Motor Transport 18 January 2021

Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging

18.1.21

NEWS INSIDE Pay up or face jail

Haulage offender fined

Weighty issue

Pallet guidance imminent

p3

AVAILABLE NOW p4

Clean up

Diesel sales to end by 2040 p6

OPERATORS INSIDE DAF............................................................... p6 Kuehne+Nagel .............................................. p3 Tuffnells ....................................................... p4 Youngs Transportation & Logistics .................. p3

Maritime Transport rewards drivers Maritime Transport rewarded over 2,000 drivers in December with a bonus payment which totals more than £1.3m and averages around £600 per driver.

The bonuses relate to a significant reduction in road-related incidents in 2020, and an increase in the number of drivers who achieved top-end telematics grades.

Another 69 drivers across Maritime’s depot network, who achieved optimal telematics grades for safe and efficient driving and remained incident-free throughout the year, received an additional £1,000.

The bonus payments are part of Maritime’s safety bonus initiative, now in its eighth year.

The scheme was introduced as a means of encouraging its driver workforce to maintain higher levels of safety and compliance on UK roads.

Service halted due to difficulties associated with post-Brexit customs rules

DPD suspends European parcel deliveries

By Carol Millett

DPD has extended its suspension of parcel deliveries to Europe and the Republic of Ireland after struggling to cope with the fallout from new post-Brexit customs requirements.

The company halted its Classic European Road Service to Europe and the Republic of Ireland in the first week of January after being forced to manually process thousands of parcels that had been returned to sender due to missing customs data. The company estimated at least 20% of all parcels processed by the service had been returned.

DPD has also faced challenges with the UK government’s New Computerised Transit System (NCTS), which it said had failed to “meet the company’s needs”.

The company has been forced to work around the clock with government and customs officials and the NCTS team to sort out the problems.

It had hoped to resume the service on 13 January. However as MT went to press, it had been forced to extend the suspension pending a review last Friday (15 January).

A letter to customers stated: “Further to our update on our Classic European Road Service, we’ve had additional challenges with this service and our international operation teams have been working non-stop to reduce delays on your European deliveries.

“All European parcels sent to us between 30 December and 7 January have now either been shipped to Europe or will be returned to you due to missing data.

“These parcels were processed manually, which involved many teams and many hours of work.

This is not sustainable moving forward.

“We are working closely with the UK government to ensure their New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) meets our needs.

However, it has had its challenges since 1 January and we are doing everything possible to minimise the impact this is having on our service to Europe.

“Each day we are making significant strides with all our new external systems and processes.

However, there continue to be delays in validating data with European Customs.”

The company has also asked customers to ensure data is “100% correct” on commencement of the service, or face the automatic return of their parcels. n HGV traffic to and from Ireland via Holyhead has slumped by around one-third since 1 January, according to port operator Stena Line.

Stena said the reduction is

largely due to operators from mainland Europe – whose trucks would normally head for Ireland via the UK ‘land bridge’ and pick up loads on the way back – deciding to avoid the UK. Ian Davies, head of UK Port Authorities at Stena Line, said hauliers’ concerns about disruption at ports has seen a significant number drive to northern France and take the crossing to Ireland.

GENERATION

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Focus: training p6 Viewpoint: Covid-19 p8 Future fuels p10 Online training p14 MT Awards shortlists: Safety p16 Fleet Truck p18

2021 Events Convoy Cymru 15/16 May

Driving down your fuel costs

Tip-ex Tank-ex, Harrogate TM Conference 3 June Northern Rewards 4 June Truck Drivers’ BBQ 5 June

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Youngs expands with North West Cargo deal Purfleet-based Youngs Transportation & Logistics has bought North West Cargo (NWC) in Warrington.

The deal adds 44 vehicles to its fleet and provides it with the presence in the north that its major clients have reportedly demanded.

With depots in Southampton, Purfleet and now Warrington, Youngs said its influence in the less-than-container-load haulage and groupage consolidation depot market is steadily increasing and the deal will help give customers flexibility to use its hubs for imports and exports. It said the deal will also provide the opportunity to work with a well-known parcels carrier and accommodate extra loads during peak periods.

Youngs MD Paul Pavitt said: “This acquisition and the coming together of both companies is perfect for our strategic and growth plans and maintains customers’ requirements. NWC is a terrific company with a great basis for us to build on with a fantastic loyal team.

“We share 50% of our customer base and look forward to working with other customers new to Youngs and enhancing relationships and services, such as traction-only.

"We are always looking to improve what we do and will continue looking to acquire other strategically placed depots.”

Persistent offender who ran illegal waste business is given ultimatum

‘Career criminal’ to pay £2.1m fine or face jail

By Chris Tindall

One of the largest confiscation orders obtained by the Environment Agency has been imposed on a convicted offender, who ran an illegal waste haulage business.

John Bruce has been given three months to pay £2.1m following a confiscation case at Worcester Crown Court. Judge Nicholas Cole branded 48-year-old Bruce a “career

criminal” and said that he would face a seven-year jail sentence if he did not pay the money.

Bruce received a 26-month jail sentence in May 2018 for operating an illegal waste site at a farm on Throckmorton Airfield in Worcestershire. He was initially prosecuted for six offences where waste totalling 25,000cu m was either dumped, buried or burned at the site.

The court heard that the defendant had expanded his business and had invested in various properties, land and cars. He also owned a large selection of expensive items of heavy plant, which he hired, bought and resold.

Cole ruled that a trust he had set up was a sham and that the money held in a bank account operated by the trust formed part of his criminal benefit.

XPO completes K+N contract logistics deal The sale of Kuehne+Nagel Group’s contract logistics portfolio to XPO Logistics has been sealed after being unconditionally approved by the British Competition and Markets Authority.

The deal sees XPO acquire Kuehne+Nagel’s drinks logistics, food services and retail and technology businesses, which generated a turnover of approximately £617m in 2019 and employed 7,500 staff. The sale was announced in March last year.

XPO said the transaction expands its UK and Ireland operations to 248 locations and approximately 26,000 employees and brings on board a range of logistics services.

Kuehne+Nagel said the deal will allow it to focus on the e-commerce and pharmaceutical sectors.

XPO Logistics’ plan to split the company into a global contract logistics firm and a company providing less-than-truckload and truck brokerage transportation has also moved a step closer. The two businesses, dubbed NewCo and

XPORemainCo, are scheduled to be separately listed on the New York Stock Exchange later this year.

Malcolm Wilson, currently chief executive of XPO Logistics Europe, will become the chief executive of NewCo’s global business.

Stobart orders 2,250 Scania trucks for Consortium Purchasing Scania (GB) has won an order for at least 2,250 trucks from Consortium Purchasing, an operation led by William Stobart, executive chairman of GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions (which owns Eddie Stobart, The Pallet Network and iForce), and Allan Jenkinson (owner of A W Jenkinson Forest Products).

The trucks will be supplied by Scania dealers Haydock Commercial Vehicles and Graham Commercials over the coming two years.

18.1.21

More than 1,000 are destined for Eddie Stobart, with the remainder split between AW Jenkinson Forest Products and the third member of the consortium, WS Transportation.

GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions has also reassured members of the Stobart Club and Shop that it plans a relaunch later this year.

The move comes after several members told MT that they had received no communications or published material in 2020, despite paying an advance membership

fee of £18.99 in December 2019.

A spokesperson for GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions said: “Eddie Stobart acquired the brand along with the Stobart Club and Shop from Stobart Group in May 2020. Eddie Stobart hasn’t taken any membership payments since we took this over and has returned any uncashed cheques to members that have been received.

“Any payment that was made to Stobart Group before May, we are in the process of offering a refund or extending their membership.”

MotorTransport 3

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Image: Getty Images

Tim Campbell is a leading commercial vehicle/ electric fuel cell consultant

How to go green

By Tim Campbell As the UK has committed to the end of diesel car and van sales by 2030, the European vehicle industry body ACEA is now proposing the end of “heavy” diesel commercial vehicle sales by 2040 – a full 10 years sooner than expected. Renault Trucks has declared that 10% of its total truck sales will be electric by the end of 2025.

Is the UK transport sector ready for such a change?

The UK government has committed to a very green agenda and will consult later this year on when to stop the sale of diesel trucks, with many observers suggesting this could be as soon as 2035. But there’s been another important recent development.

Ella Kissi-Debrah was a nine-year-old girl who lived close to the South Circular Road in London. Sadly she died in 2013 after suffering an asthma attack. The Coroner reviewing her death in 2020 declared: “Ella died of asthma, contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution.”

This is the first time such a link has been formally recognised and London Mayor Sadiq Khan has declared it a “landmark moment”. This potentially opens the door to local authorities across the UK pursuing more challenging air quality targets to reduce the prospect of legal action.

If this is the case, the importance and value of electric vehicles in delivering cleaner air can only increase. So what are the key considerations in preparing to adopt electric vehicles?

The first thing to do is to have a clear understanding of where an electric vehicle can work. For instance, forget trunking or variable mileage operations covering 100 miles one day, but 300 the next. Select an urban operation that is fairly predictable and allows for an overnight charge. (Why pay for a fast charger you don’t need?)

Secondly, make sure you have power available at the vehicle site. This may sound obvious, but it won’t be the first time this has become an issue! Check the power profile of your site, see what headroom is available and what grid resources are around your site.

Thirdly, start small – consider a small number of electric vehicles in the first phase. Build experience and understanding of these, and then plan for more vehicles and more sites as you build confidence in both the vehicle and its infrastructure.

Lastly, an electric vehicle requires a different style of driving and if driven correctly can generate much of its own – free! – energy through regenerative braking. A badly driven vehicle will run out of power and have to be recovered.

The UK is going green, and the pace is quickening. Those that start today will learn what it means to operate electric vehicles, before legislation changes and gives them no choice!

We’ll take a look at how the future will be different in the next issue – as always, your thoughts are very welcome.

4 MotorTransport

RHA confident document is near to publication

Tail-lift pallet weight guidance is ‘imminent’

By Carol Millett

Long-delayed industry guidance on pallet weights for tail-lift deliveries is imminent, the RHA has revealed. The news follows a meeting earlier this month between the industry working group and HSE officials, which put together the draft guidance.

“The RHA, in collaboration with the Association of Pallet Networks, continues to work with the HSE on the issue of tail-lift and pallet weights,” it told MT. “This has been a protracted process because of the ongoing pandemic and the HSE Publications Approval Panel has not been sitting. However, following a recent, successful meeting

with the HSE, both organisations are confident that approval and subsequent publication of the longawaited guidance document is imminent.”

Hauliers questioned the HSE’s claims that the guidance had been delayed by the pandemic. One said: “This has been in the making since well before [HGV driver] Petru Pop died in 2016, so it should have been approved by the HSE long before the pandemic.”

Pop, 52, was crushed to death in November 2016 by a 1,400kg pallet of tiles while making a residential tail-lift delivery in High Wycombe on behalf of Reason Transport, which was at the time a member of Palletways.

Photo: Shutterstock

ADVERTORIAL

Former directors back at Tuffnells Three former Tuffnells directors have returned to the company, following its management buyout from the Connect Group last May. Ian Bland, Chris Tresadern and Ian Brewer all held leadership positions at Tuffnells but left the company either before or during the firm’s previous ownership by Connect Group. All three have been taken on in key roles in turning the business around.

Since the sale, the Sheffieldbased firm, which specialises in delivering items of irregular dimension and weight (IDW), has

returned to the black despite making losses of approximately £14m on annual revenues of £164m at the time of the sale.

Bland, who was regional director and deputy operations director between 2005 and 2016, has returned to become IDW carrier operations director.

Tresadern, who held the roles of regional director and sales director at Tuffnells until 2017, has returned as commercial director.

And former finance director Brewer, who left in 2016, has returned to his previous role.

18.1.21

New vehicle safety standards are coming to London To improve the safety of all road users, Heavy Goods Vehicles over 12 tonnes must meet the new safety standards and have a safety permit.

To give you more time to prepare, the new safety standards will now come into effect on 1 March 2021.

The permit is free to apply for.

If you do not have a safety permit by 1 March you may receive a penalty charge of up to ÂŁ550.

Ensure you also meet the Euro VI emissions standard.

Search TfL check heavy vehicle

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European truck makers announce plans to phase out diesel by 2040

The heads of Europe’s largest truck makers are set to announce plans to halt the sale of diesel vehicles by 2040, a decade earlier than originally planned.

Daimler, Scania, MAN, Volvo, DAF, Iveco and Ford have formed an alliance and signed a pledge to phase out traditional combustion engines and focus on hydrogen, battery technology and clean fuels.

The pledge also calls for widespread investment in energy grids and a higher tax on carbon across Europe to help drive the change.

The industry will spend between €50bn and €100bn (£45bn to £90bn) on new technologies, Scania chief executive Henrik Henriksson told the Financial Times, ahead of the pledge The truck makers, along with the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, will work with the Potsdam Institute

Shutterstock

Death knell sounds for diesel

for Climate Impact Research to find the best alternative technologies to replace diesel engines.

Truck makers are ramping up their commitment to switching vehicle technology in the face of increasing pressure from the EU, which plans to reduce CO2 emissions by 5% by the end of the decade.

Renault Trucks UK & Ireland

and its dealer network have committed to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas status by 2030.

Unveiling details of its Sustainability Initiative last week, the manufacturer said the project will be driven by a nationwide transformation programme across its operations and dealer network.

Northampton hub works on track Infrastructure works have started on the Segro Logistics Park Northampton Gateway (SLPNG) – a 450-acre multimodal logistics hub located next to junction 15 of the M1.

The project has been designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project that will provide 5 million sq ft of industrial facilities and a 35-acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange handling up to 16 extra-long trains per day.

The project will also deliver new rail connections and major upgrades to junctions 15 and 15a on the M1, a new bridge over the West Coast Mainline and the construction of a bypass around Roade.

Infrastructure works are anticipated to be completed by the end of 2023.

Focus: training Government needs to reclassify driver training and testing, says SfL

Driving training should be critical Last year I talked about the impact of the increasing delays of HGV driver testing (due to the first lockdown) on the now well-established driver shortage challenge. Now we are in our third (probably equally as long as the first) lockdown, and Brexit has happened I need to forecast what potentially is a very bleak picture over the next three years for our critical workers:  existing 59,000 driver shortage;  backlog of 60,000 HGV tests by March 2021; loss of 20,000 EU drivers due to Brexit fall-out; 10% increase in HGV movements due to loss of JIT supply-chain; knock-on effect for additional warehouse storage and administration.

At the Logistics Skills Network we believe that unless driver training and testing is urgently reopened and classed as a critical sector, the industry will be facing a driver shortage of 150,000, which is 25% of the total workforce required to drive our economy. Not only that, but we may not have an HGV driver training sector unless urgent targeted business support is provided by government.

The result of a survey conducted by Logistics Skills Network earlier this month is extremely worrying given that fewer than 200 HGV training providers prop up the whole economy. Since 2007, according to DfT data, this small group of independent businesses have trained and tested some 425,000 new HGV drivers.

During the past five years, the number of tests provided by the DVSA has consistently been above 70,000 a year (see table).

Very disturbing is the fact that in the past six months just 13,588 HGV tests have been undertaken, creating only 7,800 new drivers.

This is a situation that this industry will take years to recover from, if the HGV driver training sector can survive.

The Logistics Skills Network survey obtained responses from the sector’s leading HGV training providers, which, pre-Covid-19, were responsible for 42% of all HGV driver training. The results 6 MotorTransport

do not make good reading for the future prospect of an expanding UK logistics sector. It found 64% of HGV training providers were not at all confident and were very doubtful whether their business would survive and would at least need to make drastic cost-cutting; and only 4% were confident they could survive a further three-month lockdown with resources to increase capacity on resumption.

Logistics Skills Network needs to raise awareness of this grave situation and is lobbying government to urgently reclassify driver training and testing as critical. However, given that there are fewer than 200 HGV driver training businesses in the UK, it would seem far more effective and practical to conscript the support of the 70,000 O-licence operators who depend on their services to fill new driver vacancies. By David Coombes We need as many employers as possible to get behind us to support this critical initiative. Act now by contacting myself at david.coombes@skillsforlogistics.co.uk or Paul Spink at paul.spink@logisticsskillsnetwork.co.uk.

TESTING TIMES Year April to March

Number of annual DVSA HGV tests 2015/16 70,233 2016/17 78,237 2017/18 70,619 2018/19 73,895 2019/20 70,288 2020/21 (six months April to September 2020) 3,588 Source: DfT DRT0501

18.1.21

DAF XF AND CF

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Check out all the features (and the Ultimate+ package upgrade) at your dealer or visit: www.daf.com/ultimate

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Viewpoint

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Protect all – not just the elderly

A

ll hail the Covid-19 vaccines, saviour of the human race – if we are to believe what the PM and his ministers tell us. But if the government’s chaotic handling of the pandemic continues into its management of the Steve Hobson vaccine roll-out, then don’t expect a return Editor to anything like normal life anytime soon.

Motor It is of course completely understandable Transport that the government’s first priority is to save lives and prevent the NHS being swamped with Covid-19 cases. So it is equally understandable that the initial doses of vaccine are being given to the oldest people, who are most likely to die if they catch the disease.

But this group of people should be the easiest to protect through isolation and family bubbles – a retired 80-year-old is not going to be mingling with dozens of people in the higher-risk categories, and while staying at home is extremely difficult, as most of us have found, it is not impossible.

That generation have lived through at least one world war, so they understand better than anyone the need for sacrifice in the interests of the country. It is confusion over what restrictions are in force where

and why, and the stop-start nature of the lockdowns, that is getting people down.

The government has written to the RHA to say people working in the transport industry are classed as keyworkers and are eligible to send their children to school to enable them to continue their vital work.

That is 100% right, but in response the RHA points out that, as key workers, they also need to be prioritised for vaccination.

HGV drivers trunking up and down the motorway spend long periods alone in their cabs and so are not at high risk. But warehouse staff and home delivery drivers come into contact with lots of people and so are both keyworkers and at high risk of catching and passing on the virus.

Let’s not repeat the disastrous track-andtrace fiasco with the vaccine. It needs to be got out to the people who keep this country supplied with all the other essentials for day-to-day living. Why can’t vaccinators target the elderly during the day and logistics workers at night, for example?

Sending in the Army to some of the large DCs around the country would be an efficient way of reaching large numbers of the keyworkers this country depends on.

Pain of 2020 reshaping our landscape T John Perry MD SCALA

here’s no doubt that 2020 was an extremely turbulent year, with the public, businesses and the supply chains that serve them all feeling the effects. But how will the fallout affect the supply chain in the months to come?

We must primarily consider the economic effects of 2020. A growing proportion of the population is now in financial difficulty, putting pressure on price points – particularly pertinent given that Brexit is likely to cause price increases for supermarkets and their customers.

This economic shift, alongside the move to online and home delivery, will worsen retailers’ margin challenges, while they contend with the increased need to compete on price to retain sales. This cost squeeze is likely to trickle through to suppliers, meaning that we may see businesses look to minimise costs across their supply chain and logistics operations.

This volatility means certain companies may look to sell. As a result, mergers and acquisitions activity is likely to increase – possibly leading to bargains for those in a position to buy.

A recurrent theme of 2020 was rapidly shrinking warehouse space, due to factors

8 MotorTransport

such as the rising popularity of online shopping, changing consumer demands and businesses stockpiling in an attempt to insulate themselves from wider market turmoil. Illustrating this, deals were agreed for 22.1 million sq ft of warehouse space in the first nine months of the year according to JLL – up 36% year-on-year.

Environmental concerns will once again be high on the agenda – particularly considering the UK is set to host the United Nation’s COP26 summit later in the year. Increased home deliveries in lockdown and fluctuating traffic levels have thrown a spotlight on the environmental impact of businesses, meaning that finding ways to sustainably cut emissions, without compromising in areas such as service quality, will be a key priority for many.

We predict that businesses will put a great deal more focus on their supply chain risk and resilience over the next year. For any that have not begun this process yet, we would urge them to seriously consider it.

The newspaper for transport operators

To contact us: Tel: 020 8912 +4 digits or email: name.surname@roadtransport.com Editor Steve Hobson 2161 Head of content Tim Wallace 2158 Events and projects editor Hayley Pink 2165 Group production manager Isabel Burton Layout & copy editor Nick Shepherd Senior display sales executive Barnaby Goodman-Smith 2128 Display sales executive Caragh Barry 2122 Event sales Tim George 0755 7677758 Classified and recruitment advertising rtmclassified@roadtransport.com Divisional director Vic Bunby 2121 MT Awards Katy Matthews 2152 Managing director Andy Salter 2171 Editorial office Road Transport Media, First Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1JB 020 8912 2170 Free copies MT is available free to specified licensed operators under the publisher’s terms of control. For details, email mtsccqueries@roadtransport.com, or call 01772 426705 Subscriptions Email:customercare@dvvsubs.com Quadrant Subscription Services, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH Rates UK £146/year. Europe £176/year.

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Got something to say?

If you would like to contribute to MT’s Viewpoint, email steve.hobson@roadtransport.com 18.1.21

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Future fuels

DHL Supply Chain has begun operating the first purpose-built fully electric 16-tonne vehicle in the UK, a Volvo FL Electric. Based in London, it makes last-mile deliveries into the West End

Countdown to zero T When it comes to fuel options in the years to come, the only certainty is that operators will have to move away from diesel combustion engines, writes John Kendall

10 MotorTransport

he government’s aim of zero net carbon emissions is being translated into evermore stringent targets. Its ‘10-Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution’, published in November, began a consultation process to phase out the sale of new diesel HGVs, after announcing that those of petrol and diesel vans will be stopped in 2030.

However, all the available alternatives have pros and cons and will be affected by cost, size of vehicle, distance travelled, refuelling infrastructure and legislation.

Vehicle manufacturers recognise the need for change.

In December, the industry’s European trade body ACEA, in conjunction with scientists from the Potsdam Institute, concluded that by 2040 all new trucks need to be fossil-free to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

This will be possible, ACEA believes, only if the right refuelling network is in place and if there are financial incentives.

Scania CEO Henrik Henriksson, chair of ACEA’s Commercial Vehicle Board, says: “We cannot do it alone.

We need policymakers and other stakeholders to join forces with us.”

How alternative fuels are used over the next few years will vary, according to Brian Robinson, commercial vehicle emissions consultant at LowCVP, a public-private partnership that encourages the use of cleaner vehicles.

Mix and match

Operators may opt for a phased approach, Robinson believes. “Companies are increasingly looking towards using the right technology at the right time over the next 10 to 20 years. Diesel and gas-powered trucks are likely to be used during the transition to a fully electric fleet or one using hydrogen fuel cells,” he says.

Robinson believes that although battery electric vehicles are generally thought only to be suitable for lower speed, shorter journeys, this could change.

“Batteries are getting lighter and cheaper and you can manage with a smaller battery if you can top-up along the route,” he points out.

However, DAF Trucks marketing manager Phil Moon believes that at present electric trucks are limited to shorter, repetitive journeys. “Because there isn’t the necessary charging infrastructure the only practical solution is often to get back to base within the range of the vehicle,” he says.

Despite this, many sectors are showing interest in electric vehicles, says Andrew Scott, Renault Trucks head of product management for the UK and Ireland. As well as being used for last-mile deliveries, city distribution and waste, those in general and refrigerated distribution, highways maintenance, vehicle transport and construction are keen to look at the possibilities.

“We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the range of 18.1.21

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PUTTING TECHNOLOGY TO THE TEST

MAKING THE TRANSITION

A three-year trial of alternative fuel vehicles has highlighted the potential to reduce carbon and other emissions. The Low Emission Freight and Logistics Trials (LEFT), funded by £20m of government money and £12m of private investment, found that there were benefits from switching to battery electric vehicles, gas power and aerodynamic trailers.

In all, there were eight different consortia made up of 30 different organisations in the trial, including hauliers, retailers, universities, fuel providers, trailer manufacturers and local authorities.

These were divided into three categories.  Revolution technologies: these included battery electric vehicles. The trial found there were substantial savings in well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of 50% to 80% and substantial air quality benefits compared with Euro-6 engines. There were also reductions in vehicle running costs of more than 60% compared with diesel. Transition technologies: these included range-extended electric HGVs, dedicated CNG and LNG gas-powered vehicles and dual-fuel vehicles, using LNG and diesel or hydrogen and diesel. GHG savings of 10% to 40% were possible but this could rise to 90% if using gas from renewable sources. Evolution technologies: this included aerodynamic and lightweight trailers and kinetic energy recovery systems, which retrieve energy from braking systems.

These could reduce fuel consumption and GHG by 5% to 10%.

Major operators are keen to switch to incorporate new low-emission technologies, especially electric delivery trucks and vans and gas-powered trucks for longer journeys.

Volvo, for example, announced in December that Asda was taking 202 of its FH LNG vehicles as part of the supermarket’s plan to switch its core fleet of 1,000 tractor units from diesel to gas by 2024.

Many believe that ‘closed loop’ measures will increasingly be the way forward. Dairy co-operative Arla has undertaken a three-month trial with Gasrec to turn cow manure from its farms into biomethane, which is then used to power two vehicles. The remainder of the waste is turned into nutrient-rich fertiliser used by farmers on their land.

John Lewis Partnership plans to run all its heavy trucks on biomethane by 2028 and is building its own filling station in Bracknell.

The company has also commissioned four electric delivery vans and will trial them this year.

These have greater carrying capacity than their diesel counterparts and are part of a policy to end the use of fossil fuels in its transport network by 2030.

Home delivery represents a major opportunity for switching to electric vehicles and DPD has announced plans to deliver to 25 of the largest towns and cities in the UK using zero and lowemission vehicles by 2025.

operators seriously considering how to introduce electric medium-duty vehicles to their fleets,” he comments.

Manufacturers need to offer a range of vehicles to meet hauliers’ needs. John Comer, Volvo Trucks head of product management in the UK and Ireland, says: “We need to ensure that the right truck is selected as well as ensuring that the right support is in place for charging and servicing.”

A Mercedes-Benz spokesman believes that the choice of electric vehicle needs to balance distance, weight and flexibility. “They are best on highly predictable routes where you can carry out an entire day’s work without having to charge them up,” he says.

Industry trade body the Gas Vehicle Network also predicts more widespread use of gas. Its recent report, ‘A Green Recovery with Biomethane’, concludes that the development of new filling stations will be a vital step forward in its use.

“Stations can be deployed at large logistics parks, ports or logistics company sites where very large concentrations of trucks operate and refuel,” it states.

Hydrogen horizon

Unlike electric vehicles, hydrogen trucks are likely to become more widespread in the longer term and follow the development of hydrogen cars.

Duncan Yellen, MD of ITM Motive – set up in May by ITM Power to provide a network of hydrogen refuelling stations around the UK – says that among the benefits would be zero carbon emissions and faster refuelling than with electric vehicles, along with the eventual possibility of cheaper fuel.

However, without government intervention it is unlikely that there will be a huge uptake by hauliers in the short term. “Hydrogen is the best fuel for heavy trucks if your target is net zero carbon emissions, but the financial reality is that companies will have to pay more for fuel than they do currently,” he comments.

US engine and power systems manufacturer Cummins is keen to develop hydrogen in the next few years and recently staged an online ‘Hydrogen Day’. However, Cummins says that adoption will be influenced by the fuelling infrastructure, costcompetitiveness and regulations and only 2.5% of trucks are likely to use hydrogen by 2030.

Speaking at a conference last autumn, Iveco brand president Thomas Hilse emphasised the need for “a full choice of solutions for a green mobility” including biomethane and hydrogen.

“The ultimate goal of zero-emissions transport will be achieved with different technologies, according to the customer’s missions and applications,” he said.

Iveco dealership South West Truck & Van is seeing increasing interest in gas, particularly among parcels carriers and supermarkets. Vehicle director Javier Rodriguez comments: “Over the next couple of years, we anticipate gas-powered trucks making up to 50% of the tractor unit market.”

18.1.21

Life’s a gas

James Westcott, chief commercial officer of gas refuelling station firm Gasrec, believes that the advantages of gas will help make this happen.

“Hauliers using LPG and CNG can use cleaner, cheaper fuel without affecting the running of their business,” he says. ➜ 12

ELECTRIC AVENUE

Manufacturers are keen to produce alternatives to diesel combustion vehicles where they can – particularly electric models. DAF Trucks, for example, has announced that it is introducing its CF Electric truck, which has a range of 220km, into the UK market having carried out trials in Germany and the Netherlands.

Production will commence in March this year.

Renault Trucks supplies a range of electric vehicles from 3,100kg to 26 tonnes, while sister company Volvo Trucks is to offer electric models of its heavy-duty FH, FM and FMX trucks up to 44 tonnes from next year and will begin volume manufacturing from 2022.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks will start producing 18-tonne and 26-tonne versions of its e-Actros vehicles with a 200km range this year.

MAN Truck & Bus plans to begin production of a right-hand-drive version of its 26-tonne eTGM model in 2023. This has a similar payload to a combustion vehicle and can be configured as a refrigerated unit.

Scania’s involvement in the electric truck market includes a fully electric truck in its L and P rigid formats, along with a hybrid vehicle that allows long distances as a combustion vehicle and up to 60km in electric mode. The manufacturer is also investing in a new battery laboratory in Sweden.

Start-up electric vehicle manufacturer Volta Trucks will begin trials of its Volta Zero 16-tonne inner city distribution vehicles this year, ahead of production starting in 2022.

MotorTransport 11

Future fuels

WATER COMPANIES TAKE THE PLUNGE Water companies have announced plans to change their combined heavy goods vehicle fleet to low-carbon fuelled versions within the decade as part of a route map for the industry to reach net zero carbon emissions for all its activities by 2030.

The route map, published in November by industry group Water UK, included a switch to ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) for light vehicles and some HGVs. Other HGVs will move to hydrogen and biofuel.

The industry expects to change all its cars and 8% of light vans to battery versions by the end of the decade. In addition, 80% of freight mileage will be low-carbon, which it expects to be 30% hydrogen, 40% biofuel and 10% battery.

The industry runs more than 3,000 commercial vehicles (roughly one-third light and two-thirds heavy goods), whose average mileage is approximately 35,000 miles per year.

The road map says the industry will have to develop its own charging infrastructure at sites to continue to encourage greater transition to ULEVs and some HGVs. It will also have to develop hydrogen and biofuel options for HGVs and engage with the transport sector to encourage accelerated commercialisation of these fuels.

WaterUK says that its next steps will be to engage with the new Centre of Excellence for Hydrogen and look at how it can best use its own biogas to fuel the sector’s HGVs. Elsewhere in the 2030 Roadmap, there are plans for the companies to step up their own production of biogas from sewage and potentially other waste matter to be injected into the gas grid or used directly for transport fuels.

It also says “looking ahead further still, it’s worth noting that other trade associations such as the Renewable Energy Association are looking at biofuels for transport so, in the event that we produce more than we need, the sector could end up providing fuel for HGVs within other sectors”.

Following publication of the sector-wide ‘Net Zero 2030 Routemap’,individual water and sewage companies will produce their own plans, which are expected to be published in mid 2021. WaterUK expects to engage with the transport sector as companies set out their detailed net zero action plans.

■ By Janet Wood, editor of New Power 12 MotorTransport

motortransport.co.uk

The number of vehicles visiting its site at DIRFT has risen from 20 vehicles a day two years ago to 300 a day now, with the majority of its customers buying biomethane rather than fossil-based gas. Westcott believes this could rise to 700 a day by the end of 2021. Currently, the company has nine gas stations and plans to add up to four new stations a year.

Cheaper running

CNG Fuels, which supplies biomethane for gas trucks, is also seeing fast growth. General manager Peter Eaton says that although vehicles cost more to buy, cheaper running costs mean there is a payback in one to two years.

Most hauliers tend to use biomethane on a back-todepot basis, although the opportunities for refuelling out on the road are set to increase in the next few years.

CNG Fuels runs six stations but plans to add another 13 in the next two years. “We look for sites near to motorway junctions and next to large numbers of sheds,” Eaton comments.

Renault Trucks’ Scott believes that the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), which can be used as a drop-in alternative to diesel on all Euro-6 trucks, could also be used more widely. “We believe that HVO offers a huge environmental opportunity as it provides CO2 savings of up to 90% without changing your vehicle fleet,” he says.

MAN Truck & Bus head of product management for the UK Nick Handy says: “The market has been led by blue-chip fleets but now those with medium-sized fleets are asking the questions.”

How quickly the use of all types of alternative fuels increases depends both on investment by manufacturers and on the enthusiasm shown by operators – of all sizes – to adopt them. ■ 18.1.21

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Training

Going with the flow Many in the UK logistics sector are mobile or remote workers, but up until now there has been little qualityassured online training for them, writes Steve Hobson

A

ccording to research, six in 10 employees working in logistics say their firm has no structured career plan for staff despite the fact a similar number believe such a plan would be very useful.

Unsurprisingly, when it comes to training drivers, 40% of respondents think lack of time is the biggest barrier.

Against this backdrop a new digital career development platform for the logistics sector, Flow Logistics Online, has been launched (flowlogisticsonline.co.uk).

Co-founder David Coombes, also owner of The Skills Group, explains: “It is called Flow because its flows you through the career pathways. We flow you through the bite-sized learning content, that’s been quality assured.

Flow will allow you, if you’re not already in logistics, to do a pre-employment induction course and flow through 14 MotorTransport

to an employer or a training provider. If you are working in the industry, then it allows you to upskill yourself and flow through to the next level in your career.”

The new platform is aimed at individual learners, employers and training providers who will post the content after it is been accredited by Skills for Logistics, a leading end-point-assessment organisation for logistics apprenticeships. It has been built in association with Road Skills Online, which has long experience in developing web-based training content.

Although the site will next year become self-financing, its development and launch phase have been funded with a substantial grant from Ufi VocTech Trust. an organisation that promotes vocational and technical learning for adults.

“The funding allows vocational technical learning, not 18.1.21

motortransport.co.uk

degree-level apprenticeships or management graduate trainee programmes,” explains Coombes. “Right now, a shift worker – for example a warehouse operative who starts their shift at 10pm – how are they going to learn anything? You can’t go on an apprenticeship course and you’re not on a management graduate scheme because you haven’t got the qualifications. So how are you going to upskill yourself?

“Most big logistics employers will be the first to admit they’re not giving their drivers and operatives time and opportunities to train because they’re working shifts.

What we’re doing with this is allowing somebody at operative or maybe supervisor level to learn at a time they can – that might be during their break or when they come home from a shift. They can do some bite-sized learning, an hour at a time, with digital content that’s been approved.”

The launch of this new online training portal could not have come at a better time, with Covid-19 preventing a lot of face-to-face training. Remote workers like drivers have long been familiar with online tools but many more people have had to get to grips with remote communications in the past 10 months.

Going for gold

Each online module consists of 15 to 60 minutes of learning, coupled with a quiz-based mini-assessment to ensure trainees pay attention rather than just letting the module play in the background while doing something else. Most courses are made up of several modules and badges from the training provider are awarded on completion. When the required number of courses for each stage are completed, the trainee receives a Skills for Logistics award and moves up a level in their career pathway. Once courses are completed they are added to the learner’s digital “passport”, which they can take to the next level in their career or their next employer.

“The certificates will be quality-assured by Skills for Logistics so employers will know that they’ve done some valuable learning,” says Coombes. “That’s an important part of the Flow platform – the learner has this dynamic skills passport that they are building up all the time.”

In the initial pilot phase the content will focus on driving – using Road Skills Online’s extensive portfolio of existing online training – and warehousing. Coombes says Flow is aimed at hard-to-reach groups of employees for whom more structured academic routes have so far failed to work.

“This industry is not recognising vocational and technical training,” he says. “Everyone knows about graduate management trainee programmes and apprenticeships but why has logistics only claimed back 18% of the Apprenticeship Levy it has paid in?

“A lot of employers are nervous about putting their people on a 12-, 24- or 36-month apprenticeship because they struggle to understand whether it is justifiable. We are constantly missing out on the vocational learning that our junior people and our shift workers need.

“This is addressing a huge gap in the way that we allow operatives to learn. The sector is terrible at giving our operatives and junior people the ability to learn. They can only learn in bite-sized chunks, so this is what we are doing here.”

As well as training for drivers and warehousing staff, Flow will expand to cover areas such as transport management, customer service, finance and business improvement, with the aim of enabling ambitious individuals to progress from entry level roles into management.

“There will be leadership skills and some supervisory content in there as well,” says Coombes. “Why wouldn’t you be able to support somebody who is a team leader to become a supervisor with some online leadership skills? We have the platform. The content will come on from the right training provider or the right college – whoever is developing the right type of 18.1.21

learning for vocational technical training.”

For potential recruits interested in joining the logistics industry there will be lots of help to get started.

“It is really a complete end-to-end pathway,” says Coombes. “We will introduce them to employers and a training provider that is right for them.”

While trainees will ultimately be able to pay the training provider for each module they take, in practice Coombes is initially targeting large employers to buy training courses in bulk and then allow their employees to access them. This also enables Flow to provide customised training to suit employers’ particular operations, all still accredited by Skills for Logistics.

DRIVING THE CHANGE: Flow co-founder David Coombes says the new portal should open up training to employees often overlooked by traditional schemes

Easy to track

Many big employers already do their own in-house training – some of which may well be online – but by incorporating it onto Flow it will benefit from third-party accreditation, and the passport makes it much easier to keep track of what courses employees have undertaken.

It will also avoid repeating similar training – such as pretty standard inductions – that new joiners have already done with previous employers.

“The way the model will work is we are going to the big employers initially, and they’ll say, ‘I’ve got 100 learners, we’ll take 100 of those modules’,” says Coombes.

“The employer will know that by using content that is promoted by Flow it is the right content that has been quality assured and they will get a certificate.

“The employers we’ve spoken to have difficulty keeping on top of what their employees have learnt and what their qualifications are. This is a dynamic CV that actually will really benefit the employers as well. Instead of having to somehow record all the learning that individual employees have done, this digital passport will be a way of keeping on top of all that and show what they need to do.” ■

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS GAP IN THE MARKET A recent survey by Motor Transport revealed that 41% of respondents working for companies (as opposed to self-employed owner-drivers) thought the industry did not deliver vocational training successfully.

When it came to identifying which type of employees were most in need of what kind of training, 49% said drivers needed training in compliance, 52% thought office staff needed to improve their leadership skills and 18% said warehouse staff needed better digital skills.

More than six in 10 respondents (61%) admitted their firm had no structured career plan for staff in place and only one-fifth of firms had career plans for drivers. But 58% thought it would be useful to have a structured, professional framework for their operational staff (including drivers) to enhance their career development.

When asked what were the biggest barriers to offering drivers development training, 40% cited cost, while the same percentage said drivers were too busy.

When it came to delivering training, 56% of employees said their company used third-party trainers, while 45% did it in-house. The email survey by market researchers Edge Insight was completed by 624 MT readers between 10 July and 21 July 2020.

MotorTransport 15

MT Awards 2020 winner profile Safety in Operation Award

Aiming for zero Bibby Distribution is a company on a mission – and that mission is all about cutting accidents and reportable incidents right across the business to zero

B

ibby Distribution chief executive Richard Morson candidly told MT in a recent interview that “the Covid-19 pandemic is the ultimate test of resilience for any business”.

And nothing could prove this more than the performance of a company’s health and safety strategy during a time of global crisis.

A comprehensive system including employee training, mentoring, mental health awareness and company-wide communication gave Bibby Distribution the powerful tools it needed to thrive in a challenging 2020.

“Safety in Operation is obviously the one to win in this current environment and in 2020,” said Morson. “And safety is a long journey we’ve been on for a number of years. It’s something we’ve really focused on and we’ve worked together to improve our safety performance.

16 MotorTransport

“Our nomination was based on nearly 40% reduction year-on-year in reportable incidents. And that was on the back of the previous year, which had already significantly improved.”

In Bibby Distribution’s winning awards entry, the business demonstrated how an embedded safety culture led to 2019 being its safest year on record. Smashing its already ambitious targets by some distance, achievements included reducing accidents by more than a third and recording its lowest-ever number of lost time and reportable incidents. While the target reduction was 10%, reportable incidents (RIDDOR) were actually reduced by 36% and lost time accidents (LTRs) by 39%.

Near-miss reporting also improved by 139%, from 236 in 2018 to 566 in 2019.

A manual handling training course developed by 18.1.21

Sponsored by osteopaths was completed by 70 trainers and manual handling incidents were cut by 10%. Slips, trips and falls also declined by 17% following a focused campaign and targeted training courses.

At the same time, Bibby Distribution’s driver trainers focused on reducing road traffic collisions by conducting one-to-one and class training, particularly around its GOAL (Get Out And Look) campaign. This saw on-theroad, ‘at fault’ vehicle accidents drop by 21%.

The company’s approach to safety emphasises openness and team empowerment. It has developed several internal campaigns for staff based on ‘mindset’, which have had a positive impact on culture across the business.

It also held its fourth annual health and safety conference, to share and discuss best practice, and the second annual Driver of the Year Awards, recognising safe driving.

Top-down approach

The importance Bibby Distribution places on wellbeing is shown by the fact that head of safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ) Andrew Mawson reports directly into CEO Richard Morson. His immediate team includes four dedicated SHEQ managers, a lead driver trainer, and five driver trainers.

The company has invested £1m on in-cab cameras across the fleet as well as full fleet telematics, and has its own bespoke software, AIRS – Accident Incident Recording System – used to detail accidents and near misses. AIRS data and lessons are regularly shared across the business.

All accident/incident data, including vehicle trend analysis and damage and repair costs, are reviewed on an ongoing basis and the business flexes its daily, weekly and monthly priorities based on this information.

Underpinning all its safety initiatives, Bibby has also introduced a cultural drive across the business called ‘Come home safe’. This campaign was designed to “instil a proactive safety focus among all staff by highlighting the importance of families, pets and outside work interests”, and underline that every team member has a responsibility to protect their colleagues on a daily basis to ensure they return home safely. It has been delivered in workplaces, at meetings and through company-wide internal social media to great effect.

2019’s target-beating results have been the culmination of a five-year strategy called ‘Road to Zero’, launched in 2015. This ambitious plan aims to deliver zero harm, zero waste and zero environmental impact across the entire Bibby Distribution operation.

Morson says: “Health and safety is truly at the top of our agenda, and we have worked hard to make Bibby Distribution one of the safest companies in logistics.

“We would ultimately love to support the whole logistics sector in raising safety standards, so everyone can Come Home Safe. Nothing matters more.”

“The Safety in Operation Award was fantastic to win.

It was an amazing achievement for Andrew and the team because they have worked tirelessly to help and support people across the business.”

Mental health and wellbeing will continue to be one of the biggest focuses for Bibby Distribution throughout 2021. Working from home, prompted by 2020’s coronavirus pandemic, has shifted the way risk assessments are approached.

“This recognises that within our own colleague group we have everything from people living on their own in a small flat with limited contact to colleagues in their family home trying to work on complicated budgets with 18.1.21

ABOUT BIBBY DISTRIBUTION Bibby Distribution has been providing logistics and supply chain services for more than 30 years.

It operates from 50 UK locations, and has 1,400 employees providing contract logistics, warehousing, distribution and other added value services, supporting industry from primary production through to multi-channel retailing.

■ It delivers more than 1.3 billion drinks cans each year – 20 cans for every person in the UK ■ It delivers 350 million sq m of cardboard every year – enough to cover 50,000 football pitches ■ Its fleet travelled 90 million km last year – the equivalent of the moon and back 130 times – yet still reduced C02 emissions by 5%

the family buzzing around,” says Mawson.

“We have a whole new set of hazards to understand and work out how to solve. So with Richard’s help, we’ve done everything from providing essential furniture to getting people into the right spaces to work.”

The entire Bibby management team is now trained in IOSH Managing Occupational Health & Wellbeing, which enables to them to carry out health assessments and understand how to spot if an employee is struggling.

Each line manager also carries out a weekly “buddy call” with team members to check in with them while not in an office environment.

In addition, more and more staff are volunteering to be trained up as mental health first-aiders. Mawson says: “In many ways mental health is becoming the new slip, trip and fall. While everybody is in the workplace, we all know that slips, trips and falls are the biggest cause of injuries. Now people are working from home, mental health and wellbeing are key.”

Mawson says another positive to stem from the shift in working patterns during Covid-19 has been the use of social media platforms to communicate health and safety messages with staff. Monthly updates on video, weekly Zoom calls for safety-co-ordinators, and dedicated Facebook and Twitter pages have helped staff communicate any issues quickly. This has proven particularly useful for drivers, who may want to report a health or safety issue at a time when not many people are on site.

Now they simply use social media as an instant tool.

“It’s a whole new way of working for us and has taken a bit of time to get used to, but will stand us in good stead now,” says Mawson. “It has really opened up our ability to communicate and engage. I’m incredibly proud of what my team has achieved and will continue to achieve.”

The use of online interactive tools such as Kahoot has also enabled Mawson and his team to liven up training sessions and gauge instant feedback from delegates taking part.

What the judges thought

The MT Awards judges were particularly impressed by the excellent results delivered by Bibby’s approach to safety and praised the “full commitment from top level management”.

“The results speak for themselves,” said one judge.

Another called Bibby’s entry “a very strong submission based on a long-term strategy driving along a road to zero in a number of areas, including safety”.

The judges also commented on the amount of evidence, including relevant statistics, to back up the impressive results. “There appears no desire to rest on their laurels,” said one. “The engagement for near-misses is also very positive,” said another. “You get the feeling that they will not be happy until they reach zero.” ■

SAFETY AT HEART: Head of SHEQ Andrew Mawson reports directly to Bibby’s CEO

MotorTransport 17

MT Awards 2020 winner profile Fleet Truck of the Year

Still at the top DAF’s XF is proving a hard nut to crack for its opposition in the long-distance fleet truck sector – not least because of its excellent design and performance

T LEADING THE FIELD: DAF XF is one of the most popular long-distance fleet trucks in the UK market

18 MotorTransport

rucks that consistently perform well in all respects are invariably the most popular.

DAF has continuously achieved this in the UK truck market for the last 25 years, and as market leader for all of that time shows no sign of relinquishing its crown.

Among its extensive product range, one of the most popular models is the XF. Aimed at the long-distance, maximum weight sector, it has become one of the most respected vehicles in a hotly contested marketplace. All of the manufacturers at this end of the market offer highly competent products, and the market leader has to really excel to stay ahead. While transport press opinions and vehicle road test results carry considerable weight, the real measure of a truck is what the market makes of it, which ultimately translates into vehicle sales and repeat business.

It is no secret that the current DAF XF range is a development of earlier generations of trucks which have themselves carried off the Motor Transport Fleet Truck of the Year Award. Some may consider this long track record to be a disadvantage when comparing the current XF with other manufacturers’ more recent models. But

nothing could be further from the truth. DAF’s engineers and designers have worked hard to update and revise the range, with the last major overhaul in 2017 and continuing detail updates through to the present day.

This includes de-speeded engines, giving more power and torque at reduced revs, and new fuel-efficient drivelines providing relaxed cruising at low engine revs, reducing consumption and wear on major components.

Part of this philosophy has included the use of variable geometry turbochargers to boost torque at lower revs and allow a laden truck to climb hills with fewer down-changes.

The use of the fast-changing ZF TraXon transmission, with much improved low-speed clutch control, gear selection and shift strategy, has added to the relaxed driving characteristics of the DAF heavy truck range.

Revised software with a range of operational modes that can be tailored to the operator’s requirements, along with a smart/adaptive GPS-guided cruise control (which is linked to a full range of electronic safety systems), ensures safe and stress-free performance on busy highways. Other safety features such as smooth, predictable handling and suspension systems, which

18.1.21

Sponsored by provide the best possible ride for driver and cargo, along with a powerful braking system aided by what is probably the most effective engine brake on the market, can be further supported by gearbox retarders for the toughest jobs at high weights.

DAF now offers connected services under the DAF Connect banner. These include full vehicle and driver performance monitoring, ensuring that the vehicle is operating to its full potential and the driver fully understands how to achieve this. In addition, on-board driver coaching (via the dash display) highlights best practice, with advice on how to improve individual driving scores. This is supported by smartphone-based apps and a full range of training services available from the dealer network, with qualified and highly experienced personnel. The connected services also include maintenance planning, vehicle tracking, and remote tachograph downloads.

Drivers rightly expect a decent level of comfort from any truck they are given, and vehicles specified for longdistance operation, where the driver is away from base for a couple of days, have to have plenty of living space, lots of storage for personal belongings and a decent level of equipment. The relative shortage of HGV drivers has really brought this issue into focus. While remuneration and general working conditions are hugely important, the truck you are given plays a big part in attracting and retaining drivers.

Fortunately the DAF XF has long been a driver’s favourite. The Space Cab and the bigger Super Space Cab give drivers virtually everything they need. The basic cab shells might be considered relatively mature designs, but were intended from the outset to meet the needs of long-distance drivers. DAF’s designers have cleverly updated and improved the basic designs, with masses of storage inside and out, easy cross-cab access, and modern dash and control layouts. There are also effective levels of heating and ventilation, along with comprehensive infotainment/media/navigation/communication systems, supported by a huge range of equipment options, so the cab interior can be tailored to fit the individual and the application.

Good night’s sleep

The beds are probably the feature of the XF that has won most praise from generations of drivers. They are the biggest and quite possibly the most comfortable on the market. While all modern sleeper cabs have decent bunks, the XF is just that bit better. It has a good mattress that retains its shape and comfort. The bed itself is a one-piece unit that doesn’t have to be manually extended to reach its full width, and the bottom bed is at a perfect height to sit on while making the transition from sleeping to standing. Drivers’ roadside facilities are becoming scarce in many parts of the country, hence the importance of decent fridges, microwaves and pull-out tables. Trucks have become both workplaces and part-time homes.

DAF caters for all of this with the XF, as do others, but the great big bed that guarantees a decent night’s sleep is the stand-out feature. A fully rested driver is a safer, more productive and happier one.

All of the fine qualities of the XF range can only be fully appreciated if the truck is reliable and out on the road, rather than stuck in the workshop. Fortunately DAF has a good reputation in this respect. Particular attention has been paid to this aspect of the XF range, with detailed design and careful assembly techniques that ensure wiring, pipework and chassis equipment installation are all to a high standard. Care has been taken 18.1.21

with regards to the location and mounting of key components. Most breakdowns are the result of relatively small problems such as air leaks, chafed wires or oil and water leaks that eventually bring the vehicle to a halt.

Mounting the AdBlue tank on the nearside wheelarch beneath the cab is a good example. It’s on the same side as the fuel tank on a 6x2 tractor unit, has ample capacity for up to two weeks’ operation, and the pump and dosing unit are well out of harm’s way.

The MX 11/13 engines have fully encapsulated wiring, surrounded by foam-filled protective covers. Virtually all of the oil and water flows are within the engine block and head, limiting the chance of leaks and failure.

On top of this, almost all of the trucks built for the UK market are assembled in this country at the modern production plant at Leyland. This provides short lines of communication between aftermarket operations and the production facility. If a quality problem should arise it can quickly be nipped in the bud.

While it’s obvious that the consistent quality of the XF range is a huge factor in its wide popularity and its win in this awards category again, there is far more to owning a DAF truck than how it performs and its popularity with drivers. DAF has offered effective aftermarket support for decades, and operators invariably highlight the effective dealer network and the superb breakdown service offered by DAFAid in the UK and Ireland, supported by the extensive ITS (International Truck Service) network in Europe and beyond.

The DAF dealer network features locations in almost every part of the country, and few operators are ever far from one. All the network members are long-established companies with multiple depots, highly trained staff and a high level of commitment to customer service.

Continuous development in terms of premises, equipment and staff training demonstrates the confidence dealers have in the DAF product and the organisation as a whole. This belief in the DAF brand has been imparted to the staff, whether in workshop, parts, sales or management roles. Many long-serving employees have developed an unrivalled pool of product and customer knowledge.

This consistency is returned in the form of customer loyalty. Long-lasting relationships between customers, dealers and manufacturer mean that when problems do occur, they can invariably be solved quickly, fairly and amicably. As one operator said when asked why it operated DAF trucks: “It’s the products and the people: they are both so easy to get on with – and consistently so.” ■

CLEAN AND CLEAR: (Top) Dashboard display and controls are well thought out (Bottom) Effective aftermarket support underpins top-notch dealer network

MotorTransport 19

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