Hello, my name is Kevin Swallow and I work for the Road Transport Group. I am billed as the 'truck' expert.

Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste...
And just like in the Stones' song, Sympathy for the Devil I've been around for a long, long year, although the precise number of souls I've stolen is on the low side.

I’m Oliver Dixon – and my job here seems to be keeping an eye on the global truck industry and casting a few withering glances at the same.

Like many of my colleagues here, I’m an ex-driver – having spent some years working for the more ragged end of the Northern Irish haulage business – but, for the past twelve years, I’ve been earning a crust as a freelance journalist. If I have a speciality, it’s probably the Emerging Markets.

I’m based both in the US – Dallas-Fort Worth – and in the UK – rural Northamptonshire, and, when I’m not at work – writing articles, reports, analysis and the like – I can usually be found chasing up payment for the same.

Email me here.

Hi – I’m Toby Clark, editor of the upcoming RoadTransport.com website. I’ll be overseeing the site and blogs, making sure there’s something new every day.
I've been looking forward to this for a long time - although I can't claim that a website was on my mind when I started as a technical writer for Commercial Motor back in 1992.

Here's me: Andy Salter, Editor of Commercial Motor and Project Manager for the new Road Transport website. I'll be blogging on general road transport issues and also keeping you up to speed with developments on the website as we head towards launch later this year.

Please allow me to introduce myself – I’m Colin Barnett, Commercial Motor’s operations editor, which means that I’m responsible for the magazine’s features and technical content. My contributions to the blog will mostly be related to trucks and vans and the driving thereof. Read on to find out where I came from!

I’m Will Shiers, and I’m the technical editor on Motor Transport.

As well as producing a few pages of technical news each week, I also get to do a lot of van and truck driving – much of which is on the Continent. And seeing that two of my biggest passions are driving and travelling, I guess it’s safe to say that I’m in my perfect job. Although this probably isn’t the wisest thing to admit to, as it’s hardly going to improve my chances of getting a pay rise!

I am Andrew Brown, editor of the weekly newspaper Motor Transport. I will be commenting on the industry from the viewpoint of fleet truck operators and managing fleets and, trucks and drivers. This blog will include comments on new legislation, the state of the industry and the practical problems of running a fleet.

Hi - I'm Dylan Gray, reporter for Commercial Motor magazine.
I joined CM after graduating from Uni and am currently working in the weekly news section ‘This Week’. Having studied mechanical engineering I have a good technical knowledge and an interest in anything with an engine (other methods of propulsion are also acceptable). I get to do the occasional road test and hope to obtain my HGV license in the near future to hit the road in some 44 tonners.

The Institute of Transport Management recently conducted a survey of 1,000 franchised dealers in the UK – and the PR department at LDV are rather excited by one of the findings. Apparently 41% of those questioned said they want to sell the Maxus – Motor Transport’s current Fleet Van of the Year. The second highest ranking van was the Ford Transit, which appealed to 17% of dealers.
Well judging by this photograph, the Maxus seems to appeal to three-pointed star dealers too. Instead of opting for a Vito or Sprinter to deliver its parts, Mercedes-Benz of Bolton is running this LDV.

What great advertising for the Russian-owned van maker.

But while Mercedes dealers might be buying LDV vans, those in the know at Roadtransport Group are buying Mercedes-Benz cars like they’re going out of fashion. Last year web editor Toby Clark took delivery of a beautiful early 1970s 350SL, CM’s technical editor Colin Barnett bought a 2006 C320 CDi this week and last night I treated myself to a 280E. But before you start thinking that we’ve all got more money than sense at Roadtransport.com, let me explain a couple of things. Toby’s convertible "cost less than a Fiat Panda", according to Colin his C-Class has the same cost of ownership as a Ford Focus, and my 280 has an intergalactic mileage, is painted diarrhoea brown, and cost £500 on eBay.

My name is Tim Maughan, and I'm Commercial Motor's business editor. My task is to write non-technical features for the magazine, as well as the monthly recruitment section. So I spend a lot of time traversing Britain's roads, seeing operators, police authorities, training providers, government agencies, and so on. I have been with CM since 1998, and I'm always astonished at just how many different things there are to write about in this industry.

Step aside “Not The Nine O’Clock News”, there is a new song [at last] in town.
Thanks to tipper-driver01 from TruckNet UK who found it…

Truck Drivin Song by Weird Al Yankovic

I'm Roanna Avison and I'm news editor on Commercial Motor. I joined the magazine in March 2007 from a computer magazine. My knowledge of trucks is not vast, but it's growing. I have passed my Cat C test and will be doing the Cat C+E soon. In my role as news editor I'm responsible for the content in the This Week section of the managzine, including news, analysis, interview, investigation, letters, yardstick and Q&A.
I wouldn't describe myself as someone who is nuts about trucks, but learning to drive the rigid has put a bit of a spark in me. So far I've found the industry very interesting with lots of politics and I look forward getting deeper into the industry.
My background, for those who are interested, is in jounalism, starting in local papers before moving to the computer title 11 years ago. Outside of work my passion is fast cars - driving them that is.

An innocent conversation about completing the Coast-to-Coast with Alex Wright of Manheim Auctions at the 2007 CV Show has brought me to this, training hard to ensure the 110 mile charity cycle ride of the second stage of the Tour de France doesn't end in tears.

Some cyclists recently...

Despite my best efforts [I haven't got a bike, the time or the body, I left it on the bus, my dog ate it...] he has countered me at every corner. He lent me a bike, put me in touch with fellow Manheim stalwart Dave Anthony, and sent constantly reminders of 'how is training going?' or 'do you like the bike?' and 'should I send the lads round to help with motivation?'