Mark Luck Transport has bought four Volvo FMX rigids fitted with Edbro tipping gear, bringing its total fleet size to 45 vehicles.  

The trucks, two with day cabs and two with sleeper cabs, are also fitted with Loadmaster bodies.

Owner Mark Luck said the combination is one the company swears by as it gives the firm "the ultimate in performance and rugged reliability”.

He said: “What we want is the maximum possible operating versatility, but within strict vehicle parameters. For our rigid tippers, the body has to be a Loadmaster and for chassis, today we’re pretty much a Volvo fleet.”

His son, Mark Luck Jnr, said: “Edbro cylinders provide us with quality and reliability. You can depend on them for the whole life of the vehicle, which for us is usually around 10 years.”

The Swanley, Kent-based waste disposal firm has more than doubled its fleet size in the last decade, and Luck said that it prioritises driver comfort when buying new vehicles.

He said: “Part of our philosophy is to give our drivers the best trucks we can.

“For example, all our recent Volvos have auto boxes and 500hp engines, making life that bit easier for the drivers whilst also giving us top class performance. Put simply, a Mark Luck truck has to be best!”

Germany’s ZF Friedrichshafen has withdrawn its offer for brake and suspension manufacturer Haldex, after failing to achieve enough shareholder support.  

The German automotive technology group withdrew its improved SEK110 (£10) per share offer made in August for the Swedish company after failing to gain a minimum 50% shareholding as set out in the terms of the takeover deal.

It leaves CV brake manufacturer Knorr-Bremse, which has already made a higher SEK125 per share offer for Haldex, in the driving seat. It comes despite the board of Haldex having urged shareholders to accept the ZF deal because, in their opinion, it was the most likely one to succeed as it had regulatory approval. 

Haldex said that despite ZF’s withdrawal it would not be commenting further at this time.

My favourite holiday destination is...

The Algarve, close enough for a short break by flying or a fabulous road trip.

I drive a...

Mercedes-Benz ML350. It’s a great car and I don’t know why Mercedes has stopped it.

My hobbies are...

Playing guitar, writing music and I am often spending time with the odd Airfix kit.

I got into the industry...

Straight from school. My dad and most of my friends’ dads worked in the industry and I fell into it that way. This seems to have been a similar route for others I speak to who are still in the industry. But I’m not sure that it works that way today.

To encourage more young people into the industry we should...

Market ourselves in the technology sector as a solutions provider to the consumer market. Technology is everywhere and the younger generation manages to adapt to the continual development without breaking stride. There has been a shift to online and shorter-window delivery schedules. This is a more dynamic and attractive angle, which could interest the next generation.

The outlook for our sector over the next 12 months is that...

Businesses are hungry for best working practices, equipment, software, systems and training. The 2008 downturn forced them to become efficient, leaner and change shape to stay afloat in turbulent times. So now we have been efficient for some time, businesses want to maintain a competitive advantage or push into new market areas.

 This article was published in the 6 October issue of Commercial Motor. Why not subscribe to get 12 issues for just £12?

ExxonMobil has launched a guide to energy efficiency aimed at helping commercial fleet operators slash energy costs across their operations.

The Energy Efficiency Guide for Commercial Vehicle Fleets looks at how fleet operators can cut emissions ahead of EU plans to introduce tougher CO2 standards for new trucks by 2019.

Produced in association with the FTA, the guide looks at various ways of reducing emissions including the use of alternative fuels and fully synthetic lubricants, driver training and improved aerodynamics.

Advice includes using drag reducing devices on HGVs which research shows can cut fuel consumption by up to 9% on a large truck doing an annual mileage of 80,000 miles.

The guide also recommends the use of fully synthetic lubricants, pointing to research which saw ExxonMobil team up with Nordic haulage company SPF Danmark to trial fully-synthetic lubricants in place of conventional mineral based products in the engine, transmission and rear axle of the company’s Scania trucks.

During the trial, SPF Danmark saw fuel consumption cut by 3.4% compared to the previous eight months’ consumption figures.

Somerset-based aggregates and sand supply specialist RH & AJ Bateman has taken delivery of the UK’s first Renault Trucks’ Range C Tridem 8x4 tipper. The 32-tonne Range C460, supplied by Renault Trucks South West, has an Aliweld insulated tipper body and a factory-fitted extra axle adaption.

This gives it the manoeuvrability of a six-wheeler, but with the load capacity of an eight-wheeler. The Tridem, with lifting and steering rear axle, will be used for a mix of traditional six and eight-wheeler work, delivering sand and aggregates to customers in the South West.

Director Russell Bateman said: “The Tridem gives us extra load capacity, which helps with the profitability of our business and, crucially, it gives us better manoeuvrability and accessibility into more challenging places where an eight-wheeler would usually struggle - for example, accessing equestrian arenas at the back of properties.

"The Tridem was a bit of an experiment for us as we’ve previously had a drawbar, but it’s already been used for everything and been everywhere. It’s performed really well and overall we’ve been really happy with the investment.”

Is it possible to buy a decent second-hand van for £500, and more importantly will it be capable of taking some serious abuse on a test track?

This is the question that CM set out to answer in its Daf Trucks-sponsored A Week in Trucks video. If you’d like to know whether an LDV Pilot will fit under a 2m height restriction, discover how much rubbish you can fit on a Vauxhall Combo’s dashboard, and find out which van is the best for tailgating, then see our Desperate Van Challenge at http://tiny.cc/desperatevanchallenge.

This article was published in the 6 October issue of Commercial Motor. Why not subscribe to get 12 issues for just £12?

Waste management firm Pinden has taken delivery of 12 Volvo FE skip trucks and four FMX 8x4 tippers from MC Group of Maidstone.

The Longfield, Kent, operator's FE 4x2 rigids feature day cabs with rear windows, 12-speed I-Shift automated transmissions and are powered by the six cylinder 7.7 litre Volvo D8K engines producing 250hp.

Bodywork is by Boughton Engineering of Wolverhampton and includes the Power-Reach 18 tonne (PR18) skiploader system, which features independent telescopic lift arms, pneumatically-operated tip hooks and heavy-duty cab guards, as well as the firm’s Intacova sheeting system.

The 420hp FMX’s with day cabs feature tipper bodies by Thompsons of Croydon, a 21-tonne rear bogie design and straight front axles for enhanced ground clearance.

Mix Telematics has launched Drive Mate, a new system designed to raise the driving standards of light commercial vehicle fleets.

Drive Mate measures a number of set parameters, including speeding, harsh acceleration and sudden braking, using a dash-mounted traffic light LED display to give drivers instantaneous feedback on their performance. 

Driver engagement is actively encouraged via a purpose-designed app, which Is compatible with Android and Apple devices. 

Drive Mate can be installed in any type of van, and costs roughly £1 per day.

TIP Trailer Services is offering a rental, leasing and maintenance service for moving-floor semi-trailers, providing operators with trailers from several moving-floor manufacturers.

TIP’s Europe-wide network of branches and authorised service partners will service and repair new and existing moving-floor trailers for hauliers.

MD Mike Furnival said that to enable operators to free up invested capital, the company can provide a sale-and-lease-back facility on any existing trailers.

“The moving-floor trailers are becoming more popular among leading bulk haulage transport operators and TIP is pleased to offer competitive and flexible rental, leasing and maintenance solutions,” he said.

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said he will ban some construction-specification HGVs in the next four years, unless they meet the criteria of the world’s first Direct Vision Standard, so expect 2016’s Freight in the City Expo to be the hottest event in logistics as we explore the challenges of urban deliveries.

Deputy London mayor of transport Val Shawcross will open the Expo with a keynote speech about how freight fits within Khan’s ambitious plans.

TfL will start the day’s seminars with an update on initiatives to clean up poor air quality in the capital. These include the creation of the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone in 2019 and a proposed emissions surcharge. To help fleets prepare for new requirements, TfL will discuss its five-year LoCity programme to boost understanding and uptake of low-emission commercial vehicles.

London Eye

It forms part of the first of four separate seminar sessions, under the tag London Eye, alongside: New West End Company MD – trading environment Steven Medway and FTA head of policy for London, South-East and East of England Natalie Chapman. Medway will talk about how the West End Partnership is investing almost £500m over the next 15 years to improve the West End of London. He will also share how a dedicated freight programme will develop a strategy involving reduction, re-timing and consolidation of goods movements, in addition to increasing uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles. Chapman will examine the issues operators must overcome to stay compliant and profitable delivering into London.

The second seminar session will see Greater Nottingham Transport Partnership chairman Gary Smerdon-White show how congestion-busting measures have helped the region facilitate the movement of goods through its densely populated area. Meanwhile, Fife Council lead office – renewables Barbara Whiting will discuss how it has been trialling the world’s first hydrogen-powered refuse lorries.

Cross River Partnership Frevue co-ordinator Tanja Dalle-Muenchmeyer will talk about how the Frevue (Freight Electric Vehicles in Urban Europe) project has been working with European cities to test battery-powered and range-extended CVs in urban delivery patterns.

Common compliance mistakes

In the afternoon the focus will shift to compliance. Backhouse Jones Solicitors director Jonathon Backhouse will look at the most common compliance mistakes operators make in a city environment, while RHA director of policy Jack Semple will consider how much appetite there is from operators to make a switch from the latest generation diesel engines, and ask: are clearer policy frameworks and financial incentives needed from government? TfL will discuss the latest research in blind-spot technology and its Safer Trucks programme.

The fourth session at 1pm will cover re-timing and quiet deliveries with Rob Belton, director HSEQ at Ashfords. It will consider TfL’s approach towards encouraging operators and their customers to replan deliveries using direct engagement, smarter procurement and quieter practices to match delivery times to times when there is more capacity on the road network. DHL UK and Ireland MD for transport Phil Roe will be on hand to share how it has continued to work with its retail customers to help them explore the potential of re-timing and the benefits of its quiet concept vehicle. Geodis UK sales director Kevin Huskie will also discuss how it is targeting Scotland’s fashion market with an out-of-hours delivery service.

Latest vehicles and technology

The exhibition hall will also display the latest vehicles and technology as well as the majority of major manufacturers, including Daf, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Trucks, Denis Eagle and Isuzu.

There will also be a final panel debate with key speakers from throughout the day, chaired by TfL.

Returning to Alexandra Palace after its worldwide debut last year will be the DawesGuard system with DropDown technology – a retractable inflatable barrier, which creates a shield across the danger zone between the front and rear axles of construction vehicles to prevent a person being dragged under the rear wheels. It has been trialled by London tipper operator Keltbray Group.
Also on show will be an emergency braking system that has been created to prevent runaway HGVs. BrakeSafe, developed by Vision Techniques, automatically applies a vehicle’s handbrake if the driver has forgotten to use it.

Technical manager Nigel Armstrong said the company recognised the need for a fail-safe system to prevent rollaway accidents and began working on the design last year. The system won our sister publication Motor Transport’s Innovation Award at this year’s MT Awards, as well as scooping the Tip-Ex Show Innovation Award.

Blind spot elimination is another focus for fleet managers and Astra Vehicle Technologies’ Clear-View windows offer improved direct vision on an HGV’s nearside. The low-level passenger door windows, developed for the Daf CF and LF, are now available with Iveco, MAN and Scania. Made from toughened glass, the panels allow the main passenger door window to be fully open.

• For more details and to register for free, go to freightinthecity.com. For the latest urban logistics news follow @freightincity on Twitter.

Hampshire-based Waltet Materials has become the first waste and recycling operator to fit a new type of safety panel to its HGVs.

The Dawes Highway Safety PeoplePanels are made of shatter-resistant composite plastic and are designed to be fitted over the under run bars or side guards of a lorry.

According to the manufacturer, the flat panels serve two purposes: first, to highlight the danger zone between the front and rear wheels on an HGV; second, to prevent entanglement of clothing or body parts in the event of a collision.

Waltet has chosen a panel design directly promoting safety on Hampshire roads, which it said helps to deliver reassurance for cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians.

Mark Howard, Waltet MD, said: “Waltet is proud of its health and safety for our many vehicles. Having gained our Fors bronze accreditation in 2015, this latest investment is an example of our ongoing commitment to providing safer vehicles for people in Hampshire.”

Dawes Highway Safety will be taking part in next week’s (2 November) Freight in the City Expo, where it will showcase both its PeoplePanels and its DropDown barrier, which made its debut at last year’s show.

EP Training Services is offering the chance to become a qualified truck driver for free. To help with the well-publicised driver shortage, the Surrey-based 
driving school is offering to cover tuition and tests to get a new driver on the road.

The winner will receive: an HGV medical; assistance applying for their provisional licence and theory training material for the multiple choice, hazard perception and CPC case study parts of the DVSA tests.

As well as covering the costs of the theory tests, EP Training will provide five days of training on its category C course, and a further five days on the C+E course.

It will also cover the cost of one free re-test for each of the classes, in case the winner does not make the grade first time around. Accommodation for the duration of training will be covered if the winner is travelling from outside the South East.

“We have launched this competition to give something back to an industry that we value and cherish,” said EP Training Services director Sean Pargeter, director (above).

“Teaming up with Commercial Motor to provide this life-changing prize will help get one more much-needed qualified professional driver on the road and launch the career of an enthusiastic individual who we hope will become as passionate about the industry as we are,” he added.

To win, watch the latest episode of A Week in Trucks (below) which gives details of how to enter. Entrants also need to provide a short video (no more than 30 seconds) telling us why they deserve this life-changing prize.

The Best of TRUCK Long Distance Diaries Volume 2 is now available. Priced at £9.99 for 132 pages of trucking thrills, it's your chance to get behind the wheel of the world's best and worst trucks from the past 40 years as they tackle some epic journeys.

Join the late Phil Llewellin and other TRUCK writers as they head north to the frozen Arctic, embark on mercy missions across Europe, drive south through the red dust of Australia and west on a coast-to-coast dash across the US.

There are 15 classic tales from the archives, plus two new adventures. Volume 2 is available at newsagents now - find your nearest stockist here.

Alternatively, if you'd like to order a copy directly, contact Marie Kelly on 020 8912 2136 or email marie.kelly@roadtransport.com

Liquid waste disposal specialists BioMarsh Environmental is taking delivery of 20 new DAF CF 330 FAS vacuum tankers.

The axle configuration comprises 6x2 drive with rear-lift capability, ideal for operations where high manoeuvrability is required.

Bodywork is supplied by VJ Engineering and features 3,600-gallon waste tank, including an 800-gallon water compartment and vacuum equipment.

“DAF gives us an exacting chassis specification,” said BioMarsh Environmental director Martin Travers. 

“We have a range of other DAF rigid chassis to suit a number of different applications – and they’re all an ideal fit for their specific jobs," he said.

"For example, these latest DAF CFs allow us to fit a precise PTO [generator] specification, rather than a donkey engine, providing us with a neater, more robust solution to run ancillary equipment.”

At the end of the current delivery cycle, BioMarsh will be operating 41 new DAFs in total, including six- and eight-wheel rigids for a range of waste removal, tankering and drainage services.

The RHA said operators should not expect immediate results from its pursuit of compensation from truck manufacturers that acted as a cartel and co-ordinated factory prices between 1997 and 2011.

Giving details for the first time about the nature of the action, the RHA said it has applied to act on behalf of UK hauliers as a representative bringing collective proceedings to the Competition Appeal Tribunal under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Speaking exclusively to Commercialmotor.com, RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said that since the European Commission (EC) had issued a €2.9bn (£2.61bn) fine it had been “exploring and understanding more about the approach we needed to take as an association” in regards to seeking compensation, and it was only now that it was ready to discuss the matter further.

Burnett said: “It will be a long, drawn-out process and it’s fair to say that hauliers are not going to get an immediate pay-out; or indeed that there will be a guarantee of any pay-out at all. However, it would appear that based on the high-level evidence received that the prospects for compensation look encouraging.

“We understand there is an enormous amount of detail behind this and working through this detail will take 
the largest amount of time.”

He said it could be in excess of two years before operators saw any form of compensation, depending on how the case progressed through the Competition Appeal Tribunal, settlement discussions or a trial.

The RHA is seeking legal counsel from competition law experts Exchange Chambers.

Barrister David Went told 
Commercialmotor.com that it would appoint an economist who was a specialist in competition law to see how co-ordinating on gross list prices has filtered down to hauliers via dealers.

“We need to understand that and see what harm has been suffered. That is vital,” he said.

On 19 July the EC issued a record €2.9bn fine to five major truck manufacturers after it was found that they co-ordinated truck pricing and colluded on passing on the costs of compliance with emissions rules in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

MAN, Volvo Group (comprising Volvo Trucks and Renault Trucks), Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler, Iveco and Daf were all found to have broken EU competition rules. MAN avoided a fine, having alerted the EC to the cartel. Daf, Daimler, Iveco and Volvo Group all received reductions in fines for co-operating with the investigation. Scania remains under investigation.

• For more on this story, pick up a copy of this week's Commercial Motor. Why not subscribe and get 12 issues for just £12?

The need to improve aerodynamics has had the greatest influence on the new R- and S-series’ exterior, and as a result the truck’s fuel consumption has improved accordingly. The front, the sides and even the underside have been optimised to create as little drag as possible.

“Early on in the project, we determined that we were more agile in our expression than our competitors,” says Kristofer Hansén, head of Scania’s styling and industrial design division.

“It’s not just a truck, but rather a whole transport service. We shouldn’t be some big, strong lump but rather a pedigree race horse,” he added.

Scania’s reputation for providing trucks with a powerful and reliable engine therefore had to be at the core of their new vehicle, but the exterior needed to lead the way with its styling and efficiency.

Important features also had to be incorporated in to the design, features which were previously applied separately, such as the sun visor or extra wheel trim. Position lights and extra lights were integrated within the bodywork as well, so as not to negatively impact the aerodynamics of the new truck.

Cleaner exterior styling was also carried in to the interior design, with the dashboard layout and ergonomics based on a desire to avoid inefficiency for the user and clumsiness.

“Here we have tried to express a sense of ‘Agile Strength’ and ‘Flexible Power’,” Hansén continued. “Seen from above, the instrument panel has a wing profile which clearly delineates the driver side from the passenger side. The panel the controls sit on is divided up into two segments, an upper and a lower part with an elegant horizontal step in the middle. This makes it easier to find what you’re looking for. You can also support your fingers on it and it makes selection easier and clearer than if we had used a large flat surface with the controls placed wherever.”

A trial of Bridgestone’s Ecopia tyres by logistics firm Howard Tenens has seen fuel costs slashed by the equivalent of £2,500 per vehicle over three years.

The trial saw the logistics firm pit Bridgestone’s Ecopia HS1and HD1 tyres against its R-STEER and M729 tyres for 134 days.

The savings in fuel amounted to 2.11% per vehicle, which Bridgestone attributes to the NanoPro-Tec compound which reduces energy loss in the top compound as the tyre rotates.

Bridgestone calculates that, if the tyres were applied across Howard Tenens fleet, the firm could see fuel costs cut by more than £133,000, based on the results of the trial.

Bridgestone’s fleet manager Ian Davis said that the fuel savings covered both the higher price of the tyre and its marginally shorter tyre life, adding: “The fuel savings were huge, extraordinary in fact. This is a really substantial sum of money that we are talking about.”

Howard Tenens’ director Ben Morris said the results exceeded his expectations, adding: “They proved that the life of the Ecopia tyre is much more than the industry believes to be the case.  To gain a forecast of two thirds the life of a normal tyre for a nominal cost increase of around £30 per tyre, is compelling.  

“And a predicted saving of around £2,500 per vehicle over three years, based on current fuel prices, is a substantial amount once you start spreading it over a whole fleet.” 

Bridgestone arranged the on-road trial with Howard Tenens after trials on its test track at Millbrook, which also showed significant fuel savings.

Versatility and manoeuvrability were top of the bill when JC Balls & Sons chose its new 6x4 Mercedes-Benz Arocs tippers.

Plant manager Jamie Balls said: “A 6x4 truck is a lot more manoeuvrable than an 8-wheeler, which is a big advantage on some roads.

The lighter vehicle also comes at a lower purchase price and is cheaper to operate.”

The trucks are fitted with lightweight Thompsons Stonemaster bodies and have 354hp engines.

The Derbyshire operator, which specialises in excavation, earthmoving, plant hire and recycling services, runs a fleet of 38 trucks, the majority of which are 6- or 8-wheeled tippers.

The company said it favours 6x2 vehicles for work on local highway contracts, which it tends to do over the summer.

• This story originally appeared in the 3 November issue. Why not subscribe and get 12 issues for just £12?

Vehicle hire and fleet management firm SHB Hire has ordered its first six new Iveco Eurocargo tippers. The vehicles, which won Truck of the Year 2016, were supplied by Hendy Van and Truck and are expected to remain in service with the company for the next five years.

SHB Hire, one of Iveco’s largest national customers, took delivery of more than 700 Daily and Eurocargo vehicles in 2015. Derek Lowis, national truck fleet manager at SHB Hire, said the specification of the 75E16K tipper is ideal for the firm. "Our team has a strong rapport with local dealers across the country and the aftersales support we get complements the service we provide to our own customers.”

This article was published in the 3 November issue of Commercial Motor. Why not subscribe to get 12 issues for just £12?

Telematics has helped revolutionise the transport industry, but just a few years ago the idea of driver and vehicle performance monitoring was an entirely new concept. Now operators around the world are using telematics, but with the launch of its new truck generation, Scania has now taken the idea a stage further. 

Using the results of long-term studies of data taken from its OnBoard telematics system, Scania has created an aid to help tailor vehicles to individual customer applications. 

“From the customer’s point-of-view, the process begins with a series of questions to establish the precise nature of the application and define the operational parameters,” says Andrew Jamieson, Scania’s UK truck sales director. 

“The system compares the answers with the information it holds and recommends the ideal specification for the vehicle. Our product specialists then work with the operator to fine tune the truck, adding options and so on, in order to tailor it precisely to the individual need.”

Scania’s tailoring process also considers the impact of operational costs, and while some are relatively simple to manage others are influenced by factors that lie outside the operator’s direct control. 

Therefore when focusing on costs, it is also important to consider the earning potential of the vehicle, which to a large extent relies on it being optimised for its transport purpose. The right specification and the right maintenance are major contributors, and to ensure all the bases are covered Scania has concentrated its entire combined expertise of trucks, optimised transportation solutions, industry conditions and actual customer needs in its new sales support system.

“The basis is, of course, Scania’s enormous truck expertise, our modular system and vehicle data that has been collected from tens of thousands of vehicles in actual operation for more than ten years,” says Christopher Podgorski head of trucks at Scania’s HQ in Sweden.