Innovations include devices that can read on-board recording devices from a distance, which will make it easier to enforce driving and rest times.

Under the draft rules, smart tachographs would be fitted to new vehicles within three years once the Commission has set out the technical specifications, so to put an end to fraud and tampering and ensure that rules apply fairly and equally to all trucks over 3.5 tonnes on EU roads. Within 15 years, they would have to be fitted, or retrofitted, to all EU-registered trucks and buses in international transport.

“Parliament’s main goal was to improve enforcement of social legislation and to verify that drivers and companies respect driving and resting times, so as to better protect drivers’ working conditions and prevent social dumping”, said Mrs Silvia Ticau (S&D, RO), who led the EP negotiating team.

These devices will automatically record speed and distance, start and final location, making it possible to monitor the driving (or resting) status of the driver. They will also enable easy downloading and even remote checking, via wireless data transmission to control authorities.

This will significantly reduce the number and duration of roadside checks as the authorities will be able to concentrate on vehicles with suspicious data which can then be checked thoroughly. Parliament’s negotiators ensured that automatic fines based on such remote checks remain forbidden.

Exemption for local craftsmen and small firms

Trucks of less than 7.5 tonnes will be exempted if they carry materials, equipment or machinery for the driver’s use in the course of his work and used within a radius of 100 km of the base of the undertaking, provided that driving the vehicle is not the driver’s main activity.

Applying social legislation fairly throughout the EU

To overcome existing disparities in the interpretation and enforcement of social legislation, control officers will have to be properly trained and equipped in line with common standards to be set out by the European Commission.

Next steps

Mrs Ticau will present and discuss details of the deal at the next meeting of the Transport and Tourism Committee, on 29 and 30 May. The consolidated text still needs to be approved by Parliament and the Council to enter into force one day after publication in the EU Official Journal.

“With the introduction of the new Scania Streamline based on the existing R-series, interest has been rekindled in the original model which dates back to the early 90’s,” explained John Morris, Managing Director, Mondello Park.

“We know that there are quite a number of ‘Centurions’ as they were called, still working out there and we would love to see them at the Mondello Truck Show,” he added.

“After more than a ten-year absence and repeated requests from the industry, the Mondello Truck Show makes a welcome return. The two-day festival differs from others, in that our purpose built facility and on-track action provide a unique location for the industry to show its wares and for members of the road transport industry to celebrate their profession,” Morris said

Owners of Scania Streamlines and Volvo F88/89 interested in coming to the Mondello Truck Show are asked to contact Mondello Park on 00 353 (0) 45 860200 or by email to plawless@mondellopark.ie

Following a VOSA investigation Danny Steven Sawrij from Swalesmoor Road in Halifax was fined £300,000 and he was ordered to pay £150,000 costs.

Sawrij was the director of company trading as Alba Transport Ltd. He was found guilty of failing to ensure that drivers kept proper records in driver record books. Mr Sawrij also failed to provide relevant documents for evidence to VOSA examiners when requested.

Heather Cruickshank, VOSA’s Operations Director said: “VOSA will always take robust action against operators who deliberately flout the law and there could be serious consequences as this case shows. These operators not only take the risk of severe financial penalties from the courts but they could also lose their good name and gain a criminal record.”

“This has been one of the most intensive and exciting periods in our history. With the most modern and high-tech Volvo line-up ever, we now have an outstanding ability to help customers in all segments to improve their productivity and profitability,” says Claes Nilsson, President of Volvo Trucks.

The visual Volvo family ties are now stronger than ever between the most powerful truck – the Volvo FH16 – and its smaller siblings. Volvo’s classic ironmark has been moved up to a new position below the windscreen on all models. The new headlamps with their distinctive daytime running lights also emphasise the uniform look.

Improved working environment for drivers

All the new Volvo trucks offer a wide range of benefits for the drivers. All cab environments have been renewed or upgraded with the focus on creating an effective, ergonomic, comfortable and safe workplace.

“The working conditions of the truck driver are always firmly in focus when we develop new trucks. The ground-breaking Volvo Dynamic Steering is an excellent example of how we make driving more effortless and the Individual Front Suspension – a world-first on heavy trucks – improves both comfort and stability,” says Claes Nilsson.

Reducing transportation costs

Volvo Trucks has also introduced new innovative technologies and new services designed to reduce the customer’s transport costs. For example, the possibility of using telematics to monitor a number of components means that the Volvo FH, Volvo FM, Volvo FE and Volvo FL are now available with improved Gold Service Contracts for maximum uptime.

Among the fuel-saving features and services available to Volvo drivers are Dynafleet Fuel & Environment, the Fuel Advice service and the Efficient Driving training course. In addition, the much-praised I-Shift automated transmission, which can be customised for a number of specific applications and helps reduce fuel consumption, is now not only available on the Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX, but it is now an option on the Volvo FE.

One of the major new fuel saving features is I-See, which can be compared to an autopilot that takes care of gear selection, acceleration and engine braking on hills in the most fuel-efficient way possible. The first time an I-See equipped truck drives on a hilly stretch of road, information about the local topography is transmitted wirelessly to the Volvo Trucks server. When another truck with I-See travels on the same road, the system automatically receives topography information from the server and makes sure gear changes, acceleration and braking take place fuel-efficiently the very first time it travels this road. The fuel saving for long-haul transportation could be as much as five per cent.

“All our trucks share the same virtues of giving the driver excellent driving properties at the same time as the transporter benefits from maximum uptime and minimum fuel costs,” concludes  Nilsson.

“Congestion needs tackling now,” declared the FTA, adding that the cost of queueing should be taken into account, which for a 44 tonne truck averages £1 per minute, outweighing the cost of the toll and ultimately the price of constructing the right crossing to relieve what are now real pinch-points at Dartford and the Blackwall Tunnel.

The FTA pointed out that the introduction of free-flow tolling in 2014 will go some way to relieving the queues at the tunnels, but added that new capacity was needed and there was a definite requirement to plan more efficiently for the future in order to cope with traffic on these essential routes.

The statement from FTA was in response to the announcement today (Tuesday 21 May) by Stephen Hammond, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, at Dartford which outlined the forthcoming consultation, and revealed the three options for the third Thames crossing.

The three possible options are:

Option A: at the site of the existing A282 Dartford-Thurrock crossing;

Option B: connecting the A2 Swanscombe Peninsula with the A1089; and

Option C: connecting the M2 with the A13 and the M25 between junctions 29 and 30

Malcolm Bingham, FTA’s Head of Road Network Management Policy said: “There is absolutely no doubt that improving capacity and easing congestion at Dartford is essential, therefore FTA believes that there is a definite requirement for a third Thames crossing, but we have to ensure that the best option is selected, providing real relief on this important national artery.

“There is a terrific opportunity here that must not be wasted, and strong leadership to decide what the best option is has to be paramount. FTA will help with determining what the right option is by consulting with its members on what that best crossing will be.”

The LCRS Awards were developed to celebrate the efforts of green leaders in the freight industry and to recognise the efforts of individual LCRS members in reducing their carbon emissions from freight activity. The entries to the four award categories, which gave entrants a range of different ways to demonstrate what they were doing to reduce carbon from freight, were of a very high calibre.

The LCRS Awards categories and winners were:

Carbon reduction through fuel efficiency (sponsored by Bridgestone Tyres)

Winner: Turners (Soham) Ltd

Carbon reduction through use of alternative low carbon fuels and technologies(sponsored by Iveco Trucks)

Winner: Howard Tenens Associates Ltd

Highly commended: Biffa Municipal Ltd and Commercial Group

Carbon reduction through innovative fleet management (sponsored by FTA)

Winner: Arla Foods UK

Highly commended: South Tyneside Council

Carbon reduction through use of low carbon transport modes (sponsored by the Mode Shift Centre)

Winner: UPS

Stewart Oades, former FTA President and LCRS judge commented on the Awards:“There were some incredibly high-level case studies submitted, which made the final decision a very difficult one indeed. However, although there could only be four final winners, the examples from each entrant’s application demonstrated a wealth of practical decarbonisation measures, which LCRS members should be incredibly proud of.”

Rachael Dillon, FTA’s Climate Change Policy Manager said: “Congratulations to this year’s winners of the LCRS Awards. Each company has demonstrated that carbon reduction can be an integral part of a business’s freight operations. I hope that the winning entries, and also those that were highly commended, will encourage others to explore how they too can reduce carbon emissions, from improving fuel efficiency to utilising alternative fuels and low carbon technologies.”

The FTA Cutting Carbon, Cutting Costs Conference, which took place at the Heritage Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire (sponsored by LCRS industry partner Bridgestone Tyres and Iveco Trucks) was an interactive event providing specialised carbon reduction advice for freight operators with a range of workshops to suit their own fleet and business, and provided delegates with information to help them improve their efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and ultimately lower fuel costs.

The first three route-based strategies outlined in the report focus on the A1 west of Newcastle; the A12 in Essex between its junction with the M25/A14 and the A120 in Colchester; and the M62 linking Manchester to Leeds, with the same approach planned to be adopted across the rest of the strategic road network. Strategies will be produced for all routes by spring 2014.

FTA welcomed the statement from the Department for Transport in which the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Stephen Hammond MP, acknowledged that ‘our motorways and trunk roads play a vital role in the economic prosperity of this country,’ but FTA believes wider stakeholder engagement is necessary to agree how further plans on the strategic road network are to be implemented.

Malcolm Bingham, FTA’s Head of National Networks said: “Whilst FTA welcomes the announcement that these first three route-based strategies are being introduced, we believe that it is important that the strategic routes which are so crucial for logistics are recognised and that local influences do not overtake the vital role that these major routes play in connecting the whole country.

“FTA would welcome the opportunity to take part in further consultations regarding plans for these initial routes and all that follow.”

Four Profi Liner curtainsiders with sliding roof have joined the 200-strong AGS fleet. Operating between the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, the trailers are mainly carrying stillages and foam on double-stacked pallets, which necessitates the higher side aperture.

AGS Operations Manager, Steve Mott found the decision to go with Krone relatively easy given that Krone were quickly able to meet his specification for both side and roof loading, thus maximising the trailers’ load potential .

“We needed at least 2.6m under the cant rail to load double-stacked pallets” says Steve, “while at the same time keeping within the European 4m height maximum, so the low- height Krone chassis was just right for the job.”

Running through Dover to the Benelux countries, the trailers make two round trips per week and this is why the EN code 12642 XL – which certifies structural and load securing standards- was also a prerequisite for AGS.

“Firstly, most blue chip customers will no longer allow you to load without Code XL” explains Steve “and secondly, with this certification we find that the routine checks carried out by the Belgium and German ministries are faster and virtually trouble free.”

Loading flexibility was also high on the list when Steve Mott drew up the trailer specification: “These Profi Liners” adds Steve “have another unique operational benefit: the Multi Lock side rave. The system has multiple strapping and fixing points and allows us to quickly and safely secure odd shaped loads anywhere in the trailer. This saves time, improves our load capability and keeps the whole thing safe.”

Additionally, with load flexibility in mind, AGS opted for the sliding roof thereby making the trailers more versatile.

“The roof operation is very easy to handle.” says Steve “It enables us to carry unconventional loads. For example, we recently carried a large fairground ride which dropped down through the open roof with ease.”

AGS European were also assured of the trailers’ long life expectancy and low running cost owing not least to the standard issue, 10 year anti-corrosion KTL paint warranty.

“We aim to run these units for up to 10 years” concludes Steve Mott “and given the high quality build and exceptional paint finish, I expect to see maximum up-time and a sound investment for AGS and our customers in turn.”

AGS operate from three strategically located facilities and offer a wide range of vehicle and transport services including: vehicle sales, hire, repossessions, recovery, haulage, servicing and finance.

The trailers offer all of the advantages of a regular curtainsider, combined with a lifting roof which can be raised on one or both sides for forklift loading, or slid open for time-saving crane loading through the roof. A height-adjustable roof also enables the customer to utilise the maximum vehicle height in every European country – regardless of the fifth wheel height of the tractor – with hook and loop fasteners on the curtains allowing easy adjustment for different body heights.

Mark Farrow, Director of MDF Transport, says: “We could have purchased a platform trailer for the bulk of our work, but having a curtainsider gives us greater flexibility for return loads. Depending on the payload, we can also lower the roof height to minimise aerodynamic drag and optimise fuel efficiency.”

Schmitz Cargobull has calculated that reducing the running height of a curtainside trailer offers annual fuel savings of up to £700 per 100mm, based upon a typical tractor unit and trailer operation on long-haul work. Its VARIOS® Top Technology enables the internal trailer height to be quickly and easily adjusted by the driver, to offer internal load heights between 2,750mm to 3,050mm at the front bulkhead, and 2,850mm to 3,050mm on the rear doors.

MDF Transport specified the extra strength COIL chassis on one of the trailers for the ability to withstand heavy components with small footprint loading, for delivery of oil and gas production equipment to destinations across mainland Europe and beyond.

Farrow adds: “We routinely have a requirement to load 20 tonnes over a 2m length for outbound cargo and this trailer can handle it with ease. It’s rare we ever carry traditional pallets, but if we need to on return journeys, we have the capacity for 34 Euro pallets.”

Farrow also describes himself as a “big fan” of Schmitz Cargobull’s fully galvanised chassis, which provides maximum protection from the salt water his fleet is routinely exposed to on ferry crossings.

Also key to the trailer’s specification are wind-out rear door pillars which enable maximum width cargos to be loaded through the aluminium rear doors, plus SAF disc brake axles. Both trailers offer competitive unladen weights and are expected to remain in service for up to eight years.

Founded in 1990, MDF Transport has experience throughout the UK, Europe and North Africa, as one of Britain’s leading specialists in moving abnormal loads. For further information visit: www.mdftransport.com.

Beaulieu is delighted to announce that trucking star and Twitter sensation, Mark Dixon, will be attending the event. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet Mark, who has been tweeting about the show in recent weeks, and can hear him in conversation with show presenter, Kevin Harris.

A range of colourfully customised and branded trucks will be on display, including a Lewis Hamilton F1 themed truck from Sean M Taylor Transport, an Ice Truckers’ branded lorry provided by KER Transport and a number of film-branded vehicles from Dalton’s Transport, including The Hangover, Rocky and The Avengers. Saints Transport and Harris Transport will also be in attendance at the event with their own lorry transport.

Sunseeker International Ltd will be bringing a Sovereign boat belonging to Sunseeker founder, Robert Braithwaite. The boat, which Robert drove in the James Bond film, QUANTUM OF SOLACE with Daniel Craig onboard, will be displayed on a Volvo truck.

A whole range of transport vehicles will be attending the event, spanning the motoring generations. White & Co PLC will be displaying one of their oldest commercial vehicles, the dray, alongside one of their most modern, eco-friendly lorries, Bournemouth & Poole Preservation Society will be showing a selection of their stunning classic and vintage vehicles, and a fully-restored 1910 fuel tanker, complete with Anglo American Oil Company stamped brass hub covers will be on display for visitors to see, courtesy of its owner and restorer, Alan Chandler.

There will be plenty of trucking demonstrations and displays to keep families entertained. World-famous monster truck, BIGFOOT, will be performing in two live, action-packed displays each day. In the morning, this motoring leviathan will be demonstrating its power in the Beaulieu Arena, and in the afternoon, wowing visitors with some incredible stunts in the event fields including car crushing, with cars provided by vehicle recycling specialists, Silverlake Garage. Watch as truckers take part in Truck Agility, a series of skills tests designed to make even the most experienced truck drivers break out in a sweat as they manoeuvre around an obstacle course.

There will be plenty of opportunities for visitors to get involved in the trucking action too. Mums and Dads can test their strength in Tug-a-Truck, to see how far they can pull a real lorry cab and every brave person who has a go will receive an ‘I’ve pulled at Beaulieu’ badge to wear proudly. Meanwhile younger visitors can take a ride in mini trucks on Beaulieu’s Dipsticks Driving Circuit* and have a go on the fairground dodgems free of charge, plus enjoy an inflatable playground**.

Beaulieu is also pleased to welcome Mini World to Truckmania. This incredible model-sized track, complete with a wide range of remote controlled model trucks, will be recreating trucking scenarios on a small scale, from construction sites to road networks, in the Grand Marquee. Visitors can have a go at controlling one of these amazingly detailed models on a specially designed circuit.

Each day, Beaulieu’s visitors can vote for their favourite truck in the People’s Choice Awards, and each afternoon, the driver whose vehicle has received the greatest number of votes will be presented with a Beaulieu Trophy.

Truckmania can be seen as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction. See the National Motor Museum and exciting James Bond vehicle exhibition, BOND IN MOTION, World of Top Gear, Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House and the beautiful gardens, plus enjoy unlimited rides on the high-level Monorail.

Beaulieu attraction admission tickets are available to buy on arrival on the day of your visit, or at a discounted rate in advance online at www.beaulieushop.co.uk

With Stoneridge fleets will get the opportunity to undertake a Healthcheck of their tachograph, remote download and tachograph analysis needs to see what savings they could make with a range of Stoneridge products.

This includes the One Minute Rule digital tachograph, the SE5000 Exakt Duo. The Duo technology comes at no extra cost with all SE5000 Exakt Duos and shows updates and countdowns on drive and rest times in real-time, as well as useful warnings when nearing the driving limits, helping drivers to stay legal.

Visitors will also get the chance to see how they can benefit from Stoneridge’s free tachograph apps, Duo Mobile and Tacho Center. Duo Mobile enables drivers to easily monitor drive, break and rest times on their Android smartphone whilst on the move. With Tacho Center drivers can wirelessly download digital tachograph data which they can either email to a PC or send straight to Stoneridge’s OPTAC3 analysis software.

Also, Stoneridge staff will be on hand to demonstrate its remote download solution digiDL. No matter where you are in the world, digiDL will allow operators to remotely download vehicle and driver data securely via GPRS.

To find out more, visit Stoneridge at Tip-ex on Stand C2.

The ceremony was attended by leading figures from the logistics sector along with representatives from the media, business and government, including a keynote address by Stephen Hammond MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport. This, the UK’s leading Awards programme for women in transport and logistics, was an opportunity to celebrate the female role models who have demonstrated remarkable success, whether in senior management positions, as drivers, or young trailblazers in the early stages of a promising career.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is the title partner for the Awards and has supported everywoman and its initiatives since 2008, including the everywoman in Transport and Logistics Leadership Academy and the FTA everywoman Accelerate Programme. Now in its sixth year, the Awards celebrate women working within the transport and logistics industry who are enjoying success and who will ultimately inspire others to join the sector.

The Transport & Logistics Awards were created by everywoman who identified that there was a need to raise the profile of women in the transport and logistics industry. The goal of the Awards is to reach out to a younger talent pool, crucial to the economic success of an industry that has a disproportionately ageing workforce.

The winners unveiled today will help to raise the awareness of job seekers that the industry is fast-paced, diverse, challenging and satisfying.

The winners in the FTA everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards for 2013 are:

Woman of the Year – sponsored by FTA

Jacqui Gavaghan, Performance Director, Reading Transport Limited from Reading

Rising Star of the Year Award – sponsored by Motor Transport

Charlotte Laval, Supplier Performance Service Manager, Wincanton plc from Chippenham

Driver of the Year Award – sponsored by TNT

Shauni O’Neill, Train Operator, London Underground Ltd from London

Director of the Year Award – sponsored by Asda Stores Ltd

Lindsay Haselhurst, Development & Marketing Director, Wincanton plc from Chippenham

The Warehousing Award – sponsored by UKWA

Adele Waite, General Manager – Consumer Life Science Division, DHL Supply Chain from Banbury

Industry Champion Award – sponsored by DHL Supply Chain

Ruth Waring FCILT, Managing Director, Labyrinth Logistics Consulting Ltd from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Innovation & Sustainability Award – sponsored by DHL Supply Chain

Danielle Kozlowska, Process Improvement Manager, Stanley Black & Decker from Northampton

Team Leader of the Year Award – sponsored by MAN Truck & Bus

Marion Roberts, Station Manager, Network Rail from London

In addition, in recognition of her commitment to championing the role of women in the industry, Nikki King OBE, Managing Director of Izuzu Truck (UK) was presented with the inaugural Spirit of everywoman Award.

Theo de Pencier, FTA Chief Executive said:“FTA is exceptionally proud to be the Title Partner of the 2013 everywoman in Transport and Logistics Awards. Women are an essential part of every aspect of supply chains, from drivers and warehouse staff to transport managers and managing directors. Industry cannot be passive in attracting women, and the FTA everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards are the perfect opportunity to showcase how women can make a career in transport a successful and fulfilling one, which is why FTA is delighted to support this event. FTA is leading by example through the high proportion of female specialists and managers it employs and women also hold key positions in our management team.”

Maxine Benson MBE, co-founder of everywoman, commented: “The transport and logistics industry in the UK is vast and there are so many opportunities for women with the determination, enthusiasm and passion to succeed. With transport and logistics becoming an ever-evolving, fast moving, technology-driven industry offering long-term, sustainable careers, it is critical that the women playing an influencing role in shaping and leading this sector should be celebrated. Today’s winners, boasting a varied skills set, are examples of this – resourceful, pioneering and innovative women who represent the very essence of what makes the industry great. We are proud to be able to celebrate their achievements and are confident their success will inspire women of all ages, experience and skill levels to bring their talents to the industry.”

The Corby facility will support an initial three year contract with Mizkan, secured following a competitive tender which saw Bibby Distribution selected for its competitiveness and proven grocery sector expertise.

The 30,000 pallet-capacity site will support the customer following its acquisition of a series of famous UK brands during 2012 and 2013, including Sarson’s vinegar, Haywards pickled vegetables and Branston pickle from Premier Foods.

Under the new agreement Bibby Distribution will manage the complete UK warehousing and distribution requirements for the Sarson’s, Haywards and Branston brands. Corby was identified as the optimum location between the different production points of the brands and their outbound customer base. This has minimised inbound and outbound road miles, lead-times and associated costs. The fleet will also trunk ambient products into Corby from the Sarson’s and Haywards production plant in Middleton and the Branston facility in Bury St Edmunds.

Commenting on the new agreement, Paul Shanahan, MD at Mizkan’s UK business, says: “Our acquisitions were carefully selected to provide a platform to support our future growth ambition in the UK while delivering a strategic fit with our global portfolio. We are building a solid foundation for growth in the UK market and we needed a third party logistics provider (3PL) to partner us.

“There is no shortage of 3PLs with warehouses and trucks, but we wanted a supplier with extensive experience serving the grocery market. Not only does Bibby enjoy a

strong relationship with the top four UK food retailers, its bespoke IT platform can provide the transparency we need to run our business more efficiently.”

Bibby Distribution has commenced deliveries of inbound product and will maintain a 20,000 pallet stock-holding for Mizkan in Corby. It will begin delivering an estimated 114,000 pallets annually to retailers nationwide from July onwards and is supporting the contract with 15 new trucks and 25 trailers which will enter service in the coming weeks.

Mark Wilson, a Divisional Director at Bibby Distribution, explains: “Our software platform is key to delivering for Mizkan. It ties everything we do together, from monitoring stock levels to helping the customer improve its route to market.

“From the outset we’ve been able to wrap ourselves around Mizkan’s requirements to deliver a solution which has the flexibility to grow with them. It’s this approach and our proven ability in this sector that’s secured the contract. We look forward to helping them deliver these leading food brands into the marketplace.”

The contract will utilise approximately two-thirds of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) accredited warehouse in Corby, providing Bibby with further room for growth.

The Mizkan Group is a 210 year old privately held international food manufacturer, based in Handa City, Japan. It is a leading vinegar and liquid condiments group with a portfolio that includes vinegar, cooking wines, dressings, pickles and table sauces. The Group has operating facilities around the globe, including Japan, China, UK, USA, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong & Taiwan.

Since the Freight Transport Association (FTA) launched Van Excellence in 2010 it has seen a variety of large operators including BT Fleet, Balfour Beatty and Sainsbury’s join, and now with the latest addition to the accredited partners list has seen Leighton Buzzard based AES – a small van fleet operator of just six vehicles. This latest accredited operator reinforces the message to light goods vehicle operators that all can become involved – and that it is appropriate for van operators of all sizes as it is open to all operators of commercial vehicles of 3.5 te GVW or less.

Richard Stansfield, Director of Business Development, Auto Electrical Services said: “Auto Electrical Services is a family organisation – founded by my grandfather in 1952 – and we run with family values, but it is still important for our business to move forward at all times, and maybe more-so for a small family business rather than a corporate organisation.

“The whole Van Excellence programme has proved to be very useful to us, and the FTA has been very supportive in every step of the way through the process of our accreditation.”

Van Excellence was created in order to promote high standards of van operation and driving by accrediting operators against an industry code of good practice. Operators register their interest and receive details of the Van Excellence Code then present themselves for audit when they are ready. Since the scheme launched, there are now over 160 van operators engaged with the Van Excellence scheme, operating between them 170,000 vans in total.

Mark Cartwright, FTA Head of Vans and Commercial Vehicles commented: “Van Excellence works perfectly for van operators of all shapes and sizes. We’ve accredited some of the largest fleets in the past few years, including Network Rail and BT Fleet, but we have also now accredited some much smaller fleets including AES with their six vans.

“The Van Excellence code provides the best practice frame-work of how van operators can work safely and efficiently – simply put, it’s what good looks like.”

The Van Excellence Code was agreed by operators acting as a Governance Group and requires systems to be in place to check vehicle roadworthiness, driver entitlement, load security and other safety aspects. The standard exceeds the minimum requirements of the current law and selects and adapts the requirements of O-licensing normally applied to trucks for the van sector.

Accredited Van Excellence operators need to present themselves for re-audit every year to ensure standards are maintained.

With fuel consumption almost a litre lower than that of the second-placed vehicle, coupled with reduced CO2 emissions, the Actros beat off competition to secure top spot in independent tests conducted along a standardised route.

Equipped with a cruise control system which recognises the topography of the route ahead and acts to deliver optimum fuel consumption, the 1851 was joined by two other variants of Actros in the top 10 of this environmental ranking.

The Commission wants these information services to be interoperable and compatible across Europe, and available to as many drivers as possible along the trans-European road network.

Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for Transport, said: “Smart systems are already part of most citizens’ daily life. Timely and accurate information can help us enhance road safety and security as well as transport efficiency.”

Context

The number of road fatalities decreased by 9% in 2012, which means that Member States are back on track towards the objective of halving road deaths between 2010 and 2020 (seeIP/13/236). However, 75 people still die on European roads every day.

Among the most frequent causes of accidents are bad weather and slippery roads (15% of fatal accidents in France and around 20% in Finland). Another 15% of fatal accidents in France are attributed to unprotected accident areas. Dangerous parking is estimated to have caused 44 deaths and 1430 injuries in the EU each year.

Estimates suggest that intelligent information services could reduce the number of road fatalities by up to 7%, as well as the number and severity of accidents. They will also decrease delays caused by road accidents, CO2 emissions and the cost of repair of infrastructure. Moreover, they can reduce the time spent by lorry drivers searching for parking spaces up to 30%.

The new regulations do not make the roll-out of information services mandatory. However, if and when Member States, operators and service providers want to develop and deploy such services, they will have to comply with the regulations’ requirements.

Traffic information on road hazards ahead

The first regulation brought forward by the Commission today will ensure that all drivers receive timely information at no extra cost. They will be warned on hazards ahead, such as an unprotected accident site or dangerous road conditions. In order to prevent a proliferation of incompatible services, the regulation establishes the core functionalities and conditions under which the information services will be developed and made available to all drivers. The information provided will include the type and location of the incident, as well as driving advice when necessary.

The Commission’s aim is for the road safety related traffic information service to be in place all over the trans-European road network, including across borders. However, to reflect the diverse national situations and to optimise investments, Member States will have to identify on which roads the information services should be deployed first.

Safe parking for trucks and commercial vehicles

The second regulation will improve the information to truck drivers about safe and secure parking places. It is intended to prevent dangerous parking of trucks on the hard shoulder and to help drivers comply with driving time regulation. It also guarantees interoperability and continuity of the information services along the trans-European road network, including across borders.

The regulation defines the share of responsibilities between public and private operators involved in order to set harmonised and standardised rules for the collection, sharing and dissemination of information.

The information will be provided through smartphones or variable road signs and will contain the description of the parking areas, the level of security and safety as well as comfort facilities. Member States will select “truck parking priority zones”: where there is a shortage of places in one parking area and information will be provided on other unused parking capacities in the same zone.

Next Steps

The regulations have been submitted to the European Parliament and Council under the ‘delegated acts’ procedure. The Commission hopes to be able to publish them by the end of June.

Drivers can expect to see these services implemented any time following the publication of the new regulations.

“Last year we raised this very issue with the Office of Fair Trading, only to be told that, in their opinion, there was insufficient evidence to support such a claim. Today’s news that the European Competition Commission have already begun a formal investigation is tremendously encouraging; for the motorist in general, the haulage industry in particular and the UK economy as a whole.

“At a time when the businesses are desperately trying to get back on their feet after several very difficult years, there finally appears to be a light at the end of the oil pricing tunnel.”

“All too often we use the EU as a scapegoat when it comes to the rules and regulationsmthat surround the UK road freight industry. This is a time when we are pleased to be among the first to say ‘on behalf of UK hauliers, thank you Brussels.”

These inspections took place in two EU Member States. At the Commission’s request, inspections were also carried out on its behalf by the EFTA Surveillance Authority in one European Economic Area (EEA) Member State.

The Commission has concerns that the companies may have colluded in reporting distorted prices to a Price Reporting Agency to manipulate the published prices for a number of oil and biofuel products.

Furthermore, the Commission has concerns that the companies may have prevented others from participating in the price assessment process, with a view to distorting published prices. Any such behaviour, if established, may amount to violations of European antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices and abuses of a dominant market position (Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU and Articles 53 and 54 of the EEA Agreement).

The prices assessed and published by Price Reporting Agencies serve as benchmarks for trade in the physical and financial derivative markets for a number of commodity products in Europe and globally. Even small distortions of assessed prices may have a huge impact on the prices of crude oil, refined oil products and biofuels purchases and sales, potentially harming final consumers.

In the EU, Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the relevant national competition authorities. In the EEA Member State, Commission officials accompanied their counterparts from the EFTA Surveillance Authority and from the national competition authority.

Unannounced inspections are a preliminary step to investigate suspected anticompetitive practices. The fact that the Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself. The Commission respects the rights of defence, in particular the right of companies to be heard in antitrust proceedings.

There is no legal deadline to complete inquiries into anticompetitive conduct. Their duration depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of each case, the extent to which the companies concerned co-operate with the Commission and the exercise of the rights of defence.

“Customers in this segment don’t just buy a truck, they purchase trouble-free access to an efficient transport solution. The new Volvo FL and FE make it even easier for us to provide them with a comprehensive service that literally drives their business to greater success,” says Claes Nilsson, President of Volvo Trucks.

Whether transportation is the customer’s core business or not, these trucks are important business tools that help secure on-time deliveries.

“Many buyers of the Volvo FL and FE own their trucks for a long time and prefer us to take full responsibility for ensuring that they keep running. Choosing an expert partner that can deliver both a high-quality product and carefree ownership is most advantageous for them in the long run,” says Pernilla Sustovic, Segment Manager Distribution and Refuse at Volvo Trucks.

In conjunction with the launch of the new Volvo FL and FE, Volvo Trucks is presenting an extended service offer. The highest level – the ‘Gold Contract’ – encompasses servicing, repairs and the highest possible uptime using the telematics gateway

With the improved Gold Service Contract, the truck can be connected. This makes it possible for the Volvo workshop to follow vehicle usage and monitor the wear-and-tear of certain components. The aim is to proactively ensure that the truck is serviced only and exactly when needed – and that maintenance is carried out when the vehicle is not in use.

“By remotely keeping an eye on how the truck is used and the wear rates of the various components, we aim to prevent small issues from growing into unexpected standstills,” explains Jarkko Aine, Transport Solutions expert at Volvo Trucks.

In order to further simplify ownership, customers can also opt for comprehensive leasing that brings together all the costs into one single monthly invoice.

Increased productivity

Increased productivity – i.e. the ability to get more done in a shorter time – is another high-priority area among Volvo FL and FE customers. The new trucks help improve customer profitability in several ways.

Driving properties are improved thanks to swift torque delivery at low revs in the new, efficient D5 and D8 engines.

The new 4-cylinder 12-tonne version of the Volvo FL offers a weight advantage in the form of up to 500 kg greater load-carrying capacity, when compared to current model.

The Volvo FE is now available with I-Shift automated transmission, including software for specific operations such as distribution. I-Shift not only helps reduce fuel consumption, but it allows the driver more time to focus on their surroundings in busy urban environments.

The Fuel Advice fuel-saving service aims to help both owners and drivers use their trucks more cost-efficiently.

The ETI has issued two Request for Proposals (RfP). The first RfP is looking to develop a new type of gearbox – known as Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Successful proposals will be required to meet the needs of a wide range of on and off highway vehicles and machines, whilst delivering a breakthrough in transmission efficiency.

The second RfP is looking at developing an engine air system, which can, but not exclusively include turbo charging or supercharging systems. This is to design an air charging system that can provide efficiency benefits across both the HDV land and marine fleets.

CVT’s allow land based vehicle designers to install smaller and slower revving (and hence more efficient) engines whilst maintaining the same acceleration rate as current vehicles. The ETI estimates that a 5% fuel economy gain across the land HDV fleet is possible with such technology.

A high performance engine air system is also required to allow smaller and slower engines to be fitted to vehicles, machines and vessels. It is expected that such technology could reduce the fuel consumption of the average HDV by up to 2.5%.

David Butler, Project Manager – HDV at the ETI, said: “Energy efficiency is a big challenge facing the UK. Our modelling work points to efficiency in transport and in the HDV sector as an area that can make a meaningful difference in helping to reduce carbon emissions. These latest projects will build on the existing work we have already undertaken on HDVs to improve the efficiency of both land and marine fleet.”

The developments from the CVT project will be later fitted to the land-based demonstrator vehicle and the developments from the engine air system project will be fitted to both the land-based and marine vessel demonstrators. These will verify that the predicted benefits translate into real world performance. Both projects are an integral part of the ETI’s transport technology programme designed to increase HDV efficiency.

Launched in 2012 by Business Secretary Vince Cable, the programme is focused on improving systems integration and technology development across the HDV sector, with an aim to increase efficiency in land and marine vehicles by up to 30%. For the purpose of this programme HDVs include marine vessels, HGVs, coaches, buses, tractors, construction machines, quarry machines and mining machines.

Copies of the two requests for proposals are available via the following ETI website address http://www.eti.co.uk/request_for_proposals. The deadline for the notification of an intention to submit a proposal for the CVT project is 24 June. The closing date for submissions is 5 July. Meanwhile, the closing date for an intention to submit a proposal for the engine air system is 8 July. The closing date is 19 July.

The advice comes from a leading outsourcing accident investigation company, First Legal Support. Andrew Drewary, Director at FLS states; ‘There is a wealth of experience, expertise and assistance out there for the haulage operators to draw on which provide support for and compliment the duties of your under pressure transport/fleet manager.’

After continually reducing costs so severely, the question that you ask yourself is: ‘Where can we find even greater savings yet still provide the services?’ Those tasked with such a challenge and with the need to streamline even further are finding it more and more difficult. However, one area that continues to increase in cost is transport/fleet management with the ever spiralling cost of fuel and insurance.

No one is able to control the rising cost of fuel but looking after the cost of vehicle insurance and transport/fleet management are some things that can be managed to make considerable savings. FLS believe the time spent by the transport/fleet manager in dealing with accident investigations and accident management is something that could be and should be put to better use.

Undertaking accident investigations and accident management are extra burdens that transport/fleet manager could do without. Keeping the fleet on the road and providing the services that customers expect, is their main priority.

Drewary says; ‘When you consider the effect of accident claims, it is easy to see where your money goes. We believe outsourcing provides exceptional results and with specific service level agreements and key performance indicators in place, savings can be measured and considerable.’

Industry figures show that 14% of all Third Party accident claims are fraudulent and the ‘Cash for Crash’ phenomenon has been highlighted by the industry as a major concern over the last few years. Fraudulent claims are one of the biggest issues within the industry right now and Third Party claimants perceive HGVs and fleet vehicles as easy targets.

However, the other 86 per cent of Third Party accident claims will cost considerably more and, if the value of each claim falls below the insurance policy excess, the settlement is paid out of the operator’s pocket. This cost can be reduced if the accidents are investigated and managed pro-actively and effectively.

FLS along with its parent company, Plantec Holdings, provide dynamic, innovative and flexible independent accident investigation and accident management services. Both have established excellent reputations for delivering high quality services to the motor insurance and commercial motor industries.

Its wide range of specialist services and products are designed at protecting business, enhancing the brand and more importantly giving operators long term savings, whether involving civil or criminal road traffic cases.

The company’s services are tailor made to deal with claims validation and indemnity issues along with resolving liability and quantum disputes resulting from road traffic accident claims made against the haulage operator by a Third Party, as well as criminal driver/transport offences and vehicle thefts.

The Jackson Report targeting the ‘Claims Culture’ within the UK has led to sweeping changes being introduced from April 2013. However, the cost of dealing with such accident claims will continue to be a real issue for fleet operators.

FLS understands the need to provide information accurately and efficiently. Its no nonsense approach and forward thinking when dealing with accidents, keeps it striving to improve as well as reducing costs within the industries it works within. All while maintaining a transparent, traceable and ethical approach.

Drewary says; ’We listen to and work with you to ensure we continuously deliver the services you require to meet the targets set. It is your motor insurance policy and ultimately your money and you should be driving your insurance company in such matters and not the other way around.’

If you want to know more about what FLS and Plantec Holdings can do for you than do not hesitate to contact Andrew Drewary on 07817 043821 or email andrewd@firstlegalsupport.co.uk

This year’s guide includes updated country sections with amended information on public holidays, weekend lorry bans, toll prices and other useful facts for fleet operators in both the own account and hire and reward sectors. There has also been an overhaul of the various Customs sections by HM Revenue and Customs, and Freightlink Solutions Ltd has supplied additional information relating to roll-on, roll-off ferry services in Europe.

Don Armour, FTA’s International Manager and editor of the guide said: “Since the publication of last year’s edition we have received many useful suggestions from members for items to include in the guide, helping other members and their drivers avoid problems and keep to their delivery and collection schedules when they are out on the road. As with any reference work, the details within the guide need constant updating and real ‘hands-on’ information is always appreciated.”

There has been no price increase for the guide this year. Companies in international membership of FTA receive a free copy of the guide as part of their subscription package and they can buy further copies for £35 each, no VAT. The cost for non-international FTA members is £55 a copy and for non-members £75.00, with price reductions for multiple copies. Order online from Shopfta at www.shop.fta.co.uk or call 08717 11 11 11, quoting code 4055.

In a joint letter to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Stephen Hammond MP, the associations raised the point that according to industry estimates there are more than 30,000 technicians in the UK, and added that although they were aware that a few companies have taken the decision to include these employees in their DCPC training programmes, they believed that the vast majority have not, and added that for all of them to achieve full compliance for their staff in just over one year would be a massive task and cost for the industry and one that they believe will deliver relatively little benefit to the freight industry.

Within their correspondence, FTA and RHA called on the Minister to consider their points, and requested the opportunity to discuss the matter with him in further detail.

In representing their members on this subject, both associations reinforced their concerns, saying that they feel that the Directive was never intended to include such activity, and referring the Minister to the title of the Directive 2003/59/EC and the frequent references within the recital which refer to “the profession of driver”.

Theo de Pencier, FTA Chief Executive said: “FTA feels strongly that the recent advice issued by the DfT represents an unreasonable reading of the Directive which we believe will put undue burden on our members and all businesses within the logistics sector. It also appears to run contrary to the Department’s stated aim – presented in the Logistics Growth Review and the Red Tape Challenge – to reduce the regulatory burdens placed on industry.

Geoff Dunning, RHA Chief Executive added: “RHA doesn’t think that the Directive was ever intended to include the same restrictions on technicians and mechanics carrying out these activities, and the frequent reference to “the profession of driver” in the recital confirms to us that technicians, who are neither professional drivers nor engaged in the carriage of goods, were not who the Commission had in mind when developing these requirements.”

The TIP depot in Gateshead is now a fully VOSA approved ATF station, offering a complete range of testing facilities, including HGV (from 7.5t upwards), PSV & ADR. Originally planned to be open for testing two days per week, such has been the success of the Gateshead facility that TIP has now extended the official opening hours to three days a week to meet with demand.

The new TIP ATF premises in Gateshead are located at:

TIP Trailer Services, Station Approach, off Eastern Ave, Tean Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead NE11 0UX

Tel: 0191 487 9217, Fax: 0191 500 6691

Email: atf-tipgateshead@ge.com

Branch Manager: Vanessa Erskine

MOT Controller: Colin Richings

Announcing details of its latest ATF facility in the North East, Jonny Clark, TIP UK FleetCare Manager said, “TIP has now rolled out a strategically located nationwide network of ATF facilities in just under two years, as part of growing our fleet services portfolio. Across the UK, ATF users can take advantage of the benefits that TIP’s experienced on site workshops give them, by helping to reduce their fuel costs when repairs, servicing and maintenance are required before testing.”

As part of this rolling investment programme to develop a national ATF network, TIP currently now offers ATF facilities at eight of its depots across the UK and Ireland, including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Felixstowe, Nuneaton, Grays, Dublin and now Gateshead.

As Jonny Clark says, “The additional ATF facility here at Gateshead will help to take the strain from local VOSA centres and ensure hauliers have fully approved TIP ATF test facilities available to them locally as well as across the UK through our other seven ATF outlets.”

This includes fees for:

· HGV and PSV testing, operator licensing and associated services

· Approval and certification of various vehicles

· Identity checks on written-off cars seeking re-licensing

· Tachograph calibrator approval.

The proposed changes to fees for statutory services aim to:

· create fairer fees

· meet additional running costs of interconnection throughout the EU of national registers of operators and their transport managers and more active monitoring of those committing most serious infringements as required by EU regulations; and

· ensure the financial sustainability of VOSA.

The full consultation, which is open till 11 June 2013 can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fees-for-hgv-and-psv-testing-operator-licensing-other-vosa-services-and-some-dva-services

Operating predominantly within a 100-mile radius of the company’s hi-tech packing station in Swineshead, the Eurocargo will carry out deliveries to high street multiples, wholesalers and caterers, as well as to regional distribution centres.

Matthew Bird, a Director of the company, says: “This is the second 18 tonner to join our fleet in the last two years. As the company continues to grow we’re finding bigger rigids are even more efficient; they can carry three times the payload of a 7.5 tonner, plus many distribution centres won’t accept deliveries from smaller trucks.”

Mounted with a Kurt Hobbs Coachworks box body with a rear roller-shutter door, the Iveco rides on pneumatic rear air-suspension with raise/lower control to provide maximum protection for the delicate cargo.

Bird adds: “We reviewed options from four manufacturers, but the Iveco proposal was the most competitive. We now operate 11 Iveco commercial vehicles, which speaks volumes about our confidence in the brand and the performance of the vehicles.”

The new truck will be on the road up to six days a week, clocking-up approximately 125,000 km a year – being double-shifted at peak times, and carrying back loads where possible for optimum operating efficiency.

C&P Bird Bros was founded in the mid-1960s when the egg industry was in its infancy, but the Bird family saw the potential of building a growing egg business for the future. Now, after more than 40 years of hard work, a successful business has been built in utilising state-of-the-art chicken sheds which feature electronic feeding and water systems, plus a climate controllable environment.

Every day the company sort, grade, pack and distribute hundreds of thousands of eggs into multiple configurations for customers’ individual requirements. They are despatched via the commercial vehicle fleet within hours, to ensure they are always as fresh as possible. All eggs produced by C&P Bird Bros meet the requirements of the British Lion Quality mark; confirmation that the eggs have been produced to some of the highest standards of food safety anywhere in the world.

The Eurocargo 180E25/P features an automated EuroTronic transmission as standard and operates with a six cylinder FPT Industrial 5.9 litre Tector engine. This proven EEV-rated power plant is capable of producing up to 251 hp at 2,700 rev/min and up to 850 Nm of torque between 1,250 and 2,100 rev/min.

In addition to the two 18 tonne Eurocargos, the customer’s fleet includes seven 7.5 tonne Eurocargos and two 7.0 tonne Dailys. The maximum weight Daily 70C17/Ps are proving popular for their AGile automated gearbox, ultra-competitive payload, frugal fuel economy and zero requirement for AdBlue.

The conference, which takes place at the Hilton Hotel in Coventry on Wednesday 12 June, gives managers responsible for health and safety within road transport operations an ideal opportunity to update themselves on industry initiatives, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) strategy, best practice and enforcement focus areas, and speakers include the HSE, Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and FTA experts.

Key sessions at the conference include

· HSE strategy

· Industry initiatives

· Coupling and uncoupling of articulated vehicles

· Improving manual handling techniques

· HSE cost recovery

· Load securing

· Reversing vehicles

· Road risk and driver assessment

Places are still available – the cost for FTA members is £325 plus VAT for the first delegate and £275 plus VAT for subsequent delegates, and for non-FTA members is £385 plus VAT for the first delegate and £345 plus VAT for subsequent delegates. Bookings of six or more will pay only £260 + VAT per delegate.

For further information or to book a place, go to http://www.fta.co.uk/events/safety_conference.html or call the FTA Member Service Centre

Under the agreement, the company has upgraded its existing tracking system to Ctrack Online with Driver ID’s across approximately 1,700 commercial vehicles with the aim of enhancing health and safety, boosting performance and reducing operating costs.

Ctrack Online will be accessible to around 300 users at various offices across the Midlands. The web-based tracking tool will be operated alongside an existing scheduling system to support the efficient planning of jobs and to optimise processes. By accessing real-time data Severn Trent Water will have greater visibility of all vehicles, enabling them to better coordinate the fleets operations and to achieve high levels of customer service.

Meanwhile, Driver ID will enable Severn Trent Water to gain greater insight into the status and whereabouts of its Field Workers, especially employees that share multiple vehicles. This will positively contribute to the company’s constant focus on Health and Safety. The vehicles are fitted with a Driver ID reader and each Field Worker is assigned a unique key that is scanned before starting a journey.

David Cross, Project Manager at Severn Trent Water commented: “The functionality and usability of the Ctrack Online system means it will meet our current and future needs to help drive productivity, completion of work and enable further Health and Safety benefits. As customer satisfaction and job resolution is at the forefront of everything we do, the new vehicle tracking platform will contribute towards this.”

“Moving forward we will also be able to enhance the tracking solution by taking advantage of Ctrack’s range of innovative tools to support changing business and operational requirements.”

John Wisdom, Managing Director of Ctrack said: “We are the partner of choice within the utility sector because of our ability to deliver advanced tracking solutions that meet the precise needs of service management operations. This latest contract recognises the value we can provide by taking advantage of our market-leading technology and unrivalled support.”

Richard Hewitt and Tom Taylor, second right, with fellow members of the Sugarcane Velo Club, from left, Michael Brammall, Gavin Beaumont, Jason Goulty and Michael Abonyi

Tom, who leads the shop floor team at the leading refrigerated truck trailer and bodybuilder’s Doncaster factory, will be joined on the three-day epic by four team-mates from the town’s Sugarcane Velo Club.

The route will take them from Gray & Adams’ headquarters at Fraserburgh, north of Aberdeen, via another of the company’s production facilities in Dunfermline, and back to their home town.

Richard Hewitt had worked at Gray & Adams plant as a fitter for more than 20 years when tragedy struck last year. He was out riding with his brother when he lost control of his bike and was thrown over the handlebars.

The crash left Richard with a badly damaged spine, as a result of which he has lost the use of his arms and legs, and now uses a wheelchair. He is undergoing regular physiotherapy treatment but doctors are unable to say how much movement he might eventually recover, or how long it will take.

Nine months after the accident Richard, who is married with a 19-year-old daughter, still spends weekdays at Doncaster’s Tickhill Road Hospital because he cannot afford to make the necessary adaptations at the family home.

“I can’t reach the bathroom and bedrooms, because they’re upstairs,” he explains. “I get home at weekends but all I can have is a bed wash, and it makes life very difficult for all concerned. We really need a ground-floor extension with a bedroom and bathroom but that’s going to cost more than £20,000, which is a great deal of money.”

Former colleagues at Gray & Adams, Doncaster, have now rallied round and launched a campaign to raise cash that will help to fund the necessary conversions to the property in the town’s Skellow district, where Richard and his family have lived for more than 20 years.

Says Tom: “Richard was one of the best workers we’ve had, very reliable and popular with his colleagues. So he’s a real loss to the business.

“All of those who knew him at Gray & Adams are keen to do what we can to help. We’ve also had some very generous pledges of support from suppliers while my cycling club team-mates have been raising funds too – one of them, Jason Goulty works for Greencore Group, a customer of ours.”

A keen cyclist and regular competitor in time trial events, Tom is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge that he and his pals are taking on.

“The longest ride I’ve ever done in a single day is 132 miles, but we’re aiming to complete 168 miles on day one – if we average 18 mph that’s nearly nine and a half hours in the saddle, and then we have another 262 miles to cover over the next couple of days.

“But we’re confident that we’ll be able to complete the ride. I remember some years ago being asked by one of our directors whether I thought I could cycle from Fraserburgh to Doncaster. I’ve never had a good reason to try it… until now.”

And Richard adds: “I’m overwhelmed and very grateful to Tom, his team-mates, and all of my former colleagues at Gray & Adams for their support.”

The team will set off from Fraserburgh on Saturday morning (4th May). Anyone wishing to sponsor Tom and his colleagues can do so by contacting Samantha Hogg at Gray & Adams, Doncaster on 01302 787755 or samantha.hogg@gray-adams.com

Each of the nine Vector 1550 units have been mounted to tri-axle reefers manufactured by Gray & Adams and join a fleet of 30 trucks and 96 trailers. They will be predominantly used to transport farmed salmon, mussels and white fish from Shetland to destinations across the UK and mainland Europe, returning to the islands with a range of fresh, chilled and frozen produce.

By specifying the Vector 1550 systems, Shetland Transport will benefit from Carrier’s patented E-Drive™all-electric technology, which removes a large number of serviceable parts from the refrigeration cycle, substantially reducing maintenance and downtime compared with conventional belt-driven systems. It also allows for extremely precise temperature control of +/- 0.3 degrees Celsius.

“We’ve chosen Carrier units on a number of our trailers in the past, and they’ve always proven to be incredibly durable and reliable, regardless of the long hours our vehicles spend on the road. We might be one of the remotest hauliers in the UK, but it’s just as important for us to run the latest specification equipment and to keep up-to-speed with legislation. These new trailers and fridges represent significant investment in the fleet,” said Hamish Balfour, managing director, Shetland Transport.

With a demanding workload, Shetland Transport’s distinctive blue, red and white fleet is on the road seven days a week and Balfour is counting on the units’ longevity to provide the service life he desires.

“We will aim to keep these trailers and fridges in service for at least the next 15 years, if not a little longer. After about 10 years of frontline service handling long-distance work, we can switch them over to short-haul distribution to and from our depots in Aberdeen and Glasgow. This ensures we get the most out of every asset in the fleet,” said Balfour.

The Vector 1550 unit builds on the success of the Vector 1850 system – previously specified by Shetland Transport – to combine a reduced capacity of 14,800 watts with low fuel consumption. This helps to reduce the total cost of ownership whilst also cutting overall carbon impact by up to 35 per cent compared to conventional systems. At 739kg, it is also one of the lightest trailer refrigeration units on the market.

For more information on Carrier Transicold and its products and services, visit www.transicold.carrier.com. Follow Carrier on Twitter: @carriergreen.