Motor Transport 9 November 2020

Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging

9.11.20

Authorities seek to address the issue of drivers taking the same DCPC course multiple times

By Chris Tindall

The DVSA and JAUPT will take action against any driver or training provider that is found to repeat the same periodic training sub-

NEWS INSIDE Looking for more

Slam Transport targets north p3

Safety in the spotlight

Smart motorways under fire p4

Pandemic takes its toll

Miniclipper profit falls 22% p6

OPERATORS INSIDE Allport Cargo Services ..................................

Bullet Express..............................................

DPD Group UK ..............................................

Delivery Solutions ........................................

EV Cargo ......................................................

Kuehne + Nagel............................................

Lockwood Haulage .......................................

Maritime Transport.......................................

Miniclipper Logistics ....................................

R Swain & Sons ............................................

Slam Transport.............................................

Speed Welshpool .........................................

Stan Robinson Group ....................................

p3 p8 p6 p8 p3 p8 p8 p6 p6 p4 p3 p6 p3

jects as part of the Driver CPC. The enforcement agency and accreditation service said they had started monitoring training provider uploads and driver records and could revoke a driver qualification card (DQC) if they find that the rules have been broken.

The move follows a review of the Driver CPC directive by the EU commission, which now says “a range of different subjects should be covered over the 35 hours”.

The Driver CPC has faced criticism that there is nothing in place to prevent drivers taking the same course multiple times to complete the required hours.

JAUPT stated: “If we identify training that does not support professional driver development because of unnecessary repetition we may take action against the driver and the trainer. This could include revoking a DQC and reconsidering a training body’s approval to deliver periodic training.

“DVSA strongly encourages those trainers with a limited range of approved courses to consider increasing the range of subjects they offer,” it added. “There are no circumstances under which repeating the same course five times in

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DVSA and JAUPT warning over major Driver CPC clampdown

a short period is justifiable.”

The Office of the Traffic Commissioner has also taken a dim view of drivers failing to plan a suitable training regime. It has previously stated: “Driver CPC training should either be varied or specifically tailored to a driver’s weaknesses. Taking the same courses repeatedly is not good enough. Failing to put structured development plans in place for drivers not only increases the risk of an incident occurring but would reflect very poorly on an operator if they were called before a traffic commissioner.”

However, the DVSA acknowledged that there were situations

in which repeating a course was necessary and JAUPT said it would be publishing FAQs which will go into more detail and provide specific examples.

■ All face-to-face Driver CPC courses have been suspended until 2 December as part of the new national lockdown restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The DVSA said the restrictions do not affect its HGV testing service and that ATFs can remain open.

However, all vocational theory tests will be suspended, as will Driver CPC courses that are scheduled to be completed in the classroom.

CPC courses can continue if they are delivered online.

IN REMEMBRANCE: Maritime has once again pledged its support to the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal by displaying poppies on its entire vehicle fleet. The symbol of remembrance and hope has been fitted to the grille of 1,400 Maritime-liveried tractor units for the duration of November.

John Williams, Maritime group executive chairman, said: “Every poppy makes a difference to the lives of our armed forces community, and we are immensely proud to be supporting this remarkable appeal again whilst we pay tribute to those who stood shoulder to shoulder to secure our freedom. The military personnel we employ through our close association with the Career Transition Partnership and various other armed forces recruitment schemes are invaluable to our intensive operation, and bring a wealth of experience to their roles within Maritime and the wider industry.”

■ For Maritime's latest results, see page 6

Focus: ECMT permits p10 Viewpoint: England’s second lockdown p12 Telematics integration p14 Continuing professional development p16

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New site near York deemed ‘ideal location’ for business development

By Chris Tindall

Slam Transport in Coventry has acquired a 6.5 acre site near York to act as a foothold for haulage opportunities in the north of England.

The site at Wilberfoss is fully secure with a barrier entry system and an 18,000sq ft industrial unit, complete with vehicle inspection

pits, a spray booth, a 5-tonne travelling crane, 10 roller-shutter doors and office space.

The haulier bought the land from Montracon for an undisclosed sum and to coincide with the acquisition, it has also ordered 100 new trailers from the manufacturer.

Harinder Kohli, Slam Transport director, said: “In recent years we

have expanded our fleet and now operate throughout the UK and beyond.

“This site has a well-equipped building and a very spacious yard, which can comfortably accommodate plenty of vehicles.

“It’s also ideally located between the port city of Hull and the A1, and within easy reach of the A19 and M62, which made it the ideal location for our Yorkshire base.”

The company has also ordered 10 Volvo FH 4x2 tractor units with I-Save. The deal marks the first time in more than six years it has chosen Volvo for its fleet, which largely moves parcels between Amazon e-fulfilment centres.

The company said it was impressed with the FH’s fuel economy, and got positive driver feedback from a demonstrator supplied by Volvo Truck and Bus Centre East Anglia.

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Slam Transport sets sights on the north

Profit increases at Stan Robinson Group Staffordshire haulier Stan Robinson Group has reported a year-on-year rise in pre-tax profit of 14.2% despite a slight drop in turnover.

Pre-tax profit for the year to 31 May 2020 totalled £748,176, up from £655,2777 the previous year. Turnover was down 5.4% to £23,449,693.

Profits have grown steadily at the firm since a 60% drop in 2016.

Established in 1970, Stan Robinson is a family-run haulage business with vehicles ranging from 18 to 44 tonnes.

It operates a total of 300,000sq ft of fully racked warehousing across sites in Stafford, Glasgow, Darlington and Devon.

Allport Cargo Services rebrands as EV Cargo Global Forwarding EV Cargo has rebranded its freight forwarding business, Allport Cargo Services, to EV Cargo Global Forwarding. The transition ties in with the group’s growth and consolidation strategy and will be completed this year.

One of five business divisions in EV Cargo, it will continue to offer international supply chain services across over 100 countries.

The rebrand should provide EV

Cargo Global Forwarding with a platform for sustained growth as it takes advantage of the opportunity to operate under a single global brand aligned with the other business divisions.

EV Cargo said Allport Cargo Services, founded in 1963, had grown to become a predominant international supply chain partner to the retail and consumer goods industries, providing air, ocean and

surface freight, logistics and supply chain optimisation services.

The Allport name is known for global freight forwarding excellence, it said, and will be retained in a product capacity in the future.

The company reported significant growth during 2019, with earnings before tax increasing by over 50%, and introduced cost reduction measures to ensure sustainable trading during the first

half of this year.

Clyde Buntrock, EV Cargo Global Forwarding chief executive, said: “Allport embodies the fundamental principles and ethos of EV Cargo and we share the same vision, values and focus on exemplary customer service and worldleading supply chain solutions – operating under the new brand will therefore be a natural and seamless progression.”

Ryder supplies 100 DAF tractor units to Marshalls Ryder has delivered 100 new DAF XF480 Euro-6 tractor units with Space cabs to stone and concrete supplier Marshalls.

Ryder’s share of Marshalls’ fleet is now more than 240 vehicles and trailers – around two-thirds of the total.

Ryder’s director of fleet sales, John Robinson, said: “Ryder’s approach to 9.11.20

supporting the operation is two-pronged. First, Marshalls can take advantage of Ryder’s significant rental fleet, especially during the summer peak demand months, but also for breakdown cover.

“Second, we have a dedicated Ryder account management function to support their transport

operations on a day-to-day basis, backed by a range of critical KPIs to monitor compliance performance.”

Added David Grogut, asset engineering manager at Ryder: “Maximising fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions are key priorities for Marshalls.

The vehicles tend to carry very heavy loads so, in addition to

ensuring the correct powertrain and differential ratios, we looked at all options for reducing vehicle weight.”

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‘Beware no-deal Brexit price hikes’, warns Logistics UK

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Logistics UK has claimed a no-deal Brexit could have a significant effect on the price of imported goods and make the cost of transporting them unaffordable to UK operators.

Chief executive David Wells said: “Everyday household items we import will become more expensive under World Trade Organisation tariffs, some by 30% or more.

“This will make the household shopping basket much more expensive, particularly in the early part of 2021 when we rely on imports for much of our fresh food.

“The actual cost of moving goods will also increase if new vehicles, parts and tyres are also subject to tariffs. Logistics businesses, operating on 2% margins, cannot afford to take on these costs.”

Wells said another concern for operators would be obtaining access to the EU market if Brexit talks remain unresolved. Without a deal, he fears operators will be restricted by the number of lorry access permits available to enter the EU. n Work on post-Brexit freight software is unlikely to be ready for the 1 January deadline, the Association of Freight Software Suppliers (AFSS) has warned.

The idea is intended to help haulage and logistics companies submit paperwork digitally so that taxes can be calculated. However, the project has been slammed by the RHA and Logistics UK who claim it will add extra time and cost to journeys. The AFSS admitted its members could not guarantee delivery of the software because officials had “failed to give it details and direction”.

Widow blasts Highways England as HGV driver jailed for M1 accident

The widow of a man killed on the M1 when he was struck by an HGV travelling at 56mph said it wouldn’t have happened if Smart motorways hadn’t been introduced.

Speaking outside Sheffield Crown Court, Claire Mercer, widow of Jason Mercer who died in the collision last year, said the wrong person was being punished. HGV driver Prezemyslaw Szuba was jailed for 10 months following his guilty plea for causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Szuba was travelling along the M1, near to Junction 34, in June

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Smart motorway blamed for crash 2019, when he collided with Mercer and Alexandru Murgeanu, killing the two men instantly.

Both drivers had been involved in a minor road traffic collision moments earlier and they had pulled over to exchange details.

The Crown Prosecution Service said that at the time of the incident the motorway was open and all four lanes were subject to the national speed limit of 70mph.

The forensic collision investigator concluded that, while both drivers breached the Highway Code by not moving to a hard shoulder area, the primary responsibility lay with the defendant’s failure to recognise the stationary transit van.

Mercer is now leading a campaign to halt the use of all-lane running motorways.

YOU’VE BEEN FRAMED: US warehousing giant Panattoni says significant progress is being made at its Wakefield515 site, where steel is already up on what it describes as the largest speculative development in the north for 10 years.

Caddick Construction, Panattoni’s build partner, is on site to complete the 515,820sq ft warehouse with cladding being added to the framework. The facility, due to be completed by the end of Q2 2021, is located at the M62 and A1(M) junction and is designed to offer maximum flexibility for logistics and distribution businesses.

Swain investments dent profit, but opportunities still on ‘to-do’ list Heavy investment by R Swain & Sons led to a dip in profit last year, but it has put the national distribution firm in a strong position for the future, according to MD Matthew Deer.

Latest financial figures showed the Rochester-based haulier added £373,000 to its turnover in the year ending 28 December 2019, with revenues of £65.8m.

Pre-tax profit fell by £1.7m to £172,000, but Deer said this was due to investment across its divisions: “We are FORS Gold version 5 across all our businesses now,” he said. “One of our biggest investments over the last two years has been in our fleet in preparation for the ULEZ as well. That obviously had an impact in our overall profitability.

“Also, we have rebranded the Swain Group’s business units, they are stand alone and we are trying to package them up as an umbrella under the Swain Group, so there was a marketing cost.”

Deer also confirmed that Swain was still on the acquisition trail for “distress opportunities”.

4 MotorTransport

9.11.20

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DPD UK continues to invest for the future as turnover grows Turnover at delivery giant DPD Group UK passed through £1bn last year.

The MT Award winner said it had continued to invest in its infrastructure and was building larger distribution centres.

For the year ending 29 December 2019, the parcel giant reported a 5.6% increase in turnover to £1.39bn, although pre-tax profits slipped by 3.8% to £158m.

It said the largest share of its revenue came from next day parcels, although it experienced

growth in turnover in its premium, international and specialist value-added services too.

“The company has made significant investments in its people, processes and technology to ensure it is ready to meet any Brexit outcomes,” it said.

However, it has so far managed to ride the wave of Covid-19 and said it had not had to take advantage of the government’s support schemes and was trading ahead of its pre-pandemic levels.

Pandemic dents Palletline member but prospects continue to look rosy

Miniclipper bullish despite lockdown Miniclipper Logistics has reported pre-tax profits were down 22.4% at £796,176 for the year ending 31 May 2020, with turnover dipping by 3.9% to £14,699,129.

However, MD Peter Masters (pictured) said that although business for the Palletline member had been impacted by the initial lockdown, it has since “bounced back strongly”.

“Ultimately it was a strong year,"”he told MT. “Before Covid19 we were beating budget. If you’d given me those figures considering what’s happened I’d have snapped your hand off.

“Business in April, and to a lesser extent May, dented things

on the transport side. We were still profitable in those months but the turnover took a dip and that hit the bottom line.

“Warehousing was sustained

all the way through the initial lockdown and we’re trading really strongly. We’re well ahead of budget for the first four months of this financial year. Our volumes are 12% up on last year before the pandemic.

“But we’re assuming the new lockdown is going to last a bit longer than 2 December. We’re planning for that.”

Masters also gave an upbeat assessment of the wider transport sector: “A lot of companies of our ilk are in a similar situation – the pallet networks and the SME transport, warehouse and logistics businesses. The ones I speak to are doing quite well.”

Yorkshire haulier into liquidation Reader Haulage, the East Yorkshire general, bulk and abnormal loads specialist, has closed its doors in a managed wind-down after 48 years of business.

The company, part of the Reader Group, had been steadily reducing its fleet from 15 HGVs and 20 trailers until it surrendered its international licence to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner earlier this year.

The remaining group divisions, vehicle maintenance and bulk discharge systems unit Reader Services, and warehousing side Reader Storage, continue trading from its base in Brandesburton.

Company spokesperson Nichola Reader said directors George and Geoffrey Reader were now in their late 70s and had taken the decision to close the haulage operation in a solvent liquidation.

The company operated an extensive range of equipment including flats, extenders, low loaders, curtainsiders and rigids.

Maritime Transport rides the wave Speed Welshpool seeking drivers Maritime Transport saw increases in its turnover and profits last year with growth reported across all sectors.

The Suffolk logistics giant added another £24m to its revenues in the year ending 27 December 2019, bringing full-year turnover to £329m.

Pre-tax profit increased by 16% to £9.4m.

The company said turnover had now doubled in the last five years and reflected its “commitment to expanding into the distribution sector with significant expansion, particularly in the food sector”.

6 MotorTransport

Powys-based haulier Speed Welshpool is on the hunt for new drivers after investing £1.1m in its fleet over the past year.

Part of the Palletways network, the firm has doubled its fleet of HGVs to a total of 22 along with 22 trailers and eight vans.

The investment is the biggest in its history and marks a huge leap from five years ago when it operated a fleet of just ten HGVs. “These are exciting times for Speed Welshpool,” said MD George Edwards.

“Profits are up, we’ve recently acquired a contract that a haulier operated with our largest customer and we’re on target to exceed in

excess of £5.6m turnover this year.

“The new vehicles offer a wellequipped, comfortable and modern working environment and we’re sure they’ll whet the appetite of drivers.”

9.11.20

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Transport manager failed to reveal employment at three different firms

A transport manager has been disqualified for two years after a traffic commissioner found she had lied about her role within several haulage firms.

Scotland’s TC Claire Gilmore said Andrea Gardner had provided her office with misleading information regarding her employment and the hours she worked as a transport manager.

Gary Smith, director and transport manager of Bullet Express in Glasgow, told a public inquiry he was unaware Gardner had external transport manager duties and although she was not the named transport manager at his firm, she did have a significant role in Bullet’s transport operation.

Another company, S&B Removals, was also unaware that Gardner – its transport manager – was working elsewhere.

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Lies over role lead to disqualification

However, the TC noted that when it found out, she was removed from its O-licence and replaced.

A third operator, Microcycle, did not attend the PI but instead notified the TC’s office that it wished to surrender its licence.

Gardner admitted that between 2012 and 2018 she submitted TM1 forms on at least five occasions that did not include details of her employment with Bullet Express.

The forms also exaggerated the hours she intended to work or was working,

Kuehne + Nagel on right road as Europe bounces back Kuehne + Nagel said it experienced a “significant increase” in shipments within its road logistics division in the third quarter and demand for domestic transport in European countries reached pre-crisis levels.

Latest results for the group showed net turnover was CHF 5bn (£4.3bn) during the period, a 4% reduction on the same quarter in 2019.

Gross profit was down 5.5% to CHF 1.9bn (£1.6bn).

It said it had demonstrated profitable growth during Q3, following a first half year marked by the coronavirus pandemic.

Its road logistics unit’s net turnover decreased CHF 66m to CHF 796m (£673.6m), which it blamed on the “very weak demand for expo and event logistics” but increasing demand in other road sectors led to a 1.9% increase in gross profit to CHF 274m (£232m).

Lockwood Haulage reported a 3.7% increase in turnover last year, which it attributed to investments in its fleet and its warehouse capacity.

Latest results for the Derbyshire transport company show that for the year ending 31 January 2020, it increased revenues to £20.7m (2019 - £20m), although its pre-tax profit fell by 40.1% to £513,000 (£866,000).

The company, part of the wider Lockwood Group, increased turnover in both its haulage and warehousing businesses.

The company said the growth was “achieved through continued investment in the vehicle fleet and particularly in 8 MotorTransport

warehousing capacity.

“Margins continued to be squeezed across the business, and as a result of a considerable investment in warehousing capacity this year, operating profit has decreased to £652,996 (£968,387),” it added.

Lockwood Haulage said Covid-19 has had minimal effect on its business and the company had “continued to trade strongly”.

Eye Imagery

Lockwood reaps reward of fleet and warehouse boost Delsol clicks with online boom North Wales-based logistics firm Delivery Solutions (Delsol) has reported huge growth in consumer deliveries, driven by companies either increasing online sales or launching e-commerce offerings.

New customers have included food producers, DIY and garden companies and craft beer makers, the company said.

A member of The Pallet Network, APC Overnight and Hazchem, Delsol has depots in Sandycroft and Caernarfon and is now investing in three additional

trucks for its 120-strong fleet.

MD Dave Phillips (pictured) said Delsol’s 120,000sq ft of dedicated storage at its Sandycroft depot was almost at capacity following new customer wins, while Caernarfon-based haulier HF Owen Transport and Storage, which Delsol acquired late last year, is also busy.

“We have been moving goods for all sorts of companies which have either stepped up their direct sales to consumers or launched new online sites,” he said.

9.11.20

Focus

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New paperwork could soon be needed by those transporting goods internationally after Brexit

Papering over the cracks

By Patrick Boyers

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With just under two months until the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December, it is becoming clear that the plea for preparation put out by the UK government has been somewhat overshadowed by media coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the most important preparatory steps for the haulage industry could potentially be applying for European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) permits.

If there is no free trade agreement or some other form of agreement governing international transport operator licencing in place on 1 January 2021, international operators may find that their community licences are no longer recognised in EU member states.

Instead, in order to move goods into those countries, those operators may need ECMT permits.

There are two forms of ECMT permits available: ECMT international road haulage permits and

10 MotorTransport

ECMT international road haulage removal permits. The first of these permits are for general goods haulage, whilst the second are used for moving household goods and/ or business possessions.

In order to be eligible for an ECMT international road haulage permit, an operator must have an O-licence for Great Britain or Northern Ireland, and the vehicle in question that they are hoping to use internationally must meet Euro-5 or Euro-6 emissions standards, depending on the type of permit being applied for.

General haulage ECMT permits can be applied for between 2 November and 20 November this year, and it is advised that operators apply for these permits now, in the event that they are required from 1 January. While permits do not appear to be allocated on a firstcome, first-served basis, it is important that operators mobilise themselves and do not wait until the last minute before applying.

When applying, examples of the

kind of information the operator will need to have to hand are: ■ The countries the operator will need to transport goods to or through in 2021 ■ The number of international trips the operator made in 2019 (an outward and return trip counts as one trip) ■ The percentage of international trips the operator made in 2019 ■ Whether the operator’s journeys include transit (passing through one or several EU countries without collecting or delivering goods in the EU, before reaching a non-EU destination such as Switzerland) ■ Whether the operator’s journeys include cross-trade (moving goods between two ECMT member countries) ■ The emissions class of the vehicle in which the operator will be using the permits (most permits are for Euro-6 vehicles only, but a small number will be available for Euro-5 vehicles) ■ The sector in which the operator mainly transports goods.

ECMT permits are issued on a ‘per vehicle’ basis, and so an operator will need to work out how many of their vehicles will be travelling internationally in 2021.

For example, if you are hoping to run 15 vehicles internationally at any one time, you will need 15 ECMT permits in total. However, when a vehicle returns to the UK, it would appear that an operator can move the permit to another vehicle on their O-licence. That

vehicle can then make journeys to or through ECMT countries.

An application fee of £10 will need to be paid for each permit applied for. The operator will then have to pay for the actual permit, which costs an additional £10 for a short-term permit (for use in 2020), or £123 per permit for an annual ECMT permit (for use in 2021).

Vehicles hoping to run under an ECMT permit must be carrying an ECMT certificate of compliance and must confirm that the vehicle meets the appropriate Euro emissions standard, and that the trailer (if there is one being drawn) meets the technical safety requirements. In addition to the certificate of compliance, the vehicle must also be carrying an ECMT certificate of roadworthiness for the vehicle and trailer (if applicable).

If an operator is successful in their application, they will note that each ECMT permit comes with a logbook. It is a requirement that the operator in question complete the permit’s logbook in pen with a full record of journey details before setting off. A driver will need to carry this logbook, as well as the actual permit and the two certificates identified above, and is likely to have to show these documents at certain checkpoints.

International operators may need to be well versed in these permits and how they work come January 2021.

■ Patrick Boyers is a solicitor at Backhouse Jones 9.11.20

Viewpoint

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Time to protect the economy I t was perhaps inevitable that England would have to go back into lockdown in November, given the way the pandemic was going and the inability of the government to put a proper track and trace system in place.

Steve Hobson The failure of the regional tiered system Editor of restrictions is a disaster for the whole Motor economy but especially high street retail Transport and its supply chain, as it has probably come too late to save Christmas as we know it.

Seeing M&S make its first loss in almost 100 years of trading and John Lewis and Sainsbury’s shedding thousands of jobs underlines the unprecedented depths of the current recession – and things aren’t going to get better any time soon.

Despite the huge scale of support the government has unleashed to prevent mass unemployment, there really is no magic money tree and next year people in industries which are again locked down will start losing their jobs in significant numbers.

The debate over whether it is better to save lives or livelihoods is once again dividing the Tory party just as it did over Brexit and while PM Boris Johnson has a large parliamentary majority there is no

guarantee he will retain the support of that notoriously Machiavellian bunch of back-stabbing back-benchers if they feel he is losing his grip.

It is argued that a healthy economy needs healthy people – dead people don’t pay tax as one pundit put it – but the brutal truth is that the most vulnerable in society are the old and sick who probably contribute less to the economic wellbeing of the UK than the young, upon whom the virus has far less serious effects.

Older people always have the choice on how much risk they want to take and it should be up to us – I count myself in this category now – to balance quality and length of life, rather than just being told to stay indoors and not see our loved ones.

The sad fact is that 600,000 people die every year in the UK so even if 60,000 eventually succumb to the virus this year, it is only 10% above the usual death toll.

The other argument is that we must avoid overwhelming the health service, but in the first wave the Nightingale hospitals were hardly used.

The conoravirus isn’t going to go away and we have to find a way to live with it without ruining our economy with constant lockdowns.

Making CAZs drive greener transport T he Covid-19 lockdown led to significantly fewer vehicles on the roads and much lower levels of air pollution. Many have since called for this to be sustained. But with the challenges of social distancing, private car use has risen Laura substantially in recent months.

Thornton As well as environmental arguments, it Legal director is widely accepted that pollution itself is an BDB Pitmans exacerbating factor for those who contract Covid-19, so there is a strong impetus to find greener forms of transport.

Part of the solution could be clean air zones (CAZs), which have been gaining prominence as a means of reducing harmful pollutants in the air.

A CAZ introduces a daily charge for certain vehicle classes within a defined area. But it has been argued that vehicle classes such as HGVs are unfairly targeted

by CAZs. There are currently no approved retrofit options to achieve Euro-6 compliance for HGVs (the minimum level to avoid charges in most CAZs). Upgrades of vehicles to newer models are not cheap, meanwhile.

The requirement for Euro-6 compliance

12 MotorTransport

for HGVs could be considered draconian in this sector. But the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has demonstrated that this, along with other standards, has led to significant gains in air quality. The Greater London Authority (GLA) identified a drop of between 3% and 9% in traffic flows in central London from May 2019 to January 2020 compared to 2018. However, there has also been a substantial fall in older, more polluting vehicles in the ULEZ. The GLA puts it at 17,400 fewer on an average day.

There is funding available in many cases for retrofit or vehicle upgrades, but as HGVs have no retrofit option and there are stricter state aid rules regarding funding for purchase of new vehicles, the options are more limited. It is important that authorities proposing such measures are well advised to ensure negative effects on HGVs can be appropriately mitigated.

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If you would like to contribute to MT’s Viewpoint, email steve.hobson@roadtransport.com 9.11.20

Telematics

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T

elematics is an established tool for improving driver and vehicle performance and many users are now linking it with other technologies to achieve even greater benefits.

Referred to broadly as ‘digitisation’, this can include anything from replacing paper-based processes to sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI). Whatever the approach, enhanced use of technology can provide concrete advantages, such as better vehicle utilisation, improved visibility of loads and greater efficiency.

Transport industry expert Des Evans says the ability to manage vehicles, drivers and consignments via IT is vital and that those who do not do so risk falling by the wayside. “Today analogue fleet operators have very little chance of competing with their digitally connected competitors,” he confirms.

Monitoring of everything from fuel consumption and CO2 output to consignment tracking, real-time proof of delivery and even ancillary equipment can be included in competitive tenders and can improve profitability.

“The current average return on sales in the transport industry is 2% to 3% and effective use of a telematics/ digital capability can double the return,” Evans says.

A number of leading players in the transport industry are using application programming interfaces (APIs), which allow different programs to speak to each other, to link up various parts of an operation. Wincanton, for example, can take GPS data from its telematics and feed that into its transport management system (TMS) to obtain live and accurate predictions of arrival times.

Carl Hanson, Wincanton’s group procurement and fleet director, says: “The goal is to have the most optimised end-to-end solution, from proactive driver coaching in safe and efficient driving to proactive vehicle maintenance and asset utilisation.”

Global transport and logistics provider CH Robinson also believes greater connectivity is becoming increasingly important. The company can work with a wide range of European telematics systems and its Navisphere Driver Mobile App allows drivers to view and update information on their loads while out on the road.

The company has also addressed the need for greater visibility within the supply chain by linking up with Microsoft’s Azure cloud technology to monitor a range of factors affecting a consignment including temperature, shock, tilt, humidity and light.

CH Robinson’s director of IT David Fraas says: “Providing customers with flexible, efficient and inte-

Hitting the right notes Integrating telematics with other systems can provide a serious boost to fleet efficiency, as Simon Jack reports

MANAGING OTHER EQUIPMENT Online management of equipment other than the truck itself via telematics is becoming more popular. For example, Hiab UK says its HiConnect product provides real-time information on the safety and performance of its handling equipment and those operating it. The system measures operators in terms of smoothness, safety and efficiency and can help prevent the cost and downtime of an incident occurring.

Head of supply chain and service excellence Paul McCabe says: “Organisations can be proactive, training people before an incident happens and targeting those operators who need upskilling.”

The movement of trailers can also be monitored and Microlise is able to show how long a trailer has been used to deliver to sites, the time it has spent at depots and when it was in transit between locations.

Some systems are aimed at specific sectors, such as the TOPS software from Fargo systems which is used to manage container haulage and can provide global tracking and automated messages about a consignment’s status.

“It is an optimised, organised, efficient planning tool that gives you total transparency,” says Fargo Systems director Steve Collins.

14 MotorTransport

grated technology that brings all aspects of a delivery process together should be a top priority.”

In order to tap into this demand, telematics and TMS suppliers are trying to present the data collected in an easy-to-use way. Teletrac Navman, for example, has introduced an AI-based platform called TN360 which connects sensors, cameras, mobile technology and thirdparty computer software. This is used to improve route planning, logistics workflows, maintenance, driver behaviour, compliance and fuel management.

The company’s president Jens Meggers explains: “Running a fleet is now a digital business and companies need real-time, actionable data.”

There is a need for any reports to make sense of the complexity of the data, particularly with home working on the increase. “There is now an expectation that technology will be simple to use. We are seeing increased demand from companies that want to control things from a mobile phone,” he says.

Sid Nair, Teletrac Navman’s head of product management and user experience, says it is possible to find information throughout the supply chain down to pallet level. “It is no longer a question of where is the vehicle but where is my cargo,” he comments.

The transition to cleaner fuels could also be helped by analysing telematics data. Teletrac Navman has introduced an EV Readiness Tool which provides operators with detailed recommendations about where electric vehicles could be adopted into their operations, as well as estimating costs and CO2 savings.

Increasingly, the ability to link telematics with transport exchanges or routing systems is being seen as enhancing customer service. Stephen Watson, product director of Microlise, comments: “You can flow data in to determine when and where to send a vehicle. It allows real-time ➜ 9.11.20

Telematics

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MAKING A CONNECTION: Vehicle supplier Fraikin says customers increasingly want the information available through its Fraikin Connect system

visibility for the client. We see that as very important.”

The ability to use APIs to link different systems can benefit all sizes of company, he adds. “Larger IT-literate organisations can work on integration themselves but there is also a need for smaller operators who don’t have dedicated IT departments. They want hands-free, seamless integration that gives them access to the data,” he says. “Telematics can also be used to look at how different vehicles perform in different geographical areas.

That could influence the choice of vehicle, including whether to use an electric or gas truck.”

Chris Woods, head of enterprise sales at Trakm8, agrees that the ability to link up different systems is of vital importance. The company supplies fleet management, route optimisation and dashboard camera systems, as well as its Insight platform, which manages vehicle movements.

“It brings everything together in a 360 degree solution.

Customers are able to see – in real time – the vehicle being deployed on each route,” he explains.

Information about deliveries can feed into the algorithms Trakm8 uses to improve efficiency. For example, it might be that deliveries are taking longer than planned at certain destinations and that it is necessary to allow 30 rather than 20 minutes in the schedule. Alternatively, if vehicles are underfilled going into certain locations it might be possible to share loads with another operator.

Steve Spark, director of Mandata, believes a TMS should provide vehicle and tacho data, load information and live status updates, as well as electronic proof of delivery as deliveries are made.

“All too often tracking and telematics are not linked to a haulier’s TMS, leading to information gaps and delays in finding the right information,” he comments.

It is necessary to have accurate information about ETAs so that delivery expectations can be managed. “It is easy to over-commit and set yourself up for failure, even before your wheels start turning,” says Spark.

Taking a view on things

Telematics systems can become even more powerful if linked to camera technology, according to video technology provider Lytx. The company’s vice-president for Europe, Damian Penney, says that using cloud connectivity to monitor the fleet reduces the cost of collisions and ensures a safer and more efficient service for customers. “The telematics system will tell you something has happened; the video helps to identify exactly what and why,” he says.

Lytx has 700,000 vehicles connected around the world and manually analyses millions of incidents as part of its service.

Using machine vision (MV), which can recognise different objects, and AI, which can interpret and decide what is happening, Lytx can identify risks. For example, MV can recognise a mobile phone in a vehicle while AI can understand that if it is near the driver’s ear it is a risk but if it is on the passenger seat it is not.

The technology can also determine whether a seatbelt is in use, if eating or drinking is taking place, and whether the driver is smoking. Video clips are available to the transport manager and can be accessed online from a desktop computer, mobile phone or tablet with the videos 16 MotorTransport

saved, downloaded or shared.

Video telematics supplier SmartWitness has worked on the connection between traditional GPS tracking and video. It has created a cloud video platform called SmartAPI that links up with telematics software suppliers to help give hauliers greater insight into their fleet and take appropriate action where necessary.

Callum Crisp, head of UK sales at SmartWitness, comments: “This can take many forms – such as incident resolution, driver performance training and predictive risk modelling to stay ahead of the curve.”

Contract hire and rental firm Fraikin also reports an increasing desire among its customers for up-to-date information through its Fraikin Connect system. The company can provide automated reports on planning and routing, information about drivers, rear door data and turnaround times, as well as tracking and tracing reports. Lorraine Sculley, Fraikin’s fleet management account director, says: “We are not tied to any telematics provider but can offer customers advice and will suggest solutions that fit their business.”

Telematics is increasingly used to help identify potential maintenance issues while vehicles are out on the road and to manage drivers’ hours. Beverley Wise, director of UK and Ireland at Webfleet Solutions, says that with time and resources already strained due to the pandemic, companies can ill-afford unnecessary off-road time for their drivers.

“Tachograph integrations with telematics systems can help minimise this potentially laborious administration, while ensuring companies remain compliant with legislation,” she says. “By digitising processes and adopting paperless systems, companies can ensure that face-to-face contact between office staff, drivers and customers is kept at a minimum.”

Such systems can provide important information for hauliers and, although the plethora of telematics systems makes choosing the right one a complex task, those who do not digitise face being left behind by competitors. ■

FREIGHT EXCHANGES Transport exchanges are an established idea but they could play an increasingly important role in improving vehicle utilisation.

There is certainly a significant opportunity to do this, according to figures on empty running published by the DfT in July. Rather than reducing in the last decade, these show that the proportion of vehicles above 3.5 tonnes running empty actually increased from 28.3% in 2009 to 30% in 2019. The figure for articulated vehicles rose from 27.7% to 29.6%.

There are a number of exchanges trying to improve this picture, both at home and abroad. In the US these include Convoy and Uber Freight while in Europe, German freight forwarder Sennder acquired Uber Freight’s European operations in September.

There are also a number of established freight exchanges in the UK. Transport Exchange Group runs a platform for hauliers and another for couriers, as well as exchanges in the US and Europe. Those exchanging loads include larger 3PLs, regional and national hauliers, smaller operators and owner-drivers.

CEO Lyall Cresswell says that many members are increasing their use of the exchanges to improve efficiency. There is also the opportunity for greater collaboration. “A new part of the platform helps buyers and sellers to work more closely with one another, from procurement right through to settlement,” he explains.

The company has created better integration with accounting packages and telematics systems, too. “We are agnostic and independent when it comes to telematics and will work with all the providers. Integrated systems operate really well within our marketplace and create total visibility of the load, which is fast becoming a must-have,” Cresswell says.

As well as multi-user exchanges 3PLs and 4PLs can also set up internal freight exchanges. Wincanton’s Carl Hanson says the company has already undertaken this approach to enable visibility of work between planning teams and different business areas.

“This maximises the use of our own resources and ensures plans are fully optimised between fleets and operations,” he comments.

9.11.20

CPD Should continuing professional development for transport managers be made mandatory?

Carol Millett looks at the issues

Managing transport standards F

or the past two years the Office of the Transport Commissioner (OTC) has been on a mission to raise standards among transport managers.

The strategy appears to be succeeding.

According to the OTC’s latest annual report to 31 March 2020, the number of transport managers (TMs) disqualified for non-compliance fell by more than a third last year, from 139 to 96.

At the heart of the OTC’s strategy to raise compliance standards is the requirement that TMs undergo continuous professional development (CPD) for a minimum of two days every five years.

The move was prompted by the rising number of TMs being disqualified, according to Chris Dibsdall, OTC communications manager.

“The traffic commissioners considered this necessary, as they were seeing too many transport managers at public inquiry whose knowledge was not up to date, so missed basic failings in compliance,” he says, pointing to 2018 when TM disqualification figures leapt from 105 to 139.

However, while the aim of CPD is clear, the method by which TMs attain continuous professional development is something of a conundrum. According to Dibsdall, CPD can take many forms such as training workshops, conferences and events, e-learning programs, best practice techniques and ideas sharing.

He says: “A good starting point is a two-day transport manager CPC refresher course run by a trade association, a professional body or an approved exam centre.”

He qualifies this by adding: “There is, however, no one CPD course a transport manager has to take and there are a variety of course providers. Indeed, CPD need not necessarily take the form of a course at all.”

Some industry experts are concerned that this openended approach can create confusion for some TMs as to which path to take. Worse, others may see it as a loophole through which they can get away with doing nothing – after all, just what are “best practice techniques and ideas sharing”?

This approach also raises the question as to why HGV drivers are required to undertake 35 hours’ approved Driver CPC training every five years, when there is no equivalent requirement for transport managers to undergo continuous training to keep their CPC. Surely the role of TM brings just as many if not more responsibilities?

This lack of clarity troubles some training providers, who would prefer OTC took a much more prescriptive approach.

Lorraine Verey, director of Transport Advisory

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9.11.20

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Consultants (TAC), which offers a two-day TM CPC refresher course, believes continuous professional development for transport managers should be mandatory.

“I think that would provide a clear guideline for operators. TMs have a very busy role and so it is very easy to keep deferring the CPD training,” she says. “Also, while TMs may be very keen to come on the course, the cost element can make some operators reluctant to allow them to. So, making it mandatory would remove these pressures.”

Little choice

So why did the OTC not make it mandatory? It appears that legally, it had little choice.

“It was not possible within the legislative framework to mandate a minimum number of hours of CPD a transport manager must undertake,” says Dibsdall.

“Added to which, every individual is different, and the traffic commissioners didn’t want to be too prescriptive.

“We therefore considered that linking the requirement to the requirement for continuous effective management was the best approach.”

Dibsdall adds that while there are no formally defined

TRAINING IN A PANDEMIC The Covid-19 pandemic has seen a welter of online training courses created, with the OTC reporting that there are now 11 training providers offering online courses that follow its guidelines.

The RHA has been one of those providers since April, and Mark Taylor says the response has been good.

“Every time we put one up it sells out very quickly. Because of it being online we limit the numbers to 10 per course. But we are also going back to the classroom this month with limited numbers and social distancing measures and we will continue to offer both in the future,” he says.

Transport Advisory Consultants is also offering online courses. However, Lorraine Verey says there has been a drop in demand for TM CPD courses which she believes is a result of the impact of the pandemic on operators in making them reluctant to invest in training right now.

She adds that another factor may be TMs’ lack of familiarity with online training, although she thinks numbers will pick up as TMs become more familiar with the technology.

The company is also running socially distanced classes. She says: “While online training does offer a certain level of engagement, if you are in a classroom there is much more interaction, which I believe gives TMs more confidence to raise issues that they may not via an online platform.

“That face-to-face training can build a rapport encouraging engagement.

People asking questions about possibly being non-compliant need to be in an environment where they feel comfortable enough to raise those concerns, and the more we can encourage people to raise those concerns, the more able they are to address them.”

SELF-REGULATION: Mark Taylor of the RHA (left) says transport managers are professionals who will willingly take the chance to update themselves

OPERATORS STILL HOLD THE KEY TO COMPLIANCE While the number of TM disqualifications has fallen markedly since 2018, it is clear that the OTC does not want the industry to rest on its laurels.

Asked why the numbers had fallen, the OTC’s Chris Dibsdall says: “It is impossible at this stage to attribute any drop in disqualifications to CPD uptake, as there are lots of potential factors and these numbers always fluctuate year on year.”

Carolyn Evans, principal solicitor and founder of CE Transport Law, agrees with this assessment and adds: “After an increasing trend over many years of transport managers losing their repute at public inquiries it is encouraging to see that the trend appears to be reversing – although it may just be a one-off in the figures.

“However, it could be that it is due to an increasing awareness in the industry of the TM’s statutory duties.”

She believes one major pinch-point on TM compliance lies with part-time transport managers “who turn up once a week for a cup of tea or, if they are lucky, a roast dinner and tick the boxes”.

She also warns larger operators not to assume their size and corporate policies will ensure their TMs are compliant. “This problem is absolutely not confined to smaller operators. You can have a TM in the northern depot of a large firm running a nice tight operation and find that the southern depot is quite the opposite,” she explains. “The problem with larger operators is that the depots can be run in silos and so you can get very different standards depending on each TM at the depots. It can very much depend on who is recruited in that role.”

Ultimately the buck stops with the licence-holder, as the OTC’s 2019 report states: “When it comes to transport managers, the cases we deal with carry a key lesson for licence-holders: do they check up on the person performing this role?

Operators should never assume the transport manager can simply be left to the job.”

9.11.20

requirements as to the amount of CPD a transport manager must undertake, traffic commissioners “generally consider having completed the two-day transport manager CPC refresher course at least once every five years to be the minimum acceptable”.

Unlike Lorraine Verey, Mark Taylor does not favour mandatory TM CPD training. As head of learning and development at the RHA, he argues that the current system is already bearing positive results. “In the past two years we have seen an upsurge in the take-up of our courses so I believe the message is getting through,” he states.

“I actually think it is a good thing that the training is not enforced. TMs are on the whole very professional people who will willingly grasp the opportunity to update themselves, so I believe encouraging people to do CPD training is enough for now. I think it works well,” he adds. “We have a huge demand for TM refresher courses, which I believe indicates TMs are mindful of keeping their knowledge up to date.”

Jonathon Backhouse, director at law firm Backhouse Jones, also feels that CPD should not be mandatory. His practice runs a number of training courses including TM CPC refresher and one-day updater courses.

He says: “It would be good for my business if it was mandatory but is that the right and fair way to go? I don’t think so. In the end it is the TM that has to be the one to take responsibility and be accountable and if you want to test their metal this is the way to do it. If they ignore that request, that alone demonstrates they are out of touch.”

Backhouse also believes a mandatory approach would insult the intelligence of those TMs who keep up to date as a matter of course.

“These TMs really do not need to sit through a two-day refresher course. These are knowledgeable people who absolutely know their core duties and are much more suited to our one-day updater course covering some of the latest developments,” he says. “But I have to say there is an equal if not greater number of TMs out there who do not realise or do not bother to keep themselves up to date who would really benefit from the CPD being obligatory.

“The difficulty here is trying to have a one-size-fits-all system and I think we already have more than enough regulations in this industry.” ■ MotorTransport 19