YOUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY STARTS HERE.
Electric power is available across our range of bin-lifting systems.
Wherever
Electric bin lift systems by Terberg
Everyone at Dennis Eagle is looking forward to the RWM Expo in Birmingham, and I can’t wait to see some familiar faces, as well as plenty of new ones.
This year, you can come and see us at Stand CT-G220, where we are showcasing the Olympus Duo and Terberg ORUS vehicles. The Duo is designed to collect two separate waste streams on one round via a main compacting body and additional pod which can be either a top or side discharge. The ORUS is a compact satellite collection RCV offering leakproof, watertight bodies and optimised compaction ratios, for the collection of organic materials.
We will also be setting out our new customer training offers. Our dedicated training programme is at the heart of our commitment to great customer service, and at RWM we will preview a new eLearning platform. This will give customers a more efficient option of taking
part in Vehicle Operator Training remotely through a user-friendly eLearning programme. However, on-site visits are still available for those who prefer in-person training.
We will also reveal other new training developments, including forging even closer ties with Terberg’s training programme so that we can offer our customers a simplified whole-vehicle approach.
Away from RWM, this issue of Eagle Eye fills you in with all of the exciting developments at Dennis Eagle. Our cover story showcases the great strides we are making with local authorities. Fife Council hadn’t partnered with us for 14 years, but when they kept having operational issues with their previous RCV suppliers, they turned to us. An order of four narrow, rear-steer OL16s was so well received that they recently ordered a further nine. You can read why on page 6.
We are also delighted to launch Terberg Connect in all new Dennis Eagle vehicles, helping to improve uptime for our customers with firsttime fixes. You can read all about that on page 20.
Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at RWM.
Keith Day Managing Director
NEWS
A wedding, an important message and a brighter future
IN FOCUS
Manu Gowda discusses digital security
THE CUSTOMER
Going the distance with Endurance Vehicle Solutions
FEATURES
FIFE COUNCIL
Improving collections in rural areas
SAFER ROADS
New roadmap for fleet operators
FCC ENVIRONMENT
28 New Dennis Eagles for Herefordshire
EAGLE EYED
08 12 16 22 06 11 18 20 REGULARS
A selection of winning photos from our community
TERBERG CONNECT
Improving vehicle uptime for customers
Dennis Eagle on parade
Dennis Eagle proudly participates in the historic Cart Marking ceremony, showcasing our commitment to sustainability and tradition in the heart of London.
Helping Fife Council turn a tight corner
Fife chooses Dennis Eagle to improve refuse collection in rural areas of the county.
Fife Council’s RCV drivers were finding life difficult on the narrow old streets of the small towns and villages in the north-east of the county, so it turned to Dennis Eagle to deliver a solution.
With Fife Council’s RCV suppliers only providing wide-body vehicles, Dennis Eagle stepped in to deliver four
narrow-bodied, rear-steer OL16s. Due to their short wheelbases and tight turning circles, these RCVs are ideal for old streets and made an immediate difference.
“Straight away, the morale in the team went up so for us it’s been fantastic,” says Sandy Anderson, Service Manager for Waste Operations at Fife Council.
“Immediately, rounds improved by 30-45 minutes because it was suddenly easier to get around the narrow streets.”
The vehicles have been such a hit that the Council has taken delivery of six further OL16s, with three more to come later in the year.
Narrowing their focus
Sandy knows what he’s talking about when it comes to operating RCVs. He started as a refuse driver with Fife Council 21 years ago, before moving into his office job in 2012. While he drove Dennis Eagle trucks when he started out, the Council ended the relationship 14 years ago when they chose to go with one type of vehicle for both urban and rural collections.
“We have a mixture of larger urban areas in the west such as Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy, and in the north-east of Fife there are smaller towns and fishing villages with streets that would have been designed hundreds of years ago
for horse and carts,” says Sandy. “The one-size-fits-all approach has been good for the urban areas, but we had constant feedback from the north-east of Fife that the vehicles we were using were too wide.”
Sandy agreed with the feedback and last year he turned to Dennis Eagle. “The feedback now is that we’ve got such a happy workforce because they’ve actually got the tools to do the job,” he says. “Our drivers love the fact we’ve got Dennis Eagle’s narrow-body vehicles back in because they can operate with much greater confidence now.”
Improving services
The OL16s have not only reduced the time it takes to complete rounds but
also increased the number of bins collected.
“Anecdotally, there have been fewer complaints about missed bins,” says Sandy. “With the wider vehicles, our teams would get to a street and just couldn’t get into it, because of things like cars being parked where they shouldn’t be. Now, our drivers get down streets they wouldn’t have been able to before.”
Based on Dennis Eagle’s success at Fife’s north-east depot, the Council has ordered nine more vehicles to expand the fleet into a depot in the semi-urban area of east Fife. However, Sandy says the benefits of once again working with Dennis Eagle don’t start and end with the narrow body.
“For the driver and the two loaders working in the cab, the comfort is out of this world,” he says. “The visibility you get with the Dennis Eagle truck is the best out there, and everything in the cab is really simple to use. They even custom-build tablets into the dashboard to make it easier to tick off streets while on rounds.”
After 14 years apart, it’s good to be back together again. As always, Dennis Eagle has gone the extra mile in a relationship and has donated money to Fife Council to have advertising for a local mental health charity wrapped around some of the cabs. “I knew exactly what we were getting with Dennis Eagle,” says Sandy. “They’re the best on the market.”
Something Borrowed, Something New, Something Blue!
When Nathan Bignell contacted us to ask if we could help make his wedding day extra special, well, how could we ‘refuse’?!
Nathan's journey with RCVs is nothing short of extraordinary. Born and bred in Banbury, he was always captivated by the sight of bin trucks rumbling down the streets. By the age of five, his fascination had grown so much that his parents encouraged him to write to Cherwell District Council, which led to a visit to their depot and even a spot on the waiting list to join the team when he turned 18, which was later fulfilled and Nathan worked with the council for three months before being offered a training contract to become a Chartered Accountant.
At the age of 10, Nathan wrote to Dennis Eagle and was invited to visit the factory in Warwick where he was given a tour and this further intrigued his interest in RCVs. His very first experience of a Dennis Eagle vehicle
was the classic Pheonix 1. During the weekly collection rounds Nathan had the opportunity to sit in the cab and join the crew to enjoy a quick ride in the vehicle.
Fast forward to the present day, Nathan now a Managing Director at a Chartered Accountant firm, first met Ashleigh on social media in 2017, and though the pair separated briefly, they started dating post-pandemic in 2021. Loved blossomed between the two and the couple got engaged in May 2024 in the sunny Spanish city of Seville, under an orange tree.
Both Nathan and Ashleigh opted for a short engagement and decided to tie the knot a few months later on 24th August 2024 at the beautiful venue of Ettington Park, Warwick.
For their big day, Nathan wanted to bring two of the biggest loves of his life together and that’s when he decided to reach out to enquire whether Dennis Eagle could support his dream to arrive at his wedding in a unique style! And what could be more untraditional than the groom arriving in an RCV?
So, of course, we channelled our inner Fairy God Mother to make his wish come true, and dressed up a brandnew truck with personalised stickers and a blue ribbon to match, and Nathan made his grand entrance as he had always hoped for!
We’d like to congratulate the newlyweds as they start their new chapter together and for allowing us to be a part of such a special occasion.
South Kesteven District Council’s (SKDC) continued it’s commitment to promoting health awareness this year, with a second bespoke recycling vehicle added to their fleet. This time to highlight prostate cancer in men.
The all new Dennis Eagle Elite+ 8x4 rear-steer chassis –fitted with an 27m3 Olympus body and Terberg OmniDel Xtra bin lift – has been painted in an eye-catching blue to promote Prostate Cancer UK’s 30-second risk check message that can save lives if symptoms are identified early.
Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men in the UK, and in 2023 this hit close to home for Cllr Paul Wood discovered that he had prostate cancer through a routine PSA test – despite not having any symptoms. Following a biopsy which confirmed his diagnosis, Cllr Wood said, “I chose surgery to remove the prostate, had the operation in June 2023 and further tests confirmed that the cancer had not spread beyond the prostate.
“I was very lucky, and I would encourage every man to take the risk of prostate cancer seriously, even if they have no symptoms.”
The vehicle was unveiled in July and was attended by one of
Empowering Tomorrow: Student STEM initiatives Going Blue for Prostate Cancer Awareness
At Dennis Eagle, our commitment to early career development has been more than just a strategic initiative; it’s the very essence of our ethos.
Our apprenticeship schemes, for example, are a testament to this as they have provided many students with the chance to develop their practical and professional skills, enabling them to later go on to build successful careers at Dennis Eagle.
In recent years, we have been actively involved in The Engineering Development Trust’s Industrial Cadets programme and advocating ourselves as STEM Ambassadors for young students, specifically in lower sixth form, who have a keen interest in engineering and manufacturing. It has created an opportunity for us to not only give the students practical experience in the work environment, but also teach them the essential soft skills required.
This year, the students from Bablake School and Solihull School worked with Dennis Eagle mentors, Max Lobo (Engineering), Dale Frost (Production Engineering), and Andy McKinlay (Operations) for the Industrial Cadets Gold Project, which involved two separate teams working on prototypes over a period of six months that could be potentially developed for industrial use.
Prostate Cancer UK’s representative, Robert Oldroyd, and Cllr Ashley Baxter, Leader of SKDC.
Commenting on the successful launch of the vehicle, Dennis Eagle’s Regional Sales Manager, Matt Horwell, shared, “Last year, we supplied a bright pink RCV for their ‘Wear it Pink’ campaign for breast cancer awareness, so it’s a privilege to support SKDC once again in spreading such an important message.”
“SKDC is one of our long-standing customers who we have built a great relationship with over the past 15-years through the Lincolnshire Procurement Framework, and we’re delighted to be able to continue our partnership and play a part in the expansion of their fleet with modern day refuse collection vehicles.”
The students of Solihull School developed a prototype lifting aid, to streamline the installation of the Olympus body hydraulic valve block and improve operator safety.
While, Bablake students researched and proposed a trolley with an adjustable tailgate system, to combine the three separate trolleys currently used within production. The proposed trolley would reduce time and cost throughout the assembly process.
At the end of the project, the students submitted their final report and presented their work to the official assessors. The final result were then announced in June at the Celebration Event at The University of Birmingham, both teams had been nominated for the Project of The Year Award, with Bablake School taking home the trophy.
Together for Safer Roads to Unveil Direct Vision Transition Guide for Fleet Safety in US
US Fleet operators will soon have a roadmap to reducing traffic fatalities and injuries by improving driver visibility.
By Peter Goldwasser
Together for Safer Roads (TSR), a leading nongovernmental organization dedicated to advancing road safety through cross-sector collaboration, will publish its “Direct Vision Transition Guide: An Operator’s Guide to Transforming Fleets for Safety” in September of this year.
The guide was created to raise awareness of the issue and provide fleet operators with clear, relevant information on how to analyze, elevate and ultimately make key operational decisions as it relates to driver visibility. This is the latest resource by the organization concerning direct vision, following TSR’s recent Direct Vision 5 Star Rating Visibility Tool, which enables fleet operators to have a powerful tool to measure the visibility of their existing fleets.
This information, coupled with the new Transition Guide, can be utilized to both guide future vehicle
purchasing decisions, as well as to inform daily operational considerations such as potentially deploying trucks with superior visibility in more dense, urbanized areas with large VRU populations. The guide also identifies direct/high vision vehicles that are available in the US market and spotlights fleet operators and manufacturers investing in safety.
The report explains how direct/high vision trucks improve the design of vehicle cab in three critical ways:
· Increasing window sizes and improving placement;
· Lowering the cab height and the position of the driver’s seat; and
· Reducing the size of the truck hood or bonnet or changing the hood shape (increasing the slope) to increase visibility directly ahead.
Notably, truck drivers responded favorably to the opportunity to drive direct/high vision trucks. Drivers found that improved visibility led to less stress and fatigue, while low-entry cab design reduced falls and other workplace accidents.
Research Underscores the Need for Change
Findings in the guide confirm that public and private fleet operators can reduce roadway crashes, fatalities, and injuries by including direct/high vision trucks in their fleets. For example, data from London, where trucks have been required to meet a direct/high vision standard since 2019, shows a 75% reduction in fatal crashes and a 64% reduction in crashes causing severe injuries where vision was a factor.
TFL infographic illustrating the difference in visibility between standard and direct/high vision trucks. Credit: TFL
Another key finding validates that direct/high vision trucks are much safer than conventional cabs. Studies found that driving a traditional cab resulted in a 23% increase in pedestrian collisions versus trucks optimized for direct/ high vision.
Approximately 40,000 people lose their lives on US roads each year, a rate well above that of any other industrialized nation. Blind zone-related crashes are also increasing. While visibility from the driver’s seat is not regulated federally, NHTSA data shows that front-over fatalities have more than doubled in the past decade.
It is clear that holistically addressing road safety—including through improved vehicle design—is a priority.
Fortunately, desire for direct vision trucks is growing in the U.S. and there are an increasing number of direct/high vision trucks available. These vehicles feature cab design changes that improve visibility: a lower cab, increased windows, and changes to hood size. They also dovetail with design needs of electric vehicles, offering an opportunity to transition fleets to electric.
The Power of Collaboration to Improve Road Safety
The Direct Vision Transition Guide demonstrates the power of collaboration that is the foundation of TSR’s work. In addition to contributing information about its Direct Vision cab design, TSR member Dennis Eagle utilized the Direct Vision 5 Star Rating Visibility Toolkit in its North American networks, helping to increase awareness, education and engagement on this critical issue.
Geoff Rigg, President of Dennis Eagle, commented on the initiative: "Dennis Eagle is committed to producing vehicles with low blind zones, an orientation that aligns
Crashes are more likely in conventional cabs...
...even when drivers are distracted
with TSR’s focus. And we share the core commitment to advancing fleet safety on a global scale.”
Dennis Eagle’s ProView is highlighted in the guide as a best-in-class direct/high vision truck. The ProView features a low-entry, walk-through cab with a variety of driver comfort features such as noise-reduction, and significant vision improvements to the front and side. Some models include a “bus-style” passenger-side door which increases side visibility even further.
Geoff Rigg added, “This new guide is a terrific resource for fleet operators of all sizes. It shows the potential when we pool our knowledge and share information–which makes sense when we are all sharing the road.”
The guide will be available on the Together for Safer Roads website in September.
Peter Goldwasser, Esq., is Executive Director of Together for Safer Roads (TSR), a leading NGO focused on building cross-sector partnerships to improve fleet trucking safety.
Source: Transport for London. Image: NACTO
Keeping Dennis Eagle vehicles safe from cyber attacks
Manu Gowda, Dennis Eagle’s Head of Vehicle Cybersecurity, tells us about the increasing importance of digital security for vehicles.
As the world becomes more reliant on digital technologies, cybercrime is surging. The UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024 found that 22% of businesses reported a form of cybercrime in the last 12 months and estimates that 7.78 million cybercrimes took place in the same timeframe.
The automotive industry is far from immune. Applying smarter technologies such as parking sensors and advanced driver assistance systems puts vehicles at risk from cyber threats. Dennis Eagle takes this threat seriously, and we asked our Head of Cybersecurity Manu Gowda to explain why having a robust cybersecurity operation is key to keeping on top of evolving threats.
Safe and secure
Manu moved to the UK from India in 2016 as part of KPIT Technologies’ team working with its strategic partner, Jaguar Land Rover, to develop Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
In 2021, Manu joined Dennis Eagle as a systems engineer and commissioned the charging and battery systems for
its new electric vehicles. Last year, he moved into his current role overseeing vehicle cybersecurity across all Dennis Eagle departments.
“Security is something you always need,” he says. “You never say ‘No, I need less security’. Ensuring the vehicles are secure is important to the business to keep it running safely and securely, and also critical to our customers.”
A collaborative effort
Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that the annual cost of cybercrime will be $10.5 trillion by 2025. Manu’s role is to ensure threats are mitigated to keep Dennis Eagle’s vehicles safe and operational.
“It is a big responsibility to ensure our products are safe and secure, and I’ve loved the opportunity to take it on,” he says. “Last year, people might not have known much about vehicle cybersecurity, but now they can see the vulnerabilities and threats, so we take it very seriously as a business.”
Dennis Eagle walks the walk when it comes to security. Manu is part of a cybersecurity working group at The
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and is involved with the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). “The NCSC has a road transport information exchange working group where we discuss some of the real threats to the automotive industry, and exchange classified information. I pick relevant information from SMMT and the NCSC and implement it into our organisation.”
Dennis Eagle also subscribes to Cyber Threat Intelligence Reports, which creates alerts when the business or Dennis Eagle vehicles are discussed on the dark web. Additionally, Manu is signed up with the US-based Automotive Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (Auto ISAC). “All of this allows us to catalogue threats, learn from big players like BMW and Ford, and mitigate any issues before they happen.”
Manu’s work has been recognised by other Terberg Group companies, which have subsequently started adopting Dennis Eagle’s cybersecurity best practices. “I want to expand that further and make sure that all Terberg Group companies' products are always secure,” says Manu.
It is a big responsibility to ensure our products are safe and secure, and I’ve loved the opportunity to take it on.
How Dennis Eagle is getting started in Virginia
We check in with Norfolk Truck Center to hear why it’s partnered with Dennis Eagle Inc.
Dennis Eagle continues to make waves in the North American market, with the Norfolk Truck Center having recently taken delivery of a Dennis Eagle ProView demo truck.
We spoke to Betty Reynolds, General Manager, and Chris Gibbs, Dennis Eagle Truck Sales, about why they’re excited to have added the ProView to its large fleet.
Serving the community
The Norfolk Truck Center (NTC) is South Eastern Virginia’s premier big truck dealership, well-established in the Hampton Roads, Virginia Market.
“We opened in 1969, founded by John and Virginia Harlow. Now, 55 years on, the same Harlow family has been running it ever since,” says Betty. “We’re all a big family here, including our customers.”
Dennis Eagle has enjoyed strong growth in the North American market over the last 18 months, and NTC was impressed with Dennis Eagle’s operations right from their initial meeting.
“Dennis Eagle spoke to us last year about becoming a dealer,” says Betty. “We were really excited to partner with them, and we now have the franchise for the whole State of Virginia and Washington, D.C., which is wonderful.”
Now, with the delivery of a demo truck, Dennis Eagle is firmly part of the NTC family. “We’ve recently received our demo truck,” says Chris. “You can hand out literature and talk about it, but now we’re excited about getting out of the blocks and getting the ProView in front of people. I can’t wait to actually show them what this truck is all about.”
Proof of concept
Dennis Eagle’s success in supplying local authorities across the UK with best-in-class RCVs has proved to be an excellent proof point for entering the US market.
The State of Virginia covers 39,000 square miles – bigger than Scotland – and is home to 8.7m people – the equivalent of Switzerland. Divided into 95 counties and 38 independent cities, there are a large number of different local authorities. This made Dennis Eagle’s experience in the UK very persuasive for NTC.
“Municipalities will be the number one market for us with the Dennis Eagle refuse truck,” says Chris. “Because we cover all of Virginia and Washington D.C., it’s a big area with a lot of municipalities, so that’s going to be our focal point.”
Improved visibility
NTC enjoys an excellent relationship with International Trucks, a leading US producer of medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. With a large network of dealers across the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, it supplies NTC with all of its vehicles. So it took something special
for NTC to add Dennis Eagle as a new supplier, and that something special is the ProView.
“Dennis Eagle is going to fit a niche that’s missing from our market,” says Chris. “They’re great for working in alleys due to the rear-loading and the comfort of the interior of the cab brings a lot of benefits too, which a lot of other trucks do not have. Another major positive is that the vehicles are equipped with Cummins engines and Allison transmissions, which are trusted by our customers.”
The biggest selling point is Dennis Eagle’s commitment to putting visibility at the centre of its safety strategy, keeping drivers, operators, and pedestrians safe. The ProView is the only low-entry, high-visibility cab designed for safetyfocused waste operators in the North American market. “Visibility is paramount for the refuse industry and we know it’s a really big thing for Dennis Eagle,” says Chris. “Giving drivers really good visibility of what they’re doing is exactly what our customers want.”
Betty says NTC can’t wait to start selling the ProView. “All of our technicians have been trained by Dennis Eagle, so we’re ready to go!”
Powering sustainable growth
Dennis Eagle’s vehicles have played a central role in Endurance Vehicle Solutions’ incredible growth.
When Endurance Vehicle Solutions (EVS) was launched in 2019, its founder Neil Jeremiah knew its success would rely on delivering first-class service and providing best-in-class vehicles. That’s why he immediately chose Dennis Eagle as its key RCV supplier.
Now, just five years later, EVS has enjoyed rapid growth. Based in the beautiful town of Chepstow in South Wales, EVS is home to around 550 vehicles and operates across the UK, from Wales to Northern Ireland, and Scotland to London.
“We always strive to be at the forefront of the industry and we’re constantly investing in new vehicles for our local
authority customers and our private contractors,” says Neil. “We partnered with Dennis Eagle from day one, and we’re always ordering between 60 and 80 vehicles from them every year. I can’t speak highly enough about them.”
Putting the customer first
A family-run business, EVS was set up to fill what Neil says was “a shortage of first-class contract hire businesses.”
Neil, who had worked as Sales Director for Gullivers Truck Hire, saw an opportunity in 2019 following the demise of his former employer and quickly built a team at EVS of industry veterans who shared his values of great customer service.
The company's fleet now includes RCVs, road sweepers, hook loaders, skip loaders, and cage tippers. It also has a water division with gully emptiers and tankers.
“We’re consultants, really. We go and talk to the contractor and offer them solutions in tandem with the manufacturer to best suit their model and their needs,” says Neil.
“We provide a range of solutions: contract clients, short-term hire, longterm hire, and we provide specialist vehicles with full maintenance solutions. We manage all compliance for our customers, all maintenance, all the breakdown events, and all the KPI management that goes with it.”
Good relationship, good business
Dennis Eagle has been a part of EVS’ impressive growth right from the start, providing EVS with 18-26-tonne RCVs for contract hire and long-term rentals.
With RCVs making up around 40% of EVS’ fleet, such a positive key relationship is paramount to the company’s success. Neil says the secret to the relationship is that it
is built on trust and added value.
“We have a really strong business relationship with Dennis Eagle, and we consider them to be friends,” he says. “Their equipment and vehicles are first class.”
However, it’s not all about the physical assets. Central to the relationship is the way Dennis Eagle prioritises relationships and customer service.
“For me, it’s all about their account management and the flexibility as an organisation,” says Neil. “They deliver exceptional service right through, from the sales team to the key account team to the engineering team. They’re very good listeners, and if we ever have an issue, they really understand that it needs sorting quickly, so they jump on it.”
Looking to the future
Despite EVS’ impressive growth since starting up in 2019, the company is only at the start of its journey. Neil says he would like to increase the fleet by between 500 and 1,000 vehicles over the next five years, with Dennis Eagle playing a major role in these ambitions.
EVS is also committed to exploring further electrification options for its customers and wants to continue its success of turning short-term hires into long-term contracts.
“We’ve enjoyed massive growth and we’ve been very fortunate to work with fantastic local authorities and fantastic contractors who have been very loyal to us,” says Neil. “By putting service first, valuing partnerships, and delivering exactly what we tell our customers we’ll deliver, we look forward with confidence.”
Driving Herefordshire into the future
FCC Environment is taking delivery of 28 new Dennis Eagle vehicles in September.
Dennis Eagle has played a central role in FCC Environment renewing its Recyclables and Waste Collection Contract with Herefordshire Council.
Following a robust tender process, including competition from other major players in March it was announced the FCC was Herefordshire Councils Preferred Bidder. The new contract is
for an initial eight years. A key element of winning the process was FCC using Dennis Eagle’s vehicles.
“We did complete several trials of alternative chassis and configurations, but only the Dennis Eagle narrow track rear-steer vehicles could be 100% proven to reach the required properties,” says Brian Ashby –
Head of Municipal Collections and Streetscene, FCC Environment.
A robust process
One of the UK's leading recycling and waste management companies, FCC employs more than 55,000 people worldwide and almost 4,222
people across the UK. It helps local authorities and businesses deal with waste as efficiently and safely as possible, recycling 1.5 million tonnes of waste and generating more than 167 megawatts of green energy each year.
FCC has held the Herefordshire contract since 2000, collecting waste and recyclables from the county’s almost 200,000 people.
“It was a long and complex tender process with several bidders,” says Brian Ashby. “At all times though we retained focus on delivering the best solution, with a specific focus on environmental performance.”
Dennis Eagle’s support
Dennis Eagle worked closely with FCC on the bid to ensure Herefordshire Council was satisfied that its vehicles would safely negotiate all required areas of the county.
“It was a long and enjoyable process,” says Adam Robins, DE’s General Manager. “There were a lot of changes along the way, and we left no stone unturned to make sure the complete package met with the Council’s full approval.”
Brian Ashby says FCC’s local knowledge and existing relationship with the county’s residents was crucial: “We knew what was important in the county. With our local knowledge and the council’s requirements, it was obvious that narrow-bodied vehicles would be the way to go. So, Dennis Eagle's narrow chassis and body capacity was the prevailing factor.”
The new contract commences on September 1, and FCC will have 28 new Dennis Eagle vehicles working on the new contract. The order is made up of 13 OL19N/OmniDELs, two OL19N/Olympus Trades, seven OL10N/ OmniDELs, four OL Minis and two eCollects.
Electrifying the future
Environmental performance was a key part of the tender process, with all government authorities across the UK looking to meet short-term and long-term net-zero targets. This meant that a commitment to exploring electrification was crucial for Herefordshire Council.
“Electric vehicles are not yet quite the like-for-like replacement of mineral-powered vehicles of the same specification, mainly due to range,” says Brian. “However, I fully suspect that improved battery life and power are on the horizon, which will improve range.
“We have trialled the Dennis Eagle eCollect and, due to its performance, we have procured two of these for use on this contract. I see Dennis Eagle – and other chassis providers – being essential for developing electric solutions, and I look forward to working with them to make this option available to new and existing clients.”
Terberg Connect:
Improving vehicle uptime for Dennis Eagle customers
Dennis Eagle has launched Terberg Connect, an advanced telematics system that provides a remote and complete overview of a vehicle, taking service levels to an even higher standard. .
Soon to be fitted as standard on every new Dennis Eagle vehicle built for the UK and the US, Terberg Connect enables better first-time fix rates by using remote diagnostics to identify vehicle faults. The diagnostics platform can be accessed from anywhere and uses a visual interface that exactly replicates the RCV.
“We’re always looking at ways to improve our service and being able to understand the diagnostics before turning up at the truck really does that,” says Geoff Rigg, Aftermarket Director of Dennis Eagle, and President of Dennis Eagle Inc. “Diagnosing the problem remotely means an engineer with the relevant skillset can attend, and we can send the correct parts.”
First-time fixes
Terberg Matec UK have been fitting Terberg Connect on bin lifts for two years, with customers enjoying a seamless and user-friendly user experience.
Now, Dennis Eagle customers also get to take advantage of this technology. Every new RCV will have Terberg Connect fitted as standard at no extra cost throughout the vehicle’s warranty period. When the warranty ends, customers have the option of extending the license. And, for Dennis Eagle customers currently using DE-Connect, they will still enjoy access until the end of each vehicle’s warranty period. Once that period is over, customers have the option of subscribing to Terberg Connect.
“Terberg Connect isn’t only beneficial to us, it’s also valuable for fleet managers and in-house engineers,” says Geoff. “Data and information can be accessed by the customer so they can get a really clear picture of how their trucks are performing. However, we’re absolutely clear that while there are lots of spin-off benefits to Terberg Connect, the primary purpose is enabling remote pre-diagnostics to minimise downtime and save costs for our customers.”
For monitoring vehicle performance and live tracking, Terberg Connect’s dashboard displays all relevant vehicle data, and users can create reports to optimise fleet management.
Practical technology
An early adopter of telematics, Dennis Eagle always strives to push the boundaries of functionality while ensuring the technology remains practical and user-friendly.
Software updates for bin lifts are no longer done onsite. Instead, they are installed remotely to save time and resource. We have plans for this to be developed soon for chassis and bodies too.
“There are lots of systems that can produce huge amounts of information and data, but to make the most of it you need to consider what you’re going to do with it.” says Geoff. “This is why we have a full-time member of staff dedicated to offering ongoing support with the system, and offer online training to get the most out of it.”
However, Geoff knows that not all customers will want to use all of the additional features; many will use Terberg Connect just for its primary function. “While the tech may improve, central to it will always be a really easy-to-use way of ensuring any faults are identified and resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible. Ultimately, it’s all about delivering great service.”
Terberg Connect features
As well as enabling efficient remote support and diagnoses, Terberg Connect has a host of smart features to improve uptime, including:
Real-time tracking
· Live mapping with satellite, Raster tracking, and Google Street View
Odometer mileage
· Fuel level live information
· Engine running hours monitoring
Snail trail tracking and full history
· Vehicle & machinery history by type
· Remote body pressure adjustments
· Engine and running hours
The importance of wheel alignment
We hear from Lasalign, Dennis Eagle’s approved wheel alignment partner for over 25 years.
Every day across the UK, Lasalign’s mobile service units help vehicle operators save costs, improve fuel efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and minimise vehicle downtime.
We spoke to Lasalign’s Director, Guy Glascodine, and Duncan Curtlin, Dennis Eagle’s Product Compliance Manager, to find out how Dennis Eagle customers can enjoy the benefits of regular wheel alignment.
Market leaders
Lasalign is an integral part of the single-line process at Dennis Eagle’s Warwick headquarters, carrying out wheel alignment and steering calibration.
“For over 25 years we have aligned the wheels of every truck Dennis Eagle has built in the UK before it leaves the factory,” says Guy. “We also do work for them in the US on the ProView, as well as the chassis that go to Australia.”
In addition to working at the Warwick factory, Lasalign is part of Dennis Eagle’s service network. “We ensure Lasalign has up-to-date calibration software, hardware, and training on our products,” says Duncan. “This gives us the confidence to know that every vehicle they align and calibrate for our customers is set up correctly.”
Saving costs
So, why is it important to maintain wheel alignment best practices?
“The nature of a refuse truck’s operation means it has a
very hard life, particularly on its tyres,” says Guy. “A refuse truck also has a higher fuel consumption than, for example, a distribution truck because it’s constantly manoeuvring, and a lot of the time, it sits with the engine running while powering the handling and lifting mechanism.”
However, correct wheel alignment and calibration will optimise the vehicle’s manoeuvrability, handling, and stability. It will prolong the service life of steering and suspension components from premature wear, helping to reduce costs, minimise downtime, and provide a more comfortable and safer driving experience.
Improving the vehicle’s efficiency also has the critical knockon effect of reducing carbon emissions, helping to comply with government legislation.
Regular alignment
Guy says it’s not uncommon for Lasalign to attend a vehicle that hasn’t been realigned following the replacement of steering and suspension components due to wear and tear.
Other customers have seen the benefits of regular alignment, however. “The Nottinghamshire consortium, for example, has set up an annual realignment programme with us ahead of every MOT for every vehicle on its fleet over five years,” says Guy.
Dennis Eagle recommends operators consider this intervention as part of continuous efficiency improvements, and actively authorise and promote Lasalign services through its service network.
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