Motor Transport 6 September 2021

Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging

6.9.21

New plea for emergency visas rejected as labour shortage escalates

Stop relying on EU drivers, industry told NEWS INSIDE Back to school

Hermes launches HGV driver apprenticeship scheme p3

Longer the better

Menzies adds 16 longer semitrailers after DfT go-ahead p4

Going with hydrogen

Freight in the City webinar explores vehicle ranges

p8

OPERATORS INSIDE Andy Boyle Enterprises ................................p24 Aztek Logistics ............................................. p6 Cullimore Group ............................................ p6 DPD ............................................................. p4 Denby Transport ........................................... p6 Hazcomp ...................................................... p6 Hermes ........................................................ p3 Menzies ........................................................ p4 Royal Mail .................................................... p4 Tuffnells ....................................................... p3 Wincanton ................................................... p6

By Chris Tindall

The government has again refused to place HGV drivers on the shortage occupation list, saying the public “repeatedly voted” for immigration to be controlled and employers should recruit British workers instead.

Just days after Logistics UK and the British Retail Consortium urged ministers to reconsider, a Home Office spokeswoman said: “The British people repeatedly voted to end free movement and take back control of our immigration system. Employers should invest in our domestic workforce instead of relying on labour from abroad.”

The refusal to grant temporary visas came as operators of some of the biggest food retailers in the country said the pressure on the supply chain was only going to worsen as schools reopened and in the run-up to Christmas.

Pallet-Track chief executive Caroline Green urged the government to reconsider. “It takes six to nine months to hire and train drivers, plus we have had to contend with a huge backlog of tests,” she said. “More immediate measures

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CO N G R AT U L AT I O N S TO A L L O U R W I N N E R S !

are needed right now to support UK supply chains. The UK government changing its stance on visas for HGV drivers is just one way we could potentially tempt some drivers back to work here.”

Meanwhile, Logistics UK has called for more transparency on how the DVSA is progressing towards tests targets. Chief executive David Wells said: “On paper it looks like it is doing what it can but the proof of the pudding will be to show us the figures.”

Delays have also been introduced by industrial action at the DVLA, which is taking up to six

weeks to issue provisional HGV licences, without which candidates cannot book a theory tests.

“The DVLA is in more of a mess than the DVSA,” Wells added. “It has a strike problem and there is also an issue regarding medicals as a result. There is a huge queue of people waiting for medical professionals to check their licence applications. They have given vocational drivers extensions but we need a surge of activity to clear the backlog.”  The stay-at-home drivers’ strike, organised by the founders of the Professional Drivers Protest Group on Facebook took place on 23 August with no discernible impact on the patchy supply of goods across the country.

Drivers were urged to take action by staying at home as a protest against low wages, long hours, lack of toilet facilities, increased rules and responsibilities, unsociable hours and “massive exploitation”. It is unclear how many of the 4,000 members of the group took action but, buoyed by the increasing number of members, the group is planning further action on 5 November.

IT’S BACK! The MT Awards roared back into life at the Grosvenor House Hotel last week, with hosts Alexander Armstrong and Carol Vorderman – backed by a 15-piece rock band – entertaining the 1,000-strong audience. Big winner on the night was Wren Kitchens, taking five trophies, while Expect Distribution became the first company to win Haulier of the Year two years on the trot.

Turn to page 27 to see all the winners on the night.

CV Show p10 Focus: Legal p14 Viewpoint: Strategy p16 Hydogen fuel cells p18 Hall of Fame p24 MT Awards winners p27

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Employees offered paid-for 12-month scheme to alleviate driver shortage and boost skills

Hermes launches HGV apprenticeship scheme

By Tim Wallace

Hermes has launched an apprenticeship programme designed to help address the national HGV driver shortage, while also developing its own people.

The 12-month scheme has attracted 45 employees and will see candidates gain a cat C licence and become a qualified HGV driver. Every employee will be given one day off a week (or 20%) to support their studies.

The practical driving training will take place at Hermes’ Driving Academy in Nuneaton alongside additional instruction covering a range of areas such as preparing

Logistics UK produces guide to securing funding for drivers Logistics UK has published a guide explaining how to access funding and support when employing HGV drivers.

The guide, produced with support from the Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions, is free to download and gives information about schemes available to employers and how and where to apply for funding, including apprenticeships and traineeships.

Logistics UK policy director Elizabeth de Jong said: “There is an acute issue with the recruitment and retention of roles across our industry, not just HGV drivers, but many employers are confused about how to access vital funding to recruit and train workers.

“This guide provides simple and practical steps that will help recruiters across our industry to identify and enrol the workforce this sector so desperately needs.”

6.9.21

vehicles, loading and unloading, keeping safe, legal requirements, communication skills, problem solving and team working. Once qualified, each participant will be

offered an interview for an HGV driver position in the company.

John Walker, transport manager (Maidstone) at Hermes UK, said: “Our HGV apprenticeship

programme is designed to help alleviate the industry-wide challenge by allowing any of our nondriving-based employees to gain a Class 2 HGV licence.

“It won’t cost them a penny and they will be given paid time off during their current job for the practical and theory studying elements. The programme gives them the extra time and training to become safe and competent drivers rather than just passing a driving test.

“It’s good to hear when a driver says, ‘I’ve got a new skill for life, as Hermes has shown me the way to a career rather than a job’.”

Tuffnells names new board of directors Tuffnells has announced a new board of directors amid an expansion drive following a successful year since being sold by the Connect Group last May. At that time, Tuffnells was making a loss of approximately £14m on an annual revenue of £164m, but returned to profit just six months after the management buyout.

Chris Tresadern has been promoted to chief executive, having previously held the roles of regional director from 2002 to

2008 and sales director from 2008 to 2017, before leaving to pursue a role in consultancy.

He returned to Tuffnells in 2020 as commercial director and will now guide the firm in its next phase, consolidating its position as the leader in IDW (irregular dimension and weight) freight.

The latest addition to the board is operations director Gary Milne.

Having previously worked with Tuffnells, he re-joins with more than 30 years’ industry experience.

Shellea Crosby has joined the

board as commercial director, having taken on the roles of regional sales manager and regional sales director for the north since she started in 2018.

Ian Brewer was appointed to the board as finance director in 2020, having previously worked for Tuffnells after delaying retirement.

Sue Bancroft has become HR director, after making significant changes since joining Tuffnells through training, recruitment and engagement initiatives.

Tipper trailer producer Fruehauf in administration Lincolnshire-based tipper and rigid trailer manufacturer Fruehauf has gone into administration.

Commercial vehicle suppliers said ongoing delays to orders had led to a major trailer shortage across the entire supply chain.

Fruehauf is understood to produce approximately half of the tipping trailers sold in the UK. Quantuma’s Carl Jackson and Tauseef Rashid have been appointed joint administrators, along with Brian Johnson of UHY Hacker Young. They are looking

at either a sale or a company voluntary arrangement.

Founded in 2010 and based at a 64-acre site in Grantham, Fruehauf employs approximately 100 staff.

David Taylor, chairman of Driffield-based commercial vehicle supplier DG Taylor, said: “We have orders for 78 trailers, all sold, so we’ve got the unenviable task of telling people that Fruehauf is in administration, and we don’t know when they’re going to get them.

“Everybody is angry about it because they need trailers for the harvest and there are none about.

The impact will be substantial, but I think a buyer will be found.”

Colin Smith of Colin N Smith Haulage in Buckinghamshire said: “This will have a serious effect on trailer supply.”

A Fruehauf spokesperson said: “The company has been placed into administration for a temporary period while we try to appoint an investor. Nothing changes, we’re still operating.”

MotorTransport 3

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Longer semi-trailers should be allowed into general circulation with light regulatory control on use

Menzies adds 16 longer semitrailers after DfT permits use

By Steve Hobson

HUGE BENEFITS: Adam Purshall

Menzies Distribution has placed orders for a further 16 longer semitrailers to take its fleet of 15.65m trailers to 93 after the government announced on 24 August that, after reviewing the 31 responses to its consultation on its trial, ministers “have decided that longer semitrailers should be allowed into general circulation with light regulatory control on their use”.

The original trial involved trailers of 14.6m and 15.65m operating within the UK’s existing domestic weight limit of 44 tonnes. It was

originally scheduled to run for 10 years from 2012 with a total allocation of 1,800 longer semi-trailers operating under vehicle special orders. In 2017 the government increased the number of trailers by 1,000 and extended the trial to 2027.

Speaking at the Motor Transport Future Transport workshop on day one of the Commercial Vehicle Show, Adam Purshall, fleet and procurement director of Menzies Distribution Group, said there had been “huge benefits” from longer semi-trailers for both the operator

and its customers in the FMCG packaging sector.

Describing the trial as a huge success, he said there had been no safety issues “and it has delivered what we wanted in terms of the environment and our operations”.

The lack of availability of longer semi-trailers owing to uncertainty over the length of the trial had also been an issue, he said, though there had been no mechanical problems with the self-steering rear axles and longer semi-trailers had proved as reliable as Menzies’ conventional semis.

DPD has forged a partnership with The Post Office, which sees the Royal Mail Group cease to be the only carrier used by the retailer.

The deal is part of a wider plan

by The Post Office to open up its network of 11,500 branches to external carriers for the first time in its 360-year history. The partnership with DPD sees Royal Mail Group lose its status as the only carrier to have an agreement with

The Post Office for parcel collections directly at its branches.

The click-and-collect service, which starts next week, will initially be available at about 250 post offices, before rolling out to approximately 1,500 branches ahead of the Christmas period.

Customers making a purchase online will have the option to choose their local post office as the collection point for their parcels. DPD will deliver parcels directly to the post office and the postmaster will process customer collections at the counter.

The Post Office said the partnership aimed to reduce the environmental impact of having vans making multiple stops to drop off parcels, while encouraging people to return to their local high street on foot.

RSO quiz helps to beat the bridge strikes E-learning specialist Road Skills Online has launched a free module to help fleet operators and drivers avoid bridge strikes.

The Bridge Strike Toolbox Talk takes users through a quiz to prove they are up to date on the latest training.

RSO MD David Somers said the firm felt it was “incumbent on us” to develop the module, in light of traffic commissioners’ growing frustrations over hauliers’ apparent lack of progress on bridge strikes.

4 MotorTransport

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DPD challenges Royal Mail with major Post Office delivery deal

HGV market sees signs of recovery in Q2, says SMMT New HGV registrations were up by 128.7% in the second quarter of 2021 compared with 2020, revealing positive signs of recovery following the pandemic.

However, the full revival of the logistics industry has some way to go, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) warned this week, pointing to the pre-pandemic five-year average, which shows that truck registrations in the second quarter of 2021 actually fell 20.1%.

According to figures released on 17 August by the SMMT, the increase saw 9,493 units registered, up from 5,342 in Covid-affected 2020. Performance for the year to date followed a similar pattern, with 19,557 vehicles registered so far, equating to a 46.6% rise on

2020. However, this falls short by 7,907 trucks compared with 2019, amounting to a 28.8% reduction.

All segments saw volume increases compared with 2020, with articulated trucks up 128.3% and rigids up 128.9%. Tractors continue to be the most popular vehicle body type, making up more than a third of all registrations in the quarter (35.9%).

The refuse disposal sector saw one of the smallest gains, up 68.4% to 586 waste collection vehicles, as local authority funding continued to be affected by Covid, thereby delaying new orders.

SMMT warned that operators would face an uphill struggle to recover in the face of the continuing driver shortage and the sector’s tight decarbonisation deadlines.

6.9.21

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VOX POP What’s your view on the DfT’s decision to permit LSTs? Moreton Cullimore, MD, Cullimore Group On aggregate/construction work we get paid by the tonne not the load, so any situation that allows us to carry more weight of aggregates per trip is a good thing.

That said, in the Cotswolds bigger vehicles aren’t always practical so it won’t change our game completely.

Dave Rowlands, fleet engineering director, Wincanton Wincanton has played a critical role in the longer semi-trailer project and we are very pleased to see that the DfT is now allowing them from 2022. They are safer, greener and more efficient. Similarly, the trial of 48-tonne lorries will provide a boost in productivity and bring the UK’s fleet closer into line with its European counterparts.

Duncan Pannell, operations manager, Aztek Logistics From next year we may consider longer semi-trailers as a complement to the doubledecker pallet loads operating

between our location and the Pallet-Track hubs where capacity can be a challenge, but it might be difficult to make them pay in general day-to-day haulage where operational load sizes can vary dramatically. There may also be some challenges of manoeuvrability in smaller yard locations that already struggle with the existing 44-tonne trailers, so it could be a case of making cost savings in one area only to see vehicle and buildings insurance premiums increasing in another.

Dick Denby, chairman, Denby Transport The news is disappointing because although the longer semi-trailer can give 15% more capacity, the Longer Heavier Vehicle (LHV) can give 57.5% – almost a fourfold increase. The DfT has got the cheek to put it across as if they’re doing everyone a favour. They’ve used longer semi-trailers to delay the decision on 25.25m lorries.

Regarding the 48-tonne trial, today’s 44-tonner with the bog standard 3-axle semi-trailer bogie wears the semi-trailers out at twice the speed. Slap another four tonnes on and you’re going to murder the pavement. The trailer manufacturers will be delighted because you’ll wear the chassis out twice as fast.

LETTERS

The carbon argument is a lot of bloody hogwash. It will save a minute amount.

Kevin Buck, MD, Hazcomp This is welcome news and long overdue. I also very much welcome the 48-tonne trial but their appeal and reach will be quite limited unless you conduct multimodal movements.

My biggest concern, though, is what this means for licenced trials of the 25.25m 60-tonne LHVs that so many have been campaigning for. Safety is constantly used as a blocker to UK adoption but millions of miles of empirical data show they are safer than standard 44-tonne combinations. And for every three standard articulated vehicles, it would only require two vehicles of 25.25m to carry the same freight.

As with the longer semi-trailer trial before it, other trials such as that of LHVs would not be considered in unison while another was under way, for fear of influencing the results. So while welcome for those who will be able to take advantage, the 48-tonne trial may once again be used to kick the LHV debate into the long grass and we must make sure that this does not happen.

Send your letters to the editor at steve.hobson@roadtransport .com

The driver shortage is not a government- or Brexit-induced problem. The role of a 44-tonne articulated driver requires them to spend 48 hours per week in a confined space without any toilet or washing facilities. The role extends to carrying out daily inspections and taking care of a 13.5m trailer loaded with expensive cargo.

Upon arrival at supermarket RDCs they are invariably held up, not permitted to use welfare facilities and end up utilising permitted working time. The driver may then be subjected to abuse from their own organisation for failing to complete the working time schedule. For this, the average HGV truck driver is paid £12.50 per hour, or £32,500 per annum.

The transport industry and its stakeholders have over many years developed a vicious circle of mutual destruction. It starts with the supermarkets and large international food and drink suppliers who demand, and invariably receive, transport services at unsustainable rates.

This maintains the cut-throat rates of haulage operators who work for an average 2-3% return on sales and are reluctant to pay increased salaries to drivers as they represent some 30% of total costs.

The solution? Increase drivers’ pay by at least £5 per hour, treat them with more respect and improve their working conditions. It is time for the lobby groups to stop blaming the government for their own lack of competence. A major recruitment drive needs to be activated to target 21-24 year olds.

Insurance companies also need to be more flexible in providing companies with competitive rates, and training grants need to be made available for candidates to qualify for Class 1 & 2 licences.

Des Evans, Honorary professor at Aston Business School 6 MotorTransport

Image: Shutterstock

Increase driver pay by £5 an hour

Cut off the serpent’s head When we left the European club in January many of the drivers from eastern Europe left the UK. Major supermarkets drove down the rates for drivers and these people were willing to work for such rates, but this has come back to haunt them.

Yes there is a shortage of drivers, but with the increase in rates being paid and the fact that most people realise that transport is the vital link, given time the balance will swing back in transport’s favour.

The serpent’s head needs cutting off and this shortage will make the supermarkets sit up and think, regardless of the bonuses and other factors.

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Webinar explores options for extending range of BEVs and decarbonising distribution in cities

Go further with hydrogen Freight in the City recently hosted the ‘Hydrogen for Urban Distribution Vehicles’ webinar, in partnership with Tevva Electric Trucks. The webinar looked at how hydrogen can be used to boost electric delivery vehicle ranges and government plans for decarbonising commercial vehicles.

First up was Alan McKinnon, professor of logistics at Kuehne Logistics University, who listed “five levers” that need to be pulled in order to decarbonise city logistics.

They include reducing the demand for freight transport in urban areas, shifting freight on to lower-carbon transport modes, optimising vehicle loading, and increasing the energy efficiency of urban freight vehicles.

The fifth lever is reducing the carbon content of the energy used by urban freight, which McKinnon said is where hydrogen has a role – not as the main player, but largely as a range extender in battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

Pointing to research into 41 studies of the use of hydrogen range extenders in BEVs, McKinnon said a number of clear advantages Alan McKinnon had emerged, including significant cost and carbon reductions.

“Range extenders could also reduce the requirement for a refuelling infrastructure, as well as reducing range anxiety, which currently deters many operators from switching to a purely electric vehicle,” he argued.

McKinnon added that there is an even stronger case for the use of hydrogen range extenders on mid-range BEVs serving wider urban and regional areas. “The bigger the vehicle and the longer the delivery range, the stronger the case for adding a range extender, “ he concluded.

Time for action

David Thackray, Tevva Electric Trucks director, said government targets on decarbonisation, plus its ban on diesel trucks from 2035, mean that the transition from diesel vehicles “must start now and not in seven to 10 years’ time.”

8 MotorTransport

Electric vehicle manufacturer Tevva is supporting the drive to add hydrogen technology to commercial urban fleets

He said the holy grail is a truck that can match its diesel equivalent on capital expenditure, mileage, payload and operating costs. “It is all about total cost of ownership parity. If we can produce zeroemissions vehicles capable of doing the work diesel vehicles currently do, operators will buy then tomorrow,” Thackray said.

However, the stumbling block for BEV manufacturers is the weight of the batteries required to ensure range, said Thackray.

“If you took a 7.5-tonne truck and equipped it with a 130kWh battery, you would end up with a smaller payload than the average Transit van,” he explained.

BEV charging costs can also be “eye-wateringly” expensive, said Thackray, who estimates that a 100-strong fleet of 19-tonne BEV trucks would need around 15MWh of electricity per day. “You could be looking at a seven-figure bill,” he warned.

However, hydrogen does not provide the solution either, since the cost of hydrogen is roughly twice the cost of battery electricity-

fuelled vehicles, Thackray told delegates.

As a result, Tevva has taken a mix of both technologies, fitting its BEVs with hydrogen David Thackray range extenders – small, lightweight hydrogen fuel cells which act as a back-up generator to the vehicle’s electric battery.

“Range-extended BEVs carry heavier loads over greater distances with less downtime – a really workable solution that gives you a zeroemissions range without compromising payload,” Thackray said.

“With an aggregate of 200kWh of energy on a 7.5-tonne truck, you will not have range anxiety, as it will always have boatloads of energy in reserve.”

The company is also working on the fuelling infrastructure by collaborating with Vattenfall Network Solutions to produce and distribute sustainable green hydrogen, either direct to depots or via a network of highway fuel stations.

Decarbonisation target

The final speaker, Bob Moran, head of DfT’s environment strategy, announced the launch of the government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan and a consultation on phasing out the sale of all new non-zero emissions HGVs by 2040.

The consultation is proposing vehicles between 3.5 tonnes and 26 tonnes be phased out by 2035, at the latest, with vehicles above 26 tonnes phased out by 2040, or earlier if possible.

Moran said: “We think 2040 is probably right at the moment for the largest trucks, but zeroemissions technology is moving fast – so Bob Moran we are proposing the more ambitious date of 2035 for 26 tonnes and under.”

All three speakers responded to a host of questions from delegates on a variety of topics including vehicle availability, the range efficiency of batteries in cold weather, the challenges of installing charging infrastructure at depots, the rollout of a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, driver and technician training in the new technologies and the ability to retrofit small hydrogen fuel cells to BEVs. For the answers to these and many more questions, why not watch the webinar yourself?

■ Watch the full webinar free of charge at freightinthecity.com 6.9.21

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Manufacturers returned this year with their latest products

Maxus shows off e Deliver range

By Steve Hobson

The latest models in the Maxus electric van range, the e Deliver 3 and the e Deliver 9, were on display at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show. The previous model, the EV80, was one of the first OEM battery electric 3.5-tonne vans on the market when it went on sale in 2017, capturing significant sales as a result.

Mark Barrett, general manager of Harris Maxus, the Warringtonbased importer of the Chinese vans made by SAIC and formerly known as LDV, said the latest models were much improved on the EV80 and that despite stiffer competition from the European brands’ electric offerings, they would be of strong appeal to drivers.

With a maximum range of almost 220 miles, few van operators need to be concerned about the e Deliver 9 coping with typi-

cal last-mile delivery routes, added Barrett.

While the price of electric vehicles is several times higher than equivalent diesels, the price of diesel vehicles is increasing, said Barrett, as the cost of meeting stricter emissions standards rises and expected life span falls. “Electric vehicles are about double the price and grants are getting smaller. But

the costs of such vehicles will fall to balance that out,” he said.

“Maintenance is 50% to 70% less and it is more like 70% on stop-start operations. Diesel fuel prices are creeping up and with cities such as Birmingham and London charging more to enter, the lower total cost of ownership means the payback is well within five years.”

Innovation looks to China for development Innovation Automotive showed off its new range of all-electric light commercial vehicles at the show, previewing the Chinese-produced DFSK (Dong Feng Sokon Automobile) EC35 van and EC31 chassis cab models on its stand.

CEO Paul Brigden said: “Innovation Automotive is the first 100% battery electric vehicle, multi-

10 MotorTransport

van brand importer and distributor sales business in the UK. Our vision is to sell innovative products in innovative ways. We’re trying to make the transition to battery electric vehicles accessible, simple and sustainable for everyone.”

Innovation Automotive also introduced the Chinese Skywell brand, which includes bus and car

manufacturing operations. The first product will be the DS7 small panel van.

“The opportunity lies in China.

There’s a big manufacturing community there and it’s our job to talk to as many manufacturers as we can and find out who has got the right products, so we can develop our models and add brands,” said Brigden.

“We want to put the customer at the centre of everything we do.

We believe the best way we can get a consistent experience and to help the customer through the process of understanding that transition to battery electric vehicles is to have a direct-to-consumer sales model. That will be underpinned with a geographical aftersales representation, so they have the confidence that the vehicle’s going to be supported.”

Sales are due to begin next year, with a company launch planned for later this year, at which full details are due to be revealed. The company will target SME customers, said Brigden.

Ford boosts data with telematics Ford showcased its latest telematics system, FORDLiive at the show.

Every Ford van has left the factory with a modem since 2019 and FORDLiive is designed to give customers maximum value from the data generated to improve reliability and fuel economy.

Ford of Britain product affairs manager Oliver Rowe said that while not every driver will want to see the alerts produced by FORDLiive, fleet managers will.

Ford said the software can recognise and amalgamate more than 4,000 vehicle health alerts to help fleet managers and dealers deliver the most effective corrective action.

When permission has been given by the operator, Transit Service dealers will be able to see connected vehicles’ health information from the past 60 days, helping them to diagnose issues before the vehicle arrives in the workshop and to prepare the correct parts to minimise turnaround times.

Data is handled at the European FORDLiive centre at Dunton, Essex, which then links to the Transit Service dealer network.

“Once we have directed vehicles there from Dunton they operate a triage service, so vehicles are prioritised according to what can be sorted immediately or whether there needs to be a courtesy vehicle with equipment onboard so the business can continue to operate,” said Rowe. “There is also a 60% improvement in uptime.”

FUEL UP: Ainscough Crane Hire is the first high-profile operator to invest in Fueltek’s recently launched Datanozzle. The fuel access system uses an RFID reader in the nozzle that interacts with a data tag on the tank filler neck, doing away with the need for handheld data tags, cards, keys or keypad entries and cutting the scope for error. As soon as the nozzle exits the tank, it will stop fuelling, avoiding the risk of theft. Developed two years ago, the Datanozzle was officially launched at this year’s show.

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51 series offers improved mileage and rolling resistance

Hankook gets a grip

By Steve Hobson

Hankook used the show for the global launch of its new 51 series of truck tyres. The tyres use nextgeneration technology offering 15% to 20% better mileage and 13% to 17% improved rolling resistance compared with the outgoing 31 series. Wet grip is improved via innovative self-regenerating honeycomb tread designs that regroove themselves as the tyre wears.

Guy Heywood, director of marketing and sales, Europe, at Hankook Tire & Technologies, said with 3D printing to make tyre moulds and new materials, the

compromises between wet grip, mileage and rolling resistance had been significantly reduced. “With 3D printed moulds we can make more intricate tread patterns that regroove themselves as they wear,” he said.

Heywood wants to see the EU tyre labelling scheme revised to give wet grip ratings when the tyre is both new and part worn. “We want the same performance from the first mile to the last,” he said.

“The 51 series gives much better wet grip when it is part worn. It is B rated when new and will remain B rated at 5mm tread depth, while some other tyres will drop to a D or E rating with just 2mm wear.”

The AH51 SmartFlex steer-axle and the DH51 SmartFlex drive-axle tyres will be available in November, while the TH51 trailer tyre will follow next year.

Cycle-Safe detects moving objects Cycle-Safe, a camera system from Trailer Vision, was given its official launch at the show.

Trailer Vision director Neil Todd said: “Cycle-Safe uses next-generation optical technology combining detection and vision in a single smart camera. It meets the recommended requirements for an HGV Safety Permit as the system can differentiate between moving objects, such as vulnerable road users, and static objects like street furniture, unlike ultrasonic sensors that are really designed for obstacle detection only.”

Drivers are given audible alerts and visual warnings via a monitor and a separate LED/buzzer.

Operators can choose whether the system is always on or switched off above a certain speed, unless indicating left, said Todd, and the system can provide lane change assist and blind spot warning functionality.

JUST CHECKING: Checkpoint has launched biodegradable versions of all its British-built plastic wheelnut indicators. Product manager Scott Collins said an additive had been inserted into the mix that ensures the devices biodegrade after seven years in landfill. However, he stressed that they won’t begin to deteriorate while on a wheel, as they require a lack of oxygen and particular bacteria for the process to start. Checkpoint had previously run a recycling programme, whereby customers returned wheelnut indicators that were melted down and turned into flowerpots and Covid-friendly no-touch tools. The new Bio-Checkpoint is set to replace up to 200 tonnes of plastic that Checkpoint uses every year by the end of 2021.

Corolla Commercial tests UK ground For the first time since the Corolla arrived in the UK in 1966, operators will soon be able to buy a Corolla van, and it is British-built.

The 2022 Corolla Commercial is based on the Corolla Touring Sports 1.8 Hybrid car, with the rear seats removed. On show at the NEC was the first pre-production example, displayed to gauge feedback before the final spec is signed off. Orders will be taken from

12 MotorTransport

December ahead of production next summer, with an indicative on-the-road price of £22,134.

Toyota GB CV manager Gareth Matthews said: “We believe the time is right to address the huge focus on reducing CO2 emissions in all sectors.

“It will join the electric Proace and Proace City already on sale to increase Toyota’s reduced and zerotailpipe offerings.”

What do you think of VFS’s Curtainslider?

Southampton-based chassis converter for light commercial vehicles VFS was looking for feedback from operators on its new Curtainslider curtainsided body, which was launched at the show. It showed a 4.2m-long prototype version weighing 476kg on its stand.

UK sales and marketing manager Paul Price said customers were continually asking for a curtainsided body.

“We want feedback from the industry on what they want and what changes they would make,” he said.

Expected to be launched in the second quarter of next year, Price said the vehicle would come in two lengths and a single 2,050mm external body height.

The Curtainslider will be a standard product but will be offered with options allowing customers to modify the design to suit their operation, he said. “For example, it might have a solid wall on one side and a curtain on the other.

We’ll also offer roller doors and make it available with a tail-lift.”

Price said the vehicle would have particular potential in the home delivery market, especially in rural areas where side access is often more important in confined spaces.

“We are looking at the 3.5-tonne market as well as up to 7 tonnes,” he added.

6.9.21

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Focus: legal

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Onus is on businesses to determine the true tax status of any workers, warns Backhouse Jones

IR35 is a piece of complex tax legislation that was introduced in 2000 to target a tax loophole which HMRC considered may result in an underpayment of tax. The legislation was designed to make sure that an individual who works like an employee, but through their own limited company, pays broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are employed directly.

When IR35 was introduced in 2000 the onus was placed on the individual to assess their own tax status, but HMRC has been introducing changes to the legislation over the last few years, many of which are significant to the employer.

As of 6 April 2020, the burden for assessing employment status in the private sector shifted to the ‘end user’ – the business engaging the self-employed individual, whether directly or through an intermediary business. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic this deadline was pushed back and relates to services provided on or after 6 April 2021 rather than payments made on or after 6 April 2021.

It is anticipated that the changes will bring in £3.1bn in additional tax revenue in the next four years across a broad spectrum of business sectors including transport, where it is considered that the use of self-employed individuals is prevalent.

The changes that took effect on 6 April 2021 apply to medium and large business only, defined as a business that meets two of the following three criteria: ■ A turnover of over £10.2m ■ A balance sheet total of £5.1m or more ■ Over 50 employees

What needs to be done

Businesses falling within the above criteria will need to determine an individual’s employment status for tax purposes, so if a company engages individuals either directly through a personal service company (PSC) or another form of intermediary company, they will need to act now.

If the company does not meet the above criteria, the burden for assessing tax status will remain with the individual. However, while the legislative changes may not apply, this does not mean that a 14 MotorTransport

Photo: Shutterstock

Don’t delay on IR35 rules

company or the individual may not be caught by HMRC as, under the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003, any individual working under a contract of service should be subject to tax deductions at source. Therefore, it is best practice to act as though IR35 applies to the company and individual.

If both parties consider an individual to be self-employed and there is a later breakdown in the relationship, there is nothing to stop the individual seeking to claim employment rights and if the relationship has continued for a period of time, this could leave the company open to an unfair dismissal claim. As such it is best to try and resolve these status issues early rather than run the risk of these types of claims.

HMRC suggests in the transport sector that it would be rare for a driver to be self-employed. It has enlisted the assistance of the traffic commissioners (TCs) who, during public inquiries and other regulatory hearings, have taken to scrutinising workers’ arrangements for businesses holding an O-licence.

As outlined in the latest TC statutory guidance they consider the use of “sham” relationships to be an issue of repute and fair competition. So if they determine that an individual is not selfemployed, they could take regula-

tory action against the company.

Only recently an operator has been made to agree to a specific undertaking on their O-licence that they will only employ staff in the interest of fair competition.

If caught, HMRC can request 100% of unpaid taxes and in a situation where the company is not complying with IR35 they can also charge interest on top of the taxes.

Determining status

In order for the worker to be an employee, they must be obliged to provide their services personally. If the worker is entitled to provide a substitute to do the work, this may point away from an employment relationship.

However, the absence of a right of substitution will not necessarily make the situation one of employment.

The HMRC guidance states that as a minimum, in an employment relationship there must be an obligation on the part of the worker to provide his or her work or skill and an obligation on the part of the engager to pay the worker for that service.

Does the worker have control over where and when they work?

If yes, they are generally looked upon as a self-employed contractor.

If the worker is unavailable can the task be done by someone else?

If the answer is no, the worker is

generally looked upon as an employee.

A self-employed contractor would generally provide whatever equipment is needed to do the job, including their own vehicle. In contrast, where a worker is provided with all the necessary equipment, vehicle and materials that would point to employment.

If an individual is entitled to benefits such as paid leave, company pension, car park space and canteen facilities, this will be a good indicator that an employment relationship exists. A contract of employment may also contain access to a grievance procedure and the worker would be subject to disciplinary procedures.

If a worker is putting in the same number of hours for a company each week and receiving regular pay, for IR35 purposes then HMRC may deem them an employee.

A good starting point is the ‘CEST Tool’ online which can provisionally assess the working relationship utilising some key questions and it may be worth keeping a record of the result should you be asked to clarify the status of a self-employed individual or worker. The tool can be found at tax.service.gov.uk/check-employment-status-for-tax/disclaimer ■ Laura Smith, senior associate, Backhouse Jones Solicitors 6.9.21

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Viewpoint

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A night to remember W hat a night it was – on 2 September the road transport industry finally got back together to celebrate in style at the 36th Motor Transport Awards. After a crazy year that saw work dry up for parts of the industry Steve Hobson and volumes go through the roof for others Editor – and the MT Awards go online for the first Motor time – last week at the Grosvenor House Transport felt like a proper homecoming.

It was so good to see 1,000 impeccably dressed and largely double-jabbed guests relax in a Covid-safe environment and get back to some sort of normality. Best of all was the delight on the faces of the 20 award winners as they came up to collect their trophies. Congratulations to them, and a massive thank you to everyone who took the time to put together some extraordinary entries describing how operators had not just survived but thrived in 2020.

DPD UK took two more trophies in a year that saw the mysterious departure of its chief executive, bringing its total (including its forerunner Parceline) to an

amazing 36 wins, three ahead of the previous record held by TNT. It would be great to see TNT purchaser FedEx return to the fray to try to regain its crown.

Bradford-based Expect Distribution picked up its second Haulier of the Year trophy on the trot, the first company to pull off this feat, and only the second alongside Abbey Logistics to win it three times since the awards began in 1986.

But the big winner on the night was own-account operator Wren Kitchens, picking up no fewer than five trophies – a haul matched only by, guess who, DPD in 2020. Our judges were highly impressed by the ‘Wren way’, which is to do everything in-house, in contrast to many other manufacturers who outsource the hard part – delivery and installation.

So as I ease my aching head as I write this, it just remains to say thank you – to everyone who entered, our expert judges, our loyal partners and to everyone who came along to make it truly a night to remember. See you next year.

Government must review its strategy A Stuart Charter MD, Aztek Logistics

s a haulier we have always been able to respond to the ebb and flow of customer demand by flexing our mix of directly employed and agency drivers. But we’ve recently been challenged by temporary, short-term driver demand owing to higher volumes and drivers taking their first well-earned holidays of the year, compounded by the fact that agencies no longer have access to the pool of drivers they once did.

This is very much a sign of the times. For many years, there has been a shortfall of between 50,000 and 70,000 drivers, depending on which industry report you read. But these forming clouds have turned into a perfect storm now and there is little in the way of settled weather on the economic horizon.

Firstly, Brexit has turned off the regular flow of drivers from the EU, with many simply going home. Secondly, recruitment difficulties have been compounded by bureaucratic complexity – HMRC’s IR-35 regulations, which came into force in April, have changed the regulations around self-employed drivers and made it harder to recruit experienced drivers. And thirdly, for home-grown drivers coming into the industry, there is a major backlog of driving tests caused by Covid-19.

This is on top of other barriers to entry

16 MotorTransport

like the Driver CPC regulations, which have already driven many experienced drivers out of the industry.

There is also a movement away from working long hours and long distances, and sleeping in cabs, because of the UK’s acute shortage of secure parking areas.

All of this is all happening at a time when volumes are going through the roof, partly as a result of Covid-19 and the re-opening of the economy.

This month’s end of the so-called ‘pingdemic’ for double-jabbed colleagues will alleviate some of the pressures brought about by coronavirus, but it is far from a long-term cure to the multiple ailments we face. As an industry we need to get the government to review some of its regulations, so they are joined up rather than contradictory to what we are trying to achieve.

As we assess the long-term scar tissue left by Covid-19, we must keep perspective.

We are a sector that is critical to the post-pandemic economic recovery – and recognition of that fact should be reflected in government thinking.

The newspaper for transport operators

To contact us: Tel: 020 8912 +4 digits or email: name.surname@roadtransport.com Editor Steve Hobson 2161 Head of content Tim Wallace 2158 Events and projects editor Hayley Pink 2165 Group production manager Isabel Burton Layout & copy editor Nick Shepherd Senior display sales executive Barnaby Goodman-Smith 2128 Event sales Tim George 0755 7677758 Classified and recruitment advertising rtmclassified@roadtransport.com Sales director Emma Rowland 07900 691137 Divisional director Vic Bunby 2121 MT Awards Katy Matthews 2152 Managing director Andy Salter 2171 Editorial office Road Transport Media, First Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1JB 020 8912 2170 Free copies MT is available free to specified licensed operators under the publisher’s terms of control. For details, email mtsccqueries@roadtransport.com, or call 01772 426705 Subscriptions Email:customercare@dvvsubs.com Quadrant Subscription Services, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH Rates UK £146/year. Europe £176/year.

RoW £176/year. Cheques made payable to Motor Transport.

Apply online at mtssubs.com Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper Published by DVV Media International Ltd © 2021 DVV Media International Ltd ISSN 0027-206 X

Got something to say?

If you would like to contribute to MT’s Viewpoint, email steve.hobson@roadtransport.com 6.9.21

I N PA R T N E R S H I P

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Hydrogen fuel cells

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Eastern promise

This Korean fuel cell truck has a distinctive presence in distribution traffic on Swiss roads, but whether this technology will one day conquer European long-distance transport remains to be seen. Michael Kern reports

I KITTED OUT: (clockwise from top left) The tanks are positioned upwards between the rear wall of the cabin and the box body; the fuel cell stacks of the Xcient Fuel Cell come from the Nexo passenger car; there is a lot of voltage in the drivetrain

s Hyundai, on a global scale a truck dwarf, making a fool of Europe’s giants? This remarkable project is taking place in Switzerland, virtually under the noses of all the truck giants in Europe. Already, a whole series of Hyundai fuel cell-powered trucks are in service there, while the corresponding European technology has at best shown itself at the prototype stage.

We’re at Altenrhein on the south-western shore of Lake Constance, one day in February. Washed clean and dressed in the colours of Gebrüder Weiss, one of these Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cells is standing in front of the depot of the long-established logistics company.

It is not only the generously-sized distribution cab with its high driving position and 5.8cu m of interior space that is impressive. What is also impressive about the vehicle is that it does not, like so many others with alternative drive systems, perform its service with the euphemistic rider “locally emission-free”, said when the truck can wash its hands of CO2, etc, but has merely outsourced the problem to another, upstream location.

This excuse does not apply to our orange-painted Hyundai, because it is powered by hydrogen that could not be greener and comes from a hydroelectric power plant in the nearby town of Aargau that has been specially converted for this purpose.

You could say that “strength is born in calmness”.

What is impressive is not least how confidently the

Korean gets down to work. When the start button is pressed, there is no bubbling, but a kind of whispering sound, and then, with the lower right steering column lever set from ‘N’ to ‘D’, there is not the slightest click or jerk from the transmission. Finally, when the handbrake is released and the accelerator gently depressed, it still remains so quiet that you can hear the birds chirping through half-opened side windows on this sun-drenched day.

The region breathes commercial vehicle history and is writing it again these days. Just a stone’s throw away is Arbon, the headquarters of legendary Swiss manufacturer Saurer. In the early days of the truck, Saurer belonged to the avant-garde, and not only that: it also provided active help in the form of licences when a German company called MAN first dared to build trucks.

Today, not much is left of this glory of bygone days, but in Arbon, even if rather wisely in silence, some ground-breaking development is still taking place. After all, this is where Fiat Powertrain’s engine research is located these days, whose boss at the time, Rudolf Ellensohn, surprised the industry a good decade ago with the novelty of ‘SCR only’, to which Scania soon began to pay homage as well.

Here in the Appenzell area, this first fuel cell truck from Korea to enter series production is already running while the European manufacturers are still sorting out what they want to do in future. Drawing a clear picture of the situation is difficult. In 2020, for example, the giants Daimler and Volvo – the cat with the subsidies having just been let out of the bag – have fallen in such love with both the fuel cell and, surprisingly, with each other, that they even want to produce it together as a drive system for long-distance transport.

There are two main aspects to speculation about how all this rhymes. Is it such expensive fun that even giants like Daimler and Volvo can’t manage it on their own?

Once so proud of its integrated drivetrain for many years, Daimler announced in February that it was putting its low-volume medium-heavy engines into the hands of Cummins relatively quickly.

Also, is the Chinese joint major shareholder Geely perhaps behind the concerted action of the two European elephants, while on the one hand, it is thinking in its own way about the Chinese truck market and, on the other hand, would it anyway like to build up a vehicle empire of its very own and of the format of a VW Group?

Odd couple

If we look at Iveco and Nikola, the oddities continue.

After all, the Nikola men got into the news because the stock market shooting star had one of its prototypes roll down a hill under gravitational power in order to pretend that it was capable of driving with an electric motor. At the same time, it let Hyundai know it could well imagine sourcing the stacks for the planned fuel cell version of its truck from Korea. In perfect Asian politeness, Hyundai’s negative reply indicated with great regret that it is not exactly the company’s custom to eagerly remove the obstacles from the path of potential competition.

How is it that this first large batch of Hyundai Xcient with fuel cell drive is now experiencing its baptism of fire in Switzerland of all places, and not on the South Korean peninsula or in China, which is certainly closer?

A few dozen have been delivered and by 2025 there should be as many as 1,600 of the fuel cell trucks with the Hyundai logo on the grille.

18 MotorTransport

6.9.21

motortransport.co.uk

Negotiations with the Chinese are notoriously protracted, and their tendency to copy, which is not altogether alien to the Koreans, may not have been conducive to this.

In addition, a well-prepared nest is made, so to speak, by the energetic support association H2 Mobility in Switzerland, which beckoned as far as the infrastructure, including green-produced hydrogen, is concerned. The service for the trucks, by the way, is provided by the wellestablished Auto AG. It is easy to explain why the Koreans were able to be so quick in Switzerland, and even quicker than the European competition. Although Hyundai-Kia is a dwarf truck manufacturer on a global scale, it is one of the world’s big-five passenger car manufacturers. This is one of the keys to this speed, which at first glance seems a little puzzling. The passenger car division of the Korean company is one of the fuel cell pioneers with the X35, which was launched in 2013.

6.9.21

The Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell takes over the fuel cell technology from its successor, the Nexo.

Packing power

And it does so in a double pack: if a single one of these so-called fuel cell stacks is enough for the car, the truck comes with two. But even that doesn’t go very far. Their power adds up to just 190kW or 255hp, with a maximum torque of 790Nm. That’s not much and is more reminiscent of the limp naturally aspirated engines that used to force real gearshift challenges on hills. But in the case of the Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell, this means that the host has been left out of the equation. The fuel cell works in close co-operation with two things: an electric motor and a buffer battery. And this duo of additional components can boost the power to ➜ 20

SIMPLE PLEASURES: Refuelling the gaseous hydrogen is a simple procedure (above, left); behind the front flap, not much hints at the special drive (above)

MotorTransport 19

Hydrogen fuel cells

motortransport.co.uk

THE CROSS WITH LONG-DISTANCE TRANSPORT Is the fuel cell not only suitable for the distribution business, as practised in Switzerland, but also for long-distance transport? “In principle, yes, and better than battery-powered electric vehicles” is a view often expressed today.

A closer look at the powertrain of the Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell, however, quickly reveals why there are serious doubts about this. The Xcient powertrain can deliver contemporary driving performance with the maximum permissible GCW of 36 tonnes only as long as the buffer battery, with its not too generous capacity of around 72kWh, provides proper support.

In order not to totally drain this battery, which would not be good for its service life, its power supply is limited to about half of its capacity. In practice, this means that the battery can run at full power for just about 15 minutes. After that, it’s all over with the big marching music, and it goes on rather sluggishly.

Even though no complaints have been made so far from Switzerland, even in operation with 36 tonnes, there are fundamental concerns. Just as a thought experiment, the truck’s performance tends to be reduced to what the Hyundai stacks deliver net, so there would then not be much glory left on long journeys such as up the Gotthard or Brenner passes, even with 36 tonnes total weight.

In this case, only around 800Nm would be available for crawling. And since the 6-speed Allison automatic comes with a very long first gear (ratio 4.9:1), the climbing ability would also be severely affected under these circumstances.

Despite the very short rear axle ratio of 4.87:1, the maximum possible gradient with 36 tonnes would be about 9.4%, and with 40 tonnes it would be as low as 8.5%, provided the torque converter did not intervene.

A way out of this dilemma would be, for example, much more powerful buffer batteries, which would not only weigh literally tonnes, but would also drive up the price of the already expensive vehicle.

Another solution could be more powerful fuel cells, but their prices are currently at rather astronomical levels (there is talk of €300,000 to €500,000) and are likely to remain in that orbit at least in the medium term.

Life limited

And that’s not all. In principle, the fuel cell is well suited for stationary operation, but it has weaknesses in transient behaviour and does not tolerate load changes well anyway. Just like load changes, cold starts gnaw away at the life of the little chemical factory. If it is not fed high-purity hydrogen, this will either reduce its performance or its life expectancy even further; 2.5 is also the factor by which the cooling system of a fuel cell truck must be more efficient than that of a diesel.

Finally, the tanks are a chapter in themselves: Hyundai prefers almost vehicle-wide and bomb-shaped, but bullet-tested, pressure tanks, each with a capacity of a good 4kg, which are currently probably the only affordable solution for bunkering H2 fuel. The problem is that the ensemble takes up too much space to actually be able to store fuel on the truck in quantities suitable for longdistance transport – not on the rigid vehicle and certainly not on a tractor unit.

The alternative, as propagated by Daimler, for example, would be largely pressureless tanks for liquid hydrogen cooled to at least minus 253 degrees. The problem with this is that, on the one hand, it adds a good deal to the steep energy expenditure that is already required for the production of hydrogen by electrolysis. Secondly, astronomical figures are stated when the talk turns to the costs of these highly insulated and thus not exactly slim containers.

So how to reconcile sophisticated cooling, space-consuming tanks as well as fuel cell stacks and buffer battery in the tractor units with a wheelbase of 3.6m to 3.8m that are common in Europe has not yet been answered. It is even more uncertain how the fuel cell truck will become an economical alternative to the diesel some day in the future. Unless politicians price diesel into oblivion.

20 MotorTransport

PLAYING IT COOL: The truck handled snow and ice flawlessly

a maximum of 350kW or 469hp, and the maximum torque to exactly 2,237Nm. That’s quite enough for an empty drive through the mountainous Appenzell countryside, on whose country roads this first driving report of a fuel cell truck takes place, but the electronics allow the power to be used sensibly. Smooth as butter, but with a distinct effect, the vehicle pulls away from the low revs in just a blink of an eye after stepping on the pedal. From first gear to second, it hops, not quite but almost, jerk-free. The shifts above it are almost imperceptible, and almost nothing can be heard of the drive itself, as was the case when we set off.

Tyre noise dominates.

As far as ride comfort is concerned, the discreet noise level is complemented by a well-tuned full air-suspension chassis that harmonises surprisingly well with the fourpoint air-suspension cab. Add to this a steering system that is pleasantly taut, but makes turning the steering wheel an effortless exercise, and you have real driving pleasure.

Getting used to the cabin of the Korean Xcient is not difficult for Europeans. The layout of the instrumentation, including the tube-like round instruments, is reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz Actros. The steering wheel buttons on the side of the steering wheel baffle are a familiar arrangement from Munich. The seat, too, is not exotic, but has the familiar Grammer name.

Finally, the display is in German. The labelling of the switches has not progressed that far and sticks to English.

Otherwise, instead of a rev counter, there is a circular instrument that shows how much power is currently being used or is flowing back via recuperation. Also important: the range indicator in the display. There are a few hydrogen filling stations in Switzerland, but not an excessive number.

In its element

The drive through the mountains of Appenzell ends in St Gallen, where an inconspicuous filling station in a somewhat remote high-altitude location has the substance on hand without which nothing works here – hydrogen – the most common chemical element in the universe because two atoms of it like to combine with an oxygen atom to form H2O. Refuelling itself is as unspectacular as the petrol station: dock the nozzle, flip a little lever and off you go. At a pressure of 350 bar, the gas is pumped from the large tank into the seven bomb-shaped tanks of the Xcient Fuel Cell, which hold a total of 32kg of the volatile material. They are almost as long as the vehicle is wide. Six stack up high along the rear wall of the cabin, while the seventh is hidden under the spoiler.

After refuelling, the display shows that the fuel tank is 96% full and that the range is 464km. This means an assumed consumption of 6.6kg of hydrogen per 100km.

Converted to the energy it contains, this corresponds to a diesel consumption of about 22 litres per 100km (12.8mpg). The fuel cell drive cannot exactly be considered miraculous in terms of consumption or efficiency.

Instead, it will be on a par with conventional diesel.

6.9.21

motortransport.co.uk

The pump price for the 9.26kg of fuel you just filled up is a hefty 115.75 Swiss francs. After deducting the VAT and converting the whole thing into sterling, the fuel costs amount to just under £85 for an energy equivalent of 22 litres of diesel. The reason for this apparently exorbitant cost is partly Switzerland’s LSVA (heavy goods vehicle tax). “This in turn saves about €38 per 100km because the fuel cell Hyundai is exempt from this toll,” says Peter Waldenberger, responsible for quality and environmental management at Gebrüder Weiss.

He doesn’t have to worry about fuel costs anyway: Hyundai rents out these trucks exclusively via a pay-peruse model, which includes fuel costs as well as tyre wear and insurance. The operator pays only a flat rate per km, which Peter Waldenberger says is “still 10% to 20% more expensive than a comparable diesel”. Another disadvantage of the Xcient Fuel Cell is that it has a payload of around 1,000-1,500kg less than a comparable diesel truck.

But these additional costs are worth the hydrogen experiment for the company, whose turnover amounts to about €1.7bn per year. Gebrüder Weiss is also working on other alternative drives, such as LNG. “The main thing is that it works,” says Waldenberger, outlining the pragmatism that the truck of the future has to face at the 550-year-old company.

And in this respect, the fuel cell vehicle, with more than 6,000km on the clock, has performed impeccably.

Nothing is known about the purchase price for such a truck and Hyundai is keeping quiet. But how high it will eventually be is likely to be one of the sticking points of the fuel cell truck.

Among insiders, the price for such a fuel cell truck is estimated to be four to five times higher than the price for a diesel. Another burden is that, as a rule, the fuel cell will probably have a shorter life than the diesel.

Long-term plans

This means there will probably be subsidies chipped into this business. On the other hand, Switzerland, with its energetic association for the promotion of hydrogen mobility, which includes financially strong companies such as Migros and Coop, is the ideal place for initial practical experience. And just how serious Hyundai is 6.9.21

about the whole project is shown, for example, by the fact that the contract signed with Gebrüder Weiss is for a period of eight years and also includes possible upgrades of the technology.

Even if the Swiss project is hardly suitable as a model for European long-distance transport, the ambition of the Koreans, who do not even want to compete in our latitudes with their heavy diesels, has long since gone far beyond the Old World anyway.

Hyundai has its sights set on two large markets outside Europe. On the one hand, the North American region, where the usual gross combination weight corresponds exactly to the 36 tonnes that the Xcient brought to Europe is allowed to have. There, the lack of length limits for the semi-trailer tractors would also make it easier to accommodate all the space-consuming components on their chassis.

On the other hand, China, whose government recently declared that one million fuel cell vehicles are to run in the country by 2030, is also enticing. Hyundai would also like to be represented there with a total of 4,000 fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles by 2025. ■

BUILT FOR COMFORT: (clockwise, from top left) The cabin offers plenty of space and ride comfort; the interior design of the cabin is the equal of its European counterparts; the instrument panel is tidy; the fuel pump shows the amount of fuel in kg, not litres; the steering wheel buttons nestle against the flanks of the hub

SPECIFICATIONS Manufacturer/model Fuel cell stacks Buffer battery Electric engine/inverter Gearbox Ratio spread Final drive ratio Axles Suspension Brakes Tyres Fuel tanks Cab type Wheelbase Kerb weight GVW Payload

Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell 2 x 95kW/395Nm = 190kW (255hp)/790Nm 72kWh/661V 350kW (469hp)/2,237Nm Allison ATM 4500 R, 6 forward gears, inc. 2 overdrive 4.9-0.67:1 4.87:1 Front, 8,000kg; rear, 11,500kg Front, two-bag air; rear, four-bag air Front and rear discs 315/70R22.5 7 x hydrogen tanks with total capacity 32.1kg at 350bar Xcient Day Cab, 4-point air suspension 5,130mm 9,795kg 18,000kg (as operated, technically 19,000kg permitted) 8,505kg MotorTransport 21

28 September 2021 | Alexandra Palace, London

Freight in the City is back, bigger and better than ever!

Freight in the City Expo is back with a bang on 28th September at London’s Alexandra Palace. We are excited to be bringing you the very best in urban logistics technology and knowledge. It could be one of the first opportunities you’ll have after more than a year of virtual meetings to finally be face to face with your industry peers again.

Headline Partner

Seminar Partner

freightinthecity.com

Explore first-hand the latest safe, clean delivery vehicles and kit aimed squarely at town and city operations. A full-day seminar programme will be taking place in the centre of the exhibition hall, making it easy to drop in and out of the sessions most relevant to you, in between chatting to manufacturers about your business requirements.

For more information and to register for your free tickets go to freightinthecity.com

Speaker 1

Speaker 2

Speaker 2

We have 20 expert speakers involved in our seminar programme this year including:

Andy Byford Commissioner Transport for London

Natalie Chapman Head of Policy - South, Logistics UK

Neil Herron CEO GRID Smarter Cities

We’ve got over 50 exhibitors coming to Freight in the City 2021 including Harris Maxus, Scania, Siemens eMobility, Zemo Partnership and many more.

REGISTER TODAY freightinthecity.com

Charging Zone Partner

#FITC2021

Hall of Fame

Three of a kind join o A haulage entrepreneur, a logistics specialist and an investigative journalist-turned-lobbyist are the latest members of Motor Transport’s Hall of Fame Andy Boyle

Andy Boyle OBE set up Andy Boyle Enterprises in May 1972, a firm later and better known as ABE (Ledbury).

He ran it for 45 years before selling to Palletline in 2017.

In the early days, most of the work came from the agriculture and horticulture sectors in Herefordshire and the company had just two vehicles, both Seddons, and both described as “knackered”, received in lieu of a debt repayment.

ABE became a limited company in 1989 and was an early adopter of the mobile phone, after many years of drivers hunting for coins and phone boxes.

The company was hit hard by the early 1990s recession and Boyle nearly decided to hang up the keys to the trucks. Diesel prices virtually doubled and the firm lost its biggest agricultural customer. But typical of Boyle’s entrepreneurial spirit, ABE joined what was then the newly established co-operative, Palletline, enabling it to move smaller consignments of pallets across the UK. ABE took full advantage, doubling in size with a variety of customers at the beginning of online trading. It also established a relationship with Partnerlink, enabling the company to make new trading partnerships and improve environmental performance by reducing empty running.

Four years ago, Boyle decided it was time to reduce his work commitments and the business was sold to Palletline. The move was considered to be the best option, as it meant the company remained exactly the same in its ethos – which is all about reliability, honesty and communication.

Boyle believed these were essential ingredients for building successful business relationships, and as the business has grown he has developed a professional workforce who share these values; they genuinely care about customers and take pride in their work. He has ensured that all relationships – be they with customers, staff or suppliers – are nurtured towards long-term partnerships.

Far from retiring, however, Boyle has kept himself busy. He served on the board of the RHA for 26 years and was made chair in 2008. In addition, he has been a committed campaigner against fuel duty rises.

Paying tribute to Boyle, one senior industry figure said he had been a “stalwart of the RHA” and that he was “logical, personable and very approachable”.

Another said: “Andy is an exemplar of decency as a businessman and operator, combined with a commitment to the wider industry demonstrated by his length of service to the RHA.” He was also described “a rock” when, during his chairmanship, the RHA nearly went bust during the financial crisis in 2008/09.

Jim French

Jim French MBE describes himself as “a trucks and sheds man” through and through, though that does his long and varied career in the logistics industry something of a disservice. He started with BRS straight from school as a branch manager in Hereford before moving on to Exel Logistics, and worked for some of the doyens of the 24 MotorTransport

NFC, including Robbie Burns, Steve Abel and Gerry Brown.

“I worked for Exel in different parts of the country right up until 1997,” French says. “It was an exciting time particularly at the start of the 1980s, when contract logistics was booming.”

French was later approached by another Exel alumnus, Ian Veitch, to work with him at UCI, which then became NYK and later Yusen Logistics. “I did that for five years, and then in 2003 Graham Roberts, who had previously been an NFC board member, became the chief executive of PD Ports and he asked me if I would like to join him.”

In 2019 he retired from his full-time role as director of portcentric logistics at PDP, but he remains actively involved in the industry as MD of the RHA’s Road to Logistics and co-chair of the Trailblazer Group for Transport and Logistics apprenticeships, where he fought long and hard to increase funding for the Category C+E LGV driver apprenticeship.

When RHA national chairman, French made it a priority to promote initiatives to attract young people into the sector. In fact, bringing in people to the industry has always been one of his passions.

French is a strong supporter of High Tide, a charity that helps young people enter the world of work, and Think Logistics, a scheme to encourage hauliers to promote the logistics industry to local schoolchildren.

6.9.21

motortransport.co.uk

n our roll of honour ALUMNI Peter Acton Ray Ashworth David Batty Robbie Burns Peter Carroll Glyn Davies Paul Day Dick Denby Theo de Pencier Andy, Richard and John Downton Des Evans OBE Ray Grocott Chris Hanson-Abbott John Harvey CBE Ken Irlam Nikki King OBE Graeme McFaull Harold Montgomery Stewart Oades Tony Pain John Parry Derrick Potter Anne Preston MBE John Ratcliff CBE William Stobart Thomas van Mourik Carole Walker John Williams Michael Williams Andy Boyle (far left), Jim French (above) and Jack Semple (left) were all big figures at the RHA

In 2016 he was named Volunteer of the Year by Career Ready, a charity that works closely with Think Logistics, and he led the development of the Logistics Academy at Stockton Riverside College.

“I have had a wonderful career in logistics and want to put something back by getting more young people into the industry,” French says.

Senior industry figures praise French for what he has done to encourage people into the industry, describing him as “a solid character and a major contributor to the industry and the RHA”.

“He has shown a life-long commitment to the industry and is an all-round good guy,” is an excellent summary.

Jack Semple

Jack Semple retired from his role as RHA director of policy in 2017, after 11 years with the association. In a rather unusual transition, Semple had spent most of the preceding 25 years as a transport journalist.

He joined Motor Transport in 1980 as assistant editor, where his responsibilities included all the weekly news content. Semple also spent three years as press officer at WS Atkins in the early 1990s.

Looking back on his move to the RHA, Semple says: “Some people thought it was a huge change, but the job was still about identifying issues and communicating.

I suppose you could say that as a journalist I only had to 6.9.21

write about the problems. As director of policy I had to try to come up with solutions. Building relationships with ministers and officials is absolutely fundamental.”

While at the RHA, Semple was a strong supporter of FairFuelUK’s successful campaign to freeze fuel duty, which has saved hauliers millions of pounds and gone some way to levelling the playing field with foreign operators. He also lobbied the government hard to provide the DVSA with extra funding to carry out targeted checks on foreign vehicles running on UK roads, which he believes have had a significant impact on both road safety and unfair competition from overseas operators flouting the rules on drivers’ hours and roadworthiness.

Semple took a pragmatic view of the unpopular Driver CPC, which many hauliers saw as a pointless and expensive regulation foisted on the UK by Brussels. His view was that once it was in force hauliers should make the most of the requirement for drivers to do 35 hours training every five years rather than just tick the box.

Semple has won the respect of many senior industry figures, one saying of him that “both as a journalist and in his RHA role he has spent a lifetime constructively reporting and supporting the industry”. Another added he was a “thinking transport journalist with a more investigative style than most, who became well respected among hauliers as someone who guided business and political strategy”. ■ MotorTransport 25

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR WINNERS! SAVE THE DATE! NEXT YEAR’S AWARDS WILL BE HELD

WEDNESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 2022

MTAWARDS.CO.UK

|

#MTAWARDS2021

Back in the game It’s back! After a brief absence due to Covid-19, the Motor Transport Awards roared back to life as 1,000 guests gathered to celebrate in style at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

Hosts Alexander Armstrong and Carol Vorderman made sure it was a night to remember – especially for Wren Kitchens which walked away with a record-equalling five trophies.

Read on to see all the winners.

Apprenticeship of the Year DPD UK Winner profile Inspire by name, inspire by nature... DPD’s apprenticeship programme helps people of all ages sponsored by and abilities to develop in positions right across the company, and includes a particular focus

on helping those with special needs enjoy careers that might otherwise not have been possible

MT editor Steve Hobson (far right) presents the trophy on behalf of TotalEnergies to DPD director of marketing Tim Jones (second left), apprentices manager Paul McDonald (centre) and communications consultant David Hare (second right) DPD looks to hire and retain the best people in the delivery industry and offers a diverse range of apprenticeships in its UK-wide network.

DPD’s award entry highlighted the difference its apprenticeship programme makes, including to young people with SEND (special educational needs and/or disabilities) through Inspire – its inclusivity programme for people with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Anyone joining DPD through Inspire is given clear progression through work experience, supported internships and inclusive apprenticeship before achieving a substantive post.

The apprenticeship process remains the same but with reasonable adjustments to

suit an individual’s abilities.

There is involvement at every level of the recruitment process from senior managers, with chief operating officer Justin Pegg conducting final interviews and three-month reviews.

They also advise on which department they feel would provide the best platform for a successful career.

DPD has invested £250,000 in the SEND programme since 2018, and had positive feedback from apprentices and their families who feel it has provided them with a career that may otherwise not have been possible.

Offering five separate types of apprenticeship allows DPD to recruit people of all ages, ensuring a consistent stream of innovative minds

and fresh perspectives.

Over 400 apprenticeship qualifications are currently being completed.

Different levels of apprenticeship include Intermediate – widely considered to be the same level as five GCSE passes: Advanced – recognised as equal to two A Level passes; and Higher – providing an opportunity to gain Level 4 qualifications or above, with most apprentices going on to an NVQ Level 4, HND or foundation degree.

Students can also achieve a full bachelor’s or master’s degree.

“DPD edged it with the Inspire programme, which put over 100 people into posts across the business,” said one of our judges.

“It’s really important that these kids aren’t pushed aside. We need to develop them and put them in a position where they can contribute to society” Paul McDonald, apprentices manager, DPD UK 28 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Best Use of Technology Award Charge Pod Winner profile Original ADS and the RAC teamed up to create an innovate ‘refuelling’ system for EVs that sponsored by have run out of charge. The simple solution incorporates a ground-breaking lightweight 10kW generator, and offers a simple solution when range anxiety really becomes reality!

Greg Ward, commercial business unit director of Bridgestone (second right), hands over the trophy to the RAC and Original ADS team Charge Pod was designed and developed by Original ADS at the request of the RAC to provide flat or severely charge-depleted EVs with a roadside power boost so they can be driven to the nearest charging point rather than recovered on a flatbed truck.

It is a lightweight, compact mobile electrical boost system that offers a 100% duty cycle, and allows the RAC to provide the same ‘out of fuel’ service as it would to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

The dimensions of the Charge Pod box are 390mm x 252mm x 185mm and the combined weight of all components is just 35kg.

The system never runs

out of power and can be incorporated onto standard fleet vehicles.

Four components make up the system – an engine mount kit, a generator, an RPM controller and the charge box. Charge Pod has been designed to supply an EV with a full 7.5kW of power, which requires a 10kW generator.

However, ordinary 10kW generators on the market are far too big and heavy for this application. This new permanent magnet generator weighs just 9kg, making it the lightest, most compact 10kW generator the world has ever seen.

Prior to Charge Pod, the only option for an EV that had run out of charge was to be

lifted onto a flatbed recovery vehicle and driven to a static charging station. But the CO2 emissions involved are up to 30 times higher than when a standard patrol vehicle is sent to assist. This means Charge Pod has also significantly reduced the carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions of the RAC’s fleet.

Our judges agreed that Charge Pod represents a ground-breaking solution for drivers. One said it “provides an effective tool to assist customers and will be good for membership numbers”.

Another said the product “challenges normal boundaries – it’s so simple and it solves such a big problem”.

“It means a lot to actually be recognised for the development work that gets put in” Lauren Saxton, commercial director, Original ADS 30 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Business Excellence Award Wren Kitchens Winner profile Wren Kitchens has been a beacon of business excellence over the last year, successfully growing sponsored by its turnover, raising key delivery metrics, reducing its road miles and cutting its carbon output – and all of this while expanding its headcount and the number of premises it operates from

Tim Gibson, sales director of Hireco (far right), celebrates with the team from Wren Kitchens Wren’s strategic plans were impeded by the pandemic, but its business model enabled it to embrace the challenges, implement Covid-safe procedures, employ and train 123 new delivery drivers, and keep on track. The kitchen retail giant delivered 96,296 kitchens and increased turnover by 18% when nonfood retail sales fell 5%.

The company relentlessly scrutinises itself and others to identify weaknesses, opportunities and strengths, and continues to introduce game-changing initiatives, streamline its practices, and provide greater employee motivation and development.

It also maintains high levels of safety and compliance.

Wren has achieved consecutive year-on-year

growth (turnover rising from £77,700 in 2009 to £703m in 2020) and in 2020 delivered 99.95% of kitchens on time and in full.

Last year, it opened the UK’s largest IT centre and 12 new showrooms (total 102), providing hundreds of new jobs. It also opened its first showroom in the USA. Efficiency savings in 2020 amounted to £2.8m while achieving a 33% reduction in road miles via its innovative TripleTrunking strategy.

Wren also produced 15% less CO2 emissions during the year and accident frequency was down 50% to 11.11%. This was put down to new, more efficient trucks with better safety features.

Personal accidents were down 92% and less than

1% of goods were found to be damaged for the third consecutive year.

Wren also launched three new Quartz facilities, five new outbases and 13 new doubledeck trunking units, cutting delivery times by up to six weeks, halving road miles and environmental impact and recycling water and waste products.

The company opened a new £4m depot in Avonmouth, providing 60% more capacity and improving access to the south-west.

Our judges said it had produced an outstanding entry. “They fell on their feet with the pandemic and reacted very fast,” one said. “Wren’s financial performance is amazing,” commented another.

“It’s a very proud moment, it has been won from the very top, from the bosses right down to the drivers” Lee Thompson-Halls, national fleet manager, Wren Kitchens 32 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Congratulations!

WREN KITCHENS For winning the ‘2021 Business Excellence Award’ From all at Hireco

At Hireco we pride ourselves on business excellence whilst providing total transport solutions - from supply of vans, trucks or trailers through to finance and maintenance support.

That’s why, as ever, we’re proud sponsors of this award.

To find out more about how we can provide your total transport solution call us: 0330 124 5651

hireco.co.uk

YOUR TOTAL TRANSPORT SOLUTION

Clean Fleet Van Operator of the Year Nottingham City Council Winner profile Nottingham City Council is well on its way to operating a completely zero-emission fleet. But its sponsored by stratgey is about more than just buying vehicles – the local authority is thinking ahead in order to reduce costs and even give advice to other councils on their green journeys

Carlos Rodrigues, MD of Renault Trucks UK and Ireland (far right), presents the trophy to Nottingham City Council Nottingham County Council’s (NCC) mission statement is to put citizens at the heart of all decisions. Air quality has a huge impact on quality of life and there is a clear directive to transform the council fleet to cleaner, environmentally responsible vehicles.

As a result, NCC has committed to a zero-tailpipe emission fleet by 2028.

The local authority has grown its EV fleet from two vehicles in 2016 to 196 today.

Of this EV fleet, 130 are vans – travelling over 590,000 miles a year combined, equating to over 115,000 fewer litres of diesel being used per annum.

In turn, this has reduced the yearly amount of CO2

emitted by NCC’s fleet by more than190 tonnes – the same quantity of carbon absorbed by over 7,000 trees.

NCC has also become a pioneer for adopting new EVs in the wider municipal fleet.

Some of the EVs currently in operation include compact sweepers, minibuses, cage tippers and OEM electric refuse collection vehicles (eRCVs), all of which were the first of their kinds to be operational in the UK. NCC’s CleanMobilEnergy Project will connect 40 electric vans to a network of solar PV panels and the National Grid using an energy optimisation platform.

By predicting periods of good weather and low

electricity pricing it will charge vehicles at the most cost-effective times, while also enabling the vans to act as short-term energy storage units by discharging energy back to the grid during periods of high demand.

In 2020, NCC also launched the UK’s first ultra-lowemission vehicle (ULEV) workshop to be run by a local authority. NCC has created a ULEV procurement framework, which is available to other local authorities.

Our judges said: “NCC demonstrated a very strong leadership approach to adopting new technology and supporting wider change for local businesses and other councils.”

“We’re really proud; the public sector has shown that it can lead the way in a commercial environment” Jason Gooding, head of parking, fleet and transport services, Nottingham City Council 34 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Customer Care Award DPD UK Winner profile The country’s leading B2C parcels carrier has made our Customer Care award its own in recent sponsored by years, but the business refuses to rest on its laurels. A boom in lockdown home shopping saw the introduction of four key initiatives to ensure DPD always delivered on its promises

Kevin Buchanan, CEO of Pall-Ex Group (far right), presents the award to a very happy DPD UK DPD has won the Customer Care Award six times in the last seven years and one judge of this year’s award said: “This entry demonstrates breath-taking attention to detail, and a winning combination of dedication and innovation”.

DPD is now the UK’s top domestic B2C parcels carrier, more than doubling turnover since 2015 by establishing itself as the go-to choice for retailers who value a personalised home delivery experience. Its 22,000-strong team now delivers over 350 million parcels a year for 7,500 clients.

A huge surge in online shopping saw volumes leap 55% within 10 days of the start of the lockdown in March

36 MotorTransport

2020. By the end of year, the equivalent of three-and-ahalf years’ projected growth had hit the company in just nine months.

To adapt to this huge surge while maintaining optimum levels of customer care it put in place four initiatives: It activated the Intelligent Operations Centre – DPD’s ‘mission control’ for handling a crisis; it developed Quantum, a new ‘continuous wave’ operation to squeeze capacity out of existing depots; it enhanced its consumer app, inviting consumers to rate their drivers; and it measured and motivated site managers to deliver the best possible customer experience.

The app’s ‘Rate my Driver’

function generated 1.5m thumbs up in the first three months after its launch in October 2020 – and just 8,700 thumbs down. Although this only represents 0.58% of feedback, each negative vote is thoroughly investigated.

DPD recorded its best ever Net Promoter Score of 70%, achieved record high service levels of 99.9% and topped the MoneySavingExpert carrier poll for the eighth year running. Our judges were particular impressed with DPD’s Executive Sponsorship Programme, which sees each of the 10 senior management team aligned with 10 different customers. This ensures their voice is represented in the boardroom by visits to each one at least twice a year.

6.9.21

Fleet Truck of the Year DAF XF Winner profile DAF’s ever-popular XF has been a multiple winner in the Fleet Truck category over the years. sponsored by Space and comfort for drivers, economy and practicality for operators, and the reassurance of a comprehensive warranty and dealer network underline its longevity

MT editor Steve Hobson (far right) presents the trophy on behalf of Texaco Lubricants to Laurence Drake, MD of DAF Trucks While the familiar XF – a multiple winner of this award in previous years – has just been replaced, DAF made a series of improvements to the current model over the years to keep it at the top of the sales tree.

A range of fuel efficiency improvements introduced in 2017 including new engines, aftertreatment systems, transmissions and rear axles contributed to a 7% fuel efficiency improvement.

The two most popular 6x2 fleet tractor configurations are the market-leading FTG 6x2 twin-steer and the FTP pusher axle 6x2, the latter boosting payload by 500kg and freeing chassis space for

bigger fuel tanks or ancillary equipment. Both come with the Space, Super Space or low-height Comfort cab options.

The Super Space cab is still one of the largest around, while the bunk remains the benchmark for driver comfort.

Storage capacity has been emulated but never bettered by rivals and a deadlock bolt on the cab doors provides extra security at night.

For operators heading in to London, DAF offers a factoryfitted safe system covered by the vehicle warranty to comply with the London HGV Safety Permit scheme.

Aftersales service has been key to DAF’s sales success

over the years, with DAFaid roadside assistance often cited as the best on the market. Dealers attended 65,000 breakdowns in 2020 of which 80% were fixed at the roadside with 90 minutes. All vehicles come with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty plus a third-year driveline warranty, free DAFaid cover and a three-year DAF MultiSupport Preventative Maintenance package.

DAF’s dealer network is the largest of all the OEMs, with 135 sales and service locations in the UK and Ireland. The average annual test pass rate for DAF dealers is almost 98% and there are 59 ATFs in the network.

“I feel very excited to have won the award for the third time on the trot, which is obviously quite exceptional. It was a real surprise” Laurence Drake, MD, DAF Trucks 38 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Haulier of the Year Expect Distribution Winner profile It’s back-to-back wins for Bradford-based logistics firm Expect Distribution – and for good sponsored by reason. While Covid-19 had an inevitable impact, turnover, profit and margins improved,

savings in running costs were found, and the business made a point of investing in its people

Volvo Trucks MD Christian Coolsaet (yellow tie) hands over the trophy to Expect Distribution MD Neil Rushworth (holding trophy) and team This is the second year on the trot Expect Distribution has picked up the Haulier of the Year trophy, the first company to pull off this feat. It becomes only the second company, alongside Abbey Logistics, to win it three times since the awards launched in 1986.

Expect Distribution put in another outstanding financial performance last year and, although the events of 2020 slowed turnover growth, it still saw a 68% improvement in net profit to £3m as margins widened to an enviable 9.15%. Half of this was down to a 5% saving in running costs.

At the start of the pandemic

the company says it decided not to change its commercial strategy, although it would need to adapt.

The entry explained: “We had a strong focus on employee well-being, introducing a new and improved employee benefit package. Communication with employees and customers was increased and we had a huge focus on health and safety, with a 25% reduction in accidents versus headcount.”

Expect stuck to its ethos that its people are the key to success. In 2020 it created a management development programme; took on eight apprentices in driving,

warehouse, office and finance departments and four Novus student placements from Huddersfield University; and made full use of its Apprenticeship Levy to train long-standing employees.

One of our judges said Expect had “grown significantly as a business and recognised that people are at the heart of everything they do”, while another with a strong entrepreneurial streak said: “This company is fully engaged in all areas of its business. It knows what it is and where it wants to go.

Profitability is exceptional and this is a business in which I’d be keen to be an investor.”

“We’re immensely proud to have won this award three times. We’re a family business and this is the culmination of it” Neil Rushworth, MD, Expect Distribution 40 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Clean Fleet Van of the Year MAXUS e Deliver 9 Winner profile The interest in zero-emissions vehicles is hotting up and manufacturers are putting serious effort sponsored by into developing viable options for operators. In a fiercely contested sector, it was MAXUS – with a focus on payload, range, dealer support and quick charging – that won out with its e Deliver 9

Emma Rowland, sales director of Transport News publisher Road Transport Media, hands over the award to Harris Automotive Group, distributors of the MAXUS e Delivery 9 It was an exciting year in 2020 for MAXUS – not only did it rebrand from its original LDV moniker in April, but there was the launch of two new electric commercial vehicles: the e DELIVER 3 and the e DELIVER 9.

The e DELIVER 9 is a large new-platform electric vehicle in two size options. It offers a range up to 219 miles on a single charge and operates with a high-power 150kW motor. This zero-emission van has three battery options – 51.5kWh, 72kWh and 88.55kWh – with various battery cooling methods to reduce charging time (a DC charger will boost batteries from 5% to 80% capacity in just 45 minutes), as well as

extending battery life and increasing operating range.

The new model is rated at 3,500kg, or an optional 4,050kg, with payloads of up to 1,700kg MAXUS offers a number of e DELIVER 9 variants, including crew cab, chassis and minibus models.

A network of specialist converters can create a bespoke van to cater for operations including refrigeration and specialist cargo.

A touchscreen-enabled infotainment system with Apple Car Play and Android Auto means that drivers can stay connected on the road.

The e DELIVER 9 starts from £55,000 (ex-VAT) with a

government electric vehicle grant, making it one of the best-value large all-electric vans on the market.

Each vehicle comes with a five-year services commitment, including a five-year warranty and roadside assist as standard.

MAXUS is distributed by Warrington-based Harris Automotive Distributors and is supported by a strong UK dealership network. It also offers a business advice service for those operators looking to go electric.

Our judges said: “A very capable product with good range and impressive payload. The entry showed strong dealer network support for operators.”

“We’re 18 months ahead of the curve; the other manufacturers have got a long way to go to catch up” Mike Haran, Maxus fleet account manager, Harris Group 42 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Home Delivery Operator of the Year Wren Kitchens A focus on safety and compliance meant kitchen manufacturer Wren was able to keep customer orders on track despite the challenges of Covid-19. With customers keen to improve their homes during lockdown, the business kept delivery promises as business boomed

Winner profile sponsored by

Vic Bunby, divisional director of Freight in the City organiser Road Transport Media (second left), presents the trophy to Lee Thompson-Halls, national fleet manager (second right) and Steve Clark, transport manager (centre) at Wren Kitchens Covid-19 delivered unprecedented challenges in 2020, yet Wren’s robust, agile delivery model enabled it to realign its focus on safety, well-being and customer satisfaction.

The swift introduction of Covid-safe procedures allowed the firm to keep staff employed, customers ordering, manufacturing on track, and the safe delivery of 96,296 kitchens.

Planned strategic developments were slowed in favour of safety and compliance. To fulfil deliveries safely, timely and in the ‘Wren way’, the business employed and trained an unprecedented 135 new drivers.

It was a year of robust growth, with annual

turnover up by £86.5m.

Key achievements included 99.95% of deliveries ontime-in-full; less than 1% damaged goods for the third year running; a 58% fall in reportable accidents; and personal accidents down 92%. Road safety is a top priority, and 90% of the fleet’s vehicles are aged three years or under to benefit from the latest technology. Vehicle accidents were down 12%.

‘Dynamic Planning & Order Pinning’ saw a £1m efficiency saving and cut delivery lead times by 60%. The system has also reduced staff costs per delivery, slashed road miles and emissions and enabled fleet savings by increasing the flexibility of the larger 18-tonners on its fleet.

TripleTrunking has added further efficiency savings of £2.8m and a 33% reduction in road miles.

Meanwhile, Wren hit its best-ever CSI score of 93% and top TrustPilot score of 4.5/5. Customer technology such as the ‘MyAccount’ app have been a huge success.

The system offers real-time order updates from factory to doorstep, together with feedback facilities and useful information. In its first year ‘My Account’ had 97,576 downloads and generated around two million page views.

The judges said: “Good focus on safety and staff initiatives. Strong evidence provided of a progressive, growing business with robust investment in the operation.”

“We had to look at ways of getting staff out there.

It’s something we’re really proud of” Lee Thompson-Halls, national fleet manager, Wren Kitchens 6.9.21

MotorTransport 43

Innovation Award Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services Winner profile Keeping the UK’s motorway network free of litter is one of those vital tasks that road users just sponsored by take for granted, but the reality is that it is labour intensive and dangerous for highways staff.

A new mobile vacuum truck has improved the safety and efficiency of M25 clean-ups

Charlotte Patch, Balfour Beatty commercial manager - fleet (holding trophy), collects the award from Kate Norton, Goodyear sales general manager of commercial UK & Ireland Every year more than 200,000 bags of litter have to be removed from motorways managed by Highways England. This equates, on average, to more than 7,500 tonnes of rubbish.

In order to ensure the safety of motorists and wildlife and prevent the buildup of surface water, it is vital that the road network is as litter-free as possible.

Balfour Beatty Plant and Fleet Services, in partnership with Connect Plus Services, designed, built and delivered an innovative new design, which enables maintenance crews to collect litter of all shapes, sizes and weights

from the roadside with the use of a hand-held vacuum pipe serviced by a bespoke machine mounted on a truck bed. The litter is deposited into a compartment within the machine, with any dust contained with a filter.

The machine was developed with health and safety in mind when working on the UK’s busiest motorway, while also improving the rate of litter picking. The vacuum sucks litter in, as opposed to teams manually collecting the waste, meaning litter picking is faster and workers can spend less time in a live highway environment.

The machine has been used

regularly on the M25 network since its introduction, and although the use is still in its infancy, wider training of the workforce is expected to increase efficiency by 33%.

Fewer operatives will also be needed on litter picking duties, which should mean they are freed up to carry out other maintenance and essential works on the highways network.

Our judges said: “This entry really stood out as solving a unique challenge.

Truly innovative, good, clear, concise entry describing an innovation that helps remove the dangers of working at the side of the road.”

“We want our environment to be safe and ultimately that’s what this award is about” Charlotte Patch, commercial manager – fleet, Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services 46 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Low Carbon Award Hovis Winner profile Hovis has long had an eye on cutting its carbon emissions and is taking a truly integrated sponsored by approach to improved environmental performance. With a focus on data, the bakery giant has been able to see that its initiatives really are paying off

Tony Stuart, head of logisitics operations support at Hovis (holding trophy), collects the award from Darren Hall, MD of Fraikin Hovis is committed to continually reducing the carbon emissions of its road fleet, which comprises around 400 vehicles and 250 trailers.

In 2015, Hovis set out its carbon-reduction strategy for achieving its goals, with four key pillars underpinning the plans: cut operating miles; improve MPG; reduce or remove the need to burn diesel fuel; and driver performance and data.

Initiatives included the introduction of new 7.2-tonne ‘Convenience’ Iveco Dailies for urban deliveries, which have replaced some of its 7.5 and 12 tonners, travelling 2.5 million miles nationally on urban and inner-city routes and so far saving

48 MotorTransport

35,000 gallons of fuel. The fleet currently runs 50 Convenience vehicles, with a further 50-plus being added over the next 12 months.

The use of sustainable drop-in fuel HVO across the entire fleet has also put Hovis on track to slash 40,311 tonnes of CO2 by 2022, or 91% per litre used compared to fossil diesel.

Other projects have seen the rollout of Microlise technology across the fleet and creation of a driver behaviour strategy; introduction of two battery electric 7.5-tonne eCanters; and working with customers to improve routing efficiency.

Hovis took the Microlise Driver Excellence Award for

2020 as the company with the most drivers in the top 1,000 based on telematics data from 225,000 UK drivers.

Projects during 2020 and 2021 will remove 1.3 million road miles from the operation, equating to 100,000 gallons of fuel use (based on a fleet average 13mpg). The improvements have all been achieved alongside increased sales during the pandemic without increasing the fleet size or driver pool.

The judges said: “Very impressed that Hovis is using all the tools available to it. Well-measured carbon reduction, good analysis and strong commitment to sustainability. It is doing everything right.”

6.9.21

Operational Excellence Award Wren Kitchens Winner profile Every aspect of the Wren Kitchens business is managed in-house, giving the company complete sponsored by control of the customer experience. Having the flexibility to innovate in its transport operations has delivered significant benefits in terms of buyer satisfaction and to the bottom line

Steve Clarke, Hovis operations implementation manager (second left) and Lee Halls, fleet manager (holding trophy), collect the award from Andy Humpherson, CEO of EV Cargo Solutions Keeping every aspect of the business in-house gives Wren Kitchens maximum control, optimises consistency and identifies opportunities for continuous improvement.

The company introduced a number of game-changing initiatives that delivered tangible customer benefits as well as significant commercial and operational gains.

Despite 2020 being a year when safety, compliance and continuity took centre stage, the FORS-accredited operator assessed, employed and trained an unprecedented 123 new drivers in four months to manage a spike in orders.

Highlights included:

50 MotorTransport

• 99.95% delivery on-timein-full • £1m savings and delivery leads times reduced by 60% • £52,572 saving from ‘Project back-haul’ run in association with Wren’s appliance suppliers • £2.8m efficiency savings and 33% reduction in road miles by ‘TripleTrunking’ • Additional 15% MPG (saving £190,000) and accident frequency reduced 50% with the introduction of new trucks with leading safety features The transport operation made a number of improvements. By ‘upcycling’ its 18-tonne triple-trunking units as they came to the end of their five-year, 550,000km

life into yard shunters Wren saved over £200,000.

With 18-tonne, 7.5-tonne and 3.5-tonne vehicles on the fleet, the company is able to offer a range of flexible delivery options. The choice of vehicle is agreed following either a satellite view or a site visit, and verified 24 hours ahead of the delivery Our judges sang the praises of Wren’s entry, saying: “They have high standards in all of their operational tasks from the start of an order to completed delivery.

Clearly a forward thinking organisation that cares about their people, customers and the environment and are not afraid to be innovative.”

6.9.21

Partnership Award Maple Fleet Services Winner profile Maple Fleet Services has drawn together expert advice from across the transport, legal and sponsored by insurance industries to create the CART security guide, aimed at addressing the often-overlooked issue of cargo crime. A new driver-specific version was launched in 2020

John Marks, client partner at Partners& (far right) presents the trophy to Paul Nunn, marketing manager at Maple Fleet Services (centre) and partners In a closely fought contest Maple Fleet Services came out top in the Partnership Award partly because of the uniqueness of its entry.

As one of our judges noted: “This is a partnership of more than two; rather it is a partnership of many bringing together a disparate collection of organisations and as such it is worthy of considerable praise.”

Maple focused on the ‘Cargo and road transport (CART) security guide’, a collaborative project involving professionals from the police, road transport and insurance industries who share a passion to combat and disrupt cargo crime.

Project members include the RHA, DHL, Royal Sun Alliance, Motorway Buddy, National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service and Secure Supply Chain Scotland. The objective of the CART guide is to raise awareness of the often overlooked subject of cargo crime, while promoting bestpractice guidance to combat this ever-evolving threat.

The original guide was launched in 2017, since when 2,500 hard copies have been distributed direct to transport managers, loss prevention specialists and other industry stakeholders. It has also been downloaded and shared many thousands of times.

A version of the CART guide aimed at drivers was launched in September 2020 and more than 6,000 hard copies have already distributed directly to commercial vehicle drivers.

Once more, a digital version is also available for download.

Our judges said the guide “sets out the real cost of cargo crime and a framework of practical suggestions”. One added: “The guide is deeply original document and the organisations supporting it deserve credit for the collaboration for the wider good of the industry. The guide is so good operators should buy two copies in case one is stolen!”

“Our aim and objective was to improve security across the transport industry” Paul Nunn, marketing manager, Maple Fleet Services 52 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Livery of the Year Construct IT Winner profile The head-turning fluorescent yellow livery that adorns Construct IT’s various vehicle types sponsored by ensures they are easily noticed by other vehicle drivers and vulnerable road users like cyclists

and pedestrians, while still managing to communicate just who the company is and what it does

Will Shiers, editor of Commercial Motor (far right), presents the trophy to David McWilliams, sales director (second left) and Amarat Gill, operations director of Construct IT Construct IT has built the company from the ground up to provide a safe pair of hands and the digital knowhow essential for today’s construction manufacturers.

Its dual USPs of safety and technology gave it a focused brief to develop its name, brand and livery.

As a start-up, its trucks needed to work hard to introduce it, and say what it does and why.

Its livery helps it clearly communicate the haulage sector it works in and its technological focus. And its safety-inspired fluoro-yellow ensures it gets noticed on even the dullest of days.

Its parent, West Midlandsbased BJS Haulage, says it is delighted to have brought its bold branding and expertise

to the building sector.

The neon colour pallet does more than look good, making the vehicles highly visible, and also fits neatly with new safety legislation such as TfL’s Direct Vision Standard and safety permit for HGVs, which measures how much an HGV driver can see in and around their vehicle to indicate the level of risk to vulnerable road users.

Construct IT’s bright branding is as flexible as it is impactful and works well across its vehicle types. Five of the 25-strong Renault fleet have closed extender adjustable trailers designed in conjunction with Atlas Cranes & Dennison Trailers.

A further five drawbars, built

by Massey Truck Engineering, can be split in half, which is

great in limited space, the firm says, where two smaller loads are more suitable than a single large one.

This new brand will certainly be easy to spot as it lifts and loads the nation’s building materials and our judges were especially impressed by the “bright and inventive” use of branding.

“The slogans and the colours were so striking,” one said, adding: “Wow – if that came down the motorway you wouldn’t miss it!”

Another said: “It’s a brilliant livery and the focus on safety is absolutely appropriate for the construction sector. It was very clever and imaginative.

Who would have thought it was possible to create a livery on a flatbed trailer? It ticked all the boxes.”

“We were hopeful that either us or BJS haulage, which is in the same group, were going to win” Amarat Gill, operations director, Construct IT 54 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Safety in Operation Award Wren Kitchens Wren Kitchens leaves nothing to chance and no stone unturned when it comes to ensuring the safety of its operation. Its Covid-19 response covered every angle, while its broader initiatives have seen RIDDORs, delivery incidents, goods damage and road accidents all cut substantially

Winner profile sponsored by

Tim Pearson, national SHEQ manager (holding trophy), and David Cooper, national compliance and training manager (centre) at Wren Kitchens collect the trophy from Steve Cox, marketing manager at Road Transport Expo The pandemic disrupted Wren’s plans and tested its resilience. But the kitchen retailer’s business model enabled it to embrace the challenges, introducing Covid-safe procedures and safely delivering 96,296 kitchens by the end of 2020.

From facilities, induction and workplace training to best practice, manual handling, transport and customer service, its operations are all scrutinised for safety.

The company was classified as ‘essential retail’ so continued with a skeleton office staff. Customers were communicated with via the MyAccount App, outlining new Covid-safe processes.

Staff and drivers complete a daily health questionnaire and temperature check

before entering its premises.

All deliveries are contactless and drivers wear masks, perspex visors, gloves and shoe covers. Vehicles are disinfected daily or on a change of driver.

Workplaces and showrooms were issued with social distancing signage, floor markers and guidance sheets, and workstations were positioned at least 2m apart and fitted with screens.

Wren monitors and reports consistently low workplace accidents with a 56% reduction in RIDDORS, 92% reduced delivery incidents and less than 1% damaged goods for a third consecutive year. There was also a 12% fall in road incident frequency.

The company provides bi-annual CPC training for all

managers and drivers and includes specific vulnerable road users and manual handling modules.

Regular Covid, H&S checklist and site audits are undertaken, and drivers have to pass each stage of relevant training before going solo.

Innovative safety equipment has been introduced to reduce physical burden, mitigate personal injury and protect products. Wren also produces quarterly safety campaigns and has mental health first aiders available for all.

Wren has “a really good range of initiatives to create a safety culture”, our judges said. “From driver training to manual handling, it was a case of no stone left unturned with safety,” noted one.

“We are overwhelmed; its brilliant! If it’s not 1,000%, we’re not happy” David Cooper, national transport compliance and training manager, Wren Kitchens 6.9.21

MotorTransport 55

Service to Industry Donald Burton Winner profile From humble beginnings, Donald Burton has grown trailer builder Don-Bur into a hugely sponsored by successful business. His modesty and strong work ethic have kept him firmly grounded though, and, at the age of 87, he’s still not ready to put his feet up

Donald Burton, founder and chairman of Don-Bur (centre), collects the award from Guy Reynolds, commercial director of Aquarius IT Donald Burton was born in Draycott, Stoke-onTrent, on 10 October 1933.

Academically bright, he passed his 11-plus before going to the local grammar school, Longton High.

Burton’s early career was forged in the coachbuilding sector, starting in 1949 at Stoke-on-Trent-based Hassells before moving on to Metalcraft. He left there to join the Coldstream Guards on 11 January 1952.

After stepping down from the army two years later, Burton took on a role at Tom Byatts, a van dealership and bodyshop.

A brief sojourn into the world of professional football followed in 1955, when he grasped the opportunity to

play for Derby County, but that dream was brought to a premature end by an Achilles injury and he returned to Tom Byatts in 1956.

In the early 1970s, the firm was sold to Bristol Street Motors, which also owned Welford Truck Bodies. Burton was asked to take over the management of Welfords, where the business became known affectionately as ‘Donny-Burtons’.

Towards the end of the decade Bristol Street came close to bankruptcy, and Burton took the chance to carry out one of the first known management buy-outs in 1981. The new firm was conveniently named ‘DonBur’ after its founder.

Now aged 87 and chairman of the business, Burton still goes to the factory every day.

He is a man of presence and obvious drive, but shies away from recognition. Despite winning numerous awards over the past 40 years, there are no trophies on display.

He has driven DonBur from being a backstreet bodybuilder to an internationally recognised blue chip supplier. He is responsible for the employment of around 500 members of staff and, remarkably, knows the names of each and every one.

When asked what continues to drive him, he mused for a moment and, with a reflective smile, simply said: “I suppose it’s in my blood.”

“I’m just absolutely delighted with this award. It was nice just to walk down the stairs on the red carpet and people showed great appreciation” Donald Burton, founder, Don-Bur 56 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Integrated driver & �eet compliance solutions

Proud sponsors of

To all the �nalists and winners at this year's Motor Transport Awards

Team of the Year Stagefreight Winner profile When Covid-19 struck, events and entertainment specialist Stagefreight saw its entire income sponsored by disappear overnight. But the team pulled together, reinventing the business as a general haulier with a focus on food to keep the wheels moving. Now the future looks brighter than ever

Jon Palmer, transport planner (second left) and Suzy Gale, finance officer at Stagefreight, collect the trophy from Ian Uttley, director of HIAB (far right) The year 2020 started out as events haulier Stagefreight’s strongest to date, with a string of new high-profile contracts and 22% year-onyear growth. Jobs from the likes of Sky, Opera North and Northern Ballet flooded in.

The firm was on target to achieve 36% growth in Q1, but then Covid-19 hit and the entire entertainment sector ground to a halt.

Not to be beaten, the business immediately turned its hand to general haulage – a sector it had little experience in and no reputation to rely on.

The entire company, from office staff to drivers, pulled together to secure work.

Stagefreight’s strategy was

to adapt to the new industry and grow its reputation. The firm focused initially on food logistics work, specifically supermarkets.

The whole business model, from in-house technology to staff skills, was reworked to facilitate the change. This included two days of specialist training for the firm’s 29 drivers to help them adapt to their new responsibilities.

In addition, Stagefreight bought in refrigerated trailers and electronic proof-of-delivery systems.

The hard work paid off – by May 2020 the business broke even and by the end of June everybody was back at work.

Now 80% of work comes from returning haulage customers.

Stagefreight believes its team’s ‘can-do’ approach allowed the business to stay afloat during challenging times, and while it doesn’t expect a full return to events work until autumn 2021, it anticipates the general haulage operation will remain robust and continue to grow.

The company plans to expand its reefer fleet and look for additional warehouse capacity to support this new side of the operation.

The judges said: “An excellent example of turning a negative into a positive, and a really inclusive team approach. This was a really strong entry from a niche player that lost 100% of its work overnight.”

“We had to write all the conferences and events out of the diary and diversify into general haulage” Jon Palmer, transport planner, Stagefreight 58 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Technical Excellence Award Renault ZE Winner profile Renault’s ground-breaking ZE range offers a comprehensive choice of vehicles for operators sponsored by looking to cut their carbon emissions. But more than that, the manufacturer is helping to focus attention on what is possible with EVs

Paul Emery, UK sales director of Hankook (far right), presents the award to Carlos Rodrigues (holding trophy), MD of Renault Trucks UK and Ireland, and his team The submission looked to highlight all the benefits that Renault’s ZE range offers to customers, but it is also an insight into the future of sustainable transport and a direct response to those customers seeking to lead in the drive to a zero carbon transport system.

The “grand shift to electromobility” has begun, Renault says, and has become a huge focus for the manufacturer in a pivotal year. The ZE range aims to demonstrate how operators can make confident steps on that journey.

The range goes from 3.1 tonnes to 26 tonnes including a low-entry cab

version and offers operators the opportunity to address the distribution needs of customers operating in cities and the extended urban environment. Each model is factory built and fully type approved.

Main benefits to UK customers include zero tailpipe emissions and a quieter, smoother drive.

Vehicles can be fully charged overnight in standard charge mode or for less than two hours in fast-charge mode.

The vehicle requires less maintenance and the energy guarantee allows operators to manage energy usage to extend operation up to 10 years under warranty within

the service contract period.

Customers already signed up to the Renault ZE include DHL Supply Chain, XPO Logistics, Carlsberg, Veolia and Nestle. Our judges agreed that Renault’s entry offered a good working partnership. “What I like is that they’ve already built some and got them in operation,” one said.

Another said: “They’ve put themselves in the position with this range to offer their customers a serious choice of new-generation electric vehicles. They’ve looked across different operating environments, so they’ve got an offering for whatever you run.”

“It’s absolutely amazing – this Technical Excellence Award is 10 years of hard work” Carlos Rodrigues, MD, Renault Trucks UK and Ireland 60 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Training Award Wren Kitchens Winner profile Wren Kitchens knows that its success depends on its people, so when the pandemic hit it didn’t sponsored by let it detract from its efforts to recruit and train the staff that are so critical to its business, or stop it from putting their personal development at the forefront of its training programmes

Tim Pearson, national SHEQ manager (second left) and David Cooper, national compliance and training manager at Wren Kitchens, collect the award from Adam Leonard, CEO of Palletforce Kitchen retailer Wren’s transport and logistics team exceeds 770 and its recruitment policy is about identifying individuals with the right attitude.

It is then Wren’s mission to identify training needs, provide the right environment and deliver effective content and opportunities to develop the right skills.

In a Covid-ravaged year when safety, compliance and continuity took centre stage, Wren assessed, employed and trained 123 new drivers in four months to manage a spike in orders. It also continued to deliver training and coaching that delivered efficiencies, increased performance, improved safety and supported individuals in their personal development.

The company has 15 RHA trained assessor/training managers working out of dedicated training academy facilities at six sites. During Covid, Wren doubled its training days when its facilities were forced to halve their throughput.

In the last 18 months it has introduced a number of initiatives delivering safety, commercial and personal benefits, including those focused on fuel-efficient driving, hard hats, new driver infringements, crossdepartment familiarisation and in-house firefighting.

From 306 successful applicants, 187 potential drivers progressed through the six-stage preemployment programme.

At the end of stage six, Wren

identified the 123 candidates who were invited to join its team.

Wren gives its staff the opportunity to progress through van, LGV and HGV licences. During 2020 another 11 apprentices joined its programme. All started as drivers and two took the opportunity to be transferred to the office programme.

Another 16 apprentices were given full-time positions within the organisation following successful graduation from their apprenticeship schemes.

“This was a picture of a strong company. Training defines them and it’s enabled them to respond positively through the pandemic,” said one of our judges. “The entry ticked every box.”

“I want to thank my training team and the guys that work with me. I do give them grief, but it’s paid off!”

David Cooper, national transport compliance and training manager, Wren Kitchens 62 MotorTransport

6.9.21

Urban Delivery Operator of the Year Zedify Winner profile With a fleet of specialised zero-emission vehicles, a network of ‘hyperlocal’ delivery hubs and sponsored by dedicated tools to prove its eco-credentials to customers, Zedify is making a feature of ‘greening’ urban deliveries. And it’s doing it by paying drivers a fair wage, too

Motor Transport editor Steve Hobson presents the award on behalf of My Transport Planner to Harriet Hird, head of marketing at Zedify Zedify is on a mission to transform urban logistics and create healthier, more liveable cities of the future.

It believes its model of consolidated zero-emission deliveries is helping to transform the way first- and last-mile collection and deliveries are handled in urban areas.

It operates a light electric fleet of more than 90 cargo trikes, bikes and quads, which it says saves 98% of CO2 emissions per km compared with diesel vans.

It also has a growing network of 10 ‘hyperlocal’ micro hubs in cities across the UK, providing an option for businesses that want to contribute to improving air

quality and tackle the climate crisis. The hubs act as a gateway and consolidation centre for small items coming into and out of the urban area.

Zedify’s collections and deliveries are focused within a compact city-centre radius, usually around three miles, enabling the operation to use specialist vehicles.

This approach means the business can offer chosen delivery windows to customers. The cost to users is on a par with a traditional couriers’ next-day offer.

Zedify has developed its own real-time technology platform to optimise routes and enable sustainability reporting for customers, such as emissions saved

per journey. As well as no congestion, noise, speeding or parking violations during its 20 years of combined operations across its network, the business has also seen zero killed or serious injury incidents.

Zedify is also an ethical employer, paying its drivers the real living wage in contrast to a growing gig economy in the sector.

The judges said: “Zedify’s NPS of 88% is excellent.

It punches well above its weight for a smaller operator and demonstrates a great customer experience. There has been an impressive expansion of micro hubs across the UK, not just London-centric.”

“It’s very encouraging to see our work being recognised at this level. I was surprised because we were up against big corporations” Harriet Hird, head of marketing, Zedify 64 MotorTransport

6.9.21

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