Transport News Brief

Transport News Brief Week 7, Monday, 12 February 2007 World first for automatic tyre tread measurement Truckfile will use its stand, 5288; at the CV Show in April to launch what it says is the world’s first device to automatically measure tyre tread depth. Called Tyrecheck, the device comprises a sensor mounted in a mat. When a tyre rolls over the mat, the sensor detects the tiny changes in magnetic field created by the tyre tread and compares these against data for a new, unworn tyre. The result gives an accurate tread depth reading. “The device handles laden trucks and so we can put them at yards or fuel stops,” says Paul Clark, managing director. With each tyre fitted with a unique radio tag, Tyrecheck can report on individual tyres over the internet. The potential for use with tyre management systems is enormous.” More from Paul Clarke on +44 (0)7 770 946 600 or [email protected] Bridgeclear wants mandatory warning systems Philip Jordan, working for Bridgeclear as a consultant thinks better low bridge warning systems should be mandatory on double-deck buses and probably trucks too. “With over 2,000 rail bridges alone hit by trucks a year, I can’t believe parliament threw out an amendment to the Road Traffic Act that would have made such systems a legal requirement.” Jordan says the firm’s customers include TNT Logistics and Translink, which has equipped its Northern Irish bus fleet. Transport for London has written the kit into double deck bus specifications More from Jenny Liddle on +44(0)1 270 588 039 or [email protected] Modul calls for standards from van makers Kevin Tillotson, general manager at van racking firm Modul System says he would like to see van makers agree and adopt industry wide standardised tracks in van floors so that racking makers could use them to more easily and securely fit their kit into vans. “It would save a lot of hassle, improve safety and residual values.” Separately, his firm will launch three new products from its stand 4334 at the CV Show in April. These are a new secure mounting designed to cut corrosion, a new fixing screw with an integral locking flange and a new cart complete to organise tools both inside and out of a van. It comes with an electric lift. More from Kevin Tillotson on +44 (0)7 900 562 932 or [email protected] Press and public relations Master Class “The response to our one-day press and PR master class has been very good,” said Robin Dickeson, editor of Transport News Brief and press officer for the CV Show and ATS. “The previous events proved very popular and everyone went away feeling they had learned from the day, whether they were experienced PR professionals or more new to the business.” The event is on Thursday 22 February at Forbes House, the SMMT’s London HQ, with places sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Andy Salter, editor of Commercial Motor and David Bellis, director at Garnett-Keeler, one of the UK’s leading business PR agencies will be the main speakers, supported by Robin Dickeson. More from Natasha James on +44 (0)2 073 441 621 or [email protected] European Isuzu preview gets heavy Keith Child, marketing director at Isuzu says the firm plans to give customers a “taste of things to come” on its stand, 5541 at the CV Show in April. “It is no secret that we plan to expand our UK model range over the next 18 month, so we’re going to show a Japanese specification 12 tonner.” He says the new truck has a new cab, recently launched in the North America and Japan. “Early in 2008 we’ll have 10 and 12 tonners and by the middle of the year, an 18 tonner. These will extend our successful UK 3.5 to 7.5 tonne range.” More from Keith Child on +44(0)1 920 463 962 or [email protected] UK debut for VW concept off-roader Volkswagen says it will use its stand at the CV Show for the UK debut of its Atacama concept vehicle. This is a design study based on a 4x4 Crafter, itself launched at last year’s CV Show. The firm says it will also show a Caddy van with a direct shift transmission, and number of Transporter and Crafter models. These will include bodied, shortly to be available as ‘off the shelf’ converted vans and light trucks from VW’s Van Centres across the UK. A long wheelbase, extra high roof Crafter Maxi 3.5 tonner will have the firm’s new Shiftmatic gearbox, to give clutch less gear changes. More from Kate Thompson on +44 (0) 1 908 01 616 or [email protected] MPVs and 4x4s are safer for drivers and passengers A Transport Research Laboratory report shows drivers and passengers of 4x4s and MPVs are five times less likely to be killed or seriously injured than those in other types of car. The findings contradict recent and confused press reports on 4x4 and MPV performance in collisions with crash barriers. More from Esther Martin-Ortega on +44 (0)2 073 449 264 or [email protected]

1 Good news on employers’ liability for drivers’ offences The Road Haulage Association is says it is delighted that the Department for Transport has changed its ideas on employers’ responsibility for drivers’ hours offences. The Department’s acceptance of the argument put by the RHA means that, in effect, the law in this regard will continue unchanged, when the new European rules start on April 11. “This is extremely good news for professional hauliers. Firms that properly instruct drivers and make regular checks will continue to have a solid defence in cases where a driver commits an offence,” says Jack Semple, director of policy for the RHA. More from Jack Semple on +44 (0)1 932 841 515 or [email protected]

Mandatory CO2 limits for vans. The EC’s plan to cut CO2 emissions will affect vans and light trucks. It wants an average emission level of 175g/km CO2 by 2012 and 160g/km by 2015, broadly a 20% cut. It also wants compulsory tyre pressure monitors and maximum tyre rolling resistance limits and deals on air conditioning efficiency, all to help cut fuel consumption and so emissions. The EC will encourage member states to base vehicle taxes on CO2 emissions and plans new laws by the end of 2007 or mid-2008 at the latest. More from Esther Martin-Ortega on +44 (0)2 073 449 264 or [email protected] Truckers fight private toll roads North America’s Commercial Carrier Journal the reports that the American Trucking Associations, the American Automobile Association, the American Highway Users Alliance, the National Association of Truck Stop Operators, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association have formed a coalition to fight the growing trend toward the privatisation or leasing of existing toll facilities to private investors. More from www.etrucker.com Randall-Reilly Publishing buys Las Vegas Truck Show Commercial Carrier Journal reports that its parent company Randall-Reilly Publishing just bought all the assets of the annual Las Vegas Truck Show. The 2006 event had 15,002 visitors and 366 exhibitors. This year's show is set for June 7-9. More from www.etrucker.com First Iveco Trakker for Yuill & Dodds Scottish haulage contractor Yuill & Dodds just got its first Iveco Trakker, an eight wheeler. The new truck joins the firm’s 120 strong fleet, based in Hamilton. It has a Thompson steel tipping body and it is one of the first eight wheelers in the fleet with an auto box. Local Iveco distributor Kerr & Smith did the deal. More from James Keeler on +44 (0)2 083 991 184 or [email protected] SmartDrive wins second UK deal SmartDrive Systems, just won a deal, it second in the UK, to use its in-vehicle, video-based driver safety for a UK-based client of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance. This will see the firm’s video-capture hardware, professional incident review, and associated web-based service used for Reynolds Catering Supplies Ltd, a Waltham Cross based distributor of fruits and vegetables. Driving Services UK Limited will do incident and road-related risk management work as part of the deal. This project is the first of its kind to be funded and supported by a motor fleet underwriter in the UK. Marc Wanless, underwriter, motor at Mitsui Sumitomo says he thinks that the combination of SmartDrive’s technology and Driving Services’ consulting will help the customer dramatically cut collision frequency and thus operational and insurance costs. More from Scott Raske at +44 (0)7 983 708 543 or [email protected]. More Magnums for MAM UK long distance haulage firm MAM Transport of Northampton, just took 12 new 6x2 Renault Magnum 480 tractors. The new trucks have Optidriver II transmissions and Multipass cabs. They join a 42-strong fleet and will work across Europe for customers including Tesco, TNT, DHL, Target Express, Christian Salvesen, Homebase and Morrisons. Dunstable dealer Renault Trucks Chiltern won the business. More from Penny Randall on +44 (0)1 582 479 619 or [email protected] Manvik backs CV Show municipal Zone Manvik Hire says the overwhelming success of last year’s CV Show has contributed to the firm’s phenomenal growth in 2006; it almost doubled the size of its municipal hire fleet and so it will be back in April, on stand 2550. “We listened to our customers and widened the range of our fleet," says the firm’s Paul Brown. “We now offer 7.5T refuse trucks, twin pack recycling trucks, sweepers and 32tonne rear-end loaders and we’ve the flexibility to provide quality vehicle solutions to both the municipal and private sectors.” Brown says the firm is delighted to be back in the Municipal Zone at the CV show and is looking forward to building on the success of the 06 show. More from Paul Brown on +44(0)7 779 623 631 or [email protected]

2 Cert wins multi-million pound wine logistics dealt Cert drinks network, a business unit of the Cert Group says it just won a new multi-million pound logistics contract with leading premium wine maker Foster’s Emea Ltd in the UK. The job includes wine supply chain work for the former Beringer Blass and Southcorp Wines Europe businesses. Foster’s wine brands include Beringer, Lindemans, Wolf Blass, Penfolds and Rosemount. More from Tricia Woodall on +44 (0)1 455 205 082 or [email protected] Track and trace data collection for forklifts makes CV Show debut Avery Weigh-Tronix says it will use stand 3958 at the CV Show in April to launch the UK’s first forklift truck track-and-trace data- collection system. Developed with Erwin Sick Ltd, the system combines a forklift truck scale with a bar code scanner, to collect pallet information that can be used to monitor the progress of freight through an logistics hub. More from Jane Woods on +44 (0)1 785 255 146 or [email protected] Astra Euro 4 and 5 exhaust systems at the CV Show Following the successful launch of its new Euro 4 and 5 exhaust systems and a growing order book, Astra Vehicle Technologies say it will show its new stainless steel exhaust systems on its stand 5784. The firm says its kit is designed to help operators, dealers, vehicle converters and body-builders tackle the problem of ancillary equipment clashing with original exhausts. More from Contact Bill Critchley on +44 (0)1 513 485 777 or [email protected] New lifts from Ratcliff Palfinger at the CV Show Ratcliff Palfinger says it is the only tail lift firm to offer a wide range column lifts, van lifts, chassis mounted lifts and passenger lifts manufactured in the UK. At this year's CV show it will launch four new lifts for the commercial vehicle market. These will include two new passenger lifts, in response to increased community transport industry interest at the Show. With legal requirements in place to ensure that tail lifts are ‘fit for purpose’' Ratcliff Palfinger will also announce plans to help operators meet their responsibilities. More Sally Gething on +44 (0)1 707 382 800 or [email protected] New Midlands dealer for LDV Birmingham’s LDV says it just appointed Aquila Group at Aldridge, near Walsall as a Midlands dealer. The firm has been trading from the area for eight years, holds MAN and ERF truck franchises and employs 152 commercial vehicle specialists. The business, led by Garry Jones, franchise manager, will run as West Midlands LDV, selling new and used vans and all-makes servicing. It will also offer Vanaid roadside recovery and is open 24 hours a day. More from Steve Miller on +44(0)1 213 223 089 or [email protected] UK’s longest coaches take to the road Stagecoach Group says it will put a 45 strong fleet of 15 metre wheelchair-accessible coaches to work later this month as part of an £11m deal. Bus builders Volvo and Plaxton are sharing the business to deliver the 15-metre, 65 seat coaches to the market-leading budget travel service megabus.com and inter-city coach operator Scottish Citylink. Passengers in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Perth will be among the first to travel on the new coaches. The new vehicles will also be used on routes linking London, Manchester, Newcastle, Preston, Sheffield, Cwmbran, Cardiff, Plymouth, Exeter and Bristol. All the wheelchair accessible coached have seatbelts, air-conditioning and toilets. More from Steven Stewart on +44 (0)1 738 642 040 or [email protected] Aston takes first Hino Black Country haulier E Aston & Son just took its first Hino, a 700 series 8x4 fitted with a steel muck away body, auto lube and auto sheeting gear. The order follows a successful one week demo by Hi-Trucks of Birmingham. The new truck, delivered within a few weeks of the sale has joined the firm’s 30 strong six and eight wheeler fleet, doing muck shifting and heavy duty site work in the construction industry across the Midlands. The firm said price, a good reaction from the drive and workshop all worked in Hino’s favour. More from Alan Southall on +44 (0)7 970 229 043 or [email protected]

Transport News Brief Transport News Brief goes to over 40,000 named subscribers each week. An average of two or more 'pass on' readers for each subscriber suggests there are well over 100,000 readers. Edited by Robin Dickeson at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Halkin Street, London, SW1X 7DS, England, tel +44 (0)2 073 449 222, it is free to the commercial vehicle and road transport industry, SMMT members and journalists worldwide. Please e-mail Robin Dickeson on [email protected] if you have news you would like us to see. If you would like copies sent to colleagues, please e-mail Natasha James on [email protected]. If you want your name taken off the list, please use the ‘Unsubscribe’ button at the end of the last page.

For stand space sales and marketing for the 2007 Commercial Vehicle Show and Automotive Trade Show, from Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26 April, contact Crystal Communications on +44(0)1 634 261 262 or [email protected] 3