Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging
21.2.22
NEWS INSIDE Showtime for Burnett Ex-RHA chief joins KB Event p3
Sounding the alarm DX Group auditor jumps ship p4
Cleaning up Manchester Mayor pushes for free CAZ
p6
OPERATORS INSIDE ArrowXL........................................................ p6 Crouch Logistics............................................ p3 Culina Group ................................................. p3 Cullimore Group ............................................ p6 DFDS ...........................................................p17 DX Group ....................................................... p4 FedEx...........................................................p16 Freightlink Europe ......................................... p6 GXO............................................................... p3 KB Event ....................................................... p3 Maritime Transport........................................ p4 Meachers...................................................... p6 NWF Group.................................................... p4 Pall-Ex.......................................................... p6 PML .............................................................. p6 Spedition Jacob Weeks.................................p16 Stobart Multimodal ....................................... p3 Wincanton .................................................... p3
CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS: The 36th Motor Transport Awards are now open for entries, with the deadline set for 9 April. The shortlist will be announced on 20 June and the winners will be presented with their trophies at a glittering ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on 7 September. For over three decades, the Motor Transport Awards have been seen as a benchmark for excellence among UK road transport fleet operators, vehicle manufacturers and other innovators. While 2021 saw a return to a semblance of normality for much of the UK, it remained a challenging period for many operators, making it even more important to reflect the achievements of an industry that really is the lifeblood of the economy. For a full list of categories and details of how to enter go to mtawards.co.uk – and you could be wearing a smile as wide as Don-Bur founder Donald Burton, winner of the 2021 Service to Industry Award, pictured with one of last year’s hosts, Carol Vorderman.
Contract hire and rental firm proposes to make strategic withdrawal over the next 12-18 months
Ryder plans to leave UK market By Tim Wallace
Contract hire and rental firm Ryder is set to exit UK operations following a detailed business review by US parent Ryder System. The company said the plan was “in no way a reflection of the efforts of the great employees Ryder has in the UK”. The company entered into a period of consultation with its employees, customers and suppliers on 16 February, with the outcome expected in mid-April. A Ryder statement said that, subject to this outcome, it was planning an orderly withdrawal from the UK market, which it first entered in 1971, over the next 12 to 18 months. “The company will work with its suppliers and customers to help them understand the implications
for their commercial vehicle fleets,” it said. “The company will also be reviewing the potential for the divestment of its business operations with potential associated opportunities for employees.” The Ryder System financial report for Q4 2021 referred only briefly to the move, saying: “As part of our strategy to improve returns in FMS, we intend to exit the lower return UK business over the next 12 to 18 months, subject to consultation obligations under UK law.”
Meachers chairman Bob Terris told MT : “The whole rental market is changing. The availability of spot rental vehicles is now almost nonexistent with the rental companies demanding a minimum of six months’ commitment. This makes it difficult to kit up for peak periods without incurring overspill costs. I think more operators will think that this will not be viable. “The lack of availability of new equipment must be hitting the rental companies when seeking replacements and the cost of new equipment is also increasing dramatically, and this is without the future consideration of vehicle types that will be required with alternative power sources.” Terris added that the investment in alternative-fuelled vehicles will be “huge” and some, such as Ryder,
may decide this is not something they want to take the risk on. He continued: “Of course, this is something that all operators will be considering and many may be thinking that initially they would rent alternative power source vehicles and carry out evaluation before purchasing. The question is: will the rental companies be able to respond to this demand and at what cost?” Dawsongroup MD John Fletcher was “shocked but not surprised, and extremely saddened for the people involved”, adding: “But maybe this is the first of many inevitable changes that will be brought on by the pressures of alternate fuels and whatever else the future brings. “There is a series of crossroads to come for everybody.”
Focus: Regulation update – codes of conduct p10 Viewpoint: Van licencing changes p12 Technology: Autonomous truck innovation p16
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Culina Group launches Stobart Multimodal to beat supply chain disruption Culina Group has established a new division, Stobart Multimodal, which it said would address the pressure being exerted on its customers’ supply chains and limit disruption. Stobart Multimodal will provide a range of integrated services, including ambient and temperature-controlled logistics; rail and road transport to continental port of exit; export customs formalities; import customs clearances; and deliveries to Culina Group locations. Following its acquisition of Stobart Europe last year, Culina accelerated its strategy of a fully
Management steps in to save Crouch Logistics Nearly 200 jobs have been saved after Midlands haulage firm Crouch Logistics was sold back to its management following its administration. Administrators at Leonard Curtis said they were appointed to the logistics and courier firm “following a difficult period dealing with increasing costs of labour, driver shortages and the Covid-19 pandemic”. The haulier was put up for sale last month and a deal was struck with its management on 31 January, saving 198 jobs. Conrad Beighton, Leonard Curtis administrator, said: “We have worked closely with management and key stakeholders to ensure a business and asset sale could be achieved, which has also safeguarded nearly 200 jobs. “In this sector the employees are fundamental to the successful operation of the business so it was critical that their transfer formed part of any sale.” Its last available set of accounts showed turnover had increased by almost £500,000 to £10.5m in the year ending 27 September 2020. However, pre-tax profit fell by more than half to £159,000. Leonard Curtis said that by the end of September 2021, the company had increased revenue to £13.1m. Crouch Logistics holds several O-licences, with its largest authorising 18 HGVs out of a Tamworth operating centre. 21.2.22
integrated supply chain, prompted in large part by the pandemic, Brexit and the driver shortage. It said Covid-exacerbated Brexit issues had frequently caused continental loads to arrive into the UK late, resulting in empty shelves in stores. As a result, Stobart Multimodal aims to smooth out the current supply chain problems. Q Stobart has introduced double-deck trailers on its contract with the Co-op to help the retailer cut its fuel consumption and carbon footprint as part of a major sustainability drive.
Burnett named MD of KB Event as entertainment sector bounces back
Ex-RHA boss joins events specialist By Steve Hobson
Former RHA chief executive Richard Burnett (pictured) has been named MD of events logistics specialist KB Event. A keen music fan, Burnett said he was “delighted” to be joining the family firm as the entertainment and events sector began a rapid recovery after the Covid pandemic. Current MD and co-founder Stuart McPherson will become CEO of the firm, which is based in Pinxton, Nottinghamshire, and also has sites in Beverley, London and the Republic of Ireland. It handles UK and European tours for major artists including Ed Sheeran and Craig David, as well as large-scale events such as COP26 in Glasgow.
“It is a fascinating and complex business,” said Burnett. “The challenge of coming back from Covid is going to create some great opportunities.” The KB fleet shrank to 50 trucks
in the pandemic and kept going by diversifying into general haulage and traction-only work, but is now growing again along with the events sector. KB has ordered a number of new top-spec trucks and trailers that will take the fleet back to 80 vehicles. “They are in a strong position to start bouncing back,” added Burnett. “They have based some of the fleet in Ireland to deal with the withdrawal of EU cabotage for UK registered vehicles.” Burnett joined the RHA in 2014 from the role of MD at temperature-controlled haulier Samworth Brothers and quit in December last year after a reported fallout with transport secretary Grant Shapps.
GXO drivers on Co-op contract land 15% pay rise More than 100 HGV drivers employed by GXO on its Co-op supermarket contract in Avonmouth have been given a 15% pay increase after their union stepped in to discuss concerns. Unite said the pay boost followed a long period of industrial unrest at the depot on the outskirts of Bristol. Drivers had voted for strike action over what the union said was a catalogue of work/life balance issues, including rotas and booking holidays.
Unite said that although the pay issue and threats of downing tools were not directly linked, two sets of separate negotiations between its reps and GXO managed to resolve both the pay issue and workers’ other concerns. Gareth Lowe, Unite regional officer, said the pay increase represented good value for drivers that had worked throughout the pandemic. “It is hoped that this agreement will herald a period of cooperation between workers and manage-
ment and will pave the way for more harmonious industrial relations going forward,” he added. Q Wincanton’s ongoing dispute with the Unite union over staff pay has been resolved after they accepted a pay increase worth 10.75%. It means strikes at B&Q’s national distribution centre in Worksop have come to an end and 450 Wincanton employees will now return to work, having downed tools in November. MotorTransport 3
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Hauliers must ‘step up’ and improve conditions, says Vere Transport minister Baroness Vere has slammed the haulage industry for failing to invest in its drivers and called on operators to “step up” their efforts to improve conditions in the industry. Giving evidence to the Transport Select Committee, Baroness Vere said: “If you were to ask me if there is just one thing the sector can do, it is to invest in their people. Do not expect drivers to pay for their
training – £3,000 is a lot of money. “There are a lot of employer practices that need to be improved and it is a long-term issue,” she added. “We will work with the sector to do that – but they have got to step up. “I do not think the shortage will be resolved until 2023.” Transport Committee chairman Huw Merrimen MP told the committee that
during a fact-finding mission into lorry parking facilities with other MPs, they had stopped off to view a lay-by often used as an overnight parking area, where he had stepped into human excrement. He added that he later talked with HGV drivers who said they were forced to park up in lay-bys because their employers had refused to pay the cost of parking at a proper HGV parking facility.
Haulier defiant in row over potential lawbreaking and document access
Obstacles force auditor to quit DX Group probe By Carol Millett
Grant Thornton has quit as DX Group’s auditor after raising concerns about being provided with “inaccurate information” and “insufficient access” to documents relating to a corporate governance inquiry being carried out at the company. However DX remained defiant, stating the auditor’s concerns do not “accurately reflect the current situation”. The auditor’s departure comes just days after the resignation of DX non-executive directors Ian Gray and Paul Goodson. This is the latest twist in a saga that began in November last year when it emerged that an ongoing internal investigation at DX was preventing Grant Thornton from
NWF optimistic despite slump Food, fuel and feed distributor NWF Group has said it remains upbeat, despite reporting a £4.4m interim pre-tax loss. Chief executive Richard Whiting praised the group for delivering a “very strong first-half performance”, in the face of “volatile” market demand and “significant” inflationary pressures. Announcing its half-year results for the period to 30 November 2021, the group unveiled a revenue rise of 30.1% to £402.6m, (H1 2020: £309.4m) but pre-tax profit plum4 MotorTransport
signing off on the company’s 2021 accounts. The delay resulted in DX’s shares on AIM being suspended in January this year. DX said the auditor’s resignation relates to concerns about “actual or potential breaches of the law and/or regulations” by DX meted 320% from a profit of £2m in the same period in 2020. NWF attributed this to exceptional costs of £8.4m, including impairment costs, acquisitionrelated costs and cyber-related costs following a breach on 2 November 2020. However, the group’s fuel division delivered a profit of £3.6m (H1 2020: £1.9m), which it attributed to a “strong performance ahead of expectations” and the short-term benefit of increased demand during the autumn fuel shortage. NWF is now planning to expand its fuel depot network and broaden its customer base and is actively exploring “several” acquisition opportunities.
or DX employees and the performance of the investigation and the corporate governance inquiry. It also cited concerns about the “action” taken by DX in response to the evidence generated by the investigation and inquiry and the “provision of inaccurate information”, which Grant Thornton believes “did not give a full picture of the scale and seriousness of the facts”. The auditor also raised worries over “insufficient access” to relevant information and documents on matters being investigated by the company. Responding, DX said the inquiry concerns a “disciplinary matter” and has nothing to do with its financial performance or position.
Hauliers need a say in road pricing Hauliers must be involved in plans for a new road pricing system to plug a £35bn black hole in finances as the country increasingly moves towards an electric vehicle revolution, according to Logistics UK. An influential group of MPs said the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 will result in plunging Treasury revenues, as fuel duty and vehicle excise duty are not currently levied on EVs. They said a road pricing system, based on miles travelled and vehicle type, was likely to be the only viable solution. And the Transport Select Committee (TSC) warned that unless the government embraced new technology and rolled out a national pricing scheme soon, the UK faced an under-resourced and congested future. The TSC said any tax overhaul must replace the current system, be revenue neutral, and also target drivers of electric vehicles.
Maritime goes big for Volvo’s I-Save Maritime Transport has begun taking delivery of 355 Volvo FH tractor units with I-Save, making it the UK’s largest operator of the truck maker’s turbo compound engine trucks. The giant order followed a fuel trial at the end of 2019 as well as the performance of its existing Volvo fleet, which the company said had proven to be among its most fuel-efficient HGVs. Maritime currently runs 1,150 trucks and when all of the FHs arrive during 2022 it will take Volvo’s share in the fleet close to 50%.
The majority of the new units are 460hp models with Globetrotter cabs, although 25 feature a 500hp engine plus the larger Globetrotter XL cab for specific drivers in the Maritime fleet.
21.2.22
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Targeted approach to non-compliant vehicles likely after scheme delay
By Carol Millett
Plans to make Manchester’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) a non-charging scheme are still on the table, following the government’s decision to delay the scheme. Defra has granted Greater Manchester Councils Authority (GMCA) a delay to the scheme, which was due to launch on 30 May this year, so new plans can be drawn up. The delay followed an impassioned plea by mayor Andy Burnham (pictured), who argued that, in the light of the impact of the pandemic on residents and businesses, the scheme should
be non-charging and the 2024 deadline to meet air-quality targets be delayed to 2027. Under the new timetable, GMCA officials are working with Defra to draw up a new plan for the scheme by July. So far, the new plan requires the city to bring levels of pollution to within legal limits by 2026, two years later than the original deadline. However no decision has yet been made on whether the CAZ will be non-charging. Burnham believes that this is still possible under the new 2026 deadline. In a recent statement, he said
that under a 2026 deadline there would need to be “a highly targeted approach to non-compliant vehicles in areas with continuing air-quality exceedances and sufficient government funding to support upgrading of vehicles. “This would be intended to avoid any move to charging – either as a GM-wide Category B scheme or an additional smaller Category C scheme.”
VOX POP How can clean air schemes be fairer to hauliers? Moreton Cullimore, MD, Cullimore Group I’m not convinced we are applying the science right with clean air zones. Emissions are spiked by congestion. If you remove trucks from city areas, those loads have to be moved to smaller vehicles. It takes around 17 vans to take all the goods of one artic unit. So does this aid congestion or exacerbate it? CAZs are inevitably damaging to those that cannot adapt or diversify, but inevitably they just create other problems and mean more vehicles, more transfer depots and facilities. Are we just creating more problems elsewhere and making businesses in city areas struggle even further?
helpful if a workable time-plan had been shared in advance, providing an opportunity to highlight any issues likely to inhibit the ability to be compliant. Charlie Shiels, CEO, ArrowXL The schemes should recognise newer fleet investment on Euro-6 engines etc and reward it. The individual schemes could be more joined up and rules of engagement more aligned. Introduce one portal for registration and administration. When lots of companies are nationwide they then need to comply with myriad differing registration/ payment/compliance systems. More consistency in standards, compliance and cost levels would make life a lot easier.
Mike Parr, MD, PML Those involved in the introduction of these schemes would do well to liaise with the businesses actually working in the field and note their concerns. For example, the extension of the Low Emission Zone for Heathrow may offer benefits in terms of cutting air pollution, but it also has far-reaching implications on the UK’s mission to establish LHR as an equal to Paris CDG and Amsterdam in terms of airfreight. And as with any rollout of a mandatory requirement, which has such widespread ramifications on the day-to-day running of a business, it would have been 6 MotorTransport
Lesley O’Brien, director, Freightlink Europe I applaud Manchester mayor Andy Burnham for delaying the implementation of the Manchester CAZ. There does need to be a national approach amongst councils. The whole grant application system is unfair, not accessible to all, and difficult to navigate, especially for smaller operators who may not be IT savvy. Congratulations to those who have succeeded, but doesn’t this create unfair competition? It is unrealistic to ask our industry to invest
in new Euro-5/6 vehicles before the end of the natural lifespan, while obtaining little revenue for the sale of devalued vehicles. For larger operators who can afford to invest, regretfully, the vehicles are not available. For smaller operators the investment is not affordable. Many have, and will, decide to cease trading. Is it unreasonable to ask for a more staged approach as any investment costs must be passed on? Kevin Buchanan, group CEO, Pall-Ex Is it fair for the operators to shoulder the burden of cost and investment on their own? No – the strategy is simply not joined up. Would the government do the same to big business? No – you only have to look at the lack of a windfall tax on energy companies to see that. The excuse is they are being asked to invest for a green future. So are we, but with no support or tax relief. Bob Terris, chairman, Meachers Everyone would like a cleaner environment, but nobody appears to want to pay the cost. We operate a consolidation centre for Southampton but the take-up is slow and will only really take off when the use is compulsory. Given all the cost increases already carried by our industry, it would not be possible to absorb those of a CAZ. 21.2.22
Picture: Shutterstock
READY FOR KICK-OFF: British Land has acquired three warehouses in Wembley, north London, for £157m as part of a wider strategy to repurpose existing buildings to boost its final-mile urban logistics portfolio. The Wembley site, at Hannah Close, is located close to the M25, just outside the North Circular, and will become a multi-storey, urban logistics hub for central and west London. The three warehouses cover over 245,000sq ft on a 12.5-acre site and are fully let to Amazon, Euro Car Parts and the North London Waste Authority, which British Land said will generate an annual income of £3.6m “with significant reversion”.
Non-charging CAZ on table for Manchester
Focus: regulation
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Former senior traffic commissioner Beverley Bell calls for a new code of conduct based on respect
Learn to love your drivers One Sunday evening I was watching David Attenborough on the TV while composing this first column for Motor Transport. I love David and many would describe him as a ‘national treasure’ of whom we should be immensely proud. But what about the team who support him, including the commercial vehicle drivers who make sure all his kit gets to the right place at the right time – and no doubt for the right price? And what about all other commercial vehicle drivers? They are certainly our own national treasures and events of the past two years have shown this to be the case – but it is sad that it took a global pandemic to make society appreciate our fabulous profession and everyone in it. And what about the employers of those drivers? Do they always appreciate their drivers and treat them with respect? We all know of companies who don’t value their staff at all, let alone their drivers. So how do we recognise the great work they do and ensure that all companies treat them as they should? What about a code of conduct for the treatment of drivers which operators can sign up to? Many have an anti-slavery policy proudly displayed on their website, but how many have a code of conduct for the treatment of their drivers? I hope to be
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proved wrong, but I suspect the answer is very few – if any. We know that drivers’ wages have increased in recent times, but we also know that wages alone are not the most important factor for them. Excellent working conditions and treatment are just as important.
What to put in it
Here are some suggestions about what might go into such a code of conduct to provoke thought and debate: ■ We will always treat our drivers with courtesy and respect. ■ We will place our drivers at the heart of everything we do because we recognise that without them, we do not have a business. ■ We are proud of our drivers and we want our customers to be proud of them as well – they are often the first face of the company the customer sees. ■ We understand that drivers are just like us – living, breathing human beings with human problems and successes, not just automatons driving large vehicles, and we will do all we can to support them when bad things happen and to celebrate their success . ■ We will recognise that what is happening at home can and does have a major impact on their concentration and driving and therefore their and everyone else’s safety. ■ We will always provide them
with someone to talk to in complete confidence (such as an employer assistance scheme) and we will always look out for behaviour that might indicate things are not as they should be, so that we can support them if needed. ■ We will give them access to regular health checks so that any health issues can be diagnosed early to prevent them from becoming more serious. ■ We will take physical and mental health issues seriously and we will not tolerate any culture or behaviour which belittles or minimises such issues. ■ We will offer as flexible a set of working conditions as we can, taking account of the nature of our operation. ■ We will give them access to free physical and mental health advice
to enable them to be as healthy as possible, while recognising that sitting alone in a commercial vehicle for hours every day or night is not the best way to promote physical or mental well-being. ■ We will listen to what they tell us about their work and the business, for they and their views are just as important as anyone else’s – indeed sometimes they will be better as they are out on the road all the time. ■ Most importantly we will appreciate them, all they do for the business, and the value they bring to our business, and we will recognise that if we treat them well so they will treat us well – and we will share in our successes together.
Need for respect
I know that some people reading this will say that drivers are a problem in the sector, but please take a moment to consider your drivers – they are your business and like all of us, they just want to be respected. I stated many years ago that operators should learn to love their traffic commissioner, and I hope those same operators will also learn to love their drivers – because if they don’t, they will leave and find someone to work for who does love them. Don’t lose them, because it will be too late to get them back by that stage. ■ Beverley Bell CBE is director of Beverley Bell Consulting
21.2.22
Viewpoint
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Sad end to a special relationship fter 51 years in the UK, US giant Ryder has made the shock decision to withdraw from the market. Ryder Europe (which is 90% UK and Ireland based) has been losing money for the past two years, with the 2020 accounts Steve Hobson showing a loss before tax of £17.4m (up Editor from £9m the year before) on turnover Motor down 16% to £197m – despite making a Transport profit of over £9m on the sale of assets as a result of the rise in second-hand truck values. The loss was partly due to £7m redundancy costs resulting from a decision to close most of Ryder’s workshops and shift R&M to dealers. Even if Ryder Europe could be turned around, £200m is small beer compared with Ryder’s US revenue of $2.6bn in Q4 2021 alone and, despite the failures of rivals Axis in 2020 and TOM and Gulliver’s in 2018, the parent clearly felt the UK market is just too small and difficult to invest in. The writing was perhaps on the wall in
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2018 when MT went to interview Ryder Europe MD David Hunt, two years after the UK voted to leave the EU. Hunt was in despair about the impact Brexit would have on the UK economy and said that Ryder would not be buying any more rental trucks until after Brexit – which did not finally happen until January 2020. And that was long before the Covid-19 pandemic wiped 10% off the UK economy that year. The UK truck contract hire business has long been beset by price cutting and low rates of return, with one observer once complaining that too many companies in the market had “taken a punt on Euro-5 residuals” and were offering 6x2 tractors at £250 a week when the true cost was over £400. Ryder will be a huge loss to UK operators looking for partners with deep pockets to help make the transition to a zero emissions future and this is a sad end to a long-standing special relationship.
New rules for vans are long overdue F Jemma James MD, TruTac
rom 21 May under the new Mobility Package, if you use vans between 2.5 tonnes and 3.5 tonnes gross train weight you’ll need a standard international goods vehicle O-licence to transport goods for hire or reward from Great Britain or Northern Ireland into the EU. Those affected must apply for an O-licence and meet ‘similar’ competency requirements to HGV operators, like disclosure of financial standing and appointing a transport manager. I hope we see some road safety improvements filter through, at least to those crossing international borders. A competent transport manager will be responsible for compliance, including ensuring vehicles are regularly maintained, managing MOT requirements, ensuring safe loading and checking that drivers comply with domestic rules. I’ve pushed for years for a more level playing field for compliance across all vehicle types, and for all professional drivers to reduce driving when tired, increasing safety and saving lives. But these regs aren’t about reducing road deaths; they are about fair competition rules around carriage for hire or reward between resident and non-resident operators. Years ago, as accident rates were
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creeping up, I highlighted the need for vans to be subject to greater regulation. Vans numbers on UK roads have risen from 2.4 million in 2000 to over 4.5 million in 2020, and the rise in home deliveries coupled with the lack of compliance in certain sectors of the LGV industry have seen widespread vehicle defects, overloading, tired driving and MOT failure rates. So the new regulations are welcome and perhaps long overdue. In 2026, tachographs will be mandatory for all those light commercial vehicles of 2.5-3.5 tonnes that are involved in either transporting goods internationally or cabotage operations. This will undoubtedly save lives and the new regulations will help to bring van operators in line with stricter HGV compliance rules. Van licensing fees could also fund the DVSA’s extra enforcement costs. More compliance regulation and enforcement is needed for van operators to protect all road users. Maybe Earned Recognition for van operators could be a natural next step.
The newspaper for transport operators
To contact us: Tel: 020 8912 +4 digits or email: name.surname@roadtransport.com Editor Steve Hobson 2161 Head of content Tim Wallace 2158 Events and projects editor Hayley Pink 2165 Group production manager Isabel Burton Layout & copy editor Nick Shepherd Senior display sales executive Barnaby Goodman-Smith 2128 Event sales Tim George 0755 7677758 Classified and recruitment advertising rtmclassified@roadtransport.com Sales director Emma Rowland 07780 604075 Divisional director Vic Bunby 2121 MT Awards Katy Matthews 2152 Managing director Andy Salter 2171 Editorial office Road Transport Media, First Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1JB 020 8912 2170 Free copies MT is available free to specified licensed operators under the publisher’s terms of control. For details, email mtsccqueries@roadtransport.com, or call 01772 426705 Subscriptions Email:customercare@dvvsubs.com Quadrant Subscription Services, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH Rates UK £146/year. Cheques made payable to Motor Transport. Apply online at mtssubs.com Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper Published by DVV Media International Ltd © 2022 DVV Media International Ltd ISSN 0027-206 X
Got something to say? If you would like to contribute to MT’s Viewpoint, email steve.hobson@roadtransport.com 21.2.22
Autonomous trucks
In the ejector seat? Autonomous vehicles seem to pose an evergrowing threat to human drivers. But there are still some important hurdles to cross before such vehicles can hit the mainstream, as Steve Banner finds out
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eld in Las Vegas this year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is about the last place one would expect one of the world’s leading truck manufacturers to exhibit what it has to offer. DAF, Peterbilt and Kenworth owner Paccar was not deterred however. Arguing that CES is the globe’s largest showcase for technological innovation, it displayed a DAF XG+ – International Truck of the Year for 2022 – a batteryelectric Kenworth T680E complete with its Paccar battery charger, and a Peterbilt Model 579 equipped with an autonomous driving system developed in conjunction with self-driving specialist Aurora. “Our partnership with Aurora means our customers will benefit from enhanced safety and efficiency,” says Paccar chief technology officer, John Rich. The deal between Paccar and Aurora has been in place for just over a year. Paccar is providing autonomousenabled vehicles, while Aurora is delivering a self-driving technology package that includes hardware, software and operational services under the Aurora Driver banner. It should lead to Peterbilts and Kenworths equipped with Aurora Driver being deployed in North America over the next few years, says Paccar. There seems no reason why DAF shouldn’t employ the technology too, if its customers want it. Paccar models with Aurora Driver installed are in fact already being trialled on the public highway in Texas in conjunction with FedEx, which is using them to haul loads between Dallas and Houston, a 500-mile round-trip along the I-45 corridor, in an exercise that began last September. The trucks operate autonomously, but have a back-up driver on board, just in case. Paccar is by no means the only truck builder working on autonomous models. Virtually every leading
manufacturer has a project on the go and, like Paccar, many of them are working with third-party self-driving experts to deliver it. In December, Iveco announced it was joining forces with autonomous driving specialist Plus in a pilot scheme in Europe and China to develop an S-WAY that can drive itself. The ultimate aim is to come up with a model that can achieve Level 4 autonomy, which means it can drive itself under most conditions. Iveco’s designated chief technology and digital officer, Marco Liccardo, says the company wants to be able to offer “a more automated and safe truck aimed at improving productivity and reducing operating costs”.
Trial locations
Several of the driverless trials that have been rolled out have been largely implemented in locations such as ports and open-cast mines; areas with clearly delineated boundaries that are easy to control. MAN’s three-year Hamburg TruckPilot initiative in Germany is a case in point. It involved logistics firm Spedition Jacob Weeks hauling a 40ft container to the port of Hamburg under the control of a driver. Once the truck arrived at its terminal it drove autonomously across the site in mixed traffic, found the right position in the container storage lane, parked itself, then drove itself back to the check-in gate once the container had been unloaded. The driver then took charge again, driving the truck away. The exercise was a success, says MAN head of development Dr Frederik Zohm. “Pilot projects like Hamburg TruckPilot prove that it’s technologically feasible to deploy self-driving trucks and that they can be efficiently integrated into logistical processes,” he comments. “Autonomous driving will be a game-changer 21.2.22
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in transport and our objective is to bring self-driving trucks into series production from 2030.” MAN points out that in July 2021, Germany became the first country in the world to enact legislation governing autonomous driving. It permits and regulates the deployment of Level 4 self-driving trucks in defined operational activities, such as traffic between logistics terminals. The manufacturer is also committed to another project in Germany that will involve fully automated trucks operating at a Deutsche Bahn Intermodal Services rail terminal, again hauling containers. MAN has developed something of a self-driving track record over the past four or five years, exhibiting a Level 4 autonomous truck at the IAA commercial vehicle show in Hanover back in 2018 that could be used as a buffer to prevent serious collisions at motorway roadworks. Volvo’s – to British eyes, rather oddly named – Vera initiative is another example of a port-centric trial. A self-driving tractor unit has been used to haul containers from a DFDS logistics centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, to a terminal at the city’s harbour. The tractor unit concerned has no cab. If there is no driver on board, then obviously you do not need one, and eliminating the cab means you save cost and weight. The same cab-less approach has been taken by Scania in the development of its concept autonomous AXL rigid, designed for use in open-cast mines and construction sites. Developing driverless trucks costs money – a lot of money at a time when manufacturers are also having to invest in the development of zero-emission models. Daimler Truck has set up an Autonomous Technology Group and is investing over €500m with the aim of putting Level 4 autonomous trucks on the highway during the current decade.
LAW COMMISSION REPORT In January the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission published a joint report that makes recommendations for the safe and responsible introduction of self-driving vehicles. It suggests that an Automated Vehicles Act should be passed to regulate vehicles that can drive themselves. It recommends that a clear distinction should be drawn between features which just assist drivers, such as adaptive cruise control, and those that enable a vehicle to be truly self-driving. The report proposes that when a vehicle is authorised by a regulatory agency as having self-driving features, and those features are in use, then the person in the driving seat should no longer be responsible for how the vehicle drives. Depending on the technology employed, there may of course be nobody on board, and no driving seat for them to sit in. Instead, the company or body that obtained the authorisation – described by the report as an ‘authorised self-driving entity’ – would face regulatory sanctions if anything went wrong, which suggests the buck would ultimately stop with the truck manufacturer. If the vehicle is driving itself and somebody does happen to be in the driving seat, then the individual should be classed not as a driver but as a ‘user in charge’, meanwhile. Someone falling into that category could not be prosecuted for offences arising directly from the driving task. They would therefore have immunity from prosecution for a wide range of offences, from dangerous driving to exceeding the speed limit or running a red light. However, they would retain responsibility for other driver-related duties including checking the load and ensuring it was properly secured. The report was funded by the DfT and transport minister Trudy Harrison comments: “We must ensure we have the right regulations in place, based upon safety and accountability, in order to build public confidence.”
Driverless benefits
While logistics companies may be wary of saying so openly for fear of disrupting labour relations, there is no denying that doing away with drivers wherever possible could lead to some potentially major savings. Wage bills would be slashed, as would pension contributions and company tax bills would fall – including soon-to-increase employer National Insurance contributions. Driverless trucks don’t stop working because they have tested positive for Covid-19, don’t go on holiday and don’t go on strike; and by definition, they do not have to be parked up because of the driver shortage, either. Phil Lloyd, head of engineering and vehicle standards policy at Logistics UK, points to a further advantage: drivers are subject to the drivers’ hours rules which limit the number of hours they are allowed to work, and oblige them to take regular breaks and rest; driverless trucks are not and could, in theory, operate 24/7 year-round. “They could bring huge economic benefits,” he contends. “When you think about it, the limits on truck operation stem from the driver rather than the vehicle. “Admittedly driverless trucks will be more expensive than today’s models, and running them 24/7 could mean they will need replacing after two or three years,” Lloyd continues. “On the other hand, they will be in use and productive for over 90% of the time compared with today’s utilisation level of around 60%.” Aside from the need for fuel and periodic maintenance, there is in theory nothing to prevent a driverless truck constantly trundling non-stop from Lands End to John O’ Groats and back again. Yet as Lloyd clearly recognises, that is not the whole story, because drivers don’t just drive. They are engaged in other activities such as loading and unloading vehicles. Having a human being on board able to think on his or her feet could be viewed as well-nigh essential by customers and insurers where sensitive loads ➜ 18 21.2.22
LOOK, NO HANDS: Scania’s concept AXL rigid for open-cast mines and construction sites MotorTransport 17
Autonomous trucks
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PROVING THE POINT: (Left) MAN’s three-year Hamburg TruckPilot initiative in Germany with Spedition Jacob Weeks; (Above) Iveco is joining forces with autonomous driving specialist Plus to develop a self-driving S-WAY; (Below) Peterbilt Model 579 with Aurora Driver displayed by Paccar at this year’s CES
ranging from hazardous chemicals and explosives to livestock are being transported. The human does not have to be a driver if the truck is autonomous, but if you are obliged to employ somebody to sit in the cab, then bang goes your wage-saving. There is also the willingness of the public to accept driverless trucks to be considered, adds Lloyd, and that’s something the major high-street brands, which need trucks to distribute their goods but are obsessed with their profile among consumers, will especially need to take into account. That may be less of an issue if driverless trucks are deployed primarily on the strategic road network, travelling from one DC to another – particularly if they are running at night while consumers are slumbering. One approach, suggests Lloyd, could be for autonomous trucks to tackle inter-urban journeys, dropping their trailers at transhipment depots at the edge of town. A driver could then collect the trailer, and take it on the short journey – possibly down busy urban
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and suburban routes – to its final destination. The driver concerned would not need to spend nights away in a lay-by in a sleeper cab, and could go home at the end of his or her shift.
Word on the street
Lloyd expects autonomous trucks to arrive on British roads “in the next decade or more”, but adds that the shortcomings of the UK’s highway network will need to be addressed first. Driverless vehicles need to be able to communicate with fixed pieces of street furniture such as traffic lights, as well as with other vehicles, if they are to operate efficiently and safely. Britain’s patched, potholed and, in places, almost-collapsing infrastructure with its partially obscured or missing white lines may not be up to the challenge. “If an autonomous truck running around a quarry deviates in its course by a couple of feet either way, then that might be okay,” Lloyd observes. “If it is operating in traffic on the public highway however, then the level of granularity it achieves has to be spot-on.” The likelihood of highways being brought up to the required standard is a remote one without major investment by central government. To pick an example at random, Herefordshire needs over £300m spent on its county-wide road network simply to enable it to cope with current traffic conditions after what one local councillor recently described as a decade of managed decline. The county’s total annual budget for highway repair and maintenance – even though its highways include key routes such as the A40 – is just £20m. ■
21.2.22
