Transport & Logistics Issue 151 by T & L Online

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ISSUE 151

TRANSPORT &LOGISTICS ISSUE 151

D R I V I N G

T H E

I N D U S T R Y

F O R WA R D

BOARHUNT

50TH ANNIVERSARY

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS MAGAZINE

boarhunt celebrates and looks to the future Page 14

: e d i s lso in

greater manchester police Page 42

reading buses Page 54

iceland Page 74

PLUS: AUTO FUEL FIX PAGE 24

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THE BIG QUESTION... HEATHROW WANTS TO INCREASE CAPACITY AS FREIGHT VOLUMES RISE PUBLISHER: Noah Quirke GROUP EDITOR: Daniel Stephens EDITOR: Ciaran Jarosz MAGAZINE MANAGER: Shane Kelly FEATURE MANAGERS: Stefan Drakes Eddie Hunt Dale Bain ART DIRECTOR: Steve Williams ART EDITOR: Stacey Brewer DESIGNER: Carla Taylor CONTRIBUTORS: Jeff Senior PRODUCTION: Vicki Lindsay Lisa Pollinger ADMINISTRAT0R: Lisa Barrans ACCOUNTS: Nick Charalambous Transport & Logistics Magazine is published by: NQ Publishing, 6th Floor, Crown House Southgate, Huddersfield HD1 1DE Tel: +44 (0)1484 437300 E-mail: noah.quirke@nqpublishing.com www.tandlonline.com

lobal air freight volumes increased by 5.8% this month, highlighting the continuing upward trend within the market over the last year. It is little wonder, therefore, that Heathrow again made clear its ambitions to increase capacity. On last month’s evidence you can’t blame the airport’s bosses. Handling a quarter of all UK exports by value and seeing cargo traffic rise 7.8% in September prompted Heathrow chief John Holland-Kaye to state that expansion had the support of a majority of MPs and 49% of local residents. This would see the UK’s busiest airport increase its capability through the introduction of a third runway. Holland-Kaye said, “Heathrow handles a quarter of all British exports by value, but is full. More and more people are asking "how can we double Britain's exports if we don't expand Heathrow?” It is a good question and on last month’s statistics you can clearly see the benefits to the UK’s economy. Figures showed freight to Mexico was up 57.2%, 52.2% to Nigeria, 37.1% to Russia, 25.6% to China and 20.8% to India. This joined encouraging figures in terms of passenger travel with 6.58m travellers in September, up by 0.3% on last year. Seats per aircraft increased 0.4% to 204.8, passengers per aircraft rose 1.5% to 165.9. However, it is air freight where Heathrow sees potential for real growth. International freight volumes rose 7.5% in August coinciding with expansion in international trade activity and increasing business confidence. Yes, there are currently concerns regarding some of South America with Brazil slipping into recession and some countries declaring a small decline in volumes, but Europe and North America remain strong. The Asia-Pacific, however, is the world’s biggest air freight origin region and reported an 8.2% increase in volume. The world’s largest air freight hub – Hong Kong - increased volumes by 8.6%.

DANIEL STEPHENS GROUP EDITOR

Transport & Logistics Magazine is published by NQ Publishing. Company registered in England & Wales. All material is the copyright of NQ Publishing. All rights reserved. Transport & Logistics Magazine is the property of NQ Publishing. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form whole or part without the written permission of a director of NQ Publishing. Liability: while every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information herein, or any consequence arising from it. In the case of company or product reviews or comments, these have been based upon the true and honest opinion of the Editor at the time of going to press.

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CONTENTS

INSIDE SECTIONS NEWS

HAULAGE

RECOVERY

PUBLIC SECTOR

AWARDS

PALLET NETWORKS

BUS AND COACH

IATA

FLEET REVIEW

FOOD AND DRINK

NEW INVESTMENTS

CARBON EMISSIONS

LOOKING BACK AT...

BOARHUNT

FEATURES News The latest top stories

DIBS Distribution High standard haulage

LTS Distribution Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about trust

Boarhunt 50 years of excellence

Auto Fuel Fix Changing the fuel industry

Auto-Rescue Logistics Quality service is reliable service

Greater Manchester Police 40 years of service

West Midlands Ambulance Service A mark of excellence

Lescost Transport Total logistics provider

Palletline Less is more with Palletline

Sleafordian Coaches Continued Growth

Reading Buses 100 years of award winning service

Safeguard Coaches Driving experience

Go-Ahead Group The formula for efficiency

Cargo 2000 (C2K) C2K more relevant today than ever

Iceland Longevity & sustainability

Sleaford Quality Foods Service and Quality

Walkers Transport Delivering results for over 30 years

Environment Agency Staying green, keeping clean

Looking Back At... The Millau Viaduct

100

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CONTENTS

ICELAND

GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE

WEST MIDLANDS AMBULANCE SERVICE

GO-AHEAD GROUP

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NEWS

DHL EXPANDS ITS CHINA - EUROPE ROUTE OFFERINGS

DHL Global Forwarding, Freight leading provider of air, sea and road freight services in Europe and Asia, announced new developments in its route offerings between Asia and Europe for intermodal shipments. DHL’s new scheduled block train service offers an average transit time of 14 days from Suzhou to Warsaw along the trans-Siberian North Corridor. “Suzhou is a strategic departure point for Jiangsu and it is a huge benefit for our customers to have direct access to inter-continental rail links rather than having to go via Chengdu. Being able to offer multiple loading points across China creates many opportunities for our customers” said Roger Crook, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. This expansion complements the existing daily single wagon service from Shanghai to Europe, also along the North Corridor, and the weekly block train service from Chengdu to Europe along China’s West Corridor rail line through Kazakhstan to Europe. The expansion taps on Suzhou’s strategic location within Jiangsu Province, an important production area for engineering, manufacturing, high tech, automotive and the retail sector with growing demand. “As a flexible solution, this service offers the option of booking variable capacity – ranging from a single container to a whole train. Our customers in both continents benefit from reduced door-to-door lead

times and CO2 emissions via an effective transport route that seamlessly connects both our groupage network in Europe and DHL Global Forwarding, Freight’s Asian network,” explains Amadou Diallo, CEO DHL Freight. Broadly, DHL’s multi-modal rail solution customers can expect delivery time reductions of between 10 and 21 days compared to sea freight, depending on origin and destination pairs. In addition, customers seeking environmentally friendly solutions can also expect a fall of CO2 emissions of up to 90% compared to airfreight. DHL’s road/rail multimodal service between Asia and Europe combines rail and road transportation modes to link the two continents via its intermodal hub in Malaszewicze, Poland. Earlier this year, DHL introduced the first temperature-controlled China-Europe rail service, providing customers with precise climate control of containers, regardless of the weather. Additionally, European customers will soon enjoy even broader access to the Asian market. The company is exploring ways to further expand the network to include Japan and Korea, by using ferry services between the three countries, to enable a faster-to-market approach for all customers and therefore strengthening the footprint in the North Asian multimodal market.

MOBILE PHONE USE CRACKDOWN The DVLA has begun sending warning letters to HGV and PSV drivers penalised for using a mobile phone or other device when driving. The letters, being sent out from 1 September, inform drivers of the risks in continuing to use handheld devices while driving. They advise that in addition to the £100 fixed penalty and three penalty points such offences attract, drivers may also be required to attend a

conduct hearing before a traffic commissioner. They add that if the offence is repeated, an automatic referral to a TC will result. In a separate development, officers from the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) have recently launched a two-week crackdown on drivers using their mobiles at the wheel, using an HGV tractor to help spot lorry drivers flouting the law.

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INDEPENDENT EVALUATION FIRST FOR FUEL-SAVING TECH The performance of fuel-saving technology such as airmanagement devices, low rolling resistance tyres and fuel-efficient engine oils can be independently evaluated under a new accreditation scheme. Performance evaluation will be via track testing and will replicate three operating cycles: urban delivery; regional delivery; and

long haul. Each cycle is designed to align as closely as possible with the Vehicle Energy Consumption Calculation Tool, the computerbased modelling programme that will be used by the European Commission to establish and assess trucks’ and buses’ CO2 emissions. The EC’s first draft CO2 reduction legislation proposals for trucks are expected next year.

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NEWS

HGV SCANNING ISSUES ON FRENCH BORDER

Scanning equipment supplied to French border officials for the purpose of detecting stowaways in lorries headed for the UK is not being used as it should be, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has warned. Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart earlier this month to shut down the port in order to concentrate British minds on the problem of stowaways, FTA international manager Don Armour said it was hard to see what more the UK could really do. Bouchart claimed the problem stems from the UK’s open approach to immigrants. Armour added that French border officials were refusing to operate the British-supplied HGV scanning equipment in Calais on the basis that it was illegal to X-ray

vehicles without issuing a warning to possible stowaways inside, whose human rights would otherwise be infringed. “I think it’s absolutely preposterous,” he said. A spokesman for the Home Office told CM the security of the UK border was its “first priority”, adding: “That is why the government has invested several million pounds in strengthening security and upgrading technology at Calais”. The FTA is advising vehicle operators to try and schedule journeys so that trucks returning to the UK do not arrive at Calais with hours to spare, said Armour. Drivers should also attempt to organise themselves so they do not have to take any rest breaks within 60 miles of the port, he advised.

AWARDS: ‘THE HEAVIES’ HAVE ARRIVED The heavy haulage and abnormal load sector now has its own awards ceremony: The Heavies. Run in association with the Heavy Transport Association (HTA), The Heavies will reward those organisations (from sole traders to the very largest) making a significant contribution to the heavy haulage industry. Operators, escort providers, manufacturers and suppliers can all enter. There are 15 different categories for 2015 and the deadline for entries is 14th January 2015, with the shortlist being announced on

3rd February 2015. Heavy Transport Association chairman John Rodell said: “As a specialist sector, it’s important that we work together. Part of that includes having the chance to get together while providing recognition of some great work taking place. The Heavies will do just that.” The black tie awards ceremony will take place on 27 March 2015 at Hangar 42 at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, and will be hosted by motoring journalist and FairFuelUK campaigner Quentin Willson.

HIGH COURT RAIL CHALLENGE TO BE HEARD IN FEBRUARY A claim lodged in the High Court against the Government’s decision to approve plans for a huge rail freight terminal on a Green Belt site has been listed for hearing in February. St Albans District Council lodged the claim in the High Court last month against Eric Pickles'

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decision to grant planning permission for a rail freight terminal in Park Street, near St Albans. The council has spent more than £1 million to date in the seven-year fight against the Helioslough scheme.

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NEWS

DACHSER BUYS THREE MORE ASIAN PARTNERS The German logistics outfit has acquired the shares of its various partners in three countries leaving the group as the sole shareholder of its ventures in India and Thailand and a majority shareholder of a joint venture in Bangladesh. The buyouts - for undisclosed sums - are part of long-term expansion plans by family-owned Dachser across Asia. In November last year, it opened a new business in Indonesia and at the start of this year also took full ownership of its former joint venture in Korea.

Edoardo Podestá, Managing Director, Dachser Air & Sea Logistics Asia Pacific, said the group intended to build a network of offices and warehouses across Asia. “Our customers in the region will benefit from our innovative suite of solutions and integrated logistics services, delivering improved efficiency and cost savings,” he added. “We see great potential in the Indian market and we will look to continue developing and building on our success through Dachser India.”

JOHN MITCHELL TAKES ON 90 NEW TRAILERS Grangemouth firm John Mitchell Haulage & Warehousing has now put the last of 90 new units from Dennison Trailers on the road in a move that renews almost half its total trailer fleet. The trailers, delivered in batches from June, comprise 60 sliding skeletals, 12 fixed skeletals, six tipping skeletals and 12 curtainsiders. All have been specified with SAF drum braked axles for ease of maintenance, as well as KnorrBremse EBS braking systems,

Aspock LED lights and Michelin tyres, and the curtainsiders also feature redesigned side pillars and wind deflector front panels. The order has reduced the average age of the Mitchell fleet to around two years. Mitchell MD Iain Mitchell said his firm had been buying Dennison trailers for over 17 years, adding: “The excellent product quality and solid performance levels are matched by good value for money and strong residuals.”

RHA URGES FUNDING FOR HGV LICENCES The Road Haulage Association will be renewing its long-standing call for the UK government to start making a “substantial” contribution towards the costs of acquiring a vocational driving licence. “We’re going to be asking the government to get involved in funding the acquisition of HGV licences. It’s an issue not only for our members and their customers, but the economy,” RHA director of

policy Jack Semple said. The cost of acquiring an HGV driving licence now stands at around £3,000. Recent figures from the DVSA show that 44,937 category C+E and category C tests (combined) were taken in the year to March 2014. Of these, 23,905 were passed. However, as recently as 2008/09, 86,826 tests were being taken (C+E and category C), with a combined pass rate of 39,220.

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NEWS

FORWARDERS OBJECT TO NEW AIR CARGO SURCHARGE The trade association for UK freight forwarders and logistics service providers is encouraging its members to object to a Paper Air Waybill (AWB) Surcharge that airlines are planning for export AWBs that are not filed electronically. Robert Keen, director general of the British International Freight Association (Bifa), commented: “Bifa supports e-Commerce and e-Air Waybill implementation in the air cargo supply chain. However, we believe that implementation should create value for forwarders and airlines alike, and airlines need to recognise the costs that the originator of the information incurs to enter and transmit data.” Keen continued: “Through our international body Fiata, Bifa will be voicing our objection to carriers that seek to apply yet another surcharge, and create yet another revenue stream, under the guise of supporting IATA’s – the airline industry body’s – e-Freight initiative, which aims to implement e-Freight worldwide.” The air freight sector missed IATA’s target last year of achieving 20% e-air waybill penetration “on feasible lanes”, achieving just 12%. The target for 2014 has been revised downwards to 22%, with a target for 45% e-AWB penetration by the end of

HA HIGHLIGHTS RISKS FACING ROAD WORKERS The Highways Agency has begun a national campaign to highlight the dangers facing road workers, after a record number of serious injuries among such workers for six years during 2013. As part of its campaign, the agency has released footage of two particular incidents involving commercial vehicles.

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Commenting on the campaign, roads minister John Hayes said: “The safety of those who work around the clock to carry out vital improvements is paramount. It is not worth putting road workers’ lives at risk, let alone the tragic impact on their lives and those of their families, simply to shave a few seconds off your journey.”

2015 and 80% by the end of 2016. IATA expects to see an acceleration of penetration levels this year, in part because of the introduction last year of the e-AWB Multilateral Agreement, to which around 70 airlines and more than 100 freight forwarders have now signed up. But while there is increasing momentum among airlines and air cargo handlers, many forwarders remain unconvinced of the benefits. Chuck Zhao, process engineer project manager at US air cargo handler Consolidated Aviation Services (CAS), observes that only around 6% shipments out of the US are e-freight, largely because “those who cut the paper air waybills simply do not see the benefits of going paperless”. Michael White, assistant director of cargo facilitation, security and standards for US air freight association Cargo Network Services (CNS) and regional manager of cargo for IATA, observed that there was a need for effective communication routes for the forwarders, especially small and mediumsized ones, to transmit their FWB & FHL messages – preferably a community system rather than via multiple airline portals. He said there was currently no community system in the US, but there were signs that companies are looking at that capability.

FUEL SPILLAGE CRACKDOWN The DVSA has confirmed immediate prohibitions issued to commercial vehicles spilling fuel. The crackdown follows a Highways Agency report on the effect of fuel spills on the road network. There were 255 spillages within a year, 77% involving UKregistered vehicles. Causes ranged from a hole in the fuel tank to defective filler caps.

Clear-ups can affect traffic flows for over five hours stated the report. Up to now, a fuel leak resulting in a patch of fuel of over 75mm diameter within five minutes would have received a delayed prohibition with more minor patches attracting an inspection notice: both will now receive an immediate prohibition.

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LEGAL LOGISTICS

OPERATORS BEWARE: SNOW IS LOOKING LIKELY FOR WINTER 2014/15! It’s that time of the year again when we all start thinking about what kind of weather is in store for Britain this winter. Will it be stormy but mild like last year or should we all be digging out our skis and snow chains? Long range forecasters have predicted that “winter will indeed be colder than average…..” with “some lengthy cold periods, which will no doubt produce periods of snow”!

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Your drivers should be reminded of the practicalities of snow and cold weather. To be mindful of deteriorating road conditions, to take warm, extra clothing with them and a shovel. Closer to home, you must heat operating centre buildings; ensure that there is sufficient insulation, that the pipes are lagged and that there is enough fuel to keep the building sufficiently warm. Failure to put these measures in place can result in huge dilapidation issues in the New Year or insurance claims due to frost damage and heavy snowfall. Extreme weather can cause issues in terms of drivers’ hours. If this happens, make a proper note on either the back of the manual tachograph chart or on the till roll from the digital tachograph. If DVSA stop one of your drivers at the roadside, they have until six months to prosecute – when the bad weather is a distant memory. It is advisable to make a detailed note regarding the circumstances at the time for future reference.

You cannot take it for granted that bad weather can be used as a defence for non-compliance with drivers’ hours. Whilst the Government will, at times, suspend the drivers’ hour rules, you must check that the suspension applies to you. Sometimes the suspension is only applicable to specialists in the sector such as transporters of fuel, lubricants and animal feed. It is not a defence to assume that the suspension will automatically apply to generalist hauliers – or that the bad weather will automatically class as a defence. Snozone in Milton Keynes hosted a recent workshop to discuss the needs of the coach and freight industry and the Highways Agency is also focusing on safe winter driving this year. The Highways Agency is asking operators for their views on what they can do to make winter driving safer for you at https://movingon.blog.gov.uk/how-to-stay-safe-this-winter/.

If you do need any legal advice on either regulatory compliance, employment, commercial or property matters please speak to one of our solicitors on 08450 575 111 or email julia.davies@backhouses.co.uk www.tandlonline.com

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HAULAGE: DIBS DISTRIBUTION IBS Distribution is a leading supplier of the freshest, up to date Halal chicken products. Having been formed in 1987 at the birth of the independent fast food chicken industry, the company has gone from strength to strength. Today, it offers a wide product range which is certified and sourced from HMC, HAB and IGJ Halal approved suppliers. Driven by enduring standards and customer satisfaction, commitment and investment in key areas such as food safety, traceability, food quality, new product development, has enabled DIBS to stay ahead of its competitors. With a reputation for long-running client relationships and attentive customer service, DIBS is the first choice national distributor to all the major fast food chicken restaurants in the UK.

D 1432b Clock Tower Road Isleworth Middlesex TW7 6DT www.dibsdistribution.co.uk Tel: 0208 568 6668

Having been established in 1987, DIBS Distribution continues to enjoy its success as a family owned and managed UK business. Brothers Barry and Ian Payne originally combined their talents to offer a portioning and distribution service for chicken products to restaurants in the Greater London area. Barry had previously worked with KFC from a production perspective while Ian had national distribution experience. Their passion and knowledge for the sector saw the company quickly grow its client base. Shrewd investment in people, technology, NPD and distribution facilities enabled DIBS to grow quickly alongside the expanding quick-service restaurant (QSR) market. Thanks to this commitment to quality, service and value, DIBS grew a strong reputation that continues today. Indeed, DIBS is now one of the UK's leading independent processors and distributors of fresh poultry

HIGH STANDARD HAULAGE

DIBSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reputation for delivering a wide range of the freshest Halal chicken products has resulted in a first rate distribution service

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HAULAGE: DIBS DISTRIBUTION portions, frozen and dry food products and food packaging to QSR restaurants in England, Wales and Scotland.

GROWING FAMILY The business is controlled by a management team consisting of 12 family members, including the co-founders, who continue to occupy senior positions within the business. In addition to the family, DIBS currently employs 55 full time members of staff across all areas of the business including distribution, sales, food hygiene, engineering and food manufacturing. The company operates from three facilities on the Clock Tower Industrial Estate in Isleworth, Middlesex. The three facilities control various aspects of the operation including the MHS approved cutting plant and head office, the frozen foods store and sales office, and dry foods and packaging store. Certainly, part of DIBS’ success is its knowledge of the sector and ensuring it sources from reliable suppliers. Its raw material (whole, fresh Halal chickens and chicken portions) is sourced from a wide European network of EEC approved slaughter houses and cutting plants. DIBS carries out pre-audit assessments of prospective suppliers and annual audits of existing suppliers. The frozen and dry food as well as packaging products are sourced from a wide global network of EEC approved plants.

Proudly, DIBS has an impressive range of customers across the UK and boasts an excellent track record of strong customer relations and high quality service. This is due to its commitment to customer service and attention towards operational and logistical activities. The company is committed to providing high quality, affordable and authentic, certified Halal chicken products, while successfully controlling its distribution and transport activities across

QSR packaging, sauces, chicken coating systems, cooking oils, drinks and marketing material.

SAFETY FIRST Crucially, the DIBS chicken cutting plant is 100% Halal, MHS approved and HACCP controlled. Its HACCP system ensures that every product it makes has been controlled to maintain temperature limits and traceability. The controls ensure that cross-contamination is avoided.The HACCP

THE COMPANY IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE AND AUTHENTIC, CERTIFIED HALAL CHICKEN PRODUCTS England, Wales and Scotland. In addition, it tirelessly strives to provide exceptional levels of service to customers by understanding their needs and preferences. This is underpinned by ongoing product development in line with the newest trends and flavours. Customers gain from DIBS’ wide range of raw, fresh Halal chicken portions, to which it can apply many different flavours and mixing processes to suit individual needs. The company stocks a huge range of frozen Halal chicken and other items suitable for QSR restaurants. Adding value to the service, DIBS also offers

system encompasses the company’s purchasing and distribution activities as well as processing of raw material in the cutting plant. Complementing this is DIBS’ first-rate distribution network which is extensive and far-reaching. The company is able to deliver throughout England and South Wales twice a week and to Scotland once a week. Its delivery vehicles are temperature controlled and feature the dual bulk head (multi temperature) facility. Additionally, all vehicles are fitted with satellite navigation hardware and sleeping facilities for the drivers.

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HAULAGE: LTS DISTRIBUTION

IT’S ALL ABOUT TRUST

Doubling their turnover in just two years, LTS Distribution’s impressive progress and growth can be attributed to its professional, reliable and price competitive service ounded in 1999, LTS Distribution started out supplying vehicles to freight forwarders and other logistical service providers. Since then both the company and fleet has grown significantly with near-on 60 trucks and a greatly expanded service portfolio covering dedicated transport, part loads, pallet distribution and much, much more. In addition to this, the company has undergone significant re-branding in recent years and now focuses not only in partnering with logistic and freight organisations but also with more traditional customers such as automotive, retail, construction and media companies. Built upon a core service-based philosophy, LTS Distribution is dedicated to delivering the service and goods that customers require, when they require it and doing this in the most professional, reliable and pricecompetitive manner.The company explains: “It's all about trust. Whatever you need to move and wherever you need it to go, we can handle it. We've been in the business a long time, and we're proud of our track record.” “Two years ago we were turning over just above

F LTS Distribution Ltd Cedars Industrial Estate Unit C1, Coton Road Nether Whitacre, Birmingham B46 2HH www.ltsdistribution.co.uk Tel: 01675 462303

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£2m and now we're looking at turning over £4m plus,” explains Dave Hands, Commercial Director of LTS Distribution who is immensely proud of the progress that LTS Distribution has made over the past year both for developing its fleet and improving the overall service and scope of operations for the company. Having grown significantly in the past year, the company has received much demand for its services and, as a result is rapidly expanding to meet this high level of demand.

GROWING BUSINESS Moving into a brand new, 3½ acre facility this October, LTS Distribution will be afforded the flexibility and capability to grow even further so as to cater more effectively to the needs of its increasing client base.This new space will enable LTS Distribution to utilise its fleet far more effectively and take on greater workloads from new, directly targeted customers and improve the overall service portfolio of which they are able to offer. In addition, the large space available will also allow LTS Distribution to combine its various departments and operate as one company with improved communication and support for each department.

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HAULAGE: LTS DISTRIBUTION Through recent innovations in technology and investment into its fleet, LTS Distribution has been able to promote e-driving and e-warehousing initiatives throughout the company to improve overall efficiencies and promote best practice. LTS Distribution's fleet comprises of a mixture of vehicles, primarily being Scania and DAF who are highly reputable for manufacturing high quality, specialist vehicles which meet the needs of high security loads, tower lifts and other highly delicate work. All vehicles in LTS Distribution's fleet are additionally euro5 or euro6 to ensure the utmost compliance with developments in law and best practice standards.

HIGH SPECIFICATIONS Providing insight into the precise specifications of its fleet, Dave explains: “Our vehicles are probably more over-specified. All our vehicles have tracking and because we're now working for FORS accreditation, we're looking at having cameras fitted. With the latest specifications, especially with trailers you have to have grab handles and steps etc.. for health and safety. A lot of it is standard fitting on manufacturers because we always buy brand new, top of the range vehicles, we'd rather pay more each week and the drivers are then happier with the up to date technology.” Through running such high quality, modern vehicles, LTS Distribution has been enjoying a number of benefits from its hi-tech

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fleet such as improved communication technologies, tracking facilities, comprehensive health and safety systems, minimised carbon emissions and all-round performance boosting characteristics within its fleet.

TRAINING Key to maintaining LTS Distribution's level of excellence in service relies not only upon maintaining its fleet, but also in cultivating its workforce and through intensive training solutions. As part of this, all new drivers who join the ranks of LTS Distribution are put through an induction

Through working closely with its clients, LTS Distribution has built up a reputation for tailoring works to the needs of its clients, as Dave explains: “It's all about building a partnership with a customer. I will make suggestions in a review meeting sometimes it’s about cost saving, sometimes it’s looking at how to be more efficient for the environment and we all have to work together.To do that you need to understand your client and what they're looking for – you build on that as a partnership. We're honest, open and if we make a mistake then we hold our hands up and say this is what we're doing, this is what we have to do to get it right.”

“IF WE MAKE A MISTAKE THEN WE HOLD OUR HANDS UP AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO GET IT RIGHT.” training programme so that they can understand more about the business and customers. Further to this, drivers accompany more experienced drivers and a driver assessor to better learn from the most talented of LTS Distribution's operatives and give a more personalised training experience as a way to adopt the key company morals and values along the way. LTS Distribution also ensures that all of its drivers are organised, professional and flexible enough to adapt to the needs of clients on respective jobs.

LTS Distribution is incredibly proud of the customers which it has worked with and has recently won a number of key projects due to the company having the right kind of people, undertaking the highest quality works and providing a corporate public image backed up by the friendly support of a family-run company. It's expected that LTS Distribution's growth will continue into the future and that this year's success is merely the first of many steps forward for the company.

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RECOVERY: BOARHUNT

OF EXCELLENCE

After 50 years of exceptional service, Boarhunt celebrates and looks to the future... urrently celebrating its 50th year anniversary, Boarhunt stands tall as one of the nation's leading providers of vehicle recovery, garage services, MOTs and vehicle rental services with a proud family-oriented approach.Through working closely with long-lasting clients and building relationships both within the business and externally, Boarhunt has successfully built up an astounding reputation for quality and friendly customer service. Commenting on how the company has developed and grown from a small family company to such a key organisation within the sector, Robert Doney, Director of Boarhunt explains: “It has changed over the years. At one point we had 16 members of family in the business - that's when we were a small business and since we've gotten bigger it has changed a bit, but we're still very family oriented.... A lot of the clubs and organisations we've worked for, my father has worked with for a number of years and we've grown up together.” It is this dedication to maintaining such close business relations which truly defines Boarhunt and has no doubt contributed to the continued success over the last 50 years. While Boarhunt is, at its roots a family-run organisation and currently led by Robert and his cousin Paul Doney, it doesn't stop there with Boarhunt – many of the company's time-served workers have since been accepted into the company's family structure and have

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RECOVERY: BOARHUNT

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RECOVERY: BOARHUNT developed the company into what is essentially “One big happy family.” Along with its commendable internal, family-ethos, Boarhunt has also enjoyed substantial growth and prosperity over its 50 years of operation thus far. Reminiscing over the various stages of growth the company has been through, Robert details: “When it first started it was just a filling station with a shop, tea rooms and a one-bay car workshop for the recovery side... about 20 years ago we decided to go for it and we moved to much bigger premises and we've just built it up from there really, we've just grown and grown. “We were giving the customers what they wanted and it just went from there. We started from the recovery business and because we had recovery vehicles which could carry other things, that led into the haulage business, which grew and grew as well on the plant side. “ As a result of continuous growth and expansion into new sectors, by around 2010 Boarhunt were employing over 200 members of staff and had over 50 haulage vehicles on its network, however through pre-emptive planning and strategies the company has since decided to consolidate and refine its operations so as to adapt to the everchanging pace of the market. It is this keenness to adapt and evolve which has allowed Boarhunt to both survive and enjoy success during the recession whilst also paving the way forward to modern day. Commenting on the company's success of reaching its 50th year anniversary, against challenges faced due to the recession, Robert comments: “It's

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just hard work really. Our staff make a really good team; they're dedicated, work hard and its all down to giving the customer what they want isn't it?” While many organisations aim to provide the customer with what they want, it is true testament to Boarhunt's success and capability to deliver such tailored solutions that it has reached such a momentous milestone anniversary throughout such an economically shaky period. “We're taking on more work, however we look at it slightly differently now when we're taking on work.Whereas before we'd just say yes and sort it out,but now you need to go into the work a bit deeper to see if there is a way forward and there's money to be made,” explains Robert, whose wealth of experience over the years has allowed him, and Boarhunt as a whole to assess projects and situations with great expertise so as to choose the most effective way forward. This cautious approach has allowed Boarhunt to grow more in turn with the improving economic situation whilst maintaining a solid, long-term business approach. The core of Boarhunt's current-day operations lie in breakdown recovery, sticking to the traditions and expertise gained since foundation.With around 40 vehicles for recovery operations and numerous depots and workshops

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around the UK, Boarhunt is able to provide an excellent service for both light and heavy recovery. Whilst Boarhunt's work for clubs typically focuses in on the south of England, Robert explains that: “For most of our customers, we will go anywhere nationwide,” expressing Boarhunt's dedication to supporting its clients to the best of its abilities, whilst still maintaining a focus on its key geographical coverage areas. Detailing it's core recovery operations, the company states:

for the police and fire services. In addition, Boarhunt work closely with many local authorities handling vehicle breakdowns, accidents and end of life vehicle disposal.” Enjoying a long-term, fruitful relationship with key organisations, AA and RAC alongside what is essentially all the motoring clubs, Boarhunt works very closely with its key clients to provide a comprehensive service of recovery and repair. “These days, because of the costs of transport it's cheaper to try and repair that

BOARHUNT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT SERVICE FOR BOTH LIGHT AND HEAVY RECOVERY. “The heart of our roadside assistance business is a state of the art control room based in Fareham which is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Utilising up to date IT systems, our controllers aim to have a rescue or recovery operative reach our customer and their vehicle within 1 hour.” “We are the primary regional agent for all the major recovery organisations and also work

vehicle so we try and get them back to a workshop to repair them,” adds Robert.Through providing this extended service portfolio, Boarhunt has been able to cut down on transportation costs and reduce the amount of time that customers are without a vehicle substantially. Able to offer recovery for any type of vehicle, be it large or small, Boarhunt is able to offer

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RECOVERY: BOARHUNT a diverse and adaptive service to allow clients to rest at ease in the fact that Boarhunt will be there to assist when in need and handle the entire process from incident to resolution; “The client wants a one-stop shop,” explains Robert. To maximise on Boarhunt's capabilities and provide a comprehensive service, Boarhunt has opted to maintain an immensely varied fleet including: Vauxhall, Mitsubishi, DAF, Renault, MIN, Scania and Ford of which they have worked with for a long time and have enjoyed a long, fruitful relationship: “We try and keep our manufacturers happy and try to keep a mixed fleet. We scratch their back and they scratch ours,” adds Robert. This close relationship has allowed Boarhunt to improve the reliability of its service through technical support made available as a further resource available to Boarhunt. “The main thing is to get the mix of fleet right,” adds Robert. Due to past experience, Boarhunt has elected to continue its focus on consolidation and the improvement of its service instead of rapid growth and as part of this the company has invested heavily into new IT and communications systems to better develop business processes. Robert explains: “We have just updated our control rooms with the latest Apex communications system so that we're not having to speak to our guys on the roadside, we're speaking with them electronically. We've also installed tracking systems so that we can monitor where they are on the road too.” These systems allow Boarhunt to operate on a far smoother, efficient basis and as a result the company's service, day-to-day costs and emissions have also been impacted positively as a result. Keen to both reduce fuel costs from a business perspective and pursue sustainable business practices, Boarhunt is undertaking a number of initiatives to both reduce the fuel consumption and transportation costs of its operations. Robert explains that: “We obviously see fuel efficiency as a big thing, it's a major cost and we do keep an eye on the vehicles through telemetry and even just looking at our bills... we're looking at things all the time through negotiating for electricity and fuel.”

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RECOVERY: BOARHUNT Displaying dedication to supporting the industry and workers within it, Boarhunt is keen to take on apprentices for both in its workshops and for vehicle recovery, including both male and female operatives with the incentive of moving up further through the ranks as well as potentially taking on the training of newer employees in the future. Due to the close relationship which Boarhunt maintains both with clients and suppliers, the company is also able to send its operatives to a wide variety of training days and courses with the respective companies to expand on the

IT IS EXPECTED THAT BOARHUNT WILL CONTINUE TO PROSPER AND BUILD UPON THE SUCCESS OF ITS 50 YEARS

www.boarhunt.co.uk Tel: 01329 282999

skill-sets of its workforce. This approach has allowed Boarhunt to build up an incredible network of highly skilled operatives in all of its service areas, thus enabling Boarhunt to continuously adapt and improve its end-service for clients. As evidence to the skill, dedication and expertise of Boarhunt's workforce, the company is host to a number of testimonials to its service and operatives, with one happy customer explaining: “Please will you pass on my thanks to Jason Isaacs, he attended my recovery and his calm attitude was just what I needed. His vehicle was clean and tidy, his reassurance was just what I needed.

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He treated my motorcycle as if it was his own, he made sure it was secure and safe before recovering me home. When we arrived at my home he helped push the bike up my drive and ensured it was on the main stand before leaving. He is a real credit to your operation.” With an incredible reputation in the area, Boarhunt has had very little reason to advertise publicly due to word of mouth and testimonials, however, the company is keen to stress that while Boarhunt's recovery services are very well known, these are not the only services which Boarhunt can offer. Keen to promote these other areas, Robert would like to see the company's public image expand further to effectively cover all of Boarhunt's operations and services of which are equally as professional and high quality as its reputed recovery services. Looking to the future of the company, it is expected that Boarhunt will continue to prosper and build upon the success of its 50th year anniversary to continue improving its services and the portfolio available. With Robert and Paul directing the future of the company, the future looks bright for Boarhunt. Robert comments on the company's current goals and the change in leadership, saying: “My father has retired. We're going through a slight change where we're trying to bring the company forward and we're looking to run it slightly differently. We're just trying to get that sorted in these hard times. Any business is hard at the moment but it's starting to look a little bit brighter.”

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RECOVERY: AUTO FUEL FIX

CHANGING THE FUEL INDUSTRY

The simple mistake of putting the wrong fuel in your car doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to ruin your day. Auto Fuel Fix are pioneering equipment and technology to put you safely, and quickly, back on the road.

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hen making the understandable mistake of putting the wrong fuel in your car a simple day can take a tragic turn for the worst in mere moments; however Auto Fuel Fix (AFF) has made its mark on the industry by offering a solution. Founded in 2006,AFF was one of the first companies in the UK to utilise the equipment and technology to enable roadside fuel changes safely and effectively and as such the company has since become a pioneer of the sector. Handling fuel changes and potentially explosive material can be a very delicate task and as such, AFF goes to great lengths to ensure that both customers and its workers are supplied with the highest quality, reliable ATEX compliant equipment to ensure that works can be completed in the safest manner. Through homing in on providing this service safely, AFF has built up a great reputation for its reliable, convenient and efficient service.

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Commenting on how the use of ATEX compliant equipment is crucial to the service which AFF provides, Bruce Compton, Director of AFF explains: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The critical thing is that the pumps are ATEX compliant.This means they've been through a testing process to ensure that they're safe to use with potentially explosive materials. In other words, any sorts of ignition around petrol or petrol vapour is potentially explosive and these have been tested and proven not to cause a threat in that environment.â&#x20AC;? Through training its staff to specific levels including SPA and IVR levels 1, 2 and 3, AFF is able to ensure that all operatives are trained in customer service, health and safety, best practices and sustainability. Additionally being PAS 43 and ISO 9001 registered, AFF also undertakes frequent risk assessments, cost assessments and auditing to ensure levels of standards are maintained. This level of training allows AFF's operatives to stand out for their expertise and has earned the company a reputation for having some of the most qualified and

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highly skilled workers throughout the sector. With a comprehensive fuel guide available on the company website, AFF constantly updates its website with information to assist people who have made the mistake of topping up their fuel incorrectly. Due to heavy investment into promoting its website and through regular content updates the website is typically at the top of google search results to ensure that customers have the easiest time in finding AFF's top tips and guidelines when they are in need of assistance. Taking approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes from point of contact to resolving the issue, AFF are very quick to react to people in distress and get them back on the road as soon as possible, Bruce also explains: “If you call a recovery vehicle they might get there in 45 minutes and you'd save yourself half an hour but the difference is, once that vehicle arrives he's either going to take you home (if it’s an out of hours call out) or take you straight to a garage where you'll lose the car for two days minimum.With us it might take half an hour longer to get there but once we're there, we'll repair the car there and then – that repair normally takes no more than 30 minutes.” Through providing this service which essentially gets customers back on the road in a fraction of the time,AFF is able to support customers to a much greater extent

and get them back on the road far more quickly due to the specialised focus and expertise which AFF has. Covering the majority of UK, AFF has a considerable geographic coverage for which it can assist those in need and utilises both a core fleet of eight vans and a supporting network of highly audited and trusted partners who enable AFF to maintain seamless service standards 24 hours, 7 days a week. Through guaranteeing high levels of service as a result of intensive auditing and in ensuring coverage at all hours, to almost all locations throughout the UK, AFF has become one of the leading operators in this crucial sector and is renowned for its reliability. As testament to its work in the sector, one of its key customers, Allianz Global Assistance UK stated: “Allianz Global Assistance UK is a satisfied customer of Auto Fuel Fix and have been working with the business for 2 years.” AFF has taken its place as one of the key providers of fuel change services across the UK and looking to the future, AFF aims to continue fostering growth

AFF are very quick to react to people in distress and get them back on the road as soon as possible

Auto Fuel Fix Limited, St Pancras House, Jacobs Yard, Basingstoke, RG21 7PE www.autofuelfix.com Tel: 0844 8794770

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within the company, whether it be through its fleet, workforce, communications or otherwise. Commenting on the future of the company, Bruce adds: “We're a company that is definitely interested in growth through an organic process of developing the understanding of our customer’s needs, our workforce’s aspirations and relationships with our suppliers. As long as we can present a strong argument to our shareholders we will continue to reinvest and grow the business.”

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RECOVERY: AUTO-RESCUE LOGISTICS

QUALITY SERVICE IS RELIABLE SERVICE Auto-Rescue Logistics provides 24/7 vehicle recovery services to motor insurers, car and commercial fleets, salvage companies, transport and coach operators, and bodyshops. uto-Rescue Logistics (ARL) are different, and often spoken of as the professionals best kept secret. So what is it they do that others seemingly do not? They enjoy an enviable reputation as both a market leading and innovative organisation providing a range of reliable, high quality services to the insurance and fleet industries across the UK. In addition to providing nationwide 24/7 vehicle recovery and breakdown services, ARL can quickly provide photographs and data from the scene, as well as images of the damaged vehicle. For fleets and insurers this information, often received within hours of an accident, can prove vital in speeding up the claims process, a point that Robin Reames, ARL’s Business Development Director was keen to emphasise. Robin, one of the founders of Swift Insurance, previously worked with John Battley at Churchill, John being a former director of both Churchill and ARL until his retirement a few years ago. Indeed, it was this relationship that developed what was to become a long standing relationship between Swiftcover and ARL, one that continues to prove hugely beneficial to both organisations. Robin explained that having been a claims director he has an intimate knowledge of what drives a claims department, and understands their processes and what it is that insurers are looking for: “ARL

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deliver efficient and innovative solutions to customers problems, and adds value because ARL recognise the pressures that insurers have to control their indemnity spend while delivering a great customer service. At ARL we work with our clients to provide a service that exceeds their expectations, its not just about picking up accident damaged vehicles from the roadside and doing things efficiently, it’s about what else we can do, such as working with them to identify and minimise the liabilities at the front end, taking digital images from the accident scene, developing technology that works for their systems and not force them to try and use ours.” Robin went on to add: “A supplier has to be very flexible, very versatile, very innovative, and very entrepreneurial in its outlook, and this is where ARL really excels.” ARL has a diverse, largely blue chip portfolio that includes many familiar household brand motor insurers and commercial fleets, as well as brokers, coach and bus companies, accident repair networks, and national hire car organisations, each benefitting from what is probably the largest managed network of vehicle recovery / breakdown agents in the UK. “ARL prides itself on getting to motorists quickly with an average attendance time across the UK of just 45 minutes from a network of more than 800 agent and service locations. We prioritise incidents

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“A SUPPLIER HAS TO BE VERY FLEXIBLE, VERY VERSATILE, VERY INNOVATIVE, AND VERY ENTREPRENEURIAL IN ITS OUTLOOK, AND THIS IS WHERE ARL REALLY EXCELS.” ROBIN REAMES BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

“ARL HAS AN INCREDIBLE CAPABILITY FOR BOTH SERVICE AND ATTENDANCE BECAUSE WE RUN A LARGE DIVERSE NETWORK OF AGENTS WHO RECOGNISE THAT ARL DEMAND HIGH SERVICE STANDARDS AT ALL TIMES” GARY INWOOD OPERATIONS DIRECTOR in the Northampton ARL control centre where vehicles have vulnerable occupants, lone females or children on board and wherever possible we minimise the on scene attendance time. If it is a commercial vehicle we again operate a similar procedure so that vehicle loads suffer the minimum disruption to their journey,” Robin went on to explain that many deliveries have specific time slots at distribution centres, stores, and supermarkets, while manufacturers can operate an on time delivery system where failure to meet the time slot can result in a financial penalty for the transportation company. Mike Eagles, the Auto-Rescue Logistics Chairman since the company inception, added: “Long before the birth of ARL, my wife was absolutely insistent that neither of our daughters ever went anywhere without their mobile phone or the ability to get home should

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their car breakdown. The terrible service experienced on the two occasions the breakdown organisation was actually needed helped underpin my determination to provide a guaranteed service for ARL customers. I suspect there are a lot of other mothers out there today who feel exactly the same way, they want a service they can rely upon to get their children home.” Gary Inwood, the ARL Operations Director said: “ARL has an incredible capability for both service and attendance because we run a large diverse network of agents who recognise that ARL demand high service standards at all times. In addition to our network of agents needing PAS43 certification, which is the industry standard for vehicle recovery/breakdown operators, we focus on network management without distraction or bias to ensure the consistency of quality that our customers demand. It’s a single tier supply chain, effectively managed and everyone is on the same level providing a

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single standard of service, and that is what singles out ARL from everyone else, the consistency of quality of service throughout the UK.” ARL sets itself high benchmarks and difficult challenges, and has done so from its creation. Within just a few years of being established in 2002, ARL had secured two major insurer contracts as well as one of the UK’s largest commercial fleets, based upon a transparent fixed rate menu of charges for light and heavy vehicle recovery across the UK. Through its motor insurer clients, it became apparent to ARL in 2005 that there was a huge misconception surrounding the level of statutory charges being imposed upon insurers following the Police invoking their powers to remove and recover vehicles from the highway. The polarisation of Vehicle Recovery Operators within the financial protection afforded by the managed police scheme lien, permitted systematic and widespread overcharging: it was not unusual to hear of £15,000 + being charged for

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a commercial vehicle recovery with a refusal to release the vehicle until the charges were paid. Incredibly Maritime regulations were being cited for vehicle recovery, while personal injury referral fees where scaling new heights, a practice ARL have never participated in. It was in this climate that ARL established the first Insurance Forum in London, attended by more than fifteen motor insurers and a handful of commercial fleets. Through this medium, just twelve months later in 2006 ARL won a landmark legal case that changed 130 years of British law and set a major precedent still very much relevant today regarding vehicle recovery charges, and indeed opened the door to reform legislation. The Insurance Forum has continued to meet three or four times a year in London and is today active in providing legal guidance on key issues relating to road traffic legislation. In just three of our recent legal actions in support of customers we have saved a major UK hire car company over £300,000, while for a motor insur-

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er we saved more than £200,000 on a single claim. A third action is ongoing but to date our customers savings are in excess of £100,000. Today, it is the unequivocal emphasis that ARL places on providing a service that most benefits its clients and their end customers that has led to its industry-wide success and recognition for delivering the most complete, reliable and supportive service out there, further buoyed by legal guidance on key issues. ARL were one of the first to respond to legal reforms and establish an Alternative Business Structure (ABS) with Rausa Mumford Ltd, specialists in Road Traffic legislation.To date we have created 3 major legal precedents, while another recent legal victory is soon to be reported.

Mike Eagles explained: “We have six hands on directors driving the company growth, three of whom are permanently based in Northampton. We have recently developed our own IT web based system for further integration of customer support services such as management information, automatic reporting facilities, and to facilitate claims handling and training programmes for our clients. “Our success brings the enviable challenges we all like to have, not least maintaining the high quality of service that we have always delivered. We have had to recruit more staff and train them, but this has brought greater opportunities for promotion and career advancement, and it is wonderful to see young talent rise to the occa-

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sion. We really have the most fantastic staff who are prepared to put in huge effort to see us succeed, I am desperately proud of them all. “With upwards of fifty staff we have invested heavily in systems to automate more processes and improve efficiency rather than just plug gaps with people. These are nice challenges to have and we have thrived in a tough economic climate because we have never compromised on the quality of what we do. Our client base has grown year on year, our services have evolved across a wider spectrum while delivering greater savings to our clients.” ARL’s services are tailored to meet the needs of fleets, insurers, brokers, and repairers for whom we continue to offer accident recovery for any type of vehicle, but it is less well known that ARL handle out of hours First Notification of Loss claims supported by liability assessments using technology that can save a client thousands per claim by identifying where fault lies and intervening rapidly, even out of hours. Call handling and message taking for clients is also available.

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“RECOVERME HAS ONLY VERY RECENTLY LAUNCHED AND HAS GONE VERY WELL SO FAR. WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY PERFORMED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE MOTORISTS.” MIKE EAGLES AUTO-RESCUE LOGISTICS CHAIRMAN

WHY RECOVER ME? 4We will never leave you stranded 4We have the largest managed recovery network in the UK, so we reach you quicker 4We offer a replacement car if we cannot repair yours the same day 4We include home start as standard 4We cover the vehicle not the individual, so your family is covered 4We can recover you from anywhere in the UK 24 hours a day, every day of the year 4We offer a smartphone app giving you direct contact with our control centre when a problem arises 4When we repair your car all replacement parts are guaranteed for 12 months

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In the wider arena, many recovery businesses are failing because they can’t survive on the low rates paid by some of the big players, which allows for no reinvestment or training. ARL have managed to maintain a healthy network by paying operators a fair fee and paying them promptly, as such, unlike some of our competitors, ARL seldom struggle to meet response times. I like to regard all these key commitments to quality over cost-cutting as moving in moral circles of success. A colleague described it in a different way, namely that ARL are “refreshingly old-fashioned in a very modern sense.” Though the company has yet to make a foothold in the consumer-oriented market, ARL still being something of the “professional’s best kept secret,” Mike hopes that the company will develop further into this area through its RecoverMe Breakdown Product which to date has shown great promise. Mike explains this further, saying: “RecoverMe has only very recently launched and has gone very well so far. We needed to make sure that our technology performed to meet the needs of the motorists. RecoverMe will allow customers to benefit from the great service our corporate customers receive at a sensible and very affordable price.

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“The RecoverMe promise is simple: To deliver a high quality, reliable and efficient service that meets motorists needs with the option of up to £1000 of repair costs following a mis-fueling. “ARL is about delivering solutions that meet our clients’ needs while adopting an innovative approach to consistently improve service levels. This remains at the forefront of our proposition. The added value and services brought by ARL to every contract is where the true value in using ARL is to be found. “Some examples of how this has improved our service are: We provide images from the incident scene and of the damaged vehicle which can be used to determine the next step in the claim process.This

innovation will potentially lead to significant costs savings as damage can be assessed prior to redelivery instructions being issued. Through desk-top engineering, this will result in vehicles not being redelivered to repair centres, at a cost to insurers, when they are clearly a total loss. This could speed up the settlement to the customer and impact positively on retention. It reduces transportation costs, cycle times and settlement with the customer and improves the customer journey. “Web services: we can update clients’ claims systems in real time with claim information reducing the need to go into various systems or for the client to rekey information. It is extracted straight from our system to theirs.

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The web based system has a client portal which allows clients to log on and access live and historic recoveries, examine invoices, images and case notes and recordings. This transparency permits clients to remotely audit our performance and frees up resources for all parties. “Auto Rescue Logistics are able to recover any kind of vehicle, in any kind of situation within the UK at a moment’s notice.This front line service is supported by technological innovation in the control centre, with automated mapping, and services to simplify the administration processes.” Mike raised one point of caution when saying that in recent years there had been an almost constant squeeze on vehicle recovery/breakdown operator’s margins by some of the larger motoring organisations who have held Dutch auctions where the agents, in

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competition with each other, bid down to a price to win a territory. Mike is most definitely not an advocate of this cost cutting policy, believing that the vehicle recovery operators are the front line of ARL’s services and deserve better. “For me it’s an ethical decision,” Mike explained. “We have consistently improved the rates we pay our agents, and believe we are the market leaders in this respect. We’re great advocates of supporting our network – we want to see them flourish.” Auto Rescue Logistics has successfully established itself as a recovery service which offers support for both clients and network operatives which competitors have difficulty matching: “ARL strive to better the expectations that people have of us,” explains Mike, who is keen to consistently push for ever higher standards while continuing as the leading innovator and pioneer of the market.

Beaufort House 7-8 Talavera Court, Moulton Park Northampton NN3 6RW www.autorescuelogistics.co.uk Control Room : 01604 496811 Administration : 01604 496800

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PUBLIC SECTORE: GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE reater Manchester Police celebrated its 40th anniversary this year by commemorating four decades protecting the community with a number of community events and initiatives. Over the last 40 years Greater Manchester Police has understandably evolved to provide an increasingly more efficient service, particularly in its use of its vehicle fleet where it has witnessed significant carbon reduction. GMP’s Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy recently spoke about the evolution of policing over the years, saying, “In some ways there have been many changes to policing over the past four decades but in other ways it has not changed at all because it's about the relationship with the public and talking to people. Greater Manchester Police grew out of borough and city forces that were very close to their communities and we have returned to that with our commitment to neighbourhood policing.” A number of community initiatives including fun days and sporting events held by each division to celebrate the special occasion marked the 40th anniversary. Bake sales will also be held to raise money for Cash for Kids, a local charity for sick and underprivileged children. The GMP Police Museum also ran its own festivi-

The Greater Manchester Polices’ commitment to protecting the community whilst offering fun and festivities show why it is currently celebrating...

40 YEARS OF SERVICE

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PUBLIC SECTOR: GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE ties. Here the Force displayed its 40th anniversary exhibition which included a 3D memory tree, a retro police car displayed by Police Cars UK and historic re-enactments. A commemorative cake was also made by Stockport’s Cakes. Duncan Broady, Museum Curator said: “The museum gives visitors an insight into policing in Greater Manchester over the years.This special day allowed us to look back and celebrate the work of GMP and the ever changing culture of policing.” As part of the celebrations LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Manchester built a GMP crest which was voted for by the public on social media earlier this year. The crest, which is built from 1322 LEGO® bricks, was on display at the centre during the spring and summer and was built by GMP’s very own Special Constable Alex Bidolak who also works as a Master Model Builder at the centre. Alex said: "We like to reflect Manchester and its culture in some of the models we build at the centre. We already have a giant LEGO® policeman which the children love, but it seemed only right to make something extra special that would pay tribute to GMP's 40 years at the heart of the community.”

MOVING FORWARD Looking to the future, the Force has been allocated £40,000 of funding from the Police Crime

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Commissioner Tony Lloyd to plough into community projects as part of GMP’s Project 40 which will go to continue to build strong relationships with the people of Greater Manchester. Sir Peter added: “What has changed is new technology and new ways of committing crime and different social attitudes along with a more diverse community and GMP has developed new specialisms to deal with this. GMP now faces the greatest challenge in its history with the spending reductions but will stick true to the principles of policing by consent.”

GREEN INITIATIVES Indeed, part of GMP’s progress in the last few years has centred around carbon reduction and the operation of a more efficient, environmentally friendly vehicle fleet. It enjoyed a number of successes thanks to forward-thinking investment. For example, last year it took delivery of 30 Nissan LEAFs. It was the UK’s largest corporate LEAF deal at the time. Ten local policing units (LPUs) began to run ‘diary car’ LEAFs, which are used for attending pre-arranged meetings with victims of crime and locals who have contacted the police force. Diary cars average 40 to 45 miles per day, making the 124-mile range LEAF ideal for the force’s day-today needs. Dedicated charging points installed at each LPU are used to charge the cars.

Bob Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner for West Midlands Police said the new LEAFs “fit in perfectly with the operational requirements of diary cars and will significantly cut our fuel costs while also reducing our carbon footprint.” The success of the LEAFs saw Oldham Council take delivery of seven of its own electric vehicles following collaboration with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Police – who will share the vehicles – providing better value of public money. These eco-friendly vehicles will replace some of the council’s ageing fleet - and the reduction in emissions will help improve air quality on the borough’s streets. As part of the Greater Manchester Electric Vehicle (GMEV) scheme a number of electric vehicle charging points are already live throughout the borough. Councillor Barbara Brownridge, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Co-operatives, said: “Electric vehicles have come a long way in recent years and current models are now on a par with conventional vehicles in terms of driving experience and comfort, only far quieter, considerably cheaper to run and miles better for the environment.” www.gmp.police.uk Tel: 0161 872 5050

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west mids ambulance.qxp_feature 2 14/10/2014 09:31 Page 44

AWARDS: WEST MIDLANDS AMBULANCE SERVICE

A MARK OF EXCELLENCE

Winning the prestigious Van Fleet of the Year Award demonstrates the West Midlands Ambulance Service’s commitment to high standards and top quality patient care. est Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) won the prestigious Van Fleet of the Year within the Public Sector and Bluelight category at the 2014 Fleet Van Awards. Now in its seventh year, the Fleet Van Awards are the benchmark awards for the light commercial vehicle industry, with trophies for manufacturers, fleet operators and suppliers. The event, which is seen as an integral part of the van fleet industry calendar, follows the Fleet Van Summit and offers a vital opportunity for the industry to share best practice, network and celebrate. Fleet operators have the opportunity to demonstrate commitment to the highest standards in terms of operation, innovation and safety. Whilst the manufacturer categories compare vehicles across a number of core fleet criteria, including payload, safety, technology, running costs, fuel efficiency, reliability, after-sales service and back-up offered by the dealer network. The van supplier categories are also open to companies supplying products and services to van fleets, and reward great service and innovation. The award comes hot on the heels of WMAS becoming the first emergency service in the region to receive accreditation to one of the toughest ‘excellence’ programmes in the country. The Trust has been awarded ‘Van Excellence’ by the Freight Transport Association (FTA). For patients who need an ambulance, it means that the vehicle they are conveyed in is operated at the highest level. Tony Page, General Manager Fleet Services, said: “Some people might be confused as to what the programme has to do with us. However, ambulances are essentially vans with a very specialised purpose,

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so to get the award is a fantastic achievement for the staff and is good news for patients. We are one of only three ambulance services to meet the standard and there are only 75 accredited operators in the UK out of 14,000 members of the FTA. “The transport industry is the second most regulated in the UK after aviation. To gain accreditation, we have to actively ensure the safety of our staff and the public through robust maintenance programmes; adherence to pre-departure checks; a robust defect rectification process and high levels of driver training. Having a fleet that meets the standards expected of ‘Van Excellence’ not only benefits patients, but also makes the work life of staff that little bit easier.” Trust Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, added: “This award is the culmination of 18 months of hard work. Clearly our top priority is to ensure the highest standards of patient care. If we have a fleet that meets the toughest tests, that will undoubtedly benefit patients and enhance the work life of our staff. Our decision to invest in our fleet means no vehicle

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AWARDS: WEST MIDLANDS AMBULANCE SERVICE

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AWARDS: WEST WIDLANDS AMBULANCE SERVICE over five years old. This brings real benefits to staff and patients alike; we get very few breakdowns and the vehicles are more comfortable. In terms of a team effort, I am really proud of everyone in our Fleet Department for all of their hard work in attaining this award.” Part of WMAS’s success has come from considered investment in the fleet. This year, for example,

IF WE HAVE A FLEET THAT MEETS THE TOUGHEST TESTS, THAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BENEFIT PATIENTS AND ENHANCE THE WORK LIFE OF OUR STAFF.

www.wmas.nhs.uk Tel: 01384 215555

new 4x4 ambulances came into service. The new 4×4 Mercedes ambulances will give the Trust much more capability to get to patients in difficult weather and muddy off-road conditions. WMAS currently has one of the most modern 999 fleets of any ambulance service in the country with over 300 ambulances and 200 rapid response vehicles. It is planned that one of the 4×4 vehicles will be based at each ambulance hub

around the region, able to be used the same as an everyday ambulance. Craig Cooke, WMAS Support Services Director, said: “The new vehicles will mean that for the first time we will have a full size ambulance with 4×4 capabilities. This investment in new vehicles will help us provide high quality clinical services to people who suffer serious injuries or medical conditions when they are out and about on uneven and difficult to access terrain. This should improve the comfort and care to patients and offer a much better working environment for our staff. Assistant Area Manager, Nigel Wells, said: “The new Mercedes 4×4 sprinter has been developed with staff and Mercedes to ensure they meet all the requirements of both the patient and the staff. The fully automatic 4×4 system is very simple to use and will give staff greater access to patients in challenging conditions. They will come into their own during the winter months and will add an extra dimension to the ambulance service when responding to emergency calls. “A number of ambulance staff recently attended the Prodrive test facilities in Warwickshire along with Mercedes training staff to use the vehicles off road. WMAS driver trainers also attended and will be passing on their knowledge to all frontline staff who will all be trained to use the vehicles over the coming months.”

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west mids ambulance.qxp_feature 2 14/10/2014 09:32 Page 47

Platts Garage Fleet Department Proud to be Supporting the West Midlands Ambulance Service for over 15 Years... Midlands Ambulance Service.

bility and cost effectiveness of the Fiat Profes-

Platts Garage currently carry out all major re-

sional brand, the ambulance service have

pairs and any warranty work on Ducato's or

chosen to replace all out going emergency ve-

PTS vehicles. Our dedicated commercial ve-

hicles with brand new Fiat Ducato's sourced

hicle technicians and body shop team carry

through our Fleet Specialist Sales Team.

out anything from small damage through to

Iain Carr says: “It's great to hear about West

full rebuilds. The main advantages of using

Midlands Ambulance service picking up this

Platts is that everyone in the company is

fleet award. Working with them over the

geared up to go the extra mile to get the vehi-

years, I know how hard they work and they

latts Garage are a family owned com-

cles back on the road as quickly as possible.

fully deserve it. Personally, I’m glad Platts

pany with two sites, one in Stoke on

Always trying to improve we recently stream-

have played a part in keeping their fleet on

Trent and one in Stafford. We are the

lined the parts supply for the ambulance

the road where they belong.”

oldest Fiat franchise dealer in the UK and

service. We centralised our parts stock at our

Tony Littler, Managing Director, said: “As with

also supply Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Chrysler,

Stafford site holding over £12,0000 worth of

all our fleet partners, we view the importance

Abarth and Fiat Commercial Vehicles.

fast moving items in case of emergencies.

of quick, reliable service as importantly as the

15 years ago we started our relationship with

With our two delivery vans this means 98%

ambulance service themselves. I’m proud of

Staffordshire Ambulance service supplying

of parts ordered by 4pm will be with the

our team and their philosophy to go above and

and maintaining the first Fiat Ducato's for

depot the following day. To keep this high

beyond. For example, during the floods last

their fleet. Over the years we have invested

availability of stock over the busy Christmas

year three ambulances required new engines

heavily in specialist ramps, equipment, body

period we even go as far as to prioritise stock

to get them back on the road our team worked

shop and training to allow us to become the

at the depots while we may be closed.

day and night through a weekend to get them

premier partner for the whole of the West

Due to Platts Garage’s level of service, relia-

back on the road where they were needed.''

lecost transport.qxp_feature 2 21/10/2014 11:20 Page 48

PALLET NETWORKS: LESCOST TRANSPORT

TOTAL LOGISTICS PROVIDER

A growing family run business, Lescost Transport continues to expand, putting emphasis on customer requirements whilst developing and enhancing its resources. escost Transport Ltd, based in Tyne and Wear, continues to grow its reputation as a total logistics provider. Having been established in 1979, the company has plenty of experience alongside attentive service driven by its family-run work ethic. Yet, as the market has progressed, so has the business. Developing its operations to coincide with changing market conditions and customer requirements has seen Lescost Transport become an important part of the supply chain process. Indeed, many of its clients have worked with the business for many years, highlighting Lescostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to not only meet needs but often go beyond expectation.

www.lescost.co.uk Tel: 0191 419 3532

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Proudly, the business has been able to maintain its high standards over more than two and a half decades. As a total logistics provider, Lescost Transport Ltd places a lot of emphasis on service and reliability, confidently providing next day services to every United Kingdom postcode, ranging from single pallet consignments through to full trailer loads. The company continues to develop and enhance its resources and looks to be a technology leader through development of real time and web-based IT solutions. Its varied fleet of specialist vehicles enables it to offer customers a complete transport solution, whatever the load. Working with Lescost as a single source supplier can deliver significant savings to customers in

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PALLET NETWORKS: LESCOST TRANSPORT terms of management time and administrative costs. From pallets to abnormal loads, Lescost Transport Ltd has a diverse fleet capable of supporting a customer’s evolving business needs. What’s more, its growing network means the company can offer a single source solution to accommodate requirements in a simple and efficient way. Leanne Urwin, Director at Lescost Transport Ltd, recently singled out GT Radial Truck Tyres as being particularly helpful in the company’s commitment to high standards, adding value to the service it offers, and maintaining fuel efficiency and reliability. She said, “We operate a fleet of vehicles and trailers that offer a complete transport solution whatever the load. Working with Lescost Transport as a single source supplier can deliver significant savings to customers in terms of management time and administrative costs. “Lescost Transport continues to look for savings to assist in reducing their operating costs, this enables the company to stay competitive in the market place and tyres are no exception. We have been using GT Radial GSR220 steer tyre for the past 12 months, the performance and quality of the GSR220 has contributed to reducing our monthly tyre costs with our service provider A S Tyres of Gateshead.”

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pallettline.qxp_feature 2 15/10/2014 07:58 Page 50

PALLET NETWORKS: PALLETLINE ith 70 member companies, 80 locations, more than 6,000 vehicles, hundreds of thousands of square feet of storage space and a combined size that rivals some of the biggest UK logistics operators – Palletline quickly tells a story of less becoming more. Back in 1992, Palletline’s ‘hub and spoke’ distribution system revolutionised the palletised freight market. The cost-effective, environmentally-friendly solution dramatically improves efficiency by collecting from suppliers and consolidating to delivery point. The benefits of consolidated delivery speak for themselves. Simply by suppliers working together to share the load and reduce costs – a faster, more efficient service for clients is achieved with many less road miles. Indeed so efficient is the system, some 2.5million road miles are saved per year making it the go-to choice for companies looking to reduce costs and implement more eco-friendly processes. With a network comprising of carefully selected, leading UK hauliers, Palletline appeals to a broad range of businesses, from SMEs to globally recognised companies. The network recently celebrated its ten years working with a major supermarket chain. It maintains its edge over the competition by continually innovating and investing in market leading technology to streamline processes and enhance the customer experience. This culminated in the launch of Palletline’s ‘Less Is More’ campaign last year with the drive continuing to deliver significant productivity improvements and cost reductions. Technology sits at the heart of the Palletline network. From hand-held digital signature capture

Palletline’s service hinges on a commitment to efficiency, cost-saving, quality and flexibility. By continually innovating and investing in market leading technology Palletline is rivaling some of the biggest UK logistics operators.

LESS IS MORE WITH PALLETLINE

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PALLET NETWORKS: PALLETLINE devices that provide customers with an instant proof of delivery to online booking portal enhancements, the network is on a constant quest to improve service levels and efficiency through the use of the latest available technology. While evolution is central to Palletline’s philosophy, it will never lose its core values and original commitment to cost-effective distribution. Palletline is the only truly co-operative pallet network. It is 100% owned by its members and believes in an equitable model that drives profits back into the business for the good of the members.The firm’s stringent vetting process ensures the selection of only the very best. As a result, every member is proud to be part of Palletline. Palletline’s service hinges on a commitment to efficiency, cost-saving, quality and flexibility. Combine that with a sustainable business model and track record of innovation and with Palletline – less most definitely delivers more!

“PALLETLINE APPEALS TO A BROAD RANGE OF BUSINESSES, FROM SMES TO GLOBALLY RECOGNISED COMPANIES” For more info, contact: +44 (0)121 767 6870 enquiries@palletline.com www.palletline.com

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sleafordian coaches2.qxp_feature 2 10/10/2014 15:12 Page 52

BUS AND COACH: SLEAFORDIAN COACHES leafordian Coaches can trace its history back to 1964 when three local men began running the Sleaford Taxi Company with two Ford’s and a 1960 Vauxhall Victor. Throughout its early history the company’s main operation was general taxi work but also included special events such as weddings and funerals.This led to Sleafordian’s first minibus in 1969, which had space for nine passengers. The business continued its development, progressing into coach travel in 1972 when it purchased its first fullsize coach, a 41-seat Bedford Duple Vella Vega. The success of this service saw it purchase a second coach the following year when it became known as Sleafordian Coaches, the trading name it continues to use today. Remaining family-run, the company has committed itself to providing a high level of customer service driven by reliability, comfort and safety. To help meet its goals it moved into a new depot in 2004 which included a

S Sleafordian Coaches, Pride Parkway, East Road, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 8GL Tel: 01529 303333 www.sleafordian.co.uk

reception area, offices, workshop, and drivers rest room. The workshop has sufficient space to work on two double-decker buses simultaneously with an inspection pit on one of the bays and lifting jacks on the other. This necessary expansion saw the company grow significantly over the next ten years. In 2004, it had seven vehicles, now it has a license for 35 and employs more than 50 staff. Today, the company is run by original founder Don Broughton’s son Mark and his wife Lisa who proudly introduced their daughter to the business full-time in 2012. This makes her the third generation of the Broughton family to work for the company. In 2010, the company developed a training centre which all drivers are required to attend regularly for courses to maintain their category D driving licence (required to drive buses and coaches). Indeed, Sleafordian Coaches was very proud to be shortlisted for National Training awards in 2010, 2012 and 2013.

CONTINUED GROWTH Family owned Sleafordian Coaches has developed a sought after reputation for quality and safety resulting in a a brand new depot and rapid expansion over the last ten years.

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sleafordian coaches2.qxp_feature 2 10/10/2014 15:12 Page 53

BUS AND COACH: SLEAFORDIAN COACHES The company is also active within the local community sponsoring many local events including Sleaford Christmas Market, Sleaford Carnival, Sleaford Town FC, Sleaford Snooker League and many others. The success keeps coming for Sleafordian. It was a finalist in the prestigious Route One Operator Excellence Awards in 2012 and 2013 in two categories – Operator Training and Small Coach Operator of the Year. Sleafordian sees this as exampling its commitment to providing a quality service to all its passengers. Being a finalist is an accolade in itself and something which it is very proud of. Indeed, in the last 12 months it carried in excess of 5,300 passengers per day while its vehicles travelled a combined distance of 818,000 miles. That distance is equivalent to three and a half trips to the moon.

TRAINING Now, all of its drivers are first-aid trained and all are Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked to the enhanced level (previously known as CRB checks). Elsewhere, it was recently awarded the highest possible rating of 6 stars by BUSK Simply Safe Benchmark star rating scheme. BUSK, which stands for "Belt Up School Kids" provides a long-awaited "tool kit" to educate and advise schools on transport safety to enable the schools to use reputable

and compliant coach operators for their private hire requirements. Enhancing these endeavours, all its vehicles are fitted with Green Road GPS Tracking and Driver Monitoring. This enables the company to know precisely where any of its vehicles are at any time and also monitors driver performance with a traffic light system on the dashboard which can then be reviewed online and used for driver training. By consistently and conscien-

the company to be able to see all of its vehicles live on the road, wherever they may be in the world. Through the onboard traffic light device, drivers can be warned of any dangerous or inefficient manoeuvres caused from harsh braking and hard turning to vehicle idling. An office website receives data from the onboard device, which can then be used for instant analysis and management. Featuring GPS also means the system can be used for

ITS LONG-RUNNING SUCCESS HAS SEEN SLEAFORDIAN COACHES DEVELOP A SOUGHT-AFTER REPUTATION. tiously applying the Green Road principles to their driving, Sleafordian drivers have also helped to make the roads a safer and greener place by saving fuel, reducing CO2 emissions, minimising the risk of accidents, reducing maintenance costs and even extending the life of the vehicles whilst passengers benefit from a safer and more comfortable journey.

TECHNOLOGY Proudly, five of its drivers have gained the GreenRoad’s Fleet Elite status thanks to their safe and fuel-efficient driving. GreenRoad enables

vehicle tracking, showing the exact location of any company vehicle fitted with the equipment via Google maps. The whereabouts of each bus or coach is refreshed every minute. Each driver is given a key fob, which is used to log into the device when the vehicle is started up. This allows the back office to identify the driver of any particular vehicle on the road at any given time. Its long-running success has seen Sleafordian Coaches develop a sought-after reputation. This will undoubtedly see it continue its growth as it enters the next chapter of its existence.

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reading buses.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 08:30 Page 54

BUS AND COACH: READING BUSES

100 YEARS OF AWARD WINNING SERVICE

Renowned for its brightly coloured buses, Reading Buses strives to provide high quality facilities, increased customer numbers, reduced congestion and a better local air quality

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BUS AND COACH: READING BUSES s winner of the Low Carbon Vehicle Operator of the Year Award, Reading Buses has taken the spotlight as a role model to the industry on sustainable operations and minimising carbon emissions. Succeeding despite competition from numerous industry giants and competitive rivals, Reading Buses emerged victorious at this year's Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership Awards, shocking even Chief Engineer of Reading Buses, John Bickerton. He commented: “I'm quite shocked, we hadn't expected to win in face of competition from Stobart and Tesco so it was fantastic.” Renowned for its brightly coloured buses, Reading Buses has been transporting customers in and around Reading for over 100 years, and

the company is now owned at arms-length by Reading Borough Council. The goal of the company is to provide high quality bus facilities which grow passenger numbers, reducing congestion and improving local air quality for Reading. Investing tens of millions of pounds into its fleet for its core routes over recent years, the company has successfully set new standards for service, comfort and low-carbon operations. Historically an innovative business, Reading Buses is committed to excelling in all aspects of the business and its recent awards success is evidence to the success of such measures. Such measures have included previous trials with natural gas and bioethanol as well as the current fleet which includes 31 hybrid buses and 34 biomethane buses: “Because we've got the right kind of people in the company who have got the right

focus on customer service, we've got the ability to trial initiatives like this, and in this case a trial has turned into a core operation,” adds John. Commenting on the key initiative which led up to the company's success at the awards, John explains: “Our big strength for this award was that the buses we're running on CNG are nearly carbon neutral, with very good tail pipe emissions – since we're driving them in an urban environment where local air quality is traditionally a concern – and where buses are usually a key contributor we're targeting the problem directly at source.” The biomethane operations required a significant capital investment, and Reading Buses expects to see a return over approximately 8 years; however the benefits to the local community and protecting the environment have been immediately noticeable, and they drive the comcontinued on page 58

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reading buses.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 08:30 Page 56

hen James Freeman, then Chief Executive Officer for Reading Buses, made the decision to switch ticket machine suppliers for the entire fleet of 160 buses, he knew he was taking a risk, but he says that with his current ETMs reaching their end of life, the risk of change was diminished by the risk of doing nothing. John Clarfelt, Managing Director of Ticketer, suggested that the Ticketer web-based system had immense flexibility and would work better for Reading Buses, so James Freeman agreed to give Ticketer a trial. “Initially, I was sceptical that Ticketer’s claims of a system that was effective, easy to use and simple and quick to manage were too good to be true,” says James, “but I agreed that it was worth investigating so we set up an initial trial on a small number of buses on one route.” The trial began in the autumn 2010, with Ticketer working closely with Reading Buses as well as the unions in order to ensure that the system worked in the way Reading wanted it to. James explains “from the very start we found that working with Ticketer was a very different relationship than with other suppliers. They were always open to suggestions as to how the system could and should work for us, and we really pushed them hard. They were happy to change and adapt to meet our needs and a strong working relationship developed, which we still have today.” It quickly became apparent that the trial was going extremely well. Drivers were delighted by the intuitive feel of the system and how easy

A NEW BREED OF SMART TICKET MACHINE Ticketer is a recent and innovative entrant to the bus and multi-modal transport ticketing market – with a single focus; to revolutionise bus ticketing and put ticketing control back in the hands of the operator, no matter the size of fleet.

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it was to use and the initial trial was able to be concluded early as confidence in the Ticketer system grew. In March 2011 Reading Buses converted the entire fleet to Ticketer. “The process of converting 160 buses was made easy by Ticketer” says James, “even when we encountered problems in converting our old smart cards, Ticketer were able to replace every single one. Some of our customers are not based in the Reading area, and we even had one occasion where their MD made the journey to Brighton to deliver a replacement card. Their involvement and commitment to the process were just superb and they look after their staff and customers in exactly the same way that we like to do.” Reading Buses uses the Ticketer system in a variety of innovative ways, fully challenging its functionality and flexibility. One of the key benefits of the Ticketer system to Reading Buses is the remote top-up function. It enables customers to top-up all ITSO compatible smart cards on-line and the credit is automatically added to the card overnight. This means that it is available the next time they use the card, even on other operators’ vehicles if they have the Ticketer system and have given their agreement. Reading Buses are amongst the first operators to use the new Ticketer Handheld units. Their main purpose is for ‘queue busting’ at busy times, such as around the University at the end of each day or at the Madejski Stadium for Reading FC home fixtures. Tickets can be sold to passengers while they wait, which speeds up

the boarding process and keeps buses running to timetable. Reading Buses run a private bus network for Vodafone to transport employees around the city to the company’s headquarters. On this service of eight routes, the company uses Ticketer purely for passenger counting, as tickets and smart cards are not necessary. Thanks to the inherent modularity of the system Ticketer were able to take two of the three main components of the system out and simplify its function. Ticketer has developed two portals for Reading Buses, one for their main business and one for use by a sub-contractor on one route in order for them to manage their own separate passenger and ticket information. There is another additional, fully functioning portal for testing new routes and changes in the validity of passes and tickets before they go live. It is also used for training purposes at the Reading Buses Academy, and as a test bed for trialling the ever evolving suite of features made available by Ticketer. Reading Buses have used the flexibility of the Ticketer System in creating new tickets to great effect. Reading Buses frequently create new tickets, have added a vast array of new smartcards, and customised the tickets to include logos and advertisements in the ticket headers and footers – and deploy these changes remotely to all their buses within minutes. Ticket data is available in the back office within seconds of issue, and management information generated by the Ticketer system is used for route planning, customer loadings, peaks

and troughs by time of day, route profitability and bus tracking. Ticketer and Reading Buses continue to work together to evolve the system. Ticketer is well known for passing on any enhancements that they make for clients to their entire customer base at no extra cost and Reading has benefitted from new ideas and applications that James Freeman admits they wouldn’t have thought of, and he is happy to know that they have also passed benefits on to other Ticketer customers. Reading Buses has also been a testimonial customer for Ticketer and has hosted many other bus operators to show them how they use the Ticketer system. “I am more than happy for other bus companies to come and ride our buses and talk to staff about Ticketer and I am always delighted to see Ticketer machines on other operators’ buses after we have shown them what we do at Reading” says James. There are further developments being worked on between Reading Buses and Ticketer, as they push the boundaries of what the ticket machines and Ticketer’s back office systems are capable of. Reading is about to pilot the very latest in Wave and Pay using Ticketer ETMs and will soon be making use of Ticketer’s new Schedule Adherence feature, giving drivers visibility of the complete timetable at every stop and alerting them if they leave a stop early. The close working relationship continues to benefit both companies. “It is one of the best you can have between supplier and customer and I would consider us to be honest, critical friends” concludes James Freeman.

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BUS AND COACH: READING BUSES pany towards pursuing further measures in the future. While the long initial return on investment may dissuade other organisations from following suit, Reading Buses is able to manage risks like this as part of their wider network through their close involvement with the local community. Commenting on the impact that the award has had on the business as a whole, John explains: “It was quite a shock to have beaten some of the big players – it was almost a fairy tale. Over the last 12 months we've won about 15 awards, but the awards only reflect the work that our guys are doing on the street in delivering a service. There’s a real sense of pride as you're walking through the depot, and it feeds back to me and the rest of the guys in the team as well. Knowing we're the best really drives us on.” Through developing its driver telematics in the coming months, Reading Buses aims to empower its drivers whilst providing constructive feedback on how drivers may be able to drive more effectively, efficiently and assist in achieving an even greater standard of service for customers:“The side benefit of that is that it will give us much better insight into how the vehicles are performing because we'll be able to see the vehicle systems in real time. For the first time we'll be able to predict a breakdown before it happens,” adds John. Feedback has been great from customers who have been both enjoying and appreciating quieter and smoother trips and better facilities on-board such as free Wi-Fi access, partleather seating and wood effects on the floors.

Reading Buses is also placing great weight on improving the face of the company, through targeted recruitment of drivers with a customer service background, as opposed purely driving experience

With approximately 12% growth year on year in terms of passenger numbers for Reading Buses, the main challenges for the company are now in how best to adapt to the increased demand of its services. This just shows how well Reading Buses is performing on behalf of the local community as John comments: “These are good problems to have!” In addition to much-needed growth to support increased demand, Reading Buses is also placing great weight on improving the face of the company, through targeted recruitment of drivers with a customer service background, as opposed purely driving experience: “You recruit for attitude and train for experience,” details John. With its own training academy on-site, each member of staff is given a comprehensive training regime for driving and in how best to accommodate passengers. “This all encourages people to utilise the service more, through a friendly smile.” “In some months we receive as many commendations as complaints,” remarks John on the astounding number of commendations that Reading Buses receive each and every month. In an industry which typically doesn’t receive regular commendation, this measure shows how well Reading Buses is performing and providing a service that the community both needs and wants. It is this integration into the community that has both supported Reading Buses in recent years and will likely see it continuing to do so as the company continues to expand and meet the increasing demand for its services. www.reading-buses.co.uk Tel: 0118 959 4000

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safeguard coaches.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:09 Page 60

BUS AND COACH: SAFEGUARD COACHES

DRIVING EXPERIENCE

After celebrating their 90th anniversary Safeguard Coaches credits customer focus and an investment in the future on their success.

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safeguard coaches.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:09 Page 61

BUS AND COACH: SAFEGUARD COACHES

aving recently celebrated its ninetieth anniversary, it’s hardly surprising that much of what Safeguard Coaches does is focused on longevity. It marked the event with a book detailing its history, brewing a commemorative beer and holding an open day that raised £5,500 for charity. Managing Director Andrew Halliday has no doubts about the reasons for its continuing success, saying: “It’s very much a local firm and we have our roots in Guildford.”

LONG TERM VIEW “We serve the community as a family owned company that hasn’t changed ownership and the family’s always taken a long term view, which has been very helpful. They haven’t overreacted to short term opportunities but have gone for the less exciting but ultimately longer term view, investing in the business and being sensitive to the situation and the market we’re in. That included the purchase of Farnham Coaches in 1988 and reestablishing it on a purpose built out-of-town site. There’s always been a willingness to employ outside expertise and that’s given a more rounded view. We may be long established but we also are modern.” The company still runs its original bus route around Guildford and has a fleet of nine buses to operate it, seven running at peak times. The rest of the 38-strong fleet are coaches used for regular and ad hoc hire for schools, colleges and universities, local companies, churches, charity organisations, local government and tour companies. Safeguard Coaches’ proximity to London means 95% of vehicles are LEZ compliant, most trips being relatively local but the company also operates into Europe.

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safeguard coaches.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:09 Page 62

BUS AND COACH: SAFEGUARD COACHES

In common with the family policy of investing in the business, the company aims to purchase all vehicles outright. “We tend to purchase vehicles which will do the distance in terms of years of ownership,” states Andrew. “We buy vehicles to be flagship work horses, which we hope to keep for many years, cascading them down the fleet from frontline ultimately to school contract motors. We try to buy them so they are capable of having a second life without expensive modifications, for example specifying vehicles that can easily be converted from a 49-seat executive coach into a 53seat standard one. We tend to sell them at ten to fifteen years old but some of the better ones stay in the fleet longer”.

“WE DO THE JOB RIGHT AND HAVE EXCELLENT RELIABILITY, COMPLIANCE AND SAFETY CREDENTIALS.”

FULL CONTROL Vehicle longevity is helped by in-house maintenance and repair in workshops at each of the company’s sites. That, as Andrew emphasises, provides other benefits: “It means we know our vehicles inside out, have full control over them and can get a vehicle back on the road fast when we need to do. It helps the reliability and we’re very proud of our record, which is a 100% MOT pass rate first time and excellent OCRS scores because we do the job right.” Investment isn’t confined to the fleet but also extends to staff where the aim is to build a good team that enjoys working for the company. That starts with taking on drivers who are enthusiastic about the job, some of them now having over twenty years’ service. “Sometimes they come from a bigger company and they like the greater attention to detail we have here and the more personable nature of management/staff relationships,” outlines Andrew. “We have a management that believes in treating people as individuals and they tend to stay. We try to use driver CPC training to our advantage and our plan is to bring that in house and make it better matched to our specific needs. We want to use the driver CPC programme, not just to tick a box and get a blue card, but to make our drivers better and more integrated with the work they do in terms of driving but also the way they handle difficulties, do the job right and be an ambassador for us, which is what they are.”

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safeguard coaches.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:09 Page 63

BUS AND COACH: SAFEGUARD COACHES

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BUS AND COACH: SAFEGUARD COACHES

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safeguard coaches.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:09 Page 65

BUS AND COACH: SAFEGUARD COACHES

PERSONAL APPROACH Like many, Safeguard Coaches’ drivers are monitored using telematics and good driving performance is rewarded by bonuses. However, in contrast to other companies, as Andrew explains, the overall control is on a very personal level: “We keep our finger very much on the pulse of what’s going on. We’re completely on the job in terms of quality and doing the job properly, so unwashed vehicles and shabby drivers’ uniforms are spotted pretty quickly at any time of the day. We see it all and that’s generally well understood and respected by the drivers because they know we’re interested in them, look out for them and know if they have problems or issues. We try to be flexible and accommodate where we can because it is a two way treatment; they help us and we help them.” The approach resulted in a Bus Engineer of the Year award in 2006, Andrew being named Coach Manager of the Year in 2011 and the company being runner up for Small Bus Operator of the Year in 2011 and shortlisted this year. It’s also enabled the company to overcome challenges set by the economic downturn that have

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often caused price to be seen as more important than quality and reliability, countering that by setting out its own credentials. “For coach safety, we’re accredited with the highest six star rating from the independent coach safety campaign BUSK. We might not be the cheapest but we do the job right and have excellent reliability, compliance and safety credentials. We’ve seen steady bus patronage growth through good marketing, good vehicles and good drivers.” Innovations have helped, including free WiFi on all buses, allowing weekly and monthly tickets to be bought by phone, having no increase in fares for 2.5 years and introducing discounted fares for 16-19 year olds. The latter is seen as particularly important for a company that constantly looks to the future. Andrew says: “We hope to turn them into adult fare paying passengers because, while older people have been solid bus users, we need the next generation to follow on. This goes back to the longevity in thinking since we want to be in business for our hundredth anniversary and beyond. So we want to look after our customers and bring new ones on to grow the market and keep it going.”

Safeguard Coaches Ridgemount Garage Guildford Park Road Guildford Surrey GU2 7TH www.safeguardcoaches.co.uk www.intotown.co.uk Telephone: 01483 561103

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go ahead group.qxp_feature 2 21/10/2014 11:26 Page 66

BUS AND COACH: GO-AHEAD GROUP

THE FORMULA FOR EFFICIENCY The Go-Ahead Group has partnered up with GKN in a bid to reduce carbon emissions by embracing Formula One race technology. he Go-Ahead Group and GKN plc have recently agreed a deal that will help reduce emissions in cities with the supply of electric flywheel systems to 500 buses over the next two years. Go-Ahead was established following the privatisation of public transport during the late 1980s. Expansion has been rapid and now the company is a leading operator of high quality services in both the bus and rail sectors. Operating across the UK, the company employs in excess of 22,000 people, carrying over one billion passengers each year. Proudly, it was accredited with the Carbon Trust Standard for operating its companies in a safe, socially and environmentally responsible way, and for taking decisive action on climate change. Go-Ahead operates both bus and rail public transport networks. It has one of the largest bus fleets in the UK with around 3,900 buses carrying approximately 1.7 million passengers every day. Its operations are focused on high density commuter markets with a strong presence in London. The company has around a twenty-one percent market share in the capital city, where it provides regulated services for Transport for London. It operates deregulated services in Oxford, East Anglia, the South East, Southern and North East England. It also has a yellow school bus joint venture in North America. The innovative GKN system it will introduce is based on Formula One race technology developed in the UK. It will help increase the efficiency of every bus to which it is fitted by using less fuel and therefore reducing carbon emissions. This same technology helped Audiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s R18 e-tron win at Le Mans last month. Go-Ahead has placed an order for GKN Hybrid Power to supply 500 of its Gyrodrive systems to the transport operator. The Gyrodrive system uses a high speed flywheel made of carbon fibre to store the energy generated by a bus as it slows down to stop. It then uses the stored energy to power an electric motor

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BUS AND COACH: GO-AHEAD GROUP

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BUS AND COACH: GO-AHEAD GROUP

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BUS AND COACH: GO-AHEAD GROUP

“OUR COLLABORATION WITH GKN HAS BEEN A MOST CONSTRUCTIVE ONE.”

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which helps accelerate the bus back up to speed, generating fuel savings of more than 20% at a significantly lower cost than battery hybrid alternatives. The agreement covers the supply of the complete Gyrodrive system, including the innovative GKN Hybrid Power flywheel as well as GKN’s advanced EVO electric motor, a GKN designed and manufactured gearbox, and installation. The system is designed to last for the life of the bus eliminating the need for any battery changes. Following successful trials on buses in London, Go-Ahead intends to utilise the technology in cities it serves across the UK, initially in London and Oxford. Philip Swash, CEO GKN Land Systems, said: “This is an important milestone for GKN Hybrid Power. We’ve worked in close partnership with Go-Ahead throughout the development of this innovative technology and it’s very exciting to move into the production phase. The fact that we are using the same groundbreaking technology that helped Audi win at Le Mans for the past three years to improve fuel efficiency in the public transport sector also shows what great innovation there is in the UK’s engineering sector.” CEO of Go-Ahead, David Brown, added: “Our collaboration with GKN has been a most constructive one. We have a strong record in continually reducing our carbon emissions and flywheel technology will help us make buses an even more environmentally responsible choice and encourage more people to travel by public transport. The flywheel technology helps us to reduce our fuel consumption and C02 emissions so improving air quality for all those living, working and visiting the city.” GKN Hybrid Power is based in Oxfordshire, with final assembly taking place in a new facility at GKN’s site in Telford. The Gyrodrive technology is being further developed for other mass transit markets including trams, construction and agricultural equipment. Earlier this year GKN announced the acquisition of Williams Hybrid Power from Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited to form GKN Hybrid Power, which is focused on delivering complete hybrid solutions across multiple vehicle, power and industrial markets. Further innovation has come from Go-Ahead’s use of cloud collaboration services to improve productivity in its bus and train companies' engineering departments. Engineering employees can access the most up

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BUS AND COACH: GO-AHEAD GROUP

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go ahead group.qxp_feature 2 14/10/2014 09:21 Page 71

BUS AND COACH: GO-AHEAD GROUP to date technical information they need to repair and maintain fleets of trains and buses any time day or night. Go-Ahead is using Huddle to enable staff to securely access information from anywhere using tablet devices. Employees have access to “how to” videos about maintaining and checking vehicle components, web tutorials, as well as manufacturer handbooks and technical bulletins. With thousands of bus and rail component parts, technical documents are updated regularly in paper handbooks and folders. But with a paper-based system, it can be difficult to maintain version control and be sure that the latest documents are available – the folders can also be misplaced. More recently most engineering depots have been digitised, but technical documents still need to be accessed from a desktop computer in a supervisor's office. Enrique Fernandez, IT and strategy director at GoAhead, explained: "With Huddle on tablets, our engineers have all the latest maintenance information at their fingertips so they can rapidly respond to issues and get a bus back on the road or a train out of the depot as quickly as possible. This is vital for Go-Ahead as it's inefficient to have vehicles – beyond those undergoing planned overhaul and maintenance – out of action. Not least because it impacts on customer satisfaction with overcrowded buses and train carriages. Huddle has transformed the way our engineers work, shifting people to a paperless environment that

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improves safety compliance and ensures everyone is working from the most up-to-date documents available." While the majority of vehicle repair and maintenance is scheduled and planned to take place at depots there are occasions when things go wrong and engineers have to repair a vehicle in situ. Additionally, sometimes engineers are able to talk drivers through

“THE FLYWHEEL TECHNOLOGY HELPS US TO REDUCE OUR FUEL CONSUMPTION AND C02 EMISSIONS SO IMPROVING AIR QUALITY FOR ALL THOSE LIVING, WORKING AND VISITING THE CITY.” repairs without the need to send out specialist help. Huddle senior product manager, James Pipe explains: "Huddle always keeps everything up to date with the latest version. So, the information on Huddle is constantly updated using mobile, on-line and off-line connectivity. The i-Pad can also be used to take photographs which can immediately be shared with colleagues in another office or at another remote location." Go-Ahead chose the Huddle collaboration tool because of its strong audit trail feature and its intelligent recommendation engine which ensures that all files relevant to your company or project across the Huddle workspaces are automatically delivered to engineers' iPads or iPhones.

www.go-ahead.com Tel: 020 7821 3939

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iata.qxp_feature 2 09/10/2014 12:12 Page 72

IATA: CARGO 2000 (C2K)

C2K

MORE RELEVANT TODAY THAN EVER Guillaume Drucy, Head of Cargo e-Business Management and Executive Director of C2K, demonstrates how Cargo 2000 is improving the quality of air cargo.

ounded in 1997 as an IATA interest group by leading forwarders and airlines, Cargo 2000, or ‘C2K’ as it is now commonly known, aims to address a critical need of air cargo: being able to better monitor and manage the end-to-end transit of air cargo shipments from shipper to consignee. Air cargo shipments are typically ‘touched’ by many parties through their transit – shippers, forwarders, handlers, airlines, truckers - each with their own systems and processes, typically not geared towards sharing information with external partners. As a consequence there is often no way for one party in the chain to know what is happening to the shipments before or after them. As a consequence, shippers often view air cargo as a kind of ‘black box’, with little-to-no visibility. C2K addresses this through a simple but powerful approach: for each shipment, a detailed ‘route map’ is created where key steps of the transit, such as planned flight, time of arrival, and availability for pick up, are clearly defined using a common language. The shipment is then monitored and the completion of each of these milestones shared between all parties.

Guillaume Drucy

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IATA: CARGO 2000 (C2K)

With this approach, deviations from the plan can be identified, recovery actions can be taken, the overall performance of each party can be monitored, and service level agreements as well as joint performance improvement initiatives can be defined. This is a clear improvement vs. traditional air cargo, and as a consequence, C2K continues to grow, with a total of 79 members at the end of September. Recent joiners include Avianca, China Airlines, China Cargo Airlines, and Ethiopian Airlines, among others. More than 800,000 shipments are now monitored monthly on Airport-to-Airport performance and more than 400,000 for Door-to-Door.

A PLATFORM FOR THE FUTURE C2K development has not all been smooth flying. The initiative has sometimes been perceived as a closed club reserved for large organisations, geared towards measurement of performance vs. bilaterally agreed

THERE ARE MORE ORGANISATIONS IMPLEMENTING C2K TODAY THAN AT ANY TIME IN THE LAST FEW YEARS service levels, rather than overall performance vs. commonly agreed industry benchmarks. That is partly true. C2K’s success to date is indeed greatly built around members’ ability to measure ‘delivery as promised’ performance on the basis of ‘offsets’ from individual milestones. This unique feature ensures that the performance measured corresponds to that individual company’s commitment to their customers.The C2K Board understands these challenges and is committed to the modernization and improvement of C2K in this and other aspects. Therefore, going forward, C2K can and will, also be geared towards the measurement of industry key metrics. Statistics such as door-to-door transit time, or airport-to-airport total transit time, as well as average time for freight availability after arrival have been identified as new measurements for C2K to build that will be useful for individual members and the industry overall. Another change is the recognition of the Industry Master Operating Plan (or ‘Industry MOP’), a document developed and maintained by C2K, as a Recommended Practice by IATA as well as other key industry associations such as TIACA, the Cool Chain Association (CCA), the Airport Services Association (ASA) and ULD Care. This makes the Industry MOP

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the only recognised, industry-wide, systematic, step-by-step description of the end-toend air transportation process. It is now available freely to all participants in the supply chain, and is expected to drive air cargo standardisation around top quality standards. The industry has been noticing the new C2K developments, and there are more organisations implementing C2K today than at any time in the last few years. And this is just the start. The goal is to establish an air cargo process where shippers and all other participants can have full visibility and control of their shipments from end-to-end.This is what shippers want and only with such an approach can we hope to realise IATA’s new challenge to reduce the average end-toend cargo transport times by 48 hours. More work is needed like, for example, defining standard methods to capture proof of delivery (POD) data as part of the end-to-end process. But it is clear that a modernised C2K is the tool by which we can make this interconnected, transparent vision happen, and a tool that, already today, drives quality up and enables interoperability among players in air cargo. This means that, more than ever, C2K is part of air cargo’s future. If you have not joined C2K yet, now is the time!

cargo20002@iata.org www.iata.org

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iceland.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:14 Page 74

FLEET REVIEW: ICELAND

LONGEVITY & SUSTAINABILITY With a reputation for quality, competitive pricing, and friendly customer service, Iceland have developed their home delivery service to provide a sleek and efficient all round experience

s an innovative concept devised by Malcolm Walker and another young retailer, Iceland was established in 1970 to sell loose frozen food to a nation not yet enjoying the modern day reliability of fridges and freezers at home. Iceland has since developed into Britain’s leading frozen food specialist, also capable of meeting its customers’ everyday chilled and grocery shopping needs, and has grown to more than 850 stores and become a household name throughout the UK. Alongside its reputation for quality, competitive pricing and friendly customer service, Iceland has received much acclaim for its Home Delivery service, one of the key initiatives initially brought in by Malcolm Walker in 1996 and developed even further upon Malcolm’s return to management at Iceland in 2005. The Home Delivery service enabled Iceland to offer extended support and service to its existing customers whilst also expanding its customer base. The service is offered free to all Iceland Bonus Card holders when £25 or more is spent in the store, thus encouraging customers to form long-term relationships with Iceland so that the company can better cater to their individual needs. Having recently achieved the astounding goal of having three occasions of service with 100% uptime, Iceland's Home

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Delivery network has effectively proven itself as a sleek, lean and efficient process on which both customers and Iceland can rely. Iceland has recently built on its established Home Delivery infrastructure with the relaunch of an online shopping service, first offered in 1999 but suspended in 2005. The company now has over 530 stores offering online shopping. It is therefore more important than ever that Iceland's vans are on the road, servicing customers. Alex McKinlay, Head of Home Delivery for Iceland, commented on one of the key measures that have been implemented to ensure this happens: “Back in January 2013 we made the decision to switch from the Ford Transit fleet to a Mercedes-Benz fleet and we did this for a number of reasons. Primarily we looked at the whole life cost of vehicles, because what we want is a fleet of vehicles on the road and not a fleet of vehicles in workshops and garages across the country. Important to that was also the use of an automatic gearbox rather than a manual gearbox.” The move from Ford to Mercedes-Benz, to improve uptime and the overall reliability of Iceland's Home Delivery network, has recently begun to show fruit as a result of Iceland's continuous investment into the new Mercedes-Benz fleet. In working towards its fleet

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FLEET REVIEW: ICELAND development goals, Iceland has worked with a number of key partners to ensure that the transition is as smooth and efficient as possible so as not to disrupt service levels as Alex explains: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We've worked very closely with supplying dealer Road Range and we've also worked very closely with VMS, who are our vehicle management company. I've been in the role for about 18 months or so and I'm pleased at getting the three parties - Road Range, Iceland and VMS - all working together for the benefit of Iceland.â&#x20AC;? Alex, who started stacking shelves back in 1995 while at university, applied for a deputy manager's role with Iceland after graduation. Proceeding through Iceland's training systems, Alex built up a wealth of experience working in various roles in the supply chain, manufacturing and operations sides of Iceland. His experience of making sure that every supplier was aligned with what other suppliers were doing, and maintaining effective partnerships between Iceland, its partners and each other, has helped Alex to build an approach to business relations that has been reflected in recent successes with VMS, Mercedes-Benz and other partnering organisations. By focusing on long-term goals and operating in a sustainable manner, Iceland endeavours to pursue policies that will ensure both the continued success of the company and the continued improvement of its service.

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FLEET REVIEW: ICELAND “That's what I want to do with the Home Delivery fleet. Mercedes-Benz is not the only brand we could have gone to, there are plenty of others, but what I wanted was to get the right vehicle for our application. The same can be said for the vehicle management company, VMS – there are other vehicle management companies out there but we've been with VMS since 2002 and since I've come on board we've really pushed the relationship and really pushed the quality we've expected to see,” explains Alex, who is keen to work with the best of the best as a means to drive the company forward and ensure the continued success of Iceland. Though, the best of the best often does not end up being the simplest or cheapest, the success of Iceland's work with VMS and Mercedes is undeniable and is testament to the commitment of Alex and Iceland as a whole. In supporting efficiency and efficient communication between Iceland, its operatives and partners, the company uses its own internal database named Compass which is a web system that VMS, Mercedes and the stores have access to. This system enables each partner and Iceland itself to monitor the fleet effectively at all times, with real-time updates for vehicles that can be adapted to or acted upon as necessary. Further to this, Iceland has recently implemented a brand new telematics system across the Mercedes fleet and is assessing how best to utilise this system and maximise the benefits it can reap for efficiency, maintenance and more.

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Commenting on the new-found capabilities of telematics, Alex explains: “We've got an absolute correlation between the way the vehicle is being driven, how likely that vehicle is to have an accident and the miles per gallon of that vehicle. As well as that, because the vehicles are better driven, if they do have an accident then it will cost less than with a vehicle that is being more harshly driven.” It is expected that through

THE HOME DELIVERY SERVICE ENABLED ICELAND TO OFFER EXTENDED SUPPORT AND SERVICE TO ITS EXISTING CUSTOMERS WHILST ALSO EXPANDING ITS CUSTOMER BASE. this level of detail and analysis that Iceland will be able to further develop and perfect its systems by being able to collaborate more effectively and efficiently with its stores and partners. By making sure that everyone is working together and striving towards the same goal of driving forward Iceland's operations, it is expected that Iceland's partnerships will help to support the future of the company and ensure its continued success in years to come. By ensuring that these partnerships last, Alex expects to continue to playing a key role in prompting further developments and innovation.

www.iceland.co.uk Tel: 0800 328 0800

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sleaford quality foods.qxp_feature 2 21/10/2014 11:34 Page 78

FOOD AND DRINK: SLEAFORD QUALITY FOODS

SERVICE & QUALITY

With a reputation for unrivalled service levels and deliveries on time and in full, the Sleaford family strives to provide an all round quality experience for the customer.

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sleaford quality foods.qxp_feature 2 14/10/2014 17:22 Page 79

FOOD AND DRINK: SLEAFORD QUALITY FOODS

leaford Quality Foods Limited (SQF) has a long-established reputation for customer service and quality. That’s in part because it has remained a family-run affair with its current Managing Director James Arnold being the son of the company’s founders William and Betty Arnold. Established in 1968 as an importer of dried vegetables from around the world, SQF has understandably developed alongside a thorough understanding of its clients’ needs. Today, the company sells over 1,200 food products to the manufacturing and foodservice sectors. Through its state of the art manufacturing, warehouse and distribution facility, SQF services some of the country’s largest food

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producers and wholesalers with a vast range of dehydrated fruits, vegetable ingredients, sweet, savoury and functional blends. The company, which offers a number of added value services including quality assurance, traceability, product cleaning and technical back-up, also supports a variety of foodservice customers. Richard Oke, Marketing Manager, believes SQF’s achievements and, importantly, growth over the years has been due to developing longterm relationships with clients based on value and enduring high standards. This attention to detail has even seen suppliers become key strategic partners. This was made possible “by helping to consolidate the customer’s supplier base through

offering unrivalled service levels, quality and a complete package of products – in this case dehydrated vegetables, herbs and spices,” explains Richard. “Our growth has been achieved by providing unrivalled service levels with deliveries on time and in full,” says Richard. However, he stresses the company’s longevity would not have been maintained had it not been for the entire team’s effort. There is “a strong focus on every employee being part of the ‘Sleaford family’. The company has, and always will, invest in our employees to ensure a “Can Do-Will Do” mantra is adopted. This is all possible as a result of being a familyrun business.”

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FOOD AND DRINK: SLEAFORD QUALITY FOODS Helped by the support it receives from its vehicle suppliers, SQF’s fleet includes three artics and four rigids.The company predominantly uses Scania vehicles and singles them out for particular praise thanks to their sound customer service.

COMPANY TURNOVER HAS DOUBLED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. MAINTAINING THIS LEVEL WILL ONLY BE ACHIEVED BY CONTINUING TO EXCEED CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS.

www.sleafordqf.com Tel: 01529 30 50 00

Vehicles are updated every five years with fuel economy, carbon emissions and reliability being prime factors behind maintaining a modern fleet. SQF currently has three vehicles that are only twelve months old and is expecting four new vehicles to be delivered in November. Complementing its efforts in efficiency, while aiding operational improvement, is SQF’s use of new software to track vehicles. Routing technology has enabled it to increase the number of cases delivered while significantly reducing mileage. This has achieved further benefits such as the ability to deliver to customers at short notice, a reduction in time-consuming administration, and consistency in driving routes. It also allows the company to promote fixed booking times with customers.

However, a modern fleet and better routing is only part of SQF’s endeavours to drive its commitment to carbon reduction Yet ultimately, what these endeavours have achieved is a better all round experience for the customer. “Quality products and superior customer relationships and service are key to the success of our business. We are not price driven and reinvest in the business to maintain these high qualities,” adds Richard. “Company turnover has doubled over the last five years. Maintaining this level will only be achieved by continuing to exceed customer expectations, providing a first class service and consistently good quality foods, as well as delivering the correct supply. This is underpinned by a committed team who work together and are always attentive to the customer’s needs.” SQF is now a well-established international company with a multimillion pound turnover, but it hasn’t forgotten its family roots. Indeed, the ethos and passion that saw the company grow from humble beginnings continues to make it successful today. In fact, SQF won acclaim in 2010 when it took home the top prize in the Ambient & Grocery category at the Food Manufacturer’s Awards that year, and is a finalist again in 2014’s upcoming awards. It is therefore little wonder that the business has ambitious objectives as it looks to the future with an aim to double turnover by 2020. Its success over the years suggests it has every reason to be optimistic in meeting these goals.

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sleaford quality foods.qxp_feature 2 14/10/2014 17:22 Page 81

walkers transport.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 08:45 Page 82

NEW INVESTMENTS: WALKERS TRANSPORT

DELIVERING RESULTS FOR OVER 30 YEARS

Strategically situated between 3 major motorway routes, Walkers Transport has over 30 years experience in express distribution of palletised goods. any freight and logistics companies join pallet networks for increased flexibility but few go on to achieve the same level of success as Walkers Transport. Membership of Palletways means it can provide full or groupage loads through its own resources or the Palletways network. Crucially, its Leeds depot also operates Palletways’ Northern hub, and it also owns a Manchester base. “Rather than a company in Newcastle sending a pallet for Hull to the central distribution point in Lichfield, it comes to Leeds as a regional version of what happens nationally,” explains owner Nigel Jenkinson. That’s a major change in our business because, where we would ordinarily have vehicles doing deliveries in a specific region, if we have peak nights and we need extra resources, we can use the Northern hub. We can bypass the central hub and

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direct trunk deliveries to regional hubs in London and Livingstone so it’s a quicker service for both the South East and Scotland. It speeds everything up, reduces handling and is much more efficient and environmentally friendly.”

RESOURCE EFFICIENCY The arrangement leads to increased efficiency because vehicles used for overnight trunking are available through the day for other activities. That efficiency is increased further by using partners across Europe and Ireland to handle all but the most time-critical or highvalue consignments for those areas. The operation is enabled by a fleet of curtain-sided vehicles, around fifty trucks and over eighty trailers at Leeds to cover the Leeds and Wakefield Palletways areas and some 35 trucks and thirty trailers for Greater Manchester. About 95% of overnight freight goes on double-deck trailers to avoid stacking and help

www.walkers-transport.co.uk Telephone 0113 2202800

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walkers transport.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 08:45 Page 83

NEW INVESTMENTS: WALKERS TRANSPORT

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walkers transport.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 08:45 Page 85

NEW INVESTMENTS: WALKERS TRANSPORT maximise efficiency on a continuous process that operates 24 hours a day, 5.5 days each week. It’s helped by a strict vehicle replacement policy in addition to maintenance through the company’s workshop and periodic trailer refurbishment. A crucial element, as Nigel points out, is the Leeds warehouse: “Generally, it’s a fulfilment warehouse where we store ceramic tiles, fuel tanks, foodstuffs and paper products. We have a contract with Homebase and work for manufacturers and distributors on home deliveries. That’s a great market because the retailer only holds stock samples and orders come into the fulfilment warehouse, they’re picked and packed, we liaise with the customer directly and effect a convenient delivery. Deliveries through the Northern hub can be collected until midnight for next day delivery.” Backing everything up is an IT system that aims to make the process as efficient as possible whilst providing transparency for customers. “We’ve put a lot into going virtually paperless, so 95% of customers order online or our IT people put in a link to their sales or order processing database,” states Nigel. “This creates barcode tracking from source through every stage of its journey so you can see where your pallet is at any given time.”

TRANSPARENT OPERATION This level of transparency will be increased further by a planned AA feed on the company’s website for live traffic information and a trial that may ultimately allow customers’ own customers to view the progress of their consignments. That progress can change constantly and is updated by a system that creates a route for uploaded delivery information and constantly readjusts and prioritises as situations change. The system enables Walkers to make deliveries on time and in full, with a success rate of 98.5-99.5%. The outcome is Walkers can handle a whole range of products for regular customers that include building products for Everbuild, distribution for TK Maxx, pet products and ceramic tiles. “In an industry that tends to be predominately price led, we are service focused whilst remaining highly competitive and our customers really appreciate that,” remarks Nigel.

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environment agency.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:17 Page 86

CARBON EMISSIONS: ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

STAYING GREEN KEEPING CLEAN The Environment Agency’s implementation of innovative cutting-edge engine techniques has resulted in a continual decrease in vehicle emissions. he Environment Agency has made great strides in its endeavours to reduce carbon emissions across its operation. Utilising innovative cutting-edge engine techniques and more efficient employee communication methods has seen a significant decrease in average CO2 as well as the size of its 3,400-strong car fleet. Statistics recorded over the last year saw CO2 reduced by 10% while the average emissions of new fleet cars was just 106g/km. This is a commendable

achievement given the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) statistics two years ago saw the average car purchased producing 133.1g/km. Dale Eynon, Head of Fleet Operations at the Environment Agency, said the organisation has spent a lot of time researching ways it can reduce its carbon emissions while continuing to deliver a high level of service. “We encourage the majority of our employees to look at whether they can use public transport or phone conferencing first before making a car journey,” says Dale of the measures taken by the Environment continued on page 90

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency Tel: 03708 506 506

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environment agency.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:17 Page 87

CARBON EMISSIONS: ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

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environment agency.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:17 Page 88

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY APPOINTS TRAFFILOG AS SUPPLIER OF TELEMATICS Traffilog has been chosen as the supplier of telematics across the Environment Agency’s diverse fleet following a detailed and comprehensive tender process. ealising that whilst price, support, standard features, proven technology and a good track record were important these were all key factors that were assessed. As telematics is now an established industry, fleet operators are finding more and more that the differentiating factors have a greater influence on the decision that the similarities. Traffilog demonstrated that their comprehensive range of devices provided the ability to provide technology that will go far beyond the initial 3 year contract. This confirmation of a long term partnership is anticipated to match and exceed the potential cost savings and efficiency measures anticipated by the Environment Agency. It is widely recognised that fuel consumption and maintenance bills make up over 30% of the total cost of owning a vehicle. Both factors are affected by driving style. Aggressive driving results in greater wear and tear on a vehicle, an increase in fuel consumption and a higher risk of accidents. Extensive tests have demonstrated that changing driving style can reduce fuel consumption by up to 15%. Studies have shown that, for trips of less than 16 miles, these savings can be as much as 17%. Multiply these savings by the number of drivers you have on the road, and it’s easy to see how with the right help you could drive your costs down. It’s why companies like the Environment Agency, United Utilities, National Express, and Close Brothers, are turning to one of the World’s leading telematics company, Traffilog. Traffilog empowers drivers to adopt a better driving style and encourages self-management. With real time driver feedback indicating driving events that are unsafe and uneconomical the driver is aware of the need to adopt a safer and more fuel-efficient driving style. Mechanical driver skills profiling is a unique part of the Traffilog’s real time remote diagnostics module. Remote diagnostics is enabled by the telematics hardware’s special ability to connect to the vehicle’s ECU via CAN bus (Controller Area Network), a standard automotive communication protocol used to communicate between the various engine parts / sensors and the managing computer. This unique capability allows them to read, analyse, display and build a set of critical events based on the various parameters that are found on the CANbus. These parameters help to create events for preventive maintenance of the vehicles but more importantly, also analyse the driver's mechanical driving skills moving telematics into a new dimension and not relying on traditional G sensor driver profiling. By combining driver behaviour data from the G-sensor readings along with mechanical driving skills data from the CAN bus, provides a truly comprehensive picture regarding an individual's overall driving behaviour. Live diagnostics are needed where engineers or operational staff make decisions on how to react to a driver saying there is an issue with a vehicle that is in service. These can be clear-cut issues like a red oil lamp or more unclear issues like amber warnings or strange sounds or smells. By remotely being able to see diagnostic information (oil temperatures, coolant temperatures, RPM, etc.) users can in many situations prevent vehicle being taken into garages without faults, vehicles being driven with faults or engineers / tow trucks

going to vehicles with incorrect information on the actual fault. The Traffilog solution supports live diagnostics via the real time diagnostic report. When a user selects this report the system automatically sends a message to the vehicle. This message instructs the telematics unit to continually stream CAN bus data from the vehicle, which is then displayed to the user. There have already been many examples of major vehicle failures that have been prevented using this solution within the UK. One London based client managed to identify a vehicle that was driving without enough coolant due to a loose pipe. The driver had not noticed the warning light and was continuing to drive the vehicle not knowing that he was causing irreparable damage to the engine. The traffic office contacted the driver and ensured the he stopped the vehicle, on investigation when the vehicle was towed to the garage it was found that had he continued to drive the entire engine would have needed replacement. The client could even tell the tow truck exactly where to find the vehicle thanks to the mapping module within the Traffilog system. Whether you’re back in the office, at home or enjoying a holiday, it’s easy to see how each driver is performing on safety and fuel efficiency whilst also keeping an eye on the vehicles’ health ensuring that potential downtime is avoided. Traffilog’s web based solution is modular and with automated reports, Traffilog make sure that the relevant facts are delivered to the right person at the right time. Since its founding in 2003, Traffilog has been committed to becoming a global leader of advanced telematics solutions and services, in support of a greener, safer, and more resourceful environment. Traffilog is a global leader in the MRM (Mobile Resources Management), telematics and diagnostics markets. With Traffilog’s solutions, customers benefit from significant fuel savings of up to 15%, Mean Time between Failure (MTBF) improvement up to 50%, and up to a 40% decrease in aggressive driver behaviour and safety events. Traffilog's solution boasts the unique ability to analyse and filter relevant and critical data from the vehicle, and provide real-time knowledge to fleet management concerns. With its goal of becoming an integral part of all vehicles, Traffilog is well on its way to developing into a standard safety feature, installed by the manufacturer - in all vehicles. Traffilog's greatest asset is the company's human resources where a team of world-class researchers and leading experts in the fields of transportation, communications, logistics and operations, and software development, are teamed with strategic global partners. New customers’, choose their entry level from basic GPS tracking and driver profiling to mechanical driver skills and preventative maintenance. Moving even further ahead of the competition, Traffilog have introduced B on Track its “game changer”. B on Track is a plug and play device that makes installations and problems of changing vehicles, a thing of the past. Providing GPS location in real time along with driver safety and efficiency, the smaller vehicles in a fleet, like cars and LCV’s now have a cost effective option. Traffilog continue to introduce new and exciting technology and ought to be on the top of every fleet manager’s shopping list.

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environment agency.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:17 Page 90

CARBON EMISSIONS: ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

Agency. “BT Live Meeting which adds a visual element to audio conferencing is proving very beneficial to our employees around the country as it cuts down the need to travel but still keeps us in touch with colleagues and external suppliers. Elsewhere, our fleet has reduced by 11% or 500 vehicles over the past year, but we still keep looking at new ways of reducing our impact on the environment.” Newly incorporated measures and ideas for the future include trialling new electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids on the pool car fleet, as well as alternative fuels such as biofuel. Telematics is also an ongoing development as the Agency tries to discover the best use of the system to help reduce fuel use. This has seen the Environment Agency single out petrol-powered cars as more suited to their needs. “Some of the new petrol engines being launched are capable of 50mpg and with unleaded still a few pence per litre cheaper than diesel we will definitely be adding more petrols to our fleet

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THE REAL CHALLENGE FOR US, AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER AND INNOVATOR, IS TO CONTINUE TO OVERACHIEVE ON OUR CARBON REDUCTION OBJECTIVES.

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environment agency.qxp_feature 2 16/10/2014 13:17 Page 91

CARBON EMISSIONS: ENVIRONMENT AGENCY over the coming months, especially for the low mileage users. Currently our small car CO2 emissions limit is 100g/km and in the next couple of years it would be good to see the total fleet average closer to that figure.” Dale adds that telematics will reduce the fleet’s carbon emissions but its main use will be based around safety. “The system will give us a safety score, looking at braking, speeding etc., and an environmental score that we will use to coach people one-toone. Safer drivers will be more efficient drivers so we expect to reduce fuel consumption and lower maintenance costs as well.”

A TAILORED SERVICE The telematics data will be combined with online licence checks and risk assessments to create a full driver profile. Coaching will subsequently be tailored to each individual. “I’m not a fan of driver training; I believe that telematics is a better intervention because it is continuous evaluation,” adds Dale. Over a ten-month trial carried out recently, the use of telematics on 55 light commercial vehicles saw harsh incidents fall by 45%, while fuel efficiency was improved by 10%. Its recent achievements have been helped by Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, which provides contract hire with maintenance to the entire fleet. Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions provides compre-

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hensive fleet intelligence through data capture, analysis and reporting. This enables the Environment Agency to make ongoing strategic fleet policy decisions that contribute significantly towards its carbon reduction. For example, long term fleet management ensures the Environment Agency consistently over-achieves on government CO2 emissions targets. In addition, Proactive mileage management provided by Hitachi Capital results in savings for the Environment Agency of nearly nine million miles and £400,000 over the last three years, significantly reducing lease charges and the volume of vehicles required on the fleet. Also, an environmental fleet review undertaken by Hitachi Capital made recommendations to the organisation which will enable a further saving of 5,800 tonnes of carbon over the next four years. “We were very impressed by the depth of recommendations produced by the Hitachi Capital Environmental Review,” explains Dale. “The proposals are significant and will take some time to integrate into our fleet policy, but we are very pleased to have the support and expertise of the Hitachi Capital team alongside us in the long term to ensure we can deliver on their advice. “The real challenge for us, as an environmental leader and innovator, is to continue to overachieve on our carbon reduction objectives. The target for 2015 may well be as low as 120g/km, so we want to ensure we are prepared ahead of the deadline.”

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lookingback.qxp_feature 2 15/10/2014 08:34 Page 92

Looking back at...

MILLAU VIADUCT One of the great engineering achievements of all time marvel to see, a marvel to travel across – the Millau Viaduct is a cablestayed bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France.This incredible feat of engineering, officially the tallest bridge in the world, was designed by Frenchman Michel Virlogeux and British architect Norman Foster. At its highest point its mast is 1,125ft above the base of the structure. Its road deck stands at 890ft above the ground making it the 12th highest bridge deck in the world as traffic follows the A75-A71 autoroute axis from Paris to Beziers and Montpellier.

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An awe-inspiring piece of construction, the Millau cost around €400 million and was opened to the public in the winter of 2004. Following numerous awards including the 2006 International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering Outstanding Structure Award, the Millau Viaduct has become firmly recognised as one of the great engineering achievements of all time. Indeed, the bridge has broken a number of records. For example, it has the highest pylons in the world. Since opening in 2004, the deck height of Millau has been surpassed by several

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suspension bridges in China, including Siduhe, Balinghe and two spans (Beipanjiang River 2003 Bridge and Beipanjiang River 2009 Bridge) over the Beipanjiang River but it remains the tallest road deck in Europe. Arnold Schwarzenegger was so impressed with the bridge he asked the council about the popularity of the route, envisaging something similar for San Francisco while he was Governor of California. The bridge has also featured in television, notably in Top Gear when the show’s presenters took a Ford GT Pagani Zonda and a Ferrari F430 Spyder on a road trip across France.

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ISSUE 151

TRANSPORT &LOGISTICS ISSUE 151

D R I V I N G

T H E

I N D U S T R Y

F O R WA R D

BOARHUNT

50TH ANNIVERSARY

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boarhunt celebrates and looks to the future Page 14

: e d i s lso in

greater manchester police Page 42

reading buses Page 54

iceland Page 74

PLUS: AUTO FUEL FIX PAGE 24