LAPV April 2019

Local Authority Plant & Vehicles

www.lapv.co.uk

Spring 2019

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CONTENTS

Local Authority Plant & Vehicles is published by

Inside this issue: 4

HEMMING M E DIA

Hemming Information Services Ltd, a division of Hemming Group Ltd. 32, Vauxhall Bridge Rd, London SW1V 2SS www.lapv.co.uk

8

News

The latest news on industry, contracts won, and new product developments.

12 Future Fleet Forum report

Future Fleet Forum 2019 saw increased attendance from the UK and overseas. The fourth edition strengthened its international focus and brought together some of the sector's leading experts.

Here's our special report on day one of the conference.

Events

OWL adds air quality monitoring to its agenda for 2019; Future Fleet Forum associated event launches in Canada

10 Clifford Comments

20 Future Fleet Awards

Gateshead Council, Oxford City Council, and the City of Calgary in Canada were among the public sector organisations honoured for excellence in fleet management performance and innovation at the Future Fleet Awards 2019.

As the driver and technician shortage worsens, Phil Clifford argues that better incentives are needed to make working in public sector fleet management attractive to young people.

Editor Ann-Marie Knegt T 01935 374001 E am.knegt@hgluk.com Commercial Manager Jason Pidgeon T 020 7973 4645 E j.pidgeon@hgluk.com Production Manager Sue Taylor T 020 7973 4662 E s.taylor@hgluk.com Production Executives Mike Franklin/Gareth Toogood T 0207 973 6641/ 6603 E m.franklin@hgluk.com/g.toogood@ hgluk.com Subscriptions Maggie Spillane T 020 7973 6679 E m.spillane@hgluk.com

Features 22

Managing Director Bill Butler T 0 207 973 6627 E b.butler@hgluk.com

26

ISSN 1472-2607 © 2019 Hemming Group Printed by Buxton Press Limited, Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AE

Take out a subscription at www.lapv.co.uk

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Local Authority Plant & Vehicles

www.lapv.co.uk

Spring 2019

Cover: Johnston Sweepers

Electric truck-mount sweeper

Europe’s first fully-electric truck-mounted sweeper from Johnston Sweepers is set to offer local authorities a zero-emissions, low-noise street-cleaning solution.

40

Internet of Things vulnerability

42

Safety lighting system

44

OWL Cardiff

46

Verge maintenance

49

Vehicle test

Direct Vision Standard

Manufacturers around the world are turning their attention to London’s roads to witness a revolution in truck design as a result of the introduction of the Direct Vision Standard.

Wheelie bin emptying machine

A fully-electric, side-loading wheelie bin emptying machine enters the UK market.

Vehicle lifts for maintenance

LAPV visits a vehicle lift manufacturer that brings innovation to the workshop and maintenance sector for local authorities.

34

Nottingham goes electric

36

Police fleet management

Nottingham becomes the first to employ Boschung electric sweepers in the UK. LAPV explores the key challenges involved in keeping a large fleet of police vehicles on the road.

The widespread adoption of automated and connected technologies has brought benefits to the fleet industry, but earlystage innovations also have vulnerabilities that fleet operators would be unwise to ignore.

Technology that improves the safety of vulnerable road users by raising their awareness of vehicle manoeuvres has been developed.

The Optimised Waste and Logistics (OWL) Cardiff roadshow took place on March 7, 2019 at the St David’s Hotel in Cardiff.

Climate change is forcing local authorities to review their verge and grass maintenance regimes, and this also impacts on equipment choice and use.

LAPV takes the upgraded Nissan e-NV200 electric van for a spin to put its ride and range to the test.

Spring 2019 LAPV 3

NEWS

COmment

Future Fleet partners with SOE and City of Montreal The last edition of Future Fleet Forum and the Future Fleet Awards was an astounding success. So, I am very happy to announce that next year’s event will take place on January 22 2020, in the Guildhall, City of London. And, we have new partners onboard. Welcome to the Society of Operations Engineers and the City of Montreal.

Next year will also see the third edition of the Future Fleet Awards, which will be presented during a gala evening at the Guildhall. The Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of local authorities, public sector contractors, and individuals in the fields of safety, innovation, and sustainability in fleet management. As of 2019, two of the City of London’s City Mark Awards, Transport Operator of the year and Driver of the Year, have been integrated into the event.

For 2020, the Future Fleet Awards will include another new category: Industry Personality of the Year. This award is open to public sector organisations, as well as

SOE waste & recycling round table 2019 The Society of Operations Engineers is organising a waste and recycling round table on Wednesday 12 June at its headquarters in London and is eager to hear about the major challenges facing businesses in the sectors it represents.

Attracting talent – drivers and technicians particularly – into the industry, collaborative workshops, electric vehicle training, and open data platforms are subjects that will be on the agenda.

Business Development Manager at SOE, Francis Mercer, said: 'We want to understand the issues our members are dealing with in this sector and we want to give them a platform to share their ideas. By staging this event we intend to help find solutions to any ongoing concerns they may have.

'The idea is to create an environment where individuals in different positions of employment can explain the issues they are facing and discuss ways to move forward. The purpose of this event is to establish and share best practice,' added Francis.

If you are involved in any of these sectors and would like to join the debate, contact Francis Mercer by telephone: 020 7630 2177 or email: francis.mercer@soe.org.uk

4 LAPV Spring 2019

OEMs and private sector suppliers, and it will honour an exceptional individual who has made a significant contribution to the industry over 2018/2019. Entries opens on May 1 2019.

Future Fleet Forum has now opened its call for papers to present during the 2020 conference. Organisations that have innovative case studies or new examples of innovative thinking in public sector fleet management that they would like to present are all invited to send papers to am.knegt@hgluk.com.

Together with the Society of Operations Engineers, I will also be chairing a round table on June 12 at the SOE headquarters in London, which will be aimed at the waste industry. Topics under discussion will include new technologies; workforce strategy, including training and recruiting talent, such as drivers and mechanics, into the sector; how to raise safety standards for public sector and commercial fleet managers; and running diverse fleets, including varied vehicle technologies If you are interested in participating in this debate, or would like more information about the debate, Future Fleet Forum or the Future Fleet Awards, please do not hesitate to contact me at am.knegt@hgluk.com.

Ann-Marie Knegt, Editor LAPV

Kent waste firm orders JCB loaders Specialist waste business Countrystyle Recycling has added four JCB 457 wheeled loaders to its facility in Sittingbourne, Kent, supplied by dealer Greenshields JCB. Countrystyle provides specialist waste recycling, haulage and recovery services for a range of industrial products, including plasterboard, wood, general waste, dry mixed recyclables, and organic green and food wastes.

Featuring MTU diesel engines that meets Stage IV/Tier 4 emissions, the JCB 457 wheeled loaders are designed to work at sites that handle large volumes of materials.

Two of Countrystyle’s new machines will be deployed at the company’s dedicated plasterboard recycling building while the remaining two will

operate at its wood yard at Ridham Dock.

A BMAir cabin air filtration system has been installed in the machines intended for the plasterboard processing plant. The system prevents polluted air from entering the cabin and enables continuous monitoring of cabin air quality. They have also been fitted with automatic dual-agent fire suppression systems, LED lighting, and foam-filled tyres to optimise on-site safety and machine uptime.

Countrystyle’s engineering and project manager Neil Webb said: ‘The build quality of the JCB machines is second to none. We already operate a number of JCB machines including telehandlers and excavators at our Sittingbourne site, so we had no hesitation in turning to JCB for our new wheeled loaders.’

NEWS

CONTRACTS London Borough of Bromley awards major frontline services contracts

London Borough of Bromley has agreed a number of contracts for frontline services, including waste management, street cleaning, parks management, and arboricultural services, worth more than £520 million over a possible 16-year period.

The waste disposal and collection and street cleaning contracts have been awarded to Veolia. Commencing in April, the environmental services contract aims to send virtually zero waste to landfill, improve recycling rates and the quality of materials collected. In addition, greater synergies between street cleaning and waste collections will improve efficiency.

Idverde has been awarded a contract to manage the borough’s parks and green spaces, supporting the partnership work with the much-valued Friends of Parks groups.

A range of arboricultural services, covering approximately 100,000 trees in parks and on streets, will be provided by Glendale. The company will also support the borough in its management of hundreds of thousands of trees across 1,360 acres of woodland and conservation sites.

Councillor William Huntington-Thresher, executive councillor for environment and community services, said: ‘Our environmental services are highly visible and valued by residents and visitors to the borough. We continue to look for top performance from all our contractors, and this includes much-valued support from and for our residents and Friends groups as well. I am very pleased that these agreements will help us further improve our waste management performance and divert even more waste away from expensive landfill disposal options as well as improving our recycling services.’

Geesinknorba joins CCS vehicle framework Local authorities can now purchase refuse collection vehicles from Geesinknorba without going through a complex tender process as the company has been named as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service’s Vehicle Purchase Framework RM6060.

The purchasing framework, which runs from December 2018 to December 2022, enables public sector organisations to access a full range of vehicles from passenger cars to emergency services vehicles from a number of pre-vetted suppliers via either direct award or further competition. The framework is compliant with public procurement obligations, reflects commercial best practice, and can save local authorities time and money in the procurement process.

Geesinknorba is one of only two suppliers offering RCVs through the framework under Lot 3 (medium to heavy commercial vehicles 7.5 tonnes and above) and available vehicles from the company include the Mini Series, Multi Fraction MF Series, G Series, N Series and Rossi bodies with various domestic and commercial bin lift options.

Use of purchasing frameworks has numerous benefits. As suppliers have been appointed by Crown Commercial Service through an open competition, public sector buyers can have confidence in their reliability and ability to meet their requirements. Frameworks also offer discounts through collective buying power, and bigger discounts can be achieved for bulk purchases using the eAuctions functionality of the framework.

‘We are delighted to be accepted onto the Crown Commercial Vehicle Purchase framework,’ said Geesinknorba’s UK Business Director Mick Hill. ‘This means that our vehicles, which were previously only available to public sector customers through a tender process, can now be purchased directly and at competitive prices. We are looking forward to welcoming new local authority customers as a result of our inclusion in this framework.’

New waste and recycling fleet for Kettering and Corby councils

VRA highlights need for upskilling in remarketing The remarketing sector must undergo an unprecedented period of upskilling over the next decade to keep pace with changing vehicle technology according to the Vehicle Remarketing Associaion.

The VRA, which represent companies that handle, sell, inspect, transport, or manage more than 1.5 million used vehicles every year, says that the rise of electric vehicles, increased connectivity, and increasing levels of autonomy will all have an impact.

Workers across the many different sectors of remarketing will require training in areas as diverse as awareness, maintenance and repair, hazard management and more. The IMI has already trained around 18,000 people in EV qualifications but remarketing as a sector needs to start drilling down into which new skills will be needed right across the board, according to the VRA. ‘It is not just expertise around the handling, repair and presentation of vehicles that will have to change, but we are also potentially facing a complete shift in the sales and marketing of used cars,’ said VRA chair Sam Watkins.

‘Ensuring that these soft skills are upgraded is probably every bit as important as more technical capabilities when it comes to the future success of remarketing. The VRA is planning on highlighting some of the areas of training required at its meetings during 2019.’

Kettering Borough Council has taken delivery of 35 new vehicles to carry out waste and recycling collection, and grounds and street cleansing work as part of a shared service with Corby Borough Council.

The new vehicles include RCVs, recycling vehicles, sweepers, tipper trucks, and transit vans. They were delivered by contract hire and fleet management company Specialist Fleet Services, which will also manage the council’s workshops and vehicle maintenance.

SFS has been Kettering Borough Council’s vehicle partner for more than 15 years and its contract was recently extended for a further seven years.

Brendan Coleman, Kettering’s head of environmental care, said: ‘SFS has been instrumental in helping us to select fit for purpose vehicles, equipped with the latest safety technology, to help us deliver the best possible service to residents across both boroughs.’

Spring 2019 LAPV 5

NEWS

Monmouthshire chooses Dennis Eagle narrow Twin Packs

Monmouthshire County Council has purchased seven new Dennis Eagle narrow Elite RCVs with Twin Pack bodies and specially designed bin lifts to improve recycling collection in narrow streets.

The 18-tonne vehicles, based on a 4x2 Dennis Eagle Elite chassis, have split bodies for maintaining separate recycling streams, while the modified bin lifts are designed to minimise movement of the bins from the back of the vehicle and enable safe collection of bags and bins in the same round.

Nick Bennett, Deputy Operations Manager for Monmouthshire’s waste and street services, said: ‘We’re currently changing our recycling regime to bring it more in line with the Welsh Government blueprint and we want to separate glass from other waste streams to increase the quality of our recycled material, so the Twin Packs were required.

‘It has become difficult to collect in narrow streets, where increasing numbers of cars are parked, so we decided on the narrow vehicles to make manoeuvring easier and collections more efficient.

'The Elite chassis was the obvious choice for a low-entry, narrowbodied vehicle and we also liked the safety aspect of the cab which provides great visibility.’

Future Fleet Forum and Future Fleet Awards announced for 2020 Future Fleet Forum 2020 will take place on January 22 in London’s Guildhall, supported

by City of New York, Ville de Montreal, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and the Society of Operations Engineers.

Organised by LAPV and hosted by the City of London, Future Fleet Forum is the only the international conference focused on sustainable and safe public sector fleet management. Now in its fourth year, the event continues to evolve, bringing together cities and organisations from across the world to share best practice and set the agenda for the future of fleet.

This year, the Future Fleet Partnership is delighted to welcome the Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) as a partner for the conference and awards, offering delegates the chance to gain valuable CPD points from this prestigious trade organisation, which promotes higher standards and career development in road transport, plant engineering, or engineer surveying.

‘The relationship with the Future Fleet Partnership represents the perfect platform for the SOE to promote high standards and best practice in the road transport fleet sector,’ said Bruce McGill, SOE CEO. ‘The collaboration gives us the opportunity to pool our resources and work towards our shared objective of safety in this vital sector. Through our accreditation schemes, registration to the Engineering Council and community of experienced engineers, SOE is improving professional standards and laying important foundations for the years ahead.’

The 2020 event will also host the third edition of the Future Fleet Awards at a gala dinner in the Great Hall at the Guildhall in London.

These awards recognise the outstanding achievements of local authorities, public sector contractors, and individuals in the fields of safety, innovation, and sustainability in fleet management. As of 2019, two of the City of London’s CityMark Awards have been integrated into the event: Transport Operator of the year and Driver of the Year.

For 2020, the Future Fleet Awards will include another new category: Industry Personality of the Year. This award is open to public sector organisation as well as OEMS and private sector suppliers and will honour an exceptional individual who has made a significant contribution to industry over 2018/2019.

The call for papers for Future Fleet Forum 2020 is now open. Organisations with innovative case studies, sustainability strategies, or new thinking in public sector fleet management are invited to send papers to LAPV editor Ann-Marie Knegt on am.knegt@hgluk.com.

Urbaser to start new collection and cleansing contracts in West Kent Urbaser commenced waste and recycling collection and street cleaning contracts for Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in March.

In October 2018, Urbaser was awarded an eight-year contract to deliver an improved recycling service to 101,000 homes across the boroughs and provide more efficient street cleaning services.

The new service will include weekly food waste collections, fortnightly collection of residual waste, an alternative fortnightly collection of mixed dry recyclables, a separate fortnightly collection of garden waste as an opt-in chargeable service, and additional collections of textiles, household batteries and waste electrical and electronic equipment.

Services for both councils will continue as normal while the logistics of the new collection service are finalised. The new recycling service starts in September and will mean that residents can add glass to their kerbside collections. Residents in Tonbridge and Malling will also be able to recycle plastics with their kerbside collections. There will also be separate food waste collections.

Urbaser and the councils are running a series of roadshows at local venues where residents can chat to council waste services teams and find out more about the new recycling service.

6 LAPV Spring 2019

The new N4: simple yet versatile

Geesinknorba’s new N4 may be the picture of simplicity but it is one of the most versatile vehicles available.

This nimble rear-loader is lighter than its predecessors and perfect for collections in congested, urban spaces.

Despite its simplicity, it has one of the quickest packing cycles in the business – between 16 and 18 seconds – for faster operations.

And it offers 20 different compaction levels at 5% increments, providing maximum efficiency regardless of the type of material collected.

It is available in 9-28m³ body sizes and also with our tried and tested hybrid technology.

Geesinknorba N4: the simple solution, whatever your needs.

Llantrisant Business Park Llantrisant Pontyclun CF72 8XZ Tel: +44 (0)1443 222301 Fax: +44 (0)1443 237192 www.geesinknorba.com sales.uk@geesinknorba.com

events Future Fleet Forum goes international as associated event launches in Canada LAPV magazine is one of a number of partners collaborating with the Government of Québec in Canada to help organise the first edition of Impulsion MTL International Fleet Forum, a forward-looking fleet management conference inspired by Future Fleet Forum.

In a world where mobility is constantly evolving, managing a fleet of vehicles presents significant challenges. Impulsion MTL will bring together professionals and suppliers from across the world to address a common objective: upgrading fleets with new technologies and solutions to meet environmental, social, operational, and regulatory requirements.

Presented by the Government of Québec, in collaboration with the City of Montreal, LAPV magazine, and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services of New York City, the event is organised by Propulsion Québec, the cluster for electric and smart transportation in the Canadian Province of Québec. Propulsion Québec unites the sector around joint projects that aim to position Québec as a global leader in the development and implementation of smart and electric modes of transport.

The event will take place on 3-4 June 2019 at the Montreal Science Centre and will build on the agenda-setting Future Fleet Forum, which took place in London in January. Future Fleet Forum organiser LAPV is working closely with Propulsion Québec and its partners in the delivery of Impulsion MTL International Fleet Forum.

Speakers come from the cities of Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Montreal in Canada, as well as New York and organisations such as Effenco, Hydro-Québec, Keolis Canada, Leddartech, Mobileye and Nordresa.

Presentations, workshops, round tables, and a number of vehicle and technology exhibitors will introduce participants to new products, services, and policies that are consistent with Vision Zero for low-emission, collision-free, high-performance fleets.

For more information visit propulsionquebec.com/en/event/impulsion-mtlinternational-fleet-forum.

The Southern Municipal Exhibition opens up to the construction sector The Southern Municipal Exhibition returns to the East Malling Research Centre in Kent on 9 May, and this year it is open to the construction industry for the first time.

Organised by Vehicle Weighing Solutions and Epic Media Group, the conference offers a programme of presentations and an exhibition featuring the latest vehicles and technologies for the waste and construction sectors, including demonstrations of the latest innovations to help increase efficiency.

The exhibition has been running for six years, and this year exhibitors include Groeneveld, Dennis Eagle, Riverside Truck Rental, Munihire, CMS Supatrak, C-trace, Boughton Engineering, Farid Hillend Engineering, VWS, Scarab Sweepers, Stock Sweepers, RVS, CP Davidson, Isuzu Trucks, Epic Media, and Faun Zoeller, amongst others.

The CIWM-approved seminar programme is focused on the theme of safe and healthy streets for all. Confirmed topics and speakers include the City of London Police on counter terrorism, TRL on the importance of driver mental health, the safety permit scheme, electric vehicles, FORS and CLOCs. In addition to the formal programme, the event also offers councils, waste contractors and municipal and construction businesses the opportunity to

8 LAPV Spring 2019

network with and learn from their peers and meet with suppliers to discuss their requirements.

The one-day event is free to attend but booking is essential. Refreshments and lunch are provided. To book, visit www.municipal-expo.com/book-tickets/ or call Kiri Powell on 01732 897430.

Air pollution monitoring moves up OWL’s agenda

It is rare that a month goes by when the subject of global air pollution doesn’t hit the headlines. However, with the introduction of London’s new Ultra Low Emission Zone on the horizon, and the fatal asthma attack of a child in the UK that has been directly linked to air pollution, it is inevitable that air quality is becoming more of a priority.

The World Health Organisation estimates that around a million UK citizens will die from air pollution-related disease by 2040 if existing Government policies are followed. It is therefore clear that stronger Government policies and more stringent monitoring are required.

This year OWL (the Optimised Waste & Logistics initiative) has added air pollution monitoring to its agenda. Barry Sheerman MP, chairman of the OWL partnership, believes that developing an integrated approach to air quality, transport safety and sustainability is vital.

‘The first step to demonstrable improvements is robust monitoring and good data,’ says Barry, who is also Chair of the Leadership Council of the Global Network for Road Safety Legislators and Chairman of the UK’s Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety. ‘Multi-purposing commercial fleet vehicles to measure key environmental parameters in addition to their traditional roles, such as refuse collection, will set an important standard in the world of transport and logistics.’

With this in mind, Dennis Eagle is now fitting a mobile air qualitymonitoring device to its demonstration refuse collection vehicle to support councils with their clean air strategies. The device is being developed by CMS Supatrak in conjunction with Earth Sense.

Also undertaking trials of a mobile air monitoring device is the City of London Corporation, which runs a fleet of around 150 cleansing and waste collection vehicles. Vince Dignam, business performance and transport manager, says: ‘Our first objective is to calibrate the mobile air monitors with our static monitoring systems and then start to collect mobile air quality data with our vehicles. We will collect data on Euro V, Euro VI, and our electric vehicles to help us better understand the impact on air quality of these different vehicle types.’

The results from these trials, and others, will be presented at future OWL Roadshows, which will take place on the following dates:

•

3-4 July, OWL Roadshow Midlands, Wroxall Abbey. owlmidlands19.eventbrite.co.uk • 3 October 2019, NI Waste Expo, Titanic, Belfast. niwasteexpo19.eventbrite.co.uk

National Refuse Champs 2019 The National Refuse Championships return for the third year this summer when 32 teams will compete in a series of gruelling races along the seafront at Weston-super-Mare. Last year’s winner Grist Environmental has already signed up to defend its title.

The two-day event will take place from 14-15 June 2019 and offers a range of opportunities, attractions, and activities for everyone in the waste management industry and their families.

The first day, Friday 14 June, will feature live demonstrations of the latest technology and equipment for waste and recycling collection as well as information on careers development and training opportunities. There will also be a number of keynote speakers including Cynthia Barlow OBE, chair of road safety charity RoadPeace and winner of the 2019 Future Fleet Lifetime Achievement Award.

The championship event will take place on Saturday 15 June. Teams of five will race against the clock to load large wheelie bins with sandbags and push them 50m to empty into awaiting refuse vehicles. The process is repeated numerous times as the trucks move forwards in 50m stages until they reach the finish line. Teams compete in a series of heats, culminating in a semi-final and final.

The winning team will be awarded with £3,000 worth of Center Parcs vouchers, second place team members will receive £1,250 of Buy-A-Gift vouchers, and the team in third place will receive £1,000 of Buy-A-Gift vouchers. Teams already signed up to take part include Grist Environmental, Biffa Weston, Cartwrights, Amey, Grundon, Faun, Dennis Eagle, Biffa Municipal, Cawleys, Bristol Waste Company, Devon Contract Waste, Pirtek, VWS, Redditch District Council, and Imperial Commercials.

The event is raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society and is sponsored

by DAF and Imperial Commercials. Donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/NationalRefuseChampionships2018.

Members of the public and their families are welcome to attend the event and there will be food stalls, a cider bar, live music from The Free Spirit Band, and a Kids’ Zone.

For more information contact Tracy Standing on 07772 500 736 or tracy.standing@rvsl.co.uk or visit www.nationalrefusechampionships.co.uk.

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clifford comments clifford comments

Wanted: new fleet talent As the driver and technician shortage worsens, Phil Clifford argues that better incentives are needed to make working in municipal fleet management attractive to young people.

T

here has been much discussion in recent years about the worsening HGV driver shortage in the UK logistics industry.

Recent figures place the current shortage at more than 50,000 drivers (FTA Skills Shortage Report – November 2018), a figure that is likely to be exacerbated by the UK’s impending departure from the EU. This national shortage is also evident in the municipal sector, with many companies and authorities forced to rely on agency labour to make up the shortfall.

Politicians and environmentalists alike seem keen to promote autonomous vehicles. Many prototypes have appeared in the media in recent months and there have even been suggestions that autonomous transport could actually ease the driver shortage in the long term.

Whether you subscribe to that view or not, however, what is less publicised is an ever-growing shortage of skilled personnel with the ability to maintain the huge public sector vehicle parc.

Successive and well-intentioned governments have, over the years, tried to develop initiatives to bring more youngsters into the engineering trades, but the number of apprentices still falls woefully short of the levels required to replace an ageing workforce. This is even more evident in the municipal sector which, let’s be realistic, doesn’t have the glitz and glamour of the modern car industry to attract school leavers.

Over the years I have been involved in employing apprentices, but support from the higher education sector invariably stops at cars and light vans. This means that those apprentices who do stay the course become qualified in car and light vehicle maintenance and it is then down to the employer to try to develop their skills (and enthusiasm) further to enable them to work at the heavy, and often dirty, end of the fleet spectrum.

So how do we rectify this? Local authorities generally operate large vehicle fleets with a myriad of diverse and specialist body configurations. The skills required to attend to all the different types of equipment, from simple vans through to more complicated tippers, ambulances, gritters, sweepers, refuse vehicles and even fire engines, take time, effort and, most significantly, money to acquire.

Employers must invest in ongoing training to both attract, up-skill and, ultimately, keep staff interested and proficient at keeping these vitally important vehicles on the road.

Such investment in skills is all the more vital at a time when the technology used in vehicles is advancing at an unprecedented rate.

Even the simplest of vehicles are now heavily-laden with computer technology and who knows what might be around the corner with the advent of PHEV, EV, hydrogen fuel cells and, if you believe the hype, fully autonomous vehicles.

So, besides an obvious remuneration package that should be good enough to attract candidates, what else can the industry offer?

Put simply, there should be a clearly defined career path that

10 LAPV Spring 2019

employees with ambition can aspire to follow. Apprentices can develop into fully-qualified technicians, technicians progress to chargehands, foremen (or women), and then to fleet engineer roles.

Once there, they are only one step away from becoming a fleet manager.

The problem with any career path is that if no one knows about it, no one will aspire to follow it. Employers must recognise the importance of fleet management and do all they can to encourage their staff to progress through the stages. Similarly, the industry should be working with educators to make youngsters aware of the opportunities that exist in the sector.

This is more important today than it has ever been. I was recently involved in advertising for a fleet manager with public sector experience. While there were a good number of responses, the majority of applicants had no experience of working in this demanding industry. Many years ago, local councils offered incentives to attract talent, including moving and relocation expenses, and even sometimes temporary housing. Seldom are such things offered today, which means that people are less likely to move around the country to seek promotion and further their careers.

There is no doubt that young children are fascinated by fire engines and many watch and wave at the ‘bin men’ when they arrive on their weekly rounds. Sirens and lights on police cars and ambulances similarly attract their interest. We need to capture and nurture that interest so that a few continue to be attracted to the bright lights (pun intended) and join the industry.

Here’s a thought for you all: in June the National Refuse Championships will be held at Weston-super-Mare. This fun-packed two days pits crew against crew to win the coveted championship cup – and it is all for charity. Why not bring your family along? There will be plenty for children to do, and amid the fun and games is a more serious message about waste and the industry in general. See www.nationalrefusechampionships.co.uk for more information about the event. I hope to see you there.

Phil Clifford is the former fleet manager for Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough councils, operating under the West Suffolk brand. His specialisms include fleet procurement, use of vehicle telematics, and the development and use of fleet management software systems. He is an advocate for sharing best practice and benchmarking. He is also the founder and board manager of the Public Authority Transport Network, member of the Freight Transport Association, East of England Freight Council, and committee member of BSI working group B/508/01(Waste containers and associated lifting devices on refuse collection vehicles).

Contact him at philip.clifford4@btinternet.com or follow him on Twitter @thefleetman.

The power to do more.

RTV-X1110: The new standard in high performance ■ More power – powerful and reliable 24.2 HP Kubota 3-cylinder, liquid-cooled Kubota OHV diesel engine that delivers greater hill climbing power, low emissions and excellent fuel economy.

■ More versatility – ideal for any terrain or task; the RTV features an advanced adjustable front and rear suspension system, class leading ground clearance and the ability to tow up to 590kg or carry 540kg in its hydraulic-lift cargo bed.

■ More performance – highly capable with selectable 4WD, Kubota’s innovative VHT-X (variable hydrostatic transmission) and dynamic engine braking for optimum traction and unrivalled hill control.

■ More comfort – effortless operation and optimum driver and passenger comfort with power steering, deluxe split-bench seats and a digital easy-read instrument panel. Heated cab & road legal options also available.

Contact your local dealer or visit our website for more details.

www.kubota.co.uk

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25/01/2019 10:23

FUTURE FLEET FORUM 2019

Limitless potential Future Fleet Forum 2019 was an astounding success, with increased attendance from the UK and overseas.

The fourth edition, organised by LAPV, hosted by the City of London and supported by the City of New York and CILT, strengthened its international focus and brought together some of the sector's leading experts for two days of insight and debate, reports Lotte Debell.

The environmental challenges facing the planet were the driving concerns behind the City of Montreal’s fleet electrification programme, Philippe Saint-Vil, Head of the Planning and Operations Support Division of the city’s rolling stock department and workshops told delegates at Future Fleet Forum 2019, the international fleet management conference sponsored by Geesinknorba, NRG Fleet Services, Electra Commercial Vehicles, Dennis Eagle, Terberg Matec, Aebi-Schmidt, and Assetworks.

Philippe delivered the keynote address on 23 January 2019 at the Guildhall in the City of London. He put climate change front and centre of the global fleet industry’s agenda, and over the course of the day delegates heard from an international array of speakers on the strategies employed by cities and fleets across the world to meet the biggest challenge this industry or any other has ever faced.

‘I am constantly amazed by the innovation and creativity of the automotive industry,’ said Philippe, setting the tone for an event that was notable for its positivity. The focus was on solutions, sharing success stories, and learning what has worked and what hasn’t from the leaders in the field. From the potential of biodiesel to the future of new mobility, the two-day conference and workshops presented invaluable insights and thought-provoking case studies. And these were not limited to environmental concerns. Other key topics included driver well-being, incident investigations, and the use of GPS jamming devices to thwart vehicle telematics.

Philippe Saint-Vil, City of Montreal

Visitors at Future Fleet Forum 2019 were welcomed at the historic Guildhall in the City of London.

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions might be the top priority behind the electrification of Montreal’s fleet, but there are also economic and technical benefits, Philippe Saint-Vil told delegates. But he also acknowledged that electrification is not without its challenges and making it happen takes a solid commitment from fleet and city authorities.

'The city’s strategy is based on ten goals. Every service has an objective,’ explained Philippe. ‘The rolling stock department has to

12 LAPV Spring 2019

convert 250 vehicles by 2020, approximately 50 per year.’

The number of EVs in Montreal’s 7,600-strong fleet has already increased significantly over the last three years, and EVs will make up half the fleet of subcompacts vehicles by 2021 (375 out of 750).

However, to meet its goals, the department developed a new green policy focused on vehicle conversion, fuel use, vehicle optimisation, investing in new techniques and technologies, and raising awareness.

It was also necessary to consolidate the department’s management activities under a single administrative service.

‘We had some city boroughs operating independently and managing their own fleets and we centralised these activities. The number of vehicles in the fleet rose from 4,500 to 7,600 and so did the acquisition budget – from CAD$24 million (£13.5 million) in 2016, to CAD$47 million (£26.5 million) in 2018.’

Initially, the focus was on standardisation of the fleet of equipment. ‘For example, we had up to eight or 10 different vehicle brands in the same category of vehicles, which made no sense and created additional issues in terms of training, mechanics, and spare parts. We also focused on employee and resident awareness initiatives, including the development of a new brand image.'

There were initial obstacles. ‘We had an infrastructure service to install power plants, and it did not work well at first,’ said Philippe.

‘We received a few vehicles before the infrastructure was in place, , but now the infrastructure department is working three to five years ahead of the service and the exercise is better coordinated.’

The city also has a budget of CAD$2 million (£1.13 million) per year for the acquisition and testing of 100% EV prototypes and promotes partnerships with other sustainable mobility cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, to share best practice and technologies.

‘We want to position Montreal as a vector for change by influencing the market,’ said Philippe. ‘Every year we approach suppliers, tell them what we need and ask how they can develop it.

We encourage suppliers to work together, and we also contribute to the design of new electric vehicles and carry out pilot projects.’

These projects include the development of a 100% electric street cleaner with Madvac and an electric stop-start module with Effenco.

FUTURE FLEET FORUM 2019

Installed on HGVs, this redirects energy from the brakes and activates the hydraulic accessories. ‘We will install this on two RCVs in April and if it is successful, we could potentially convert 100 trucks.’

In 2019, Montreal is also testing electric snowmobiles, tractors, and golf carts and the police department will test three cars – all with a view to vehicle replacement.

The shift to electrification had its initial challenges, acknowledged Philippe in conclusion, but its success is evidenced by the fact that the city expects to meet its goals two years early.

David May, Iowa Department of Transportation Petroleum dependency is bad for the future and we are on an unsustainable path. So said David May, Fleet Manager for the Iowa Department of Transportation, in an inspiring presentation aimed at showing how the choices made by fleet managers can help put an end to reliance on fossil fuels.

‘Historically, mankind was dependent on salt. Wars were fought over it. Today, salt is no longer a commodity of great value. Like salt, petroleum can be replaced to the point where it becomes of nominal value and importance. The ideas exchanged here could propel the industry towards a future where it breaks free of dependence on fossil fuels.’

David’s experience in the armed forces, during which he has been deployed to Saudia Arabia and Iraq and witnessed first-hand the consequences of petroleum dependency, inspired his focus on biofuels. He drew a parallel between the wartime US campaign for ‘victory gardens’ – ‘dig for victory’ in the UK – to make the country more self-reliant in a period of global crisis, with encouraging the production and use of biofuels to make the world less reliant on fossil fuels, which pollute the planet and cause destructive conflicts.

‘Soy beans can create a world that is increasingly self-reliant. How many defence dollars have been spent trying to stabilise petroleum reserves around the world and how many have been spent to stabilise parts of the US that grow soy beans?’

David explained that Iowa is a leader in biofuel production and arguably the origin of biofuel. The state has 12 refineries producing 400 million gallons annually, and 400 fuel stations that sell biofuel. It also has a favourable tax environment for producers, blenders, and retailers of renewable fuel.

Of Iowa’s 2,700-strong fleet, 1,500 vehicles are diesel-powered, all of which have a biodiesel capacity of up to 20%. The fleet is located at 100 depots, and 50 of these have a fuelling capacity. ‘In 2018, we used 72,000 gallons of BD99.9 and we have no operating issues – no loss of power or adverse performance effects. In fact, more and more engine manufacturers are embracing biofuels.’

David outlined the steps to success with biodiesel. ‘Education at all levels is key. Our drivers are educated by mechanics, who are educated by the National Biodiesel Board, and we have invested in the education of fleet managers.’

It is also crucial to specify quality. ‘In the summer we use 80% BD. In the winter this goes down to 5% and the fuel is expected to perform down to -28 oC. We take test samples from each load to allow for testing if needed, and we recommend only BQ9000 suppliers and distributors.’

Maintain infrastructure. ‘We turn over our tanks very slowly, which is a challenge. They are serviced twice a year. They are cleaned, the water is removed, tested for algae, and the fuel monitor is checked.’

Finally, develop personal relationships with the biofuel industry.

Work closely with partners and encourage trust in the supply chain but verify and test blends and fuel quality.

‘Biodiesel is a fuel that has been proven over billions of miles,’ David told delegates. ‘It is a drop-in fuel that requires nothing

different in terms of infrastructure. It reduces emissions and is part of the larger picture of alternative fuels that will help us onto a more sustainable path.’

Johan Seuffert, City of Stockholm Stockholm was declared the first Green Capital of Europe in 2010. The city’s clean vehicle initiative started in 1994 and combines a vehicle replacement strategy with a focus on changing behaviours. Up to 80% of journeys in peak hours are by public transport.

Johan Seuffert from Stockholm’s Clean Vehicles Unit told delegates that cities must use their procurement power to get more clean vehicles on the roads. ‘We started with HGVs because these have a significant environmental impact. RCVs in Stockholm all operate on biofuels, either ethanol or biogas.’

Stockholm is aiming for a 100% clean fleet. In 2005, the city council decided that all new vehicles had to be either E85, biogas, hybrid, or electric. ‘We also have short-term fuel targets and twice a year we ask all employees and local fleet managers about their fuel use. Our target for 2019 is 86% biofuels in all vehicles.’

Incentives to encourage the take up of clean vehicles at public and private level have also been successful, including lower vehicle tax and no tax on renewable fuels. From 2018, vehicles emitting up to 60g of CO2 qualify for £49,000 (60,000 Swedish Krona). To make the choice of clean vehicles easier, the city runs a web portal that enables the comparison of vehicles from all manufacturers, operates a test fleet, and has introduced initiatives such as ‘line cutting’ for clean vehicles at the airport.

In 2016, Stockholm introduced its new fleet policy focused on reducing vehicle use. ‘This is a densely populated city and we have a problem with congestion, so wherever there is a need for mobility, local fleet managers must first assess whether it can be met by public transport, walking, or cycling. If these are not sufficient, they must look at car sharing, rental vehicles, and taxis. We are trying to use vehicles only when we really need them.’

For those vehicles deemed necessary, Stockholm approaches manufacturers each year with its requirements. ‘This year new vehicles must be either EVs, plug-in hybrids, or biogas. All procurement is based on total cost of ownership, and we keep vehicles for seven years or up to 120,000km. Our fleet now has 900 vehicles below 3.5 tonnes and 98% of these are green. Around 200-300 are purely electric and we have many biomethane and some ethanol.’

The focus now is on testing EVs other than cars, such as cargo bikes, and the city books out prototypes on two-week trial periods.

The test cargo bikes were booked out for a year of trials almost as soon as they became available, and 85% of people who took the latest electric cars on a trial went on to buy an EV, demonstrating the success of Stockholm’s efforts to both reduce its vehicle use and choose cleaner vehicles.

In fact, Johan told delegates, the city’s elderly care department opted for scooters to meet the mobility needs of its staff – because people kept stealing their electric bikes.

Mark Scoggins, Fisher Scoggins Waters Solicitor-Advocate Mark Scoggins from Fisher Scoggins Waters advised delegates about the legal pitfalls of post-incident investigations and dispensed some tips on how to handle the process of writing incident reports.

What should you do in the event of an incident that has caused or nearly caused injury or death? ‘The sensible thing is to try and find

Spring 2019 LAPV 13

Johnston Sweepers was one of the exhibitors showing its latest green and clean vehicle offerings, including an autonomous sweeper prototype.

out what went wrong, and then come up with ways to stop it happening again,’ said Mark. ‘But this is risky because you might identify things you didn’t do but could have done and end up in court. With the current escalating level of fines for health and safety violations, you really don’t want to end up in court.’

That does not mean you shouldn’t investigate. Your own company procedures may mandate an investigation, and an investigation is a valuable demonstration of an organisation’s corporate responsibility. It reassures stakeholders, avoids accusations of a cover-up, and, hopefully, identifies issues.

UK law currently has no express duty to investigate accidents and incidents, but Mark argued that it is already there by implication. The Management of Health & Safety At Work Regulations 1999 oblige employers to review risk assessments in two circumstances: when you have reason to suspect it is not fit for purpose or if there is a ‘significant change in the matters to which [the initial assessment] relates’. The first requires no more than a gut feeling and the second could be as minor as a change in business structure or type of vehicles. Failure to carry out a review in either of these circumstances is a criminal offence.

So, an investigation is necessary, but how do you prevent it from damaging your organisation? ‘The problem is that when you look at yourself and ask what went wrong, you will want to keep your findings to yourself, but you can’t.’

An incident report is admissible as evidence in criminal and most civil cases and you can’t legitimately withhold it. The police, coroner, HSE or ORR could compel you to produce the report. Anything that goes in that report, such as an admission that you could have done better, could cause problems.

When writing the report, accept that you don’t have all the information. If third parties are involved, you are unlikely to have the full picture of an incident, therefore it isn't possible to conclude anything with certainty. ‘There is a temptation where there are gaps

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in the evidence to speculate – don’t do it. Take the evidence as you find it.’

Don’t point fingers. ‘Internal inquiries that point the finger at individuals are rarely worth much. An individual may have made a mistake, but usually the flaw is in the system – don’t blame people.’

Follow through on your recommendations. ‘Knowing there was a problem, knowing how to fix it, and not doing so in line with your own recommendations is worse than ignorance of a problem in the first place.’

There is no right or wrong format for inquiries, but Mark suggested adopting a tone of ‘opinion’. ‘“This is our opinion as the authors about what happened and why”. State that the report contains your “interim opinions” and new information may emerge to “shed further light”. Opinions aren’t admissions of liability. Don’t claim you know all the facts; leave yourself some wriggle room. Look to the future and how you can improve. Don’t look back, don’t point fingers, and don’t condemn yourself. And beware of different drafts that contain different conclusions.’

Caroline Watson, C40 Cities ‘Climate change is coming, and we have ten years to stop it being a catastrophe,’ said Caroline Watson, Programme Director from C40 Cities, a global network of 94 cities working to fight climate change. But doing so is going to take ‘rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society,’ according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Caroline argued that cities are leading the way in emissions reduction. In San Francisco, for example, a fleet ordnance passed in 2017 requires all fleet passenger cars (excluding police or fire and vehicles kept in leased buildings) to be electric by 2022.

Madrid currently has 254 electric cars and vehicles and is aiming

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FUTURE FLEET FORUM 2019

Audience participation was high during the conference and lively debate was sparked by the presentations.

for a 90% eco fleet by 2020. ‘In January this year the council replaced 142 petrol and diesel vehicles with electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids and the city is also rolling out charging infrastructure for municipal use.’

In 2016, LA made a commitment that 50% of its new light vehicle purchases would be zero emissions. Oslo has an even more ambitious aim of a 100% fossil fuel-free fleet by 2020. More than half of its city fleet is already electric. In Copenhagen, 85% of the current fleet is zero-emission.

As for London, all cars in the GLA support fleet will be zero emissions-capable by 2022. All new cars and vans (less than 3.5 tonnes) in GLA group fleets, including response vehicles, will be zero emission-capable from 2025.

Other innovative approaches include fleet share programmes (Houston) and car club models (Salford), and the US Climate Mayors’ collaborative initiative that is using their collective buying power to accelerate conversion to EVs. What can other cities learn from pioneers? ‘Take the easiest opportunities for vehicle replacement and go from there,’ said Caroline. ‘Don’t assume you have to replace like-for-like. Sometimes you need to take a step back and consider what will change when using EVs. This is why a pool fleet can make sense.’

Infrastructure is key. ‘The beauty of charging is that you don't need fuel stations. The depot is the obvious place for infrastructure, but if vehicles don’t go to depots, where will you charge them? So you need to think about what public facilities can they access, and whether you need to install your own.’

Think about the total cost of ownership. As battery quality increases, residual values for EVs are becoming more favourable. The UK also offers tax benefits, and a pool fleet with greater mileage will be more cost-effective.

Don’t forget users. ‘Driving an electric vehicle is not that different to diesel, but you still need to train drivers,’ said Caroline. ‘If you don’t tell drivers to plug the vehicle in at the end of their shift, they might not do it. And work with the most enthusiastic drivers first.

They will be the most willing to try new things and will pass on their feedback to other drivers.’

Finally, and most importantly, start now. ‘We know climate change is real. If you don’t start now you will be playing catch up.’

16 LAPV Spring 2019

Richard Harris – Real ITS Global Automated vehicles, mobility as a service, and air quality are the key global trends and challenges in transport and mobility, Richard Harris from HMI Technologies/Ohmio Automotion told delegates in his presentation on intelligent transport systems (ITS) and the future of cities.

‘The reality is that our cities are clogged with traffic. ITS is about using technology to make transport systems more efficient; it is about changing behaviours and balancing modes of transport.’

Data and information are key. ‘Imagine a mobility analytics platform as a control centre, through which we monitor roads, rail, car parks, air quality, etc, via sensors, loop detectors, CCTV, social media, and the Internet of Things. Get the data, do the analysis, and turn it into useful information. If you have the information you can make better decisions, but don’t try to do it all yourself. Transport for London spends a lot of money on ITS, but by making the data available to app developers they gain extra benefits from the changed behaviours as a result of that information sharing.’

Governance is needed to secure policy and business outcomes.

Mobility as a service is enabled by sharing information and services to provide users with seamless and optimised travel. A mobility marketplace integrates transport data from all operators within the network in a back-office system and is accessed by users via an app.

Users enter their destination and the app provides them with their best journey options. The user selects the journey, the ticket is managed in the background, and off they go.

'This benefits users, who don’t need to keep up to date with different systems. Authorities get better use of their networks and the ability to analyse travel behaviour, pick up trends, and change services to anticipate these.'

Richard went on to present an electric automated shuttle bus developed by Ohmio, which he believes hits all three trends: automation, seamless travel, and clean air. ‘My vision is that these will start off in places like campuses and airports and then come to city centres, where they can be constrained within a network, providing easy, convenient transport around CBDs.’ These aren’t just vehicles, they are modular mobility platforms.

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The latest range of vehicles was exhibited during the day in the Guildhall courtyard.

Operated in fleets as a managed service, they can fulfil multiple needs from passenger transport to freight delivery.

‘These vehicles can be like mobile phones. The phone is the platform that other people use to create apps that provide the services people want. The Ohmio system is composed of modules, which can be added or removed depending on the application, and operates on an open interface that enables third parties to create their own modules. The base layer is the platform and you can have a passenger body by day and a freight body at night.’

This type of solution can reduce the use of single-occupancy vehicles and dedicated vehicle types in favour of shared, flexible transport. And, since people are creatures of habit, the system should be able to anticipate the majority of demand.

‘ITS is about fulfilling policy requirements to create liveable cities and that’s what we are trying to do by getting people to change their behaviour,’ Richard concluded. ‘The future will be automated, connected, electric and shared vehicles, but we need to ensure the right governance and the involvement of authorities to achieve the outcomes we are seeking.’

Dr Paul Jackson, TRL ‘Over the last 20 years there have been real developments in in-vehicle technology, but the one thing that hasn’t changed significantly in that time is the person behind the wheel,’ said Dr Paul Jackson, Head of Impairment Research at TRL and a specialist in the impact of fatigue, addressing the issue of driver wellbeing and mental health.

What does good mental health and wellbeing look like? The Mental Health Foundation, in 2017, defined this as the ability to ‘learn, express and manage a range of emotions, form and maintain good relationships, and cope and manage change and uncertainty’.

‘People suffering from poor mental health experience real problems with these simple issues,’ said Paul. ‘In any given week, one-sixth of the population will experience symptoms of common mental health disorders, like depression, anxiety, and stress.’

What we do for a living can impact wellbeing. In the case of drivers, this includes how schedules impact family interaction and

18 LAPV Spring 2019

social activities, whether work practices contribute to stress and anxiety, and the provision of support services. While organisations are increasingly introducing wellbeing programmes, Paul asked delegates to consider whether these services are accessible to drivers who are out on the road for most of the time.

The consequences of not managing wellbeing can be significant for individuals and organisations. Research suggests that one in five people find their work very stressful, and 30% report symptoms of psychological distress caused by work. This costs organisations money as employees take time off work and eventually leave.

‘Organisations tend to underestimate how much their approach can affect things like fatigue and stress,’ said Paul. ‘Customer-driven KPIs, delivery slots, and unrealistic schedules can all exacerbate stress and fatigue. Early starts and late finishes will result in fatigue, and cumulative fatigue is a real issue. Sleeping during the day results in less sleep and a poorer quality of sleep, which can add to the stress.

Then there are lifestyle contributors – isolation, diet, opportunities for exercise, sleep disorders, and access to healthcare. If these aren’t managed, they can combine to cause mental health issues.’

Fatigue affects cognitive skills and the ability to maintain alertness and leads to vigilance and concentration errors, effort avoidance and short cuts. ‘Organisations have lots of rules, regulations, and SOPs, but fatigued people don’t follow these, because when you are tired you struggle to cope with things like SOPs. People make mistakes or complete the steps of tasks in the wrong order. Fatigue also leads to poor judgement and bad decisions. Tired people don’t consider all the options; they resort to habit.’

Paul explained how sleep loss affects the brain, reducing alertness and visual processing, and making things like numbers and calculations harder to deal with. The areas most affected by fatigue are the prefrontal cortices, which handle problem-solving, communication, mood control, reasoning, judgement, and emotions.

When tired, we struggle with all these things. There is also a direct link between fatigue and distraction.

The result is poor customer service, delays, collisions, and insurance claims. Then there are the human costs: poor mood, depression, and anxiety. ‘Sickness rates go up, staff turnover rises, and organisations gain a reputation for high levels of fatigue and stress.’

How to manage fatigue? TRL works with organisations to develop

FUTURE FLEET FORUM 2019

driver wellbeing programmes. ‘We start by looking at current practices, analysing rosters for fatigue hot spots, and conducting surveys, interviews and focus groups to understand the driver experience.’

An initial survey establishes a wellbeing baseline, and TRL then organises workshops, and develops strategies, policies, and procedures to improve wellbeing. ‘We integrate the data across the organisation to quantify the cost of doing what they do and organise training for managers, transport officers, and drivers. Training drivers doesn’t solve the problem because often the problem comes from above. The whole workforce needs to be educated, as well as families because they can recognise the early warning signs of fatigue. Then we carry out benchmarking, score sites, and measure wellbeing again to see whether it has improved against the baseline.’

Fleet operators need to realise that many common SOPs contribute to fatigue and stress and failure to manage these can have a significant impact on the workforce and operational costs, said Paul. Getting on top of employee wellbeing and mental health, on the other hand, can actually make businesses more profitable.

Paul Owen, JESIP/Hampshire Constabulary Paul Owen, Police Senior User from JESIP (Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles), introduced fleet operators to GPS jamming.

GPS jamming, the jamming of parts of the EM spectrum, has implications for everything from employee privacy through to organised crime and terrorism.

Paul explained that he first encountered GPS jamming during an investigation of a Lithuanian organised crime gang stealing Mercedes Sprinter vans and shipping them to Eastern Europe.

‘As fleet management includes GPS monitoring, it was a routine procedure for the gang to take care of possible vehicle tracking by using jamming devices. These can be plugged into a cigarette lighter and any tracking device in the vehicle may not register. They can be used by criminals to give them time to find and remove a tracker or jam it permanently, but when they are shipped abroad there is a risk to navigation systems, particularly if the vehicle ends up near the bridge of a ship.’

These jammers are easy and cheap to obtain in the UK and are completely illegal to use. They also vary widely in power and capability. ‘Some just block GPS. Others are extremely capable systems that can block everything from Bluetooth to wifi, phone signals, GPS, and radio over a large area.’

Why is this concerning to fleet managers? Firstly, because criminals will assume fleet assets are tracked, so fleet operators need to take countermeasures. ‘Recovery rates for stolen plant are very low because it is easy to find trackers. Fleet managers need to be clear that simple GPS asset tracking is no substitute for a robust stolen vehicle tracker,’ said Paul.

Secondly, the use of these devices is not confined to organised vehicle theft. Hampshire Constabulary worked with Bath University and Chronos Technology to perfect a handheld jammer detector and when they trialled it they did indeed detect jammers, but these were not being used by the high-end criminals they were aiming for.

Instead, they found these devices in use by drivers and plant operators to get around fleet telematics systems.

‘People don’t like fleet telematics. They don’t like their boss knowing where they are all the time, so they use jammers to turn it off. Your vehicles might be taken without consent, out of hours, uninsured and used for private purposes at the fleet's expense. Or the devices might be used for employee fraud – for overtime claimed but not worked, sites not visited, night workers sleeping

rather than working. Use spreads by word of mouth. Just because you don’t know about it doesn’t mean you don’t have a problem, and if you find one, you probably have a lot.’

The use of this technology represents potential problems for the fleets of the future, added Paul. ‘There is vehicle spoofing, where you can change your location to anywhere you want to be seen. Then there is the potential to broadcast fake directions or take over some functions of autonomous vehicles. It is a terrorism risk with future concerns for critical national infrastructure – even for equipment that doesn’t move. GPS is used for position navigation and timing within the industry. The problems are not confined to SATNAV devices.'

Robert Martinez, Deputy Commissioner, NYPD Robert Martinez, Deputy Commissioner of NYPD, closed day one with a presentation about the challenges of running a government fleet, particularly when strategies can depend on which way the political wind is blowing, and political posts change hands every few years.

‘Political pressure changes depending on the economy and available funding as well as local taxes and politicians' agendas and pet projects,’ said Robert. ‘Fleet managers must be able to switch gears and move in a new direction, sometimes in the middle of a project.’

Changing attitudes to the environmental performance of the fleet is something that Robert has had to deal with, but he firmly believes that electric is the future of government fleets. The increasing affordability and range of EVs, the investment from major manufacturers in electric technology, and the expanding recharging infrastructure have all paved the way for the electric revolution.

‘Before EVs, when could you save money, reduce greenhouse gases, enjoy great performance, and have someone give you money to buy vehicles?’ asked Robert.

The NYPD is already one of the greenest police fleets in the world, with more than 10,500 vehicles, of which 1,900 are plug-in hybrids and 31 are new fully-electric Chevy Bolts. Other police departments across the US are now following suit. ‘Embrace it,’ said Robert. ‘There’s no stopping it. Get on board or be left behind.’

With advancing vehicle technology, however, comes increasing cyber threats. ‘This is especially true for government fleets and fleet vehicle connections to government data banks and computer networks,’ said Robert.

He talked delegates through a range of security threats arising from the connected nature of modern vehicles, their data storage capacity, and the vulnerability of telematics systems, vehicle locators, Bluetooth, wifi, etc. ‘Even a driver’s control of a vehicle can be one hacker away from a big problem. Proper security methods must be in place to protect sensitive information. At the NYPD, we have some of the best data protection in the world and there are around 80,000 attempts a day to hack our system. Our fleet data is on our main network. We don’t use third-party servers for anything. Know your vulnerabilities or your fleet security could be compromised.’

Data might be a vulnerability but it also essential. NYPD’s preventative maintenance relies on its fuel system to monitor vehicle use, and the department uses Fleetstat to manage its vehicles. It also collects and stores collision data in case of legal proceedings.

Complete collision reports are stored electronically and include black box event data, photos, and repair information. This has saved the city millions of dollars in lawsuits.

‘Being a government fleet manager is probably one of the most challenging and most rewarding jobs,’ Robert finished. ‘Never discount the importance of the job you do. No firefighter, policeman, or sanitation worker could do their job without a well-equipped and safe fleet.’

Spring 2019 LAPV 19

FUTURE FLEET AWARDS 2019

FUTURE FLEET AWARDS Best fleet/road safety initiative: The team at Gateshead Council with Alfie Moore and Mike Brown, TfL.

Most sustainable fleet management department – Oxford City Council

T

aking place alongside Future Fleet Forum, the Future Fleet Awards were hosted by the City of London and supported by the City of New York, and CILT. The event was organised by LAPV Events and sponsored by NRG Fleet Services/Electra Commercial Vehicles.

The Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of local authorities, public sector contractors, and individuals in the fields of safety, innovation, and sustainability in fleet management. The 2019 event also saw the integration of two of the City of London’s City Mark Awards for the first time: Transport Operator of the year and Driver of the Year.

The ceremony took place in the spectacular surroundings of the Great Hall in the City of London's Guildhall. It was hosted by comedian Alfie Moore, and the coveted trophies were handed out by NYPD Deputy Commissioner Bob Martinez, Mike Brown, Commissioner for TfL, Mick Sweetmore, President of the SOE, Sheila Moules, Behaviour and Change Campaigns Officer from the City of London Corporation, Carolyn Dwyer, Director for the Built Environment of the City of London, and NRG Fleet Service/Electra Commercial Vehicles Group Commercial Director Russell Markstein.

The awards were judged by a panel of experts from across the international transport industry headed up by LAPV editor Ann-Marie Knegt. Keith Bottomley, Sheila Moules, and Vince Dignam were the representatives for the City of London while Eric Richardson and Keith Kerman represented the City of New York. Phil Clifford, independent transport consultant, Kate Cairns of Cairns Consultancy, and Arend Mouton from Wates Construction completed the panel.

F U T U R E F L E ET AWA R D W I N N E R S Best fleet/road safety initiative – Gateshead Council The judges were impressed with Gateshead Council’s efforts to improve both safety and air quality. ‘Gateshead Council has gone above and beyond to improve safety standards for its drivers and the general public. Accident rates have halved.

Grey fleet is down and its engagement with road safety organisations is outstanding,’ said Ann-Marie Knegt, who chaired the judging panel.

Most innovative fleet management strategy – City of Calgary, Canada The City of Calgary won the award for its patented asphalt carrier and recycler built on a standardised multi-purpose vehicle platform, which has saved the

20 LAPV Spring 2019

city millions in capital and operating costs while diverting tons of asphalt waste from landfill.

Calgary’s Director of Fleet Services Sharon Flemming commented: ‘Fleet Services at the City of Calgary is honoured to have been recognised at Future Fleet 2019 Awards for most innovative fleet management strategy. This recognition validates our team’s multi-year efforts to achieve efficiencies through innovation and reduce the operational cost of the services that make life better every day for Calgarians. By licensing this design, we hope many other municipalities are able to benefit as well.’

This is the first time that a city outside the UK has received a Future Fleet Award, underlining the expanding international character of Future Fleet Forum and the awards.

Oxford City Council’s efforts to reduce road miles, fuel usage, and its overall carbon footprint drew praise from the judges. ‘In addition to numerous workshop improvements and staff training, which has saved 3,500 miles per year, Oxford City Council has also achieved huge efficiencies in environmental driving violations and fuel savings.

The council also managed to minimise grey fleet and has therefore reduced its carbon footprint and invested in a 14% greener fleet,’ the judges said.

Young Industry Champion – Simon Arshid, Leeds City Council New for 2019, the Young Industry Champion award recognises the contribution of a new generation of talent in the fleet industry. The judges said of winner Simon Arshid: ‘Simon helped implement Leeds’ green fleet of electric vehicles and its infrastructure.

This includes the introduction of 95 EVs with 107 charge points across the organisation. He also functions as a disability and wellbeing network lead at Leeds Council. Simon is a real transport professional in the making.’

On accepting his award, Simon said: ‘To be recognised as a transport professional truly means a lot to me personally. This gives me confidence that I am on the right path for my future aspirations and I can only thank the authority in Leeds for their ongoing support.’

Lifetime Achievement Award – Cynthia Barlow Another new category, the Lifetime Achievement Award, went to Cynthia Barlow from the charity Road Peace. Ann-Marie Knegt said: ‘Cynthia has been involved in many areas of road danger reduction, but is especially engaged in tackling the dangers of HGVs to cyclists and other vulnerable road users and the responsibilities of freight operating companies. Her campaigning has improved many safety standards and saved many lives. The judges classed her as the most deserving

FUTURE FLEET AWARDS 2019

Gateshead Council, Oxford City Council, and the City of Calgary in Canada were among the public sector organisations honoured for excellence in fleet management performance and innovation at the Future Fleet Awards 2019.

Most innovative fleet management strategy: Sharon Flemming, City of Calgary, with Alfie Moore and Russell Markstein from NRG Fleet Service/Electra Commercial.

Most sustainable fleet management department: Owain Pearce, Oxford Council, with Alfie Moore and Mick Sweetmore, SOE.

Young Industry Champion: Simon Arshid, Leeds City Council, with Alfie Moore and Carolin Dwyer, City of London.

Transport Operator of the year: Ashish Gami from the MgGee Group with Alfie Moore and Sheila Moules, City of London.

Driver of the year: Jamie Jarman, Simply Waste, with Alfie Moore and Sheila Moules, City of London.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Cynthia Barlow from RoadPeace with Alfie Moore and Bob Martinez, NYPD.

recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award because of her determination to create a safer world for everyone.’

Mark, but there is no reason for City Mark to be confined to the City of London or even the UK. Future Fleet Forum engages with transport authorities all over the world and best practice can be shared worldwide. That’s why we have integrated these categories into the Future Fleet Awards, which share our ambition of promoting sustainability, safety, and best practice on an international level.’

progression to FORS Gold – an accreditation the company has held for four consecutive years.

The judges praised the operator’s efforts to reduce incidents by 36% between 2017 and 2018 through smart routing and a commitment to driver training and assessments. They also commended McGee’s partnership with Nottingham Trent University, which has resulted in the development of a number of road and fleet safety initiatives.

‘To be named as the Transport Operator of the Year by the judges reflects our hard work and commitment. The award is a tremendous accolade for the whole team here at McGee,’ commented John McGee, Director of the McGee Group. ‘We invest heavily in our fleet, innovative technology, and our drivers, who ensure we operate safely, efficiently and with consideration for the environment.'

City of London City Mark Awards City Mark was set up by the City of London to recognise best practice on construction sites and five awards are now part of the City of London’s Considerate Contractors Scheme. For 2019, two of these awards – Transport Operator of the Year and Driver of Year – were integrated into the Future Fleet Awards.

Sheila Moules, Behaviour and Change Coordinator for the City of London, said: ‘The City of London Corporation was privileged and delighted to host the 2019 Future Fleet Forum at the Guildhall working in partnership with LAPV. The City of London has worked incredibly hard to engage with construction sites and has successfully reached out to site managers, fleet operators, and HGV drivers through FORS, CLOCS, and the City’s construction site initiative by introducing City Mark.'

City Mark was successfully introduced as part of the Considerate Contractors Scheme to recognise and reward best practice within the construction sites for work-related road safety in the City of London.

‘The Transport Operator and Driver of the Year awards are key to our success in delivering City

Driver of the Year – Jamie Jarman from Simply Waste Solutions Simply Waste’s Jamie Jarman won the 2019 award for his excellent driving record and his willingness to share his knowledge and passion with others.

‘I was surprised and honoured to learn that I had been entered in the Future Fleet Awards back in November and delighted to hear that I had been short-listed and invited to attend at the Guildhall. To hear my name called as the winner is still so surreal. I feel very privileged that Simply Waste Solutions nominated me for this prestigious award in the first place,’ said Jamie.

Transport Operator of the Year – McGee Group The award for Transport Operator of the Year went to the McGee Group. The judges commented that McGee had demonstrated best practice in transport management, policy implementation, and

FUTURE FLEET AWARDS 2020 Next year, the Future Fleet Awards will take place on January 22, 2020. The portal for submissions will open on May1, 2019 and the submission deadline is mid-November

Spring 2019 LAPV 21

sweepers

Electric Evie Europe’s first fully-electric truck-mounted sweeper from Johnston Sweepers is set to offer local authorities a zero-emissions street-cleaning solution to help tackle air and noise pollution, reports LAPV.

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weeper companies are under increasing pressure to help authorities eliminate diesel and meet their clean-air targets, and many manufacturers now offer a range of alternative fuel options, including Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and small electrically-driven machines. In the case of Johnston Sweepers, the company’s entire sweeper range is now also HVO-enabled (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), allowing the clean-burning fuel to be used as a drop-in fuel, or mixed with diesel to reduce hydrocarbons and NOx emissions.

It was against the backdrop of a move towards alternative fuels that Johnston’s design team made the strategic decision to develop what many did not believe was possible – a fully electric truckmounted sweeper. A handful of manufacturers, including Johnston, now offer electric compact-sized (2m3) sweepers, but the size and weight of the batteries required to power a full-size truck-mounted

The Johnston VE651, known as Evie (Electric Vehicle Intelligent Electronics), has been developed

by Johnston’s design team as a proof-of-concept vehicle.

22 LAPV Spring 2019

machine meant that it had always been considered unachievable by the industry.

The plan was to launch the Johnston VE651, known as Evie (Electric Vehicle/Intelligent Electronics), as a proof-of-concept vehicle, primarily to assess the feasibility of such a machine and to gauge market interest. And, to prove that it could actually be done.

Clive Offley, who heads up Johnston’s engineering team, describes the complexity of the task. ‘We initially started looking at electrifying just the bodywork – the sweeper – but it didn’t make sense to mount it onto a diesel chassis, or to create a hybrid.

Municipals are working towards banning diesel entirely, so to remain ahead of the market we set about designing a fully-electric machine, working in close collaboration with Emoss BV in Holland, which has 20 years’ experience of converting chassis.’

The primary objective was to develop the technology to maximise

Evie is a full-size sweeper mounted on a specially modified 16-tonne chassis, and powered by a highperformance 350kW electric motor.

the sweeping range of an electric truck-mounted sweeper. ‘We wanted to prove that it is possible to deliver a full-size, 16-tonne sweeper, capable of operating a full work shift with routine overnight charging, giving local authorities the opportunity to make a real difference to air and noise pollution.'

Evie is a full-size truck sweeper mounted on a specially modified 16-tonne DAF chassis and powered by a high-performance 350kW electric motor. The battery driving the whole vehicle is a 200kWh Lithium Ion Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery pack, which was chosen for its balance of weight, power density, charge rate, and lower operating temperature, and because it requires no liquid cooling.

‘Once we had sourced the battery, we knew that it would offset the weight of the two engines and two sets of transmission used in a standard diesel machine, meaning that the overall weight and payload of the sweeper would remain the same,’ explains Clive. ‘The main challenge was to position the batteries away from all the sweep gear, so a special system was developed to mount them behind the cab where the now-redundant exhaust and air cleaner are located.

We also needed to develop electric drives for the suction fan, and all the hydraulics and sweeper functions – more than a year’s work for our R&D team.’

The project required finding solutions for numerous highly complex technical challenges, but the outcome is a zero-emissions full-size sweeper with a six-tonne payload, similar to a diesel engine and designed to be capable of a full sweeping shift. ‘It proves our theory, and, unique to any comparable vehicle, Evie’s driving range is 200km at mid-loaded mass on a single charge, meaning it operates at less than 1kWh per kilometre.’

Clive adds that the machine produces zero exhaust and dust, and is virtually noise-free, the only sound coming from the airflow and the brushes on the road surface, so it is ideal for municipal

24 LAPV Spring 2019

sweeping. ‘It can work around pedestrians and residential streets without polluting the environment in any way, and then be recharged overnight back at the depot – exactly as we planned.’

The VE651 is fitted with two 22kW onboard chargers, giving a charging capacity of 44kW with a fastest-possible charging time of four to five hours. Charging cables are available as 16A, 32A, or 63A, and the sweeper can be charged from various standard 415V AC 3-Phase industrial sockets, or from a supplied charging post. The AC charging connector is a Type 2, capable of charging from any supply, including motorway services or street-side chargers.

Clive says that the battery is good for 3,000 full charging cycles.

An onboard battery management system constantly monitors and maintains the temperature and health of all battery cells, balancing them without the need for liquid cooling.

‘All of the automotive functions of the VE651 are electricallypowered, as well as the sweeper fan, brushes and Supawash system, requiring no additional power input,’ says Clive. ‘It is this aspect of the design that we believe makes this machine the first of its kind in Europe.’

The complexity of the engineering work that has gone into the design and development of Evie led the machine to be named Bodywork Innovation of the Year in 2018 in the Commercial Motors awards ahead of its launch. The judges recognised its potential to provide a viable alternative fuel option for local authorities.

Meanwhile, the machine is currently undergoing engineering development testing, with fully-independent industry tests planned in preparation for taking the machine into full production. Initial trials indicate positive results, and Johnston’s engineering team is now confident that the VE651 is indeed capable of a full working shift, proving that what was once thought unachievable will soon become a reality.

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direct vision standard

Clear view on safety Truck manufacturers around the world are turning their attention to London’s roads to witness the impact of the Direct Vision Standard, and one waste and recycling industry manufacturer, Dennis Eagle, has played a instrumental role in developing new vehicles, writes Ann-Marie Knegt.

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If the Direct Vision Standard is a success, other cities in the UK and across Europe are expected to adopt it.

he focus of truck manufacturers is the implementation of London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s Direct Vision Standard for heavy goods vehicles, which assesses trucks on the direct vision they offer drivers from the cab and rates them on a star system.

Transport for London is expected to get the ball rolling this autumn, and by October 2020 all zero-rated HGVs will be banned from the city unless additional safety measures bring them up to scratch. And, by 2024, only HGVs with a three-star rating or higher will be allowed to drive in London.

If the scheme is successful, cities all over the world are expected to copy it. And industry observers believe that if this happens it will have the biggest impact on truck design worldwide for decades.

A final report for Transport for London on how direct vision assessments should be made and how the scheme should be implemented was published in December 2018. The assessment method was established by Loughborough Design School, which looked at numerous HGVs from the eight leading manufacturers on the UK’s roads in different formats and configurations.

Once the assessment was complete, the vehicle with the highest rating for direct vision was Dennis Eagle’s Elite 6 in its wide format.

The Elite 6 Narrow was ranked just behind it in second place. In other words, these independent tests found that drivers have better direct vision from an Elite 6 than from any of the other most popular HGVs on the UK’s roads.

The introduction of the DVS is important because it aims to improve the safety of all road users, particularly pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists – the most vulnerable groups. Shocking statistics show that HGVs in London are involved in 63% of fatal collisions with cyclists and 25% of pedestrian deaths, even though they only account for 4% of vehicle miles in the city. However, the problem isn’t confined to London: more than 50% of those killed on UK roads come from these vulnerable road user groups.

It is certainly the case that not everyone believes that the Direct Vision standard is the right way to address the problem. While almost everyone applauds London’s initiative, some say such an important strategy development should be taken on by national or European government. However, other local authorities are already considering the scheme, just as many have followed London’s lead in introducing low emissions zones. And this isn’t the only reason the DVS initiative is likely to spread.

Transport for London estimates that up to 25% of the UK’s HGV fleet enters London every day. Consequently, operators are more likely to buy vehicles that meet DVS regulations. Contractors are being asked to show the highest vehicle safety standards before contracts are awarded. Hire fleets – increasingly used in the waste and recycling industry – will understandably be keen to follow suit to maximise their

How DVS assessments are made Measuring the space in key areas around the vehicle that a driver can see directly into was the goal of Loughborough Design School. To achieve this it considered such details as objects obscuring the driver’s view, from windscreen wipers to pillars. It tested vehicles with different cab mounting heights and took into account the different size of people from different European countries.

To find the average positions of a driver’s eyes, it established the average height of the eye above the hip in different populations. And it even weighted these measurements in a 90:10 male-to-female ratio to represent the proportion of each gender among the UK’s HGV drivers.

And finally, it set the levels of different star ratings. Having done this, only 12 of the 56 different vehicle configurations tested scored a three-star rating or above. And only three achieved five stars, including both the wide and narrow versions of the Dennis Eagle Elite 6.

26 LAPV Spring 2019

direct vision standard

vehicles’ potential use.

In February, Sadiq Khan joined leaders from Amsterdam and Bruges and the European Parliament’s most vocal MEP on road safety, Roza von Thun und Hohenstein, as the EU signalled its interest in DVS. Sadiq Khan’s message was clear, and he chose to deliver it from the cab of a Dennis Eagle Elite 6: Road safety, he said, ‘must not end at London’s outskirts’. He added: ‘I’m delighted that the European Commission is following our lead and proposing to incorporate direct vision into its revised road safety regulations.’

It is hardly surprising that European leaders will be among those monitoring the scheme’s progress. By the EU’s own estimates, implementing the Direct Vision Standard in Europe would save 550 lives across the EU each year.

The original proposal for DVS was to totally ban HGVs with a zerostar rating by January 2020. However, as parts of the industry were not ready, a compromise was reached that will see permits granted in the early stages of the scheme for lower-rated vehicles with sufficient additional safety systems installed.

But key players in London’s HGV scene, including Transport for London, the Greater London Authority, and major infrastructure projects, are already leading by example by ensuring the standard is embedded in their contracts much earlier.

This is filtering through to contractors, such as construction specialist S Walsh & Sons, which bought 15 Dennis Eagle Elite 6s specifically for transporting waste from the Thames Tideway Tunnel project through London.

While direct vision is now on everyone’s lips, Dennis Eagle produced its first high-vision, low-entry refuse collection vehicles in the early 1990s. So why is a manufacturer based in the specialist vehicle sector venturing further than its original remit of making refuse collection vehicles?

The reasons may lie in the industry itself. ‘The exceptional visibility of the Elite 6 is achieved by designing the cab to give drivers a better sense of the vehicle’s proportions and an unobstructed view of their immediate surroundings,' explains Dennis Eagle Marketing Manager Lee Rowland. 'The panoramic windscreen and larger windows maximise visibility and the driver’s seating position is lower, greatly reducing the risk of cyclists and pedestrians disappearing from sight.’

However, he adds that within the industry, where operations constantly take place in and around the general public, safety has long been a major priority. Which means that manufacturers have learned how to make vehicles safer.

‘Now, with less waste going to landfill, we don’t need drivers high above the ground. We know they can see better and be seen better – making eye-to-eye contact with other road users – when we position them among those road users. We’ve also learned how to work safely in cluttered 21st century cityscapes so we have a head start on other HGV users. Now they can learn from us.’

Lee believes this is something the whole industry should feel proud of. ‘This is the result of all the feedback provided by drivers, fleet managers, local authorities and private operators: changing the world for the better.’

Dennis Eagle has always been ahead of other HGV manufacturers when it comes to creating lowentry cabs with all-round visbility.

Spring 2019 LAPV 27

Small, compact, and electric A fully-electric, side-loading wheelie-bin emptying machine from Mingnuo is now available in the UK via sole distributor J&J Services in Bedford, reports LAPV.

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The Minguo wheelie-bin emptying machine is only available in the UK from J&J Services in Bedford.

he compact Mingnuo machine is manufactured in China using Japanese robot technology and is made from durable highstrength, low alloy steel. Designed for use in small areas, it offers an environmentally-friendly, low-noise method of emptying wheelie bins at the roadside.

The easy-to-operate vehicle has a panoramic cab and automated tipping system. The control box is installed at the back of the cab, which operates the waste hopper for lifting and emptying, and the vehicle has a load capacity of 2.5m3. The waste hopper lifting facility is of the straight and arc type, with low-friction roller guide for efficient, reliable loading.

The waste hopper has a rear door and can incline up to 48 degrees, which means waste can be emptied in one tip. The waste is retained in a fully-enclosed hopper during loading and transporting, preventing debris from littering the road. An access hatch at the side of the waste hopper provides convenient access for operators to load loose waste.

The vehicle has a wheel base of 1,780mm and a minimum turning radius of 4m. It has a top speed of 25kmph and it can carry two passengers.

‘As far as we are aware, this is the only 100% electric sideloading wheelie-bin emptying machine in the UK,’ said Jimmy White

28 LAPV Spring 2019

from J&J Services. ‘Its compact design makes it ideal for use in tight environments, and at under £40,000 it represents true value for money as well as promoting clean-air technology.’

The Mingnuo wheelie bin emptying machine is supplied with a 24-month warranty and full training for operators. It is part of J&J Services’ range of electric vehicles, which also includes a wastecompacting vehicle and an electric urban vacuum machine (pictured below) that empties into a standard wheelie bin.

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vehicle lifts

Elevate your maintenance Stertil Koni has a solid reputation for manufacturing vehicle lifts that stand the test of time, and the company is also at the forefront of innovation in the vehicle workshop and maintenance sector for local authorities and emergency services fleet. Ann-Marie Knegt reports from the Stertil Koni UK headquarters in Northampton.

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Stertil Koni’s Earth Lift is the first hydraulic ‘green’ mobile lifting column in the industry. It is also wireless.

tertil-Koni has been in existence since the 1960s and has built a global reputation for quality craftsmanship. It focuses exclusively on the heavy-duty market, making lifts in its state-ofthe-art factory at the company’s headquarter in the Netherlands.

In 2008, Stertil-Koni launched the Earth Lift, a wireless mobile column lift. It was the first lift in the world to use the patented active energy retrieval system. This lift is still a bestseller for fire services and local authority fleet managers. It also exemplifies the quality and innovation at the heart of what the company stands for. 'The Rolls Royce of vehicle lifts’ is how UK General Manager Tony Edge describes it.

Today, the wireless Earth Lift is as popular as ever thanks to its efficiency and sustainability credentials. It uses an active energy retrieval system with two deep-cell batteries to provide up to 35% more lifting efficiency than its predecessors, and it can handle up to

50 lifting cycles without requiring a recharge.

Tony explains that this mobile column lift offers extremely accurate vehicle positioning, as well as a wide range of configurations with up to 32 columns. It was Stertil’s first lift to feature the fullcolour seven-inch touch Ebright control screen – launched in 2014 – which enables control of any configuration of lifts. The height can be restricted, and all operational aspects can be controlled, including language, while an ID-Key can restrict use to qualified operators.

‘The main advantage of this mobile column lift is that it helps to reduce an organisation's carbon footprint considerably,’ says Tony.

‘This is particularly beneficial for the workshop operators who wish to keep their carbon footprint as low as possible. And while they come at a price, the price-to-performance ratio is excellent. You only have to charge them once a week, and there are no trip hazards because there are no wires. We were the first company in the world to launch a system like this.'

When the system first came out, there was scepticism about whether the market was ready for wireless column lifts. ‘Now 70% of mobile lifts sold in the UK are wirelessly operated,’ says Tony. ‘Our clients really appreciate the regenerative aspects of the lift. The Earth Lift is 90% recyclable and all fluids are biodegradable. It is a very versatile piece of equipment.’

In 2016, Stertil reached the milestone of producing 60,000 mobile columns and Tony believes that the company will have manufactured a total of more than 100,000 columns over the next couple of years. Each column lift is load tested individually because it is not physically connected to the others and therefore requires its own testing certificate.

Aftermarket care and training Maintenance and training is a major focus for Stertil-Koni and all of its lifts come with training from Stertil’s specialist engineers. Training is always inclusive when equipment is commissioned by Stertil.

Afterwards, the company issues certificates to those people who have been trained on the safe use of the lifts.

Stertil takes the same attitude to aftersales care and is proud of the maintenance service it offers to clients. ‘Our engineering vans each carry a large selection of Stertil-Koni lift spares and our first-call fixed rate is over 90%,’ says Tony. ‘Our engineers are only trained to

30 LAPV Spring 2019

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The recessed Skylift model has longer legs, so it has the same lifting height whether it is recessed or surface-mounted.

Stertil-Koni’s ebright Smart Control System is a colour 7-inch touch screen, with ID-Key user access control.

work on Stertil-Koni products, so they are highly specialised. It’s one thing to offer an extended warranty, but this doesn’t mean anything if the company offering this service doesn't have the skillset or carry the spares to back it up. We have and we do.’

Innovation The mobile column lift makes up the majority of the company’s turnover. However, it also offers an extensive range of heavy-duty fixed lifts. One of these, the Heavy-Duty 4-Post lift, has capacities from 17.5 tonnes up to 60 tonnes.

Tony explains that these lifts are of a similar operating design to the column system, but the Heavy Duty 4-Post lift's are bolted to the ground and are connected to one another with platforms. Also, a bestseller with UK fire services and council fleet managers, the lift is especially suited for operators who have a wide range of heavy specialist vehicles.

The main advantage of the 4-post lifts compared to mobile columns is a faster set up time as it is easy to drive the vehicles onto the platform. And with use of a jacking beam you can achieve wheel-free operation. These lifts are also available in tandem configurations. The Stertil HD 4-post lift has a unique crossbeam-free design and is the only hydraulic 4-post lift that does not use rope and pulleys as a driving system.

Stertil also offer in-ground lifts and Tony explains that in-ground lifts are very popular in mainland Europe and are slowly making inroads in the UK. They are popular because the vehicles are lifted on the axles and not the wheels, providing instant wheel-free operation similar to cars when lifted by a 2-post lift. 'One of the main reasons that the commercial in-ground lifts do not sell in large numbers is because of the cost of the civil ground works required to install this type of lift.'

The ultimate workspace solution for platform lifts is the Skylift because of the narrow bay width

32 LAPV Spring 2019

required and, when recessed, the short bay length needed to install the lift. The Skylift can be surface-mounted on the floor or it can be installed recessed so there is a perfectly even floor when the lift is not in use. The unrestricted access this provides is increasingly important since the advent of lower vehicle trim height and batterypowered vehicles.

‘We are carrying out more and more research into the future of how vehicles are powered and what their specialist service requirements will be,’ explains Tony. ‘The Skylift allows for unobstructed access all around the vehicle, with no overhang, no crossbeams, no base frame, and four independent support legs; providing optimal working space for the mechanic in and around the lift. The Stertil-Koni Skylift has an innovative Y-shaped construction, which makes it robust and streamlined for optimum space-saving.

‘There are these little things the Dutch do that make all the difference to the product,’ he adds. ‘For example, if you surface mount the lift, you get a certain lifting height. However, if you install the system in a recess, the lifting height is reduced and may be too low. Therefore, the recessed Skylift model has longer legs, so it has the same lifting height whether it is recessed or surface-mounted.

None of our competitors offer this particular feature.’

The Skylift has a capacity of 20 tonnes up to 70 tonnes. Safety is assured with locking from floor level. The Skylift is also designed for use in wash bays with a weather-resistant galvanised coating for outdoor use. It is suitable for any type of HGV, including articulated buses, trucks with semi-trailers, and articulated units.

‘Many councils use these lifts and they are also very popular in the bus industry, because bus maintenance is less practical from a pit. However, the Skylift is suitable for any type of large vehicle, and the most important thing for fleet managers is to speak with someone who knows workshops and who can help them find the most suitable lifting solution for their needs. We take our potential customers to see the lifts at work in a real environment and let the people who are using them do the talking because they are our best salespeople. Most of our orders come from existing customers or on the back of references from our users,’ concludes Tony.

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electric sweepers

Electric scoop for Nottingham Electric sweepers from Boschung will go to work on the streets of Nottingham in Spring 2019 as the city council becomes the first to employ these vehicles in the UK.

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The Urban Sweeper’s custom-made battery includes 12 modules and a total of 4320 cells. With its 24 temperature sensors, the battery’s surveillance is guaranteed.

he Boschung Urban-Sweeper S2.0 went up against electric sweepers from other major manufacturers during two days of demonstrations in the city centre, organised by Nottingham City Council as part of its ongoing effort to reduce CO2 emissions through the procurement of low emission vehicles. It is available exclusively from Bunce, which is the sole UK supplier of Boschung products.

With its 3.5-tonne gross weight and 1.2-tonne payload, the Urban Sweeper S2.0 was deemed to be the best choice to fulfil the council’s requirements. Patrick Fringeli, Boschung’s UK Managing Director, explains that the vehicle has a number of features that set it apart, including manoeuvrability, ease of operation, and its strong suction power. ‘We believe that this is the first fully electric-steered sweeper in the world. It is a multi-functional work tool that releases zero emissions.’

The Urban Sweeper S2.0 is one of the latest developments from the Boschung Technology Centre in Payerne, western Switzerland, where the company focuses on developing hardware and software solutions, and batteries and controls for self-driving maintenance vehicles in accordance with its own zero-emissions strategy. The

34 LAPV Spring 2019

Urban Sweeper S2.0 features a new intelligent battery management system. The battery will automatically heat up when needed, cool off when it is too hot, and includes an overcharging protection circuit.

‘As a sweeper of the 2.5m³ class, the Urban Sweeper delivers so much more,’ says Patrick. ‘It has a narrower width, which means it can access areas that would be inaccessible to other similar sized sweepers. It is also lighter by one tonne, which helps to save energy, and the articulated steering system provides for smooth operation of the vehicle.’

The S2.0 is also connected. Users can track its movements at all times via Boschung’s smartphone app RWIS or via a computer using Boschung’s web application BORRMA-vision.

Nottingham City Council’s Assistant Fleet Manager Andrew Smith says that the environmental credentials of the sweeper were a key factor in the choice of this vehicle. ‘Not only are the machines emissions-free, but they are also considerably quieter in operation, which will mean less disturbance for the citizens of Nottingham and a better environment for the operator. Another factor in the purchase of this new technology is the potential for a much-reduced fuel bill and maintenance costs, thanks to the smaller number of moving parts in an EV.’ These sweepers are part of Nottingham City Council’s commitment, as a Low Emission City, to replace internal combustion engine vehicles and machines with EVs or hybrid equivalents wherever possible.

Jason Gooding, Head of Parking, Fleet and Transport, said: ‘We are fully committed to delivering on the council’s clean air strategy and we are actively converting our fleet to ULEZ-compliant vehicles, predominantly light vehicles. This move to convert the sweepers is a major step forward in our aim to deliver clean air in our city and to be the largest public sector ULEZ-compliant fleet operator in the country.’

Nottingham City Council currently has a total of 51 ULEZcompliant cars and vans and more vehicles will be added to the fleet in the coming months. The city council is keen to look at any options that can reduce emissions, noise levels, and operational costs, and the next stage of its EV programme is the introduction of electric cage tippers and electric wheelchair accessible minibuses as well as battery-powered hand tools for its municipal operations.

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Line-of-duty fleet We see the blue lights flashing and sirens blaring, but how is that police car purchased, equipped, maintained, and decommissioned? Chris Brown, former police fleet manager, tells LAPV about the key challenges he faced keeping a fleet of 1,000 police vehicles on the road.

A

Police fleet management brings its own specific challenges,as police vehicles have to deal with execptional levels of risk.

Image: Shutterstock

s a police officer, I never had to worry about where my vehicle came from or how it was maintained. New cars turned up, broken ones got fixed, and we knew the technicians at the workshops to get things done when we needed them. But that changed when I was a superintendent in charge of a large roads policing unit and a retirement meant that my force would be left without a fleet manager. I was asked if I would do the job while collaboration opportunities were explored. I had been involved in fleet matters for a while, looking at a couple of fleet reviews, and I was in charge of a department where the right vehicles were essential to service delivery, so it was an area that interested me.

Modern policing is heavily reliant on vehicles and the role was described to me by a colleague as a triangle of officer, transport, and equipment – take one of those away and the service can’t be delivered. With a 1,000-strong vehicle fleet and several hundred bicycles to contend with during a period of significant change in policing, how could I refuse the challenge?

The transport department team I inherited was made up of experienced and dedicated individuals, so that part of my new job was easy. Accustomed to a variety of police computer applications, I was also impressed with the vehicle management system, which allowed me to pull out meaningful data to manage the business processes.

I was also able to use my police experience and translate that

36 LAPV Spring 2019

into tasking and the coordination of the department. At a local level, police use the National Intelligence Model to identify crime hotspots and series, and then deploy resources to tackle the problems. I used this format to support performance management of vehicle supply, maintenance, issues, and disposals in regular meetings to maintain a 95% vehicle availability target.

Even so, in my new role there were a number of major challenges, and some of the key lessons I learned include:

Operational command vs fleet conflict Policing has always undergone shifts in style over time, as society and technology bring changes that have to be taken into account.

Since the financial crisis of a few years ago, change has come at a significant pace. This impacts on the way policing is delivered and also the police fleet.

For example, a decision was made as part of a local organisational change to increase the number of response-trained officers, so a significant portion of the fleet became obsolete and needed to be replaced with suitable response cars (for police, cars are assessed for suitability based on a variety of factors, but key is power outputs for low, intermediate, and high-performance cars). A knock-on effect was that the driver training team also needed more suitable vehicles to deliver the upgrade.

With pressure on budgets, I went to a purely mileage-based

police fleet

Police fleet usually consists of standard vehicles that are pushed to the limit. Therefore maintenance is key, both daily checks by the drivers and regular servicing and repair to mitigate the risk of vehicle component failure.

Image: Shutterstock

replacement policy, whereas before this it had been time or mileage based – disposing of a five-year-old car with 40,000 miles didn’t strike me as good sense when it was perfectly serviceable.

As a senior police officer, I could bridge the gap between transport and operational demand and assist with advice on fleet options to support the delivery of operational policing. In particular, we worked with some dedicated specialist surveillance units who were very specific about their requirements, but also very appreciative of the efforts we made to ensure their vital work was delivered effectively.

On an operational note, several terrorist incidents in the UK and abroad meant that armed officers were required to carry more equipment, which affected the payload of their vehicles and required a change of fleet.

Management of risk Police vehicles are generally nothing more than standard models that are pushed to the limit in response work. This means that vehicle maintenance is key, both daily checks by the drivers and regular servicing and repair to mitigate the risk of vehicle component failure.

I sat on a national police pursuits working group and was required to review pursuits as part of a panel, so was able to bring back the importance of risk reduction. I also had driver training as part of my team and was able to link up the key processes better.

Reduction of fleets The force I worked for reduced officers and staff by more than 500.

My natural conclusion was that we could contribute to organisational savings by reducing fleet numbers and associated costs. Using the fleet management software system, it was easy to identify low-use vehicles that could be given up. Much harder was prising the keys away from the units that had them.

I secured support in the form of an inspector who was able to run this programme for me, and I could then balance the purchase and disposal processes. Travel and mileage sat under a different department, but I started working with them to ensure that reducing cars didn’t squeeze expenditure into mileage claims. We had set up a pool car scheme under a previous review and implemented a new booking system to ensure effective use of these vehicles.

Collaboration and fleet standardisation The National Association of Police Fleet Managers (NAPFM) is a wellestablished authority for police fleets in the UK, and I was very

38 LAPV Spring 2019

grateful for their support when I first started in the role. NAPFM has several sub-groups, which lead areas such as technical development, and its summer exhibition is a great event for all of those involved in this sector of the industry.

While there are several police forces that collaborate with either neighbouring forces, or locally with other emergency services, the majority still operate as single-force transport departments. There are undoubtedly savings to be made by better collaboration of services, but senior leaders really need to drive this to make it happen. A small number of forces outsource their fleet services, including the UK’s largest force, the Metropolitan Police Service.

One area of success is the recent formation of consortia buying groups – North and South. These collated projected types and volumes of vehicles required during a four-year period and then went out to tender for multiple police forces at one time. This gave manufacturers a far better idea of contract value and they were able to adjust the prices of their submissions accordingly.

The challenge, however, is that variants of the nominated vehicles are then ordered, with different equipment and fitment options dictated by individual forces based on the amount of in-car technology required. For example, some forces now specify vehiclebased wifi hotspots or telematics. NAPFM continues to work towards standardised vehicles, but with 43 police forces in England and Wales, this may still be a way off.

Realising better resales values End-of-life vehicles are generally stripped of all police equipment, some of which, such as light bars, can be reused on new cars.

NAPFM members have a national tender for vehicle disposals with a choice of six suppliers. Most vehicles end up going through the routine on-site auctions. As fleet manager, I found this particularly frustrating when a LWB van, which may have had £30,000 worth of conversion work done to it to equip it for a policing role, only achieved what any standard van would do at auction. I wanted to make savings for my organisation by increasing incomes, and not just reducing costs.

GovPlanet, part of Ritchie Brothers International Auctioneers, offers a solution by opening sales of specialist vehicles to a global market through online auctions. The business can reach up to 70,000 buyers across the globe each week. Now that GovPlanet is on the NAPFM contract, the UK returns have been significant – an articulated tractor and trailer welfare unit was expected to fetch £1823K but achieved £65K from a direct sale. Converted vans have made a 60% better return over CAP average price.

In summary, police fleets are well-managed and operated because they have to deal with an exceptional level of risk for the roles they perform. There have been great steps in combining buying power to deliver lower purchase costs, and this shared-procurement approach will continue to find favour. Income increases through changes in disposal policy can also help to reduce the pressure to cut costs all the time, and this is another trend I expect to see continue in the future.

About the author Chris Brown worked in policing for 30 years across a variety of roles including firearms, roads policing, public order, emergency planning and control rooms. Chris worked as a police fleet manager combined with other duties while serving as a superintendent in his final two years, reviewing and reducing fleet size and transport costs. Since retiring from the police in 2014, he has worked as a consultant on policing, including fleet management and casualty reduction, both in the UK and Middle East.

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TOPPER

Smart technology – a balancing act The widespread adoption of automated and connected technologies has brought many benefits to the fleet industry, but early-stage innovations also have vulnerabilities that fleet managers would be unwise to ignore, writes Sergeant David Sanderson from the major crime department of Hampshire Constabulary.

I

David Sanderson is currently a Police Community Risk and Vulnerability Manager, as well as the National Police (NPCC) lead for Project Firefly investigating radio frequency vulnerability.

GPS jammers are easy and cheap to obtain in the UK and completely illegal to use. They also vary widely in power and capability.

recently attended Future Fleet Forum 2019, where together with the other delegates, I was treated to a fascinating insight into the world of smart technology in the hands of creative innovators, challenging norms and traditional operating practices and promoting cleaner, safer, and more efficient services. At London's historic Guildhall, the industry showcased and debated the future of fleet management in the UK and overseas and provided an inspiring look at the way cutting-edge technology can transform our world.

Exhibitors and speakers demonstrated how the industry’s widespread adoption of technology can create new business opportunities and generate efficiencies. A significant proportion of this technology is web-connected and wireless, arguably the embryonic stage of the Internet of Things, adding real value and opportunity.

Millions of sensor, receivers, and transmitters provide information and analysis, tracking human behaviour and providing enhanced situational awareness through sensor-driven analytics. This enables fleet owners to access on-board IT networks from operational bases, supporting maintenance and troubleshooting and assisting in regulatory compliance. It allows for the automation and control of complex systems, designed to make life easier and more efficient, with the potential limited only by our imagination. Britain is a global leader in this technology revolution and the opportunities it presents.

I invite you to pause for a moment and consider that these opportunities are created by designers and innovators – by people taking risks. It is natural for such progress to circumnavigate barriers, overcome hurdles, and push norms in the pursuit of problem solving. It could be argued that designers rarely appreciate all the potential vulnerabilities in a new system until the system matures and has been in operation for some time. Some vulnerabilities cannot be foreseen and require failure to bring them to our attention, which means that while innovation equals opportunity, it also equals new frontiers of risk,

40 LAPV Spring 2019

occasionally with serious or fatal outcomes.

The Global Risks Report (2018) cites, amongst a catalogue of risks, artificial intelligence, robotics, space technologies, and ubiquitous linked sensors (aka the Internet of Things) as among the most serious technological risks. This is a warning that should not be taken lightly and is most relevant to fleet managers advancing their core business through smart-tech functionality.

Technology in modern machinery and transport is more akin to a smartphone, and the thread linking many of these technologies is radio frequency, an invisible wireless utility that is as important as the electricity that powers it. It is the lynchpin of automation, accurate navigation, and essential communication synchronisation and it is used extensively in security and safety systems, commercial vehicles, smart vehicles, and road systems. Sensors and actuators embedded in physical objects and linked through wired and wireless networks allow objects to sense the environment, communicate, and respond without human intervention.

Space satellites, for example, provide the position, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities that many sectors rely on. Nearly every industry sector is dependent on the availability of accurate and reliable information, and this is also where they are vulnerable.

Criminals look for and exploit the new opportunities presented by technology developments. In terms of radio frequency, these are not controlled by international risk standards and present an emerging risk. ‘Electronic compromise’ techniques are an effective means of stealing vehicles. These include on-board diagnostic programming and signal relay, examples of techniques that have been adopted by many organised crime groups.

‘Spoofing’ is an escalating criminal art form that involves broadcasting fake instructions, cheating receivers, and targeting critical paths, and one that presents profound implications. Modern conceptual environments offer a plethora of criminal scenarios and a

vehicle crime

critical path to consumer adoption.

Various documentaries and news reports have highlighted the vulnerability of common household items such as vehicle door locks, garage door openers, webcams, smart TVs, baby monitors, and other automatic devices to hacking, demonstrating the potential for the hijacking of navigation and communication systems that could disrupt critical infrastructure with broad and often unknown consequences.

Take, for example, commercially available radio frequency jammers, which are designed and constructed for the purpose of denying users access to GNSS and other radio communications.

These are already in use by criminals for activities such as vehicle theft and hijacking, and the disabling of CCTV and alarm systems.

The rapid proliferation of the Internet of Things presents a wealth of criminal opportunity.

Fleet tracking and monitoring systems are key to improving Duty of Care compliance. They provide maintenance alerts, track driver working hours and rest periods, and monitor behaviour. They can help to improve training and safety, resulting in fewer crashes and better fuel performance, and provide real-time updates.

Some six million commercial vehicles in the EU are fitted with tachographs. Vehicles registered for the first time after March 2, 2019 will need to be fitted with a ‘smart’ tachograph that uses the Global Positioning System for positioning and tracking and will support remote enforcement and link to vehicle telematics systems.

The new EU Regulation aims to reduce the administrative burden on transport industries.

However, it is not just criminals using such jammers. There is evidence that commercial drivers use them to hide their activities from ‘nosey’ managers. The reasons are often surprisingly commonplace. Many don’t like that their driving habits are tracked and recorded. Some use them to conceal their use of vehicles outside of business hours or for unauthorised activities. The EU legislation is likely to result in more drivers investing in such devices.

There is no lawful reason for the use of such equipment and its use is an offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 and carries a two-year prison sentence and an unlimited fine. How would your organisation deal with uncomfortable questioning?

There is no sign of a slowdown in technical crime. Tools and techniques are increasing in sophistication and accessibility.

Cybercriminals take advantage of inexpensive tools, technological vulnerabilities, and security loopholes. Effective security needs to be 100% effective, 100% of the time. Conversely, a threat actor only needs to be effective once. Hence, from the attacker’s perspective, the barrier to success is relatively low. Like natural disasters, these disruptions present challenges that are difficult to predict, and assessment is often imprecise. We must expect the unexpected.

As the future unfolds, we need greater awareness of the risks and a greater focus on cybersecurity. This must be integrated as part of a multi-layered approach to business and personal security that recognises both the opportunities and potential risks of new technologies and takes appropriate precautions.

Spring 2019 LAPV 41

Smart lighting solution Technology that improves the safety of vulnerable road users by raising their awareness of vehicle manoeuvres has been developed by vehicle lighting specialist Huntbourne.

Director Andy Hunter tells LAPV what inspired him to develop the Turn Marker module.

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rivers, owners, operators, and manufacturers of trucks, buses and coaches are increasingly required to take responsibility for the prevention of accidents and fatalities between vehicles and vulnerable road users.

The implementation of FORS and Transport for London's Direct Vision Standard requires vehicles to be fitted with a plethora of equipment and technology which, in the main, put the onus of responsibility on the driver. Additional mirrors, camera systems, a lower passenger-side cab door window – all these safety aids require a serious degree of vigilance on the part of the driver. The driver is responsible for making sure that neither cyclists nor pedestrians are situated in an area where there is a likelihood of an incident when manoeuvring the vehicle.

However, there is a technology available that could help to improve the safety of vulnerable road users by providing additional visual cues to cyclists and pedestrians that a vehicle is about to manoeuvre. The Turn Markers module converts a vehicle’s static side

The Turn Markers lighting system has been developed to prevent sideimpact collisions.

42 LAPV Spring 2019

marker lights into indicating marker lights that operate with its turn indicators to provide increased visual warning about the driver’s intentions, significantly improving their awareness.

The Turn Markers technology was developed by Huntbourne, a vehicle-lighting specialist based in West Sussex. Director Andy Hunter says the idea came to him a few years ago after he was almost sideswiped by a truck and trailer on a motorway as it pulled into the lane in which he was driving. ‘I had just passed the rear end of the trailer when it pulled out and I didn’t spot the flashing indicator. Afterwards, I realised that if the vehicle’s side marker lights had been flashing as well, I would have had a few more seconds to react.’

As a result, when Andy went on to build a 26-tonne, 35-foot horsebox, he fitted side marker lights top and bottom. Using a makeshift circuit, he made these flash in phase with the vehicle’s turn indicators.

Then, in 2016, with the increasing emphasis on vulnerable road user safety, and both FORS and the Direct Vision Standard becoming

Turn Markers enables a driver to flash their indicators without triggering the vehicle’s side markers.

high profile issues, Andy decided to create a module that could convert a vehicle’s already-fitted static side markers into indicating marker lights that operate in sync with its indicators.

‘I had become more and more conscious of the number of near misses on motorways and dual carriageways as vehicles changed lanes with only the front and rear traffic indicators to advise other road users of their intentions. This is not just a concern at night, but also during the day, particularly in strong sunlight when the intensity of vehicle indicators is reduced, as well as in rainy or foggy conditions.’

However, since neither cyclists nor pedestrians are present on motorways, Andy wanted to identify the reason for the alarmingly high number of incidents involving HGVs and VRUs. So he headed to London and observed the behaviour of vehicles and other road users at a number of busy junctions in the city. He concluded that it was when buses and trucks execute a left-hand turn that most, if not all, potential accidents are likely to occur.

‘At peak time, lines of cyclists are positioned alongside buses and trucks with only those at the front and to the rear of the vehicles able to see the flashing indicators. It was obvious to me that if that marker lights were flashing in sequence along the side

of the vehicle then all the cyclists and pedestrians would be aware of the driver’s intentions.’

Working alongside a specialist electrical engineer, Huntbourne initially developed a printed circuit board to work with filament bulb marker lights to make the system work. This was quickly adapted to work with LED marker lights, which are increasingly replacing filament bulbs in the automotive sector.

It was not quite as simple as that, however. A provision in ECE Regulation 48 Annexe 6 states that amber side marker lights must be installed, and that these must flash in phase and simultaneously with the directional indicator lights on the same side of the vehicle.

This was an issue because drivers often use rear indicator lights to show appreciation to other road users. Using smart technology, Turn Markers was refined to enable a driver to flash their indicators without triggering the vehicle’s side markers in order to avoid misleading signals.

The system is aimed predominantly at the retrofit market. It was therefore essential to ensure that it would be cost effective and easy to install to avoid adding to the mounting costs faced by vehicle owners and operators from the installation of vehicle safety equipment. The compact module requires only a basic four core cable with 1.5-amp capacity to connect with the turn indicator, side lights, and marker light circuits. Two modules are required per vehicle, one for the left circuit and one for the right circuit, and these can be installed in less than two hours by following simple instructions.

The Turn Markers module is EMC-tested and approved. Each module is dual voltage – 12 or 24 volts – which means they can be fitted to a whole range of vehicles from private cars to vans, HGVs, and buses. Installation can be carried out by anyone with basic knowledge of electrics, but Huntbourne can also provide training to organisations intending to fit the system to multiple vehicles.

The modules are produced in the UK and come with a one-year warranty. Huntbourne is seeking to establish an installation network across the UK and Europe, supplying the product directly from its own warehouse.

Spring 2019 LAPV 43

OWL CARDIFF

OWL Roadshow Cardiff The Optimised Waste and Logistics (OWL) roadshow in Cardiff took place on March 7, 2019 at the St David’s Hotel. The day included supplier exhibitions, vehicle demonstrations, and talks on topical issues facing the industry including air pollution, electric vehicles, and health and safety compliance. Attendees could learn about new technological developments and meet and network with industry colleagues and suppliers. Here's an overview of who was there.

Bob Doust, Terberg Matec, and Russell Markstein, NRG Fleet Services and Electra Commercial Vehicles, supported OWL.

Adam Robins, Dennis Eagle, and Nathan Wilson, Allison Transmission, both exhibited at the show.

44 LAPV Spring 2019

Dennis Eagle exhibited a 6x2 rear

steer wit

Jason Airey, CMS Supatrak, Derek Hart, Bristol Waste, and Ian Bourton

from U

Prof Roland Leigh from Earthsense was speaking about air quality and how it affects us.

OWL CARDIFF

6x2 rear

Bourton

us.

steer with an Olympus Twin Pack body on the back.

from Ubico, were all present.

Attendees paid close attention to the conference.

Johnston Sweepers' C202 compact sweeper was on show in the outside vehicle area.

The Welsh councils turned out in force for OWL Cardiff, and the latest products and offerings were discussed with exhibitors.

Industry friends caught up on the latest news about technology and innovations at the exhibition.

Spring 2019 LAPV 45

Water shortage grounds maintenance

Climate change is real. The UK Environment Agency has stated that England may not have enough water to meet demand in 25 years. That will inevitably means using less, and it is likely that irrigation of roadside verges and grounds will not be a priority. Tony Richards reports.

O

ver the last few years, the UK has experienced extremes in weather patterns, including temperatures and rainfall. Last year was exceptional, and the long hot summer created unusual problems for grounds maintenance and highways authorities. If reduced rainfall and hotter and drier summers are to become the norm, local authorities will have to change the way they maintain verges.

Typically, verges are cut twice a year as a minimum requirement and this normally operates on a rigid rota system. Forward planning is an essential element of efficient management and the best possible productivity, but if there is no grass to cut – for example, if there is a prolonged drought – there is still a need to protect highway verges.

Ground stability along highways is vital for the safety and solidity of the road. Vegetation root structures mesh the underlying soils and prevent shifting infrastructure. It is a complex system marrying engineering and technology with the stronger forces of nature. The problems arise under extreme weather conditions: floods and Above: the Aebi Terratrac range consists of versatile implement carriers for use in sloping terrain, with attachment areas at the front and rear.

Right: The Reform H4X with Muthing flail comes with a variety of attachments.

46 LAPV Spring 2019

heavy rain will wash vegetation away while droughts mean weaker root systems. Dry weather isn’t usually a problem – roots can withstand aridity, and the first rains will see an immediate return to verdant verges – but problems can arise if the root system dries out to around 10cm underground. Hard, dry ground does not absorb rainfall and it can be washed away. Grounds maintenance personnel need the right knowledge and equipment to maintain verges in this situation. Aeration and watering may be the solution, and all modern mowing and cutting machines have heightadjustable blades to cope with this.

Water need not be washed away. Ditches and natural watercourses, if kept free of blockages and ‘dams’ of detritus and litter, will channel heavy precipitation from storms and showers.

When embankments, verges and ditches dry up, their ability to offer absorption from heavy, infrequent downpours is reduced. Flash flooding will also wash away vegetation and create dams. This can cause serious highway problems. Solutions include the use of easily transported and manoeuvred water bowsers, flexible and versatile backhoe arms on excavators for ditch clearance, and the technology inherent in mowing and cutting equipment.

Enduramaxx water bowsers are British-designed and manufactured, with tank capacities from 200 litres to 5,000 litres.

They provide a practical solution for transporting water to areas where there is no mains water supply and are available as plain water bowsers, pressure washer bowsers, plant watering bowsers, and dust suppression bowsers. All of the company's site-tow water bowsers are suitable for use in non-highway applications on all terrains and throughout the country.

Some manufacturers are developing products with the effects of climate change in mind. Aebi’s product management facility, for example, has been looking at product development in changing climates worldwide for several years, says product manager Mathias Leubler, and its product lines Terratrac (TT) and Combicut (CC) are specifically suited to operating in difficult weather conditions.

The TT has very low ground pressure (200g/cm2), exceptional ability on steep inclines, and the ability, through its low weight, to quickly access areas where heavier vehicles would struggle, as well as wetlands and flashflood areas. All-wheel steering improves manoeuvrability and results in less ground damage. Ground pressure is further minimised by crab-steering and twin wheels.

Permanent four-wheel drive avoids damaging the earth when accelerating or decelerating, because there is an equal force on each wheel, and active adjustment of drive torque on both the front and rear axles also helps protects the ground.

Managed by CMS SupaTrak

Midlands Roadshow 2019 4 July | Wroxall abbey, Warwickshire

OWL Roadshows (Optimised Waste & Logistics) are fast becoming the go-to events for both public sector and private fleet operators.

The popular events are designed to help operators learn about the benefits of the latest vehicle technology that’s available specifically for the waste, transport and logistics industries.

CILT award Cpd hours for attendance at OWL events

An exhibition of “best in class” suppliers and vehicle demonstrations will run in conjunction.

Register free at: owlmidlands19.eventbrite.co.uk or visit www.supatrak.com/owl for info about OWL events.

Reduce your costs

Maximise your resources

Reduce your carbon footprint

CMS SupaTrak manage the OWL Partnership on behalf of the OWL partners.

Protect your workforce

To find out about exhibitor opportunities, or to be added to the OWL mailing list email: sally.cumner@supatrak.com

Aebi's Terratrac models come with a stepless hydrostatic drive.

Left: The C40 is a fully specified Countax with a single cylinder 546cc Ariens engine.

Right: Enduramaxx water bowsers are Britishdesigned and manufactured, with tank capacities from 200 litres to 5,000 litres.

‘A key element of the TT design is driver ergonomics and safety,’ adds Mathias. ‘Lifting the front and rear-mounted implements and all-wheel steering can be done automatically, allowing the driver to concentrate on the terrain.’

Aebi’s CC continues the emphasis on driver comfort and safety.

The vehicles have hydrostatic drivelines and active steering, which allow for tight turns without damaging the ground. Low kerb weight and features like cage wheels enable access to difficult to access areas and surfaces without damage, whether the ground is very dry or very wet.

‘Environmental care is at the very core of the design and manufacture of Aebi products,’ says Mathias. ‘This has been the case for many years and is increasingly important.’

Simon Richard, UK agent for the Reform range, argues that the Reform bank tractor and Muthing flail is the perfect combination for handling a wide range of local authority grounds maintenance tasks while protecting the environment.

‘The well-balanced Muthing rotor, with its specially formed flail lugs, protects against damage from obstacles while the self-cleaning roller preserves both soil and turf. The optimised distance between the outer rotor circle and the roller guarantees perfect contour following and an even quality of cut. In addition, the Muthing hood design, with high rotor and cutting speeds and removable shredding bar, spreads the shredded material evenly behind the roller for mulching. The stone deflection system provides additional safety when working adjacent to motorways.’

Supplied through the Rickerby dealership, northeast-based THC Landscapes uses a hydrostatic drive Reform Metrac H4X on maintenance contracts for both North East Water and Kielder. The compact Reform Metrac G3 and hydrostatic H4X tractor models have a variety of deck options and attachments including flail mower, snow blower, plough, and road sweeper. Both models offer optimum user control in more difficult work areas and safe operation at angles of up to 45 degrees.

The increasing pressure on local authorities to do more with less means that it is vital that groundscare teams and contractors have access to the most versatile and effective solutions on the market, believes Engcon UK MD Robert Hunt. ‘By using solutions that are flexible enough to perform a wide range of tasks, local authorities will be able to look at their machinery arsenal and potentially reduce the amount of equipment that they require. In

48 LAPV Spring 2019

the long run, investing in more versatile kit has the potential to make significant financial savings and productivity gains.’

Robert says one innovative solution that could make a real impact when it comes to verge maintenance is the tiltrotator.

Tiltrotators are a fairly new concept in the UK, but they are growing in popularity year-on-year thanks to their ability to increase productivity, save time and money, and enable operators to use a wide range of tools and attachments.

‘Our range of tiltrotators can add value to those using excavators and loaders, for example. The tiltrotator is essentially the wrist on the arm of an excavator, allowing the attachment to tilt up to 45 degrees and rotate 360 degrees for infinite flexibility. This dramatically increases the functionality and productivity of the excavator, allowing the machine to perform tasks it previously wouldn’t have been able to manage. This can save valuable time and drastically increase overall efficiencies.’

With a tiltrotator attached to the end of the boom arm, a whole range of Engcon tools and attachments can be utilised that are ideal for verge and grounds maintenance teams. ‘These include high-quality grading, sorting, and excavation buckets, integrated grabs and combi grabs, tarmac cutters and rotating brushes,’ says Robert. ‘Our automatic quick hitches with EC-Oil also mean that operators no longer need to step out of the cab to change tools.

Again, this saves time, improves safety, and potentially reduces labour costs.’

Another new development designed to cope with the extremes of British weather is the Countax C40 ride-on mower. This has a 97cm reinforced cutter deck and can be fitted with a 300-litre powered grass collector. Power is derived from a single-cylinder Ariens 546cc engine, which provides smooth running, high torque, economy and durability. Operating noise is reduced thanks to the double-skin bonnet and a cut-and-collect system, which minimises air disturbance from the blades.

The cutting height can be adjusted by a geared deck-lift system, and all pedals and levers are engineered to be lightweight. The machine has a heavy-duty cast axle for uneven terrain.

All these developments can help the UK’s highways and grounds maintenance carers cope with the existing and potential effects of climate change and extreme weather patterns. The Environment Agency’s warning of water shortages in England must be taken seriously. It is vital that equipment manufacturers continue to work hand in hand with the operators and that research and development is carried out with specific, practical, and pragmatic targets. Making existing equipment work harder and enabling modifications, such as adjusting mower blades, getting water to sites and delivering it in the right quantities, and ensuring that watercourses are free to channel any excess to avoid damaging floods, has to be the way forward as the weather gets more and more uncertain.

Vehicle test

Nissan e-NV200 Zero-emissions light commercial vehicles are slowing becoming more popular but prospective purchasers still suffer from range anxiety. Steve Banner takes the Nissan e-NV200 electric van for a spin for LAPV to test its ride and range.

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ange anxiety is the fear that the battery will run out of charge before drivers can get back to their home depot, leaving them stranded. This is a fear that Nissan has tried to address with the latest version of its e-NV200. The previous model's 24kWh battery has been replaced by a 40kWh version, which delivers a range of from 124 miles to 187 miles, according to the manufacturer – a 60% increase.

Mounted under the floor, the 360v 192-cell lithium-ion battery powers an 80kW/254Nm AC synchronous electric motor married to a single-speed, step-less transmission. A 6.6kW AC onboard charger is installed and a hatch at the front of the vehicle conceals two charging ports. One is intended for 50kW DC rapid charging while the other can draw power from a domestic supply, with cables provided for both.

Stats from Nissan say that it takes around 7.5 hours to completely recharge the battery from zero if you are using a 32-amp wall box.

Plug the van into a rapid-charger and you should able to reach 80% capacity in around 40 to 60 minutes. Rely on a standard domestic three-pin socket, however, and a full recharge from scratch could take as long as 21.5 hours.

LAPV got to grips with an e-NV200 in Tekna trim. Entry to the 4.2m3 load area is via a sliding door on each side of the body and asymmetric doors at the back, which can be swung through 180 degrees. There are six floor-mounted cargo lashing points along with a pair of sliding lashing points above each of the wheel boxes.

A full-height steel bulkhead gives the occupants of the cab protection if an unsecured load slides forwards, and the cargo bed is

The latest model of the e-NV200 offers a 60% increase in range and, using rapid charging, the battery can be charged to 80% in 40 to 60 minutes.

Spring 2019 LAPV 49

Vehicle test

The e-NV200 has bi-directional battery charge installed, which means that excess energy stored in the battery can be sold back to the grid.

protected against scratches and scrapes by a tailored rubber mat.

The sides are not as well-protected, however, and the load bay would benefit from being timbered out.

Gross payload capacity is 705kg and the e-NV200 can tow a trailer grossing at up to 410kg, although this will reduce its range.

Get behind the wheel and you will immediately see a shift lever similar to the sort found in a diesel automatic, with park, neutral, reverse, and drive settings. You will also discover that while the steering column is height-adjustable, the driver's seat is not, which is something I believe needs addressing.

In-cab features include a quality MP3/iPod-compatible radio/CD player, satellite navigation, climate control and Bluetooth connectivity.

Engage reverse and a rear-view camera shows the driver what is behind the vehicle on the dashboard's touchscreen.

My demonstration vehicle came with cruise control and an optional cold pack. This consists of heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heating elements for the exterior mirrors – all of which will drain the battery if used.

In-cab storage space includes bins in each of the doors, a lidded glovebox and a capacious lidded box mounted between the seats.

The passenger seat back flips down and turns into a desk.

All the usual onboard safety aids are present and correct. The line-up includes ABS, electronic stability programme, electronic brakeforce distribution, traction control, and hill start assist. Front fog lights are standard along with a full airbag pack.

50 LAPV Spring 2019

Check that the shift lever is in P for Park, depress the brake pedal, and press the starter button – remember that this will only function if the key fob is present. Push the lever into D for Drive, ensure you've released the handbrake, and off you go.

Acceleration from rest is strong and continues to be so as your speed rises. If you keep your foot pressed to the metal, however, you will deplete the battery rapidly, so use a light touch and press the Eco button. This will increase your range but be warned: it will also restrict your van's performance.

Something else you can do to boost the van's range is push the shift lever into the B for Braking position. Doing so increases the level of regenerative braking and means that energy that would otherwise disappear instead helps to replenish the battery.

The Nissan's ride could stand to be smoother and its handling could be a bit sharper. However, the e-NV200 is easy to manoeuvre at parking speeds and is quiet, both internally and externally. Make sure that the VSP (vehicle sound for pedestrians) is switched on, especially if you are driving in busy urban traffic. Operating at speeds of up to 19mph, it lets people know you are in their vicinity, assuming that their hearing is not blocked by headphones.

With the dashboard display promising 150 miles of travel, I took the e-NV200 on an 80-mile non-stop daytime round trip in dry, still weather. I travelled mainly on A roads, kept the Eco button switched on, kept the seat, steering wheel and mirror heaters switched off, and used a feather-light touch on the accelerator pedal. I had a token 100kg load in the back.

I got back to base with an indicated 40 miles to spare – not quite as good as predicted, but a decent margin of safety, nevertheless. Had I been heavier-footed, I suspect that I would have had to get out and push some time before I made it back.

The van's range is significantly affected by driving style, and driver training programmes should bear this in mind.

The government's plug-in van grant cuts the purchase price of electric light commercials by 20% up to a maximum of £8,000. In the case of this demonstration vehicle, that brings the price down to £21,881 on the road, excluding VAT. That’s not cheap, but the price of the electricity that the e-NV200 consumes can be calculated in pennies per mile.

You also need to factor in the zero-rated vehicle excise duty, exemption from the London congestion charge, and free access to the upcoming London Ultra Low Emission Zone. Nor will there be any charge to enter the proposed Clean Air Zones that will shortly appear around the country.

Bi-directional charging is installed, which means that any excess energy stored in the battery can be sold back to the grid. That is a potentially handy source of revenue for hard-pressed councils, assuming they are geared up to take advantage of the opportunity.

Operators can also check on the level of the battery charge remotely by using the NissanConnect app. They can also use this app to start the charging process and set the onboard climate control system to the temperature required.

Service intervals for the e-NV200 are set at 12 months/8,000 miles, while the warranty provides cover for five years/60,000 miles.

The anti-corrosion warranty runs for 12 years. The battery's charging capacity is warranted for eight years/100,000 miles.

Verdict? The previous e-NV200 was without doubt the most convincing electric light commercial I have ever encountered, and the longer range makes its successor even more effective. It means that big-city authorities can dispatch it to the furthest-flung reaches of the suburbs with confidence, and some way into the surrounding countryside as well.

The provision of adequate in-depot charging facilities will have to be addressed, however, and carefully-tailored driver training will be vital to ensure that councils get the best out of an impressive vehicle.

Reg Todister ay

28th Annual Winter Maintenance Conference and Exhibition

15-16 May 2019 Harrogate Convention Centre, UK

A platform for driving technology and change in the winter sector Cold Comfort has been at the heart of the UK winter service sector for over 25 years and remains the only conference in the UK focused on delivering insight and best practice in the winter service sector.

The discussions and debate at Cold Comfort 2019 will empower local authorities and their private sector partners with an understanding and knowledge of all the latest issues affecting the winter service sector in the UK. Hear the latest technologies and best practice case studies from as far afield as Finland and the US at the 28th annual conference and exhibition. Register today and take advantage of the Early Bird Discount.

Programme Highlights: • Espoo Smart City - changing the game of street maintenance in Espoo Toni Korjus, Head of Infrastructural Services, Public Works Department, City of Espoo, Finland

• Dealing with the big freeze - the extreme cold of winter 2018/19 in the US Matthew Morreim, Division Manager, Street Maintenance, City of St. Paul Public Works, Minnesota

Sponsors

• A Winter 2018/19 review - live panel discussion

David Batchelor, Highways England and representatives from local authorities

• A66 Winterpave trials

Steve Mason, Senior Project Manager, Cumbria & North Lancashire, Highways England

• Planning and implementing for a new fleet

Jane Wilkins, Winter Fleet, National Depot Project Sponsor, Highways England

Supported by

Register today at coldcomfort.tn-events.co.uk

ELITE 6: THE CLEAR CHOICE FOR A HIGH PERFORMANCE SOLUTION

THE ELITE 6 IS A PREMIUM QUALITY, BRITISH MANUFACTURED VEHICLE DESIGNED TO INTEGRATE WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH IT OPERATES.

The best visibility in class

Built to withstand the toughest conditions With a 10mm chassis frame, the Elite 6 is robust enough for the most demanding construction applications.

Although it is designed for urban environments, our heritage in off-road conditions means it is suitable for rugged terrain.

The driver seating position is relatively low and the glass area is greater in volume than traditional cabs, providing a panoramic view. Additional visibility is achieved from minimised ‘A’ and ‘B’ posts, larger side windows behind the ‘B’ posts and large mirrors with unobscured views.

The power to deliver Powered by the Volvo D8K Euro 6 280bhp or 320bhp engine, the Elite 6 offers high torque at low speeds across a wide RPM spectrum. This facilitates a better power output and offers potential fuel savings – ideal for the stop/start nature of urban traffic.

Single step, low entry cab The Elite 6 chassis is the lowest entry cab on the market, at a mere 495mm from floor to step. It is also the only single step entry model.

This offers a proactive solution to driver and crew health and safety issues.

Safe and ergonomic city driving

LOW ENTRY URBAN CHASSIS PURPOSE DESIGNED FOR THE MODERN CITY.

The Elite 6 is the only vehicle that offers a truly flat, unobstructed walkthrough cab. A more uncluttered, ergonomic design allows the driver to concentrate on situational awareness and to operate the vehicle in the most effective manner possible – prioritising focus on keeping vulnerable road users safe.

Dennis Eagle Ltd. Heathcote Industrial Estate, Warwick CV34 6TE  01926 458500  contact.us@dennis-eagle.co.uk  @Dennis_Eagle

www.dennis-eagle.co.uk