Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging
NEWS INSIDE Opening up events
Free movement plan unveiled p3
CAZ challenge
Burnham declines to charge p4
Vox pop
Is the driver crisis easing?
p6
OPERATORS INSIDE Asda............................................................. p4 C&D South West............................................ p3 Jeavons Eurotir ............................................p22 Len Wright Salads......................................... p6 Palletways.................................................... p3 T Wilson & Sons............................................ p6 TWE Haulage ...............................................p22 Wren Kitchens .............................................. p4 XPO .............................................................. p3 Yodel............................................................. p4
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GUEST APPEARANCE: Her Royal Highness Princess Anne was the special guest speaker at last week's Microlise Transport Conference in her capacity as patron of sector charity Transaid. The Princess Royal holds a Category C HGV licence and is an honorary member of the RHA. She also presented the Microlise Driver of the Year award to Marek Mackiewicz of Culina (pictured left with host Spencer Kelly from BBC technology show Click), who was picked from a shortlist of drivers after the company analysed a year’s worth of anonymous telematics data. "There’s never been a better time to celebrate and honour those stalwarts of the industry, the drivers, who act as true ambassadors for the sector," she told delegates. "You have responded to the challenges of lack of vehicle supply and rising fuel costs and done as much as anybody to keep the country moving during the pandemic. This is an industry that underpins the economy and I hope you feel rather more appreciated than you have been in the past and can look forward with confidence to the future. I wish you well and thank you for your continued support for Transaid."
Supermarket transport director says agency driver support was vital to its pandemic response
Tesco boss hails agency drivers By Tim Wallace
Tesco transport director Matt Rhind has hit back at criticism of agency drivers, insisting they should be given more respect and that their support was vital during the “really tough” challenges posed by the pandemic. Speaking in a panel session on issues and opportunities for fleet operators at the Microlise Transport Conference in Coventry last week, Rhind (pictured, right) disagreed with fellow panelist Lesley O’Brien (left) director of Halifax-based Freightlink Europe, who claimed agencies “don’t understand the industry” and provided drivers of “extremely poor quality”. Responding, Rhind said: “In the lead up to the pandemic, agency drivers worked with us to manage the complexities of supply chain spikes. “They were instrumental in helping us get through and deliver a super-resilient service. “Agencies should have the same access to training and workplace facilities as our colleagues, which breeds loyalty. They may then
choose to stay with the agency or we may become their permanent employer in the long run. “If operators did their best to help agency drivers comply with the same standards it would raise the bar and give us a really capable workforce,” he added. “That will help us become more resilient and tackle the challenges we’ve had nationally.” Asked for specific advice on how
operators could best cope with the problem of rising costs, he said: “Remove every element of waste, take a super-lean approach to processes and operate as cost effectively as possible. There’s still a lot of complexity in operators’ everyday tasks, so simplify and automate the most mundane parts on a daily, even hourly, basis. “And environmentally, operators need to lean forward. There aren’t
many opportunities, in terms of being greener, that don’t end up dropping costs out of your operation. It’s a win-win opportunity.” Meanwhile O’Brien admitted current cost increases were “frightening” and urged bigger operators to appreciate the pressures that their smaller peers were working under. “My fuel costs have gone up 43% since this time last year,” she said. “National Insurance has gone up, truck prices have increased, and salaries for drivers and office staff are soaring. “We could lose a lot of smaller operators that don’t keep a really tight control on costs and look closely at things on a monthly basis. “Remember that cash is king, and communication is key,” she added. “So speak to your customers. I’m fortunate that I’ve had a fuel surcharge for a number of years, but smaller operators aren’t in direct contact with their customers. I’d say to large operators, please think of small operators. You rely on them and you get nothing without them.”
Road Transport Expo p8 News extra: ITT Hub p10 Focus: driver testing p14 Viewpoint p16 Clean air zones p18 Technician training p24
News
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UK to bring in dual registration scheme removing limits on foreign trips
Events firms given free movement Hauliers involved in musical, sporting and cultural events will be able to move their vehicles freely between the UK and the EU after the government said it was introducing new measures this summer. A dual registration scheme will allow operators with a base in this country and another outside the UK to transfer their vehicles between both O-licences without the need to change vehicles, have their journeys limited, or pay VED in GB. Since the UK’s exit from the EU, events hauliers have been limited
Photo: Shutterstock
By Chris Tindall
to just three stops in Europe before having to return home. The new rules will allow companies to switch vehicles between the respective operator licences and make use of the internal
movements permitted within each territory. The government said this would apply not just to the EU, but to other countries too. Grant Shapps, transport secretary, said: “British talent has long been at the heart of global performing arts and our specialist haulage sector is critical to the success of their tours. “It is unacceptable that because of EU bureaucracy, the operations of our specialist haulage sector on which our artists rely have been put at risk, impacting the livelihoods of touring artists and sports people.”
Photo: Shutterstock
C&D expansion to boost local jobs XPO tanker drivers call off strike action
23.5.22
said: “After battling through the past few years adapting to life with Covid-19, C&D has continued to stay strong and resilient. “With increased reliance on our transport services, these past few years gave us the push we needed to expand our services in order to continue providing a 5-star service for each and every client.”
Parcels sector hails McColl’s rescue McColl’s has been rescued out of administration by Morrisons after it beat a rival offer for the convenience store and newsagent chain. The deal means all 16,000 staff and 1,100 shops will transfer over to Morrisons. Morrisons had an existing supply agreement with McColl’s and provided a range of products under the Safeway brand. Its final offer was accepted ahead of an improved bid by Asda’s owners, EG Group. The deal will be a relief to McColl’s employees and the wider parcels and e-commerce logistics sector. It is the largest independent operator of post offices and many of its stores contain Amazon Lockers. It also offers services to customers wishing to return items, aiding reverse logistics operations. Photo: Shutterstock
Photo: Shutterstock
XPO said it was still “an employer of choice” for fuel tanker drivers after striking a deal to raise pay by an average of £12,000. “The vastly improved” deal was agreed after the 57 drivers on the outsourced Tesco petrol station contract recorded a 100% vote for strike action following an initial offer. Union Unite said the drivers were determined to improve their rate as they were on lower pay than their competitors. Fresh talks were held, and following another ballot on the new offer, the drivers voted to accept it. Unite said the deal translated into a 27% increase and that now that strikes were off the table, fuel supplies across southern and south-west England and Wales were no longer in doubt.
Transport firm C&D South West has bought a 27,000sq ft warehouse in Somerset after a “successful yet challenging year”. The site in the village of Martock also provides a yard and office space, as well as job opportunities for the local community. Chard-based C&D provides a guaranteed 24-hour delivery service to UK postcodes, with 96% of its business within a 40-mile radius of its HQ. It said the purchase should supply new jobs to the area through the expansion of its fleet and service offering. Lorna Hammond, C&D MD,
Palletways claims world first with sensor technology Palletways has rolled out new forklift truck-mounted sensor technology, which it believes will make current standalone pallet assessment and measuring obsolete. Announcing the news at its 2022 UK Conference at Silverstone race circuit, the company said ‘Palletways ID’ was a world first for the global logistics industry and took operational efficiency and health and safety within pallet-focused environments to new levels. The result of two years of research and development, it combines four key data measurements in one go and identifies a pallet through imaging and barcode scanning, while delivering accurate weight measurements as the pallet is being moved. For the first time, it also cubes its dimensions in seconds, again while the forklift is in motion. Initially born from a requirement to capture and harness accurate data on individual pallets instantly and on the go, the technology is also said to deliver greater than ever real-time information for health and safety. Palletways hopes to introduce the technology across its UK hubs by the end of June. “This is not simply a first for pallet networks, but a first for the whole logistics industry," Palletways UK MD Rob Gittins (pictured) told MT. “Our technology’s ability to effectively combine these four processes into one and capture instantly while on the move is a world first and a giant leap forward for logistics safety and efficiency.” MotorTransport 3
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Manchester mayor says councils will not impose any government fees
Burnham refuses to charge for CAZ
If the government demands Greater Manchester has a charging clean air zone (CAZ) then the government will have to impose it as Greater Manchester councils will refuse to do so, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has warned. A charging CAZ is a “red line” that Greater Manchester Councils will not cross, the mayor said, particularly in a post-pandemic economy and in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Manchester’s CAZ was due to launch on 30 May, but plans were put on hold in February over
Photo: Shutterstock
By Carol Millett
concerns that hauliers and other businesses would struggle to invest in cleaner vehicles, and that the scheme would hit supply chains and the cost and availability of second-hand vehicles. As a
result it was delayed until July. The original plan would have seen non-compliant buses and lorries charged £60 per day to use the region’s roads, while vans and minibuses would have been charged £10 a day and taxi drivers hit with £7.50 a day. Burnham said this model, which had been mandated by the government, was no longer acceptable and the city region would instead launch a non-charging zone, along with incentives to encourage drivers of older and more polluting vehicles to switch to cleaner models.
GMB rejects ‘real-terms pay cut’ from Asda Asda said it had made an improved offer for staff as part of an ongoing dispute over pay, but that it had been rejected by the union without drivers getting a chance to vote on it. The supermarket giant responded after the GMB union said a consultative ballot of 8,000 workers showed 95% were in favour of pursuing industrial action over what it claimed was a “real-terms pay cut”. Asda said it had offered to pay transport workers up to £16.25 an hour and warehouse workers up to £13.89 an hour. The GMB claimed the supermarket was attempting to force through a pay deal that would see workers lose sick pay entitlement. Nadine Houghton, GMB national officer, said: “This ballot result shows how angry Asda workers
are. They’re being asked to swallow a real-terms pay cut while Asda’s top brass give themselves a hefty pay rise. “There’s no way these key workers should be forced into self-funding their own pay rise via cuts to their sick pay. “We will now meet with members to discuss next steps.”
Logistics hub boasts rooftop solar array Logistics park developer Prologis has completed what it says is the UK’s first logistics property to go beyond net zero carbon in its construction and operation and generate more clean electricity than it consumes. Located on Prologis Apex Park near Daventry, the 435,000sq ft unit will be a UK logistics centre for an American multinational. The developer claimed the new site was a “first for the world of industrial logistics property”. In addition to the standard measures provided by Prologis, including rainwater harvesting and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, a 1.4MW rooftop solar array has been installed, enabling the building to put more energy into the grid than it uses and cutting carbon emissions by over 100 tonnes a year. The new unit is BREEAM rated ‘Outstanding’ - placing it in the top 1% of UK non-domestic buildings. It is also the first development of its type to achieve an EPC rating of A+. ■ Invesco Real Estate and Barwood Capital have teamed up to build a £300m portfolio of up to eight urban/last-mile industrial and logistics warehouses across the UK. The partnership has already acquired its first two sites, including a 4-acre plot adjacent to Manchester’s Trafford Retail Park and a 5.25-acre site in Coventry.
Yodel moves to HVO for shunters
Wren revises plans for new DC
Parcel carrier Yodel is partnering with Certas Energy to replace diesel with HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) for the shunter fleets at its Shaw, Wednesbury and Hatfield sorting centres. The switch is part of plans for a broader rollout across its fleet in the future. Yodel said the drop-in replacement for diesel would allow the company to quickly cut its carbon emissions. Jamie Hodges, Certas Energy head of business development,
Wren Kitchens has submitted revised plans for a distribution centre at Great Hallingbury, close to junction 8 of the M11, after the original scheme was turned down last year. The proposed development would replace Wren’s current site at Stansted Airport, where the lease is due to expire next year. The revised scheme has been returned to the table after its original plan was turned down by Uttlesford District Council last year. The application allows for parking for 80 lorries and 107 cars over 4 acres. However, residents have pledged to oppose the new plans. The April 28 deadline for comments has been extended to June 10.
4 MotorTransport
added: “As an alternative to diesel, HVO is becoming a popular transition fuel for businesses operating commercial fleets and looking to reduce their carbon footprint responsibly and efficiently.” Last year, Yodel completed its transition to 100% renewable electricity across its operational sites. ■ Yodel has saved an average of 20 minutes a day on its drivers’ routes using mapping software from Trimble Maps, it has revealed. The company saw delivery volumes rise by almost 35% in 2021.
23.5.22
News
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VOX POP Is the driver shortage easing? Bob Terris, chairman, Meachers The situation has improved considerably. We cannot be sure of all the factors, but the fact that we have given three pay increases and introduced a six-monthly retention bonus in the past 12 months would certainly be the main reason. Retention has maintained a high level of productivity, which has helped cover the additional costs and the remainder has been covered by rate increases. The biggest concern at the moment is the constant escalation of other costs such as equipment and overheads. Lesley O’Brien, director, Freightlink Europe It’s calmed down a little bit. Drivers have stopped jumping from one company to another, chasing the high salaries. As the economy is slowing down a bit they’re realising they need job security. They don’t want to jump to a company that may not value them or look after them. How long that will last I don’t know. Ask me next week and I might have a different answer. But further south they’re really having problems. Things there tend to be more difficult. We’re based in Halifax now where there’s a high concentration of drivers, but
that can be worse because it’s really easy for them to look around. And the other problem is you’ve got office staff who were previously drivers thinking they can now earn more money being a Class 2 driver again – salary inflation isn’t just confined to drivers. Moreton Cullimore, MD, Cullimore Group As a company at the moment we are okay – we have what we need. But it has taken time and when we post jobs it takes longer to find one and we get fewer applicants, which is not something as a company we are used to. As for the incentive from the government I am not sure – I see more younger people asking about it as a vocation, so some interest has been stimulated following the publicity around the driver shortage. However, until we improve our facilities out there on the roads for drivers, the industry will always struggle to retain people. Kevin Buchanan, group CEO, Pall-Ex It is still challenging, but easier than it was at the peak of last year. More people are coming back into driving as the money is so much better, and more people are interested in taking
their licence as it now pays so well. We have no vacancies at the centre in Leicestershire, but typically have one or two at any time in our owned depots in the south. Drivers move for small pay improvements, so the churn of drivers is still too high as there are so many opportunities for them to move to. The multi-drop jobs are harder than most so we probably feel it more than some other parts of the transport sector. Andrew Malcolm, CEO, Malcolm Group The driver shortage is more regionalised now than it was last year. We have seen a degree of stabilisation in the north of England and Scotland, but we still have a long way to go with regards to full support for roles within the logistics sector that are seen as essential workers. Charlie Shiels, CEO, ArrowXL The issues around driver shortages are currently unclear. There are still geographic and skills/ knowledge-based shortfalls, for example with forklift or 7.5-tonne drivers. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel as it doesn’t seem as bad as it was, but it is still causing us issues pretty much nationwide.
Road pricing report proposes different treatment for commercial traffic
Trucks ‘should pay more’ for road use There is a “compelling case” for commercial vehicles to pay more under a national road pricing regime, according to a new report by the Social Market Foundation. The news comes as ministers prepare to respond to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee, which earlier this year said that the government should start work on a road-pricing system “without delay”. Entitled ‘Miles ahead’, the report calls for government to “work at pace” to develop the infrastructure to support a simple national-level road pricing scheme – with a flat per mile rate and a free mileage allowance – and set out a 6 MotorTransport
Photo: Shutterstock
By Carol Millett
timetable for implementing it. However, it states: “A national road pricing regime need not be exactly the same for commercial vehicles and indeed there are likely to be compelling reasons for apply-
ing a different per mile rate to commercial road users, and similarly a different or no free mileage allowance. “This would reflect the fact that externalities generated by commercial vehicle use are likely to differ from household use. “Heavy goods vehicles are the only vehicle type to travel more distance on Strategic Road Network roads than on locallymanaged roads. “Combined with their heavier weight, they are likely to contribute proportionally more damage to major roads in Britain, something that might need to be reflected in the per mile charge in any road pricing regime.”
LWS buys transport division of T Wilson North-West produce company Len Wright Salads (LWS) has acquired the transport division of T Wilson & Sons (Farmers). LWS, which has operating licences for 40 trucks and 50 trailers, said the acquisition was an “amalgamation of skills and experience that will enable first-class transport services to be delivered to existing and new customers”. The deal will see the company trade as T Wilson & Sons (Transport) from its existing base at Rainford with its existing staff, under the leadership of Rob Wilson. The company’s application for an O-licence is under consideration. T Wilson & Sons (Farmers) currently has an operating licence for 25 vehicles and 40 trailers. 23.5.22
Road Transport Expo
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Debut Road Transport Expo features three days of events and more than 150 exhibitors
Counting down to RTX By Hayley Tayler
The inaugural Road Transport Expo (RTX) bursts on to the scene next month at NAEC Stoneleigh. Organised by MT publisher DVV Media International, this free-to-attend, three-day event provides the perfect opportunity this summer to meet face to face with your industry peers and make all-important new business connections. A vast exhibition of more than 150 manufacturers and service providers will be taking place across a series of themed zones, offering visitors a chance to explore the latest HGVs, sustainable vans,
A GOOD LITTLE PICK-ME-UP!
technology and services aimed at the road haulage sector. In addition, a two-day business seminar programme is planned on Thursday and Friday, with a Driver Day planned for Saturday. ■ Go to roadtransportexpo.co.uk to see the latest confirmed exhibitors, product news and seminar programme. You can also book your free ticket to attend.
Road Transport Expo is delighted to be hosting the UK final of the Hiab World Crane Championship 2022. Designed to celebrate the expertise of the world’s top crane operators, the popular event sees contestants from the UK compete at local level, before the UK winner heads off to the global final at the IAA Transportation fair in Hanover on 24-25 September. Using a custom-built track for 2022, operators will demonstrate their skills and precision at maximum speed around eight obstacles arranged in a set sequence. The operator who completes the course in the shortest time – allowing for any penalties – wins the UK competition and will represent Hiab UK at global level in Germany. The world final will challenge the best crane drivers from around the world to go head-to-head – and the winner receives prizes worth up to €25,000. Ian Mitchell, Hiab UK and Ireland’s director of sales and service, said: “The Hiab UK team is looking forward to attending the Road Transport Expo and it’s great to be able to welcome back the WCC. We are once again expecting to see an exciting event where the best of the best compete for legendary status. “We want to find the UK’s finest operator to represent us on the global stage. If you think you have what it takes, then please register to attend.”
GOING, GOING, GONE On Saturday 2 July, Road Transport Expo will be hosting an exciting live auction experience for those in the market for a quality used truck or trailer. Organised by ProTruck Auctions, part of the Fleet Auction Group, the auction will be hosted both online and via a live bidding environment at NAEC Stoneleigh. The auction will feature more than 150 wheeled assets from leading blue-chip operators, including tractor units, rigids, car transporters, tippers and trailers. Visitors will be able to explore live auction updates while at the show via a virtual ‘rolling stock catalogue’ on ProTruck’s stand (RB201) in the outside Used Trucks Zone at Road Transport Expo. All vehicles and machinery sold at ProTrucks’ auctions undergo a full inspection and appraisal process, while high-resolution photographs and audio recording of running engines are all available to website visitors. And if you are completely new to bidding at auction, then the friendly team at ProTruck will be happy to help. “Simply call us ahead of the show on 01427 871500, or come over to meet us at Road Transport Expo and we will guide you through the straightforward process of registering and knowing what to expect at auction,” said ProTruck business development manager Richard Ward. The team is also on hand to discuss any future fleet disposal requirements your business might have and explain how the auction route might be beneficial. 8 MotorTransport
“We are excited to meet with visitors to our stand at Road Transport Expo to help them explore the range of services we offer, both for the acquisition and disposal of quality commercial fleet vehicles,” added Ward. “We are confident that we can maximise the best possible returns for your business.” 23.5.22
News extra: ITT Hub
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The pace of change in the road transport sector was the main talking point at this year’s ITT Hub event – but could reality meet the ambition?
Green freight trial gets £200m boost Transport Minister Trudy Harrison has revealed that over £200m of government funding will be injected into an extensive zeroemission road freight demonstrator programme. News of the investment came during ITT Hub in Farnborough where plans for a three-year comparative programme were unveiled with initial competitions for battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell technology launching shortly. The trials could see hundreds more zero-emission HGVs rolled out and save the industry money, thanks to overall running costs of green vehicles being cheaper than petrol and diesel equivalents, Harrison said. An open-call competition will be launched for manufacturers, energy providers and fleet and infrastructure operators to showcase their green technology. This will begin with demonstrations of battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell HGVs.
Photo: Shutterstock
By Tim Wallace
The announcement expands the DfT’s £20m zero-emission road freight trials which ran last year, delivered by Innovate UK. “Our road freight industry is one of the most efficient in the world and contributes over £13bn to the UK economy each year,” Harrison said. “But we must accelerate our journey towards our net-zero goals, and we’re committed to leading the way globally on non-zero-emission road vehicles.” Zemo Partnership chief executive Andy Eastlake welcomed the announcement: “With many of
our members already fully committed and involved in the feasibility work, we know that this funding can really move the dial,” he said. “It’s important to note that the demonstration programme competition will be open to collaborations between vehicle suppliers and operators, as well as infrastructure and energy supply companies; decarbonising transport is going to require an even more collaborative approach.” n For more reaction, see our interview with BYD UK MD Frank Thorpe on page 12
‘Government must speed up net-zero journey’ Logistics UK has urged the government to provide more clarity on its route to net zero to ensure businesses have the confidence to invest in low-emission solutions. The call came as it launched a new report – Decarbonising Logistics: The journey to net zero – at ITT Hub. “We are calling on government to undertake several essential actions,” said Michelle Gardner, acting deputy director – public policy at Logistics UK. “These include rethinking the regulatory framework for zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles and drivers and setting out the ways that the UK’s energy infrastructure and networks are going to be upgraded. “The government must also support trials of zero-tailpipeemission technologies at scale and for extended periods in real-world situations. Currently there are no mass-market, zero-emission HGVs available and a very limited alternative fuel or refuelling network. Through this new report, we highlight the areas of action that are needed to help progress the industry’s decarbonisation journey.” UPS, DHL UK, John Lewis Partnership, Wincanton, Tarmac, Scottish Water and John Raymond Transport are some of the companies backing Logistics UK’s Route to Net Zero commitment.
Michelin connects the dots Michelin used ITT Hub to launch its new Connected Fleet brand in the UK, which brings all its fleet management services under one banner. It also presented a new suite of connected solutions for HGV fleets, intended to give hauliers and ownaccount operators a complete, real-time vision of the way in which their trucks and trailers are utilised. Connected Fleet collects data through a range of on-board telematics systems, helping optimise fleet utilisation, which in turn reduces operating costs, while bolstering road safety 10 MotorTransport
by providing feedback on driving behaviour. Data can also be used to help anticipate maintenance requirements to cut unscheduled downtime, and monitor tyre pressures and temperatures to reduce the likelihood of roadside breakdowns. “It’s no longer enough just to provide access to fleet data; we have performance analysis embedded into our offering,” explained Matt Childs, Michelin connected fleet operational marketing manager UK & France. “Our analysis can unlock savings and help define future fleet strategy.”
TRAVELLING LIGHT: Schmitz Cargobull’s new lightweight fully-modular semi-trailer – the S.KO Pace Smart – made its exhibition debut at ITT Hub. Built in Manchester, it is targeted primarily at the parcel delivery and dry freight market in the UK and Ireland and features innovative composite Struktoplast panels. These mean each trailer weighs around 600kg less than competitor models, and the design ensures they do not absorb moisture, even if damaged. As a result, the tare weight of the trailer remains consistent over time. It also comes with a 12-month body warranty. ➜ 12 23.5.22
News extra: ITT Hub
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GROWTH PLANS: BYD UK MD Frank Thorpe wants the company to become a household name in the UK
‘Time is running out…’ Tell us more about BYD? Very soon BYD is going to be a household name in the UK. We’re already the market leader in the provision of zero-emission bus products and we’ve employed over 1,000 vehicles in that sector. Over the next 12-24 months we’ll become established in other sectors, but the timing and plan for that is yet to be determined. The bus market is subsidised and has capital funding that the truck business just doesn’t have the benefit of. So it’s much harder to present a business case for a technology that’s carrying a significant premium on purchase. We need to see the market forces in place that allow operators to start making the transition, but time is running out. We need to get on with it. In other parts of the world BYD has been quite successful in deploying goods vehicles above the 3.5-tonne category that have done very well, but in the UK the appetite is limited. I can see us bringing in van product, but the UK government needs to give some direction to the heavy-haulage sector. There seems to be a ‘wait and see’ approach among hauliers that’s likely to end in a sprint finish… Exactly, and that’s not good. I don’t blame operators because there’s no incentive or compulsion to do anything different. All the risk sits with them and the government is saying it’s busy with other things. In London there are close to 1,000 electric buses and the whole network has a deadline for conver12 MotorTransport
Frank Thorpe, UK MD of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturing giant BYD, claims the government’s latest pledge of £200m to help decarbonise UK road freight is an insignificant sum, and that it will fail to trigger a meaningful transiton towards alternatively fuelled HGVs. Tim Wallace caught up with him at ITT Hub sion. But then I get my Amazon parcel delivered by a 12-year-old Transit van. So all the good work being done by deploying a zeroemission bus fleet is kind of being ruined. Haven’t a lot of operators switched to electric for last-mile deliveries? But it’s a token gesture isn’t it? They’re having a go, but look at the sector generally and you don’t see that shift. The answer needs to originate from the government. Either subsidies or mandates through legislation – but something needs to be done. What do you make of the government’s new £200m investment in low-emission vehicle trials? Two hundred million sounds a big number, but it’s really not – it’s nothing. There needs to be three noughts on the end of that figure to make a difference. That’s the problem, and until someone understands that, the dial won’t move. In the bus industry the incentive for electric vehicle operation has been introduced at 22p per km. That’s hugely significant. At worst, it almost makes fuel costs negative. At best there’s a profit to be made from that subsidy.
An average tractor unit costs around £120,000, but an electric one is probably double that. It’s a big, difficult problem to solve. And we all want our Amazon parcels delivered for free. We don’t want to pay an environmental tax for making this change. Where does that leave your plan for electric vans and trucks in the UK? There’s an opportunity at the 3.5-tonne category. So the van market is close to being at a place where it can really start transitioning. But the heavy weight classes are so reliant on the infrastructure. It could be good but it needs a network of solutions for charging. BYD has truck product and sees the appeal of the volume of the truck market. The truck market also churns quicker than buses and there’s a requirement for more of them. But the market dynamics aren’t there at the moment. Some say we’ll soon see a flood of cheap Chinese electric trucks entering the UK market… That’s a bit of misconception these days. BYD’s car product is trading at a premium to Volkswagen and BMW. So if people are expecting Chinese manufacturers to come
up with a cut-price solution that’s not the case anymore. They will come up with premium solutions – longer range, better payload, better safety features, etc. We supply trucks in China, the US and various other parts of the world. There have been some unique partnerships with people like Heineken and we have R&D going on in trucks. Our blade battery really suits truck applications. We’re testing the market in the Netherlands with Ikea and in Greece and France. But I don’t see that volume coming down the line in the UK any time soon. Which alternative fuel do you think will end up being most popular for heavy haulage? It will be a blend of solutions. If hydrogen is deployed correctly it has a role to play. The likelihood is that the development of energy density in battery vehicles will overtake that. The problem with hydrogen is you have to create a national infrastructure around it. It’s expensive and takes a lot of time. We’ll see energy density advances [in batteries] that possibly create the ranges in heavy goods that mean that’s not an issue anymore. 23.5.22
Focus: driver testing
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The LSN has devised a plan that would enable the DVSA to conduct an extra 3,000 tests per month
Why is the DVSA still rationing HGV tests? The Logistics Skills Network (LSN) is calling on the DVSA to take urgent action to address a shortfall in HGV driving tests, which is now the main a bottleneck hampering attempts by industry and government to tackle the HGV driver shortage. Seven months after the DVSA implemented a range of policy changes, HGV training schools are still facing rationing of HGV test slots. Why is the DVSA’s plan not working? We suspect that the number of DVSA examiners has not been increased to the level that the DVSA had hoped for. We know that the DVSA is still conducting too many Mod 3a and Mod 4 tests. We also know that too many tests are wasted due to ineffective cancellation policies. The LSN has offered up a three-point plan that would deliver some quick wins to enable DVSA to conduct an extra 3,000 tests per month.
Restricted access
We are receiving messages from LSN members every week complaining that they cannot access the tests they need. One member in the East Midlands reported that there are no test slots available in his locality for the whole of June. Another in the South East said that pre-pandemic they had no problem getting 12 tests per
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week, but now they are lucky if they get two. Whilst the latest data for March shows an encouraging increase in tests conducted to 10,481, this is still nowhere near the 15,000 tests needed to satisfy the demand. The government has injected £34m for training 11,000 HGV drivers through Skills Bootcamps, but without enough tests these numbers will not be achieved. The DVSA keeps telling us that it has recruited an additional 22 HGV examiners. But our members’ experience suggests that the DVSA examiner headcount is probably no more today
than it was two years ago. They are struggling to attract new examiners and they have a high attrition rate. The advertised salary is just £28,000, but an examiner holding an HGV licence could earn more working as an instructor – or around £45,000 as an HGV driver. Clearly, examiner pay is a matter for the DVSA, but we can help make sure the examiners it does have conduct as many tests as possible.
Three-point plan
The LSN three-point plan aims to ensure that no Mod 3b practical on-road tests go to waste. Currently DVSA examiners are conducting assessments that could be delivered by the private sector. The LSN plan involves three simple steps: 1) Privatise all Mod 3a manoeuvring and reversing off-road assessments – currently there are some 273 private organisations operating from 265 approved sites with 748 approved Mod 3a assessors. The DVSA previously indicated that the private sector was only delivering 40% of these assessments. If this became 100%, the existing DVSA examiners would be able to deliver a further 589 Mod 3b tests per month. 2) Privatise all Mod 4 practical demonstration assessments –
there are a limited number of authorised Mod 4 privatised examiners as DVSA is currently not delivering any ‘train the examiner’ courses and hasn’t done for some time. The DVSA should prioritise the resumption of this training programme so that more instructors are authorised to undertake these assessments instead of DVSA examiners. This would release 841 additional Mod 3b tests per month. 3) Extend the required test cancellation notice period to three weeks – the current rules permit HGV training schools to cancel up to 10 working days prior to the test date for 100% refund. This leaves insufficient time for tests to be re-allocated to other schools that are not able to prepare candidates with such short notice. The DVSA should extend the cancellation period to 15 working days so that tests are handed back in good time so they can be taken up by other training schools. This could save 1,666 test slots per month going to waste. LSN calculations based on March test data suggest the threepoint plan could deliver 30% more Mod 3b tests per month (13,557) – without any increase in DVSA examiner numbers. David Coombes, chair, Logistics Skills Network 23.5.22
Viewpoint
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Driver respect must endure S omeone said to me the other day that the driver shortage is like a puppy – it isn’t just for Christmas. That is true to an extent, but it does tend to be noisier and more demanding before the Christmas peak and sleep more in the quieter months Steve Hobson of January and February. Editor But the real point, of course, was that the Motor industry shouldn’t pay drivers more and Transport give them more respect and better working conditions only at Christmas – it should be something that lasts. While we sometimes unfairly blame the driver shortage on the DVSA for not carrying out enough tests, the real problem is that too many drivers with HGV licences choose not to drive for a living. That is for a whole host of reasons including pay and conditions and the way they are treated as commodities to be bought and sold to the highest bidder. If the recently introduced IR35 rules
have done one thing, they have ended bogus self-employment and encouraged operators to put drivers on the pay roll where they get the full benefits of employment. Microlise recognises HGV drivers with its annual Driver of the Year Awards, which after a three-year Covid gap were presented live in front of a packed audience at a dinner before the Microlise transport conference in Coventry last week. Nine drivers were handed their trophies on the evening, but the top prize and accolade of being the best driver out of the 250,000 monitored by Microlise was presented to Marek Mackiewicz of Great Bear at the conference by HRH The Princess Royal. And she asked to make the presentation personally – which is a sign that HRH, for one, gets the importance of recognising the immense contribution made by our drivers.
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FORS finally evolves for the better F
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ORS has been going through a period of change over the last couple of years. That includes new consultants with different responsibilities and a partially reformed governance structure. We’ve been a strong critic of FORS over many years, to the point where we were explicit that we didn’t think it was fit for purpose, but changes are now underway. The core aim of the scheme, to raise quality and to achieve exemplary levels of best practice in safety, is one that we and many others shared. Our concern was that FORS didn’t do a good enough job and to a great extent worked separately from operator licensing compliance systems. Member feedback has been critical. Many have been damning, believing that the scheme provides poor value, is self-serving, time wasting, bureaucratic, ineffective and operated in the interests of FORS rather than road safety. A key concern with FORS is the disconnect between operator licensing obligations and compliance and the ability for an operator to meet the scheme’s standards. FORS and FORS audits are not a substitute for operator licensing compliance, which has led to many operators taking separate O-licence audits to achieve the high standards needed for maintaining a licence and ensuring compliance with all licensing obligations. There have been cases of operators up
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before public inquiry who used the FORS badge as protection against actually achieving operator licensing compliance, saying “we’re FORS gold/silver/bronze – so we’re good”. That helps no one and has needed to change. Things are changing for the better, but it won’t be a revolution; it will be evolution over time. So far, changes have been largely invisible for the FORS members and prospective members, but things are moving. It is worth noting that neither the RHA nor Logistics UK were included in any role in FORS governance. But that changed with membership of the FORS Governance and Standards Advisory Group from March this year. We also see a new spirit of co-operation and respect for the operator licensing system; a willingness towards working with the system rather than separately. That’s encouraging and we’ll push for this to develop over coming months and years. There is a long way to go and many things to improve, but progress is being made as there is a realisation that FORS is not a scheme that can exist separately from the wider landscape of regulation, compliance and standards.
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Got something to say?
If you would like to contribute to MT’s Viewpoint, email steve.hobson@roadtransport.com 23.5.22
Clean air zones
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SIGN OF THE TIMES: It’s a common sight in the capital and in other large cities, but only part of the solution in the quest for better air quality
Emissions impossible? Clean air zones are expensive – to the public as well as to business. But do they work? Louise Cole investigates
T
hree years after its implementation, the Ultra Low Emission Zone should be living up to the hype it began with. The Greater London Authority estimated a 29% improvement in roadside NO2 concentrations, and the ULEZ has birthed a host of sibling schemes around the country. London mayor Sadiq Khan now wants to roll it out across the entirety of Greater London in 2023. But did it work? In November 2021, Imperial College research found an average reduction of less than 3% for NOx, and insignificant effects on ozone and particulate matter (PM2.5) following the introduction of the ULEZ. Only 70% of the monitoring sites showed any change in NOx – and of those that did, values were as likely to go up as to go down. There was also evidence that the ULEZ caused a distinct pollution spike at some sites immediately outside the zone, although some reductions continued outside the ULEZ zone as well. The report concludes that, while pollution levels in London have been improving steadily since 2016, the ULEZ will not be the most significant contributor to cleaner air. To be fair, this may not be true for other clean air schemes, or the extension to Greater London, as TfL has
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also employed many other clean air strategies within the ULEZ zone, including robust upgrades imposed on bus and taxi fleets. The report notes that “air quality [for NO2, NOx, and PM] has improved in London in recent years and the most significant pollution reductions were generally found before 2019. Reducing air pollution requires a multi-faceted set of policies that aim to reduce emissions across sectors, with co-ordination in the city, regional and transboundary scales”. For a long time the battle against air pollution fought for precedence against climate change mitigation policies – and won. Today, clean air zones (CAZs) claim both human health and climate change as their raison d’etre, although this is environmentally disingenuous. They still focus on CO2 as an exhaust emission, and not the carbon cost of decarbonisation, fossil-fuelled based electricity, or the heavy environmental impact of batteries – both in creation and disposal. Cleaner air aside, CAZs contribute to lowering the UK’s carbon footprint only by discouraging motorised journeys. TfL’s long-term strategy involves 80% of all journeys being made by public transport or active travel. So far, Portsmouth, Birmingham and Bath have instituted CAZs, with Bradford and Bristol schemes coming this year. It is hard to assess whether the money spent on CAZs (£17m implementation and £39m in operating costs for Birmingham, £17m for Bath, etc) will prove to have been well spent, although Bath says early indications show a 14% drop in NOx levels overall, and Birmingham 13%. None of the councils expects to recoup the central government money spent, as charges will decrease as the vehicle parc decarbonises.
Scrap value
Funding is also available to help businesses and individuals upgrade to newer models. Although the funds are exhausted relatively quickly, this money speeds up the scrappage of hundreds of vehicles. In Birmingham £10m was dedicated to persuading innercity, low-income workers to scrap their car in exchange for a £2,000 grant off their next purchase or £2,000 worth of public transport. The government has said that at least some ➜ 20 23.5.22
Clean air zones
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Clean Air Cities Date
City
TRACKING PROGRESS: UK cities have been tackling air pollution in different ways, and moving at different speeds. Some plans have already been abandoned
THE BIG PICTURE: The BVRLA has collated details of all clean air schemes across the country
Status
CAZs are temporary and will be abandoned once the 40µg/m3 limit has been achieved “in the shortest possible time”. When we consider the UK vehicle parc, time really is of the essence. In all, 270,000 of the UK’s 510,000 vehicles are Euro-6 compliant. However, of 32m private cars, 12.5m (39%) are diesel, and one in five cars overall is more than 13 years old. In total, 39% of cars are six years old or less (Euro-6) and a further 45% at least Euro4. This suggests that roughly 4.8m diesels are already compliant with the Euro-6 standard and 7.7m do not meet it, while roughly one in 10 petrol cars would need upgrading from pre-Euro-4. While EV take-up is growing, it’s unlikely these figures will change sufficiently on their own within the next three years, despite 36% of new sales in 2021 being some form of EV or hybrid (approximately 593,000 vehicles). However, CAZs have been delayed by Covid, and some councils are finding that the market is correcting itself
faster than it expected. Leeds has recently dropped its CAZ plans, citing faster uptake of cleaner vehicles than expected, and saying it can better reach government targets by other means. Greater Manchester has also rejected its initial plan for a CAZ and has gone back to the drawing board, citing the high cost of living and the lack of new vehicle supply. Its deadline for NOx reduction has been pushed to 2026, by which point the make-up of the vehicle parc may render a CAZ somewhat redundant. Despite the high contribution of cars, Birmingham is the only city apart from London whose CAZ tackles car pollution directly. The business case for the Bath CAZ showed that diesel cars are by far the biggest polluter in terms of NOx in all but one location, where petrol cars account for 72% of NOx emissions. Elsewhere diesel cars account for between 25% and 37% of emissions. HGVs account for between 10% and 35%, depending upon location. Yet Bath and North East Somerset Council chose not to charge cars, instead opting for a Class C scheme which charges taxis, LCVs, buses, coaches and HGVs that do not meet Euro-6 standards.
Politically acceptable?
The business case said Class D (including cars) would ensure compliance with the law by 2021, but that a Class C scheme (together with traffic management) left only one area in which levels would break the law. A Class C scheme was deemed “marginally more successful… particularly in relation to public and political acceptability”, which one can only imagine was a huge understatement. Defra’s 2016 framework for CAZs stipulated that councils should be careful not to penalise residents, as they have no choice but to operate within the zone. The same consideration was not shown to businesses. It also suggested buses should be expected to meet the requirements through partnership or licensing rather than be subject to a daily charge. The only specific provisions for freight are aimed at minimising vehicle numbers or prioritising EVs. As well as the political controversy caused by targeting cars, the real-world emissions levels haven’t matched the output demanded by regulation. According to a 2019 study by engineering consultancy Ricardo, many Euro-6 cars and vans don’t show the expected reductions in the real world. Also, some lower-rated vehicles may actually have better emissions levels than those with a theoretically higher rating, making CAZs something of a blunt instrument. Euro-6 trucks, however, do show a striking reduction from Euro-5, even in real-world applications, according to Ricardo. Back in London, the whipcrack herding the populace towards cleaner vehicles is continuing, with councils being asked to implement town centre zero emission zones (ZEZs). Although these were intended to kick off in 2020, Covid was again the cause of a universal delay, not least because ZEZs rely upon heavy public transport use. It’s unsure how many councils will now push this through or when the schemes will start. The mayor’s strategy still includes ZEZs in London by 2025, but plans are still being formulated. TfL cannot confirm whether borough town centres will still be targeted for individual ZEZs, as well as a central London zone.
Zero consultation
Oxford is the first UK council to launch a limited ZEZ, live between 7am and 7pm, currently in a handful of thoroughfares. It will consult on a citywide ZEZ this summer, with implementation expected in 2023/24. Logistics UK called the scheme “punitive”. The council says HGVs contribute 15% of NOx, despite making up only 5% of mileage, and it is confident that the shift to zero-emissions logistics vehicles will ➜ 22 20 MotorTransport
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Clean air zones
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to have a ZEZ, so it can wear this like some kind of badge of honour without having any idea of how the logistics world works. I fully support protecting the environment and the use of electric vehicles. However, we are delivering goods on pallets that weigh in excess of what a small vehicle can carry.”
GPS limitations
BIG ISSUE: Ross Edden, MD of TWE Haulage, says his firm cannot use smaller vehicles for its palletised deliveries
continue apace, citing Amazon, DPD and Royal Mail as companies that have already switched to ZEV. For haulage firms without their resources, or which cannot transfer freight to small vehicles, the council suggests out-of-hours deliveries, consolidation or simply paying the “discounted” charges. The council’s optimism is perhaps misplaced. Of the UK’s 501,000 HGVs, 165,000 are under 8 tonnes, and approximately half under 18 tonnes. The rest currently have no realistic or affordable zero-emissions alternative. If CAZs and ZEZs are designed to propel the industry towards decarbonisation, then Birmingham Council’s own fleet appears to disprove its effectiveness. The council reportedly fined itself 834 times in the first three months. For Banbury-based TWE Haulage, whose palletised freight is too heavy to reasonably transfer to a vehicle small enough to be a cost-effective EV, it is simply “a delivery tax”. MD Ross Edden says he is “completely disillusioned” – as, despite investing in a modern and safety-equipped Euro-6 fleet, he cannot escape the daily charges. “Oxford City Council has gone out to be the first city
Edden says it is hard not to see this as a purely moneymaking activity, a view shared by Michael McCloskey, network operator at Jeavons Eurotir. Jeavons is caught by both the Bath and the Birmingham CAZs and McCloskey says there are several issues, including that zones don’t show on GPS mapping, so drivers can easily fall foul of the boundaries by mistake, leaving operators with unexpected fines. He says not all Jeavons vehicles are yet Euro-6 and so planning can be problematic and efficiency can suffer as they sometimes need to send two compliant vehicles in place of one, older, larger model. Zero-emission zones are designed to propel the industry towards decarbonisation – and, given escalating costs, this could be a breaking point for regional hauliers. Edden says: “I fully support electric vehicles. However, Oxford City Council should have implemented the ZEZ for domestic vehicles only. Any commercial vehicles should not have to pay a charge, as these vehicles are entering the ZEZ to keep the city supplied with goods. Nobody drives a lorry in a city centre for fun or to commute.” ■
PARTICULATE MATTER PM 2.5 and PM 10 output has dropped by 85% and 80% respectively since 1970. The biggest contributors to PM pollution in 2020 were (as percentages): PM 2.5 PM 10 Manufacturing and construction: 27 16 Industrial combustion: 14 34 Domestic combustion (wood stoves): 25 15 Road transport: 13 12 Non-exhaust transport emissions: 10 10 Non-exhaust transport emissions refers to micro particles. They will arise from tyres, brakes, etc. That figure has barely changed in decades.
DOWNSIZING: Efficiency has suffered at Jeavons Eurotir: it often has to send two smaller, compliant vehicles in place of one larger one
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23.5.22
Technician training
Man on a W mission DAF Trucks’ MD Laurence Drake is looking to address the industry-wide shortage of workshop technicians via the extensive training facilities at the truck maker’s new £20m HQ. Steve Hobson finds out more
hile a lot of attention has been focused on the HGV driver shortage, the lack of skilled truck technicians is causing almost as big a headache for operators trying to make the best use of scarce vehicles. Stories of missed or delayed services due to staff shortages are now common, so MT went to the Haddenham HQ of market leader DAF Trucks to ask MD Laurence Drake what his company is doing to address the issue. DAF’s impressive £20m HQ opened in 2018 and provides extensive training facilities for its dealer network to train technicians, including six classrooms and four fully equipped workshop bays. There is plenty of room for expansion on the site and adding some extra bays would no doubt help DAF cope with the added training for the New Generation range and, of course, electric vehicles. “We have lots of new vehicles to train on,” says Drake. “This was part of the reason this land was purchased because we felt it was important to have a training school at head office. “At present we have Levels 1 to 4 truck technicians, but we are looking to change that so everyone gets a good grounding before going on to specialise in, say, electric or gearboxes – so a more modular approach.” The school is operated on behalf of DAF by Meteor Management, and delivers the training for the 1,500 qualified technicians in the network, with over 300 apprentices being trained over a three-year period at the City of Bristol College. Last year almost 130 apprentices joined the DAF network. The DAF dealer network employs around 1,500 technicians in total, so 300 is a significant intake and this number does not include a further 50 parts and sales apprentices.
OEM vs third-party
There are differing views on the relative value of OEM in-house training, which covers the specific model range in detail, and third-party courses covering generic trucks which lead to an industry-recognised qualification. DAF is trying to offer the best of both these worlds by getting some of its training – such as its electric vehicle courses – accredited by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). “Where we can, we align our training so it can be accredited,” confirms Drake. “All the technicians go on the IMI-accredited foundation course run by Skillnet before they come to us for DAF product-specific training. “Where we can, we like them to have a qualification that is recognised everywhere; not just at DAF.” DAF is a big supporter of the Irtec technician qualification. The qualification is part of the DAF level 1 standard, but has not been mandating recertification as part of its dealer standards, allowing individual dealers to make the call. “That approach is being reconsidered,” says Drake. “We started to let the dealers decide if they wanted it and some did and some didn’t. Going forward, we will be encouraging all our dealers to have their technicians recertified every five years.” Training is partly funded by utilising the dealers’ Apprenticeship Levy, a complex process that is managed on their behalf by Skillnet. DAF then charges the dealers a rate to cover its costs to use the Haddenham facilities. “The great thing we do with the apprentices is bring them to Celtic Manor with a partner, mum or dad, to see them officially graduate,” says Drake. “We have a big presentation and an Apprentice of the Year award, which is a nice way of making them feel part of the DAF family.” DAF and its dealers spread their net as wide as possible when it comes to seeking a diverse set of recruits for its training schemes, but this can be a struggle, admits Drake. 24 MotorTransport
23.5.22
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“The issue we have is that we only seem to get people who are already connected to the industry, such as the child of someone who already works in transport,” he says. “One of the big things with diversity is that our net is never cast wide enough because only people who already know about transport ever come to us. “One of the big challenges we have as an industry is how we make it more inclusive when no one is even looking at it.” Drake estimates that the DAF network is short of around 300 qualified technicians, or 20% of the workforce, a similar figure to current estimates of the HGV driver shortage. While the number of technicians employed has remained fairly steady, growing demand on the network as DAF sells more trucks means numbers have not risen fast enough to keep pace.
Car challenge
With car technicians able to earn up to £50,000 per year to work nine to five in a shiny main dealer workshop, what would attract them to the world of trucks that is still seen as offering unsocial hours in a greasy, male dominated environment? “What we are trying to do, especially with the XG and XG+ range, is move the perception more upmarket and aspirational,” says Drake. “That means the locations need to improve and our workshops need to be better and that is part of our network development plan. “We think we are around 15 locations short, partly because the volume of work means we are short of workshop capacity. We need to engage people to come and work for DAF and that includes how we look, the facilities, the conditions, and being proud to wear the DAF badge. That is all going on in the background, but it takes time.” Last June, Motus Commercials, the largest DAF dealer group in Europe, opened a new 5.2-acre site in Avonmouth, 23.5.22
SEEKING TO INCLUDE: DAF Trucks MD Laurence Drake says the industry has a serious challenge in terms of inclusivity
while the £1bn a year Greenhous Group acquired southwest DAF dealer Adams Morey in 2019 and the North West Trucks dealership in 2021. “If you look at the DAF network, it is changing all the time,” says Drake. “There is a lot of investment going in.” Drake says much of the heat has gone out of the HGV driver shortage and, after a period in the pandemic when hauliers were reported to be reducing orders for new trucks because they had no drivers, more operators now complain about a shortage of trucks to put drivers in. “In September last year it was a disaster and hauliers couldn’t get any drivers, but now it seems everyone has increased rates of pay and many people have come ➜ 26
THE PERILS OF GOING ELECTRIC In terms of making sure the training of technicians keeps pace with the rollout of electric vehicles, Drake says with a touch of irony: “It is lucky that they can’t go very far. “When we talk to a customer, the sales process is all about their routes and use of the truck and it is such a collaborative process,” he continues. “We can say which dealers will cover those areas with DAFaid. So those dealers will know how to make the truck safe to recover and have Level 1 or level 2 technicians to work on it.” DAF registered 33 electric trucks in Q1 2022, and while volumes are expected to ramp up in the rest of this year, there is no point training technicians on EVs if their dealership is unlikely to see one any time soon, as skills quickly get rusty with disuse. So DAF is targeting dealers in nine out of its 30 sales locations in key areas such as London where electric trucks are likely to take off first. “It is selfselecting to a large extent and that will be enough for this year,” says Drake. There are some unexpected foibles with electric trucks on top of the obvious hazards of large capacity batteries – if one catches fire it has to be allowed to stand somewhere safe and burn out for at least 10 days. Electric cars on fire can be put into tanks of water to quench a lithium battery fire, but so far no fire service has built a tank big enough for an 18-tonne electric truck. MotorTransport 25
Technician training back to driving,” says Drake. “They are now paying people what they are worth and we are pushing dealers to pay technicians what they are worth too. “Technician salaries have increased, in some instances by 20% to 25% in the last year.” Just as operators have had to increase haulage rates to pass on higher driver wages, increased technician pay is going to show up in higher repair and maintenance costs. “On an LF tractor for example, around 50% of the R&M cost will be the labour rate,” says Drake. “Customers will have seen R&M rates move, but that is also partly because there is an inflation factor. Parts have increased because of raw material prices so costs are generally rising and parts availability – especially microchips – is becoming a big problem. There are over 160 semiconductors on a truck and a chip that used to cost €2 now costs up to €250. “So for a lot of customers I speak to, uptime is their biggest issue. While everyone is sensitive to rising costs, they are saying, ‘If I am paying this higher rate for a good technician, I expect the truck to be fixed first time, I expect you have the parts, and I expect the truck to be back on the road’. “That is why we need the training school to work well. We need the right calibre of people and we need to pay the right salary to retain them. We need to make them proud of the DAF brand.” CHIP CHALLENGE: Drake says there are over 160 semiconductors on a truck and a chip that used to cost €2 now costs up to €250
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Resource levels
When it comes to matching resources to demand, truck dealers have many of the same issues hauliers face in recruiting drivers for peak periods, when demand can be 30% or 40% above average. “Many dealers say to me, ‘It is all very well you telling
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me we need to have all this resource for the snowy month of January when there are lots of breakdowns, but in June and July there are no trucks coming in and no breakdowns so I have all these technicians standing around’. “How do we flex for a cyclical industry? I have some sympathy for them because when you look at the figures there is a lot of pressure on dealers in the winter and as you come into summer it really does drop off. My argument is, send the technicians off for more training!”
Out-of-hours issue
There is a similar problem if dealers try to expand capacity by opening in the evenings or weekends. “For that to work the dealer needs the right customer mix,” says Drake. “If all customers want their trucks servicing at night, the workshop is empty during the day. That is perhaps where we are seeing missed services – there is just too much coming in if operators are all dropping their trucks at 6pm and want to collect them at 5am. “And a lot of people don’t want to work nights so that can just push up pay rates even more.” The other underlying cause of R&M capacity shortages is that the lack of new trucks means operators are having to run their vehicles for nine or even 10 years, rather than the more usual five to seven, so they are needing a lot more R&M. “These older trucks needing more work are coming into a network that is already under strain because of parts supply problems,” says Drake. “People need to remember we are not in a usual vehicle age market. Add to that the backlog of MoTs from the pandemic and there is sometimes too much strain, which is not easy to manage out quickly.” ■
23.5.22
