Irish Trucker magazine September 2011

IRISH

& LIGHT COMMERCIALS

plus

LAUNCH

MoveIT 4.0™

SEPTEMBER 2011 Vol. 14 No. 8 EURO 2.95 stg.£2.50

MIKE MURPHY GROUP FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS Fleet - Truck - Van - Bus Car - Home - Travel Employers & Public Liability Offices - Shops

The Insurance Centre|Sandyford Business Centre, Sandyford Dublin 18.

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www.mikemurphyinsurance.ie Insureforsure Ltd T/A Mike Murphy group is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

www.irishtrucker.com CONTENTS Irish Trucker is published by DG Press Kells Business Park, Kells, Co. Meath

2

INDUSTRY NEWS

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DEREK BEAHAN LTD.

Telephone: (046) 9241923

26

At the forefront of the Irish recovery market

Fax: (046) 9241926 ISDN: 046-9248197 e mail: contact@lynngroupmedia.com

ARMSTRONG TRANSPORT SERVICES Delivering on what they promise

31

Derek Beahan Ltd. P20

CLEARY MOTORS Main Renault dealer in the Premier County

34

KD (GARAGE) SERVICES LTD. Marking their 25th Anniversary

ISSN 0791-993X

38

EUREKA SOFTWARE Launching Move IT 4.0 ™

40

24:7 RENTALS

Armstrong Transport Services P26

Answering all truck and trailer hire needs

44

WISER RECYCLING Two decades of phenomenal growth and progress

52

CALLINAN COACHES Luxury Coach Service to a wide client base

60

OLIVER TRANSPORT SERVICES LTD.

KD Garage Services P34

2010 Irish Haulier of the Year

66 All rights reserved.

No part of this publication can be published or reproduced in any way without the written permission of the author or Lynn Group Media © Copyright Lynn Group Media 2011

DESSIE McCORMACK VTN Meath’s longest serving commercial vehicle test centre

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THE SWILLY GROUP One of Ireland’s leading driving school of motoring facilities

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Dessie McCormack VTN P66

FOYLE SKIP HIRE Providers of a top quality service

The opinions expressed in Irish Trucker do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers, their agents or Irish Trucker.

While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may appear.

77

CLASSIFIEDS

The Swilly Group P70

Irish Port & Shipping volumes indicate slowdown in 2nd quarter The volume of shipping and port traffic declined during the second quarter of 2011 when compared to growth rates witnessed over the first 3 months of the year. This is according to the latest analysis of traffic figures released today by from the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) The second quarter data indicates that only 1 of the 5 principal freight segments had any growth over the second quarter, while the other modes remained flat or recorded some volume decline compared to the same period last year; Key second quarter data:* Lift-on/Lift-off (lo/lo) trades remained static at 0%. * Roll-on/Roll-off export traffic was down by 1%. * Dry bulk volumes increased by 5%, * Break bulk volumes were down by 6% * The Tanker/Liquid bulk market was down 6%.

The lift on / lift off (lo/lo) container sector remained flat over the second quarter with total volume rising by 1% for the first 6 months to 305,867 TEUs. Exports as a subset of these figures grew by 6% during the first 6 months with strong volume demand on long haul routes to overseas markets such as the USA and Asia, with less growth on Intra-European short haul trades being observed.

Container imports fell by 4% in the second quarter down 3% in total for the first 6 months of the year. This represents the 14th consecutive quarter of declining import volumes as consumption remains weak in the domestic economy. The decline in imports continues to create further challenges for this market segment as owners and operators have to import 19% more empty containers to meet export standard demands.

Roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) traffic declined on an all-island basis by 1% in the second quarter of this year with 413,727 freight units handled which resulted in no overall growth for the first 6 months of 2011. The Ro/Ro sector is heavily weighted to traffic movement to and from the United Kingdom, our largest trading partner. The static volume is likely to have been impacted by weaker demand in the UK due to the slower than expected economic recovery being experienced there.

The ro/ro market has seen some significant structural capacity adjustments this year which has seen a major operator, that controlled 20% of the market capacity, exit the Irish market. Some of the lost vessel frequency and capacity on these routes was replaced by other domestic shipping lines. As such, despite flat volumes, most ro/ro operators are likely to have increased their overall market share during the last 6 months.

The strong volume recovery in dry bulk volumes though Irish ports for agricultural products and other core products; coal, grain and fertilizers, slowed during the second quarter with a 5% increase to 3.4 million tons. This growth compares to strong growth levels over the previous 4 quarters as the sector recovered from the heavy volume erosion suffered in 2008 & 2009. Liquid bulk volumes and importation of tanker based petroleum products, such as oil, declined by 6% in the second quarter due to weaker domestic and international transshipment demand at the main refinery facilities. The break bulk sector is the smallest of the five market segments and is primarily made up of shipments of construction related materials; this decreased by 6% for the second quarter but increased by 9% for the first 6 months for a total of 477,191 mt.

A major factor impacting on all market segments has been the steady rise of bunker fuel prices which have increased by more than $120 per mt since the start of the year.

The outlook for the remainder of the year is less optimistic than at the beginning of 2011 given the slowdown in the wider global economy. Freight forward agreements (FFA’s) for positions to the year end also indicate weaker demand on the key international shipping trade lanes and a sense of a slower market pulse beginning to emerge.

2

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

The firm is closing in on its 30th anniversary

Derek Beahan Ltd 30 years and still going strong Dublin-based vehicle recovery firm Derek Beahan Ltd is closing in on its 30th anniversary next year. Irish Trucker caught up with Derek himself to chat about the company’s standard-setting history at the forefront of the Irish recovery market.

D

erek Beahan, the owner of the famous Derek Beahan Ltd vehicle recovery company based in Inchicore in Dublin 8, is nothing if not complimentary about his staff. He has 16 employees at his Emmet Road headquarters, and he insists the most important element of any company is its staff – particularly in a field as highly specialised as vehicle recovery.

To that end, Derek Beahan Ltd added an additional string to its bow by establishing a vehicle recovery operator training programme, something that Derek himself embraced head-on.

20

“The biggest asset any company can have is its staff, properly trained staff,” he says. “Very early on we saw the need for staff to be trained properly in the different makes and models of cars and brands and trucks, so we set up a training arm and were associated with the IVR (the Institute of Vehicle Recovery).

“We did a trainers’ course as well, and I became one of the first vehicle recovery trainers in Ireland. That’s something that I still do on a regular basis and I take great delight in it. To date, we’ve trained approximately 300 people in vehicle recovery, all across Ireland, in Scotland and in places as

far as Hungary.”

While highly trained, well motivated and loyal staff is a key factor in the success of Derek Beahan Ltd, you get the feeling that the infectious energy and enthusiasm of Derek himself has been a major driving force over the past 30 years. He established the company in 1982 – at that point it was a one-man operation – and two years later he was joined by his brother Tony, who remains his “right-hand man on the floor” almost three decades down the line.

When it comes to making a business work, Derek Beahan has already managed it successfully during one IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

The company is easily identifiable by their yellow and blue fleet

recession, and there’s no sense that Derek Beahan Ltd won’t survive and prosper beyond the current wider economic problems too.

Talking about where the company has come from, and where it might be going, brings us right back to those early days. “I started out offering a mobile breakdown service and I saw the need for recovery in the ‘80s,” recalls Derek. “I bought my first recovery truck, and that’s how it all started. There was a need for what I could do.

“So I started working for different clubs, like the RAC, before they ever had a van themselves. We worked for the likes of Green Flag in England, which was called National Breakdown at the time. And the company has been built on that reputation ever since. That’s how it all started. We offer a good service and we meet requirements.”

Very early on, a couple of lightbulbs flashed in Derek’s head when it came to his company’s image. Firstly, he had taken out large ads in the Yellow Pages on the basis that the bigger the splash, the more business he might receive, but that perception was blown out of the water by a late-night phonecall from a slightly distressed woman whose car had broken down.

Derek takes up the story. “This was back in 1984, and I picked up the phone one night from a young woman who said to me ‘Thank God you answered the phone, I’m after ringing everyone in the Yellow Pages.’ At the IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

time I was spending thousands every year with the Yellow Pages. I had the first page under towing and breakdown! So I asked her why she hadn’t contacted me first, and she said to me, ‘I looked at that, but I thought that anyone who can afford to pay that amount of money to the Yellow Pages would be too dear for me!’

“I’m always thinking of the image we present to the public, so that was a bit of an eye-opener for me, and I got another eye-opener when I was in America the same year. Over there I noticed that everyone wore uniforms, and brands had corporate identities and colours. So I decided to paint my trucks a particular colour, and dress myself and my brother in the same colour of work-wear, and put my name on my shirt, and carry an identity badge, so that people might see that they were dealing with someone a bit special.

“So I did that. I’ve 12 vehicles now and they’re all painted exactly the same – blue and yellow. I was the first recovery operator in Ireland to go down the route of corporate identity, and it’s been a great help for building the brand ever since. As well as having fleet numbers, all the trucks have names for easy identification, and all the men are dressed in their corporate uniform. So when you meet someone on the side of the road for the first time, you can have an air of confidence about things. You feel you’re not dealing with a Mickey Mouse person. I’ve found that it’s paid

off over many years. These days, if you ring up 11811 and you say you want someone from the blue and yellow tow-trucks, they’ll tell you straight away ‘Derek Beahan!’”

The whole area of legislation and standards in the recovery sector has changed significantly during Derek’s time in business – but while some might think all that paperwork could be an obstacle to business, it’s something he welcomes greatly.

“At one stage anyone could tow a car,” he says. “All you needed was an oul’ van – nobody asked or checked for insurance, there was no training.

That has completely changed now.

The next most expensive possession you have after your family home is your car, and you’re not going to give your car to someone that’s going to put their feet up on your living room table! The law has completely changed now, but I totally welcome all that.

“I’m a great believer in standards. If the standards are good, the service is good. We’re affiliated members of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), the Road Rescue Recovery Association (RRRA), we’re members of AVRO and of IFRS, and all of those are based on standards. That helps your reputation with customers. I work with a lot of the English clubs and they will use someone that meets a standard, rather than pick up a phone and call up a total stranger, so that’s the way I see it. Standards are hugely important.”

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Derek Beahan set the standard for vehicle recovery

It wasn’t always like that, but Derek Beahan has been instrumental in helping to bring improved standards to the Irish vehicle recovery sector over the past 25 years or so – indeed, he was the first operator in Ireland to achieve the ISO9001 for Vehicle Recovery.

“I noticed that all the legislation was for UK-based recovery companies,” he says. “Anything to do with recovery was

generally overlooked in Ireland. I knew that there was a European association called the IFRS (the International Federation of Recovery Specialists), and I approached Brian Drury, who was the Secretary of that body at the time, and myself and a man called Eamonn Kelly set up IFRS Ireland. “ As well as his own company and IFRS Ireland, Derek also

A recovery 4x4 on display

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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23

held a key position in AVRO (the UK-based Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators) as National Council Member for Ireland for 15 years and became the first Irishman to be elected as President of that Association in 2005.

So where does Derek Beahan Ltd go from here? With the future of the global economy, never mind the Irish one, still far from certain, is it a case of consolidating?

“That’s it,” says Derek.

“In the economic climate that there is at the moment, like everyone else I’m finding it quiet at times. But we’ve grown very steadily over the last 30 years, we’ve 12 vehicles now and 16 staff and we’ll keep things ticking over.

I’ve held the contract for the recovery of Department of Justice vehicles, which includes all Garda vehicles, for the past 15 years or so, and we cover the whole country so on any given day we could be in any part of Ireland.

“We were the first recovery operator in Ireland to introduce a shift system too. Our shifts are from 6am to 2pm, from 2pm to 10pm and from 10pm to 6am. That’s seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There are no limits to what we can do, from all passenger vehicles up to as big a vehicle as you might get, and we’re available every minute of every day.”

All trucks are kept in tip-top condition

COMPANY DETAILS n Recovery Derek Beaha Services Road 90-98 Emmet e Inchicor Dublin 8 rmation on For more info n Ltd, call Derek Beaha 01-4534567.

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Derek Beahan can recover all types of vehicles

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

For All Your News Reviews Log on to

Congratulations to Derek & the team on a great achievement Best of luck for the next 25 years!

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Wishing Derek Beahan Ltd Continued Success In The Future From

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IRISH & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

25

Armstrong are based in Dromore, County Tyrone

Exceptional customer care at Armstrong Transport Services Irish Trucker travelled to Dromore, County Tyrone and met Alan Armstrong, founder and managing director of Armstrong Transport Services, a dedicated transport company whose main emphasis is quality of service.

A

rmstrong Transport Services is

MD Alan Armstrong has always made

people tend to appreciate that and

a specialist company providing

it his No.1 priority to provide a top-

they let others know. It is important to

a premium service in the

quality service above all else. He

honour your word - we are up front

confirms:

and honest with our customers about

transportation of farm machinery, plant equipment, unusual and abnormal

“The level of service we provide has

loads throughout Ireland, the UK and

been key to our success over the past

Europe. From the get-go, founder /

eight years. When we do a good job,

26

delivery times and costs, no messing people about. “Obviously, you endeavour at all IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Armstrong provide a premium service

times to give your customers the best deal possible price-wise but the real challenge is to provide a service exactly as you promise it. If you do everything as you said you would, then you should have no problems.”

Despite the slowdown in the economy, Armstrong Transport Services is more than holding its own and Alan has been able to expand his fleet gradually, keeping things fresh, functional and interesting. “I bought my first lorry in ’06 and added a second in ’08, a third in ’09, two more last year and I’ve just bought another.

“We buy good second-hand trucks. It’s hard to source good clean fresh trucks at present, especially Scania V8’s, which we are very fond of, the reason being that there were very few new trucks sold between 2008-2011 due to the recession. We like to buy new trailers, so we can spec them to the requirements we find most suitable for the jobs we do - if you don't have the right tools you can’t do the job.

“I had two lorries when the recession hit and now I have six.- mainly because many hauliers have had to quit in recent years which leaves more work for the rest of us. The rising price of fuel is a major factor affecting us all, but you have to insist on increased rates. There’s no other way – you simply have to pass these increases on to your customers and focus on providing an exceptional service. We try to keep our prices competitive but also must ensure we stay afloat in this time of recession IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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All the necessary permits are in place for abnormal loads

“We have set contracts with companies but a lot of jobs are priced on an individual basis; due to the different dimensions and destinations and customer requirements, there are very few jobs the same.”

The business is versatile and Alan can handle all kinds of work. With a solid line-up of six Scanias and a strategic mix of low loader trailers, flats and extendables on the road, Alan and his team of drivers - all highly-trained in low loader work - are kept busy moving new and second-hand farm machinery as well as heavy construction plant, in and out of Ireland. The company also transports hay and straw in for local farmers. Many of his drivers are from farming backgrounds and are dedicated to providing an efficient and

28

friendly service.

Alan admits that haulage was always in his blood: “I come from a farming background and I always worked at machinery. My father had a couple of trucks when I was growing up and I suppose it was inevitable that I’d get involved in transport / machinery myself,” he notes. In 2003, he decided to establish his own business; today his familyowned operation has carved out a highly-successful niche in the low loader market.

Alan’s life in haulage began even before he left school, as he worked alongside his father, Roy, delivering farm supplies around County Tyrone and beyond. After a short spell with a local transport company, he quickly spotted an opportunity to go out on his own - and has never looked back!

“I set up my own freightforwarding business in 2003 and bought my first truck in 2006 a Scania 124.470 Topline. It wasn’t long until I spotted a good quality Scania 143 and bought it too. We’ve also purchased a wagon and drag, which is very rare – with only two or three in IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Wishing Armstrong Transport Services Continued Success

Best Wishes To Armstrong Transport Services

Sales ● Service ● Rental● Import & Export Unit 6B Charlemont Ind. Estate, Moy, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone BT71 7SD

T: 028 87 789775 F: 028 87 789809 M: 07780 665737 E: sales@nrtrucks.com Email: info@nrtrucks.com www.nrtrucks.com

Woodlock Yard, 28 Killyliss Rd., Dungannon Co. Tyrone BT70 1QQ

Tel: 028 8772 4667 Fax: 028 8772 5050 Email: transport@ewingbros.eu

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Wishing Continued Success To Armstrong Trnsport Services In The Furture

Best Wishes To Armstrong Transport Services

WOULD

YOU LIKE YOUR COMPANY FEATURED IN IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS MAGAZINE

Call BARRY now on 00353 (0) 46 9241923 IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

29

Ireland – and that brings us a lot of specialist jobs due to its increased loading space. We transport a lot of farm machinery, plant, diggers and abnormal loads around Ireland and the UK as well as all over Europe - including France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Sweden, the Czech Republic etc. We have trucks in England every day and we travel to and from mainland Europe weekly.”

Furthermore, Armstrong Transport Services caters for the transportation of wide and The firm caters for wide and abnormal loads abnormal loads throughout the UK and Europe, having reason why his eponymous company secured all the necessary permits from benefits from a high level of repeat Roads Service, the police and other custom. agencies, as well as organising all “If you show you are reliable, relevant escorts along the planned dependable, the customer will route. continue to use your services and will Throughout what was hopefully the probably recommend you to others; worst years of the recession, Alan has indeed, a lot of my business has been worked hard to provide clients with a built on word of mouth remarkable level of service. Mindful of recommendations,” he confirms. the fact that customers have every Armstrong Transport Services is right to expect their equipment to be armed with an exceptional fleet, indelivered promptly in a professional depth knowledge and an excellent and efficient manner, he has always gone out of his way to ensure 100% attitude. Little wonder they are proving customer satisfaction. This is the main so popular!

COMPANY D ETAILS Armstrong Tr ansport Servi ces 59 Drumlish R oad, Dromore, Omagh County Tyrone BT78 3ER. Tel: 0(044)77 70 60 44 88 E-mail: alanwarmstro ng@hotmail.c om www.armstro ngtransport.eu

Another days work

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The Renault commercial range suits any business needs

A premier outfit Celebrating over 30 years in business, Cleary Motors in Thurles, Co Tipperary are still going strong in the motors sales industry, despite the economic downturn. Irish Trucker spoke to Managing Director, Pat Cleary, about the company which was recently re-appointed as the main Renault dealer in the Premier County.

S

ince 1977, Cleary Motors in Loughtagalla, Thurles has been leading the way as one the country’s leading Renault dealers.

In that time, current company managing director Pat Cleary has

been joined by his brother Joe in the business and together they have helped to provide their customers tremendous value for money, outstanding styling, class leading technology and, above all, reliability.

He explained: “We’re in Thurles 34 years now and the company was first started up by my father in Moyne in the late 1950s.

“We now have ten full-time staff working here and my mother and

Pat Cleary (Dealer Principal) and Oliver Maun (Commercial Sales Executive) from Cleary Motors

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

31

brother would still be involved in the background and I would say that we are very much a family run business.”

Pat first became involved in his father’s business soon after finishing college and has since went on to assume the reins as Managing Director, having poured in plenty of work during the years as it was finding its feet as a Renault dealer down south, after Eddie Cleary had spent more than forty years trading in Moyne and Thurles.

Since then, Cleary Motors has become a household name in the Munster region for the reliable service it provides its customers and the rich history it had acquired through the years. They are possibly the longest Renault associated dealer in the country.

“We are the main Renault dealers in county Tipperary and have been associated with the Renault brand for over 40 years, back since my father first started the company,” said Pat. In 2011, Renault has been market leader as more of their cars have been purchased under the government’s scrappage scheme than any other.

From the economical and excellent Clio, through to the likes of the Megane, Scenic, Twingo and Laguna , Renault has the vehicles in their extensive repertoire to suit their customers’ wants and needs. If you throw in the Fluence – a very popular and well built car – you will have a near perfect line-up of vehicles to suit all your driving needs.

Cleary Motors in Loughtagalla, Thurles

32

The team at Cleary Motors

“Renault was the number one selling brand last year for commercial and passenger vehicles and the fact that there is so much flexibility in the range is making it extremely attractive for customers,” said Pat. “The line-up has won back a lot of customers as well as bringing a whole range of new customers on board as well. It’s fair to say that Renault is the outstanding value brand of the scrappage scheme.”

Pat admits that business has been tough recently, with the economic downturn stinging companies similar to

his throughout the country. In many cases, businesses have had to reduce their staff or close down completely due to a severe drop in sales, as customers’ pockets have been hit hard by the recession.

At Cleary Motors they have felt the pinch too, according to Pat, but the Thurles man has done his utmost to try and keep a positive outlook to the scenario, as any good business man would do “Business is hard at the moment, but the brand and pricing structure has definitely helped,” he said.

“On the commercial end, it’s a fiveyear warranty on vehicles with scrappage and other deals. At the moment they’re putting a lot of deals out there for customers to avail of as sales have been down so much since 2007.”

One upbeat approach Pat has taken is to start a new project for a new premises at Cleary Motors.

There are major plans in store for the premises, with an application recently approved by the North Tipperary planning authority to improve and enlarge the spacious showrooms in Loughtagalla. When completed, it is expected that Cleary Motors will be once again one of the most modern facilities in the region – befitting of the kind of standard promoted and attained by Renault.

“We have planning permission in place for the new premises and we are hoping that it will be done within IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

this year,” enthused Pat. “We want to put in a new showroom and a new state-of-the-art workshop and it’s something that we’ve wanted to do for a while now, so hopefully we can get it done and improve facilities and services available to new and old customers.”

Back in January, Cleary Motors extended an open invitation to all interested to come to their premises in Loughtagalla and explore their extensive range of Renault commercial and passenger vehicles during the open weekend and indeed afterwards.

Pat and his employees have always been delighted to welcome new and familiar faces and take particular delight in extending a warm reception to new customers that are interested in the famous Renault brand.

The second hand trade continues to be buoyant and Pat and the team are only too delighted to welcome in customers and talk about a trade-in or indeed repairs and services.

So, whether you’re looking to buy or need garage reliable for repairs, look no further than Cleary Motors in Loughtagalla, Thurles, Co Tipperary, where you can discover their complete range of passenger cars, commercial vehicles and a selection of used cars from every brands. They will also put all of their services at your disposal, from maintenance, repairs and financing.

Renault Tipperary has new and used cars available for immediate delivery, and live by the motto: ‘No delay, drive away today!

So contact Cleary Motors and they we will answer you within 24 hours!

COMPANY DETAILS Cleary Motor s Thurles Tipperary Co. Tipperary Tel: 0504 2128 1 Email: info@clearym otors.ie

BEST WISHES TO CLEARY MOTORS IN THE FUTURE

Best Wishes To Cleary Motors From

Templemore Road, Thurles Phone: 0504 91900

www.centenarythurles.com

Collins Auto Electrics Ltd Phone (0504) 21633. Fax (0504) 20941 Email: collinsautoelectrics@gmail.com

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Continued Best wishes to Cleary Motors, from

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SALES & SERVICE 24 HOUR TOWING SERVICE 33

KD (Garage) Services celebrates 25 years in business This year marks the 25th anniversary of KD (Garage) Services Ltd’s opening in Co. Wexford. In that time, the garage has become synonymous with the Scania and Mitsubishi Fuso brands.

W

hile it may only seem like yesterday to Keith Deacon, a quarter of a century has

Co. Wexford.

From humbling beginnings, the

Drinagh, which is situated on the old Rosslare Road out of Wexford town,

business has established itself as one

KD was appointed as Scania parts

passed since he and his wife Vandra

of the South East’s leading

and services agent in 1991 before

set up KD (Garage) Services Ltd in

commercial vehicle garage. Based in

becoming sales dealers for the South

34

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

East three years later. And after moving to their current location in 1998, KD became main Mitsubishi Fuso truck dealers.

“I can’t believe we are 25 years in business – it has slipped by so quickly,” Keith says.

“We’ve worked hard to make a name for ourselves and to build up a good customerbase. A lot of garages have come and gone in the last 25 years, but we’re still here and please God we’ll have many more years in business.”

KD’s growth and success has been built on its unrivalled service, quality, expertise The impressive KD (Garage) Services’ and value-forpremises in Wexford money. As the only appointed Scania dealer in the South East, the garage is ideally located to provide the best service and aftercare possible. KD also operates a breakdown service which is available 24/7 to cater for their customers’ needs.

In addition to being main Scania and Mitsubishi dealers, KD (Garage) Services offer an extensive range of services, including maintenance, spare parts, crash repairs, tachograph calibration and repairs, speed limiter calibration and repairs, laser wheel alignment, air conditioning service, VTN preparation, trailer servicing and repair, and maintenance contracts.

Over the past 20 years, KD has built up and extensive IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

knowledge and experience across the range of Scania trucks. More recently, they have extended their knowledge and expertise to Scania bus and coach along with Scania industrial and marine engines.

With the Scania “Modular” system resulting in thousands of possible variations, Keith and his team are always available to discuss your requirements and help you choose the correct specification of the truck to suit your individual needs. KD has a huge variation of customers, ranging from bus companies, distribution companies and construction companies to international truck transport businesses to oil distributors.

The family-run concern also counts Bus Eireann, the HSE and local authorities among its customers.

Indeed, they recently received an order from Wexford County Council for 26 new Mitsubishi Canter seven-anda-half tonne crew cabs, which Keith was delighted to get.

“That was a great order to get, especially the way the economy is now. It’s a big challenge to sell new stuff in the current climate – people don’t have the money or the confidence to spend. We’ve lucky that Scania have their own finance package and that has helped us to sell a few new trucks.

“But by and large, used trucks would

account for most of our sales at the moment. We have something to suit everyone and have a very loyal customer-base.”

KD (Garage) Services’ best selling Scanias are the R420 and the R500.

The most popular Mitsubishi models are the Canter three-and-a-half tonne and seven-and-a-half tonne.

The Mitsubishi Canter range offers reliability, comfort, value-for-money and flexibility in wheel-base range as well as the choice of single or crew cab to meet your business needs.

KD Garage was recently awarded the prestigious title of Mitsubishi Fuso Dealer of the Year and was honoured to receive this title and hold the perpetual cup which stands proudly in the company’s reception.

Having originally been based in Maudlinstown and then in the White Mill Industrial Estate (both of which are in Wexford town), KD relocated to a two-acre site in Drinagh 13 years ago.

The 10,000 sq ft purpose-built premises features the latest and most up-to-date diagnostic equipment available, which is used by the garage’s vehicle manufacture’s trained staff to assist in solving their customers’ transport issues. KD’s workshop is open six days a week to fit in with customers’ work schedules.

KD stocks an extensive range of Scania and Mitsubishi parts which are

Keith Deacon (third from left) receives the Mitsubishi Fuso Dealer of the Year award from John Downey (MD, Mitsubishi Fuso Ireland), Gerard Rice (General Rice (General Manager, Mitsubishi Fuso Ireland) and Alexander Kuhnt (Mitsubishi Fuso Europe)

35

Keith Deacon hands over the keys of a Mitsubishi Fuso Canter to Hugh Russell of Wexford County Council - the local authority took delivey of 26 new Canters in all

covered by a full 12-month warranty.

They also offer a range of alternative and second hand parts to meet differing budget requirements or older models.

Despite its close proximity to the busy port of Rosslare, Keith reveals that passing trade is minimal.

“We get some (passing trade), but not as big as you’d imagine. The vast majority of our customers are from Wexford and the greater South East region, and many of them are repeat customers. We appreciate their

Keith Deacon set up KD (Garage) Services 25 years ago

36

business and go out of our way to provide them with the best service we possibly can.”

Customers can use KD’s website (ww.kdgarage.com) to view the full range of Scania and Mitsubishi models. They can also search for used vehicles as well as the availability of stock. And with 25 years’ experience behind them, KD (Garage) Services won’t be beaten for quality, value-for-money and total

COMPANY D ETAILS telephone reception:0539145554 parts: 053-91 43588 service: 0539143592 Fax parts and service: 053-9145844 sales and offic e: 053-916309 0 Email: info@kd garage.com

dedication to customer service.

Parts Manager Dermot Hall

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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TRUCK NEWS on with i t a i c o s s in a

01 862 0000

FTA Ireland approved as official Driver CPC provider FTA Ireland (FTAI) has been officially approved by the Road Safety Authority to deliver Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training in Ireland. Aidan Flynn, FTA Ireland’s General Manager Business Services, confirms: “We are delighted to announce that FTA Ireland is now an approved Driver CPC training provider, with a team of experts available to deliver the highest quality training for all Driver CPC modules in Ireland. With the deadline for this year’s training of 9 September fast approaching, I would advise Irish companies to contact us to book their training as a matter of urgency.”

The Driver CPC was introduced across the EU in 2008 for professional bus drivers and in 2009 for professional truck drivers to set and maintain high standards of road safety, health and safety and driving among professional drivers of buses and trucks. Drivers must undergo 35 hours of Driver CPC training over a five-year period, on a one-day-per-year basis. FTA Ireland currently has two training centres registered in Dublin, with plans to go nationwide by January 2012 to meet the needs of the Association’s growing membership base in Ireland. FTA Ireland, launched just over a year ago, is a not-for-profit membership trade association for the Irish freight and logistics industry. It is wholly owned and governed by its members and acts solely in advancing their best interests. It covers all aspects of private and public freight transport, passenger transport and logistics supply chain, including road, rail, sea and air.

China’s longest truck assembly line up and running The assembly line can build a truck in four minutes

An enormous assembly line in China can build a truck in four minutes. China’s major heavyduty truck producer — BeiBen Heavy-Duty Truck Co Ltd — has started manufacturing vehicles on the country’s longest truck assembly line, which has a yearly production capacity of 50,000 truck chassis. The 760metre long production line - with mechanical arms - can assemble a truck in four minutes, and simultaneously assemble 49 trucks and finish them in 100 minutes, according to Yan Jiang, deputy manager of BeiBen. With the new production line, the company headquartered in Baotou City, in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, has a combined production capacity of 100,000 units of heavy-duty trucks a year, according to Wang Shihong, general manager of the company. The company realised revenue of 7.89 billion yuan ($1.23 billion) in the first seven months of 2011, an increase of 15% on last year.

4

DHL sign Man Utd sponsorship deal Logistics giant DHL have signed up with one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world following the sponsorship agreement with English Premier DHL will sponsor Manchester Utd’s club training kit for the next four years League champions Manchester United. DHL will sponsor the clubs training kit over the next four years and the Man United players sported the new logo on their kit when they were warming up for Monday night’s 3-0 win over Spurs at Old Trafford. The new four-year-agreement sees the DHL logo included on the clubs’ training kit worn by all first, reserve and youth team players during domestic competitions and builds on DHL’s relationship behind the scenes at the club. DHL has been the Club’s Official Logistics Partner for a year and played a key role supporting United’s pre-season tour of the United States.

41 killed in India truck accident At least 41 people were killed after a truck overturned and fell into a roadside ditch in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The truck was carrying pilgrims to a temple in the state's Ballia district - about 185 miles (300km) south-east of the state capital, Lucknow. There were more than 60 passengers on board and more than a dozen people were also injured India has the highest road death toll in the world. The country is notorious for reckless driving, old vehicles and bad roads, with more than 100,000 people dying in road accidents every year.

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Ford Easy Fuel Helps Prevent Fuel Theft

Fuel prices on the rise, but so too is the theft of fuel through siphoning. However, Ford owners can feel secure that they won’t return to an empty tank thanks to the company’s Easy Fuel cap-less fuel system.

Easy Fuel features an advanced filler neck design that makes it difficult to insert any object other than a standard fuel pump nozzle. The design is primarily to prevent customers from pumping diesel into a petrol tank, but it has the additional benefit of discouraging thieves wielding a siphoning hose.

"The first goal of the Easy Fuel system is to make the refuelling process as simple and risk-free for the customer as possible,” said Eddie Murphy, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland.

“But we’re pleased if it also slows down would-be thieves. We are hearing from our dealers on the ground of an increased incidence of fuel siphoning, particularly from older model cars”.

With the Easy Fuel system, a spring-loaded door within the fuel filler neck is held closed by latches that can only be released by a standard-size fuel nozzle, eliminating the need for a fuel tank screw cap. When the proper nozzle is inserted, the latches release, and the nozzle pushes the spring-loaded door to the open position. When the nozzle is removed, the door is automatically forced closed by the spring. Makeshift siphoning devices are unlikely to be able to bypass the system. If a nozzle or tube of a different size is placed in the filler neck of a petrol-powered vehicle, the latches will not release.

“Unless they understand how the mis-fuelling inhibitor works and come prepared, many would-be fuel thieves are unsuccessful in siphoning fuel from Ford vehicles,” said Murphy.

With the exception of the Ka, the Easy Fuel system is available as standard on all Ford passenger models sold in Ireland.

Ford and Toyota join forces on hybrid truck technology Toyota and Ford will collaborate on hybrid-drive technology and development aimed at light trucks and SUVs. The agreement is expected to lead to new fuel-efficient powertrain designs that will begin showing up on light-duty vehicles sold under both the Ford and Toyota brands in the later part of the decade. No announcement has been made as to which platforms will be targeted. Toyota already manufactures the most popular hybrid in the United States, the Prius, and Ford plans to triple its hybrid output to more than 100,000 vehicles per year by 2013. Currently, both Ford and Toyota employ similar hybrid architectures in vehicles like the Prius and Ford Fusion hybrid, but both are tailored toward front-wheel drive sedans and smaller crossover SUVs. In order to provide the added power needed to produce a towing capacity found in vehicles like the Toyota Tundra or Ford F-150, the manufacturers will need to develop a new, rear-wheel drive hybrid system. The companies recently signed an agreement to share development costs, saying they want to make the technology more affordable for customers and bring it to market faster. Many details have yet to be worked out, but both said their vehicles would remain unique even if they share the same drive systems. The deal will help both companies meet more stringent fuel economy and pollution standards, while at the same time keeping larger vehicles viable if fuel prices continue to rise.

Kids to receive High Viz vests In an effort to further reduce pedestrian safety on roads, the RSA and ESB have teamed up to distribute 80,000 High Viz vests to junior infants all around the country. The initiative is aimed at making the younger generation aware of the dangers of the road. Recently a tragic accident occurred in Co Louth when a truck fatally injured a four year old boy, who had cycled out on front of the vehicle. Each of the 80,000 children will receive ‘Back to School’ packs in November when they are distributed to schools and Transport minister Leo Varadkar stressed that children need to be made aware of the dangers of the road.

“Next week, schools will reopen after the summer holidays and will welcome new students. One of the most important lessons for young children is how to use the roads safely,” said Varadkar. “As adults, we have a responsibility to show young road-users the correct way to behave when walking, cycling or travelling to school by bus or car. So I would ask parents, guardians and teachers to teach young children how to be road safety-aware when using the roads.”

M50 tailgaters still a problem Over 2,000 people are caught every month tailgating trucks through the M50 toll in order to avoid paying the fee for using the motorway. The dangerous act of tailgating is putting both the lives of the motorists and truck drivers at risk and even though the number has decreased following a clampdown on motorists doing this, there are still thousands risking their lives to avoid the €3 toll. Only last February, Gardai revealed that over 12,000 motorists a month were caught on camera tailgating through the toll. Anyone now found guilty will receive an on the spot fine of €80 and two penalty points.

6

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7

The Galway Trucker by Francis Kennedy The words of The Galway Trucker, Tom Harte’s new single, tell the story of many an Irish truck driver – “Six days a week, he’s up at six, hail rain or snow. The smell of rashers on the pan tells him that it’s almost time to go”.

Give or take a few hours and the vagaries of the Irish weather, it could be any of a thousand different truckers on this island. The biographical up-tempo country song was written specially for Tom and tells of a week in the life of a truck-driver who works hard all week transporting gravel and stones for Roadstone and plays in venues around the county with his band at weekends.

The song takes the listener from Tom’s home in Kiltrogue through Turloughmore, Lackagh and Annagh Cross to the quarry and then to Oranmore, Monivea, Ryehill until he parks his truck on Friday evening and sets off for Jackson’s Trappers’ Inn to play with his band.

Tom, a native of Newport, County Tipperary, settled in Kiltrogue when he and his wife Nuala married and raised a family. While driving his truck by day, Tom travelled throughout Connacht with his pub-band, singing and playing drums and bringing his own style of dance music to the dancers of County Galway and further afield.

This is not his first release but it’s proving to be his most popular to date. A few years ago he had great success with his debut CD, ‘Brave Harte’ which included the very popular ‘Lotto Song’ and followed that up with a full-length album, ‘Celtic Harte’ in 2007. ‘The Galway Trucker’ was written by his friend, Athenry musician Francis Kennedy and recorded at his studio in Athenry. Francis, who has played guitar and bass with many bands including Brendan Shine and Michael O’Brien, plays guitars, bass and keyboards on the CD while backing vocals are provided by Áine Fitzgerald and Áine Parkes, percussion

by Jimmy Reilly and concertina by Áine Fitzgerald also.

Irish hauliers under scrutiny A crackdown on Irish lorry firms allegedly illegally undercutting Welsh truckers has seen HGVs seized and fines handed out. Haulage companies have been sending trucks over the Irish Sea to bid for domestic work on UK soil – avoiding the country’s high fuel costs, road taxes and strict operating rules. Under new EU “cabotage” rules they can undertake three journeys in the UK after an international trip – but road chiefs from VOSA say some Irish firms are flouting the rules. This has seen truckers compete directly with Welsh haulage firms in a move that is “hurting” the industry and costing firms jobs. It also sees trucks clogging up lay-bys and other roadside sites as they remain on UK soil. Since May 2010 the UK Government has vowed to step-up enforcement, with new £200 fixed fines brought in. This has seen 326 fines handed out in Wales since last May, cabotage rights removed and HGVs seized for unauthorised use without a UK operating licence. The Road Haulage Association said the practice was “pulling the rug” from under the domestic market. But the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) says their drivers and firms are being unfairly targeted and have called for ports in Wales and Liverpool to be made “international”, where cabotage regulations would not apply. Dave Collings, VOSA area manager for Wales, said: “We have been surprised by the numbers since the fixed penalty fines have come in, this has seen vehicles impounded and sold. There has been a high level of noncompliance. “Lorries are coming here for a week and staying here the whole time taking domestic work from UK hauliers, breaking cabotage rules. These EU rules are being enforced to protect UK hauliers and we hope the message is getting through. We have had some big successes and these include major Irish hauliers.” VOSA now includes cabotage checks as a matter of routine in all roadside inspections of foreign trucks to ensure they are not doing UK domestic haulage work to which they are not legally entitled. The onus is on the hauliers to prove they are working within the rules.

The CD was released in mid-August and in the first three days of its appearance on YouTube, it gained 500+ views.

This is going up constantly. The single will be officially launched at a function in The Trapper’s Inn and truckers from all over the country are welcome to attend. You can hear the song on YouTube.com by typing the words ‘Galway Trucker Harte’ in the search box.

Stena Line to reduce service Leading shipping firm Stena Line has announced plans to reduce its HSS service between Dub Laoghaire and Holyhead from September 13th. The HSS fast craft Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead service will be reduced to just a seasonal operation. Area Director for Stena Line's business on the Irish Sea Michael McGrath said: "Despite all our attempts to reduce operating costs over the last few years, it has not been possible to return the route to profitability. "We regret that this decision will have an impact amongst our ship's personnel and our port operations staff in Dun Laoghaire but this is a decision that has to be taken for the benefit of the overall business. We simply cannot continue to sustain these levels of financial losses. "We will now embark on a period of consultation with our staff and their union representatives to discuss the implications of the proposed changes with them."

8

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9

O-Licence regulation changed by DfT The UK’s Department of Transport’s decision to respond to changes on operator licensing regulations has been applauded by the Freight Transport Association. Only some operators will notice the change in regulations and FTA Head of Road Freight and Enforcement Policy James Firth welcomed the changes. ”Broadly speaking these changes export GB best practice to the rest of Europe, which is good news for most of our operators who won’t see any real changes and which will hopefully up the standards in the rest of Europe. The DfT deserves credit for listening to industry and being pragmatic enough to minimise the potential burden of wholesale changes to our industry,” said Firth. ”FTA will work closely with the Office of the Traffic Commissioners to ensure the practicalities of the changes are as straightforward as possible.”

Super ships to shape future of NI ferry travel Work is due to commence this week on the refurbishment of the two giantships that Stena Line will be introducing on the Irish Sea later this year when the ferry company launches its new Belfast-Cairnryan route in November. The identical ‘sister’ ships Stena Superfast VII and Superfast VIII will be the biggest ferries ever to sail between Northern Ireland and Scotland and will undergo a refit programme at the Remotova shipyard in Poland which the company claims will ensure that they are the most modern, comfortable and best designed ferries ever to ply the Irish Sea. Stena Line has appointed specialist marine outfitters MJM Marine from Newry, a company with considerable experience Stena are commencing in the global cruise ship industry, to ensure that refurbishment work on two of the new ships are fitted out to the highest their ‘sister’ ships standards in order to provide customers with a unique top quality ferry travel experience. Paul Grant, Stena Line’s Route Director, said: “In November this year we will be launching a new purpose built port and terminal at Cairnryan in Scotland which will herald a new route for our Northern Ireland to Scotland service and we will also be introducing two identical ships onto the route, the biggest ever ferries to sail between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

“It will be a huge milestone for this service and the culmination of an ongoing investment programme which started with the construction of our new terminal at VT4 in Belfast back in 2008. The combination of the new port and ships will enable Stena Line to reduce the journey time to 2 hours 15 minutes and will provide a level of quality, comfort and facilities never before seen on the Irish Sea. “Not only that, the fact that the two ships are identical, allied with our already excellent customer service, means that customers are guaranteed a consistency of top quality on board service and facilities that we haven’t been able to offer before, another great advantage for passengers and freight drivers. “That’s why we have appointed specialist marine outfitters MJM Marine who have a wealth of experience in the cruise ship industry and will play a vital role in enabling us to offer customers the best possible ferry travel experience,” he added.

“The ship layout will also be changed to accommodate our freight customers and I’m delighted to say that for the first time on the route, there will be no deck height restrictions, which means that we can accommodate virtually any load our freight customers have. We believe that this, alongside the fact that we sail direct from and to Belfast with easy access to the motorway system, will provide us with a unique competitive advantage in the market,” concluded Mr Grant. Jonathan Guest, Managing Director of MJM Marine said: "We take immense pride to be involved with these prestigious refits and view it as an endorsement of MJM's knowledge and experience of working with Stena on their Irish sea routes."

Built in Germany in 2002, the new Stena Superfast vessels will each be able to accommodate 1200 passengers, 660 cars or 110 freight units and will operate up to 12 daily departures between Belfast and Stena Line’s new port at Cairnryan, all year round.

Absenteeism costing businesses €1.5 billion per year A report released by IBEC shows that a total of eleven million days are lost every year to absenteeism.

The problem is occurring in every industry and broken down it means that each employee that does it costs €818 per employee. However, since the end of the Celtic Tiger, the amount of absenteeism has dropped considerably since the last survey, which was carried out in 2004. IBEC's Brendan Butler said the recession appears to have led to a reduced level of absenteeism. However, he said the issue affects the wider economy through loss of potential output and the increased spending on social security. He said that proactive measures by employers, such as holding return-to-work interviews and putting in place employee health and well-being supports, can reduce absenteeism.

10

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Logistics Day on the way Logistics firms all over the world are set to celebrate their industry’s efforts on an annual basis starting from November 14th, 2012.

Logistics Day will see companies all over the world take part in fundraising, corporate team building and recognise the essential role that logistics plays in modern society. Some of the world’s leading logistics’ firms have weighed in behind the occasion. Brian Dempsey, Commercial Director of Kerry Logistics said: “However well designed, effectively manufactured and successfully sold any product is, without coherent logistics throughout the process, it will fail. Logistics in the 21st Century takes its rightful place as one of the four pillars of any prosperous business.” Richard Charles, Executive Director of WACO-System said: "Businesses compete more and more through effective supply chains and the logistics industry is the enabler for this. We have a lot to do to address important challenges especially for CEO’s within the Logistics sector who need a proactive approach to recruiting and retaining key people to avoid potential skills shortages in both mature and emerging markets. Logistics Day presents a fantastic opportunity to highlight the significant role and contribution the people who are in the logistics sector and the contribution they make to the world economy." Robert Jervis, Director, Multimodal and Maritime Logistics said: “Logistics is vital – it gets goods to consumers at a price they can afford. There are lots of issues we need to look at, like how to better stretch our modes and start making use of redundant resources, there is no doubt that there needs to be some proper joined up thinking. Logistics day will be an important way to raise awareness and boost the profile of the industry to politicians, decision makers, and the public so that everyone can see the value that it brings.”

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Haulage industry fares well in Northern Ireland The fortunes of UK hauliers in the second quarter of 2011 appeared to depend greatly on their geographical location. According to the Freight Transport Association (FTA), companies based in the north of Britain fared far better than their southern counterparts during the three-month period, Road Transport reports. Firms in the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland had a much more positive outlook than those in the south of England and parts of Wales. The Midlands also saw subdued activity between April and June, but bosses are expecting a much more lively and prosperous time in the third quarter.

FTA research analyst Bruce Goodhart said a return to pre-recession business levels is still a distant goal. "Recovery in the south of England seems to be far more fragile reflecting the modest growth that the UK as a whole is seeing," he was reported as saying. A number of companies in the London area have said they will either replace lorries that do not comply with new emissions standards scheduled for 2012, or send them to other parts of the country, FTA figures showed.

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Northern Ireland begin clear up

Illegal waste is being sent back down south by the NI authorities

First of four newbuild ferries launched for Seatruck The first of four sisterships ordered by Clipper Group–owned Seatruck Ferries Ltd was named and launched on August 19 by FSG Flensburg shipyard. The first of the newbuildings was named “Seatruck Progress”.

The four sisterships will be delivered by Flensburg to Seatruck during the November 2011 – June 2012 period. They are intended primarily for service on the Irish Sea. The new ships are 142 metres long and 45 metres wide. Each has a freight capacity of 2,166 lane metres, on four decks, and can carry up to 151 trailers.

The new vessels from Flensburg will be the most modern and efficient in the Seatruck fleet. They will be the biggest ships to operate out of the port of Heysham.

Each vessel has two modern MAN engines designed to meet the most rigorous emission and fuel consumption demands. This RoRo ferry design takes account of the often difficult and rough conditions in the Irish Sea. The new vessels will have sea-holding characteristics well in excess of the normal demands of the class.

Following delivery of all four ferries, Seatruck Ferries Ltd will operate 12 vessels in total, mainly on own services on the Irish Sea.

Almost €9 million seized by customs at ports and airports The success of customs officials has been revealed as almost €9 million has been seized from people trying to board ferries or flights. Information provided to the Irish Examiner shows, that of this €9m, €4.85m has so far been forfeited to the state as a result of court orders. Customs figures reveal the main destinations for the cash were Brussels, Amsterdam, Malaga and London. A total of 180 seizures of cash, valued at €8.85m, were made by customs from 2005 to now. There have been 66 forfeiture orders. A customs spokesman said: "It is generally accepted that the removal of cash from criminals severely disrupts and damages their activities — it takes out of circulation money which would otherwise be used to finance criminal activity or which represents the proceeds of crime.

"Criminal proceeds are increasingly being moved around the world by electronic transfer, but there is no evidence to suggest that the physical movement of crime-related cash across borders is diminishing."

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Thousands of tonnes of illegally dumped waste in Northern Ireland is being cleared up and sent back down South where it came from in the first place. The clear up has begun and the Irish government will pay for the waste that was dumped at a sand quarry at the foot of the Mourne Mountains. "It's very hard to tell what is down there until we dig it up," explains Stephen McLaughlin from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. "There will be lots of toxic chemicals. The water percolating through this waste pollutes the ground water, pollutes local waterways, surface waters and streams." There is also a risk from poisonous gas on the site and everyone has to wear gas detectors. Emergency evacuation procedures are explained to any site visitor.

UK clamping down on tachograph cheats The Road Haulage Association has welcomed a campaign to prevent lorry drivers from altering their tachograph to increase the time they can spend driving. VOSA and the police have issued leaflets warning UK and foreign drivers that they will be prosecuted if they are discovered to be using a magnet to distort their tachograph readings. Practices that alter tachographs which measure lorry drivers' activities on the road - are major safety risks and can prevent fair competition between rival firms. Magnets can be used to allow drivers to break current rules and regulations governing the amount of time they can drive in any one day. "We have been stressing [to] the ministers that the UK must send out a clear signal that the use of magnets is a really serious offence [and] will not be tolerated in this country," sas RHA director of policy Jack Semple.

Fruit lorry causes traffic havoc In world news, a fruit lorry recently caused a major traffic jam on an Austrian motorway after it shed six tonnes of apricots across the road. The Hungarian lorry was travelling on Austria’s A1 motorway when it struck a support pillar and exploded sending the cargo of apricots all over the motorway. The driver is reported to have lost control at Loosdorf, but he managed to leap from the vehicle before it exploded into flames, causing hours of traffic disruption. The blast spread the fruit across the motorway, closing the country’s main arterial road for eight hours and causing a 15km tailback at the start of a bank holiday.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

IRHA defend its members The Irish Road Haulage Association has defended its members accused of operating illegal cabotage in UK ports. The UK government has begun impounding Irish lorries after they were found to breach rules by companies sending over unaccompanied trailers to Liverpool, Fishguard, Pembroke and Holyhead, where Irish drivers collect them, having stayed there overnight. However, the UK Government believes that English trucks should be collecting the trailers, but the IRHA state that Irish drivers are hauling Irish loads and nothing else. “Irish drivers often take a load across the Irish sea and then stay in Britain to collect more Irish trailers,” explained Eoin Gavin, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA). “It doesn’t make sense for them to keep going back and forth when they know they will have more loads for Britain. The stay in the UK also acts as an official break from working hours. “Our members do not want to take UK business away. We are only collecting Irish loads which we would be carrying anyway, added Gavin. “We believe the UK government is being protectionist.

New Actros gives Mercedes-Benz 1,000 jobs boost Full order books for the Actros is creating new jobs

One thousand new jobs will be created at Mercedes-Benz. plant in Wörth due to full order books for the new Actros.

The hiring of up to 1,000 employees marks an important step in preparations for the production launch of the highlyanticipated new Actros and all signs now point to growth at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth. The facility’s order books are full and the new Actros - which will begin rolling off the line in Wörth at the end of September - is generating an increase in production volume and therefore a greater need for personnel. The production program has been stepped up so as to enable the plant to fill all customer orders flexibly, efficiently, and on time. In addition, an agreement has been reached to run special shifts almost every Saturday in the second half of the year, which is why the plant management and the Labour Council have decided to hire up to 1,000 new workers. “The hiring of up to 1,000 new employees marks an important step in our preparations for the production launch of the new Actros,” says the manager of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth, Yaris Pürsün. “We’ve been working at full speed on the production launch for months now, and it’s a huge challenge for the entire team. I’m proud that every employee here has shown great dedication and made a personal contribution to supporting our quality claim of ‘Trucks you can trust.’” The first new employees will be taken on in September, and additional staff members will be added in subsequent months. The hiring process is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2012. The positions will be filled by hiring completely new employees and granting permanent employment contracts to current temporary workers.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Cork retailers oppose city speed limit proposals Retailers in Cork city have hit out against proposals to introduce a 30km speed limit on some of the city’s streets. A group has been formed to represent the 200 retailers opposed to the 30km speed limit is being opposed by the Cork Business Association proposal. The Cork Business Association feels that the 50km speed limit currently in place is adequate and that there is no need for a change. However, officials feel that a further reduction in the speed limit would see reduce traffic accidents even further and city councillors are set to discuss the matter at their September meeting.

Update on Dublin roads renewal Work began in mid August on Package One of Dublin City Council’s €18m Carriageway Renewal Programme. Roadstone Wood Ltd. has been selected to carry out all Package One works on behalf of the City Council. Lane closures will be in operation and road users should expect some delays. A stop and go system will be in place. These works are part of a larger programme of road renewal around the city that will take place between August and the end of November.

The investment, funded by the National Transport Authority and National Roads Authority, is renewing roads which have sustained damage caused during our recent very harsh winters, as well as renewing roads that have deteriorated through day-to-day wear and tear. This is in addition to the usual package of road improvement works undertaken by Dublin City Council every year. 23km of roads in Dublin City will be resurfaced during the works. They are due to be completed by the 25th November. The programme consists of three packages of work across 23 individual sites, located along national primary routes and other major public transport corridors.

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Lights out on the M1 Motorway lighting will be permanently switched off on sections of the M1 in Britain, to reduce carbon emissions. The Highways Agency have begun to switch off and remove lighting between junctions 10 (Luton) and 13 (Milton Keynes), via phased removal concluding in Autumn 2012. The motorway junctions themselves, approach roads and a section of the M1 on either side of junction 11 will have their lighting columns replaced and remain lit, however. The HA says 810 tonnes of carbon will be saved by the move. With lighting at the affected sections of the M1 in a poor state of repair and ongoing work to transform the stretch into a managed part of the network featuring variable speed signs, the HA says it is confident the decision will not affect road safety or cause additional congestion. The Agency adds that under revised standards introduced in 2007 for lighting England’s motorways and A-roads lights if the section was being newly built today lighting would not be installed. Derek Turner, director at the HA, says: “This is not about wishing to remove all lights from the motorway network. It’s about carefully identifying the locations where, under the revised guidelines, we would no longer install lighting. “The money saved could then be used for other measures on the strategic road network where it would have a more significant safety benefit and potentially save more lives.”

Majority of drivers admit to amber gambling 85% of motorists ignore the amber light

Automatic fines for motor tax dodgers Motorists who fail to pay their motor tax could soon be receiving automatic fines in the post.

The system has proved effective in the UK and could be soon introduced here. Local authorities feel it would be an ideal way of tackling the rampant problem of motorists driving without paying motor tax. One of the biggest sources of finance for local authorities in Ireland, motor tax brought in €1.023bn last year. But city and county managers want even more and they have complained that a database that could help catch every motor tax cheat in the country was being under-used. The County and City Managers Association (CCMA) says the details of all untaxed cars and their owners are available from the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) database in Shannon, Co Clare, yet the job of catching motor tax cheats is “almost exclusively carried out by the Gardai, usually by random checks on vehicles on the road without reference to the database”. This is even though the names and car registrations of motorists who had not paid their motor tax were sent twice a week to the Gardai from the NVDF database. The managers insist this is one of the main reasons why up to 10% of motorists escape without paying motor tax.

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A poll conducted in the UK has found that 85% of motorists admitted to ignoring the amber light at traffic lights. Almost nine out of ten drivers said they will proceed at speed through amber signals, according to the poll by a leading car and van rental firm. The ‘amber gambler’ phenomenon seems to be here to stay as 40% of drivers say they will rarely stop at amber lights, while 16% consider an amber light to be the same as a green one. Of the 3,000 motorists polled, 13% said they had either been involved in an accident or had encountered a near miss after going through an amber light. 50% of them have been shouted at by their passengers and 26% have been sworn at or hooted at by other drivers. From our experience of driving habits here in Ireland, the attitude is similar to that of our neighbours.

Recession bites at packaging sector / recycling on the up The recession has had a negative effect on the packaging industry, with revenue falling by about 6% in the last year. The reason for this is a drop in demand due to a sharp decline in consumption. However, Irish people have embraced recycling. According to Repak, we are exceeding our EU targets. In 2010, Ireland recovered and recycled 65% of all glass, cardboard, plastic, metal and wooden packaging.

We recycled 21 billion cereal boxes, 920 million tin cans, and more than 450 million plastic bottles.

Do you know your crash repair rights?

A survey has found that drivers are not aware of their rights when making insurance repair claims.

Thus, they are missing out on the service levels they would expect, according to the Vauxhall survey which revealed that nearly two thirds (63%) of policy holders think that their insurers determine where their vehicles would be repaired following an accident. A fifth, 18%, know that they themselves have the right to choose where their vehicles are repaired. Given the choice only 18% would take their vehicles to their insurer’s choice of bodyshop. Tony Neff, Vauxhall Accident Repair Channel Manager, says: “People don’t realise that they have the right to choose where they get their vehicles repaired when making an insurance claim, so many will feel obliged to go with their insurers’ recommendations." Currently many C and D vehicles are written off by insurers because the repair using OE parts is deemed too expensive relative to the vehicle’s market value IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

FTA publishes updated Guide to Managing Drivers The Freight Transport Association has published a completely updated version of its Guide to Managing Drivers. The September 2011 edition of the Guide provides advice and guidance to help operators manage drivers in a professional way. Companies rely on their drivers to ensure a cost-effective road freight operation, keeping fuel use down, minimising vehicle wear and tear, and keeping maintenance, insurance and accident costs down. However, driver actions are also the way in which poor management practices come to the surface, so getting the best out of them is crucial in order to operate vehicles in a cost-effective and customer-focused way. The FTA Guide to Managing Drivers covers recruitment, checking driving entitlement and carrying out inductions through to managing driver’s hours, ensuring daily walk around checks are carried out properly and managing driver infringements. It also looks at good practice when using agency drivers and provides sample forms and checklists that will help managers in their day-to-day tasks. The FTA Guide to Managing Drivers is available online at the following link: http://www.shop.fta.co.uk/p-59-guide-to-managing-drivers.aspx. It costs £15 for FTA members and £25 for non-members, with discounts for multiple copies. FTA Ireland (FTAI) was recently officially approved by the Road Safety Authority to deliver Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training in Ireland.

BP set to be sued by thousands A US judge has ruled that thousands of fishermen and business owners hit by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster could sue BP for punitive damages. Judge Carl Barbier, who is considering some 500 cases against the oil giant and is main codefendants Transocean, says the plaintiffs are allowed to make their cases under maritime law for punitive damages – penalties designed to deter bad conduct. BP and the other companies had argued that a different law prevented complainants pursuing them in this way. More than 100,000 individuals, companies and authorities have filed cases claiming they suffered economic loss as a result of the leak last year. The Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20th 2010 killed 11 workers and triggered the biggest offshore oil spill in history. For punitive damages to be successfully claimed extreme negligence would have to be proven, which is strongly denied by BP and the other defendants. Under the same ruling, Judge Barbier dismissed all claims brought under state law, saying they must be covered by maritime law.

Meanwhile, hundreds of boat owners from the 3,000 hired by BP last year under a flagship scheme to clean up the Gulf Coast are understood to be preparing to enter mediation over claims alleging they were left out of pocket.

Bridgestone introduces world’s largest tyre to Europe Bridgestone has brought the world’s largest tyre - size 59/80 R63 - to European shores. Six off-road 4.02-metre-diameter tyres were unloaded at Gothenburg, Sweden, on August 10th. The Bridgestone giants were then transported 1,500 km north to the Aitik open-pit copper mine in Lapland where they will be fitted on an electric-drive model of one of the world’s largest vehicles: the Caterpillar 795F mining truck, weighing 570 tons fully loaded.

The Bridgestone VRPS® (V-Steel Rock Premium Service) off-road tyre is designed to support loads of more than 100 tons and operate in the roughest conditions. It is manufactured at Bridgestone’s specialist Kitakyushu off-road tyre plant in Japan. “Although tyre size 59/80 R63 is used in open mines in the Americas and Australia, this is the first time that these Bridgestone tyres have been used in Europe” says Mats-Johan Adner, Managing Director Bridgestone Sweden. “We are proud that Bridgestone has been selected for one of the world’s first and largest electric-drive mining trucks.”

With a diameter well over twice the height of the average person, a width of 1.47 meters and weight of 5.75 tons, the tyres require special handling and logistics. In Gothenburg a team of six operating reach stackers and 16-ton forklifts lifted the tyres from their containers and loaded them onto a giant double-flatbed trailer in less than three hours. The Aitik mine in northern Sweden is one of Europe’s largest copper mines. The mine operator Boliden, a leading European metals company, has ordered a second set of six Bridgestone VRPS in 59/80 R63, due for delivery in September.

The world’s largest tyre is coming to Europe

Hauliers admit to getting caught up in road rage 43% of UK lorry drivers have been involved in up to 30 road rage incidents in the past year. This is according to a new survey issued by Autoglass and is taken from information submitted by the drivers themselves. A quarter (25%) of van drivers admitted they had been caught up in between 11 to 30 confrontations in the last 12 months with 34% saying they had endured highway aggression between six to 10 times. Many of those surveyed also confessed to breaking the speed limit regularly, with 18% of van drivers and 11% of truckers speeding multiple times a week.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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New Doblo Work Up launched Fiat Professional’s Doblo Cargo van range has just been broadened. Called the Doblo Work Up, the new version is a ‘dropside' vehicle with compact external dimensions allowing easy use in urban areas. The external dimensions are not, however, a limit to its performance. The load box is 2.30m long and 1.82m wide, with 4 m2 of loading area which can accommodate a payload of up to 1,000kg. Additionally, the multi-link suspension permits a rear axle load up to 1,450kg.

The new Doblò Work Up is powered by a choice of two Euro 5 turbodiesel engines: 1.3 MultiJet 90 bhp or 1.6 MultiJet 105 bhp. Both engines are characterised by excellent performance, low noise, low operating costs (fuel consumption and maintenance), reliability and environmental friendliness. Both feature the fuel-saving Start&Stop system and diesel particulate filter. To ensure optimum dynamic performance, comfort and active safety, the vehicle has been equipped with innovative mechanical solutions, among them multi-link rear suspension, stability control, and ABS anti-lock brakes with EBD electronic brakeforce distribution. Available as an option is ESP with Hill-holder, which assists the driver during hill starts. Front airbags complete the safety specification, while high-tech equipment such as a handsfree Blue&Me system and the Blue&Me TomTom navigator are available. "The new Doblò Work Up is the latest evolution of a model designed to be top of its class in terms of performance and functional characteristics, its capability and ease of loading," says Francesco Russiello, marketing product manager, Fiat Professional. "Its low running costs, low fuel consumption with reduced operating costs, and equipment levels all combine with safety and comfort, to make this a commercial vehicle well worth consideration."

Fiat Professional Doblo ‘Work Up’ cargo van

Drivers not complying with Driver CPC Training, Unintentionally!

As this year’s Driver CPC deadline draws closer, Brian Sweeney from the Swilly Group is alerting drivers with both a truck and bus licence that is it vitally important that they plan the sequence of their periodic driver CPC training modules carefully to fully comply with the Driver CPC Truck and Bus regulations. Brian Sweeney says “Non compliance with the Driver CPC periodic training is likely to cause business interruption and in some cases incur financial penalties to driver and transport companies in 2013/2014”.

Drivers with both a truck and bus licence who intend driving buses and trucks professionally must complete all 6 of the driver CPC modules in every 5 year cycle. Modules 1 through 4 are common for bus and truck drivers. However module 5 (The Professional Truck Driver) is specific to Truck Drivers and module 6 (The Professional Bus Driver) is specific to Bus Drivers. It is important that drivers who have both a truck and bus licence complete specific modules 5 and 6 in the one year. Completing either of these modules on their own in any one year may create compliance problems.

Brian Sweeney says “The feedback we have received from our tutors delivering Driver CPC courses is that drivers are not fully aware of the consequences of non-compliance with the Driver CPC regulations”. “Planning the sequence a driver (with both licences) completes the Driver CPC periodic modules must be carried out carefully to ensure full compliance”.

Brian continues “If drivers are not fully compliant with the Driver CPC regulations, they may be prevented from driving professionally in 2013/2014”.

The Swilly Group has uploaded a short blog on their web site (www.swillygroup.com) entitled “Driver CPC Modules – What Sequence?” outlining the importance of planning the sequence of driver CPC periodic training modules for drivers with bus and truck licences.

Call us now to find out more about how the Swilly Group can help you at 1890 63 63 63 (Dublin) or (074) 91 51212 (Donegal). www.swillygroup.com www.facebook.ie/SwillyGroup www.twitter.com/SwillyGroup

ICG profits hit by fuel costs / freight business rises Irish Continental Group (ICG) revenue rose in the first half of the year, but the company saw its profits and earnings fall as fuel costs also rose. Freight business at ICG rose dramatically in the first six months of 2011, compared to the same period last year. The first half of the year is seasonally less profitable, and ICG says last year's figures were boosted by the impact of the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano (which disrupted air space and forced travellers to seek alternative methods of travel). The shipping group says revenue rose 3.4% to €126.6 million for the six months, compared with €122.4 million in 2010. Group fuel costs rose to €24.4 million compared with €20.1 million in the same period in last year.

Roll on, roll off freight business rose strongly, gaining 12% in volume terms, and the port lift sector gained 14.5%.

"The economic outlook remains challenging with austerity programmes affecting both consumer demand for travel and freight markets but we are structured to compete and to continue to generate cash notwithstanding this backdrop," chairman John McGuckian comments.

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Hauliers annoyed by Supermarket fuel prices The ongoing process of private shoppers receiving a major discount on fuel when purchased at Supermarkets is unfair to all involved in the haulage industry according to the UK’s RHA. A 12% drop in global oil prices has been transferred on to supermarket customers, which means they are Supermarket customers seeing drop in fuel prices paying 2p less than where hauliers are not haulage operators, who are not eligible for the reduction and must pay premium prices. RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning said: “Hauliers are shoppers too – the difference is that the average HGV operator cannot take his truck onto the forecourt of a supermarket filling station; it’s not allowed. “If HGV operators were able to take advantage of this offer, filling up a 400 litre tank would cost £48 less. “These price cuts can only ever be short-term.

What is desperately needed and would help everyone would be a reduction in the actual rate of fuel duty. The exchange rate should not be used as an excuse for high pump prices when the price of oil has dropped by 12% in the last month. “It is imperative that we see a 5p cut in the price of fuel. When the price rises we have no choice but to bite the bullet and pay up. Equally, when the price comes down, we expect to see that reflected at the pump too”.

TV programme seeks lady truckers The RTE fashion programme is currently on the look out for lady truckers who might be interested in taking part in a makeover on the show. Off the Rails is one of the national broadcasters most popular shows amongst the female audience and in one of the episodes next season, they will take a group of lady lorry drivers and give them a make over. In a male dominated industry, there is only a small percentage of lady truckers in Ireland, but they now have the opportunity to take centre stage on the television. Simply log on to www.rte.ie/fashion/offtherails to download the application form, email offtherails@rte.ie or call 01 208 21 39

Oil licences are a threat to sea birds The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is opposed to oil drilling at Rathlin Island. Located six miles from the mainland, off the coast of Antrim, Rathlin Island is the northernmost point of Northern Ireland. It boasts a world-renowned collection of wild sea birds and some of the most dramatic seascape in the country. The Department of Energy and Climate Change is considering granting exploration licences allowing companies to look for oil and gas off the coast of the UK, but the RSPB claims wildlife could be at risk if permission for oil drilling at Rathlin Island is granted. The Society insists that there would be a very grave danger of oil spills. Claire Ferry, senior conservation officer at the RSPB, says: "These risks are real and untenable. We cannot stand by and allow demand for fossil fuels to increase the pressure on RSPB has opposed oil our already threatened coastal wildlife and those communities who drilling on Rathlin island rely on it. "Instead of investing in new oil and gas infrastructure, we should be doing the right thing and investing in renewable energy and green technology such as electric cars." This week wil see the close of the public consultation on the 26th oil and gas licensing round, overseen by the Department. Oil & Gas UK's environmental issues director Mick Borwell says: "DECC is currently considering responses to its public consultation on an appropriate assessment for the Rathlin area. This AA is a more detailed version of the environmental impact assessment that must be submitted and approved before any oil and gas activity occurs."

Tullow oil announce record profits Irish owned oil and gas exploration production firm Tullow Oil have recorded record profits for the first six months of 2011.

The company announced that its pre tax profits were up 312% to $540 million with profits after tax up 271% to $330 million (€229). “We have delivered a strong performance and achieved record results in the first half allowing us to double the dividend," said chief executive Aidan Heavey.

“We continue to make good progress with production plans in both Ghana and Uganda and while delays to the farm-down to CNOOC and Total have been frustrating, we now expect completion in September.

“With a strong balance sheet, growing production and a potentially transformational drilling campaign to come, we move into the second half of the year with real confidence.”

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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FTA warns road journey times getting worse Road journey times for freight companies in the UK are worsening, according to latest figures from the Freight Transport Association (FTA). The FTA’s report notes, however, that hauliers have reported improved rail service reliability. Just over 24% of freight companies reported a deterioration in road journey times in the period April-June 2011 compared with the same period last year. This compared with just over 20% who said road journey times had worsened in the January-March 2011 period. The FTA said the worsening in journey times this spring was more marked on the urban road network than on motorways. The FTA added that freight activity in April-June 2011 increased the most in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England, but that companies in London, south-east England and the Midlands reported a fall in activity. The FTA said: "The outlook for the period July-September 2011 continues to show marked regional variation. A north-south split appears to be emerging in the pace of recovery, with London and the South East, and Wales and the West (of England) expecting activity levels to fall while the Midlands, the north and Scotland, and Northern Ireland expect an increase in activity levels."

Hino Trucks approves the use of B20 biodiesel Hino Trucks’ complete product line of class 4 and 5 cab over, and class 6 and 7 conventional trucks are now approved to use up to B20 biodiesel. All 2011 and 2012 model year cab over and conventional trucks powered exclusively with Hino’s proprietary J-Series engines are approved to use biodiesel B20 blends that contain biofuel blend stock (B100) compliant to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D6751, and blended fuel compliant to ASTM D975. B20 biodiesel meeting these standards is also approved for use in Hino’s newly announced diesel-electric hybrid cab over due to enter the market late this fall. “It is our strong commitment to design and assemble trucks that are at the forefront of environmental friendliness and that help to reduce our overall dependency on foreign oils,” said Glenn Ellis, Vice President of Marketing and Dealer Operations for Hino Trucks. Hino offers the only class 6 and 7 conventional truck to meet the stringent 2010 EPA emission requirements without the use of credits. “By offering the class 4 and 5 market a diesel-electric hybrid cab over that can use up to B20 biodiesel, our customers now have an option for a commercially acceptable alternative fuel truck,” added Ellis. Hino trucks built prior to the 2011 model year are approved to use B5 biodiesel. All biodiesel fuels used in Hino trucks must be purchased from a fuel handler licensed under BQ9000.

Hino Trucks can now use B20 biodiesel

Drink drivers to be given second chance Those found to be just over the new legal drink-driving limit will be given a controversial second chance.

The new breath test limit of 50mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood (down from the current 80mg) is the equivalent of drinking less than one pint of beer. The reduced punishment is designed to avoid uproar should a large number of drivers get caught under the lower limit. Reduced sanctions are also aimed at stopping the courts system becoming clogged and cutting the huge cost and time spent bringing drivers to court. Under the current system, all drink drivers are prosecuted in court and banned for twelve months if convicted. The change to a more lenient court-free system for drink drivers comes at a time when the Road Safety Authority (RSA) warns that any amount of alcohol increases the risk of a fatal car crash.

The new three-tier system will be reviewed in 18 months to see if it is working properly to reduce the incidence of drink driving. RSA chief executive Noel Brett rejected claims that allowing some drink drivers to escape a conviction was sending out the wrong message and encouraging people to take a chance: “We believe that these are proportionate penalties, fairly targeted and we are comfortable with them. There is also an immediacy to the punishment for the offence, whereas under the current system it takes a long time to get to court. These are new lower limits and it is important to bring people with you. I'm happy with them.” Under the changes being rolled out in September, gardai will be given new powers allowing them to impose three penalty points and an on-the-spot fine of €200 for motorists caught slightly above the new legal limit of 50mg. This will replace the current automatic court appearance and disqualification for one year, while these drivers will also escape a drink-driving conviction. However, drivers will be legally obliged to notify their insurance companies when renewing their premiums. Motorists will only be allowed to use this lower penalty regime once in a three-year period. If caught a second time, they will go to court. Under a second tier, drivers found with between 80mg and 100mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood will be served with a fixed charge notice of €400 and will be disqualified from driving for six months, instead of the current 12 months imposed by courts. They will have a conviction recorded against them. Finally, drivers who test above the 100mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood cannot avail of the fixed charge option and must appear in court. A minimum ban of one year, and possible fines of up to €5,000, can be imposed.

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24:7 Rentals was founded five years ago

24:7 Rentals - for all your truck and trailer needs 24:7 Rentals is celebrating five years in business and what better time to profile the Co. Antrim-based truck and trailer rental company.

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4:7 Rentals is proof that it is possible for a new company to beat the recession.

Founded five years ago in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim by local man Darren Getty, the company has established itself a one-stop shop for all your truck and trailer hire needs.

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Darren left a secure job as a truck mechanic with McBurney Transport to set up 24:7 Rentals, and while the tough economic climate has provided many challenges for his fledgling business, he has no regrets about going out on his own.

“I was in a steady job five years ago,

so I was taking a gamble by leaving it and attempting to start up my own business,” he remembers.

“But it was something I really wanted to do because I could see a gap in the market for the type of service we’re now providing. For four of the five years we’ve been in business, the IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

The firm only hire out SDC Trailers

country has been in recession and, without doubt, it has been tough going at times. But I’m glad I took the decision to set up the company. I didn’t want to have any regrets and thankfully I don’t.”

In its short existence, 24:7 Rentals has established a tradition of value-for-money, reliability and total dedication to customer service. Its aim is to supply hauliers throughout Ireland with a competitive truck and trailer hire service around the clock for long and short-term rental.

With depots in Ballymoney and nearby Ballymena, 24:7 Rentals is easily accessible to customers in Northern Ireland. However, to cater for customers further field, Darren plans to open a third depot in Belfast in the near future.

“We hope to open a Belfast depot within the next year,” he reveals.

“Our location in the far north east of the country isn’t ideal for our customers in the Republic and that’s why there is a need for us to open a depot in Belfast, which would be closer to them. We’ve been able to get around the location issue until now, but it’s hard work.”

24:7 Rentals Ballymoney and Ballymena depots incorporate state-of-the-art workshops. The company offers the use of its fully-equipped service vehicle to assist with its 24-hour breakdown service for both rental equipment and outside contracts. It also delivers trailers onsite to existing and new

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

customers.

The 24:7 Rentals team has a vast amount of experience and knowledge of the transport industry and its needs. What makes the company different from its rivals is that the hire equipment is maintained at regular intervals onsite. Built into the rental service is the option for maintenance to be carried out at the premises of the customer, or at a convenient location that suits both the customer and 24:7 Rentals.

From the very beginning, Darren’s aim has been to supply his customers with first-class rental equipment at

Darren Getty is the company founder

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Ready and waiting for business

competitive rates. And by operating around the clock, he believes his company is providing an unrivalled service.

“We have a lot of customers from all parts of Ireland. They know we offer the best possible service and that our equipment is reliable and fresh. All of our equipment is under six years old,”

explains Darren, who carries out the maintenance work himself.

“We have good connections in the industry and are proud to count some of the big hauliers among our customers, including my former employers McBurney Transport, who have given me a fair bit of business since I set up the company.

“We appreciate all the business we get and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers for their support. Without their support, we wouldn’t be here today.”

Specialists in euroliners, sliding roof trailers, flat trailers and curtainsiders, 24:7 Rentals only hire out SDC trailers. Based in Toomebridge, Co. Antrim, SDC is recognised as one of the largest and best trailer manufacturers in Europe. When a customer invests in an SDC trailer, he is not only investing in the best technology, quality and flexibility, he’s investing in the knowledge, expertise and understanding that comes from years of experience in the haulage industry.

SDC’s philosophy is to understand your business, your logistics requirements and then tailor a solution to meet those needs.

“We only use SDC trailers. Apart from being the best trailers out there, their manufacturing plant is only down the road from us in Toomebridge and it obviously makes sense to deal with them from a convenience point of view as much as anything else.”

Mindful of the financial strain haulage companies currently find themselves under, Darren goes out of his way to ensure that 24:7 Rentals won’t be beaten on price.

“The industry is really struggling at the moment and everyone is trying to keep costs low. You have to bear that in mind when you’re renting equipment, otherwise customers will go elsewhere,” he concludes.

COMPANY D ETAILS

For more info rm Rentals and th ation about 24:7 e services they offer Telephone 02 82 075 2074 Fax 0282 075 1816 Email info@24 :7rentals.co.u k.

Alternatively, yo Darren or any u can call into of his team at 74 Fivey Roa d, Stranocum , Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, B T54 6LU.

A 24:7 Rentals Scania truck

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

24:7 fleet services Truck & Trailer O licence reform in NI? No worries!

We take care of your vehicle maintenance and records All work carried out onsite with one of our fully equipped maintenance vehicles Ebs/abs testing All of Ireland covered We come to you or go to your customers depots Maintenance advice available Our prices won’t be beaten

247.trailers@googlemail.com

Wishing Continued Success To 24:7 Rentals Delighted to be associated with 24:7 Rentals

The McBurney Group is the largest independent haulier in Ireland with over 1000 trailers, specialising in ambient and refrigerated transport between Ireland and UK 205 Moorfields Road, Ballymena, Co. Antrim BT42 3EG

Phone: 02825 891419 Fax: 02825 898477 E:info@McBurneyTransport.com

www.mcburney.eu

Continued Best Wishes To 24:7 Rentals, From

RELIABLE BULK TRANSPORTATION

IRISH

IRELAND - UK- EUROPE

9 Kilnadore Road, Cushendall, Co. Antrim BT44 0SG T:+44 (0) 2821771473 F:+44 (0) 2821771473 E:john@moyletransport.com

www.moyletransport.com IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

& LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Don’t be left in the dark log on to

www.irishtrucker.com 43