Motor Transport 21 October 2019

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Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging

21.10.19

NEWS INSIDE Waiting game

JOIN THE PRIDE

Cartel claim hearing delayed p3

Road rethink

IFS calls for road tax rethink p4

Driving driver training Flogas books SP Training

p6

OPERATORS INSIDE Dobbs Logistics ............................................ p8

COUNT DOWN: DBAY Advisors has been granted more time to make a takeover offer for Eddie Stobart Logistics (ESL). According to the UK takeover panel, the international asset management firm has until 31 October to make a formal bid. However, former Stobart group boss Andrew Tinkler, who made a “highly preliminary expression of interest” in September via his company TVFC, is understood to no longer be considering a takeover. Before being floated, DBAY Advisors owned 51% of ESL but is now thought to have a smaller stake. In August, ESL suspended shares on the AIM market and announced the departure of CEO Alex Laffey after it failed to publish its half-year results in time.

Flogas Britain ............................................... p6 FreshLinc .....................................................p26 PGS Global Logistics ..................................... p6 Rhys Davies .................................................. p4 Sherringtons Waste Management ................. p4 UPS .............................................................p36 Wren Kitchens .............................................p38

Members will have ‘unique opportunity to be involved in the development of the pallet network’

Devey sells Pall-Ex to members By Tim Wallace

Pall-Ex Group has agreed a management buyout that will see founder, owner and chairwoman Hilary Devey step away from the day-to-day running of the business. The BBC’s Dragon’s Den star has agreed to sell the group to its network membership and management. Contracts were signed on 15 October and the deal is expected to be completed by 31 October. The deal, which Pall-Ex believes is the first of its kind, will offer UK and European members what it described as “a unique opportunity to be involved in the development of the pallet network”. The management team has also committed to shares in the company with share ownership being made available to the entire UK membership and its international partners. Devey, who started Pall-Ex in 1996, will continue to work with the new owners in an ambassador role to help develop their interna-

Pall-Ex moved fewer than 100 pallets on its first night and now moves more than 30,000 a day worldwide. All shareholders will be involved in the business as it develops Pall-Ex Group in the UK and on the continent. The group said more details regarding the new venture would be released in the coming weeks.

tional services and European partner development. Her continuing wish is to see the company expand and thrive, the company said. David Fairbrother of ADD Express, Maggie Larimore of PMB Pallets and Craig Stevens of STD Developments, who have worked with Devey for more than 20 years, negotiated the transaction alongside group MD Kevin Buchanan. Larimore said: “Hilary has been a driving force in the development of pallet distribution and has

turned Pall-Ex into an industryleading international brand. This purchase is the perfect way to preserve the legacy she has built.” Buchanan said: “Pall-Ex will offer a unique proposition in the sector with management, UK members and international partners working together as owners to enhance Pall-Ex as the quality network of choice. We would like to thank Hilary for enabling us to take the next step on this incredible and exciting journey.”

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Freight in the City p14 Location technology p20 Profile: FreshLinc p26 Interview: Marian Kitson p32 MT Awards winner profiles p36-39

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27/09/2019

16:19

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Price-fixing claims case is put on hold pending the outcome of another case in the Supreme Court

Cartel claim hearing postponed By Chris Tindall

It could be at least another year before collective claims for compensation over price-fixing by a cartel of truck makers is heard pending the outcome of another case in the Supreme Court. Steven Meyerhoff, director at solicitor Backhouse Jones, said the process had been halted by another landmark case that is testing the standards applied to a collective proceedings order in a major competition claim. Backhouse Jones is working with the RHA on its proposed claim, which has 11,100 operators with a total fleet size of 130,000. A second proposed claim – UK Trucks Claim (UKTC)

– is being backed by legal firm Weightmans. Meyerhoff said half of the application was heard in June, which relates to funding and a decision on this is due “imminently”. However, by adjourning the remainder of the application, it could be October 2020 before the two collective claims are heard by the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). “The CAT will progress the claim as quickly as possible, but for the RHA case it could be 12 months from now,” he said. In addition to the RHA and UKTC, some large fleet buyers – including Royal Mail, Ryder and Dawsongroup – are pursuing their own claim for damages in the High Court.

Document reveals a 6% hike in import tariffs on trucks in no-deal Brexit The government has been forced to clarify the level of import tariffs to be placed on new trucks in the event of a no-deal Brexit after a document revealed it has been hiked from a promised 10% to 16%. An estimated 42% of new HGVs are articulated and will attract the 16% tariff.

Last month industry leaders were told by government officials that a planned 22% tax on HGV imports was to be reduced to 10%, bringing it into line with the car industry. However, a government document ‘Non-preferential tariff rates and quotas on imports if the UK

leaves the EU with no deal’, revealed that the import tax will be 16% on new and used “road tractors for semi- trailers”. Responding to the confusion, a government spokesman told MT that all HGVs (including rigids) that have a 22% tariff under the EU (and in the UK’s March

announcement) now have a tariff of 10%. “This reduction strikes a better balance between the needs of producers and the UK haulage industry including SMEs, supporting critical fleet replacement programmes that help to reduce pollution,” he said.

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21.10.19

MotorTransport 3

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New pricing system needed if zero net emissions by 2050 are to be met

Rhys Davies under new management

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IFS calls for road tax rethink

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has recommended a new system of road pricing to compensate for the £28bn loss in revenue from fuel duty as the UK gradually shifts to electric vehicles. The IFS said the measures should apply to all vehicles and would affect operators. A 2ppl cut in fuel duty would cost about £1bn a year, the IFS said. But revenue from existing road taxes, which raise £40bn a year, will shrink in the next few decades if the government’s goal of achieving zero net emissions by 2050 is met. The institute recommends an immediate government review of motoring tax “before expectations of low-tax motoring become ingrained”. “A system of road pricing where charges vary by time and location is the best way to incorporate the costs of congestion into the prices paid by drivers,” it said. “Such systems are technologically feasible and are used in a number of cities worldwide.

“Failing that – or as a stepping stone towards it – the government could introduce a flat-rate tax per km driven, which would at least continue to raise revenue and discourage driving once alternative fuel vehicles replace petrol and diesel vehicles.” However, electric vehicle charging business Engenie said the IFS’s recommendations are misguided. “If the government is serious about achieving net zero emissions by

Cathay Investments has acquired Cardiff-based logistics and warehousing firm Rhys Davies and Sons. The haulier, which trades as Rhys Davies Logistics (RDL), runs a fleet of 170 vehicles, including 150 trailers, and has more than 560,000sq ft of warehousing across nine UK sites. Cathay chief executive Ben Chaing said: “Rhys Davies will work together with our warehouse and logistics provider, WH1 and Amethyst Group, along with our freight forwarder PNC Global Logistics UK, to expand our logistic business nationwide and enhance the services we offer.” Mark Richmond and Stephen Thomas, former owners of Rhys Davies, said: “This investment will enable RDL to facilitate the realisation of the ambition shared by outgoing and incoming owners.”

2050, it needs bold policies that create an attractive trading environment for zero emission vehicles over traditional internal combustion engines,” said CEO Ian Johnston. “Rather than introducing a road pricing scheme that applies to all motorists, it needs to consider increasing fuel duty. Disincentivising drivers to switch to electric vehicles risks our Paris Agreement commitments.”

Hauliers not so reassured by Birmingham’s promise to help Birmingham City Council said it will help hauliers comply with the city’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which is due to be rolled out on 1 July 2020. The pledge came in the wake of concerns among the city’s operators that the measures are being brought in too quickly and will have a damaging affect on businesses running non-compliant fleets.

Speaking at the Clean Air Roadshow in Birmingham last week, Sylvia Broadley, Birmingham City Council’s energy and sustainable transport manager, said nonEuro-6-compliant HGVs would be charged £50 a day to enter the zone. However, she stressed that hauliers with HGVs registered within the CAZ will get a year’s exemption

for two HGVs. Hauliers with noncompliant HGVs registered in the Birmingham area, which have a finance agreement beyond 2020, will be allowed to run two vehicles in the zone for a year. But June Harrison, owner of Sherringtons Waste Management in Birmingham, said the measures would have a devastating effect on

her company. “We’re going to be out of business when this comes in,” she said. “We’ve got 11 HGVs and we can’t afford new ones.” Waseem Zaffar, cabinet member for transport and environment at Birmingham City Council, said: “This is a challenging policy. We will work with every business and see what we can do.”

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21.10.19

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LPG supplier partners with SP Training to develop bespoke learning

Driver apprentices are the answer for Flogas SP Training has partnered with LPG gas supplier Flogas Britain to deliver a bespoke professional driver programme for new rigid truck drivers, including the necessary training and skills to transport dangerous goods. Flogas is using the Apprenticeship Levy to combat the driver shortage. SP Training’s programme, taking place across its national network, includes training drivers to obtain a HGV licence and the knowledge to safely deliver dangerous goods. The 13-month programme will front-load the more critical skills, behaviour and knowledge, allowing trainees to gain an HGV licence within 10 weeks and work during the company’s busy winter period. SP Training has worked with many national businesses and used

the Apprenticeship Levy to run professional driver programmes. The Flogas programme is bespoke to the business’ needs. SP Training MD Tony Higgins (above) said: “We tailor each professional driver programme to the needs of the employer and this

apprenticeship with Flogas is a great example of that. In addition to achieving their rigid truck licences, trainees will also gain the knowledge and skills to carry dangerous goods – enabling them to undertake LPG deliveries for Flogas.�

‘Not average’ Joe is face of PGS Birmingham-based PGS Global Logistics is expanding its talent pool through a driver recruitment campaign. The initiative, dubbed ‘Not Your Average Joe’, aims to attract younger candidates to train as HGV drivers. The company, a member of Pallet-Track, has enlisted Joe Eyles, son of MD Paul Eyles, as the face behind the initiative. Joe Eyles oversees the maintenance of the PGS Fleet, which has approximately 65 trucks and 79 trailers. He also has Class 2 and Class 1 driver certificates. Eyles said: “The average age of drivers is between 50 and 60. There are not enough young people getting into driving – it suffers from a negative image, but it’s a progressive career with good money. The industry has not helped because it won’t let young people behind the wheel unless they have experience. But that’s a Catch-22 situation as you can’t get experience unless someone lets you drive in the first place.�

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Family firm defects from TPN after 17 years, claiming switch will allow it to meet needs of clients

Dobbs joins Pallet-Track By Carol Millett

Dobbs Logistics has left The Pallet Network (TPN) after 17 years to join Pallet-Track. The family firm, based in St Leonards-onSea, East Sussex, will start its Pallet-Track commitments today (21 October) covering the majority of the TN postcode area, which includes large parts of Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Dobbs Logistics is the third haulier this year to make the leap to Pallet-Track from a rival network, following in the footsteps of Garrett Transport, which left Palletforce in April and Clive Cowern Transport, which joined from Pall-Ex in March.

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MD Stephen Morgan said: “We had a good relationship with TPN for 17 years, but our continued business development required a step change to meet the needs of our diverse range of clients. “I have been aware of Pallet-Track from its inception when it was looking for new members to build the network. Then it was a good proposition, but it was the wrong time. “Now, the time is right to make the move and build on Pallet-Track’s collaborative approach, which is in line with our needs and those of the sector as a whole. “With a huge emphasis on quality the business speaks the same language as us and we have the ability to regularly sit down with our peers to focus on long-term strategy.” Pallet-Track founder and MD Nigel Parkes said: “We believe in investing in our members and progressing together with shared ideas and the kind of commitment to quality rather than quantity, and values rather than volumes. Dobbs shares that vision and we are delighted to be working with it.” The addition of Dobbs Logistics to PalletTrack brings the network’s membership numbers to close to 100 haulage firms.

RAISE THE ROOF: Freight operators now have free access to detailed information about height restrictions on bridges, tunnels and barriers within Greater London. TfL and Ordnance Survey have worked together to release the dataset to reduce the “alarming” number of bridge strikes that occur in the capital. TfL said the data will allow operators to ensure vehicle are not diverted under structures incorrectly, potentially causing significant structural damage and delays. Its analysis suggests there are, on average, two bridge strikes a month across London. Transport solicitors recently warned hauliers that Network Rail was now reporting bridge strikes to traffic commissioners due to the disruption being caused to rail passengers and motorists, as well as the £23m cost to taxpayers. 21.10.19

I’m saving 10% on my fuel costs Paul Dhaliwal, Dhaliwal Haulage Ltd

set a target at 9mpg for all four of my Volvo FM “ I’ve tippers, some of which are double shifted. With my Ăš9 /9/e# Ăš9/ Ú¥ MĂŚ9 9MP#e9 Ăš /Ă eĂźe S ÉÚĊ 9Éņ Ăž9ĹŒĂ 9 Ă 9SĂŚ Ă ÄŠ É99e S Ć?Ĺ‰ĆŒ Ú¥ Ć?ʼnĆ? šS e Ăš_9 Sà ¥ÌšĹ‰ Ă™_9 L Úà #Ú¥à Ì eĂš eÉ É¥ 9Ăš_e S 9 É9 / Ăš_9 .ÄŠ Q99Ăš / Ăš É_¥ÞÉ ÄŠ /Ă eĂź9à É Ă 9 /ÂĄe S e #Ă 9/e 9 {ÂĄ ʼn Ă˝9 Ă 9 Ăź9Ă Se S Ć?Ĺ‰ĆŒ Ú¥ ĆˆĆ‡ šS / Þ¥à e S ÂĄ SÉe/9 ÂĄĂš_9à ¥š9Ă ĂšÂĄĂ ĹŒĂ‰ Ć‹Ć?Ƈ_š Úà #Ú¥à Ì eĂš Ăš_ Ăš eÉ ÌÉe S Ă ÂĄĂŚ / ĆŠĆŒ eÚà 9É ÂĄĂ 9 /e9É9 / ÄŠĹ‚ My Volvo Truck is saving me ÂŁ15,000 per annum, that’s enough to pay the trucks’ insurance and award the top performing drivers with fuel economy bonuses.

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10/10/2019 11:51

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Chief executive says firm is aiming for one-third of fleet to be battery-driven within 15 years

TRATON puts its faith in electric to meet CO2 emissions targets The TRATON Group, which includes Scania and MAN, believes the EU’s target of cutting carbon emissions from heavy trucks by 15% by 2025 can be achieved largely with conventional engine technology, but the much tougher target of a 30% reduction by 2030 will require significant sales of alternative drivetrains, mainly battery electric. Speaking at the TRATON innovation day for media and key customers at Scania’s HQ in Södertälje, Sweden, TRATON CEO Andreas Renschler said that in the next 10 to 15 years one-third of the group’s trucks and buses would have an alternative drivetrain, “most of them fully electric”.

Diesel drivetrain

While the group is looking at hydrogen – both to power electric fuel cells and for internal combustion engines – it appears to be betting on a new fuel-efficient diesel drivetrain based on a 13-litre, 6-cylinder engine, together with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as the main routes to hitting tough EU CO2 reduction targets for trucks over 16 tonnes. Scania will get the new diesel drivetrain first – towards the end of next year – but MAN will wait a little longer as it is launching the replacement for its TG heavy range in 2020 and does not want to introduce a new cab and drivetrain at the same time. But by 2025 the

10 MotorTransport

new drivetrain will be “the basic solution” across the TRATON Group, Renschler said. TRATON is investing €1bn in common battery electric technology that will be shared across the group brands, including Scania, which until now has focused on natural gas and adapting conventional Euro-6 trucks to run on biodiesel. However, biofuels will not contribute towards the EU carbon reduction targets, which will be measured on a theoretical basis using the vehicle energy

consumption calculation tool (Vecto). Fossil-derived CNG is deemed to emit 14% less CO2 than diesel, with LNG emitting 20% less.

Overhead power

Scania is participating in trials of an electric long-haul tractor powered by overhead wires taking place in Germany but MAN is way ahead on BEVs, with 26-tonne eTGMs on test with customers in Austria, the eTGE electric van (of which 150 have now been sold)

and a 34-tonne 4x2 battery electric distribution tractor unit demonstrator at the innovation day. Scania is testing hydrogen fuel cell trucks with Norwegian food wholesaler Asko and at some point these will be joined by a Scania battery electric truck. But, as ever, buses will lead the way, with the first serial produced all-electric city buses made by both Scania and MAN hitting the streets in 2020. Also on show was a light delivery truck from TRATON’s ➜ 12

21.10.19

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Brazilian subsidiary, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus (VWCO), equipped with BEV components from its Japanese partner, Hino. An order for 1,600 of these e-trucks – said to be the world’s largest – has been placed by Brazilian brewer Ambev, with deliveries beginning in 2020.

Strategies aligned

In a statement, TRATON said: “The activities of the brands in the group are clearly aligned: Scania is the innovation leader for sustainable transport solutions, working on many different non-fossil alternatives. As a full-range business partner, MAN pursues a broader strategy ranging from light to heavy commercial vehicles. And VWCO’s approach is to offer tailor-made solutions with the best value for money ratio, especially for markets in Latin America and Africa.” The sharing of electric vehicle technology is part of a wider “modularisation” strategy that will see 80% of drivetrain components being common across the group with just 20% being “optimised” for each brand to maintain product differentiation. Cabs will continue to be developed separately. Renschler added that the one in

12 MotorTransport

three vehicles forecast to be nondiesel was “a conservative calculation” but warned that the success of BEVs required governments to play their part in helping fund the development of a “seamless” charging infrastructure across Europe. He claimed that despite

the higher purchase price of BEVs, battery prices will fall – and this, together with the lower running and maintenance costs, means total cost of ownership of battery electric distribution trucks would be “comparable” with fossil-fuelled equivalents in the “mid term”.

TRATON believes the payback on a BEV is less than three years. The TRATON statement continued: “Demand for electric vehicles will continue to rise over the medium and long term because electric vehicles will become more affordable and cost less to maintain.”

21.10.19

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Fifth Freight in the City Expo promises all the latest innovations and advice for urban operators

When you’re down town The fifth annual Freight in the City Expo will take place on 6 November at Alexandra Palace, London, and it’s a must-attend event for anyone involved in city goods movements. Alongside a packed seminar programme, focusing on policy, operational and technological best practice in urban logistics, there will be a fantastic exhibition experience waiting for visitors. From cargo bikes to the largest city construction HGVs, you’ll find everything you need if you’re in the market for a new vehicle or the latest fleet technology to enhance your business.

Seminars

Launching the seminar programme with a powerful insight into ClientEarth’s legal challenges to government over air quality will be Dominic Phinn. He works with firms from a range of sectors to understand the solutions

Knowledge and compliance that will be part of a low- and zeroemission transport system and provides progressive businesses with a voice in the debate. Session one will look at successful models of urban freight policy, with speakers from City of London Corporation, City of Stockholm, the FTA and Savills. A second seminar block will give visitors a glimpse into the future of city deliveries with Scania CV AB director of new technolo-

gies, Anders Lampinen, followed by a realistic look at the pathway to achieve this with panellists from the RHA, Ceva Logistics, Tevva Motors, Renault Trucks and Reynold’s Catering. The final session will highlight technology being used today to alter the status quo of urban goods deliveries. Speakers from Volvo Trucks, Ontruck, Calor Gas, City of Sheffield, Magtec and Kiwi Last Mile will take to the stage.

EXHIBITION SHOWCASE: Approximately 70 exhibitors will be at the show this year, with 30 new to the event and bringing along an exciting array of new technology. There will be electric, hydrogen, gas-powered, Euro-6 trucks and vans galore, including Volvo Trucks’ much talked-about autonomous, connected electric vehicle VERA (pictured). There will also be a range of the latest camera technology, direct vision doors, urban trailers and fleet management systems to keep businesses compliant.

IRELAND

Back again after a successful debut last year will be the Knowledge & Compliance Zone, which is the place to head for free advice on operating cleanly, safely and compliantly in urban areas. Taking part will be the RHA, Low CVP, HMRC, Metropolitan Police, TfL, LoCITY, Cross River Partnership, RTITB, CLOCS, FORS and Clairvaux.

Tech talks

This new addition offers the chance to hear about a range of innovations via informal 10-minute presentations in the exhibition hall during breaks. From TRAILAR’s solar panels, to start-up Volta Trucks’ new electric truck concept, there are a range of talks planned. Other speakers include Tevva Motors, LEVL, Greater London Authority and Gnewt Cargo. ■ Freight in the City Expo is free to attend. To register for a free pass go to: freightinthecity.com.

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Fining HGVs is not the answer A Tim Wallace Head of content Motor Transport

lthough the government’s drive to reduce emissions is hard to argue with, have the cost implications for hauliers been overlooked? It’s all very well demanding fleet upgrades and championing the benefits of gas and electric vehicles. But try telling that to businesses such as Sherringtons Waste Management in Birmingham whose owner told delegates at the city’s recent Clean Air Roadshow that fining HGVs that don’t comply with new emissions standards would quickly put her company out of business. It’s a familiar cry. Earlier this year the RHA slammed a similar charge for non-complaint trucks in Newcastle as “a disaster for small operators working on paper thin margins”. Many, it said, will see these plans as nothing more than a stealth tax. There’s also a danger that the new measures won’t achieve the desired

effect. All hauliers will do if they’re being charged £50 a day is pass it on to the end user. And if that end user is willing to stomach the extra cost rather than switch its supplier, there will still be non-compliant HGVs going into city centres. To be fair to Birmingham council, although the new scheme will be launched next July, many HGVs may be exempt from any charges for a year after that. But wider concerns remain. Any legislation aimed at reducing emissions needs to be aggressive, but the technology needs to back it up – more refuelling and recharging stations for example – and it isn’t there yet. As one operator told me, imagine if you went electric and all the trucks that normally take 28 to 30 tonnes all of a sudden can take only 15. You’d double your number of trucks. It would be carnage.

Exactly who’s in charge around here? E Mervyn Ham CEO Clayton Power UK

lectric vehicles alone won’t stop carbon emissions in the transport industry. As it continues to face pressures to sharply reduce carbon emissions, fleet managers have been left in a difficult position about how to go about doing so, while improving efficiency and reducing costs. With some commercial diesel vehicles spending more time idling on roadsides to power onboard equipment than moving, there are glaring inefficiencies that have environmental costs. While electric and hybrid vehicles offer advantages over their diesel and petrol counterparts, making the switch won’t make all vehicle fleets carbon free. While electric vehicles don’t emit carbon this is only a narrow view of the wider picture. Swapping to electric vehicles creates practical issues for fleet managers because the vehicles lack the power to run critical onboard equipment or tools needed for a prolonged period. This creates a situation where electric vehicles need to carry portable fossilfuelled generators to power the equipment. Fleet managers will also have to continue spending money and waste

18 MotorTransport

time to refuel the generators. Replacing entire fleets with electric or hybrid vehicles is also a hugely expensive process and the return on investment isn’t immediate, even when considering potential fuel, vehicle excise duty and congestion charge savings. We believe retrofitting existing vehicles is the most practical approach to address the issue of vehicle idling and maximise the reduction in carbon emissions. Installing lithium power systems, which charge by capturing the excess energy generated while a diesel vehicle is driven, gives access to renewable energy that will power critical equipment after the vehicle comes to a stop and the engine is turned off. This also cuts noise produced by idling engines or running generators. It greatly reduces vehicle idling, removes the need for fossil-fuelled generators and compressors, avoids the power limitations of electric vehicles and is more costeffective than replacing entire fleets.

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 Deputy head of content Hayley Pink 2165 Group production editor Clare Goldie 2174 Deputy production editor Jo Saunders 2173 Key account manager Andrew Smith 07771 885874 Display telesales Barnaby Goodman-Smith 2128 Event sales Tim George 0755 7677758 Classified and recruitment advertising rtmclassified@roadtransport.com Head of sales Emma Tyrer 07900 691137 Divisional director Vic Bunby 2121 Head of marketing Jane Casling 2133 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 Tel 0330 333 9544 Quadrant Subscription Services, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH Rates UK £135/year. Europe £163/year. RoW £163/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 © 2019 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

21.10.19

6886-A4 Full page ad_v2_OUT.indd 1

11/10/2019 16:51

Location technology

motortransport.co.uk

Mapping out the future E

xtensive research carried out by PostTag, (the so-called “destination data engine”), on over two million UK addresses concludes that, on average, 45% are off the mark by 50m (see page 39). Paul Yewman, PostTag’s CEO, explains: “The challenge as e-commerce grows is that, even though the UK’s addressing system is reportedly the second best in the world, it’s still not fit for purpose in the e-commerce world.” PostTag’s research indicates that delivery drivers are on the road for an extra two and a half hours each week because they cannot find correct delivery addresses. Apart from the time and cost involved, this additional mileage contributes to unnecessary CO2 emissions. Further consequences of poor delivery accuracy include stress on drivers, inconvenience to consumers and the negative brand perception for retailers and delivery companies. Routeing and scheduling firms report that improved location software is being developed via a combination of human input and machine learning. The most fundamental core functionality of routeing and scheduling software is the ability to keep maps updated. TomTom’s VP of navigation Heiko Schilling says that maps change by 15% annually, highlighting the impor20 MotorTransport

Postcodes have long been used by home delivery businesses to locate addresses. But, as Laura Reeves finds out, the latest technology could be a game-changer tance of updates to avoid what he calls “map decay”. Schilling adds that TomTom has 600 million connected drivers and data sources using its technology, roughly 30% of the global driving community. These report back to TomTom anonymously using GPS trace data, with all information processed to further develop highly accurate maps. Garmin says that its current sat-navs allow users to update at least twice a year to ensure the latest maps are installed. A spokesperson for the company says: “Garmin uses both GPS and the new Galileo satellite system in our existing line-up of automotive navigation devices. Galileo provides improved positioning and timing information with significant positive implications for many European users.” ➜ 22 21.10.19

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LOST IN TRANSLATION Research carried out by PostTag on more than two million UK addresses concludes that, on average, 45% are off the mark by 50m. This is broken down as follows:

22% are off by between 30m and 80m of their destination

19%are off by between 81m and 150m of their destination

4%are off by more than 150m of their destination

90second time penalty Between 81m and 150m means a 3 minute 40second time

Between 30m and 80m means a

penalty

Once the inaccuracy gets above 150m, the time penalty is over

DON’ WORRY, BE ‘APPY Google Maps is an extremely popular satellite navigation app but its core functionality only supports routes for cars, pedestrians, cyclists and those using public transport. It does not cover HGVs because the required access restriction data isn’t available in the Google base map. A spokesperson for Google says: “We’ve designed Google Maps for everyday drivers of standard-sized vehicles, so we don’t currently include notifications or alerts specific to drivers of trucks, buses or other oversized vehicles. For now, we encourage drivers of non-standard vehicles to use navigation tools designed for their vehicle type. Meanwhile, we’re looking into ways to implement feedback like this into Google Maps to better support all types of drivers.” Other smartphone apps can create routes in ‘truck mode’, such as Sygic Truck Navigation and Copilot Truck. These apps plan routes that are safe for the vehicle size and type, by avoiding roads not suitable for the pre-programmed vehicle dimensions and weight. Truck-related points of interest, such as service stations, truckstops, weighstations and rest areas, can also be located. Garmin’s Dezl products have custom truck routeing based on the size, load and weight of the user’s truck, plus alerts for upcoming bridge heights, sharp curves and steep gradients. TomTom’s key logistics product is TomTom BRIDGE, which offers navigation, maps and traffic services with ‘truck-friendly’ routes. 22 MotorTransport

8minutes

However, if Brexit happens, the UK is unlikely to have access to Galileo, the EU’s alternative to the US-controlled GPS.

All about data

Routeing and scheduling software is also being developed via the deployment of smart technologies such as the ‘internet of things’ (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI). In logistics, the IoT can connect different assets along a supply chain and then analyse the data generated. AI, meanwhile, is being used to automate processes and to identify patterns from collated operational data to ‘learn’ over time. Input data sources encompass many forms, including GPS trace data, manual/crowd-sourced feedback, satellite imagery and governmental input. Data management that used to be highly labour-intensive can now be automated. TomTom’s Schilling explains that the company uses data to produce a ‘transactional database’, meaning that information collected by its 600 million connected data sources is processed and then distributed back to customers via its software, and TomTom can process up to two billion transactions every month, he says. “Software, machinery and artificial intelligence are key – everything that has become a buzzword these days, we have been using for at least 10 years. The advantage we have of being in this business for three decades is that we have probably the biggest historical data source on both artificial and crowd sources, so we can train the system.” Schilling also highlights that TomTom has been developing technology such as the high-definition map, which is intended to make safe autonomous driving possible, and suggests the company is in the leading position ➜ 24 21.10.19

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Location technology

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on this currently. The TomTom HD Map is a highly accurate representation of the road, featuring myriad attributes including traffic signs and lane geometry, with accuracy down to a few centimetres. Such maps will help an automated vehicle precisely locate itself on the road, supporting the vehicle sensors to allow it to understand its surroundings and plan appropriate manoeuvres.

Community feel

Ian Dickinson, director of hardware development at Microlise, explains how it is also using smart technology to automatically optimise location accuracy. When an address has had multiple deliveries, Microlise can analyse data relating to where the ignition of each delivery vehicle was turned off, so the software can interpret the optimal location for that address in future. Many of the software providers we spoke to also cite the use of “community input”. This involves delivery drivers and consumers providing feedback on the accuracy of the location data received. Microlise, for example, has functionality within its proof of collection and delivery application that allows drivers to suggest alternative locations, which can be used to fine-tune the location for future collections and deliveries by that organisation. Having most of the UK supermarkets, including some home delivery divisions, and 3PLs such as DHL and Eddie Stobart as customers, Microlise has the benefit of a large pool of communitygenerated data in the UK. It is believed that at least one delivery company has instructed its agents to take photographs of interesting features outside houses, such as unusual door furniture, to feed back into its system, to make the house more identifiable for future deliveries. n

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AN INDUSTRY FINDING ITS WAY Not all routeing systems use postcodes. Google Maps’ Plus Codes and what3words, for instance, both use a grid system to divide maps into sections. What3words has divided the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and assigns each one a “human-friendly” three-word address. Google’s Plus Codes system uses a short code of six or seven letters and numbers and a locality. For example the DVV Media headquarters in Sutton, Surrey is referred to as ‘pretty.divide.loaded’ in the what3words system while the Plus Codes address is 9C3X9R64+W8 or 9R64+W8 Sutton, UK. A spokesperson for what3words explains: “Large buildings often have one traditional street address which covers the whole area. With what3words, each log point, each truck entry, side entrance and parking slot has a unique three-word address. The technology is quite simple: it converts a unique three-word address into GPS coordinates and the other way.” Likewise, a Plus Code can be used to find or share a place on Google Maps. In the what3words set-up, it is the end customer that finds his/ her precise three-word address, using what3words’ free map or app, and provides it alongside traditional address information, which converts to GPS coordinates for the courier via an API [application programming interface]. Mercedes-Benz became the first vehicle manufacturer to integrate what3words into its car head units and in logistics, customers can specify pick-ups and drop-offs using what3words locations via a specific input field on DB Schenker’s online ordering portal, eSchenker. Notably, what3words is working with some emergency services on ‘dropping’ a pinpoint location. Google has opted to provide Plus Codes as ‘open source’, which means it is available free to developers for use or modification so third-party services could easily integrate it. PostTag’s focus is on the last 100m and it claims to have developed technology to pinpoint an exact location using the precise latitude and longitude of any address. Its focus is on getting drivers to the right front door first time. PostTag’s Yewman explains: “When an address is entered into an e-commerce site, a request is made to an address verification site, whether that be GBG, Experian, Google or any number of others – they are making an API call somewhere. What PostTag does is replace that API call with one of our own. That API call checks and verifies the address, and within certain parameters can also identify and correct incorrect addresses. Once we have that information, we send the file back with the correct and validated address and we send with it the accurate latitude and longitude, which then integrates with the user’s existing mapping or scheduling system.” PostTag says it is the only company that can provide this frictionlessly, meaning without consumer input, and that by focusing solely on the destination data, it brings pinpoint geolocation accuracy to existing mapping services. “Mapping companies can update their maps but if the location data isn’t accurate enough, the problem of destination error doesn’t go away. Better, more up-to-date maps will not reduce the 45% destination inaccuracy that currently exists,” says Yewman. The system, which has a patent pending, uses machine-learning algorithms and ‘feedback loops’ to learn over time. Yewman reveals that PostTag uses 11 different data systems, which are cross-referenced to verify the most accurate location. PostTag has been working with two-man delivery specialist ArrowXL for the last nine months as part of its £3m digital transformation project. Once fully deployed, the solution will be especially valuable for crews trying to find addresses within large estates where a single postcode can cover several streets, or when delivering to densely populated communal buildings. Pamela Dennison, chair of the FTA in Northern Ireland, is all too familiar with the issue of location accuracy since her family business, WS Dennison, does furniture home delivery. She comments: “While many of these new solutions are interesting and impressive, there isn’t enough public awareness of any of them yet for them to be widely accepted. Because the home delivery supply chain includes the retailer, the delivery partner and the consumer, there needs to be one clear and standardised approach that all involved parties could get on board with.” 21.10.19

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Profile: FreshLinc

Follow the Linc

FreshLinc has a diverse portfolio, and staying compliant is always a priority in an ever-changing industry. Christopher Walton went along to learn more

A

n idiot’s eureka moment happened during MT’s day with FreshLinc. Linc actually means Lincolnshire, the county in which the firm was formed, and not a link in a temperature-controlled supply chain… Equally, we had not realised that, for a major operator in the UK and Europe, FreshLinc Group is relatively young. It started in 1996, originating from a local farm company. Starting with four HGVs delivering its product from the local area, today it operates more than four hundred of its own vehicles. Today FreshLinc Group has several divisions, explaining that sizeable fleet: FreshLinc is the temperaturecontrolled distribution arm; DirectLinc handles some 150 containers a day, alongside specialist equipment (HIAB cranes); FLX offers ambient distribution and freight management; while the bulk haulage side FLB collects various aggregates and products such as sugar beet, grain and potatoes.

Diversification

This means that over the past 23 years, FreshLinc has diversified away from its farming heritage and formally demerged in 2008 into its own separate entity. Today FreshLinc has depots in Spalding, Wakefield, Evesham, Sittingbourne and Paddock Wood – as well as a centre in the Netherlands. DirectLinc is operated from Wyton, FLX is based in Carrington, Greater Manchester, while bulk haulage FLB is based in separate facilities in Spalding. With such a diverse portfolio, staying compliant is 26 MotorTransport

always a priority in an ever-changing environment. This was highlighted by the government’s recent legislative changes in regard to Brexit in the first quarter of the year with the ratification of the 1968 Vienna Convention on road traffic, as commercial manager Ashley Holland describes: “In 2009 we started our European operation primarily moving horticultural products from Europe. We currently supply around 16,000 movements a year. “Every single one of our refrigerated trailers,around 500, had to be dual registered before the 28 March 2019, which cost us several thousands of pounds to complete and we were one of the first companies to put this in place. This happened during one of our peak periods of flower imports – Mother’s Day. It took two weeks for the certificate to arrive, we then had to get the number plates fitted, along with securing the documents to the trailer. Our fleet team did an amazing job co-ordinating this, considering we were granted access only seven weeks before the deadline,” he says. ➜ 28

SEASONAL SYNCHRONICITY FreshLinc’s roots (if you’ll pardon the pun) are in temperature-controlled – and seasonality affects the rhythms of the business, says Ashley Holland. “In January, generally orders drop, apart from fruit and veg in the first two weeks of the month as everyone is trying to get healthy after Christmas. In February there is Valentine’s Day, so we peak in flowers, then there is Mother’s Day and Easter. “The summer months all depend on the weather, and more importantly the sunshine, as to where the product is coming from. “After summer there are pumpkins. Then we move into Christmas build up and peak. There isn’t really a quiet period.” ➜ 28 21.10.19

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Profile: FreshLinc “At that point in time we thought Brexit was happening at the end of March, so we had to get it done. The last thing I wanted was having several trailers isolated in the Netherlands because we did not have the right paperwork. There was too much risk.”

Reducing risk

Reducing risk is one of the companies’ key objectives. FreshLinc is British Retail Consortium (BRC) accredited, FORS, TASCC and FIAS registered and has long been an active member in both the RHA and FTA. In terms of the systems FreshLinc uses to stay compliant, it works closely with all its IT suppliers providing: traffic management systems; warehouse management software; telematics for trailers and units; tachograph analysis; and onboard CCTV cameras; along with a driver fatigue system from Seeing Machines (Guardian). “Compliance-wise, we are 95% paperless,” says Holland. “That is everything from infringement signings, walkaround checks, defect reporting, driver inductions, assessments and training. Being paperless helps us save on storage space, access data quicker and is cleaner and more clinical, not to mention better for the environment. MT was joined on its visit to FreshLinc by Aquarius, developer of road transport compliance and analysis solutions, and its commercial director Guy Reynolds says: “All the technologies we have developed on mobile – menu-driven checking systems, taking photos as evidence, applying GPS positions, vehicle walkaround checks or a clandestine check – are the same. We are about creating business solutions, we take the technologies out there and create the business solution. Holland explains that the very first thing the business digitised was driver infringements. “That was an easy win for us,” he says. “The amount of time and cost we have removed from the business in printing, paper and time spent archiving has been enormous. That was six years ago now.” Reynolds adds: “It was completely new and no other person in the industry had done it. The DVSA said it was a game-changer.”

Digitised walkaround checks

FreshLinc moved on from digitising driver infringement records to digitising daily walkaround checks, says Holland: “I don’t believe that any operator running a sizeable fleet with a paper-based system can categorically say that a driver is doing a walkaround check 100% of the time (both on and off site) – but we can. We instantly know as soon as the driver has completed the check. It has once again accelerated access to information in our business, enabling us to only deal with exceptions. “Accidents happen and the more vehicles you have on the road, the more chance there is, albeit our overall

28 MotorTransport

motortransport.co.uk

DRIVE TIME The FreshLinc Driver Apprentice Scheme started in December 2018, putting through a minimum of three apprentices each quarter, taking on people with a car licence and putting them through Category C and C+E. To date, nine apprentices have gone through the new scheme, says Ashley Holland. “We are looking to open it up, so if anyone is looking to get a Category C and C+E licence in the Spalding area, get in touch! We will be opening this up across our network soon.” As part of the scheme FreshLinc uses the Apprenticeship Levy to fund the Cat C entitlement and then funds the C+E itself. “We bring people in and give them a day about the industry, this normally reduces the number of applicants by about 60%,” says Holland. “People don’t appreciate the commitment, both in hours and unsociable times, that go into working in the industry. I’m afraid our industry is not always regarded and respected for the invaluable service and contribution it makes to everyday life.” But that hasn’t put everyone off. “When we first rolled this scheme out, we had 25 applicants for our first three places. One of the first apprentices, Warren Harris was just 18 when he started and he’s now driving a C&E category lorry,” says Holland. “We train the apprentice up in the warehouse, and they spend time loading and off-loading lorries, gaining knowledge on how to secure loads and the different types of pallets, trolleys and so on they may encounter. We also put them in the yard and train them to operate shunt tugs. Then we put them in the traffic, compliance and fleet office for a couple of weeks, as well as shadowing drivers. This giving them a much fuller understanding of the operation. “So far, we have a 100% retention rate. It is not massive numbers, but it is something we are very proud of, and we are committed to going forward.”

accident rate per 100,000km continues to fall well below industry standards. However, if it does happen, we can interrogate our system and start an investigation and within 10 minutes we pretty much have all the finite detail required. When did the driver and vehicle last download tachograph data? When was the last walkaround check? Are there any outstanding defects or issues on that vehicle? When was it last MoT’d? When was it last serviced? We don’t have to wait. We have got the detail there and then. It is quite a powerful asset for us. At this point MT is joined by Andy Tubb, compliance manager and head of driver training at FreshLinc. “We control the whole group compliance for DirectLinc, FLB (FreshLinc Bulk), FLX and FreshLinc and what the Aquarius system allows us to do is control and monitor from one central location,” he says. “The system is very slick and easy to use and when we have a new member of the team they can pick up on it really quickly. “The key element for us is the drivers’ calendar. We can access all the data, on all the drivers, and we use that to enforce compliance and develop the driver. We bring them in and show the driver where there is a fault or where they have made a mistake.” ➜ 31

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Profile: FreshLinc

motortransport.co.uk

At FreshLinc, driver development is key, explains Tubb, because it does not want drivers to be carrying infringements. Using a tablet, the compliance software system can be used as a training aid.

A VERY SPECIAL DAY

Monthly reports

“Using [Aquarius, and its ClockWatcher software] to control the working time directive, we can send out reports monthly to the driver and traffic manager in every depot,” says Tubb. “This alerts them fast and helps them control any potential arising issues. You can see periods of availability, and because you’re looking at the screen you can really understand what is going on because it is pictorial. It gives everyone a level playing field. “We run all sorts of reports from the data on the telematics. Average driving time for example, so does it take a driver longer to do a job than it did this time last year? Monitoring every day with a T&A [time and attendance] system, and because the timeline is there against the tacho line you can see if there are any discrepancies.” Reynolds explains that this is above and beyond legal compliance in terms of drivers’ hours law and can be integrated with other parts of the business such as payroll. Tubb adds that there is now “a very simple process for accident reporting on the phone that prompts you what to do in the case of an accident”. He says this is essential as the information to defend the company is critical. Tubb, alongside a compliance team and transport managers in all depots, can look after more than 800 drivers and more than 400 vehicles. “FreshLinc and Aquarius have worked closely together to build and develop the system. It has given us the time to be more compliant and develop our drivers – because it saves you time having all the information in one place,” concludes Tubb. n

In June FreshLinc was asked to move some pallets to the Chelsea Flower Show for one of its customers. To cut a long story short, it turned into delivering the memorial garden celebrating the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. As soon as it discovered this, FreshLinc decided to do the movement free of charge and didn’t just take the whole garden to Chelsea, it picked it up after the Flower Show and delivered in to Arromanches in Normandy, its final resting place. The delivery drivers were MD Robin Hancox, operations director Lee Juniper, general manager (DirectLinc) Darren Page, fleet engineer Andrew Marchant and driver Wayne Juniper. To commemorate the trip their friends at RGVA graphics helped with a memorial livery, currently running on three units.

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21.10.19

MotorTransport 31

Interview: Marian Kitson

You have to earn it Marian Kitson was appointed director of enforcement at the DVSA in September 2018. Steve Hobson speaks to her about the agency’s Earned Recognition scheme

E

arned Recognition (ER) could be a gamechanging initiative for the DVSA that would leave ‘exemplar’ operators free to run their businesses with minimal enforcement and free up scarce resources so the agency can crack down on the cowboys. Marian Kitson was appointed director of enforcement at the DVSA in September 2018 and, together with Earned Recognition national account manager Philip Breen, is driving the scheme, which was officially launched at the CV Show in April 2018. When MT spoke to Kitson in August this year there were 18,413 HGV vehicles and about 14,000 PSVs running on a total of 239 O-licences within ER. This was actually a fall of one O-licence since June 2019 as New Image Stone, a small operator with just two vehicles which had been in the scheme, went into liquidation.

32 MotorTransport

That means the average ER fleet has 135 vehicles, but Kitson says there is a “pretty good spread” of fleet sizes in the scheme. “We've been really keen to make sure that nobody thinks Earned Recognition is just for big fleets,” she says. “In fact, one of the Earned Recognition operators I visited recently is not a big operator at all. I'd say they’ve got in the region of 50 vehicles. “When I was at the CV Show this year I was talking to an operator who’s got 20 vehicles and was absolutely encouraging him to think about Earned Recognition. They’re dealing with fresh produce, so for them the assurance that we wouldn’t stop them unless we see something that was visibly a problem meant a great deal to them and their business.”

Key data

ER involves operators with high levels of compliance using approved IT systems to gather key data on drivers’ hours and vehicle maintenance and emailing it to the DVSA every four weeks. They must show they are achieving 97% or 98% compliance with nine key performance indicators (KPIs), levels that the DVSA believes are indicative of an exemplar operator. Operators in ER are assigned 21.10.19

motortransport.co.uk

‘blue’ status – outside the red, amber and green OCRS that are built over time based on encounters with the DVSA – and their vehicles will not be stopped at roadside checks unless there is an obvious and dangerous defect. “My examiners are very clear that there is a distinct difference between Earned Recognition, which we designate as blue, and green OCRS,” says Kitson. “Basically we know that these are compliant operators from the amount of information that we’ve got from them. What my examiners have not got is the same level of assurance for those green OCRS operators.”

Limited commercial value

ER operators complain that there is limited commercial value in going to the effort of getting and staying in ER, and have urged the DVSA to do more to raise the profile of the scheme in the eyes of key customers and encourage them to require hauliers to have ER status before being allowed to tender for contracts. “This is absolutely part of our ambition for this year,” confirms Kitson. “Having established the scheme, what we've now got to do is to continue to build it. Alongside bringing more operators into the scheme, what we really want to do is market it to large contractors so they realise that they would be far better going with an Earned Recognition operator than one that wasn’t because they would be getting the best of the best.” While ER operators can proclaim their status on letterheads and other written material, the DVSA remains opposed to putting ER stickers on vehicles, fearing there could be a black market in them as has happened with other operator recognition schemes. ➜ 34 21.10.19

MotorTransport 33

Interview: Marian Kitson “We’re not aiming to do that at the moment,” says Kitson. “As far as we are concerned, we know which operators have Earned Recognition, so for my team that are targeting non-compliance at the roadside, we’ve got all the information we need. We publish all of the Earned Recognition operators on our website so it’s easy for somebody awarding a contract to check whether the operator they are working with has got Earned Recognition.” The lack of signage on vehicles could, however, become a problem if large construction clients, for example, introduce a policy of only allowing vehicles within ER on site, as not every gate man will have the DVSA register to hand. “I haven’t had that raised as being a challenge,” says Kitson. “At the moment, no one’s told me that's a problem.” Getting major clients to specify ER would certainly help the DVSA achieve its initial target of getting 10% of the HGV parc within the scheme. “We think we have about 7% of the fleet across HGV and PSV in the scheme,” says Kitson. “Continuing to build that up to 10% and beyond would absolutely be my ambition. I'm confident we’ll easily achieve that and go beyond it in this financial year [ending March 2020].” The good news is that no operator has been ejected from the scheme due to a failure to meet the KPIs. The DVSA has pledged to work with operators in the scheme to help them identify issues and improve if a KPI is missed rather than eject them. “We immediately have a conversation with the operator and find out what was going on and why to see whether we can bring them back,” says Kitson. “That has been successful up until now and we hope that continues.

Good communication

“We have really good communication with the operators that are in the scheme. They feel it is important they have that interaction with the DVSA and they absolutely see it as a benefit. If it were to get to a stage where we are not having good communication or work needed to be done to rectify the situation, then we’ll have a much more difficult conversation with that operator. We haven’t been in that position as yet. Inevitably, we will be, I have no doubt. The integrity of the scheme is really important to me so the industry knows if an operator has Earned Recognition that is because they’re meeting the standards.” This means that so far the DVSA has not had to make a decision over whether to refer non-compliances reported by an ER operator to the traffic commissioner. Presumably any operator that suddenly saw compliance levels fall for any reason – a change in vehicle maintenance provider or transport manager for example – would simply stop sending the DVSA the four-weekly emails and drop out of ER. “We haven’t had that situation as yet,” says Kitson. “Actually, the same indicators apply across our interactions with the traffic commissioner. We haven’t had a situation where we’ve been in the position where we had a very substantial deviation from the standards and the KPIs. If it did we would apply the same criteria as every other non-compliant situation and refer to the traffic commissioner right away.” The whole point of ER is to free scarce resources to concentrate on putting the seriously non-compliant element of the industry out of business, and the ER team looking after the 100 or so operators in the scheme is small, consisting of two examiners, a couple of admin staff and the account manager. “They are looking after the scheme on a day-to-day basis,” says Kitson. “Obviously, as the scheme grows, we need to ensure we have the right amount of staff to cover it. At the moment, I have about 600 staff in total and what’s really important for me is that Earned Recognition allows us to focus our activity on the non-compliant. “It means I can target my examiners away from operators we know are compliant because we have that assur34 MotorTransport

motortransport.co.uk

ance. Sometimes we will work with an operator quickly when we see a small mistake to prevent that becoming a regular way of operating. In contrast, we are also dealing with operators who unfortunately take a different attitude to compliance. They really are a danger and a risk to road safety and the interaction they have with us is going to be quite sustained.” So far there are no trends emerging that reveal which KPIs ER operators are missing most, so the DVSA has no plans to change or adapt the standards. “We do not see any patterns at all as yet,” says Kitson. “We don’t wait to speak to an Earned Recognition operator until they’ve missed the KPI for two or three months. As soon as a KPI is missed, we are having a conversation with them. Most of the misses are by a very small margin and then that is a conversation over the phone so we can be reassured that compliance would be restored. “We are not looking to make changes at the moment. We’re just over one year into the scheme, so we’d like to ensure some stability. But we are constantly reviewing all of the KPIs just to be sure that they are the right ones to maintain safety standards.”

Back office system

The ER back office system was originally written on IBM Notes, formerly known as Lotus Notes, software that has been around for many years. “We use the IBM case management system in the agency and recognise it will be a benefit to invest in a new system that would give us an end-to-end approach to compliance,” says Kitson. “I’m looking at that and we would then include Earned Recognition in that new system. We’ve got a project team working on that, but it’s not just about compliance and Earned Recognition. It’s looking across the agency, but Earned Recognition will benefit from that upgrade.” The fact that ER was written using such venerable software demonstrates that it has not had huge sums of money thrown at it. “We haven’t spent a lot of money on setting up Earned Recognition,” confirms Kitson. “Our estimate of the cost is about £137,000. We’ve wanted to do this as a benefit to the industry and to road safety. It enables the really good operators to show that they are the best and they meet these very high standards. The benefit of that is their interaction with us changes to become more about collaboration and support rather than compliance. It’s a win for all road users. “What we hope to do is support the members of the scheme a little more because the feedback I have received is that they are definitely looking for contract exclusivity for Earned Recognition operators.” n 21.10.19

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MT Awards 2019 winner profile Best Use of Technology Award

Balance of power In an industry striving to meet environmental targets, UPS stands out for taking on the challenge of charging electric vehicles – and overcoming it

T

he transition to electric vehicles (EV) by haulage fleets comes with significant challenges, not least how you go about charging them all up. The move by UPS to EVs goes back a few years and, according to the company, was prompted by risk mitigation and a need to address London’s poor air quality. But in order to meet emissions goals and electrify its fleet at its central depot in Camden, it needed to find a way of accommodating charging on a commercial scale. The solution, developed in collaboration with UK Power Networks and Cross River Partnership, removes the need for an expensive upgrade to the power supply grid in order to simultaneously recharge 170 vehicles overnight – and the initiative won it the MT award this year for Best Use of Technology.

Artificial intelligence

SMART grid is an operating system that charges its EV fleet via control algorithms that respond to network grid capacity and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). UPS says it evaluated different technologies and assessed various smart-charging options and came to the conclusion that a combination of Active Network Management and Energy Storage Systems, along with a high-speed power meter and smart

36 MotorTransport

charge posts, could all work together to intelligently monitor energy demand. Luke Wake, UPS international director of automotive engineering, says: “What typically happens with a conventional vehicle grid is there isn’t any intelligence in the network. Our vehicles all return somewhere between 6pm and 7pm to be put on charge.You run the risk of going over the peak threshold and it can trip.” Not so with SMART grid. Instead of an entire fleet simultaneously being charged on maximum power at the start, a proportion are prioritised and placed on peak power. AI and algorithms are then relied upon so that the power demand for individual vehicles is monitored and

UPS EMISSIONS GOALS UPS has set itself a range of ambitious targets to reduce its environmental impact over the next six years, which include ramping up the number of clean fleet vehicles it runs. While the growth of e-commerce drives the need for increased capacity and fleet expansion, the company says it intends to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 12% across its global ground operations by 2025 and it has identified renewable energy as critical to hitting this goal. In order to achieve this, it has established three targets to accelerate the use of renewables. These are: to source 25% of total electricity needs from renewable sources by 2025; source 40% of ground fuel from low carbon or alternative fuels by 2025; and a quarter of its global annual vehicle purchases to be an alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicle solution by 2020. Its Camden depot is a testbed for its EV strategy, but Luke Wake explains it solves more than one obstacle: “It’s one thing to have electric vehicles, but you have to combine that with having vehicles that work within the infrastructure. “With this SMART grid, as more and more [electric] vehicles are being used, we can take this learning and apply it to other buildings so that we can use as many vehicles within that constraint. “We can continue to scale those vehicles and that’s really important for our broad commercial strategy.” 21.10.19

Sponsored by

Greg Ward, commercial sales director (second right) of sponsor Bridgestone, hands over the trophy to UPS international director of automotive engineering Luke Wake (holding trophy) and automotive director Matt Nicholson (far left)

altered as necessary, dropping from 22kW at the start of the evening to 5kW as the night draws on and all the fleet’s batteries continue to be charged up. “Let’s say the vehicles all have to be despatched at 7am and it’s now 8pm,” explains Wake. “SMART grid calculates the most efficient way to charge all the vehicles so they can all go out – but they don’t go above the threshold. “Operationally nothing has changed, but the technology has done it all in the background with no impact on the operation.” It’s difficult to overstate the importance of SMART grid. Research carried out by UPS prior to collaborating on a solution found there are three primary barriers to EV uptake among large companies: prohibitive initial purchase price, a lack of product availability and a lack of available charging infrastructure. By demonstrating it has overcome a concern held by 44% of companies surveyed and preventing them from making the leap to EV, UPS has blazed a trail. “We would have invested in a substation with a further upgrade, but it’s also about a broader strategy,” says Wake. “As UPS deploys more electric vehicles there’s also a trend that society will deploy electric vehicles.

“National Grid needs a more intelligent approach to how you balance that. It makes more sense from an energy consumption point of view to balance that grid.” The bottom line is that SMART grid enables UPS to increase its electric vehicle fleet without upgrading the network connection. It says there has been no solution before this that has allowed commercial fleets to scale up their EVs, and it could mark a major turning point in their deployment worldwide. However, it’s important to point out that SMART grid is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Wake concedes it was bespoke to its operation in one part of London and if large fleets are going to transition to EVs then it’s likely that there will be a range of solutions, perhaps working along a similar theme. When considering the deployment of the SMART grid at other UPS depots, Wake explained the importance of looking at each building on a case-by-case basis. “Different buildings, often by luck or history, have completely different power available in them. What may be possible in one building for 10 vehicles may allow 100 in another.” n

A CAPITAL IDEA When UPS first started looking at its commercial vehicles and the potential for electrification at its Camden site, it could see that its package delivery fleet showed the most potential. The parcel firm divides its fleet into two, Package deliveries – to businesses and homes – works on a ‘return to base’ basis and typically relies on 7.5-tonne purpose-built vehicles. The other side is its HGV hub-to-hub logistics division, which runs through the night. “Typically, the package fleet operates throughout the day and then returns to the depot and loads or unloads,” explains Luke Wake. “This impacts on the charging strategy we need to deploy.” These fleet vehicles are parked up in the north London depot overnight and so the charging regime is obviously constrained within a time window. Before SMART grid was introduced, UPS found that it was reaching power thresholds as it gradually increased the number of EVs on the fleet and this 21.10.19

limited the number it could run. “In our night operation, we run a belt system to move packages around the building and, combined with the charging of electric vehicles, this creates a peak power demand that, unmanaged, could trip the infrastructure,” he adds. This is in contrast to the building’s power needs during the day, which is normally low as its fleet is out in operation and employees’ electricity needs are not significant. In 2008, it had 10 electric vehicles out of a fleet size of 200, but as the proportion has increased over the following decade, so has the demand on the network. SMART grid solves this consumption conundrum, although UPS had to simulate the grid was capable of providing its nocturnal power needs before the system was fully launched: “It was such an innovative project that didn’t really exist before,” says Wake. “There was no base to compare it to.” MotorTransport 37

MT Awards 2019 winner profile Operational Excellence Award

Flying high Wren Kitchens insists on maintaining the very highest of operational standards in its transport operation – and it shows

L

ee Holmes, head of transport operations at Wren Kitchens, said of winning the Motor Transport Operational Excellence Award, sponsored by The Algorithm People: “It means everything to us. We are a private family owned business and our mission is to be the best at everything we do.” First and foremost, Wren Kitchens is a retailer and manufacturer of high-class kitchens at affordable prices and the transport is a means to an end to move goods for the customer. But when you’re in a business where the mantra is ‘Only the Best is Good Enough’ that means the transport operation has to operate to the highest standards in the industry. “We put the resource into what is required to be the best – where others might scrimp and save we don’t do that,” says Holmes. “We have the best team around and we aim for the best standards. It is just what we do.” It’s easy enough to say you are at the top of the game, but Wren Kitchens can back it up with facts. Its delivery on-time, in-full success rate is 99.95%; it has introduced a triple-trunking concept (more of that later) that has

38 MotorTransport

delivered a 33% annual cut in road miles and £1.6m of annual efficiency savings; it has a consistent drivers’ hours infringement rate of less than 3%, green OCRS and a 95.25% first-time pass rate for MoTs… the list goes on. Wren Kitchens – which has a head office and main manufacturing facility in Barton-upon-Humber as well as sites in Howden and Scunthorpe – celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, and has seen an average of 20% growth in turnover year on year. And while the rest of the retail sector is suffering, Wren Kitchens is expanding, which places a special kind of pressure on maintaining the very highest operational standards in the transport operation.

Manufactured in-house

“Other suppliers supply the flat-pack kitchen – probably from Italy at a guess – we manufacture it all here in the UK, build it and full-pack it all for your house. We don’t double-handle anything. That is a key part of the supply chain,” says Holmes. “We could take the easy option and contract our transport out to whoever, but we do it in-house as it gives us the flexibility to do what we want to do; to train the guys how we want to train them, as that training will ensure we give the best service. Everyone takes pride in what we do.” Instilling pride in all members of staff at Wren Kitchens, which employs more than 4,200 people across all aspects of the business, begins during the three-week company induction. “I believe it is the very best around,” says Holmes, who has been with the business for four years. “It is very intense. Nobody has any qualms about what we do and how we do it. The management team gets the full backing for what they require. We have monthly meetings with the drivers, where we have committee members who we go over problems with, we sit down as a business around the table and talk about all sorts of issues and what fixes we can put in place to avoid them happening again. This is on a continual improvement basis. So if a driver tells us a delivery route is difficult, we’ll block the postcode so we don’t go that way again.” For each home delivery there is a driver and a porter lifting the heavy goods into customers’ homes; the installation team arrives separately. Here the staff induction is a vital part of the customerfacing process: “After a three-week induction everyone gets buddied up for a month. When they have just come in they don’t really understand the bigger picture and how they fit in. But they are part of a team to us, they are 21.10.19

Sponsored by

Colin Ferguson, CEO of sponsor The Algorithm People, presents the trophy to Lee Holmes, head of transport operations (centre), Richard Walker, marketing director (far left), and the Wren Kitchens team

not just the driver. Every year at Christmas we shut down and there is a two-week refresher,” Holmes says. In terms of the fleet, Wren Kitchens runs 75 7.5-tonners and 90 18-tonners – and has bucked the trend in recent years by shying away from vans and making serious efficiency gains by running more 7.5-tonners. With 60% of its business coming from southern England, but its manufacturing base being in the North, it makes very little sense to run vans up and down the M1 full of kitchens. This has led to ‘triple trunking’ – which Wren introduced in 2018. One 18-tonner pulls a demountable drawbar with two box bodies on the chassis. By having three boxes each combination can carry six kitchens, which means it takes three vans off the road. Not only does this save money, it is also more environmentally friendly.

Environmental impact

Thinking ahead of the environmental impact its transport operation has is part of the overall approach to business at Wren Kitchens. Holmes says the operation is set up to transition to alternative fuels as soon as they are viable, trunking with gas and final mile with electric. Through triple trunking it has already reduced road miles. “We were using three or four vehicles where we are now using one,” says Holmes. When alternative fuels are ready then Wren Kitchens will be ready too. “This year we have placed orders for 55 new trucks, all Euro-6 to comply with low emission zones, and when we come to replace them in five or six years we believe it will be time for electric,” Holmes adds. “We have been speaking to manufacturers and we believe that by then they will have the range we need. Each kitchen is roughly 1,200kg and we need at least two on each 7.5-tonner. Once these two are loaded you are left with approximately 300kg payload, so if we lose any more with the batteries we can’t do it, but as soon as it is there then we will.” It’s not just forward thinking that saw Wren Kitchens pick up the award in July, it is the attention to detail right now. Holmes says that Wren Kitchens is on track to achieve Earned Recognition status. “We believe we meet all the criteria, it is just a case of us lining up our ducks in a row on that one. We have no problems with compliance. We have a new fleet and the highest level of training in the industry, so we have a low infringement rate and a low accident rate,” he says. “We are never pushing the drivers to do maximum hours, there is room for a break, so if they need a break they take a break. There is a full debrief for drivers to run 21.10.19

through what they have done. We run through driving scores daily, so there is competition between the guys, they can see their name on the walls. And although we’ve been changing the fleet from Renault to Mercedes-Benz, we’re still competitive with the drivers on MPG.” Using the very best technology on the market is also integral to the success of the operation. “Even though it is a kitchen being delivered, we have still got to offer the goods to the customer in the way a DPD or a Hermes would. If those guys are leading the marketplace, then we are with them,” says Holmes. “Customer expectations are changing and becoming more demanding. We want to be the best in the kitchen market. It is really complex to bring the full kitchen together, with all the different components, on time. But all the training, the best uniforms with the shoe covers and floor covers, everything goes into making the best experience for the customer.” Wren Kitchens developed its own in-house single point of contact for customers called FrontEnd, handling everything from the initial order to finance to design and manufacturer and the end-delivery process. All its other technologies feed into FrontEnd, giving the customer real transparency. So if there is traffic, bad weather or road traffic accidents, the planned delivery window can be changed.

Investment in technology

“We invest heavily in the latest technology. We want the best, so we provide the best. Paragon is the market leader at route planning, we believe, so we use Paragon. We also use Paragon HDX and Flexipod, which notifies the customer of a two-hour window with a text message,” he says. Wren also uses Advanced TomTom for navigation and route-planning, Brigade for dash-cams and R2C for fleet management. “Historically in the transport industry there have been paper defects, and you’d have to file that away… it really is the Stone Age way of doing things,” Holmes says of using R2C for fleet management. “The driver now gets the R2C app and can notify of a defect on the app, and that gets seen by the office and the garage, so there is no paper trail and anyone can look at it no matter where they are in the country. It’s the 21st century; why are people still using paper? It’s bizarre. Why would you have someone in the transport office sifting through defects?” This attention to detail ensures Wren Kitchens lives up to the mantra: “Only the Best is Good Enough”. n MotorTransport 39

Everyone talks, one delivers. The new Actros. Predictive Powertrain Control. The new Actros with enhanced Predictive Powertrain Control can achieve a fuel saving of up to 3% on motorways and as much as 5% on regional routes in comparison with its predecessor. Fitted as standard, the enhanced system now works on mapped A and B roads as well as motorways and uses a satellite-based positioning system, as well as extended digital road maps. Speed is adapted to stored speed limits, junctions and roundabouts. Find out more at mercedes-benz-trucks.com

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