever-shorter days, and the FTA’s series of Transport Manager Conferences. This hardy perennial is now almost in its third decade and as the implications of compliance multiply inexorably, never was this event more important for today’s transport manager.

The transport manager is usually, though not invariably, the O-licence holder, and as the granting or withdrawal of this licence falls under the remit of the traffic commissioners, the keynote speaker at this conference is always the TC himself – or in this case, herself.

20 TRUCKING February 2020

Sarah Bell, now TC for London and the South East, is a familiar figure. A lawyer, she has worked in the haulage industry for 20 years initially as an advocate before becoming a traffic commissioner.

After setting the scene – the eight TCs dealt with 5666 licence applications in 2019 – she warmed quickly to her theme: “We are the gate keepers. Our job is to stop rogues getting on the road, and sometimes it takes time for an application to be approved. Take one I received only last week. It was from a company with an address in Northern Ireland and the applicant appeared to be the sole director, but the company was operating out of Maidstone. Only a few

days after, a Northern Irish truck was found with a dozen corpses in the trailer.

You can imagine that when the applicants are not the people operating the vehicles, the TC has to investigate very closely.”

She detailed the TC’s workload in 2019: 873 public enquiries, 314 O-licence revocations, 134 suspended and 207 curtailed. If the average application took 140 days, the DVSA’s online processing was speeding this up, and in fact 85 per cent of applications were now being made this way. The traffic commissioners’ overriding objective was to streamline licensing so they could focus more on non-compliance. “We can’t www.truckingmag.co.uk

patrol 500,000 vehicles – the roads have to stay open. We look to differentiate between minor non-compliance, where things have gone slightly awry where a short, sharp shock is often all that’s needed, and the pure criminals.”

She passes on the wisdom of 10 years of this kind of investigation: “Don’t confuse experience – ‘we’ve always done it like that’ – with expertise. We still find too many absentee transport managers.

The TM must be present at the premises; we expect him or her to know all the drivers by name and if there are several depots, the TM needs to be familiar with them all. The directors of the firm have to ensure their TM is not just a properly salaried employee, but also in receipt of regular training. A transport manager who works only part time or has not received continuous training for five years is in trouble.”

Sarah Bell described how Highways England is using an unmarked HGV to spot mobile phone use. Yet only in the London area are traffic police connected to wider DVSA data. She has urged the DfT and Home Office to link such police work directly with the criminal justice system: “The is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to effect a radical change.

What we don’t want is the police stopping the wrong people, holding up operators who are already compliant.”

With data access, the police can see the habitual offender and concentrate on the small, but significant criminal minority.

there is a bridge strike. The same goes for mobile phone use, and the TM has to satisfy the commissioner both routes and mobile phone behaviour form part of their instructions to drivers. TRL findings show that by far the worst inattention offence is speaking on a mobile phone. The moment the driver’s eyes go away from the road, at 30 mph the vehicle has travelled 100 ft.

The commissioner was equally mordant on the subject of brakes: “Brake inadequacy is the biggest failing

A TM who works only part time or has not received continuous training for five years is in trouble. Sarah Bell at public enquiries. Testing empty is a waste of time and it is not good enough for brakes just to scrape a pass, because for sure the brakes will be illegal long before the next inspection.

At all times the brakes have to be functioning correctly.”

For the FTA, James Firth reiterated Mrs Bell’s point that an MoT pass is an absolute minimum, adding transport managers often need instruction to understand the inherent inaccuracies of brake testing on rollers which can offer false comfort to the uninitiated TM. He should also ask the test operator for proof his roller brake apparatus is subject to regular checks. “Often they aren’t and give false readings,” observed Firth.

Striking out She also spoke with feeling about the 2000 “absolutely unnecessary” bridge strikes that occur every year. If the TM is performing correctly, his drivers will have their routes planned. Network Rail’s website spells out exactly the location of hazardous bridges, and the transport manager will be implicated if

BREXIT 2020

FTA’s James Firth outlined the impact of Operation Brock

James Firth told delegates that if Operation Brock was triggered, its associated diversions would have significant routing implications for hauliers delivering to Kent – for which they would need to plan. He also reminded hauliers who might be attracted by the prospect of collecting unaccompanied trailers or containers delivered to UK ports they will need stamped carnets proving the goods have been inspected by customs.

www.truckingmag.co.uk

London and South East traffic commissioner, Sarah Bell

The role of the DVSA Lee Webb from the DVSA describes himself as the enforcer, but his approach employs the carrot as well as the stick.

Earned Recognition is the cornerstone of DVSA enforcement strategy. He explained the DVSA has no automatic access to haulage company systems and will audit only if there are KPI (key performance indicator) anomalies – and even then the firm will have a chance to rectify matters. The agency is keen to show it understands when hauliers are trying to comply. The purpose of Earned Recognition is to allow the DVSA to concentrate on criminal activity.

Load security is still a problem and inspections of suspect trucks will now take place before they set off, irrespective of whether the load has shifted. The DVSA now inspects any curtainsider and prohibition rates have increased. The onus is on the haulier to get it right, especially for multi-drops.

An offence incurs a fixed penalty and subsequent DVSA inspection. The incidence of manipulated exhausts was diminishing, but it was clear many hauliers are not responding to manufacturers’ recalls: again there is no excuse, as checks can be made online and the DVSA will expect evidence of a ‘quick’ reaction to any recall.

Lee Webb said the DVSA now had access to over 10,000 ANPR cameras – ‘a game changer’ in the fight against non-compliance and MoT fraud.

Tyre efficiency Terry Salter from Bridgestone pointed out many hauliers are missing a trick by spurning energy-efficient A-rated tyres because they cost £30 more than D-rated tyres. His presentation showed that for ➤ February 2020 TRUCKING 21

SPECIAL REPORT FTA TRANSPORT MANAGER CONFERENCE 2019 Proper tyre management can save operators cash

New ‘smart’ trailer is loaded with security and GPS tech

TRAILERS ➤ long-haul as opposed to off-road or

urban stop-start, A-rated tyres with lower rolling resistance offer mpg improvements which quickly repaid their higher price.

His example was a 44-tonner which in a year used £56,000 of diesel running on D-rated rubber. Switching to B-rated tyres reduced this to £51,000, and on A-rated items the annual fuel bill was £49,000. Using telematics (Bridgestone now owns TomTom) to plan routes and avoid unnecessary mileage combined with tyre pressure monitoring, available on the driver’s smartphone, all added significant savings. He reminded his audience most truck incidents (and therefore motorway traffic hold-ups) are tyre related. Proper tyre management was not only efficient, but responsible behaviour; the sort indeed to be expected of a professional transport manager.

Thwarting the terrorist Scott Gibbons from the counter terrorism policing unit reminded delegates some of the worst terror

outrages of recent years, such as Westminster Bridge, involved vehicles.

In the attacks in Nice and Berlin, the weapon was a stolen HGV. He showed grimly compelling footage of both incidents – at Nice in particular, the truck was able to plough down bystanders for several hundred yards before being halted.

Officer Gibbons, a former police marksman, outlined four areas where firms must be more vigilant to stop their vehicles falling into the wrong hands, terrorist or other criminal: ■ Operators need to develop a safety culture, adhere to an agreed security plan and report suspicions.

■ They needed to be able to monitor and identify everyone on their premises at any one time and have a comprehensive system for background checks – this would also pick up individuals with unexplained gaps in their driving licence history.

■ Physical security – systematic use of locks, access controls and cameras to know who is coming and going.

■ Vehicle security – this must form part of the driver’s walk-round inspection, and a look out for suspicious behaviour which could be a scoping operation.

As in 2017, when Scott Gibbons spoke at this conference, he had the absolute

Schmitz Cargobull, Europe’s largest manufacturer, presented its latest ‘smart’ trailer. Sensors now enable the transport office to monitor in real time not only temperature and load condition, but the trailer’s GPS location. In addition, they will flag up any unauthorised movement or attempt to enter – exactly the kind of security measure advocated by previous speaker Scott Gibbons.

attention of his audience – yet there is nothing in his recommendations that the responsible transport manager will not already have considered and implemented for the basic security of his business.

The FTA’s survey of almost 500 transport managers produced some revealing findings, not the least of which was that of the eight major challenges facing them, TMs were most concerned about fuel duty, driver shortages and delays. Bottom of the list came enforcement and investigation by the DVSA. This simply emphasises the point made by the traffic commissioners every year: this is an intelligent professional role, and the TMs who treat it as such – presumably most of the survey’s respondees – have nothing to fear and everything to gain from compliance. ■

EUROPEAN MOBILITY PACKAGE

Counter terrorism policing unit representative, Scott Gibbons

22 TRUCKING February 2020

Regardless of the outcome of Brexit, this new measure, which brings changes to EU drivers’ hours, operator licensing and access to market, will affect UK hauliers running onto the Continent. The change to bring vans between 2.4-3.5 tonnes into transport regulation and compliance is likely to add a significant complication to intra-Ireland traffic. EU drivers will now have to take their weekly break at home (not in the cab), and every four weeks. This could add to costs, as some hauliers will be obliged to fly their drivers home to comply.

www.truckingmag.co.uk

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NEWS LATEST PRODUCTS

NEW GEAR New gadgets and widgets to ease your life on the road

By Andy Stewart PHOTOGRAPHY VARIOUS

■ CALEDONIAN LOGISTICS SCANIA R580 Manufacturer: WSI Collectibles Web: www.search-impex.co.uk Price: £149 (inc VAT & delivery) In honour of its 20th anniversary, Aberdeen-based Caledonia Logistics has commissioned this new 1:50-scale model of its special celebration Scania R580 Streamline Topline 6x2 tag-axle tractor unit. The kit comes complete with a three-axle curtainside trailer and is finished in the company’s striking yellow and black livery. Produced as a limited edition of 205 pieces, the kit is made by WSI Collectibles and is available now.

■ PORTABLE SEAT HEATER Manufacturer: Streetwize Web: www.argos.co.uk Price: £20 (inc VAT) If you’re unlucky enough to have a cab that doesn’t feature heated seats, there’s no need to resign yourself to freezing cheeks this winter.

Instead, take a look at this portable seat heater from Streetwize – for a mere 20 notes, you can plug it into a 12V socket and drive off in ultimate comfort. With 10 mm thick padding and compatibility with folding arm rests and seat-side airbags, this seat heater is thermostatically controlled and uses elastic straps to hold it in place. Sorted.

■ GRID AUTOSPORT Developer: Codemasters Platform: Android, iOS Price: £9.99 UK game-maker Codemasters’ latest smartphone release is a fully fledged version of its hit console racer, GRID. GRID Autosport thrusts players into a high-speed career as a pro-racer, challenging them to compete in some of the world’s most exciting cars on motorsport’s most challenging circuits across five different racing styles.

Featuring tilt and touch controls plus gamepad support, the game offers a fine mix of simulation and arcadestyle handling.

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■ A129 PRO DUO DASH CAM Manufacturer: VIOFO Web: www.amazon.co.uk Price: £229.99 (inc VAT) With the winter weather bringing shorter and darker days, it makes sense to stick a dash cam with decent low-light vision in your window. The new A129 Pro Duo from VIOFO provides high-resolution 4K Ultra HD videos of the road ahead and full HD (1080p) video to the rear at 30 fps. For night-time driving, the Sony sensors in the front and rear cameras give clearer night vision, so video recordings retain more clarity even in low-light conditions.

24 TRUCKING February 2020

■ ICE SCRAPER MITT Manufacturer: Halfords Web: www.halfords.com Price: £4.50 (inc VAT) When you’re out in the early hours fighting to get the ice off the windscreen before a day on the road, why suffer freezing hands? Instead, tuck your paw into this toasty new polyester fleece mitt from Halfords, which keeps it protected from flying ice as you get to work with the attached scraping tool.

Cheap, practical and comfortable – what’s not to like?

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Stories, snippets and curiosities from around the web

Best of Facebook Video vault

Truck to the Future!

Link: http://bit.ly/NIkola-TRE We were in Turin to witness the reveal of the Iveco/Nikola TRE, a hydrogenelectric tractor unit that will be arriving in Europe and the UK in the next few years (see our full report, starting page 16).

“Finally, hydrogen. It’s about time,” said Facebook follower David Benjamin.

However, commented Nick Smith wasn’t as convinced: “The problem is the partnership with CNH/Iveco,” he mused.

“Iveco know how to make a good looking truck, the S-WAY proves that; but they don’t know how to make a good feeling truck.”

Time will indeed tell…

UK’s first F12 Link: http://bit.ly/First-F12 Volvo Trucks has been ringing in the holiday season with some choice throwback posts on Facebook – and this one certainly caught our eye. “The first UK-supplied F12 Globetrotter was sold to Bob Edwards Trailer Spares in early 1980,” it posted. “The big cab soon proved a sensation with many customers – including Carlisle-based KJ Barrett, who operated this 1986 F12 tag axle unit.” It was also a blast from the past for commenter David Henderson: “I took that photo at Leith Docks many moons ago!”

Hot tweets Follow us @truckingmag Racing ahead

Caught in the act Couldn’t help but chuckle when Pip Dunn, editor of our sister title Truckstop News (@TransportCafe), tweeted this pic just after the recent General Election.

“That lovely moment when you see the prime minister @BorisJohnson reading your editorial which is titled ‘politicians don’t give a toss about lorry drivers’!,” he wrote. “I hope he’s taking notes. He might want to read my follow up: policies to help the nation’s hard-working truckers.”

TRUCKING www.truckingmag.co.uk 26 TRUCKING February 2020

MAN (@mantruckbusuk) has been teasing this new racer, which will be let loose on the track when the 2020 season kicks off. “Someone’s got an early #Christmas present, fresh in from Germany, straight off the ferry and seen for the first time in the UK at the #MANTRUCK Gateshead opening,” it tweeted. “It’s now off to be pulled apart, fettled & painted ready for the 2020 season. Anyone like to guess who’s the driver?” We’ll go out on a limb and say it might be 10-times BTRC champ Stuart Oliver’s new ride…

Very near miss!

Link: http://bit.ly/Near-Miss This incredibly lucky driver managed to narrowly avoid a nasty accident at a level crossing in Essex. The footage was released by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), which said the driver had been waved over the crossing in Mucking by a railway worker – even though the red stop lights had started flashing. An automatic barrier descended on the truck – leaving site staff mere seconds to manually raise it to let the vehicle escape before the train rushed past. Far too close for comfort…

Follow us online! Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ truckingmag) Follow us on twitter (@truckingmag) www.truckingmag.co.uk

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RECRUITMENT ARMY DRIVERS

HITTING THE TARGET How many 19-year-old young women can boast Cat C+E and D driving licences and a career as a professional driver, where the sky’s the limit?

By Peter Shakespeare PHOTOGRAPHY PETER SHAKESPEARE

T

he definition of a career is an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress.

Driving an HGV professionally is one occupation, which given the average age of HGV drivers in the UK (54) may not, for many who do it, fall under the true definition of a career.

Clearly this situation has not escaped the attention of young people, 28 TRUCKING February 2020

as the road freight transport and logistics industry has suffered from an increasing shortage of drivers for many years. The RHA recently put the shortfall at 60,000.

Other industries are suffering from the same issue. Science and technical subjects are not popular with young people at school, and according to a 2018 government study, the engineering sector needs around 186,000 skilled recruits each year

until 2024 to gain enough candidates to reduce its skills shortage.

Even our Armed Forces are struggling. Official figures published in January 2018 state the Army as a whole is 7.6 per cent undermanned.

Combat units are worst effected, with one famous infantry regiment at one point being as low as 37 per cent below its manning requirement.

But hidden behind the gloomy headlines, the British Army has a good www.truckingmag.co.uk

news story to tell – and it’s one which industry can learn from. The Army is one of the biggest apprenticeship providers in the UK (it says 98 per cent of soldiers join on an apprenticeship) – and among the multitude of trades on offer to young people joining it, the Army’s driver trade is one which seems to appeal to large numbers of new recruits.

This trade is one of 16 offered by the Army’s logistics provider, The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC). The RLC supplies, moves and enables the Army and operates equipment ranging from heavy haulers and fuel tankers, to heavy goods vehicles and boats. The Corps is around 94 per cent recruited – and for good reason.

Corps values

there weren’t any vacancies for my year, so was offered the RLC. “The RLC has 12 trades open to new recruits. The one that appealed to me was driver, as you can get good qualifications and there are lots of career and travel opportunities.

Centre stage “Once I finished basic training, [which is known as Phase 1], I went to the Defence School of Transport in Leconfield to complete my Phase 2 training. I got my Cat C and C+E driving licences and also completed tactical training, known as BCS [Battlecraft Syllabus]. The Army links trade training to civilian apprenticeships, so I also gained my Level 2 in Driving Goods Vehicles. I did not regret my decision.”

Private Cookson was posted to 44 Support Squadron RLC. The unit primarily provides transport support to the British Army’s officer training establishment, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS). The squadron operates around 100 pieces of equipment ranging from cars, pick-up trucks, Land Rovers and coaches to 18-tonne MAN rigid trucks (known as SVs), a couple of 32-tonne 8x8 DROPS (Demountable Rack Offload And Pickup System) vehicles and a forklift.

It is commanded by Major Kevin Carpenter RLC (the OC). Kevin joined the Army as a private soldier in the driver trade and was commissioned as a ‘Late Entry’ officer, having achieved the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1). He says 44 Squadron provides ➤

Fern Cookson was born and brought up in Fleet in Hampshire. Aged 19, she has her Cat C+E and D driving licences and is a soldier serving in the RLC. Fern left school after completing GCSEs and a BTEC in public services.

She chose not to follow her friends and embark on another five years of higher education, and instead looked around for work in her local area. She says: “There wasn’t much around and I wanted to start a career. So I looked at the Army and realised there were so many career options to choose from and decided to join.”

The British Army has a good news story to tell – and it’s one which the road haulage industry can learn from.

Still aged under 17 years 2 months, Fern was not old enough to join as a regular soldier and had to follow the junior soldier route. This meant spending 20 weeks at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate. Here she received basic military, fitness and leadership training, plus some further education, gaining her Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths.

She also had a take-home pay packet of around £800 per month after food and accommodation were deducted.

“When I joined up, I wanted to serve with the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery, as I ride and used to have my own horse. I was told I couldn’t as www.truckingmag.co.uk

ABOVE: Fern Cookson drives MAN SVs at the Army’s officer training academy at Sandhurst February 2020 TRUCKING 29

RECRUITMENT ARMY DRIVERS

Being a driver appealed to me, as you can get good qualifications and there are lots of career and travel opportunities. Fern Cookson

➤ one of the best starts for soldiers

embarking on a driving career.

“The squadron is very much centre stage as far as the RLC is concerned.

It is the first time most of the Army’s future leaders come into contact with ‘real’ soldiers. We have 60 other ranks and they are all ambassadors for our corps and the Army. It was once the case that we only took second tour soldiers who had reached a certain level of professionalism and experience. Now we accept soldiers straight from Phase 2 training – but only the best will be considered. We are regularly complimented about the professionalism of our drivers and we hope that when the officer cadets experience working with RLC soldiers, it will encourage them to apply to join the Corps.”

We ask the OC about his career as a driver in the Army. “I was ‘in trade’ up to the rank of corporal,” he explains.

30 TRUCKING February 2020

“Promotion is linked to specialist qualifications, so a corporal in the driver trade will be qualified as a Class 1 Driver, have achieved a Level 3 Apprenticeship in Driving Goods Vehicles, a Level 3 Certificate in Logistics and Transport and can expect a salary of around £28,000 a year. The average time to promotion to corporal is seven years.

“I diversified from the driver trade and followed the instructional route.

Having worked in various training establishments, including here at RMAS as a platoon staff sergeant training officer cadets, I returned to my trade as a WO2. You can serve your whole career in roles linked to your chosen trade, but if you fancy doing something else after nine years on the vehicle park, the Army will accommodate you.

“Now I am commanding a squadron.

I served as a soldier and I am also

ABOVE: Major Carpenter joined the Army as a Private. He is now OC 44 Squadron www.truckingmag.co.uk

RMAS’s logistics staff officer, so get involved in planning movements, such as the three 80-vehicle deployments per year to south Germany for the officer cadets’ final exercise, prior to commissioning.”

Professional standards We ask Private Cookson how the RLC driver trade differs from the other drivers in the Army. “We are the Army’s professional drivers,” she says.

“Yes there are lots of soldiers who drive vehicles in other regiments and corps, but they do it secondary to their main trade.”

Examples of what she says are tank crewman starting as tank drivers on the way to becoming a tank commander, or soldiers in the REME will drive recovery vehicles, but their trade is recovery mechanic.

“We are not just trained to drive,” she continues. “We learn vehicle maintenance and do basic servicing, like changing oil and fuel filters, engine lubricants, wheels, or replacing wing mirrors. You can do the civilian ABOVE: Maintenance and compliance levels are regularly audited Driver CPC and Transport Manager’s CPC and go on to learn about ➤ BELOW: Army drivers must adhere to EU Drivers’ Hours regulations

www.truckingmag.co.uk

February 2020 TRUCKING 31

RECRUITMENT ARMY DRIVERS

ABOVE: Fern drives to south Germany three times a year ➤ transport planning, running a

transport office and vehicle availability management.”

Her boss, Major Carpenter adds: “The Army still operates a driver log-book system, and under normal [non-operational] circumstances all

We are the Army’s professional drivers. Yes, there are lots of soldiers who drive vehicles, but it’s secondary to their main trade. Fern Cookson army drivers must adhere to the EU Drivers’ Hours rules. This, the management of vehicles and adherence to roadworthiness regulations and compliance with road traffic law, is regularly audited – and the responsibility for policing this rests with RLC driver trade Warrant Officers, who hold the position of Master Driver. There is one at each formation headquarters from Brigades up to Divisions, and then the senior driver at Army HQ ,who is a WO1 Conductor [the most senior noncommissioned rank] works within the Logistics Support team dealing mainly with policy. They are also head of the driver trade, so responsible for professional development within it.”

32 TRUCKING February 2020

Going the distance Now she is has been in the Army for nearly three years, we ask Fern whether she is in it for the long haul.

“The great thing about being a driver in the Army is you are not driving every working day. On exercise you could drive for six days in a row, but back in camp, it could be one or two days’ driving a week. The rest of the time will be spent cleaning and maintaining the vehicles, doing PT [physical training] and sport. I spent three months skiing during Phase 2 training and since I have been here, I have been adventurous training in Germany, which included rock climbing, white-water rafting and hill walking. I was also sent on a course to get my Cat D coach licence, and I did my combat health course so I can do things like test and purify water so it is fit for the soldiers to drink when deployed.

“This posting is for four years and there are good opportunities for promotion here. I am currently on a 12-year contract, so must serve a minimum of three years. I am really enjoying it, so will stay on. As a lance corporal, corporal and sergeant, you increasingly get involved in leadership roles. This starts with leading convoys, but progresses to being in charge of sections, second in command of a troop and looking after the guys. I intend to aim high and have my sights on a full career, so will see how it goes.

Photo credit: Defence Images Crown Copyright 2019

“After 44 Squadron, I would like to be posted to one of the mainstream units so I can get experience on operational deployments or big overseas exercises.”

Career progression By the time Fern is 28, providing she gets the required qualifications, gradings and recommendations, she could be promoted to Sergeant on a starting salary of £32,000 a year.

This does not include any extra duty, overseas or arduous duty pay she might qualify for. She could have gained a BSc (Hons) Degree in Logistics Management from the University of Lincoln. She could be instructing at a training www.truckingmag.co.uk

After 44 Squadron, Fern is looking to get experience on operational deployments or big overseas exercises

establishment, second in command of a troop of 30 soldiers, or could be working in a formation headquarters under a Master Driver.

If her career continues to blossom, aged 37 she could be a WO1 and the Regimental Sergeant Major of one of the RLC’s 24 regular or reserve regiments, or a Master Driver in a Divisional HQ on £47,000 a year.

If on her way to sergeant, she is considered exemplary and displays outstanding leadership qualities, she could also apply to be commissioned and, if accepted, return to RMA Sandhurst to train to be an officer.

Or like her current OC, she could be selected to be commissioned www.truckingmag.co.uk

from WO1 and start an extended career as an officer, where she can serve until she is 55; with the potential of being promoted to lieutenant colonel and leave with a very good pension.

While professional driving in the Army is called a ‘trade’, it is truly a career. The same can be said for all the trades the Army offers. You get 38 days’ paid leave a year, qualifications that map to civilian equivalents, travel, sport, adventure and will be surrounded by the best friends you’ll ever make. So if you fancy driving trucks and buses professionally, why not spare the Army a thought? British Army Driver… what’s not to like? ■

ABOVE: Fern will drive for six days. Back in camp, there is time for sport and PT February 2020 TRUCKING 33

DRIVEN SCANIA P410XT

34 TRUCKING February 2020

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TOUGH AS OLD BOOTS Scania’s heavy-duty XT range is aimed at operators who take their trucks off-road or haul the heaviest loads.

We take a P410XT tipper for a fully loaded workout

By Pip Dunn PHOTOGRAPHY PIP DUNN

G

o along any motorway or dual-carriageway and you can’t fail to notice the number of New Generation Scanias out there, plying their trade.

It’s fair to say the Södertälje manufacturer’s two-year overhaul of its complete range, which concluded last year, has been a success and has caught the approval of hauliers.

The range started with the R- and S-series, and was soon followed by the G- and then P-, culminating with the L-series low-entry town trucks. But in among that was also the XT range. These are the trucks that have thicker chassis for the more demanding applications – and you could have an XT on any Scania range, including the L. We’ve seen all sorts of XTs: R500XTs for shifting bulk household waste, S730XTs for heavy haulage, even

P410XT is facing stiff competition from other manufacturers

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P230XTs as skip-loaders. Scania will build whatever you want, and that includes XT models.

But the most common versions of the XT are perhaps 8x4 tippers, both as P and G models. Engine wise, they are mostly the 410 or 450 bhp variants, though 370s and 500s are available. No doubt someone will soon buy a G540XT as an 8x4 tipper.

With this in mind, Scania recently added a P410XT to its press fleet – and Trucking was only too keen to get behind the wheel and take it for a spin around the Midlands.

Technical overview The truck we had was a typical construction specification. The XT denotes a heavy-duty chassis compared with a standard P-series eight-wheeler, which means there is a marginal

Safety requirements for tippers are increasing

February 2020 TRUCKING 35

DRIVEN SCANIA P410XT Specification

Robust XT chassis is ideal for off-road operations

n Model: Scania P410 XT n Design GVW/GCW: 36,000 kg / 32,000 kg n Chassis: 5150 mm wheelbase n Front axles: 7500 kg capacity each n Rear axles: 21,000 kg bogie n Gearbox: GRS905 12-speed Opticruise automatic transmission n Engine: 12.7-litre DC13 141 straight-six n Max power: 410 bhp @ 1900 rpm n Max torque: 2150 Nm @ 1000-1300 rpm n Cab: Extended day cab

XT has reinforced mirror arms

difference in unladen weight, but nothing to worry anyone other than the most desperate for payload – and they probably don’t go off-road. The truck had a wheelbase that was 5150 mm long and was of course sporting a doubledrive rear bogie. That said, Scania will build an 8x2 P410XT if the customer wants it.

Under the day cab was Scania’s DC13 141, 12.7-litre straight-six engine which delivers 410 bhp at 1900 rpm and offers a torque output of 2150 Nm. The truck uses SCR technology. There is a good range of alternative engine options under the cab for a Scania 8x4, and they are the 360 bhp version of the 9-litre engine; the EGR version of the 410; plus the 450 bhp, 500 bhp and now 540 bhp versions of the popular 13-litre engine.

It’s perhaps fair to say most operators will plump for the 410 bhp lump, and our observations of trucks on the road would seem to bear that out.

Scania also offers a broad range of cabs. There are six cab options alone on the P-series, and the same on the R- and 36 TRUCKING February 2020

G-series. The truck we had to drive had the low-height extended day cab, but you can have it with a normal-height extended day cab, a short day cab and three types of sleeper cab – normal height, high-roof and low flat roof.

It is worth remembering that with this one engine, you can have the G-, R- and S-cab as well, of which the G is also a perfect fit for tipper work. For tipper drivers doing multiple nights away, of which admittedly there are more these days, then the R-cab will be worth considering. All of these are available as XT variants.

The transmission used on our test truck was Scania’s GRS905 12-speed Opticruise automatic gearbox, which also has two additional crawler gears.

The K432 62 frictionless automatic clutch was fitted, and ratio range was 11.32 to 1:1.

The front axles were the 7500 kg capacity AM600S and the rear drive

Scania cabs are among the best in the business

axles were 10,500 kg capacity AD400SZ. Leaf suspension was on the front and rear. This gives the truck a GVW of 36,000 kg, though of course it is limited to 32,000 kg in the UK.

On the road Our day’s drive started with collecting the truck from Scania’s Milton Keynes offices; and after our initial walk-round checks were complete, we headed straight to a local quarry. Here we were able to ‘borrow’ 20 tonnes of gravel to give the truck a fully loaded workout for our test.

While loading, we were able to see the benefits of some of the safety features on the truck, including a vital rear-view

Better protected The XT models are aimed at operators who have a sizeable amount of off-road driving in their daily work – quarries, landfill sites, muckaway, construction sites, road works and other places away from regular tarmac driving. As such, XTs have features aimed at ‘protecting’ the truck when off-road. For example, the headlights are protected by grilles and there is a foldaway underbumper step to allow the driver easy access when cleaning the windscreen. Outside there is a storage ‘cupboard’ which is roomy enough to keep the dirtiest gear out of the cab. The mirrors are also of a much sturdier design than a normal New Gen Scania, and they are well protected.

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DRIVEN SCANIA P410XT Clear Scania dashboard is a driver favourite

cab is great for the space it provides for PPE and other equipment. It can even have a fold-down bunk for occasional nights out.

Moving around the cab is OK for its size, and while crossing the cab is not the easiest due to the engine hump, it’s still possible. The truck also had the passenger-side lower door window for improved visibility when running in towns and cities. ■

Verdict

camera – very helpful for when working in quarries, yards and other construction sites. Features like this help the driver position the truck exactly where they want it on the first attempt, thus saving time, fuel and tyre wear.

Once loaded, we headed to the weighbridge. After confirming we were on the nose so far as GVW was concerned, we left the quarry and headed for the open road.

Motorway running The start of the test route was to take the M1 northbound, which enabled us to have a lengthy run of sustained fast driving at 56 mph on the 47 miles to Junction 21 near Leicester. As one would

In our opinion, 410 bhp is ideal for just about any tipper operation. expect on the M1 not long after the morning rush hour, there was still a sizeable flow of traffic – plus the mandatory roadworks and their average speed cameras. No problem: just set cruise control at 50 mph and sit back and enjoy the ride. Well, that was until we caught up with the inevitable stop-start, nose-to-tail traffic jam that is par for the course on the M1 south of Rugby these days.

At least it gave us a chance to see how the truck performed when pulling away, and it did so very well. In addition, we found the engine brake was also well up to the job of slowing us without having to make much use of the service brakes.

Once the M6 had tailed off near Rugby, we were treated to a clear and unhindered section of 56 mph running for about an hour until we could 38 TRUCKING February 2020

leave the M1 at Junction 21 and take the M69 towards Coventry. We only used this road for a couple of junctions before leaving at Junction 1 and taking the A5 southbound. There was time to pause for a quick tea break and some sunny pictures at the Rugby Truckstop at Dunsmore.

The return to Milton Keynes was via a mix of secondary and town roads, including a good couple of hills, and the fully loaded Scania performed admirably. We encountered plenty of dual-carriageway and a good mix of twisty single-carriage roads that only enabled us to reach the legal 50 mph in short blasts. The steering was excellent and the truck handled very well indeed, and it was only when confronted by the steepest of any gradient that it noticeably slowed down. But in our opinion, 410 bhp is ideal for just about any tipper operation – though if dealing with hills is a big part of your operation, you might want to consider stepping up to the P450XT. We were all set to rejoin the M1 at Junction 16 for the last leg back to Milton Keynes when, as we crossed the roundabout above the junction, we could see it was nose-to-tail after an accident. A hasty detour saw us return via Northampton and then back to the quarry to tip the load.

Just the job We couldn’t find much at all to fault the new Scania cabs on. Despite sitting higher to give better clearance when operating off-road, entry is still easy – the rear step is flexible so it will stand up to the rigours of quarry work that much better, and is unlikely to be knocked off. Even inside the P-cab, the smallest in the range, there is still plenty of room and the extended day

Truck manufacturers are taking the construction sector very seriously indeed at the moment, and accordingly there are a lot of alternatives on offer. This Scania is therefore in a very congested market and dealers will have to work hard to ensure they sell the vehicles.

The only things that may put customers off would be the lack of a suitable local dealer (or a substandard local dealer), and the comparatively high purchase price Scania usually commands compared with its rivals.

But buying the cheapest does not always guarantee you’ll earn the most money. The build quality of the product is generally superb and we’d be nitpicking to find faults. It drives well and is easy to handle. The New Gen Scanias also seem to be delivering on fuel economy when they are driven well. Despite its beefier chassis, the truck offers a decent payload and the 12.7-litre engine is rarely stretched.

Scanias also perform well at resale, with operators generally getting more back when they sell them on – and they often sell quicker than other brands. And of course, driver appeal is excellent as well.

For sheer earning potential, Scanias are a fairly safe bet – assuming you can get a sensible deal from a good dealer.

We like + Robust construction + Excellent dash + Superb Cruise Control + Effective engine brake + Well-appointed cab + Longevity We don’t like - There are cheaper alternatives - Good dealer is a must

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TRUCK ON TRIAL VOLVO FH13-540 VS SCANIA R580

40 TRUCKING February 2020

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CHARGE OF THE HEAVY BRIGADE Two heavy-haulage tractor units from Sweden go head to head in our load-lugging trial – with some interesting results!

By Pip Dunn PHOTOGRAPHY PIP DUNN

Volvos have started to infiltrate the HC Wilson Scania fleet

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February 2020 TRUCKING 41

TRUCK ON TRIAL VOLVO FH13-540 VS SCANIA R580

Scania regularly operates at 150 tonnes, while the Volvo operates at 90 tonnes

H

aving been set up by Hugh and Marion Wilson in 1962, well-known operator HC Wilson has been in the haulage game for nearly 60 years. After initially moving hay, straw and other agricultural produce, the firm diversified into plant

42 TRUCKING February 2020

haulage when it needed to move farm machinery. That in turn morphed into specialising in heavy and abnormal loads, with a niche market in abnormal loads into Europe.

The company has been based at its site in Elmswell in Suffolk since 1978, although it was only about one eighth of its current size when it moved there 42 years ago. This the company’s only site – it briefly had a depot in Glasgow when it bought a heavyhaulage company in Scotland, but that operation has since closed down.

The firm is now run by Simon Wilson, Hugh’s son, now managing director of the company. Today its 15-strong fleet is a mix of Scania, Volvo and DAF; but for the really

heavy stuff, eight-wheel tractors from Sweden are the norm.

On your marques The fleet breakdown is two DAF XF530 FTP tractors, one 6x4 Volvo FH13-540 and the 8x4 we have come to see – but the majority is still Scania with the two R580 150-tonners, a 2013-registered R560 8x4, two R450 6x2 tractors, one R450 4x2 tractor, an R450 6x2 rigid with a drawbar trailer and an R560 twin-tyred tag axle (the only truck not in red livery), an R560 mid-lift 6x2 and two R480 6x2s mid-lifts which are the last of its Euro 5 fleet.

Most of the fleet (about 75 per cent) is left-hand drive. This is specified for www.truckingmag.co.uk

Operator’s verdict: Simon Wilson Simon reckons the Volvo 8x4 is doing about 6.25-7 mpg depending on work – and is “far superior” to the Scania. The 6x4 is regularly returning over 7 mpg.

They replaced two Scania R620s, which were doing 6-6.5 mpg. The annual mileage is about 100,000 km, although the 150-tonne Scania chassis do marginally less.

The Volvo is also on a four-year Gold R&M package. “I studied the work and decided 100,000 km was the best option. This Gold package is a trial so far as we are concerned, but bumperto-bumper it’s covered.”

The 8x4 Volvo is a tonne lighter than its Scania counterpart, although it must be stressed such a weight differential is not such a big deal when you move into the STGO weight brackets.

new trucks unless the driver prefers a RHD – as is the case with the firm’s DAFs. There is a one driver, one truck policy and all trucks have the biggest cabs – so Globetrotter XLs, Toplines or Super Space Cabs. Double manning is rare though.

HC Wilson has reached a sensible and manageable size. Says Simon: “We don’t expect to change the fleet numbers too dramatically in the next few years, and we are comfortable with the size of the yard.”

As a rule it only does abnormal loads and had a fleet of 55 trailers of all shapes and sizes: low-loaders, mega-flats and step-frames, all of which have ramps. There is just one curtainsider. “We move tracked www.truckingmag.co.uk

“We’ve only had one minor issue with the Volvo, which was a gearbox problem on the 6x4,” says Simon.

“Initially it wouldn’t go above eighth gear. It did get resolved, but it took a week. But the 8x4 has been fine, and I admit I do really like it. There’s only one design feature I don’t like and that’s the automatic handbrake; I like the ‘clunk’ of applying a handbrake. You know where you are with the handbrake on the Scania!

“On current evidence nothing has gone wrong with the 8x4 Volvo, and there have been lots of issues with the Scania. As long at the Volvos are reliable, we’ll aim to get 12 years out of them, but we operate trucks as long as they are reliable. We do all our own in-house maintenance.”

ABOVE: Big cabs are the norm for all HCW trucks February 2020 TRUCKING 43

TRUCK ON TRIAL VOLVO FH13-540 VS SCANIA R580 Specification: Volvo ■ Model: Volvo FH13-540 8x4 ■ Design GCW: 90,000 kg ■ Chassis: 3700 mm wheelbase ■ Front axle: 9000 kg capacity ■ Rear axle: 7500 kg (mid-lift), 2x 13,000 kg (double drive).

Ratio: 2.83. Tyres: 315/70R22.5 ■ Gearbox: AT2612F 12-speed I-Shift automated manual transmission ■ Engine: D13K540, 12.8-litre, Euro 6 ■ Max power: 540 bhp @ 1400-1800 rpm ■ Max torque: 2600 Nm @ 1000-1450 rpm ■ Cab: Globetrotter XL high-roof sleeper with single bunk

Volvo chassis is lighter than the Scania

Load luggers This Trial pits a 2018 Scania R580 8x4, plated at 150 tonnes for STGO Cat 3 work, against a 2019 Volvo FH13-540 plated at 90 tonnes at Cat 3. However, they are essentially very similar machines in their set-up and so worthy of comparison, although the Volvo has single-reduction drive axles.

The Scania is one of two that came to the fleet in 2018 to replace two identical spec trucks from 2006.

They had been acquired new, had worked hard and had proved exceptionally reliable. They had Jost fifth wheels and were supplied by a Scania dealer in Nijmegen in the Netherlands, which the company had dealt with previously.

Such 8x4 tractor units are bespoke for heavy haulage and as a result were a rare inclusion in any manufacture’s catalogue. Mostly, dealers would provide a 6x4 truck which would then

Operator builds and fits it own toolboxes

Access is fine on the FH

machines: JCBs, plant, excavators – anything ‘out of the ordinary’. About two thirds of our work is European and the rest is in the UK, but it can fluctuate. One thing we don’t really do is move railway rolling stock; that has its own specialists.”

Although the company has been as far afield as Cyprus, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey, such loads are rare these days; and besides, the political situation makes it hard to get insurance for such jobs. Therefore, it mostly concentrates on Benelux, Germany, Switzerland and Poland.

“We rarely go beyond the EU these days, with the exception of Switzerland.

General haulage is poor money, so we don’t do it. Of course, if we have an empty truck then we might take a general haulage backload if necessary.”

44 TRUCKING February 2020

VOLVO FH13-540: REAR www.truckingmag.co.uk

Volvo’s overhead lockers have spacesaving roller doors

ABOVE: There’s room for a TV inside Globetrotter XL cab

Driver’s verdict: Mark Gladwell, Volvo

have to be modified with an additional pusher axle ahead of the double-drive bogie.

Says Simon: “We saw the 8x4 R164 at the Bauma show in 2001 and that led to us taking trucks of this specification for our work.”

The Scania R580 is currently delivering about 5.4 mpg and doesn’t vary much from that, whatever the weight. Although plated at 150 tonnes,

it rarely operates at full weight. That said, it weighs in at 15 tonnes unladen and 40 tonnes with a trailer – and that’s before anything is put on it.

Volvo mirrors have minimal blindspots

Volvo is top-notch for driver comfort

Both Trial trucks are left-hand drive

Mark, 52, from Framlingham, has been a driver for 30 years and has worked for HC Wilson on and off for the last 17 years. Prior to this, he worked for a number of local hauliers in East Anglia.

Talking about his Volvo FH13-540, he’s full of praise for it. “I like it a lot. It’s much comfier than the Scania R620 I had before, and compared with the Scania this is much better. The gearbox is better and I like the I-Shift – I had a manual before. It pulls well for a 540 bhp truck, and part of that is helped by the good gearbox.

“The cab is also a lot better and has much more storage. I have all the room I need. I’ve had the top bunk taken out to give me more room to move about. The extra cupboards outside on the chassis mean I can keep all the ‘dirty stuff’ outside of the cab.”

As well as the better living space, Mark also likes the dash. “Most of the buttons are in the right place, once you know where they are! It was a bit new to learn, but it’s fine.”

He’s also very complimentary about the driving position and especially the driver’s seat, which he reckons is a big improvement over his last truck. “The bunk is also very comfortable, and the fridge is bigger and better than on the Scania,” he adds.

But is there anything he doesn’t like about the Volvo? “There’s nothing I can think of. I guess I’d prefer it if it was an FH16 with the bigger 16-litre engine, but I have nothing to whinge or moan about.

“All in all, it’s a great truck – it’s better in [just about] every aspect.

I’d rather keep the Volvo than have another Scania. We may keep this for as much as 10 years, but I guess we won’t know for a while how it will compare in terms of durability with the Scanias.”

VOLVO FH13-540: INTERIOR www.truckingmag.co.uk

February 2020 TRUCKING 45

TRUCK ON TRIAL VOLVO FH13-540 VS SCANIA R580 Specification: Scania ■ Model: Scania R580 mid-lift ■ Design GCW: 150,000 kg ■ Chassis: 3900 mm wheelbase ■ Front axle: 2x 8000 kg capacity ■ Rear axle: 7500 kg (mid-lift), 2x 15,000 kg (double drive).

Ratio: 4.38. Tyres: 315/80R22.5 ■ Gearbox: GRS905R manual 12-speed transmission ■ Engine: DC16-102, Euro 6, 16.4-litre, EGR + SCR ■ Max power: 580 bhp @ 1900 rpm ■ Max torque: 2950 Nm @ 1000-1350 rpm ■ Cab: R-cab Topline high-roof sleeper model

Sometimes it is embarrassing having more knowledge of the product than the [Scania] dealer does.

Simon Wilson

“It’s middle of the road,” says Simon, “It’s not ridiculously poor, but not great. It tends to operate mostly at 100-120 tonnes, but we do undertake a lot of empty running.”

The reason the tractor unit is so heavy is because of the front hitch fitted to it, as a special build. “It’s possibly a bit of overkill for what we need and it cost €10,000 to have it fitted by Estepe in the Netherlands.”

Unlike the Volvo, the Scania has a manual gearbox. “We had a Fuller 13-speed ’box put in a 1987 R142. It would do 60 mph when still in the green band!”

The Scania’s gearbox is a 12-speed and a vast improvement on the older 10-speed ’box it used to fit to its trucks. Then in 2002 the chassis was offered with a 16-speed ZF version

Toolboxes are an essential requirement

and a torque convertor, which was “the ultimate heavy haulage machine,” according to Simon. “Basically, Scania ‘copied’ what MAN and MercedesBenz had done!”

The truck was sourced from a Dutch dealer, but with the local Truck East dealer’s knowledge so it would support the product.

ridiculous on a truck a year old. We have had issues with Truck East, as it wanted us to pay for that and yet the truck was only 11 months old. I’m not sure how ‘annoyed’ the local dealer was that we bought the trucks from a

Reliability issues Both the new Scanias (N5HCW and N50HCW) are proving to be less reliable than the 2006 models they replaced. “After just three months we experienced noisy wheel bearings on the first and second axles, which was not a good sign. One had to have a new retarder housing fitted, which is 46 TRUCKING February 2020

ABOVE: No space on the chassis is wasted

Scanias were the truck of choice at HCW for a long time

Trucks have a lift axle ahead of the double drive

Driver’s verdict: Dave Knappett, Scania Dave, from Colchester, has been a driver for 36 years. Now 57, he passed his HGV test when he was 21. He’s been with HC Wilson for 20 years now and has worked his way up the ranks to be one of the drivers who deals with the heaviest 150-tonne loads.

He’s mostly had Scanias, apart from a short period with a DAF, and it’s fair to say he’s a fan of the Södertälje brand. “It does what it’s supposed to do; what it was built for. It’s not got too many electronics compared with other trucks; there’s too much on many new trucks. I had an 02-plate Scania before this for 12 years and it’s still doing the job. That speaks for itself.

“I found it hard with the new truck to start with, as I thought it was a bit ‘lazy’ at times. But now I’m used to it, it’s fine.”

As regards the cab, Dave says: “Compared with the older truck, it’s very well spec’d. But it’s now been replaced by the new S-series. The storage is good and there’s more than enough room for my stuff.

“The driving position is also good. It has better seats than before; it’s the best seat I’ve ever sat on in a truck. I can’t really fault it. The bunk is plenty big enough; I’m more than happy with it. I sleep better in the truck than I do at home! The layout of the cab is fine and it’s lighter inside, which I like.”

The Scania’s dash layout meets Dave’s approval as well. “Everything is solid and the switches are good. I did have a look over the Volvo and felt it looked a bit cheap and flimsy.”

He says the Scania’s fridge isn’t big enough, but has few other gripes with it.

“I’d prefer the bigger [730 bhp V8] engine, but it’s adequate,” he says. “It is what it is. I’ve not driven the Volvo yet, but I dare say I will do at some point. I do like to try different trucks. I like Scanias, but I will drive what I’m given providing it’s up to the job. But for 90 per cent of my driving life I’ve had Scanias, and they are always top-notch – especially the V8s.”

Dutch dealer. Either way, it had an initial one-year warranty. We also spent an additional £3000 to have a second year’s warranty.

“My biggest beef with the local dealer is it is obsessed with sending us invoices for warranty jobs, some of which are still under dispute.

“Before I ordered the Volvos, the Scanias were on order – but they February 2020 TRUCKING 47

TRUCK ON TRIAL VOLVO FH13-540 VS SCANIA R580 weren’t delivered. The dealer came to see us and it’s a strained relationship.

Scania struggles to specify anything above 80 tonnes in the UK. We have to tell Scania what we want; not them telling us what it can offer. Sometimes it is embarrassing having more knowledge of the product than the dealer does.”

The two R580 Scanias went on the road in April and August 2018. “Last summer, I was looking to replace two 2011 80-tonne 6x4s and I was shopping around. The Scania sales engineer had been here twice and not given me any answers to what it could deliver. Truck East and Scania (GB) failed to offer a quote for an 8x4 tractor unit. Neil Jarrold, a former

Volvo salesman, came to see me and he brought Volvo salesman Ian Reed and sales engineer Brian Anderson with him. We were a conquest fleet for them – the chance to get a Volvo in an essentially all-Scania fleet – and they came up with a spec. It was what we wanted, it was £30,000 cheaper and it was a factory-built 8x4. The fifth wheel was fitted by Estepe and was the right height! All we had to do was add the fuel tank and toolboxes, which we build in-house here anyway.

“We started with the order for the 8x4 in July 2018 and he also quoted me for a 6x4 three months later, on full air suspension. Again it was much cheaper and just what we wanted.

Volvo Fuelwatch manager Jon Warby

Operator Simon Wilson has a lot of heavy haulage experience

Tester’s verdict: Pip Dunn It’s not often you hear of a Scania user questioning the product or their dealer.

But it’s clear from this Truck on Trial that HC Wilson has had issues with Scania, enough in fact to force it to look elsewhere. And not only elsewhere, but to its arch rival Volvo.

HC Wilson is an established haulier with a very worthy reputation, and for that it needs reliable trucks. On top of this, given the expense it is shelling out on some bespoke kit, it also needs value for money. But even so, both drivers are very happy with their respective trucks.

48 TRUCKING February 2020

We shouldn’t be too critical of the Scania: they are solid machines and can last better than just about anything else on the market. HC Wilson has yet to add any New Generation S-series models to its fleet, and while it would be no surprise if it did so, Scania has a bit of catching up to do to match the price – and indeed the product – that Volvo is currently offering.

So all in all, it should probably not be a shock to find the winner of this Trial is hands-down the Volvo. In every respect, it’s better: it was cheaper to buy, it’s

lighter, it delivers 20 per cent better fuel consumption and has been more reliable. Its cab is also much newer, though Scania’s New Generation trucks address that issue. These two R580s must be some of the last off the production line with the old 4-series cab – which dates from 1996, despite a couple of minor facelifts.

But it’s been the helpfulness of the Volvo dealer over some ‘issues’ with the Scania dealer that has led to the ‘new kid on the block’ being crowned the clear overall winner here.

www.truckingmag.co.uk

Tried-and-trusted Scania dash is well organised

ABOVE: R580 was spec’d with manual ’box

gave us a thorough handover and set up the Dynafleet system.”

Missed opportunity The firm buys all its trucks outright, and will occasionally buy secondhand if the deal is right and the truck is what it requires. Simon says his displeasure of “ridiculous” German traffic enforcement has put him off all things German, which means MAN or Mercedes-Benz is unlikely to get a foot in the door any time soon – even though both have bespoke heavyhaulage products.

He has tried a heavy-haulage DAF, but again there were issues: “DAF had its chance, but cocked it up big style. We ordered an 8x4 XF and it messed up the order: its fifth wheel was way too high. It was meant to be 1250 mm and arrived at 1370 mm, which is no good for our business. We had it for four weeks and the company didn’t do anything to make it right. We sent it back and never heard anything from them!”

Key factors for purchasing at HC Wilson are price, dealer back-up and the ability to deliver the truck to the spec required. “We have a need for some low-height 6x2 tractors. We have quotes with Volvo for an FH13-500, and Scania for an S500. They are neck-and-neck the same spec, but the Volvo is £30,000 cheaper!

“I’m pleased I’ve gone done the Volvo route – it might wake Scania up a bit!” concludes Simon. ■

SCANIA R580: INTERIOR

Scania struggles to specify anything above 80 tonnes in the UK. Simon Wilson

Scanias are reliable, but expensive

ABOVE: Old Scania dash has been improved on S-series www.truckingmag.co.uk

SCANIA R580: REAR February 2020 TRUCKING 49

nstantly Driver ‘Jo Jo’ is co s Scania thi th wi go the on

MacKirdy can count on Neil to keep this lorry shining

Y

C K•

M

N EA D

•M

8

ME & MY TRUCK NEIL GALLOWAY’S SCANIA R450

TRU

NEIL GALLOWAY’S SCANIA R450

■ MAN AT THE WHEEL NAME: Neil Galloway AGE: 54 NICKNAME: Jo Jo HOBBIES: Watching football EXPERIENCE: Been driving for 31 years FAVOURITE TRUCK: Scania OSCARS: The staff in the yard for putting up with my moaning!

■ TRUCK MAKE & MODEL: Scania R450 OWNER: John MacKirdy BASED: Rothesay CUSTOM STUFF: Kelsa HiBar, Kelsa VisorBar, Kelsa LoBar, Kelsa BakBar, stainless mirror guards, Alcoa alloy wheels, custom graphics, custom mats BEST THING ABOUT IT: No-one else gets to drive it!

GONGS: I keep it as clean as I can, but no trophies as yet…

of This R450 is one y ull tef tas y’s ird MacK liveried fleet

50 TRUCKING February 2020

www.truckingmag.co.uk

Stainless mirror covers offer protection and look the part

Kelsa BakBar adds presence

By Steve McCann PHOTOGRAPHY SMC PHOTOGRAPHY

www.truckingmag.co.uk

February 2020 TRUCKING 51

OPERATOR PROFILE MAH UK TRANSPORT LTD

52 TRUCKING February 2020

www.truckingmag.co.uk

PRESENT TIME MAH UK Transport Ltd owner Michael Harry celebrated a special birthday with the order of a new Volvo FH16-750 25 Year Special Edition tractor unit. Trucking takes a look at a gift that keeps on giving…

By John Henderson PHOTOGRAPHY NIGEL SPREADBURY

I’m well impressed with the FH16-750’s performance, which is best described as ‘no sweat’.

Michael Harry, owner, MAH UK Transport

www.truckingmag.co.uk

February 2020 TRUCKING 53

OPERATOR PROFILE MAH UK TRANSPORT LTD FH16-750 was supplied

by MC Truck and Bus

The 25 Year Special Edition FH was ordered with a number of Kelsa lightbars

T

he phrase ‘hard work brings rewards’ seems particularly appropriate for ‘hands on’ business owner, Michael Harry of Croydon-based MAH UK Transport Ltd. Having started out in business running vans 19 years ago, Michael bought his first heavy truck in 2012.

Since then he’s progressed to operating eight 500 bhp Volvo FH 6x2 tractor units on dedicated traction supply work for TNT. The new FH16-750 25 Year Special Edition is driven solely by Michael, and in his own words it’s “a truck I’ll never hand down or part with”.

Supplied by MC Truck and Bus Ltd, the 4.1 m wheelbase FH16-750 tractor

unit comes with a Globetrotter XL cab, fixed pusher axle and a number of additional Kelsa LED lightbars.

Finished in Titan Silver metallic colours, the FH16 also features painted sideskirts, chrome mud wing stripes and additional cab paintwork.

Power where it counts Since the new truck went on the road, Michael reckons he’s been won over by its performance. “We run nightshift trunks from Croydon to Birmingham hauling box trailers,” he tells us. “I’m well impressed with the FH16-750’s performance, which is best described as ‘no sweat’. Even at the maximum 44 tonnes, the engine seems to be barely stretched.”

The new special edition vehicle was ordered with a five-year Volvo Gold Service contract, which will be carried out by Volvo Truck and Bus Centre London’s Croydon dealership.

Indeed, the close location of the Swedish marque’s service facility has given the operator added peace of mind. “Volvo’s presence in Croydon is very close to the TNT depot and its aftermarket support levels are good,” he says. “However, I must also mention Mark Reeves at MC Truck and Bus, as he is the ideal sales person for our business.”

Van man

ABOVE Company owner Michael Harry says the new FH16-750 is his present for a special birthday 54 TRUCKING February 2020

Michael’s career journey in road transport started as a van driver for TNT on multi-drop work in 1997. “I did around 120 drops with collections per day and it was hard work,” he tells us. However, his ➤ www.truckingmag.co.uk

Volvo’s presence in Croydon is very close to the TNT depot and its aftermarket support levels are good.

Michael Harry

ABOVE FH16-750 is only available with I-Shift automated gearbox www.truckingmag.co.uk

ABOVE 25 Year Special Edition FH interior includes orange trim highlights

February 2020 TRUCKING 55

OPERATOR PROFILE MAH UK TRANSPORT LTD I don’t like every vehicle looking the same.

Our lettering is always applied along the sun visors and that suits me fine. Michael Harry

➤ ultimate ambition was to run his

own business – and after visiting the local Iveco dealer in Croydon, he committed to saving £20 a week for the £1K deposit required on a Daily van.

“I returned to the Iveco dealer 12 months later to see if the deal was still on. The salesman could not believe it. He didn’t think I was serious. However, I had the deposit and he was kind enough to offer me the price as seen a year ago.”

Michael got to work and diligently built his business up to three vans, and then gained his HGV driving licence before a return to TNT as a driver.

“I monitored all the operating costs of the truck I was employed to drive, as I wanted my own transport fleet. I then moved onto sitting the Transport Manager CPC course and test, which was tough,” he recalls.

After three attempts, Michael passed the exam and then set about leasing his own truck.

SPECIFICATION ■ Model: Volvo FH16-750 25 Year Special Edition ■ Chassis: 6x2 pusher axle tractor unit ■ Wheelbase: 4.1 m ■ Suspension: Front steel, rear air.

Nine-tonne front axle, 19-tonne rear bogie ■ Rear axle ratio: 3.08:1 ■ Engine: Volvo D16K, Euro 6, 16-litre, six-cylinder SCR ■ Max power: 750 bhp @ 1600-1800 rpm ■ Max torque: 3550 Nm @ 950-1400 rpm ■ Gearbox: I-Shift ■ Cab: Globetrotter XL

56 TRUCKING February 2020

MC Truck and Bus fitted the chrome mud wing strips on second and third axles

Early support “Ian Paterson at TNT had a lot of faith in me, as the company’s policy at that time was not to take on one-man-band owner-drivers,” Michael continues. “However, he persisted with senior management who gave him the go-ahead, albeit on his own head.

I was determined to deliver what was required and eventually bought my own truck.”

After proving to be a reliable contractor, Dave Marshall at TNT offered Michael another run and a second truck had to be sourced – and the business has grown organically in this way ever since.

Fleet of fancy Michael has made a point of always sourcing different cab colours for his fleet of Volvo trucks, which currently stands at nine vehicles. “I don’t like every vehicle looking the same,” he explains. “Our lettering is always applied along the sun visors, and that suits me fine. I never forget how this business started. My faith and trust in God helps me progress and I am blessed to have a good team of drivers onboard.”

And when it comes to the spec of his new special edition vehicle, Michael’s philosophy is to always be prepared. “The FH16 is undoubtedly over-specified for what we currently do, but in the future this truck will have the potential to cater for anything,” he says.

“Sometimes I look at the nine trucks and think this is crazy, as we’ve never advertised for drivers and every recommendation has been by word of mouth. I owe everything to my drivers who have made the business what it is today,” he concludes. ■

ABOVE Chequerplate chassis infills match the main catwalk www.truckingmag.co.uk

The new Volvo will haul trunk trailers for TNT – just like the rest of MAH UK Transport fleet

ABOVE Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels and Michelin tyres reflect the new truck’s top quality specification standards www.truckingmag.co.uk

ABOVE FH16 cab includes matching paintwork in Titan Silver metallic colour February 2020 TRUCKING 57

OUT & ABOUT A1231 BRAMPTON

By Steve McCann

PHOTOGRAPHY SMc PHOTOGRAPHY

OUT ABOUT Main Man: Renault Premium pulling a waste tanker for Mantank

By George! It’s a DAF XF belonging to George Allinson Transport

Pipe dream: JD Piping making good use of its custom caged DAF LF 45.160

Blue steel: AMX using a tidy trailer and Scania R450 to move steel

Tanked: Doornbos has a lot packed into this rigid MAN TGS 26.320 tanker

58 TRUCKING February 2020

www.truckingmag.co.uk

Red alert: This MAN Marshal SV is ready for emergencies carrying an incident response unit pod

For the Win: Renault Range T High moving a container load for Wincanton

Bottle merchant: Calor Mercedes Actros 2445 shifting a lot of gas bottles

Recovery position: Glendinning’s Renault rigid slideback ready for another lift

Box clever: Iveco Eurocargo 75E18 EEV box truck doing the job for DFS

Heavy hitter: Pollock Volvo FH16-750 looks fantastic with bright trailer

High standards: William Nicol Renault T High looks the part hooked up to gleaming tanker

Green machine: Scania R450 on supermarket duty for Asda

www.truckingmag.co.uk

February 2020 TRUCKING 59

INTERNATIONAL DUBAI The Burj Khalifa is considered to be the world’s tallest manmade structure with a height of 2717 ft

BELOW Three Volvo 440 tankers at the Dubai Fuel Supply depot in Al Khor

DESTINATION

DUBAI Plenty of interesting commercial vehicles spotted on a brief stopover in the pearl of the UAE

By Norman Chapman PHOTOGRAPHY NORMAN CHAPMAN

T

he city of Dubai is one of the largest in the United Arab Emirates, with an estimated population of 2.789 million.

In terms of growth, this ultramodern business hub has come a long way in a relatively short time.

It all started to happen in the 1960s, when oil was discovered after years of exploration. Money from oil helped form the basis of what the city is today – however, reserves are now virtually depleted. Nowadays, only a small percentage of revenue from Dubai’s remaining oil is included in the total combined Emirates wealth.

The economy of this firmly established city now comes from outside sources such as tourism, trading, financial services, real estate and aviation. The real estate sector is like it would be anywhere else in the world – ie, subject to peaks and troughs.

60 TRUCKING February 2020

There was a serious downturn a few years back when investors lost a lot of money on their property investments, though projections for the coming years forecast a healthier picture.

On the subject of aviation, Dubai has invested heavily in a number of advanced teaching facilities covering all aspects of the industry.

Pearls of the past This is a far cry from the Dubai before oil, when it was really no more than a fishing town. Back in the day, pearl diving was one of the main trades, which took place off Dubai in the Persian Gulf. There was a fleet of around 300 ‘dhow’ ships which took around 7000 divers out to sea for months on end, searching for pearls.

But if there is one thing to be certain of, it’s change – and sure enough, Dubai’s pearl industry eventually fell into www.truckingmag.co.uk

ABOVE Chunky short-wheelbase bonneted N1020 was the stalwart Volvo truck for developing countries

decline. This was based on a number of factors. The Great Depression of the 1930s took its toll, when few people could afford much more than the bare necessities, let alone pearls. This, coupled with the Japanese making big business of producing cultured pearls, had a wider impact.

Considered to be one of the safest cities on earth, the crime rate in Dubai is quite low. The law is very strict and it is mainly foreign visitors who fall foul of it. The local people, for the most part, live their lives to a high standard of morality. Contradictory to the low crime figures, and more to keep speeding businessmen in check, unbelievably the police force use a number of high-performance cars.

These include McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bugatti and Bentley.

Record breakers Dubai boasts the largest mall, the tallest hotel, the second largest man-made marina, and the largest

RIGHT Turkish-built BMC Professional 4x2 tractor unit with flat trailer

ABOVE The Mercedes-Benz L-series was built for developing countries and has a enviable reputation for reliability

ABOVE Elderly Volvo F10 seen being loaded in a machine shop. The truck was in need of some cosmetic surgery, as most of the front of the cab was loose. Where are a few cable ties when you need them?

➤

BELOW Showing their longevity are another two N-series Volvos: N1020 on the left, and a later NL10 on the right www.truckingmag.co.uk

February 2020 TRUCKING 61

INTERNATIONAL DUBAI

ABOVE Scania T142 with low-loader trailer had just unloaded a fork lift truck LEFT There’s a large food/theme park called the Last Exit – and some of the exhibits have a Mad Max look about them

ABOVE The GMC Astro was built up until 1987, so this truck is over 30 years old at least

RIGHT International 9200i waiting for a container in the industrial area of Al Quoz

➤

aquarium in the world. The Burj Khalifa is considered to be the world’s tallest man-made structure, with a height of 2717 ft. The structure also contains the world’s highest mosque, restaurant and nightclub.

Road transport vehicles in Dubai are very cosmopolitan indeed and, as you might expect in Far Eastern locations like Dubai, are made up from a healthy mixture of the old and new. We spotted lots of American, Turkish, Indian, European and Chinese trucks during our short visit.

Not that long ago, there were very few vehicles in Dubai. But today, it’s a different story. The meteoric growth of the city has added pressure on the road network, which has brought its own problems. What was adequate when built a few years ago is beginning to struggle. To alleviate this, major construction work is being carried out to make the road infrastructure better for 62 TRUCKING February 2020

all inhabitants – including the city’s high volume of visitors.

Truck and bus drivers are considered the most dangerous of all road users in Dubai, and statistics show they are to blame for large number of road traffic

accidents. Dubai’s Road Transport Authority is constantly targeting all drivers responsible for accidents. The aim is to do whatever it takes to raise their skills and safety standards, and therefore improve overall road safety. ■

No doubt the end result of bad driving, this burnt-out tractor unit waits on the back of a trailer

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REVIEWS BOOKS MUSIC DVDS

BREAK TIME Tomes, tunes & films to keep you entertained in the cab

By Andy Stewart PHOTOGRAPHY VARIOUS

NEW & RECENT MUSIC RELEASES ■ Everyday Life Artist: Coldplay Label: PLG UK Frontline Price: £10 (Amazon) Something of a departure, this new album from Coldplay doesn’t land as well as their previous efforts. A million miles away from the stadiumfilling sound of 2015’s A Head Full of Dreams, this two-disc experiment comes across as melancholy, downbeat and self-obsessed. Perhaps it’s a brave move into new territory – but to our ears, it’s a shift too far.

Fingers crossed it’s just a blip…

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

■ WHO Artist: The Who Label: Polydor Price: £10.99 (Amazon) This is The Who’s first new album in 13 years (2006’s Endless Wire) – and after that lackluster effort, it’s good to see the boys back on form.

There are some barnstorming rock tracks on here, with singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend proving they’ve still got the chops after over five decades in the business.

AUDIOBOOKS

■ What Seems to be the Problem Author: Adam Kay & Mark Watson Publisher: Audible Studios Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins Price: £19.99 (Audible) Bestselling former doctor, now writer Adam Kay (This Is Going To Hurt) and comedian Mark Watson gather for over five hours’ worth of medical banter in this thoroughly enjoyable Audible Original release.

Packed full of anecdotes ranging from historical theories and practices to modern maladies and tales from the wards, this is not for the squeamish – but for everyone else, it’s a darn good laugh.

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

■ Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent Artist: Lewis Capaldi Label: EMI Price: £8 (Amazon) An assured debut album from the Scottish singer-songwriter, this 12-track CD holds some very decent tunes. Packed with radio hits including Someone You Loved, Hold Me While You Wait and Bruises, there’s some really good stuff here – though some of the others (Maybe, Fade) don’t quite reach the same heights.

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

■ The Later Years: 1987-2019 Artist: Pink Floyd Label: EMI Price: £11.99 (Amazon) Floyd collectors are well-served with this new collection of rare recordings. Kicking off with a stonking rendition of Shine On You Crazy Diamond from the 1990 concert at Knebworth (Comfortably Numb and Wish You Were Here are also included from the same gig), the album also carries rehearsal and on-tour recordings of a number of other Floyd greats.

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 66 TRUCKING February 2020

■ Doctor Sleep Author: Stephen King Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Length: 18 hrs and 33 mins Price: £24.99 (Audible) It must be hard to top The Shining for sheer storytelling impact, but horror master King may just have managed it with sequel Doctor Sleep. Upping the creep factor, this tale of a now middle-aged Danny Torrence (the kid from The Shining) sees him drawn into a battle with a paranormal sect that’s preying on children who have The Gift. Unmissable – but make sure you’ve read The Shining first!

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ www.truckingmag.co.uk

DVDs of the month

■ Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw

■ Joker

Actors: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba Certificate: 12 Runtime: 136 minutes Price: £10 (Amazon) Over the top, overblown and outrageously high-octane, this Fast & Furious offshoot is quite a ride. There’s no shortage of bang for buck as The Rock’s oversize lawman Hobbs and Statham’s ex-black ops assassin Shaw reluctantly join forces to bring down Idris Elba’s super solider Brixton. Fun, frantic and daft – but also a bit overlong.

Actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro Certificate: 15 Runtime: 122 minutes Price: £9.99 (Amazon) About as far away as it’s possible to get from the comically campy villain in Adam West’s ’60s Batman series, this origin story of the Caped Crusader’s arch nemesis is powerful stuff.

Pulling no punches, the film follows the transformation of Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) into super-villain as mental illness and society’s indifference sends him over the edge.

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

■ Best Australian Trucking Stories Author: Jim Haynes Publisher: Allen & Unwin ISBN: 978-1760633325 Price: £13.12 (paperback) If you thought the Middle East Run was the defining journey for long-distance truckers, wait until you get a load of life on the road Down Under. Lifting the lid on the daily grind of some of Australia’s most colourful truckers, this book from author Jim Haynes is an interesting read.

Though not a driver himself, Haynes has interviewed a number of truckers and reproduced their most interesting tales. From the cross-plain pioneers of the early 1930s, through piloting government road-trains during World War II, to modern multi-trailer machines running the length and breadth of www.truckingmag.co.uk

■ Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood

■ Western Stars

Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie Certificate: 18 Runtime: 155 minutes Price: £9.99 (Amazon) Quentin Tarantino’s latest harks back to 1969’s Los Angeles and the beginning of the end of Hollywood’s golden era. It’s typical Tarantino – snappy dialogue, inventive shots, pitch-perfect performances, superb soundtrack – but though it has style in spades, this one fells just a bit lacking in substance.

Actors: Bruce Springsteen Certificate: PG Runtime: 130 minutes Price: £14.99 (Amazon) This new music release is a fascinatingly cinematic concert put on by 70-year-old US rock legend Bruce Springsteen. Set in Springsteen's old barn, the concert nevertheless features a full orchestra – and as expected, The Boss is on form and does not disappoint.

Mixed in with some home movie scenes and breathtaking desert footage, this is a real treat for American music fans.

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

OUR RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

the country, it’s all here. Dusty tales of Outback daring abound, including frequent brushes with native wildlife (which is often out to kill you at worst, or give you a nasty nip at best), desert perils that would see drivers routinely carrying dynamite in case they needed to ‘clear an obstruction’, and remote breakdowns that required no small amount of ingenuity and daring to fix, this book has it all.

Styrofoam cups, this book offers an enlightening tour of food truck staples from around the world. Presented as fast, fresh and easy-to-replicate recipes, there are some lipsmacking snacks in here.

Highlights for us include buttermilk fried chicken biscuit

sandwiches with honey butter (Berlin), super cheddar burger with red onion jam (Budapest), chicken tikka with slaw and naan (Johannesburg), lobster mac ’n’ cheese (London) and Catalan sausage with white bean hummus (Barcelona). Tasty.

OUR RATING

OUR RATING

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

■ Around the World in 80 Food Trucks Publisher: Lonely Planet ISBN: 9781788681315 Price: £14.99 (Waterstones, hardback) While we’re all fully conversant with bacon rolls, breakfast baguettes and scolding tea in February 2020 TRUCKING 67

READERS’ LETTERS REFLECTING THE INDUSTRY

READERS’ LETTERS Letter of the Month wins a fantastic Search-Impex model truck!

ABOVE Reader Roger Phillips is just out of shot in this historic photo

HVO vs diesel In your response to Peter Mesman’s letter last issue, you state: “…plus its reduction in CO2 emissions by up to 90 per cent…” in favour of hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVO) as compared with ordinary (mineral oil sourced) diesel. I seem to remember seeing similar claims in previous editions of Trucking. Where is this claim coming from, and how is this percentage saving being calculated?

As it stands, the claim does not make sense. Diesel fuel is a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds within a certain range of molecular size and chemical type. Overall there is a ratio of just over two hydrogen atoms to each carbon atom. One kilogram of diesel will produce a certain quantity of CO2 (along with H2O, ie water). This quantity of CO2 may vary marginally depending on the precise mixture of hydrocarbons in the fuel and the quality and completeness of combustion. I very much doubt this could amount to more than a couple of per cent, though I am open to correction.

But 90 per cent? That would mean a litre of HVO has only one tenth the amount of carbon in it as compared with a litre of ordinary, mineral-based diesel. Any such fuel would comprise some totally different compounds, would not meet the definition of ‘diesel’ and, most significantly, would not burn in a diesel engine.

John Ingham By email Thanks for your query, John. We put the question to DAF’s marketing manager, Phil Moon, who knows a thing or two about HVO. Here’s his reply: “John is right when he points out the similar constituent elements of diesel and HVO. Both contain carbon which is oxidised to produce CO2 during combustion.

This is the ‘tank-to-wheel’ carbon emissions and for this there is no substantive difference between diesel and HVO. 68 TRUCKING February 2020

PRIZE SUPPLIED BY SEARCH-IMPEX Tel: 01332 873555 Fax: 01332 875757 Web: www.search-impex.co.uk

LETTER OF THE MONTH Going loco I recently found this photo (above left) on your website, showing Edward Box squeezing under the Liverpool to Manchester railway bridge situated at the lower end of Wargrave Road, Earlestown. I was about 10 years old at the time and witnessed this very scene.

The locomotive was the first of a batch made to this design. As your editorial rightly states, the final “The reason HVO (and other renewables such as Biomethane) can claim a reduction in CO2 is based on ‘well-to-wheel’ carbon emissions. Whereas diesel is produced from fossil fuel which has been trapped underground for millennia – thereby increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere when it is used – biofuels are created from plant and animal feedstocks (oils and fats) which absorb CO2 during the growth of the plants. In this way there is a

clearance under the bridge was just 3/4 inches. However, what is not widely known is that to achieve this clearance, a bolt had to be removed from the bridge, on site, so that the head would not scrape the loco.

I was on the approach side of the bridge and so out of the photo.

I trust this may be of interest to you.

Roger Phillips By email move towards balancing of the CO2 being emitted from the exhaust tail-pipe with that being absorbed during the production of the fuel.

“HVO qualifies as reducing net CO2 emissions by up to 90 per cent – such a high value is helped by the use of feed stocks which would otherwise go to waste – such as the by-products of food production.”

Hope that helps, John –ed.

Get your views published!

Write to: The Editor, Trucking magazine, Kelsey Media, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berrys Hill, Cudham, Kent, TN16 3AG, or email trucking.ed@kelsey.co.uk. You must include your full name and postal address, which can be withheld upon request. Anonymous letters or those without addresses will not be published. Each month, the letter the editor judges to be Letter of the Month will win a fantastic model truck. We reserve the right to edit all published letters. No correspondence can be entered into.

www.truckingmag.co.uk

YOU AND THE LAW YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

YOU & THE LAW Got a legal query you need clearing up? Our resident legal expert is on hand to offer free professional help and advice

By David Glover PHOTOGRAPHY VARIOUS

Operating regulations EU ROAD SAFETY What is the EU stance on road safety?

In a recent publication in November 2019, the EU has reaffirmed its ambitious long-term goal to move close to zero deaths by 2050 (“Vision Zero”). By endorsing the Valletta Declaration on road safety of March 2017 in Council conclusions, EU transport ministers also, for the first time, set a target for reducing serious injuries – namely to halve the number of serious injuries in the EU by 2030 from a 2020 baseline.

To move towards these goals, a new approach is set out in the Europe on the Move communication: “First of all, the mindset of ‘Vision Zero’ needs to take hold more than it has so far, both among policy-makers and in society at large. Road crashes are ‘silent killers’ in that they often go virtually unnoticed in the public sphere; even though, when taken together, they kill as many people (around 500) as fit into a jumbo jet every week in Europe alone. We do not accept deaths in the air, and we should no longer accept them on the road – the premise that no loss of life is acceptable needs to inform all decision-making on road safety.

“Secondly, we need to implement the ‘Safe System’ at EU level. This is set out in more detail in Chapter 3 below. The core elements are ensuring safe vehicles, safe infrastructure, safe road use (speed, sober driving, wearing safety belts and helmets) and better post-crash care – all long established and important factors in the Safe System approach.

“Thirdly, we have to be ready to confront new trends, such as the growing phenomenon of distraction by mobile devices. Some technological advances, first and foremost in connectivity and automation, will in future create new road safety opportunities by reducing the role of human errors.

However, the best machines are not yet nearly as good as their human counterparts, and at least in the transition phase new risks are emerging – for example, related to 70 TRUCKING February 2020

the presence of vehicles with a wide range of different automated/ connected capacity in mixed traffic with “traditional” vehicles and vulnerable road users such as motorbike riders, cyclists and pedestrians.

“Automation as well as the sharing economy (for example, car and bicycle sharing schemes) and the constant evolution of new forms of personal mobility (for example, at least in 2019, electric scooters) also provide new opportunities to tackle congestion, especially in urban areas. But while these are exciting and more environmentally friendly transport options, we also need to ensure they are safe.

Towns and cities in particular are well placed to develop the synergies between safety and sustainability measures: for example, less car use in cities combined with safer environments for pedestrians and cyclists will reduce CO 2 emissions, improve air quality, reduce congestion – and help develop a more active and healthy population. Similar synergies can be found in enabling safe and affordable access to mobility to all members of society, in particular for the disabled and the growing share of elderly people.

“Last but not least, more attention is now being paid to the gender aspects of road safety (for example, a new crash test with focus on restraint systems coming into effect in 2022 also features a female crash test dummy).

“The Commission will continue to legislate, as before, where necessary. We will complement these efforts with more intensive and cooperative efforts to develop strong European road safety policies with all stakeholders and use research and innovation support to prepare and test new policy-based solutions.

“Finally, these EU level reflections are also intended as a contribution to the global debate on road safety, at a pivotal moment in the UN ‘Decade of Action for Road Safety’ 2010-2020, with preparations for the third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Stockholm (February 19-20, 2020) in full swing. This is not just about setting up a fresh framework and targets for death and injury prevention on the world’s roads for the decade ahead, but about embedding road safety further into the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Driver’s hours OVER HOURS I worry I might get delayed and go over my hours due to no fault of my own. Are there any circumstances where I would be allowed to drive to find a safe parking place?

The issue can be summed up as an exceptional deviation from minimum rest and maximum

driving limits in order to find a suitable stopping place.

The relevant legislation is Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006. Article 12 contains provisions that permit a driver to depart from the minimum rest requirements and maximum driving times contained in Articles 6 to 9 in order to find a suitable stopping place.

This article does not authorise a driver to derogate from the Regulation for reasons known before the journey commenced. It is designed to enable drivers to deal with cases where it unexpectedly becomes impossible to comply with the Regulation during the course of the journey, that is in situations of abnormal difficulties, independent of the will of the driver and apparently unavoidable that may not be anticipated – even if all due care is taken.

The derogation has also the function of ensuring the safety of persons, of the vehicle and of its load, and the requirement that road safety must in any event be taken into account.

In the European Commission’s guidance notes, it identifies three parties who have certain obligations in relation to such situations: 1) A transport undertaking must plan carefully a driver’s safe trip foreseeing, for instance, regular traffic jams, weather conditions and access to adequate parking places. That is, it must organise work in such a way that drivers are able to comply with the Regulation and should take into account the requirements of shippers and insurance companies concerning safe parking are satisfied.

2) A driver must rigorously stick to the rules and not deviate from driving time limits unless exceptional circumstances occur unexpectedly and it becomes impossible to comply with the Regulation without endangering road safety, the safety of persons, the vehicle www.truckingmag.co.uk

or its load. If a driver decides it is necessary to derogate from the Regulation and this will not jeopardise road safety, he/she must indicate the nature and reason for derogation manually (in any Community language, on the record sheet or on the print out from the recording equipment or on the duty roster) as soon as he/she stops.

3) An enforcer must apply professional discretion when controlling a driver and assessing whether the departure from driving limits is justified. When assessing the legitimacy of the deviation on the basis of Article 12, all circumstances must be examined carefully by an enforcer including: (a) a history of driver’s driving records to establish the pattern of driver’s performance and verify whether the driver normally complies with driving and rest time rules, and that the deviation is exceptional; (b) the deviation from driving time limits must not be a regular occurrence and must be caused by exceptional circumstances

such as: major traffic accidents, extreme weather conditions, road diversions, no place at the parking area etc. (This list of possible exceptional circumstances is only indicative. The principle for assessment is the motive of possible deviation from driving limits must not be known or even possible to foresee beforehand); (c) daily and weekly driving limits should be respected, hence the driver should not have any ‘time gains’ by exceeding driving limit in search of a parking place; (d) the deviation from the driving time rules must not lead to a reduction of the required breaks, daily and weekly rest.

Working time DAILY/WEEKLY REST I need a recap of weekly rest, please. Also, I am going to start international work, so how is daily rest on a ferry counted?

It does no harm to recap on the rules. In Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 under Article 4, it states a ‘weekly rest period’ is

defined as the weekly period during which a driver may freely dispose of their time and covers a ‘regular weekly rest period’ and a ‘reduced weekly rest period’. These are defined as follows: ‘regular weekly rest period’ means any period of rest of at least 45 hours; and ‘reduced weekly rest period’ means any period of rest of less than 45 hours, which may, subject to the conditions laid down in Article 8(6), be shortened to a minimum of 24 consecutive hours.

In any two consecutive weeks, a driver shall take at least: two regular weekly rest periods; or one regular weekly rest period and one reduced weekly rest period of at least 24 hours.

However, the reduction shall be compensated by an equivalent period of rest taken en bloc before the end of the third week following the week in question.

A weekly rest period shall start no later than at the end of six 24-hour periods from the end of the previous weekly rest period. Any rest taken as compensation for a reduced weekly rest period

shall be attached to another rest period of at least nine hours. Where a driver chooses to do this, daily rest periods and reduced weekly rest periods away from base may be taken in a vehicle, as long as it has suitable sleeping facilities for each driver and the vehicle is stationary. A weekly rest period that falls in two weeks may be counted in either week, but not in both.

Moving onto daily rest and how that is affected when with a ferry journey, the relevant legislation is Article 9(1) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006. The European Commission guidance notes details the approach to be followed: Generally during a rest, a driver shall be able, according to Article 4(f), to dispose freely of his/her time.

However, a driver is entitled to take his/her break or rest, daily or weekly, when he/she is travelling by ferry or train, provided he/she has access to a bunk or couchette.

This stems from the wording of Article 9(2), which stipulates any time spent travelling “shall not be counted as a rest or break unless the driver is on ferry or a train and has access to a bunk or couchette”.

Furthermore, in line with Article 9(1), a regular daily rest period of at least 11 hours taken on a ferry or a train (if a driver has access to a bunk or a couchette) may be interrupted twice as a maximum, by other activities (such as embarking or disembarking from the ferry boat or train). The total time of these two interruptions may not exceed one hour.

This time must not, in any case, result in any reduction of a regular daily rest period.

In case of a regular daily rest taken in two periods, the first of which must be of at least three hours and the second of at least nine hours (as stipulated in Article 4(g)), the number of interruptions (maximum two) concerns the whole period of daily rest and not each part of a regular daily rest taken in two periods. The derogation under Article 9(1) does not apply to a weekly rest period, whether reduced or regular. ■

Marshall Glover

YOUR LEGAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED – FREE! Trucking’s law experts at FMGS Law Ltd can help with your legal queries.

Each letter gets a personal reply and confidentiality is guaranteed. Write to: You & the Law, Trucking, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL or email trucking.ed@kelsey.co.uk.

Alternatively, contact FMGS Law Ltd direct on: 0844 8011422 or visit www.fmgs.co.uk www.truckingmag.co.uk

Please provide your name and address with all correspondence.

Disclaimer: No information in this column shall be construed as actionable legal advice and information is offered for general information purposes only, based on the current law when the article was first written. You should always seek advice from an appropriately qualified solicitor on any specific legal enquiry.

February 2020 TRUCKING 71

COURT & INQUIRY LEGAL

COURT& INQUIRY News straight from the courtrooms of the haulage industry’s latest legal cases

By Michael Jewell PHOTOGRAPHY VARIOUS

Sheppard Commercial Services Ltd

REVOCATION TO BE RECONSIDERED The Upper Tribunal have directed that the revocation of the licence for 15 vehicles and 15 trailers held by Southamptonbased maintenance contractor and DVSA-approved testing centre Sheppard Commercial Services Ltd by traffic commissioner Kevin Rooney be reconsidered.

The Tribunal said Graeme Roberts purchased the company from Keith Sheppard in 2009, having previously been employed within the company and became the managing director and transport manager. In 2015, Mr Roberts agreed to sell 50 per cent of the company to Ian Percival, who was also appointed a director although he did not undertake any day-to-day functions within the company.

The extent of his involvement was that he and Mr Roberts would meet once a month to discuss on-going issues. Once Mr Percival had purchased 50 per cent of the company, Sheppard then became the nominated maintenance contractor for Mr Percival’s company, IPL Haulage Ltd, which had a fleet of 35 vehicles and 80 trailers.

On November 3, 2017, a vehicle operated by IPL was the subject of a roadside check and was found to have an AdBlue emulator (ABE) fitted to the wiring loom of the selective catalytic reducer (SCR) system. Mr Percival admitted to vehicle examiner Collins that the device had been fitted to address a defect in the AdBlue/SCR system to enable the vehicle to pass an MoT in October 2017. The vehicle was issued a delayed S-marked PG9 for modification of the SCR system along with an immediate PG9 for a fractured brake drum. It was not suggested by VE Collins that 72 TRUCKING February 2020

Sheppard had any involvement in the fitting of the ABE, nor any knowledge of the same, the device having been concealed under the floor of the nearside footwell and would not, in the normal course of PMI inspections, be discovered.

Neither did Mr Percival suggest Sheppard had been involved in the fitting of the ABE. IPL, Mr Percival and Sheppard were called before the commissioner. The letter sent to Sheppard simply referred to the maintenance investigation into IPL which had been carried out

by VE Collins “following the illegal fitment of emissions control equipment” to the relevant vehicle. It did not explain why it was considered the fitting of an ABE to an IPL vehicle was something that might adversely affect the licence of Sheppard, bearing in mind Sheppard was

not implicated in the fitting of the device. Neither did it set out the “apparent shortcomings” referred to in the letter, save in one respect: In an email, Mr Roberts denied either he or the company had “ever been involved with or have knowledge of any such AdBlue ‘blocker’ or system inhibitor being fitted on our premises or with our knowledge either for IPL or any other customer we may have”.

At the public inquiry, the TC did not ask Mr Roberts, who was unrepresented, to make any closing comments or submissions; he did not ask Mr Roberts to comment upon the possible finding of loss of good repute and what might have been weighed in the balance; he did not ask what effect the revocation of the Sheppard licence would have on the company’s viability.

In his decision, the TC found Mr Percival had lost his good repute and disqualified him from acting as a transport manager for a period of two years. Upon findings of loss of good repute and professional competence, IPL’s licence was revoked. As for Sheppard, he found Mr Percival was a statutory director of the company and his conduct was directly relevant to the good repute of Sheppard. Sheppard did not notify the TC that one of its directors had incurred a prohibition as a result of the fitting of an ABE designed to hide a material defect from the DVSA Standards Assessor when the

vehicle was presented for MoT. “Sheppard was responsible for the maintenance of the IPL fleet.

As a DVSA Authorised Testing Facility, Mr Roberts is closer than most to the enforcement agency and the standards required. It would be reasonable to expect that, in exercising his independent judgement, care, skill and diligence, he would have identified the deficiencies in the service he was providing.” In considering what action to take against Sheppard, the TC determined all the adverse findings he had made in relation to Mr Percival applied to Sheppard.

It transpired IPL and Mr Percival withdrew their appeals as IPL was granted a new O-licence and, presumably, Mr Percival’s good repute was restored.

In directing the revocation be reconsidered, the Tribunal said the call-up letter failed to give Mr Roberts, as managing director of the company, any real understanding of why the company was called to the public inquiry, the implications of adverse findings made in respect of IPL and Mr Percival and did not spell out the specifics of the “concerns” the TC had.

While Mr Percival was a 50 per cent shareholder and one of two directors, his role within the company did require some further analysis before his failings as a director and transport manager of IPL could be laid at the door of Sheppard, justifying the revocation of its licence.

www.truckingmag.co.uk

Roger Llewellyn Ltd

REVOCATION UPHELD, BUT LENGTH OF DISQUALIFICATION TO BE RECONSIDERED Though upholding the revocation of the international licence for 10 vehicles and 12 trailers held by Shrewsbury-based Roger Llewellyn Ltd by traffic commissioner Nick Denton, the Upper Tribunal have directed that the length of the disqualification of the company and its sole director Roger Llewellyn from holding an O-licence be reconsidered.

The company was called before the commissioner after a vehicle stopped in a roadside check was found to have an AdBlue emulator spliced into the SCR wiring loom behind the front grille of the tractor unit, the use of an unauthorised operating centre, concerns over the monitoring of the drivers’ hours and tachograph rules, vehicle maintenance and over whether the nominated transport manager was undertaking the role.

In his decision revoking the licence and imposing three year disqualifications, the commissioner said the company had been parking its vehicles at Boreton Grange Farm for many years without authorisation. In interview, Mr Llewellyn estimated the period to be 10 years. Mr Llewellyn had been advised by a traffic examiner in December 2018 that Boreton Grange Farm was an unauthorised operating

there was no contract of engagement. This was accepted by Mr Frankland when interviewed. It followed that the company had been without professional competence since 2013. This was only remedied on May 9, 2019 when Mr Morris was accepted as the new transport manager. In February 2019, Mr Llewellyn had attempted to nominate himself as transport manager, but his nomination was rejected because he lacked the necessary International CPC qualification.

Until very recently, the company had completely failed to ensure drivers’ hours and tachograph rules were observed as no analysis of data was undertaken. That failure was of long standing as the company had acquired its first digital vehicles in 2013.

The reason given for the failure

by Mr Llewellyn was the operating centre was in an area where WIFI was a problem. He rejected that explanation as the issue had been rectified following the DVSA investigations and the engagement of a transport consultant. WIFI problems could not be a valid excuse for failing to take any action over a period of six years.

The result of the failure to monitor drivers’ hours and records was three of the drivers were able to drive on occasion either without inserting their driver’s card or after removing it. One of those drivers was Mr Llewellyn. The company did

Until very recently, the company had completely failed to ensure drivers’ hours and tachograph rules were observed. centre. No application was made to add the farm as an additional operating centre until March 4, 2019. As at the date of the hearing, the application had not been granted although the company continued to use Boreton Grange Farm as an operating centre.

Mark Frankland was nominated as transport manager because he held an International CPC. He was a transport manager in name only. He had not fulfilled any of the functions of transport manager; he was not paid; www.truckingmag.co.uk

not have a system in place to check driver entitlement.

Mr Llewellyn had failed to ensure the lawful operation of vehicles. Though he stopped short of finding the company was responsible for fitting the AdBlue emulator, he did find Mr Llewellyn knew the vehicle had not been consuming AdBlue since it was acquired in June 2017 as he was a regular driver of the vehicle and he must have seen the AdBlue gauge did not move.

He accepted the vehicle was not consuming AdBlue as it should have been. He chose

not to have the problem investigated, citing other vehicle repair priorities.

The PMI sheets recorded that all of the vehicles and trailers were inspected and signed off as being roadworthy on the same day. From the number and seriousness of the repairs recorded on the PMI sheets, a vehicle examiner had concluded that would not have been physically possible.

There was no evidence as to when the inspections and the repairs did take place. Mr Llewellyn accepted the repairs may have been undertaken in the week leading up to the date on the PMI sheets. There was a suspicion the PMI sheets were not completed contemporaneously with the preventative maintenance inspection as a different pen was used to fill in the mileage on each PMI sheet. The maintenance contractor, Mr Llewellyn’s brother, Maurice, did not record tyre tread depths on the PMI sheets, simply ticking the boxes. Even at the date of the public inquiry, he continued to do this, despite the traffic examiner drawing it to Mr Llewellyn’s attention in interview in February 2019.

That was particularly disappointing, as prohibitions had been issued for illegal tyre tread depths in 2014 and February 2019.

Inadequate brake tests had been performed and road tests falsely recorded as there was no movement recorded on the tachograph data. Driver defect

reports were inadequate and many did not even record the date of the walk-round check.

One vehicle had been used on at least two days in March 2019 between the expiry of its MoT on February 28 and March 12, 2019 when it was presented for test. The vehicle may have been used on other dates, but the driver’s failure to record the dates on many of his driver defect reports made it impossible to be sure.

In their decision, the Tribunal said this was a bad case of longstanding non-compliance in virtually all areas of operator licensing along with dishonesty on the part of Mr Llewellyn, the sole director of the company. However, they agreed the commissioner should have given an opportunity for submissions upon the effect and length of an order of disqualification.

It would be an affront to other compliant and lawabiding operators if, in a case such as this, an order of disqualification was not made and it would certainly send the wrong message out to the industry. The issue is the length of the disqualification.

They were satisfied the commissioner’s failure to invite submissions as to the effect and length of the orders of disqualification was an error which must be rectified by him by inviting written submissions from the company and Mr Llewellyn, and giving them an opportunity to appear at a further public inquiry if they wished. ■ February 2020 TRUCKING 73

Q&A Q&A ADR ADR ADVICE ADVICE

ADR ADVICE Our expert answers your questions concerning the movement of dangerous goods

are new to the industry, are you ready to be assessed in that role?

The best advice I can give would be to speak to potential employers and inform them you are self-funding your PDP. Arrange for the classroom training AFTER an employer agrees to provide you with experience and allow you to use their vehicle for your practical assessment. It generally takes in the region of two weeks of on-the-job training for a driver to reach the minimum level expected for a driver to achieve a PDP practical pass.

By Keith Antrobus

Black & white

PHOTOGRAPHY VARIOUS

Q

PDP predicament

Q

How can I get a PDP? I have taken and passed my ADR and intend to become a petrol tanker driver; but without the PDP I can’t even get an interview anywhere . The problem is I can’t do the practical part without having a tanker to do it with. How does anyone manage to do this?

A

I understand how frustrating this can be. I am aware of a training provider who, on average, turns away eight candidates every week because of this. The PDP (Petroleum Driver Passport) is a proof of industry standard which confirms the ability of the driver to load, drive and deliver petroleum products. It is set in two parts. One is a classroom session with an examination at the end; the second is an assessment of ability.

The classroom part can be provided by any approved training provider. Once you have passed this, you have four months to complete the assessment. If you do not complete the assessment within this time, you will lose the classroom entitlement and have to do it again.

Please be aware you can do the assessment first followed by the classroom part.

Remember the assessment is not part of a training course; it is an assessment of your ability to load, drive and deliver. This is the reason you will experience difficulty. If you

74 TRUCKING February 2020

We receive drums of xylene from different suppliers. I have noticed some of the drums have labels on them with a white flame symbol, and some show a black flame symbol. What is the difference between the two? As far as I am aware, both suppliers are providing us with an identical substance.

A

The difference is both suppliers are using a different printer for their labels.

Any labels, or placards, that have either a red, blue or green background may display the symbol, border, text and Class number in black or white. There is no significance to the colour. Xylene, a Class 3 flammable liquid, has a label with a red background, so it is acceptable to use with either black or white in this case.

Euro method

Q

After many years of driving across Europe, I am now permanently working within the UK. While I am still doing the same job, for the same employer, with the same vehicle; I have noticed some large differences between the way I had marked tankers in Europe, with the way I am being instructed to here. I know in the UK we tend to use the emergency action code instead of the Kemlar code; but there seems to be lots of other differences too. For example, the placards on the tanker are smaller and have the border line across the top, while the European ones

have the line about a centimetre inside the edge. As it is all ADR, would it be legal for me to use the European method of marking (as I think this is better) now that I am working in the UK?

A

ADR is the agreement we have when a consignment is going to pass through the territory of two member states. This ensures we are all using the same method of marking, etc. As an example, if France used an orange plate, but Portugal used a green triangle, a vehicle travelling between the two would need to change from one to another as they crossed borders.

When, as in your new job, a vehicle operates solely within a single territory, the domestic rules for that country are used rather than ADR. In the UK, these are the CDG Rules (Carriage of Dangerous Goods and use of transportable pressure equipment regulations).

Although a majority of these rules refer to the requirements of ADR, there are a number of differences regarding the marking of tankers.

These rules specifically state the emergency action code must be displayed instead of the Hazard Identification Number (HIN) – previously known as the ‘Kemlar Code’. This means that, no, you could not mark the vehicle as you had previously done in Europe.

With regards to the other differences, in the UK the placard may be smaller. ADR placards are 250 mm x 250 mm, whereas UK ones are ‘not less than’ 200 mm x 200 mm, which means you could use the larger ones.

As for the line for the border, this again is a difference between the wording of the two documents. ADR says the border shall be 12.5 mm inside the edge. CDG states the line shall be ‘not more than’ 12.5 mm inside the edge.

SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS Please contact Altrain ADR with your dangerous goods questions by sending your query by email to: info@altrainadr.co.uk

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DIARY DATES 2020 We recom e nd you c events are m still going ahheck ead before settin g out.

February 22-23, 2020

SPRING TRACTOR WORLD & CLASSIC COMMERCIAL SHOW

Trucks and tractors on display (mostly indoors) at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern. http://bit.ly/STWCCS2020

April 28-30, 2020

TRUCKFEST PETERBOROUGH

See the latest trucks and tech at the biggest industry show, taking place at the Birmingham NEC. https://cvshow.com

The big show is back at the East of England Showground, but on the Saturday and Sunday this year. www.truckfest.co.uk

May 13-14, 2020

INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY IN TRANSPORT

Logistics update at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre. www.itthub.co.uk

May 20, 2020

Reduce costs and improve service at this big event taking place Coventry’s Ricoh Arena. www.microliseconference.com

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Send to: Truc king, Kelsey Media, Cudham Tith e Cudham, Ken Barn, Berrys Hill, t, TN16 3AG information or email to trucking.ed @kelsey.co. uk

May 9-10, 2020

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SHOW

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May 16-17, 2020

DEVON TRUCK SHOW

See some of the West Country’s brightest and best at the Smeatharpe Stadium, Clayhidon, Honiton. Info at www.devontruckshow.co.uk

May 30-31, 2020

TRUCKFEST NORTH EAST

Superb working trucks on display at the big commercial vehicle event at the Wolsingham Showground. www.truckfest.co.uk

June 10-11, 2020

June 20-21, 2020

UKIFDA EXPO

KELSALL STEAM & VINTAGE RALLY

Take a look at the UK’s largest oil distribution industry event at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool. www.fpsshow.co.uk

Classic commercials of yesteryear are front and centre at this leading vintage vehicle event in Ashton, Nr Chester. www.kelsallsteamrally.co.uk

July 28- August 1, 2020

WAR & PEACE REVIVAL

Check out one of the largest military vehicle spectaculars in the world at The Hop Farm, Kent. Details at www.warandpeacerevival.co.uk

August 8-9, 2020

WESSEX TRUCK SHOW

After a year off, the big Yeovil show is back with more top-class commercials, arena events and more. www.wessextruckshow.co.uk

76 TRUCKING February 2020

August 12, 2020

TARLAND TRUCK SHOW

Peruse a fine collection show trucks at the Tarland Showground, Tarland, Aboyne. More information at www.tarland.org.uk

www.truckingmag.co.uk

CLASSIC TRUCK GARDNER DIESELS

KILLED BY PERFECTION? Gardner built the world’s first diesel suitable for powering road transport vehicles – and became the engine make of choice for ERF, Foden, Atkinson and Scammell

By Ed Burrows PHOTOGRAPHY ANSON ENGINE MUSEUM/GARDNER ARCHIVES, ED BURROWS, PETER LYNCH/GUY SPURR

A

million-mile engine? Quite impressive. A million miles before an overhaul was advisable? It would probably be a Gardner.

The diesels produced by the family-run Patricroft, Greater Manchester-based automotive, industrial, rail and marine engine manufacturer were premium priced. But you got what you paid

78 TRUCKING February 2020

for: legendary economy, reliability and longevity.

The company pursued perfection to the point of obsessive compulsion.

At peak, deliveries of truck and bus diesels were strictly rationed. Out of misplaced prudence, the management eschewed investment in capacity to match demand. The consequence was inevitable. The truck builders that

relied on Gardner were compelled to list Cummins and other alternatives.

The situation became so bad that deliveries were determined not on the basis of engines with a specific number of cylinders – four, six or eight – but on the total number of ‘pots’. (To Gardner, this did not seem irrational; engine types had a high degree of modularity, so delivery rationing was determined www.truckingmag.co.uk

FIRST TO LAST The Anson Engine Museum has the very first 4L2 – the first Gardner installed in a road vehicle. And with a recently received LG1200, it also has Gardner’s last new engine design.

In 1936, Eastern Roadways fitted the seventh five-cylinder 5L2 built by Gardner into a bonneted AEC chassis

by the overall number – rather than the combination – of cylinders.) No matter how loudly their respective dealers screamed for long-overdue delivery of orders, Foden, ERF and Atkinson/Seddon-Atkinson were hostages to misfortune. Gardner was bureaucratically satisfied ticking 24 ‘pots’ on a delivery chit, irrespective of whether the order was for four sixcylinder or three eight-cylinder LXBs. Induced by the high esteem in which its engines were held, the company could also be accused of arrogance and complacency in relation to engine development. It was off the pace in addressing operators’ demand for increasingly higher engine output.

But enough of the downsides – let us commemorate Gardner’s greatness.

Gardner from the start: Beautifully preserved, this is the very first ERF – the 65 bhp 4LW powered six-ton payload CI.4

ABOVE In 1930, Wigan colliery engineers Walker Bros’ Pagefield subsidiary became the first truck make to fit Gardners

for a manufacturer of single-piston units fuelled by coke or town gas led in 1894 to the first Gardner internal combustion engine. Running on town gas, it was designed and built by Lawrence Gardner’s sons Thomas and Edward. An Otto cycle four-stroke with

a single horizontal cylinder, it produced one horsepower at 350 rpm and drove a dynamo producing electricity for lighting an area of their works.

Over the next 10 years, a switch was made from open to closed crankcases.

Engines were available in horizontal or vertical cylinder configurations, with outputs of up to 10 bhp. Fuel was variously gas, heavy oil, paraffin or (although less common at the time) petrol. All types were low revving. They included an oil engine series based on a single-cylinder module, available in one-, two-, three-, four-, five- and sixcylinder configurations. This set the pattern that two decades later would characterise the pioneering L2 diesel and the succeeding LW series of road transport engines.

Birth of a legend Lawrence Gardner set up L Gardner & Sons as a light engineering business in 1868. Sub-contract machining www.truckingmag.co.uk

ABOVE Early post-WWII ERF works truck. Gardner ran an ERF, a Foden and an Atkinson for deliveries to their respective makes February 2020 TRUCKING 79

CLASSIC TRUCK GARDNER DIESELS Big numbers: An Atkinson Australia twinsteer/tridem bogie rigid with a stonking 240 bhp Gardner 8LXB straight-eight

The L2 had the distinction of being the world’s first direct-injection diesel of a size suitable for road vehicles.

Until the 1931 introduction of the LW, Gardner’s markets were stationary engines for industrial applications and marine propulsion. Development of the LW followed the installation in 1929 – initially in a bus – of an innovative four-cylinder 4L2 producing 50 bhp at 1300 rpm. (At the time when other

diesels maxed out at under 1000 rpm, the L2 series justified the appellation ‘high speed’). It had the distinction of being the world’s first direct-injection diesel of a size suitable for road vehicles.

The L2 was designed for marine applications. But with diesel at tuppence a gallon and petrol three Slough-based Peerless, another forgotten make, fitted Gardners as alternatives to Meadows or Dorman gas engines

ABOVE On short bumper-to-back-of-cab trucks, it was joked straight-eights had six water-cooled and two air-cooled cylinders

times this, fuel savings quickly attracted bus and truck installations.

The L2 was designed principally by Joseph Gardner and his sons Hugh and John. They recognised its potential – but also that it was too heavy.

Forging ahead The ensuing LW series was genuinely revolutionary. Although sharing the 4.5 inch cylinder bore and 6 inch stroke of the L2, instead of cast iron, the sump and one-piece crankcase were 20 per cent lighter aluminium alloy castings.

This in itself was a radical departure – in the motor industry in the early 80 TRUCKING February 2020

www.truckingmag.co.uk

1930s, the use of aluminium was still a novelty. In metallurgy as much as combustion system design, Gardner was at the cutting edge. With peak speed raised to 1700 rpm, the LW was designed with larger main and big-end bearings than the L2 and, together with aluminium alloy pistons, heads were in two- and three-cylinder combinations rather than an individual head for each cylinder.

Production commenced with the 102 bhp/348 lbf.ft six-cylinder 6LW. Customers for the first half dozen included Scammell and Foden. (At the time, Foden’s board still believed steam had a future).

Astonishingly, it was not unit 1968 – 37 years after its introduction – that the 6LW20 development raised output to 120 bhp.

The ‘20’ suffix indicated output was increased to 20 bhp per cylinder.

Comparative figures for the four- and five-cylinder variants were 68 and 85 bhp. The top-of-the-line 8LW straight-eight version, introduced in 1946, produced 140 bhp and 458 lbf.ft at 1000 rpm. LWK series developments in 1950 raised output per cylinder to 18.7 bhp across the range.

The steam wagon origins are detectable in this chain-drive Garrett, fitted with a Gardner diesel in 1932

Pushing the limits In the LW’s final 10 years or so of production, higher operating weights and transition to semi-trailer heavies began casting a lengthening shadow.

The 1960s brought the Continentals – and Cummins had begun UK production. There was an appetite for more power, and Gardner’s breadand-butter customers – ERF, Foden and Atkinson – were beginning to feel the pinch.

Gardner answered with evolutions of the 6LX, first introduced 1958.

Unlike the incremental ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ tweaks applied to the LW over its lifetime, the 6LX was progressively developed from the

DIRECT INJECTION Gardner originated direct injection automotive diesels.

Multiport fuel injection into a hemispherical piston crown bowl demanded highprecision manufacturing – Gardner’s forte.

A surprise when revealed in 1946, the 150 bhp Gardner 8LW straight-eight.

The final 8LXCT doubled that with mild turbocharging

www.truckingmag.co.uk

February 2020 TRUCKING 81

CLASSIC TRUCK GARDNER DIESELS

For decades, Gardner and Atkinson were co-dependent. The red one has a 150 bhp 6LX, the blue a 240 bhp 8LXB

Going turbo initial – and highly acclaimed – ‘150’ all-new 6LYT was a clean-sheet design While Gardner disliked turbocharging, spec. The 6LX gave way to the 180 bhp – Gardner’s first for 30 years. it could not swim against the tide 6LXB, the 193 bhp 6LXC and – entering Notably quiet, the 6LYT’s featured of market expectations and, in 1984, production in 1981 – the turbocharged cross-flow cylinder heads and oilintroduced the turbocharged 6LXDT 220/230 bhp 6LXCT. (For the bus cooled pistons. Outputs were 300/350 and 6LYT. Whereas the 230/ and coach market, Gardner also bhp at 1800 rpm – and, potentially, 400 275 bhp 6LXDT and produced horizontal versions of bhp. Maximum torque was 1140 lbf.ft derivatives were evolved these engines.) at 1200 rpm. The 6LXDT and 6LYT were from the LX series, the To the world’s valiant attempts to save the business, amazement, in 1970 Gardner answered the At a time when its industrial use demand for even higher was still novel, Gardner took outputs with the 240 bhp the revolutionary step of 8LXB straight-eight. deciding on weight-saving With turbocharging, aluminium alloy for LW series sumps and crankcases later developments castings. delivered 290/300 bhp at 1900 rpm and 880 lbf.ft at 1400 rpm. When installed under shorter cabs, two pistons were typically in the open, leading to the quip that it had six water cooled and two air-cooled cylinders (although this was not an issue as longer sleeper cab gained popularity).

The idea of a straight-eight might raise an eyebrow. But many of those whose livelihoods they powered reckon big, lazy, bulletproof Gardner ‘eights’ are the smoothest running truck diesels ABOVE The LG1200, the last new all-new Gardner. The 25 built were exported. One is now back in the UK at the Anson Museum ever built.

ALLOY PIONEER

82 TRUCKING February 2020

www.truckingmag.co.uk

ABOVE Pride? Both these two Fodens sport two Gardner nameplates. More Fodens had Gardners than Foden two-strokes

210/275 bhp LG1200 – was launched in 1993. Most of the 25 built were exported to South East Asia for installation in buses.

One of these has recently been repatriated to the UK. Shipped from

Thailand, it arrived at the Anson Engine Museum in Cheshire a few weeks ago.

When the Museum’s volunteers have done a strip-down and rebuild, it will go on display with the other Patricroft products in the Anson collection. ■

Many claim big, lazy, bulletproof Gardner ‘eights’ are the smoothest running truck diesels ever built.

ABOVE The LG1200 had gear train drive, rather than the timing chain camshaft and ancillaries drive of previous Gardners

but time was running out for Gardner and, likewise, the clutch of North West builders of heavies – ERF, Foden and Atkinson/Seddon Atkinson – that constituted its core customer base.

Last hurrah Two years after the new turbo-sixes were introduced, Gardner was acquired

by Perkins (which itself was taken over

by Caterpillar in 1986). In contrast to Gardner’s few thousand engines a year, Perkins built hundreds of thousands.

But as a last throw of the dice, under Perkins auspices a new Gardner – the six-cylinder Euro 1 compliant www.truckingmag.co.uk

Diamond T with 6LX genset, restored by Graham Booth.

Atkinson rads were the popular choice for fairground generators February 2020 TRUCKING 83

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Royal Mail operations are 24/7, meaning driving vacancies are readily available on days, nights, weekends and even the odd day to suit every individual. All work is ongoing and flexible and will be available from September onwards.

Louise Owen, Pertemps director, said: “Our driving division has grown considerably in recent years and we continue to expand our operations throughout the UK at a rapid pace. It is through our key partnerships with businesses like Royal Mail that we are able to offer more jobs than ever before to C+E drivers and through our Driving Academy that we can get more new drivers out on the road.”

Pertemps was formed in 1961 and now boasts over 100 offices across the country. New and experienced drivers who are interested in discussing opportunities can contact any Pertemps branch in Coventry (024 7663 1199), Rugby (01788 578888), Northampton (01604 232333), Peterborough (01733 294554), Leicester (0116 255 9411), Daventry (01327 220483) and Birmingham (0121 4564555).

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ob opportunities for drivers are at an all-time high at Pertemps Driving Division thanks to a successful working partnership with Royal Mail.

As peak season approaches, the partnership has vacancies for C+E and 7.5 tonne drivers – regardless of experience. This is in part down to the established recruitment agency’s very own Driving Academy which is opening doors for even the newest of drivers. The business has invested over £1m in driver training from its Driver Training Division, based in Crick, Northamptonshire. The Academy recently celebrated training its 1,000th driver since it was launched in 2009.

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£1.20 enault Trucks is continuing ortcafe.co.uk its research into improving sold. wherewww.transp efficiency of 399 the energy AUGUST 8 2017 • ISSUE NO. truck and trailer combinations with www.transportcafe.co.uk its ambitious FALCON (Flexible 399 & Aerodynamic Truck for Low CONsumption) project.

The project aims to develop and test innovative technology for reducing the fuel consumption and therefore the CO² emissions of the company’s trucks.

In line with Optifuel Lab 1 and 2, and more recently the Urban Lab 2 project involving now distribution vehicles, Renault is undertaking the development of a new experimental combination fuel designed to consume 13% less a than a standard trailer pulled by Range T truck.

The work will be focusing on four key priorities, namely: of aerodynamics the a) optimising tractor/semi-trailer units, with b) developing connected tyres low rolling resistance, only for assessing technology c) introducing new fuel-saving It production in the medium term. and aids aimed at further reducing the driving traffic conditions at the end of is worth noting, however, that over fuel consumption of trailer d) improving the drive line (engine, 2018. half the technology tested in our trucks, but also in preparation gearbox and rear axle) through a François Savoye, Energy previous vehicle laboratory, Optifuel for the requirements of future new generation of Rankine heat Efficiency Strategy Manager at Lab 2, was then used in standard regulations, within the EU, on the recovery systems and use of Renault Trucks, said: “The technical Renault Trucks Range T trucks.” achieve to aiming are CO2 emissions of heavy goods special lubricants. developments The FALCON project, which is vehicles, together with the volumes, With the exception of the Rankine a maximum return on investment offers Renault 2020, in end to due to set is dimensions and tyres. system, this technology of two years in normal operating a new laboratory on wheels not be integrated into a demonstration conditions, with a view to starting

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ROAD HAULAGE ARCHIVE

SELLING LORRIES  THE LATE 1950s

VOLUME TWO

ON SALE NOW! SELLING LORRIES - THE LATE 1950s A second helping of period advertisements placed by vehicle manufacturers, dealers, body-builders and parts suppliers of the time. This time we focus on the late 1950s and marvel at some of the - often outrageous - claims being made in the pursuit of marketing excellence. Plenty of nostalgic colour and mono promotional material, each with a detailed caption written by expert researcher and compiler, Malcolm Bates.

£7.95

Another look at how Lorries and Vans were Advertised in period Transport Publications.

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Issue 23

VINTAGE E ROADSCEN www.roadscene.com

The Road Haulage Archive is published every two months and contains 100 pages packed full of nostalgic photos and detailed information from the archives.

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LAST DROP BILL DEAN

SDRAWKCAB EVOLUTION On the unlikely link between Smart Motorways and the humble hagfish

By Bill Dean PHOTOGRAPHY VARIOUS

D

ollo’s Law (1893) states evolution is a one-way process. Organisms will only improve, not regress backwards, losing critical advantages. It is the logical consequence of Darwin’s theory. Then in August, Sarah Gabbott at Leicester University trained an electron microscope on a hagfish fossil. Hagfish are eyeless, eel-like bottom-dwellers that scavenge corpses. She found they once had primitive eyes. Dollo was wrong.

Evolution could go backwards. Things could get worse.

But she already knew that. She used the M1 smart motorway every day.

Motorway’s distant ancestor is the track. The track became a highway, used by everything; vehicles, cattle and pedestrians. Some tracks changed into surfaced roads, and some would evolve further into motorways. These changes gradually restricted the number of access points and the traffic allowed on the new type of track. They were also made stronger to allow for heavier usage. By the 1930s some roads had become dual carriageways. These had wide verges or narrow shoulder strips allowing breakdowns to move out of live lanes. By the ’50s the increasing volumes and speed of vehicles led to these shoulders being made wider and ‘hard’. Many had been gravel to allow the soak away of surface water. In the UK it was quickly realised the hard shoulder needed to be built to the same standard as the motorway itself.

Otherwise, when it was used as a running lane during roadworks, the surface broke up very quickly.

Evolution proceeded relentlessly, as it always will. In 1995 the first Smart Motorway appeared, the Controlled Motorway (CM), though still with hard shoulders. On the western section of the M25, the overhead gantries showed speed limits which were no longer advisory, but now mandatory, enforced by speed cameras. The speed and lane closures are set by operators at Regional

98 TRUCKING February 2020

Control Centres monitoring CCTV screens. These spread across the country.

There are now 120 miles of them.

This may not seem a lot, but they are usually at choke points and work well provided the limits are turned off when their job is done. A section of the M5 had an incorrect 20 mph running for 14 hours long after the crash was cleared.

Over 100 fined drivers are still waiting for a refund. Controlled Motorways have turned into a money-spinner for the government. Fines levied between Junctions 30 and 35a of the M1 raised £6 million in two years.

The turn of the millennium was probably the high point of the motorway’s evolution. Motorists expected and got a high speed and safe road, no crossing or turning traffic, no pedestrians, everybody moving in the same direction at a similar speed. They could put their foot down and relax. Unfortunately, in the primeval swamp of Birmingham lurked a nasty hybrid: the A38M. Its DNA would infect the entire network.

Fines levied between Junctions 30 and 35a of the M1 raised £6 million in two years.

The A38M (Aston Expressway) opened in 1972 linking the city to the M6 in the North at Junction 6. The seven-lane carriageway with minimal hard shoulders and no central reservation is tidal. Rush hour has four lanes going in and then four going out. The rest of the time it is three each way. The central lane is always empty. This is controlled by the gantry signs. It does work well, though I suspect it’s because those using it are experienced drivers/commuters. To those only familiar with ‘normal’ motorways, turning onto it for the first time must be terrifying.

Chromosomes from the A38M were then absorbed by the nearby M42. The link between the M40 and the M6 to the

East of Birmingham (3a to 7) in 2006 became the next Smart Motorway, a Dynamic Hard Shoulder (DHS) one.

During rush hour the overhead gantry would signal the hard shoulder was now a running lane. Apparently this knocked a whole TWO minutes off journey times (HA report 25/10/07).

As a safety measure, refuge areas were built every half mile, a considerably more prudent course than the one to 1.5 miles on current Smart Motorways.

Again, like the A38M, because the ATM with hard shoulder running only happened during rush hour when there are few ‘Sunday’ drivers, the system worked. Because it was rush hour, speeds were slow and drivers negotiated incidents just as they did on non-Smart Motorways – and indeed every day on ordinary roads.

As Darwin also found on the Galapagos Islands, evolution could be shaped by circumstance. Thus it was with motorways. In 2007, the economic depression struck. Fuel prices reached £1 a litre (yes, it was that cheap a decade ago!), fuel tax increased and the RHA organised protests. Motorists (this was the Labour government that had courted Mondeo Man), needed something to appease them. “Improving” the motorways seemed a vote winner.

Whitehall bean-counters pointed out that by turning hard shoulders into an extra lane would cost £10 million a mile and take two years. Widening, including knocking voters’ houses down, would cost £80 million a mile and take 10 years.

The new Austerity Coalition government (2010) loved it. Roads minister Robert Goodwill announced 400 miles of extra capacity (hard shoulder removal) by 2021. The traffic chaos started.

In 15 years the motorway has done what it took the hagfish millennia to do: evolve into a worse form. In fact three different forms: A Smart Motorway can be controlled (CM), rush hour (DHS) or all lanes running (ALR). ■ www.truckingmag.co.uk

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