Motor Transport 20 September 2021

Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging

20.9.21

Industry figures question the move to make licence acquisition simpler

Test changes prompt serious safety fears

28 September 2021

#FITC2021

REGISTER TODAY freightinthecity.com

NEWS INSIDE Pay surge

Earnings rise at Wincanton

p3

Greener vehicles

BVRLA calls for delivery plan p4

Vox pop

Firms’ optimism under strain p6

OPERATORS INSIDE Countrystyle Recycling.................................. p6 Culina Group ................................................. p3 Cullimore Group ...........................................p26 DHL .............................................................. p6 DHL Tradeteam.............................................. p3 EFS Global..................................................... p4 EV Cargo ....................................................... p3 Hanson ......................................................... p6 Moody Logistics ...........................................p40 Perishable Movements.................................. p6 Serco............................................................ p6 Suttons Tankers ............................................ p4 Thomas Harwood & Son................................. p4 Wincanton.................................................... p3

Andrew Malcolm, chief executive of the Malcolm Group, has added his name to a growing list of industry figures questioning the safety of government plans to streamline HGV driver tests to tackle the driver crisis.

The proposed changes will see the removal of the need for car drivers to take a separate test to tow a trailer or caravan, allowing around 30,000 more HGV tests to be conducted every year.

Tests will also be made shorter by removing several elements and having them tested separately by a third party. Drivers will also be able to get a licence to drive an articulated vehicle without first getting one for a rigid vehicle, making around 20,000 more HGV driving tests available every year.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said the changes, which still need to be approved by Parliament, would generate additional test capacity “very rapidly” and would not change the standard of driving required to drive an HGV. However, Malcolm queried Shapps’ claims. “I am seriously concerned about the safety aspect,”

Photo: Shutterstock

By Carol Millett

he said. “I think they’ve cut far too much out the process of the test – that’s my biggest worry.”

RHA head of training and sales Brian Kenny echoed his fears.

“According to HSE, there’s about seven people knocked down and killed in yards each year by reversing vehicles,” he said. “Removing the reversing manoeuvre from the test is a step back.”

Parcelhero described the proposed changes as a “panicked, potentially dangerous and shortsighted” reaction to a driver shortage created by the government’s policy on Brexit.

“Merging the separate rigid and articulated tests cuts too many corners,” said David Jinks, head of consumer research. “The gap

between obtaining a level C licence for driving a standard truck and level C+E for driving an artic existed for a reason: to ensure drivers gained experience before mastering an articulated truck.”

Wincanton chief executive James Wroath added that the measures would not be felt in time to meet the demands of the peak season.

“At the moment, we’re in the calm before the storm,” he said.

“The concern will be once the Black Friday and Christmas peaks come along.”

RHA chief executive Richard Burnett agreed, stating: “At the moment, at 3,000 tests a week, there is a pass rate of 56%, so we are only getting 1,600 drivers. We have a natural attrition rate of 600 drivers, so that gives us 1,000 drivers.

“If we did manage to put 1,000 drivers through a week, even if we got back to pre-pandemic rates by training another 40,000 drivers to get us down to that 60,000 prepandemic shortage, it would take us almost a year.

“So we will not deliver Christmas unless we have access to a broader foreign market.”

GROUND CONTROL: Collins Earthworks has taken delivery of some of the first new model Volvo FMX tractors in the UK. The five Globetrotter 6x4 tractor units with ejector trailers come with a new cab design, distinctive V-shaped LED headlamps and headlamp protectors, new anti-slip footsteps and a digital dashboard display. Andy Jinks, garage manager at the Kirkby-in-Ashfield haulier, said it was “massively impressed” with the new generation vehicles. “The new FMX cab has proved really popular with our drivers,” he commented. “They’ve got more space, improved visibility thanks to a lowered door line, new rear-view mirrors and an ultra-modern digital driver display, which can be customised to suit what the driver wants to see. All combined, it’s greatly advanced the driving experience.” Supplied by Hartshorne Motor Services, the double-drive tractor units will be in operation five days a week, clocking up between 80,000km and 100,000km per year.

CV Show highlights p10 Viewpoint: driver crisis p20 Earned Recognition p22 Digital tachographs p26 Marketplace p28 Moody Logistics p40

! ¨ȒǼɵȅƺ àƺǝǣƬǼƺ ȒƳǣƺ

:;965.: -3,,; *65=,9:065: «Ȓƫɖ ‫« ى‬ƺǼǣƏƫǼƺ ‫« ى‬ƺƬɵƬǼƏƫǼƺ

IǼƺƺ àƺǝǣƬǼƺ ȒƳɵ ³ ƺƬǣƏǼǣ

News

motortransport.co.uk

Annual earnings jump nearly a third to just over £35,000 after Unite deal

Wincanton Argos drivers’ pay leaps

By Chris Tindall

Wincanton drivers on the Argos contract will see their annual earnings jump by nearly a third to £35,100 according to union Unite, after it secured a huge pay increase for them.

Over 90 HGV drivers based at the company’s Heywood depot in Greater Manchester have had their basic rate of pay increased from £11.41 an hour to £15 an hour – as well as a lump sum payment of £2,500.

Unite said it was currently in pay talks with other employers managing similar contracts in the North West and anticipated this pay deal would act as a catalyst for “realistic pay offers” elsewhere.

Wincanton declined to comment on the pay rise; however, writing in The Daily Telegraph earlier this

week, chief executive James Wroath said competition for people was “intense” and that many people were refusing permanent jobs because they can make as much money through agency jobs, with greater flexibility.

Wroath said: “We know we need to pay people more and look at initiatives such as signing-on bonuses and training incentives.

“But these represent a small step in tackling the structural challenges we face to ensure our country’s

supply chain is properly resourced and capable of meeting the needs of a resurgent economy, and in particular the continued shift to online retail.”

He added: “We need more diversity, including greater female representation. We also need creativity and flexibility around shift patterns, and more investment in facilities and amenities.”

■ Wincanton has agreed to buy e-commerce and fulfilment specialist Cygnia Logistics from Crescent Capital. It has also appointed Carl Moore, former Clipper Logistics chief commercial officer, as MD of its digital and e-fulfilment division. Cygnia provides high-volume order fulfilment, returns and carrier management services and employs around 700 people across four sites.

LOOKING GOOD: Culina Group has rolled out a new brand identity after its recent purchase of Eddie Stobart. The firm said its new brand was “confident yet simple”, adding that now was the right time to overhaul its visual identity after the takeover of GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions in July. Thomas van Mourik, Culina Group chief executive, said: “This new identity reflects who we are today as a business. The branding symbolises our dynamic and exciting future yet retains a sense of familiarity by maintaining the iconic and recognisable cog as a nod to our rich history and deep roots.” The group aims to have all its assets rebranded by September 2024.

Joint venture Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) said it was consolidating its secondary logistics network into a single inhouse solution for customers. It said this would create the largest logistics network dedicated to the on trade operated by a brewer in the UK. Before Carlsberg UK and Marston’s teamed up in November last year to create CMBC, Carlsberg outsourced its secondary logistics 20.9.21

to DHL Tradeteam. CMBC said this agreement would conclude by mutual agreement to enable CMBC to provide a single logistics solution to its customers from March 2022, while DHL supported CMBC on future solutions.

Paul Davies, CMBC chief executive, said: “Investing in and expanding our own secondary logistics network, operated by our own team and utilising our own infrastructure is a great opportu-

Photo: Shutterstock

CMBC calls time on DHL deal nity to offer all of our customers one logistics solution.

“Through this investment in people, technology, depots and vehicles, we aim to create the UK’s best logistics service, dedicated to the UK on trade.”

Conroy leaves EV Cargo two months after becoming CEO EV Cargo UK chief executive Michael Conroy (pictured) is to leave the business just two months after being promoted to the newly formed role from his former position as Palletforce chief executive, which he held for 13 years.

The group said that, in the interim, EV Cargo chief executive Heath Zarin will oversee Conroy’s role.

In a statement, EV Cargo said Conroy had made “a personal decision” to leave EV Cargo, adding that Conroy had been “instrumental in the ongoing success of the award-winning distribution network since joining the company in 2008”.

The statement paid tribute to Conroy’s “efforts, determination and unquestionable work ethic” – which it said had seen Palletforce become “an award-winning market leader” – and his success in overseeing a £100m investment programme in the network, delivering “uninterrupted year-on-year growth” and playing an “important role” in the creation of EV Cargo in 2018.

Zarin added: “Michael’s contribution and commitment to the success of Palletforce over the last 13 years has been both unwavering and exemplary. I understand he has considered this very carefully and I respect his decision.

“I would like to thank Michael, both professionally and personally, for his significant contribution to the success of EV Cargo and wish him every happiness for the future.”

Last month industry veteran Adam Leonard was appointed to take the place of Conroy as Palletforce’s new chief executive. His previous posts included chief executive of The Pallet Network.

MotorTransport 3

News

motortransport.co.uk

Association demands government delivery plan to phase out old trucks

BVRLA calls for a green HGV taskforce MV Commercial buys Fruehauf out of administration Specialist truck provider MV Commercial is to buy tipping trailer and rigid body manufacturer Fruehauf out of administration in a “multimillion” pound deal which will see the transfer of all 120 workers at the business.

The company is promising to scale up production immediately and be able to offer 80-90 trucks and trailers for sale within a month.

MV Commercial said the acquisition included an immediate cash injection and a commitment to a further £30m investment over the next three years, as part of plans to modernise the manufacturing facility and “realise the full potential” of the 67-acre site in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

MV Commercial will also revive the legendary Crane Fruehauf name by which the business was known until around 1998. The rebranding is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

Tom O’Rourke (pictured), chief executive of MV Commercial, said: “With immediate effect we are starting work to scale production back up, enabling us to commit to a delivery schedule for outstanding customer orders and begin building new stock trailers for MV’s own contract hire and ready-to-go fleets.”

MV Commercial plans to open a truck sales and rental facility on site in Grantham within the next month. Work will also begin to refurbish and modernise much of the site.

4 MotorTransport

The BVRLA wants the government to come up with a delivery plan that supports the phase-out of nonzero emission HGVs between 2035 and 2040.

In a response to a consultation on a phase-out, the vehicle rental association recommended the setting up of a taskforce with a range of stakeholders, including end users.

This group would play a key role in identifying the challenges in reaching the phase-out dates and in developing the solutions needed to overcome them.

It said members had highlighted how the approach for HGVs

Photo: Shutterstock

By Carol Millett

needed to be more nuanced and studied and that the government should reconsider its timings for the phase-out.

It added that the vehicle weight threshold for the 2035 and 2040 phase-out dates should occur at 18 tonnes, not 26 tonnes, and that another earlier split at 7.5 tonnes should be considered.

Members have also asked for an

increase in maximum permissible weights to cater for the additional weight and loss of payload when moving to zero-emission vehicles.

“All of the members we spoke to as part of this consultation highlighted the massive uncertainty around future powertrain technology and infrastructure requirements,” said BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney.

“The HGV market will need massive long-term grants and incentives to go zero emission and government needs to ensure that any of the lessons and insights from the various trials currently under way are fed through to the market quickly and clearly.”

EFS Global acquires Thomas Harwood & Son Bolton firm Thomas Harwood & Son has become the latest acquisition for EFS Global.

EFS now has 18 depots and offices across the country, operating its own UK and European road freight fleet, as well as facilitating a range of worldwide import and export services.

It said the latest deal was a significant step in its growth strat-

egy. “For over 80 years Thomas Harwood & Son has been a leading distribution and haulage firm in the North West,” said Mark Jones, EFS Global MD. “Its reputation has been built on delivering a first-class and personalised customer service experience which mirrors EFS’s approach, so we are delighted it is now part of the EFS Global group.”

Thomas Harwood & Son holds a standard international licence for 24 trucks and 30 trailers.

Other acquisitions made by EFS in recent years include CS Brunt, Bradtrans International, Horizon Distribution, Euro-Tran Despatch, JRS Traction, PDQ Specialist Courier Services, Caistor Distribution, AFI UK and Austin Wilkinson & Sons.

Suttons makes Hassall its new fleet director

Construction firms raise pay rates The construction materials sector is hiking franchised driver rates.

Breedon Group, Aggregate Industries and Tarmac have boosted their pay in the past few weeks, MT has learnt.

A Breedon Group spokesman confirmed the construction materials firm increased its rates for franchised drivers by 5% from 1 September, adding that the rate would be reviewed in a year’s time. “We have given a 5% rise to our drivers across the board. Whilst we are retaining our drivers we are finding it very difficult to attract new drivers,” he explained.

Both Aggregate Industries and building materials and construction giant Tarmac have also increased franchised drivers’ rates by 5%, with Aggregate Industries’ rate effective from 1 August and Tarmac’s introduced from 1 September, according to some of its franchised drivers.

Bulk chemical logistics provider Suttons Tankers has appointed Steve Hassall (pictured) as fleet director.

Suttons MD Michael Cundy said Hassall, who has over 30 years’ experience in the industry, had a strong grasp of the firm’s core values and would be heading up its fleet sustainability agenda.

20.9.21

NEW GENERATION DAF

Start the Future

With the New Generation XG and XG+, DAF introduces an entirely new vehicle platform.

Outstanding fuel efficiency and superior safety are combined with a unique level of driver comfort, marking a new era for the truck industry. Step inside and start the future of road transport today.

WWW.STARTTHEFUTURE.COM

*Depending on the road traffic conditions, cargo and type of vehicle.

A PACCAR COMPANY DRIVEN BY QUALITY

10%* LOWER FUEL CONSUMPTION + SUPERIOR SAFETY + THE PINNACLE OF COMFORT, SPACE AND LUXURY

News

motortransport.co.uk

VOX POP What’s your level of mid-term business optimism?

Moreton Cullimore, MD, Cullimore Group “The honest answer is I just don’t know.

Yes, we are busy right now and the forward order book looks reasonable for the next few months.

That said, the Job Retention Scheme comes to an end this month. Then we will see whether people just go back to work if they haven’t already or if there is a potential drop.

In January 2020 the UK was a million homes behind schedule in the construction sector, so the demand should remain from transport to construction with a fair wind.

That said, with Covid still very much with us, we can only take each month as it comes.

If the economy remains stable and we avoid too much high inflation over the coming months then business should go back to what we are used to – but you’d have to be a gambling person to put your money on it.”

Kevin Buchannan, group chief executive officer, Pall-Ex “Our mid- to long-term optimism remains high.

We have already invested heavily in people, technology and facilities in order to ensure that we

continue to enhance our market position.

It is likely that growth will normalise in the UK for the remainder of 2021 and into 2022.

We are already seeing a return to the normal market trends over the last two months with growth slowing to between 8-10% in Pall-Ex UK, but speeding up to around 15% in Fortec as the improvements made to the running of the business start to make an impact, such as the launch of Nexus.“ Stuart Charter, MD, Aztek Logistics “There is little in the way of mid-to long-term optimism when you look at the broader supply chain issues. The tectonic plates on which the whole supply chain is based have shifted as a result of both Covid-19 and Brexit, to the point where major manufacturers and food processors are suffering as a result of product supply and staffing issues.

Our peak-centric and seasonal just-intime systems are predicated on the ready availability of both, but the government’s trite response has been to suggest the increased recruitment of UK personnel only, without any constructive support for how that might be achieved in the short to medium term.

Meat processors are even asking for special dispensation to get prisoners to help ease the pressure.

Such governmental glibness is perhaps the real crime here.”

Bob Terris, chairman, Meachers “We remain very optimistic – our level of profitability has never been higher. Following our new acquisition and the winning of new business, we are doing all we can to mitigate the effects of current market conditions. It may be some time before this improves.

The actions taken include substantial pay rises for all categories of drivers and warehouse employees from 1 June and six-monthly service bonuses paid from 1 July – £500 each six months.

We have also recruited non-HGV drivers and warehouse operatives and offered free training during paid time to HGV Class 2 and then to Class 1 after six months’ service.

We will offer employment to any drivers that have trained and passed the test who have privately paid for their training, and will reimburse them after two years’ service.

We need 110 drivers for our current operation and we are 10 short over three locations.

We have equipment for delivery up to next June and are hiring trucks until then. We are struggling to cover the volumes and the availability of sub-contractors has reduced.”

Hanson drivers vote on strike over pay

PML pays for driver training Perishable Movements (PML) is offering to pay for the training of eight HGV drivers, in a bid to tackle the wider national labour shortage.

The successful candidates will be based at the company’s London Heathrow headquarters and its new facility at Lympne in Kent, set to open in November.

Mike Parr, PML MD, said the company would finance the complete training for the “right candidates, as long as the applicants are able to demonstrate PML’s hallmark commitment to the highest standard of customer service”.

He added: “The HGV driver 6 MotorTransport

shortage is reaching crisis point and the knock-on effect of this impacting on the supply of essential fresh produce and pharmaceutical goods is something that we at PML predicted six months ago.

“Lorry drivers responsible for delivering vital food and pharmacy supplies are without doubt essential workers, and we ensure that as such, they are well rewarded when they join the company, not only by a favourable package of benefits but also in terms of providing best-in-class facilities for them to access while they are working to ensure their continued physical and mental wellbeing.”

Over 200 Hanson lorry drivers and engineers are set to vote on strike action after rejecting a 2.5% pay offer from the company on the grounds that, with inflation running at 3.9%, the offer constitutes a pay cut.

Hanson’s drivers and engineers say they are also “deeply unhappy” at what they describe as “the high handed management style” at the company and a “marked lack of dignity” at work, union Unite revealed.

The ballot closes on 23 September and could see strike action begin during October.

The union is warning that it would hit deliveries of cement to

major construction projects, including Hinkley Point, HS2, Sellafield and Thames Tideway, as well as to building product companies such as Jewson and Marshalls.

■ Drivers handling waste collections in south London will see their wages increase by more than 36% when the contract transfers from Serco to Countrystyle Recycling, according to Unite. It claimed that some drivers previously on £22,000 a year would see that increase to more than £30,000 in October. The union also said refuse collection strikes had officially ended after a pay deal was ratified with the current contractor.

PACKAGE DEAL: DHL’s deal to provide warehousing, fulfilment and distribution to Loop is to grow after the reusable packaging company expanded its partnership with Tesco. Loop provides a circular model that allows Tesco customers to buy well-known brands in reusable, returnable packaging.

So far, this has just been part of a pilot scheme but Tesco is to now offer the service in 10 of its large stores in the east of England. If the pilot is successful it could be rolled out across hundreds of its other UK stores.

20.09.21

ELECTRIC TRUCKS READY TO DELIVER The Volvo FL and Volvo FE Electric trucks are suited for collecting and delivering goods in and around the city.

The Volvo FL Electric is more compact and agile and will work easily in confined spaces. The Volvo FE Electric is optimised for heavy loads.

Our electric trucks are designed for efficient urban transport and are offered with solutions for charging, route and range planning, energy status and more.

For more information visit www.volvotrucks.co.uk/electric

Volvo Trucks. Driving Progress

News

motortransport.co.uk

Focus: apprenticeships Urban driver apprenticeship should boost logistics recruitment

Blazing a trail for the urban driver Last week The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) gave approval for the development of an ‘urban driver’ apprenticeship which would incorporate the acquisition of a category C HGV licence.

This is a major milestone in the evolution of logistics apprenticeships. Its accreditation will provide the industry with both a cat C and a cat C+E apprenticeship programme – something it has been pursuing since the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy and the new format of standards and end point assessments (EPAs) for apprenticeships in England in April 2017.

Prior to this there had been apprenticeship frameworks for ‘driving goods vehicles’ for van drivers, rigid vehicle drivers and articulated and drawbar vehicle drivers.

The new apprenticeships were aimed at improving the quality of the training provided and included the introduction of Trailblazer Groups for each industry sector, to ensure that the apprenticeships developed met the needs of employers.

The transport and logistics sector Trailblazer Group duly developed an HGV driver cat C apprenticeship which was approved on 24 June 2016.

This training was for a 12-month period, 20% of which was required to be ‘off the job’. The funding available was a maximum of £5,000 and employers used this new format to the extent of around 1,500 to 2,000 apprenticeship starts per annum.

The industry needs an apprenticeship to train drivers up to cat C+E level, but the stance of the IFATE was to refuse to permit the development of a second HGV driver apprenticeship on the grounds that the roles were too similar.

In early 2019 the RHA conducted a survey of operators to determine which apprenticeship they would prefer to use. The response was overwhelmingly (87%) in favour of an HGV driver cat C+E apprenticeship and therefore the Trailblazer Group commenced the development of this in April 2019.

There was, however, strong representation from operators with predominantly cat C fleets, fearing that the replacement of the cat C apprenticeship would leave them without a viable option for training drivers for their needs.

In December 2019 the industry met with the IFATE to seek a way forward. It was agreed to uplift the existing apprenticeship to an HGV driver cat C+E apprenticeship as a priority and then develop a new HGV driver cat C apprenticeship.

In doing so, the Trailblazer Group was required to demonstrate that there were two distinct roles. Hence the concept of the ‘urban driver’ apprenticeship was born, focusing on drivers involved in multiple deliveries or collections, principally in towns and cities.

The HGV driver cat C+E apprenticeship was approved in April 2020 but when the recommended funding level of £6,000 was announced the Trailblazer Group voted to reject this and sought a procedural review.

Eventually after two reviews and much lobbying, including representation from secretary of state for transport Grant

8 MotorTransport

Shapps, the maximum funding level was increased to £7,000.

During this hiatus the Trailblazer Group was working on a comparison of cat C and cat C+E drivers to substantiate the differences and the need to gain approval for the urban driver apprenticeship.

On 9 December 2020 a presentation was made to the IFATE Route Panel to illustrate these differences. This was accepted and the Trailblazer Group then went about preparing the proposal for the urban driver apprenticeship.

There are policies which the institute must adhere to before agreeing to the development of new apprenticeships. To demonstrate the role of the urban driver the group highlighted the additional duties an urban driver may be required to undertake, notably: ■ The customer relationship and service requirements, including the possible installation of furniture or appliances in homes and offices ■ The handling of products, both manually and with various forms of mechanical handling equipment ■ Deliveries and collections to or from areas with restricted access or within emission zones.

Furthermore, a significant difference in the operation of the two types of vehicles is the annual mileage covered. From DfT statistics, articulated vehicles average 68,840 miles per annum whereas rigid vehicles average just 26,928 miles. This is a clear indication that the urban driver is involved in more than just sitting behind the wheel.

On 4 August the group made a further presentation to the IFATE on the role of the urban driver, supported by two operators who predominantly employ cat C HGV drivers – Brake Brothers and Travis Perkins.

On 2 September the group received notification that the proposal for the urban driver apprenticeship had been approved.

The impact of the current driver shortage has resulted in the IFATE providing extra support to the Trailblazer Group to finalise the standard and EPA with the aim of gaining accreditation and availability for the industry by mid-October.

This will not solve the immediate driver shortage but in the medium and long term it will provide a platform for operators to recruit and train those interested in a career in this most absorbing industry.

For more information on this apprenticeship or to join the Trailblazer Group, please contact g.austin@maritimetransport.com or jim516@btinternet.com.

Jim French, co-chair Transport and logistics sector Trailblazer Group 20.9.21

ALL TOGETHER TOUGHER. REAL PARTNERS SHARE THE LOAD.

In successful partnerships, tasks are always allocated to the people best able to manage them. So, let us look after your MAN trucks, while you focus on your business.

With a UK-wide dealer commitment to keep in stock all the parts you’re most likely to need replacing, our uptime guarantee and our extensive range of warranties, you can rely on us to keep you on the road.

SIMPLY MY TRUCK

PUSHING THE LIMITS

man.eu/uk

99951.002 MAN 8X4 TGS Campaign A4 Press Ad One_aw1.indd 1

10/06/2021 12:32

CV Show News

motortransport.co.uk

Mobile column lifts take centre stage at the 2021 CV Show

Totalkare shows some real muscle

By Steve Hobson

At the 2021 CV Show, Totalkare showed a set of mobile column lifts holding up a tractor unit, a van demonstrating its mobile brake tester, headlamp testers, and air-con service units, and – possibly a CV Show first – a section of a pre-fabricated vehicle pit.

Totalkare HDWS has been supplying mobile column vehicle lifts in the UK for over 40 years, and offers a full range of lifting equipment including fixed heavyduty four-post lifts for truck and bus workshops.

But its business has been built on mobile versions of these lifts that can be positioned around a vehicle when required and then put away to clear the workshop floor after use.

“The advantage is that they can be stacked to one side of the workshop to free up space,” said Steve Braund, marketing manager at Totalkare. “Two years ago we intro-

duced brake testers and other testing equipment on the back of our reputation for quality products and excellent aftersales service.

“That has gone really well and our mobile brake testers are outselling every other product in the UK. “We have just moved into pre-

Photo: Shutterstock

HEALTHY DEMAND: Independent provider of vocational licence medicals D4Drivers said demand for its services was booming as the backlog created by the DVLA’s year-long extension to licence renewals is addressed.

The Shrewsbury-based company’s rate of 5,500 tests a month in the spring is now running at 9,500. The company offers tests at 86 locations nationwide. Medicals are priced at £55 including eye tests, falling to £52 for regular customers with a business account.

fabricated vehicle pits and while we couldn’t excavate a pit at the NEC we do have one above ground,” added Braund at the show. “People will be able to walk in and see the quality of the build. Next to that there is also an in-ground brake tester installation at eye level.”

RFID fob limits access to sites and vehicles Maple Fleet Services used the CV Show to promote a new limited access device it introduced recently at the behest of a major blue-chip company that requires access to secure areas by multiple people.

For security conscious operators, Maple’s RFID fob is issued to drivers and warehouse staff to access secure warehouse areas and trailers, but the fob can be easily lost or misplaced, or fall into the wrong hands.

Paul Nunn, marketing manager at Maple Fleet Services, said the new device limited access by time, for example to a 12-hour window, so that if the RFID fob went missing, access would be denied to anyone finding it.

Teletrac Navman platform based on AI The CV Show saw the launch of a new telematics platform from Teletrac Navman based on artificial intelligence (AI) cameras, which the firm’s marketing operations manager Tom Waldron said made for a vastly cheaper way of linking into a vehicle’s telematics.

Already tracking over half a million vehicles for more than 40,000 companies worldwide, Keele-based Teletrac Navman is a well-established name in terms of

telematics technology.

“Particularly for fleets, it is costeffective and in the forthcoming world of electric vehicles, savings will be shown in total cost of ownership,” commented Waldron.

“We will be able to offer a threemonth deployment starting with a simple plug-and-play commencement, and thereafter our comprehensive analysis will be provided at a very competitive cost,” he added.

Geotab helps light commercial fleets in the transition to carbon-free Telematics firm Geotab used the CV Show to highlight how it can help light commercial fleets make the transition from fossil fuels to zero carbon vehicles.

It also showcased its smart tachograph solution launched last year, which this year has a new bolt-on that David Savage, associate vice-president for UK and 10 MotorTransport

Ireland at Geotab, had previously been keeping under wraps.

2020 was mixed for Geotab, said Savage, with some clients seeing volumes fall in the lockdown while others were flat out.

“Once the dust had settled, we had a really successful year last year,” he said. “That was because telematics can provide certainty in

uncertain times and we saw a lot of growth, particularly in the light commercial sector. Last-mile delivery grew 50% last year and we benefited from that.

“Our HGV product was well received by the market so that was positive from a compliance standpoint,” he added.

After a slow start, electrification

of van fleets gathered pace last year, which Savage attributed in part to operators “having some downtime to re-evaluate their strategies” together with the government announcement at the end of the year that it wanted to bring forward the ban on new internal combustion-engined light commercials to 2030.

20.9.21

Maxus Intelligence Onboard

71 PLATE AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW www.saicmaxus.co.uk | Call us on 01925 204 997 | maxusfleet@saicmaxus.co.uk

CV Show News

motortransport.co.uk

Combo-e and Movano-e shake up the electric van scene

Global premiere for Vauxhall EVs

By George Barrow

Isuzu shows off the new D-Max pick-up Isuzu’s stand featured several examples of its all-new D-Max pick-up truck, including an eye-catching AT35 Arctic Truck prototype.

The new D-Max is easily identified by a bold exterior redesign, the horizontal bonnet and vertical front face giving it a more powerful stance.

The interior has seen a substantial upgrade, with soft-touch plastics giving it a more upmarket feel. A new 4.2in colour Multi-Information Display, which incorporates infotainment, parking sensors and system health checks, dominates the revised dashboard. The steering wheel is now fully adjustable, and a speed-sensitive electronic power steering system is now standard.

The new D-Max is powered by a 1.9-litre 162hp (360Nm) Euro-6d diesel engine matched to either a manual or automatic transmission. The latter has been upgraded, with 25% quicker shifts.

Brakes, suspension and cab mounts have also all been revised, and a Stop & Start system now comes as standard.

The new truck, which has a 3.5-tonne towing capacity and can take a payload of up to 1,120kg, is available in three cab lengths (Single, Extended and Double), three ranges (Business, All-purpose and Adventure), and four trim levels (Utility, DL20, DL40 and V-Cross). The AT35 will be added to the range next spring.

Isuzu anticipates that the V-Cross Double Cab will be the best seller. All are offered with a 125,000-mile five-year warranty.

12 MotorTransport

Vauxhall electrified the CV Show with the global premiere of the Combo-e and Movano-e all-electric vans.

The show was the first opportunity to see the new models in the metal as Vauxhall makes steps to electrify its entire range – something it has already achieved with its commercial vehicle line-up, including the huge success of the Vivaro-e launched last year.

The large Movano-e has a load volume of up to 17cu m and a claimed range of up to 139 miles; while the small Combo-e has a volume of 4.4cu m and a range of 171 miles from its 50kWh battery pack.

Also revealed at the show was the pricing for the Vauxhall Combo-e which has been set at £27,600 for the compact electric city van and drops to £25,238.33 after the government plug-in van grant is applied.

Also on display was Vauxhall’s Vivaro-e Platform Cab Concept.

Built in collaboration with Paneltex, the concept targets supermarkets and retailers looking at home delivery in urban areas.

Completing the line-up of new vehicles on Vauxhall’s stand was an early glimpse of the new Vivaro-e Hydrogen which will

arrive in the UK in early 2023.

The hydrogen-powered van features a fuel cell system in the engine bay that provides a range of up to 249 miles, with a complete refill possible in as little as three minutes. Vauxhall said it had brought it to the show to start talking with corporate fleets ahead of its UK launch.

Truckfile focuses on maintenance by Voice Fleet and workshop management and compliance systems supplier Truckfile has launched a new voice-

activated device which it says can improve technician efficiency by 25%.

Using prompts from a Honeywell handheld device in a holster, the technician uses a headset called Voice to respond to each stage of a maintenance checklist when working on a truck.

Truckfile MD Paul Whittingham said: “Using key words like ‘Pass’ allows the system to move to the next stage. If it’s a ‘Fail’ the hand-

held will generate a list of established defects the technician can verbally select from or ask to be read out by the device.”

The system updates with each prompt and is logged online, removing unnecessary paperwork.

The Voice system was developed with real-time data capture firm Dakota Integrated Solutions, and will be piloted by a Mercedes-Benz dealership before its official launch, said Whittingham.

DETECTING RISK: Lytx is known in the UK for its range of DriveCam dashcams. Its most recent venture, though, driven by its acquisition of the Surfsight product, is to integrate that system into existing telematics solutions with partner companies. The concept is based on a combination of machine vision and artificial intelligence to provide proactive risk detection. This allows driver behaviour to be monitored by sensors, and drivers to be given warnings without immediately advising the fleet manager. If the opportunities to modify their behaviour are not taken, then management involvement can be invoked.

Because the system doesn’t rely on continuous video recording, it becomes more acceptable to drivers and unions. Insurers like the concept of first notification of risk as a way of preventing rather than punishing bad habits. For managers, meanwhile, it’s a way of reducing irrelevant data received.

20.9.21

“I always specify Michelin tyres for our tipper demonstrators because they are incredible for on/off-road work!”

Martin Tomlinson, Head of Truck Demonstration, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland Discover more

business.michelin.co.uk

Tip-Ex and Tank-Ex Show 2021

motortransport.co.uk

Buzzing about bulk haulage Forgotten what it’s like to do business in person? Then don’t miss this year’s Tip-Ex and Tank-Ex Show – all the biggest names will be there, ready to talk deals, plus a packed programme of seminars and speakers

T

he atmosphere will be buzzing in the Harrogate Convention Hall when Tip-Ex and Tank-Ex rolls into town from 30 September2 October.

With more than 100 exhibitors located across four vast halls and outside zones, there is lots to make some noise about. The show offers an ideal opportunity to browse the latest vehicles and technology on the market, chat directly with manufacturers and snap up that all important fleet bargain!

Leading truck manufacturers including Iveco, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Trucks and Volvo will be there with their latest models.

Alongside this will be big name bodybuilders, trailer, tanker and load-handling manufacturers including Feldbinder, Hiab, Jost, Paneltex, Thompsons, Van Hool, VPG, Wilcox and many more.

Workshop equipment will also feature heavily, as will all the accessories and kit you need to keep your fleet compliant on the road, from cameras and telematics, to walking floors and hydraulic tipping gear – you name it, you’ll find it at the show.

“We’ve really pulled out all the stops to make sure this year’s live event is a showstopper,” said Road Transport Media divisional director Vic Bunby.

“It’s been so long since we have had the chance to meet face to face, rather than on screens, so we believe the show provides the perfect opportunity to reconnect and make those all-important business contacts.”

So make sure to put the dates in your diary and register to get your free tickets now at tipextankex.co.uk n

14 MotorTransport

WHAT’S NEW FOR THIS YEAR? n Knowledge Zone ‘Hall C’ at Tip-Ex Tank-Ex will this year be hosting a much-expanded Knowledge Zone, trialled for the first time in 2019. A programme of engaging stage talks will cover topics ranging from alternative fuels and tipper/tanker innovation, through to driver training and safety.

An exciting line-up of top industry speakers is beginning to take shape nicely, so we’re confident there will be a topic to suit everyone’s business. n Drivers’ Day Saturday in Harrogate is this year dedicated to drivers. There will be a host of exciting activities for you to take part in, while an eye-catching display of working tippers and tankers will be on show.

Take a tour around a modern racing truck with professional driver Stuart Oliver, tuck into a tasty burger from our delicious fresh BBQ, or head over to our wellbeing kiosk for a free health check. n Transport Manager Briefing Whether you’re in charge of two or 200 trucks, your role as a transport manager is vital for the safe, efficient and legal operation of your employer’s fleet. Knowledge is key, and keeping abreast of the latest vehicle and industry-wide regulations can be a full-time job in itself. That’s why we’re excited to be launching a brand-new, free Transport Manager Briefing, which will take place on Thursday 30 September.

This will feature six leading compliance experts, as well as a keynote from the Traffic Commissioner for the North East of England, Tim Blackmore.

20.9.21

Stagefreight Ltd provide transport services to the live Event Industry and also since Covid hit we supply transport services for General Haulage and Refrigerated Transport.

All work is carried out by highly trained, polite, hardworking drivers in a fleet of Euro 6 trucks, we have box and curtain side trailers of various sizes as well as rigid vehicles and refrigerated trailers to complete any job.

We provide all our transport cover with the same ethos of being in the right place at the right time, every time. Proud winners of the Motor Transport Award for Team of the Year 2021, this follows on from awards for Event Haulier of the Year, Eco-Friendly Road Fleet of the Year and the FTA’s Road Haulier of the Year. Stagefreight are doing the job right for every one of their clients.

www.stagefreight.com tel: 0113 238 0805 e-mail: info@stagefreight.com Stagefreight Ltd, Evanston Avenue, Leeds, LS4 2HR

MTR_200921_D0510B0.indd 1

15/09/2021 15:34

Pictures: nigel spreadbury

Freight in the City Expo

Urban outfitters Freight in the City Expo returns this autumn at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace with an extensive exhibitor area and a comprehensive range of speakers, so ensure you keep 28 September free in your diary

N

ow in its sixth successful year, this popular one-day event brings together the latest commercial vehicles, technology and services for the urban logistics sector under one roof. There will also be a packed conference agenda running in the centre of the hall, with a fantastic line-up of speakers confirmed, including vehicle manufacturers, tech experts and leading fleet operators.

Top themes for this year include: n Electromobility – From the smallest micro-vehicles to the largest trucks, Freight in the City will guide you on the right choice for your business. We’ll even be running an ‘Electric Unplugged’ seminar session dedicated to those starting out with electric vehicles to answer all your practical questions. n Direct Vision Standard and vehicle safety – The exhibition hall will be packed with the latest city trucks

16 MotorTransport

designed with safety at their core, as well as a host of technology and training companies focused on keeping your fleet and drivers compliant. n Guidance and advice – Freight in the City is the place to be to connect with urban logistics experts and network with your peers. Our popular Knowledge Zone brings together leading haulage and fleet organisations under one roof. n The Charging Zone – This year, Freight in the City Expo has teamed up with Siemens eMobility to create a dedicated area within the exhibition hall focused on the path to depot electrification.

Freight in the City is a free-to-attend one-day event, which is taking place on 28 September at Alexandra Palace, London. n To find out more about the event and book your free ticket go to freightinthecity.com ➜ 18 20.9.21

Maxus Intelligence Onboard

71 PLATE AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW www.saicmaxus.co.uk | maxusfleet@saicmaxus.co.uk

Freight in the City Expo

motortransport.co.uk

LEADING FROM THE FRONT From tyres and windows to training services and vehicle rental, Freight in the City’s exhibition zone will cover all your urban fleet requirements. To give you a flavour of some of the exciting vehicle models on display, we’ve done a quick round-up for you. For the full list of exhibitors, head to freightinthecity.com n Astra Vehicle Technologies will be exhibiting an Iveco Daily 7.2 tonne chassis with caged tipper body. n Bradshaw Electric Vehicles will be showing its range of Goupil EV all-electric LCVs. n The DAF Range is designed to suit the broadest range of applications including urban, municipal, regional and long-distance transport. n Dennis Eagle will be focusing on its low-entry Elite 6 for enhanced direct vision in urban areas. n MAXUS goes the extra mile with its smaller 213-mile range e DELIVER 3 and larger e DELIVER 9 electric vans. n if.Vehicles is launching the “World’s only Transformable and Dismountable Micro Electric Vehicle for the final mile” at the show. n Iveco will be focusing on sustainable transport and its advancements in natural gas power across its range, from the 3.5-tonne Daily range and award-winning Daily 7-tonne, to the 44-tonne S-WAY range. n Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK will highlight its 7.5-tonne electric FUSO eCanter, joined by an Econic on the stand. n RVS will show visitors first-hand how it converts a diesel refuse truck into an electric vehicle. n Renault Trucks will showcase the Master ZE, a 16-tonne Range D ZE and a 26-tonne Range D Wide ZE with low-entry cab. n Scania will be sharing its focus on sustainable urban transport solutions, including a battery electric L cab 6x2*4 configuration and a plug-in hybrid vehicle equipped with a P day cab and engine capable of operating on diesel or HVO with a hybrid power unit and an installed electrical capacity of 90kWh. n TEVVA is a pioneer in developing long-range, zero-emission electric trucks. It also optimises hydrogen fuel cell range extension. n Volta Trucks will be bringing the “world’s first purpose-built full-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle” designed specifically for last-mile and inner-city distribution. n Making its UK début on the Volvo Trucks stand will be the recently launched fully Electric Volvo FM. Also on display will be an FL Electric 16-tonner.

FUN OF THE FAIR: This year’s Freight in the City Expo returns with a bang – all the top manufacturers will be in attendance, showing off the latest low-emission technology and fleet must-haves

18 MotorTransport

20.9.21

IF IT’S BLUE, IT BELONGS TO CHEP

WE COLLECT FOR FREE visit collect.chep.com

CHEP blue pallets are shared and reused.

Thanks to this, we generate significant economic and environmental savings for everyone throughout the supply chain.

Bad practices, such as selling or reusing CHEP pallets would break this entire cycle, leading to increased costs in the supply chain and even legal action.

CHEP pallets & containers always remain the property of CHEP and can never be legally bought or sold.

If you suspect the illegal use of equipment do not hesitate to contact CHEP for a free of charge pallet collection call 0800 515320 or visit collect.chep.com Property of CHEP CHEP never sells or transfers ownership rights for its equipment. CHEP always remains the exclusive owner of its equipment. No entity is authorized to purchase, sell, liquidate, use or otherwise handle the equipment in a manner that does not comply with CHEP ownership rights.

The appropriation, usage or other unauthorized use of CHEP equipment is strictly prohibited.

Viewpoint

motortransport.co.uk

Government help still missing J ust before Brexit I was advised by a logistics insider to stock up on toilet roll as there is only ever three days’ supply in the UK, and sure enough the shelves soon emptied as B Day rolled around.

Steve Hobson Now I am told to buy my Christmas Editor turkey early and put it in the freezer as the Motor driver shortage means there is a real danger Transport that Christmas – if not exactly cancelled – is going to be a serious challenge for an industry short of 100,000 drivers.

Whatever the causes of the shortage – and there are many – the immediate impact is that driver wages are sky-rocketing. The boss of employment agency Reed said last week that driver pay rates had risen 60% in the last year, taking entry-level salaries to between £40,000 and £50,000. His advice to government was to upskill the UK workforce using the Lifetime Skills Guarantee announced by the prime minister last September.

The qualifications it will fund include a Level 2 Certificate in Heavy Vehicle Maintenance and a Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving. But

there is no mention of HGV driving.

Earl Attlee, who in his former life worked in commercial vehicle recovery and repair and holds a C+E licence, asked a question in the Lords recently about the Driver CPC. “For years we have treated HGV drivers like dirt,” he said. “We persecute HGV drivers with regulation. I have an HGV licence, but I cannot use it commercially because I do not have a Driver CPC. If the minister relaxed that requirement, she would have access to a large number of HGV drivers very quickly.”

Transport minister Baroness Vere responded: “He is absolutely right: it may well be that some of these hundreds of thousands of people with HGV licences do not want to return because, historically, it has been seen as a sector that does not treat its employees very well.

“I will do what I can on the Driver CPC. It is a good safety mechanism, but we might be able to do something, although significant changes would require primary legislation at this time.”

So don’t hold your breath on that one either.

Staging a recovery in the driver crisis?

T David Coombes Chairman, Logistics Skills Network

he DVSA is consulting over the removal of staging requirements for vocational driving licences – one of the most significant changes in legislation in our sector over the last 25 years.

If approved, will it in reality have an impact in reducing the HGV test backlog?

At what cost to driver and public safety?

And at what cost to the training providers who have had no support throughout the pandemic, seen their test slots fall by up to 50%, and generally operate a much higher ratio of rigids to artics in their fleets?

And what will be the impact on the category C urban driver apprenticeship?

Will this now have any significant uptake?

Logistics Skills Network, whose members account for 60% of all HGV training in the UK, is against the proposal to remove the staging of HGV tests, as we believe it would not impact dramatically in reducing the testing backlog.

The failure rate is likely to increase if candidates don’t get sufficient training, going straight from B to C+E – we think by as much as 25%.

It would also significantly compromise road safety, if experience is not gained in cat C vehicles before stepping up to artics.

Clare Lowrie, senior learning and

20 MotorTransport

development partner (operations) at Brake, told us: “While we welcome the increased focus on the HGV driver crisis, the current proposals are unlikely to have a dramatic, or immediate impact, and may even make the situation worse. We believe the government needs to put its focus on increasing the number of HGV Class 2 licence-holders, including by speeding up the provisional licence application process (which currently takes up to 12 weeks); making the provisional licence an online option; increasing daily testing slots; and significantly increasing the number of HGV examiners by prioritising their recruitment over car examiners. It is only with targeted action in this area that we will address the fundamental cause of the driver shortages.”

If the amendment is passed, our members believe the DVSA should immediately regulate for a minimum amount of compulsory basic training in a cat C vehicle before the candidate is presented for the C+E test.

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 Wallace2158 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 20.9.21

E.M.ROGERS TRANSPORT LTD www.emrogerstransport.com

- WEEKLY EUROPEAN GENERAL HAULAGE & GROUPAGE SERVICE - UK & EUROPEAN ENCLOSED AUTOMOTIVE LOGISTICS - WORLDWIDE AUTOMOTIVE SHIPPING - AUTOMOTIVE AIR FREIGHT MOVEMENTS trafficdesk@emrogers.co.uk | +44(0)1604 755511

CUSTOMS SERVICES - IMPORT/EXPORT DECLARATIONS - CARNETS - TRANSIT DOCUMENTATION - TRANSIT GUARANTEE - CUSTOMS ADVISORY SERVICES - CUSTOMS STORAGE customs@emrogers.co.uk | +44(0)1604 593443

Established in 1945 Celebrating 75 Years in Business

NORTHAMPTON – DOVER – VUREN - BRESCIA - HEATHROW

Earned Recognition

Earning your stripes The DVSA’s Earned Recognition scheme launched three years ago, pledging to keep members at arm’s length if they maintained high standards. So how are these measured and where are operators falling down?

Chris Tindall finds out

H

ave you joined the DVSA’s Earned Recognition (ER) scheme? If so, then you are by no means alone. Despite initial misgivings and concerns about handing over sensitive data to the enforcement agency when ER was first mooted, 10% of the GB commercial vehicle fleet is now within membership.

According to the DVSA, this represents 384 operator licences, 25,516 HGVs and 15,965 PSVs. The scheme monitors whether operators are meeting a set of key performance indicators (KPIs – see box, p24) and every four weeks DVSA-validated IT systems will tell the agency if any of the KPIs have been missed and by how much.

22 MotorTransport

motortransport.co.uk

If this has happened, then the DVSA works with the operator to fix the problem.

Marc Caplin, compliance adviser at Aquarius IT, says: “In our experience as a DVSA-validated system provider, where we have seen areas of vulnerability are to do with the quality of record-keeping and a need to sharpen up on some areas of the legislation.

“For instance, the KPI category D1, which covers the lowest level of graduated fixed penalty banding, includes instances where there are gaps in the tachograph trace, usually caused by drivers changing vehicles.

“These gaps could be a minute long or they could be some hours in length, but they are still reported in the same way.

“The onus falls on the operator to ensure that all drivers are trained in correctly performing manual entries, which can be a tall order.”

Caplin adds: “The other category that operators can sometimes fall foul of is D6, which covers working time and, again, forces operators to sharpen up on training and monitoring of breaks.”

TruTac says it currently has around 30 ER approved fleets using its system and it has found that one of the top KPI ER triggers on drivers’ hours is taking less than the minimum daily rest.

“This often occurs where the driver is pushing to return back for a load or is trying to find somewhere to take a rest or has been delayed for some reason, traffic for example,” says Jemma James, TruTac director of commercial operations.

Another common KPI trigger is an infringement recorded on the tachograph analysis that would attract a Band 4 fixed penalty under current legislation.

James says: “This is more commonly associated with less than minimum daily rest infringements, manual entry errors and joining multiple duties together.

“This can be a training issue or lack of understanding on how to enter a manual entry correctly.”

On the record

Within fleet maintenance KPIs, TruTac says common triggers are when safety inspection records are not completed correctly and failing to action driver defects. “The reasons for both are usually missing processes or human error, such as where the operator isn’t auctioning defect rectifications or filing paperwork within the correct timeframes,” James explains.

“If an operator has gone to the time and expense of becoming ER-accredited they very rarely have significant triggers or serious issues. This is obviously because they wouldn’t have been approved on the scheme if they weren’t exemplar operators with excellent compliance records and processes.

“For this reason KPI infringement triggers tend to be minor but the reasons for these triggers are multiple. On drivers’ hours infringements there are compounding reasons which are undoubtedly having an effect on the many slight breaches of only a minute or two.”

“These include the many increased pressures on drivers and operators due to more loads, lack of drivers, using agency staff who may not know the vehicle or route, just in time deliveries, trying to find suitable rest areas, traffic, training and so on.”

Tachodisc, part of Logistics UK, says the reasons why an operator might fail to meet drivers’ hours KPIs vary depending on the type of operation being carried out.

“There are tools, such as analysis software, that are available to help identify issues and ensure drivers know how to comply with the rules,” says Sam Varrall, tachograph product owner at Logistics UK. “Tachodisc, for example, is able to show its clients which of their drivers have contributed to a KPI exceeding zero and in turn, links to a debrief process to educate the relevant driver on the rules.”

20.9.21

Partnerships that go the distance Fluid Technology Solutions for Fleets

PETRONAS Fluid Technology Solutions™ enhance your business performance and keep your fleets moving.

We understand what drives your business.

That’s why we can support your success through tailormade product offerings and expert business services that improve reliability and efficiency, reduce total cost of ownership and grow your operation.

Stronger for longer

To find out more, visit www.petronasuraniaroadshow.com

Earned Recognition

motortransport.co.uk

Easy wins

Charlotte Hunt, a road transport solicitor at law firm Weightmans, says the DVSA’s KPIs for maintenance requirements should be attainable by all operators, whether or not they are members of the ER scheme.

“If the transport operation is being continually and effectively managed by a competent transport manager, these standards should be easily achievable,” she says.

“Ultimately, the KPIs are the undertakings that operators have already agreed to in becoming an O-licence holder in the first place, so they should be achieving them without issue.”

Additionally, Hunt says annual test pass rates should be being monitored regularly as well, because they impact on the operator’s compliance risk score.

“The MoT KPI is high under the ER scheme and sits above the national average,” she says. “But if defects and maintenance, both pre- and post-MoT, are effectively carried out and managed then a strong MoT pass rate should be achievable.

“The only caveat is that MoT pass rate percentages can be distorted for very small operators, so they are potentially less appropriate for them.” Hunt says it’s the human element of any KPI that will always prove the

THE ROUTE TO SUCCESS The KPIs for ER are split into two sections: drivers and vehicles.

For drivers, the KPIs are: n Overall infringement rate n Four fixed penalty bands for graduated fixed penalties or prohibitions that would have been issued at the roadside by DVSA to the driver n Working Time Directive n HGV Tachograph cards are monitored to make sure drivers and employers follow the current rules on drivers’ hours The vehicle KPIs are: n Safety records are complete n Safety inspection records are completed correctly and signed off n Safety inspections completed within the stated frequency in line with an operator’s operator licence n Driver defect reports where road safety related items that have been reported are appropriately actioned n The vehicle and trailer initial MoT pass rate The DVSA’s ER team will work with an operator if they have “KPI issues” and they can offer support, guidance and issue an improvement plan if necessary.

A DVSA spokesman says: “Monitoring systems for the KPIs allows an operator to detect where a failure is taking place within their business.

“If the requirements for ER cannot be maintained, such as failing to continually meet the KPIs, then membership to the scheme may be revoked.

“If serious compliance issues were detected by the DVSA ER team, they would continue to work with the operator but if it was deemed necessary, these issues may be reported to the Office of the Traffic Commissioners (OTC).”

The OTC was unable to tell Motor Transport if any operator has been reported for KPI failures, but road transport solicitor Charlotte Hunt says it is unlikely a public inquiry would be triggered simply due to KPIs not being met.

She says: “This is not something we have experienced as a firm and the same applies to ER operators generally being called to attend a public inquiry.

“It’s likely that the reason behind this is ER-accredited operators being held in a position of elevated trust, and as such the expectation is that they remain in regular communication with the traffic commissioner.

“Despite this, there is evidence that there is still some hesitancy within the industry in submitting compliance information.

“The DVSA should encourage this as best practice, in order to foster a positive, open relationship between the department, operators and regulators.

“In instances where scheme standards are not met, scheme managers will consider all applicable circumstances, and will exercise their discretion to assess the severity of any infringement, and the culpability of the operators.

“There are tolerances built into the process to allow operators the opportunity to resolve any shortcomings.

“Therefore, unless there has been a serious breach, it is unlikely that a public inquiry will be triggered by KPIs not being met alone.”

24 MotorTransport

most difficult to hit and in the case of ER this means driver infringements.

“While an operator may have all of the relevant training, infringement procedures and discipline in place, they may still fall foul of a rogue driver,” she explains. “Similarly, from a cultural perspective, it will take time for drivers to trust working with the DVSA and to get used to the idea of sharing data and information.

“In our experience of working with operators, the most common challenge is a lack of knowledge of what exactly is required of them, particularly from restricted operators.

“The best example of this is in relation to brake tests.”

It’s probably fair to say ER is not for everyone.

Barriers to entry

Hunt says a big barrier for smaller operators is the cost associated with being part of the scheme and the significant investment required for the technology.

“Unfortunately, this means that such operators may not see the benefit of going for ER status, unless it is an essential requirement of tenders or contracts,” says Hunt.

“At present, there is no incentive for smaller companies to engage. To address this, the DVSA could consider a tiered version that makes it easier for organisations of all sizes to achieve accreditation, while generating the same levels of enhanced trust and fewer roadside stops.”

The DVSA was unable to confirm the savings each operator could make by joining the scheme, but a spokesperson says some of its members claim it’s more than £12,000 per year.

The spokesperson says this is due to the time saved from vehicles not being stopped on the road, no enforcement visits to their premises, potential issues being identified at an early stage and the support the DVSA provides via summits and workshops.

“Standalone KPI data doesn’t provide a representation on how operators perform on a regular basis,” the spokesman adds. “If there is a downward trend in KPI data, we would monitor, and if necessary, investigate and liaise with the operator.

“The ER team are readily available to advise operators of issues and to assist with their requirements to achieve vehicle and driver standards.

“In terms of performance, every operator is dealt with on a case-by-case basis. One of the advantages to being a member of ER is that we recognise that no two operators nor businesses are the same, so we can assess their needs individually.

“For example, a single vehicle PSV operator running a rural route has different needs to that of an international HGV operator.

“While the needs of each different ER member are different, they are still held to the same safety standards of every other member on the scheme, ensuring operators are meeting DVSA standards.” n 20.9.21

KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE ON YOUR FUEL The first choice for

HGV medicals • Discounted prices for business • Nationwide – 85+ locations • Driver screening & occupational health

WITH FUELTEK

Call now to open your account on 0300 30 30 668 or visit d4drivers.uk

from

£55 including VAT

FUELTEK CAN PROVIDE A SIMPLE AFFORDABLE SOLUTION TO YOUR FUEL STORAGE, FUEL DISPENSING & FUEL MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS.

SIMPLE…

SECURE…

RELIABLE…

MAKING YOUR FUEL GO FURTHER...

CONTACT US NOW 01254 291391 or visit fueltek.co.uk FUEL MANAGEMENT & MONITORING SYSTEMS

17953 Fueltek Watchful Eye Quarter Page Ad_CV Show 2021_AW.indd 1

DELIVER MORE FOR LESS THOUSANDS OF COMPANIES TRUST US TO OPTIMISE THEIR FLEET OPERATIONS AND DELIVER MORE WITHOUT INCREASING DRIVERS AND VEHICLES. Our easy-to-use cloud-based software for road transport operations will improve your productivity, reduce costs, increase delivery capacity and improve the customer experience.

• Delivery Scheduling • Proof of Delivery • Vehicle Telematics

• Route Optimisation and Execution • Compliance Management

Existing customers have increased delivery capacity by 35%. <J HFS MJQU ZSQTHP YMJ UJWKTWRFSHJ UTYJSYNFQ TK ^TZW J]NXYNSL ᠵJJY YT \TWP XRFWYJW STY MFWIJW FIND OUT MORE AT ROUTINGUK.DESCARTES.COM OR EMAIL INFO@DESCARTES.COM

12/7/2021 16:14

Tachographs

A smart answer?

It has been just over two years since the implementation of second-generation digital tachographs. But were these smarter devices really such a ‘lightbulb’ moment, how well have they been received, and where is the technology heading next?

John Kendall finds out

Photo: Shutterstock

D

igital tachographs represented the biggest change in tachograph legislation and driver time recording practice when they were first introduced back in 2006. They were always intended to be a first step, preparing drivers’ hours recording for a time when much more digital information might need to be added to the records, either for convenience or legislative reasons.

It is now just over two years since the revised tachograph legislation came into force requiring new vehicles to be fitted with ‘smart’ tachographs, sometimes referred to as second-generation digital tachographs, which were designed to reduce the administration associated with handling tachograph data and to eliminate the most serious forms of offence and tampering.

The three big differences between a smart tachograph and earlier digital tachographs are that the instrument automatically records start and finish locations, can be interrogated from the roadside by enforcement officers, and permits its data to be shared with approved telematics systems.

Earlier digital tachographs required drivers to make a manual entry to record the country in which they were starting work by adding a country code. There was no indication to show where in the country the starting point was, however. But smart tachos include a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) unit that automatically records the precise starting location. The location is also recorded after every three hours of driving time and at the end of a driver’s day.

To enable roadside checks while vehicles are in motion, smart tachos are equipped with Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC). The system is not used to regularly spy on drivers but in targeted operations and to address the most severe infringements. DSRC cannot be used for automated fines and the data must be deleted within three hours if no issues are detected. The regulation that introduced smart tachos does not require enforcement agencies to have equipment to read DSRC signals

26 MotorTransport

until 2034, however, although that may differ in other European countries.

The Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) interface enables the communication with telematics systems and was something that many operators welcomed as it enabled them to hold all relevant data on their fleet management software systems and therefore reduce administrative work.

Industry reaction

As it is now over two years since the first smart tachos were first fitted, the obvious question is how they are working out in practice.

Moreton Cullimore, MD of the Cullimore Group sums it up simply. “No issues with smart tachographs,” he comments.

Jemma James, director of commercial operations and marketing at tachograph analysis provider TruTac, also has a positive view. “It is driving the use of technology and data in logistics which is good for us, our customers and the industry as a whole. More operators are now using remote downloading and the smart tachographs have accelerated this, either via the OEM onboard telematics or through a third-party provider. Plus, the ITS interface on the smart tachographs is making the sharing of ‘big data’ and integration of different systems and apps easier than ever before.

“Standardisation of certain IT protocols and the use of APIs means operators can combine data from multiple sources and use it in critical business decisions to drive operational efficiencies,” adds James. “I also believe Covid has increased the use of remote downloading technology as it removes a manual human process (both for downloading driver cards and vehicle units) which could be a transmission risk.”

“To a vehicle operator, there is pretty much zero impact and zero change to what they were and are currently doing on a day-to-day basis,” comments Guy Reynolds, commercial director of software provider Aquarius IT. 20.9.21

motortransport.co.uk

“The smart tacho for me was really all about enforcement.

There was an opening up of interfaces with smart tachographs so that, at a technical level, we could integrate and get more information out of it.

“There’s a little bit of GPS info which is really the only thing an operator would be mildly interested in. But really and truly, in the current marketplace, a normal tracking system is massively more advanced than the little bit of info that you’ll get out of a tacho. That’s why I say that it’s really for enforcement; it’s miniscule impact to an operator.”

One of the changes that smart tachographs introduced was the automatic recording of start and stop times.

Drivers who accidentally forgot to change the mode switch would have it covered automatically and Cullimore says this has helped cut down on infringements.

James at TruTac also thinks the location information is a help to operators. “The GNSS module in smart tachographs is a useful feature because of the location information and additional speed data,” she states.

ance using this method. But would operators actually prefer it if the DVSA did carry out such checks?

“It would be useful,” reckons Cullimore. “That way it would stop operators who don’t monitor compliance. If an operator has nothing to hide, why would it be an issue? It’s time we were all on a fair playing field.”

Reynolds is dubious about the practicality of such checks, however. “They cannot download the driver’s card or the vehicle unit as it is flying past them at 60mph from the side of the road. It cannot happen; it does not happen,” he states.

But there are other possibilities, he admits. “A smart tachograph has about eight signals that they can blip.

These signals include things like: does the tacho think the vehicle is moving? Does the head think it’s got a card in? Is there a gearbox sender fault? What’s the current status of the tacho – is it ‘other work’ or ‘driving’? Has the vehicle been driven without a card in the past 24 hours? So it’s all yes or no, one or zero, red or green. It’s there to help enforcement, as another tool to determine whether a truck should be stopped,” says Reynolds.

“We’re two years down the road, and I believe that the equipment to do that job from the side of the road is now in test. But there is still nothing commercially available to any enforcement group across the EU to do that. Also, as far as I’m aware, enforcement bodies in the UK haven’t got any intention at the moment of buying any of that equipment.”

Adapting to change

Inevitably, however, it hasn’t all been straightforward.

Drivers have had to learn new procedures and some have found that easier than others, admits James. “There have been some challenges, but these are more for drivers who have struggled to use the new smart tachographs.

For example, if the driver presses the wrong button and doesn’t allow the sharing of the data then it’s recorded as unknown mileage and operators have to trace back who the driver was at that time. Most operators are having to re-train drivers on how to use the new versions correctly. We have heard reports of some of the card drawers being flimsy as well.”

There have been a few glitches in the implementation too. When the first digital tachographs were introduced in 2006, there was a hitch with the company card which affected replacement cards. This was resolved by adding extra digits to the card numbers, but this was overlooked when smart tachographs were introduced in 2019.

Reynolds at Aquarius IT says they spotted the problem within days of the new tachographs being fitted and it was the DVSA that came up with a solution that was adopted across the EU. “Basically, instead of using numbers, we used the letter Z. When a company has got multiple company cards, there’s a final digit and instead of a number; there’s a Z. It just means they can have as many company cards as they like. It doesn’t become an issue to us, they don’t get sequencing issues and errors, and it was our people at DVSA who came up with it,” he says.

Inevitably there was some background work needed to integrate the smart tachographs with software systems.

“We updated our software to ensure the files would be smoothly received and processed as the files from the VU and driver card are larger from smart tachos,” says James at TruTac. “The extra speed data is automatically processed and viewable in the system. These changes were done in 2019. We also take the GNSS and shortly we will be displaying this within the product.”

“From a software point of view, there was change, because encryption changed in the files. The structure of the files changed significantly,” adds Reynolds at Aquarius IT. “As far as the customer is concerned, it’s our job to ensure that it doesn’t matter what type of truck the driver is driving, the information on-screen still looks identical. The customer should only have one interface to look at, and it’s our job to make it all work in the background.”

Further revision

ON THE CARDS: New ‘smart’ digital tachograhs offer much broader functionality than their predecessors

Looking into the future, there will be a further revision to smart tachographs, likely to be enforced in the EU from 2023.

Reynolds explains: “From a legal perspective when a driver moves across a border, that driver should actually stop and tell the tacho that they have moved over a border, which is a pain. That’s now going to be automatic. The truth of that is that it’s not really a UK thing. It’s all to do with things like cabotage and it’s really a European thing.”

There is more to it than that, however. The rules aim to introduce better rest conditions and allow drivers to spend more time at home. Light commercial vehicles over 2,500kg GVW will also be subject to EU rules for transport operators, including the fitting of a tachograph.

Now the UK is outside the EU, this country is not obliged to adopt the regulations. So it will be interesting to see if the UK government thinks new rules intended to promote fairer competition and combat illegal practices are good for the UK haulage sector too. ■

Checks in motion

There is no immediate legal requirement for law enforcement agencies in the UK to use the DSRC capabilities of smart tachos and the DVSA has indicated that it will not carry out drive-by checks on drivers’ hours compli20.9.21

MotorTransport 27

Marketplace news Deal promises £30m investment in bodybuilder over the next three years and secures 120 jobs

MV Commercial steps in to save ailing Fruehauf

By Carol Millett

MV Commercial has completed the purchase of tipping trailer and rigid body manufacturer Fruehauf, taking the company out of administration.

The multi-million pound deal protects 120 jobs and secures a future for Grantham-based Fruehauf, which was placed into administration last month.

The deal includes a commitment to invest £30m over the next three years, with plans to modernise the manufacturing facility and provide an immediate injection of cash into the business.

MV Commercial will also revive the ‘Crane Fruehauf’ name – which the business was known by until around 1998 – with an immediate rebranding of the company.

The company will retain 100% of the current workforce, who will TUPE into the new business and

will continue to produce the current Fruehauf range.

Tom O’Rourke, CEO of MV Commercial, says: “This is a hugely significant day for both

businesses; and an opportunity we couldn’t turn down. Fruehauf has a fantastic product range, a rich heritage, and a wealth of talent within its team which will be

complemented by MV Commercial’s strength and experience in the marketplace.

“With immediate effect we are starting work to scale production back up, enabling us to commit to a delivery schedule for outstanding customer orders and begin building new stock trailers for MV’s own contract hire and readyto-go fleets.

“MV Commercial is best known for building the biggest and most capable crane trucks in the market.

Cranes are a huge part of what we do, so we certainly weren’t going to turn down the opportunity to put the ‘Crane’ back into ‘Crane Fruehauf’!”

MV Commercial expects to have 80-90 trucks and trailers available for sale on site within a month, and say it will quickly bring production up to 15-20 trailers per week.

Newark opening helps RHCV expand Midlands presence East Midlands Renault Trucks distributor RH Commercial Vehicles (RHCV) has opened a new 20,000sq ft site in Newark.

Officially opened by Carlos Rodrigues, MD of Renault Trucks UK & Ireland (pictured right), the facility features a new 8,000sq ft workshop with three high bays, in addition to sales support for new and used vehicles and rentals.

It also has the latest parts management systems, including

a vertical storage R-Mag carousel.

RHCV’s MD Nigel Baxter (pictured left) said: “The RHCV team has done a great job, ensuring the new site meets both ours and Renault’s exacting standards.

“We’re pleased to bring the Renault Trucks quality service to a new group of customers in the local area.”

The independent Renault Trucks dealer now operates six sites across the East Midlands.

Renault hopes recycling centre is green solution to supply chain issues Renault Truck Commercials has opened a dedicated parts recycling centre at the group’s Renault Trucks South dealership in Reading.

The new recycling centre, which is specialising in Renault Trucks Genuine second life parts, will carefully select end-of-life trucks.

“We are proud to open the doors of the first 28 MotorTransport

fully authorised genuine parts recycling centre in the Renault Trucks network,” said Con Rooney, MD of Renault Truck Commercials.

“As all sectors of the market and supply chain have been affected by the challenges of the global pandemic, this investment is further evidence of our long-term commitment to

supporting customers with more affordable, quality options that are a commercial and environmental ‘win-win’.”

A full listing of recycled parts is available to purchase at a dedicated sales website. Renault Truck Commercials has also launched a new parts website.

20.9.21

motortransport.co.uk

New sales faces keep Schmitz Cargobull factory fresh Schmitz Cargobull has bolstered its sales team with three appointments ahead of production commencing at its new Manchester factory.

Stephen Mallett (pictured) has been promoted to head of sales and will focus on business development. He is joined by new sales managers Lee Roberton, who will look after customers in the south-east of England; and Kevin Wynd, who will focus on Scotland,

Northern Ireland and north-east England.

The 59,200sq ft facility on the Southmoor Industrial Estate, Wythenshawe, will start producing custom-built vehicles for customers in the UK and Ireland later this summer.

Initial production will focus on dry freight trailers for the home delivery market and will include 4.2m and 4.6m freepost curtainsiders and a new lightweight fuel-saving box van.

Scottish Mercedes-Benz dealer Western Commercials turns back on truck market from 2022

‘We’ve Scot to drop HGVs’

By Chris Tindall

Scottish Mercedes-Benz Trucks dealership Western Commercial will no longer sell HGVs from December due to the investment needed to continue the service.

In a letter to customers, the company – which has sites in Bellshill, Glasgow, Broxburn and Dundee – said it was no longer sustainable to keep the truck business going.

The letter said: “We have reached a stage where for us to take the business further, meet your expectations, satisfy the requirements of the manufacturer and fully engage with the incoming generation of e-trucks, we would be required to make substantial investments in all key areas; staff, vehicles, facilities, training etc.

“Having reviewed these requirements at length, we had to accept that the investments required are not sustainable and we have therefore given notice to MercedesBenz Trucks UK Ltd. Our truck sales franchise agreement will end

on 6 December 2021.”

Western Commercial stressed that it would continue after this date with its truck aftersales operations across all its sites and it added: “For those customers with vehicles on-order with us, we will have contacted you direct already to discuss any impact this news

may have on your order. In the vast majority of cases we will be able to fulfil the orders as planned.”

A Mercedes-Benz Trucks spokesman said: “Western Commercial will continue selling and servicing Mercedes-Benz Trucks until December 2021.

“Thereafter, it will operate the

aftersales franchise, servicing trucks and supporting our customers.

“Discussions are ongoing about our network representation, and future developments will be announced in due course, as our partnership to our customers in Scotland remains our top priority.”

COSTLY: Western Commercials said it was moving out of the HGV market because of the investment needed

Alchemy (and Manchester) the route to eStar’s golden tomorrow eStar Truck & Van is to develop a new site in Knowsley with separate sites for vans and trucks on the Alchemy Business Park.

The new Knowsley facility will have two separate buildings with a 23,000sq ft site for the van business and a dedicated truck site twice its size. The new site adjacent to the A580 is just half a mile from Junction 4 of the M57 and will also act as the head office for eStar.

The site will eventually house the teams currently located in eStar Liverpool (Wavertree) and eStar Warrington (Risley) 20.9.21

when it is completed at the end of the year. eStar’s Trafford Park site is also undergoing an extensive renovation due to be completed by the end of the month.

Steve Bridge, MD of eStar, said: “The impressive site provides us with the perfect

facility to expand into. It enables us to welcome our truck customers to one building, and our van customers to the other, which means that we can continue to deliver the quality service our customers expect, but also provide dedication to best suit their needs.

“To get both buildings at Knowsley up and running is a huge undertaking, as well as the upheaval of renovating Trafford Park, with significant investment needed, but these are investments which we believe are absolutely worth making.”

MotorTransport 29

Pictures: DAF Trucks

Marketplace: Motus Commercials

Southern comfort Modus Commercials recently opened its new Avonmouth facility, a base that offers access across the south-west of England and beyond.

Colin Barnett reports

T

he UK arm of the multi-national Motus organisation has formally opened a new location for its DAF operation at Avonmouth.

The ceremony was led by the Lord Lieutenant for the County and City of Bristol, Peaches Golding OBE CStJ, supported by DAF Trucks MD Lawrence Drake and Motus Commercials MD Matt Lawrenson.

Following the ribbon cutting, Golding was keen to + experience the spacious interior of the new XG .

For many years, DAF Trucks’ representation in the Bristol area was based at Days Road, near the city’s Temple Meads rail station. The business managed to cope with

30 MotorTransport

20.9.21

motortransport.co.uk

the site’s various shortcomings, including the shortage of space that older premises inevitably suffer from, and less than ideal access from the major road network, but the clincher came with its proximity to the impending Bristol Clean Air Zone.

Fortunately, Motus was spared all the issues surrounding building a brand new dealership.

Last summer’s announcement by Ryder that it was off-loading its in-house service and maintenance functions suddenly made a modern, purpose-built HGV workshop facility available.

Even better, it was situated on a convenient site at the northern end of the rapidly expanding Avonmouth complex. Motus jumped at the chance to acquire the premises, adding to the other ex-Ryder sites it has already taken over.

Access all areas

Just a few minutes from J18 of the M5, and with easy access to the M4 and M48, the location solves the access issues at a stroke. In fact, the Avonmouth area has now been chosen as a location for most of the UK truck dealers’ networks.

It also solves Motus’ space problems. With a 22-bay workshop and 87 truck parking spaces on the 5.2-acre site, it has the space to accommodate any foreseeable requirements. Its previous life ensured that only a relatively modest amount of repurposing was required.

These include adding some extra doors to create a drive-through ADR bay at one end of the building.

Also newly adapted is a workshop dedicated to new and used pre-delivery inspections and dealer-fit modifications for all five Motus DAF dealerships in the region.

Forty-five technicians provide a continuous service that covers nine shifts from 6am on Monday to 6pm on Saturday. Between them, they handle between 6,500 and 7,000 man-hours each month, including 1,200 per month on work taken over from Ryder. The service is assisted by nine courtesy cars and four dedicated vehicle movement drivers.

The 515sq m hub parts department serves as the regional hub for the TRP all-makes spares programme, carries some £1m of stock, and operates nine delivery vans. The move to alternative fuels means the Avonmouth site includes an HVO fuel supply and electric truck charging for its demonstrators. n

OPEN FOR BUSINESS: Motus Commercial’s new 5.2-acre DAF operation in Avonmouth was opened by Bristol’s Lord Lieutenant, Peaches Golding (right)

WHO IS MODUS? At the opening ceremony, the MD of Motus Commercials, Matt Lawrenson, described how the Motus Group operation originated in South Africa, where it is listed on the Johannesburg stock exchange. Today, it operates on three continents and employs 18,000 staff at 400 locations.

In the UK, Motus Group has 3,000 staff, generating £1.2bn of sales through 115 outlets on 78 sites. The general car-buying public are probably most aware of the giant Pendragon Motors Group, but Motus Commercials has 1,290 employees at 32 locations.

Among other things, this makes it the largest DAF dealership in the world. Motus Commercials in the UK sells 900,000 hours of labour annually, with £440m of sales, including £90m of parts.

New and used sales amount to 2,500 trucks and 5,000 vans In the UK, the south-west region is the largest of eight. Its network is currently undergoing a major overhaul. A brand new branch was recently opened in Gloucester, and Hereford is next on the list for a complete refurbishment. In other groups, there’s a 20.9.21

new branch in Bradford, and Glasgow was recently refurbished.

All 30 DAF outlets are rated as ‘A’ in the manufacturer’s dealer target programme, and with a million-pound training spend, the company has featured in the Top 100 Employers list for the past three years.

MotorTransport 31

Profile: Moody Logistics

M

oody Logistics is a third generation family haulier based in Cramlington, Northumberland, around 10 miles north of Newcastle. It is run by group MD Caroline Moody, granddaughter of the founder David Moody, and other members of the family.

It was founded in 1947 when David Moody returned home to Bedlington from the RAF after the Second World War and began delivering sea coal on a Bedford TK, a fully restored replica of which – named Peggy after David’s wife – now sits in Moody’s spotless warehouse (a more appropriate home to showcase Peggy’s undoubted charms is planned).

The current red and grey livery harks back to the original 1940s colour scheme that used RAF blue paint that was probably ‘liberated’ from post-war RAF stores.

“He started with one truck and began to build up the fleet,” says Caroline Moody. “We were then based further north at Stakeford in the middle of the coal mines so we did a lot of work hauling coal for the local pits, Alcan and the power station. In the 1960s the firm probably had 50 or 60 wagons.”

In 1960 the family business was incorporated as D Moody (Haulage) and it continued to flourish that decade, adding flatbeds and skip lorries to the traditional coal tippers.

In it for the long haul Family firm Moody Logistics has never been afraid to lead the way – a large fleet in the 1960s, a pallet network pioneer in the 1980s, and now setting an example on driver recruitment. Steve Hobson reports

Striking out

“Then the two miners’ strikes in the 1970s and 1980s hit us really badly and when the coal mines closed down we had to look at another avenue,” says Moody. “By the early 1990s my grandfather had died and my father [Alan Moody, now chairman] had taken over, just as the overnight pallet market was starting to emerge so my father’s key redirectional move into this new unheard of market at that time is key to our success today.

“The main network we got going with at the start was Track 29, part of British Rail. The trunking was done by rail and we used to go to Carlisle to pick up the palletised freight and deliver it across the North East. That lasted three or four years until British Rail pulled the plug.

40 MotorTransport

GENERATION GAME: The Moody clan (above) share many company decisions.

Pictured (from left) are MD Caroline Moody; Heathline Commercials engineering director Gavin Cape, chairman Alan Moody and operations director Richard Moody

“We had a few unsettled years following Track 29’s demise as it morphed into various other forms with management buy-outs and re-starts or offshoots that weren’t successful. We then ran with several options at the same time such as EPS and Palletways, having worked with [Palletways founder] Andy Hibbert previously but unfortunately the delivery postcodes on offer weren’t ideal.”

In 1996 the firm moved to Hilary Devey’s new Pall-Ex network within the first six months of its start-up, looking to consolidate and streamline its operations.

In 2005, the firm purchased and relocated to its current 7-acre site with 50,000sq ft of partially racked warehousing on the Bolam Business Park in Cramlington, and in 2007 it was renamed Moody Logistics and Storage to reflect its increased range of services.

“We were one of the founder members of Pall-Ex and today 70% of our business is in the overnight pallet 20.9.21

motortransport.co.uk

market,” says Moody. “But we now offer storage, dedicated distribution, reworking and pick-and-pack too.”

The logistics operation runs almost 30 trucks and turns over £3.5m but the group also includes MCR Services, Heathline Commercials and Bolam Properties which contribute another £1.5m of turnover.

Bolam owns the Cramlington site and lets parts of it to a number of tenants as well to its sister companies, while Heathline runs an on-site vehicle maintenance unit that looks after Moody and third-party vehicles.

MCR has been going for a decade and carries out a variety of rework tasks for clients large and small such as Next, Sainsbury’s and Argos. It recently secured a contract with German upmarket appliance manufacturer Gastroback under which Moody Logistics provides warehouse facilities, pick-and-pack and delivery to retailers and end-users while MCR fits UK plugs and carries out electrical tests on the 50-strong range of products.

Profit is sanity

The vast majority of Moody’s work outside Pall-Ex is done direct for the client rather than as a sub-contractor, something which can be tough as a relatively small regional haulier.

“It can be quite hard,” says Moody. “I don’t have 100 trucks and even with 30 I’m not going to put them all on one contract. We have to be realistic but my grandfather always used to say ‘turnover for vanity, profit for sanity’.

We have been quite happy to grow organically and focus on looking after the customers and running a good company.

“I want to have pride in running the company right, not in the number of trucks.”

The current policy when it comes to acquiring trucks is to buy new artics for the night trunks while most of the 18-tonners are bought secondhand. Moody says the choice of vehicle is a family joint decision based purely on logic not sentiment.

“We all sit down together,” she says. “I hold the purse strings so I look at what we can afford to buy. My brotherin-law Gavin [Cape, who runs the Heathline workshop] has an input from the mechanical side and maintenance costs while my brother Richard [who runs Moody’s operations] considers what body we need for the operation and the type of work we have to carry out.”

The artics are moved on after up to 1 million kms and the rigids stay as long as they aren’t costing too much in repairs and maintenance rather than being sold based on age or mileage. Most of the fleet is Iveco but Moody

BLACK GOLD: Company founder David Moody built the business hauling coal after the Second World War. He’s pictured here with son Alan (below, now chairman), who pioneered the shift to palletised freight

A FORS TO BE RECKONED WITH Last year Moody Logistics became accredited to FORS Bronze, the entry level to the voluntary fleet operator accreditation scheme that began life in London but has now been privatised and rolled out across the UK. Having FORS was a condition of working for Danish water pump manufacturer Grundfos, with which Moody now has a contract to distribute its products across the UK. “We gave up Investors in People after many years – just the certification, not the principles – and decided FORS was the way to go,” says Moody. “We try to do things right and have also been looking at Earned Recognition. We use R2C in the Heathline workshop so the drivers all do their defect reports online on their phones.

“We send drivers’ hours records to a bureau for checking and that is all online too.”

Moody says one problem she is still wrestling with is the number of different systems she needs to run a transport operation.

“It would be lovely to have just one system for everything,” she says. “We have Merridale for fuel, Masternaut for tracking, something else for the tachos etc. We spend half our lives converting kilometres to miles and litres to gallons for different spreadsheets. It is not even easy for our accountant to see if we are making money or not in specific areas.”

The company is now working towards FORS Silver and maybe Gold in the future.

20.9.21

has had the odd Volvo and Scania in the past and it currently runs three DAFs including two 7.5 tonners.

“It helps with maintenance to have one marque and we have a good relationship with North East Truck & Van,” says Moody. “We do all our own maintenance except for the first two years on the new artics when the dealer looks after them.”

All the collection and delivery (C&D) vehicles are equipped with tail-lifts and electric pallet trucks and Moody Logistics follows the Pall-Ex policy of accepting pallets up to 1,000kg for tail-lift delivery.

“I wish the HSE would reduce it,” Moody says. “It is hard as we have to accept the Pall-Ex weight limit. It makes no sense to risk injury and damage issues with such a large limit and, from a commercial point of view, if all the networks reduced the limits we would just see an increase in volume as heavier pallets were split into two.

“When a new driver starts with us Paul [Johnson, Moody’s compliance and operations manager] carries out manual handling training as part of their induction.

Then I look them in the eye and say ‘we ask you to do what you can and I am not asking you to put your or anybody else’s life or health at risk. You have to stop and think. If a delivery is not possible then don’t attempt it’.”

Looking forward

Moody employs 35 drivers out of a total of 50 staff across the group and has been a big supporter of apprentices, taking on at least one a year and counting four qualified drivers as former apprentices with another two currently in training.“We are fortunate in that we have a mixed fleet so we can put them out in a 3.5 tonner to learn the job,” she says. “When they pass their tests they will go to a 7.5 tonner and then an 18 tonner. Then we put them through their Class 1.

“But I feel for companies who only run artics – when a lad passes his test they send him straight away down the country tramping. I know from doing my Class 2 five years ago that getting a licence is only the start of learning to drive a truck. I understand that but a lot of people who have been driving for years forget.”

The Covid-19 pandemic and the sharp increase in volumes that has put huge pressure on the industry to quickly find more drivers has made Moody question whether year-long apprenticeships are the best way to train drivers.

“The government makes them far too complicated and long-winded,” she says. “The last two lads we have taken on, we are training them ourselves. I asked Tyneside Training in April how many additional hours they would be out of the business just ticking the apprenticeship boxes to be told it was all under review and they wouldn’t know until August. This was no good to me as we ➜ 42 MotorTransport 41

Profile: Moody Logistics

motortransport.co.uk

THE ROAD TO ZERO IS A ROCKY ONE While large national fleets have the resources to invest in new alternative fueled vehicles, 70% of the UK’s HGV parc is run by fleets with fewer than 50 vehicles, and for companies of this size phasing out diesel trucks from 2035 will be a huge challenge.

As an Iveco buyer, Moody Logistics has looked at its Natural Power range of LNG and CNG trucks.

“When we did the figures they looked brilliant – but where do we fuel them?” asks Moody. “A lot of operators are our size and only buy a couple of new artics every year. So it would take a long time to get to the tipping point where we could afford to install our own gas station.

“There was one at Teesport but that has now gone so unless you are a huge operator like DHL with 100 vehicles fueling every day there just isn’t the infrastructure.”

The Moodys are clearly not averse to new technology where it makes good sense – there are two Teslas parked up outside head office, one of which is Caroline’s.

“I can do 320 miles in it and Tesla has been excellent at making sure there are chargers everywhere,” she says. “It’s a no-brainer. I’m paying zero tax on that car whereas I was paying £8,000 a year on my old 3 Series.

“Electric will probably work for local deliveries and hydrogen seems to be a possibility for trunking but the government has to take the lead on making sure the infrastructure is there.”

needed to move much quicker.

“One of the lads has come through the Kickstart scheme anyway so we are getting his wages funded. It currently takes us at least six months to get a driver through his test and trained up so as well as the £2,000 to £3,000 training costs to get his licence there is a minimum £12,000 for six months wages. So that six months as a ‘trainee driver’ will have cost us near on £15,000 and they aren’t making us any money until they get out on an 18-tonner.

“So my message to government is ‘why can’t we get a driver trained and on-board within three to four weeks?’

Why does someone with a car licence have to send it away for six weeks to get their provisional HGV licence?

They can’t book their theory until they get their provisional and that also takes forever. Why can’t training companies like Tyneside Training run the theory tests? They do every other type of testing so why not that?”

One of Moody’s May recruits is looking at October to get a test date due to the backlog of tests caused by Covid.

“It is all taking far too long,” says Moody. “I can have a lovely swept yard but that is a pretty expensive person.

It’s not like having someone in the office where we can keep them busy from day one.”

Wage increase

This is an even bigger problem as driver wages are being forced up due to the shortage that is now affecting just about every part of the country, not just the traditional logistics hotspots in the Midlands and South East.

“I’m happy for wages to go up – they were too low – but like the tail lift weights we all have to do it,” says Moody.

“My customers aren’t going to pay me an extra £10 a pallet so I can pay my drivers more.

“Our drivers have had a 30% increase in wages but we have remained profitable. Luckily the business has a strong financials set in place by my cautious father who has left the business with hardly any debt and we own our premises and trucks.

“So we could make quick decisions to increase wages and ensure we held onto our loyal and experienced staff, or we would have no business. I also want to be in the position to gain business going forward.”

Because Moody Logistics has grown with the overnight pallet market, it has the skills and experience to keep on top of this fast-paced business. But new entrants can struggle, leading to a shortage of the high-quality regional hauliers needed to handle the rapid volume growth, especially in B2C deliveries, seen in the pandemic.

42 MotorTransport

IN THE DRIVING SEAT: MD Caroline Moody says the company’s focus is on efficiency

FAMILY TIES: Richard Moody and Gavin Cape oversee day-to-day operations and the Heathline Commercials arms

“For anybody new trying to enter the market, the volumes involved now make it very difficult,” Moody says. “It is like someone has opened a tap and the pallets just keep coming. If they get behind they can’t keep up and suddenly they are swamped and the job gets harder.

Because you only make a few pounds on a pallet, you have to have slick operations. Anyone new coming in can lose a lot of money very quickly because they don’t know how to run the operation efficiently.

“Here in the north-east, two other pallet networks are knocking on our door saying ‘come to us’. We have always been loyal to Pall-Ex but they are dangling some big carrots because they cannot find any new hauliers with the resources and ability to handle their volumes. It will be interesting to see if the networks have to go down the line of having their own depots. But we find that they aren’t as well run as an owner business.”

The firm struggles to balance its trunks to the Coalville hub as the north-east has become a net importer of goods since a lot of its manufacturing closed down. “We are always striving to get that balance,” says Moody. “A lot of companies here will take pallets at silly money and we don’t want to get sucked into that as there just isn’t the margin. OK, our trunks aren’t 100% balanced but we are better off not being busy fools.

“Since the start of the pandemic we have restructured and invested in two new customer service specialists.

Thank goodness we did as the pallet delivery networks’ service levels have probably been the worst they have ever been in the last six months as they’ve struggled to cope with increased volumes and Covid issues Thankfully we haven’t lost a single account because we have made sure someone is here on site to deal with calls effectively within the operation.” n

20.9.21

Confidential 24x7 helpline available to the industry’s workforce and their families

0345 605 1956 www.constructionindustryhelpline.com

www.constructionindustryhelpline.com

The commercial vehicle security specialist Maple provide Europe’s widest range of cargo security solutions for the road transport and logistics industry.

Our range of integrated electronic seals and load integrity security systems provide complete transparency and control of goods in transit operations. We work closely with our clients to understand their unique operational challenges and deliver solutions that seamlessly integrate with existing systems of work, supporting the ever-changing demands and requirements of today’s multi-channel operators.

High Security Locking

T: +44 (0) 333 012 9108

E: sales@maplefleetservices.co.uk

Electronic Sealing

W: www.maplefleetservices.co.uk

Access Control