It’s been an eventful New Year so far, with the usual number of companies getting into trouble in the post-Christmas letdown: Amtrak Express parcels went into administration last week, and were sold on Saturday, while trailer rental and financial services firm Transrent collapsed owing £65m.
Still, one man’s poison is another man’s meat, as Northgate posted results which showed a 48% boost in turnover.
And other people are optimistic enough to be on the lookout for new purchases. DSV – formerly DFDS – bought Frans Maas last year and is on the lookout for more, while Turners (Soham) has just bought bulk powder specialist CRW for “a rumoured £7m”.
The widespread fears of higher inflation rates in the UK will only increase the pressure on operators to trim their costs – good luck with that, particularly as the average hourly pay for class C+E drivers has risen by 9.4% over the last year. The Transrent boss, too, blamed his firm’s collapse on low rental rates.
And you can perhaps expect a tougher enforcement regime as far as the Working Time Directive is concerned – according to Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman.
Well, at least you can order yourself a new Iveco Stralis, or console yourself with the thought that we don’t drive as badly as some people…

How important is being green to UK businesses? The UPS Europe Business Monitor says very, while research by Leaseplan suggests just the opposite.
Another product launch, this time from Renault. The new Maxity will be available as a 3.5-tonner in the manufacturer’s UK line-up.
There is concern over driver jobs at Yearsley – but some good news for Glasgow-based Albion Automotive.
And the World Trucks Blog has been bursting with news and rumours, not least regarding the future of Renault Trucks. On the other side of the world, Dongfeng Motor Group is in talks about a possible Volvo AB investment in its vehicle venture with Nissan Motor.

Breaking the law can be an expensive activity. Next month, the penalty for using a mobile phone while driving is to rise to £60 and three penalty points – and operators may soon face a hefty fine of up to £5,000 for failing to download and store digitach data. But this pales in comparison to the £29,000 one freight boss has been ordered to pay for health and safety breaches.
In better news, the price of AdBlue continues to plummet – which may not be of great benefit to Eddie Stobart, seeing as it has put in an order for 500 EGR Scanias.
The big story of the day has to be manufacturer MAN withdrawing its hostile bid for Scania. MAN makes the headlines again with its statement of “unanimous support” for CEO Hakan Samuelsson – but why is our World Trucks blogger so cynical?

The trade associations have been making their feelings clear. Firstly the Freight Transport Association criticises the latest increase in fees on the M6 toll, then it raises concerns over the proposed London low-emission zone (LEZ) – and the Road Haulage Association has its say too. At least the FTA welcomes the launch by VOSA of OCRS, which scores operators from 0 to 10 to indicate how often they have broken the rules.
The true impact of last week’s storms is now becoming clear, with the Association of British Insurers believing the cost to UK industry to be in the “high hundreds of millions”.
But it's not all doom and gloom - Stan Robinson Group has reported a profits increase and Palletforce has also posted strong results. Lastly, don’t forget to check your water bill – it could save you thousands, as Scania dealer Keltruck discovered. Although that might not compensate you for any trucks blown over in those gale-force winds…

EGR or SCR? Operators are still choosing. Bird’s Groupage Services has gone the EGR route, quoting operational simplicity as the deciding factor, whereas RW Simpson is pleased with the fuel efficiency achieved with SCR Volvo FH tractors. And there is more good news for the SCR camp: AdBlue consumption seems to be considerably lower than originally expected.
There’s trouble at the ports, with container turnaround times rising again at Southampton and Dover running at near capacity. Perhaps a second terminal will help – if it gets approval.
Wednesday’s big news was MAN withdrawing its bid for Scania – although MAN remained keen to exploit “possible synergies” between the two. Now it seems that Scania boss Lief Ostling is pushing for a co-operation agreement.
Finally today, we recommend you check out Tom Cunningham’s coverage of the 2007 Dakar Rally – as seen on Commercial Motor editor-in-chief Brian Weatherley’s own BigLorryBlog.

BRS, the former British Road Services, has a distinctly Continental flavour now, with the appointment of Enrico Odorico as its new managing director. This follows the 'transition' of the firm within the Volvo Group from Volvo to Renault Trucks.

And there's more Continental interest in the UK market in the shape of Schmitz Cargobull, which has just appointed a member of the Schmitz family as its new UK MD. A sign of confidence in the British market, perhaps?

Meanwhile, back on distinctly British ground, it's worth catching the debate at Trucknet.co.uk as Thorburn Transport regains its operating licence.

And while the US truck industry looks ever more shaky, it seems that there are more overtures for MAN - this time from the Volvo Group. And isn't that where we came in?

Operators are going to be alarmed by the latest analysis of the new EU drivers’ hours rules – according to a report from Motor Transport, they could mean that some firms have to employ 10% more drivers.
A couple of the more interesting US-based companies have posted results, and they are mighty impressive. First there’s UPS, whose fourth-quarter results show a stunning 11% increase in revenues – the parcels operator is now handling 20 million items on some days.
Then there’s PACCAR, the parent group of DAF. Its 2006 results are even more startling, with sales up by 17% and profits up by 32%. But in his World Trucks blog, Oliver Dixon warns that with its reliance on the fragile US market, PACCAR could be heading for a fall.
Meanwhile, Tesco has bought a fleet of 15 Modec electric vans for home deliveries. Is this a serious move, or just paying lip service to the environment? We’ll see.
And finally… Will Shiers has begun a regular series of blog postings on old vehicles and operators, Will’s Memory Lane, with a piece going by the marvellous title of Old Trannies Never Die.

A big day today – it’s the official launch of Roadtransport.com, and we hope you’ll be as excited as we are about it.

There’s a lot happening in the industry too – the British Association of Removers is calling for ‘green grants’ to offset the cost of operating in London’s proposed Low Emission Zones, while Eddie Stobart has opted to take the EGR route to Euro 4, buying 500 new Scanias. Meanwhile, blogger Oliver Dixon is reliably cynical: he reckons that biofuels are a scam.

The rules on digital tachographs seem to be creating even more confusion, with debate over the procedure for downloading data.

The latest figures show an alarming rise in truck hijacks, part of a rise in truck crime in general, though as some compensation there is more funding for Truckwatch, the highly successful ‘regional freight crime reduction initiative’, to operate in Yorkshire and Humberside.

There’s some good news though: Devon haulier Evans Transport has increased its profits, while the Palletline network is back in the black.

We have been doing a lot of last-minute work to make sure that the site is in tip-top shape, but we know that you will always demand more. If you see something that you think should change, please email me at editor@roadtransport.com.

And don’t forget our free email newsletter, for an update on the week’s news every Monday morning – just click here to subscribe.

‘Green’ is becoming an increasingly important word to operators, as they get to grips with the inevitable tightening of emissions controls and energy reduction. And now the politicians are in on the act, with the Prime Minister himself trying out the latest electric truck from Smith Electric Vehicles. Read more about this on the website.

This week Motor Transport published a short, sharp guide to the rules on the London Low Emissions Zone (LEZ), due to come into force in February next year - find it here on Roadtransport.com. Find out why it could affect your trucks’ resale value and why it will cost the industry “between £65m and £135m”.

After the usual round of post-Christmas company failures and portents of doom, it’s nice to be able to report some good company results: Circle Express managing director Chris Coffey says that 2007 is “looking positive”, while Hargreaves Services managed to boost both turnover and profit in 2006. Even Reed Boardall, which posted a pre-tax loss in the year to March 2006, is optimistic about its prospects for the year, on the basis of increased turnover. All good stuff, but there’s a long way to go in 2007.

And don’t forget our free email news alert, for an update on the week’s news every Monday morning – just click here to subscribe to the newsletter.

VOSA's technical staff could be going on strike soon, if next week's ballot goes the right way. The PCS Union is protesting against a pay deal which gave many employees just a 2% rise.

A reminder about the new rules on animal transportation which have just come into force, replacing the old WATO regulations.

And if you are at all involved in transporting oil or petroleum products, it's worth making a date for the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers' show and conference, in Telford in April. This has become a good niche exhibition, with plenty to see for tanker operators.

Lots of interesting news on the vehicles front, with a spy shot of the next-generation MAN TG-A and the news that Iveco is likely to offer only a Euro 5 version of its new-model Stralis.

The SMMT has just released the January truck and van sales figures, and we'll have some analysis of that soon. While the truck figures are down by more than 23% (as expected, after the rush to buy Euro 3 vehicles) van sales continue to power upward - they are 1.2% higher than for January 2006.

But it's a mixed time for component makers too: while BPW is doing well, some of the huge 'Tier 1' manufacturers (ArvinMeritor and Caterpillar, for example) are approaching a 'tipping point', according to Oliver Dixon.

First of all, drive carefully! With 4-6 inches of snow on the way (snow is Imperial, isn't it?) everybody is offering warnings about what might happen on the roads, and Roadtransport.com is no exception.

Thinking of booking a last-minute test at a VOSA test station? Then you'd better be based in the North-East or East Anglia, where you are only likely to have to wait three days for a test. If you are from the South-East, you will wait an average of 12 days and possibly as much as 39 days, according to a survey published this week in Commercial Motor. And if VOSA goes on strike, you should perhaps give up altogether...

And speaking of giving up.... there's more gloom from the US truck and engine industry.

On a happier note, why not celebrate with Trumac group as they clock up 70 years at the same site.

A fairly worrying day for a lot of people, quite apart from the weather:

there's more disquiet about the new EU drivers' hours rules;

it could be bad news if you work in a warehouse for Wincanton or NYK;

and it's definitely bad news if you work for fruit & veg wholesaler Hurst Parnell Westland.

On the other hand, David Miliband, everybody's favourite pipsqueak Environment Minister, has reassured us that the transport of 160,000 potentially bird flu-ridden dead turkeys is perfectly safe. So that's all right then.

And in similarly reassuring mode, French policemen have promised to protect British drivers. Pardon me while I splutter out my cafe au lait.

And finally... Will Shiers has unearthed a brewery wagon with a rather surprising good-luck charm.

A lot of drivers could be losing the right to drive, after the DVLA classifies sleep apnoea as 'disabling'.

There's a fantastic new product which can check your tyre tread depth as you drive into the yard.

Some DAF dealers are fighting the apparent success of EGR-equipped trucks by offering a year's free AdBlue with every truck.

Our World Trucks blogger Oliver Dixon is on a roll - no sooner does he come up with a marvellous turn of phrase about German motor industry mogul Ferdinand Piech (incidentally, Hafnium Carbide is pretty hard, and it has an exceptionally high melting point) than he also produces another withering blast on biofuels.

Incidentally, if you go to www.findadblue.com, you are quite likely to see an advert for MAN, talking about "A clean future for us all - solutions for Euro 4 and Euro 5". Is this the same MAN which is so dismissive of SCR and AdBlue in the UK?

And finally... check out the "All New Maxus" at this page.

People power has put the road pricing debate on the front pages today, as the petition against road charging on the 10 Downing Street website exceeded 1 million signatures - and caused a transport minister to promise a debate on the subject.

Our bloggers have got themselves worked up about it too, as you can see - with Colin Barnett frothing at the mouth about a potential £25,000-a-year bill (!) and Oliver Dixon extolling the virtues of longer, heavier trucks. He calls them LHVs - will it catch on, do you think?

Elsewhere, Oliver keeps stirring the pot of the MAN/Scania/VW stew, and points out that DAF is massively increasing production capacity at Eindhoven.

And Volvo is making an investment in alternative fuel production - from paper pulp.

Today's big news is the appointment of Theo de Pencier as the new chief executive of the Freight Transport association - exclusively revealed on Roadtransport.com yesterday afternoon. Theo will succeed the retiring Richard Turner on July 1st.

But here's another surprise - the leader of the Conservative party is interested in trucks! The (occasionally) tree-hugging David Cameron* has visited Scania in Södertälje, along with the Swedish prime minister. And what's Scania CEO Leif Östling saying to himself here?

We're not sure, but we think it might be, "All that expensive education, and you still don't know how to tie a tie, eh?"

That road pricing petition won't go away - another 150,000 signatures have been added in the last 24 hours, despite the No 10 website proving difficult to access at times.

* not the David Cameron who tests vans for Motor Transport...

You have a chance to make a real contribution to the debate on longer, heavier trucks, with an online questionnaire for operators. The survey comes from a team of academics including the highly respected Professor Alan McKinnon.

Parcels industry veteran Alan Jones is in typically bullish mood, as he reckons he can turn Amtrak back to profit by the end of this year.

Things are less rosy for tanker specialist Suckling Transport, which faces a strike ballot by drivers.

And Mercedes-Benz' parent company Daimler seems to be rueing its decision to merge with Chrysler.

Oh yes, and Happy Valentine's day!

Lots of contract wins reported in the last few days, from the likes of Kuehne + Nagel, Ryder and Boughey Distribution.

Meanwhile, another firm seeks to rise from administration, as RLC Transport (Wales) is bought by its management team.

Over in our Transport Law blog, Tim Ridyard of Barker Gotelee Solicitors highlights the Court of Appeal's decision in the review of a case of Death by Dangerous Driving.

And Will Shiers celebrates the new series of Life on Mars with a look at a fine example of British craftsmanship from the Seventies.

A really mixed bag of industry stories today:

Yet another organisation makes a stand against Transport for London's proposed Low Emission Zones - and this time it's London's councils themselves.

Commercial Motor has helped to clear a driver of a licence offence.

Yet another significant contract renewal - this time a ten-year deal with Diageo for CERT Group.

Volvo's new FE makes its first appearance in the UK.

If you have apprentices, make sure they enter the national Apprenticeship Awards - but be quick, as entries close next week.

A finance company fits a Citroen Berlingo with three ovens...

...and just for fun, Here's what happens when a FedEx delivery goes wrong...

A really mixed bag of news today, from the announcement that Macfarlane's administrators are being given more time to chase the firm's outstanding debt to the protests over a major traffic light scheme in Dudley.

Then there's trailer manufacturer Cartwright, which has made use of an impressive longitudinal loading system to carry extra-large reels of newsprint while maintaining stability.

Over on our Transport Law Blog, solicitor Elizabeth Caple, a specialist in O-licence law, reminds operators of how important it is to maintain financial repute.

And in his World Trucks Blog, Oliver Dixon shows us the new Hino lightweight truck - and suggests that it might fill a niche for Scania.

Some hard questions for VOSA today, as an investigation by Commercial Motor reveals a distinct split in the agency's enforcement policy.

Volvo has bought Nissan Diesel (makers of the Quon, below) - and as usual Oliver Dixon has something to say about the deal: it gives Volvo access to ND's heavy hybrid technology, and it could mean yet another round of merger and acquisition.

There are lots of new appointments in the industry, with new directors for Scottish Highlands & Islands specialist JBT, a whole new management team for truck dealer Sherwood Commercial Vehicles and more new senior managers at Ryder and Driver Hire.

Don't forget that if you're looking for a new job in the transport industry, there are plenty at Roadtransport.com.

And you must see the first instalment of the "Desperate Van Challenge" - in which three apparently responsible adults get to spend £600 each on a panel van which then has to prove itself productive, driveable and (hopefully) suitable to sell on.

Lots of news from the regions today:
Polish-language road signs in Cheshire;
fears that the new Forth road bridge may come too late for the banning of trucks from the existing bridge in 2013,
the DfT consulting on a deal to share driving bans with Ireland;
and calls from an operator for a significant upgrade to a road on the Scottish/English border.

But more importantly, Commercial Motor's 'Desperate Van Challenge' is well under way. Just to recap: in a desperate attempt to prove that they are not all pampered lightweights, two CM journalists and their counterpart from Motor Transport have no more than £600 each to spend on a real-world van to undertake some serious (and not-so-serious) challenges. First up, it's MT's Will Shiers, who has bought himself a 1994 Leyland DAF 200 series.

There's a flurry of activity on the forthcoming "Driver CPC", due in 2009: Motor Transport's Sarah Dennis looks at the DSA's proposed changes to the driver training system, while Transport Select Committee chair Gwyneth Dunwoody expresses concern over the idea of privatising driver testing and Skills for Logistics chief executive Ian Hetherington comments on the driver CPC's strengths and shortcomings.

In the Desperate Van Challenge, Will Shiers has managed to get his Leyland DAF 200 home.

Commercial Motor reporter Dylan Gray has been gathering readers' views on the use (or abuse) of speed cameras - and he'd like you to add your opinions.

Dylan has also entered the fray of the Desperate Van Challenge - with a Renault Master. Oh, well - at least his attempt is more serious than Colin Barnett's first effort.

And here's another of those "random US truck crash" movies. We can't get enough of them...

Part of the Road Safety Act 2006 comes in to force tomorrow. The area that has received most publicity (largely because the Department for Transport has given it the most emphasis) is the increase in penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving: it will now get you - or your drivers - an automatic £60 fine and three penalty points.

Find out more about the provisions of the Road Safety Act from transport lawyer Tim Ridyard here.

The DfT has also published its annual overview of 'Road goods vehicles travelling to mainland Europe' and the highlights are predictable: in 2006 the number of trucks (and unaccompanied trailers) crossing the Channel went up by 3% to almost 2.9 million, and only around a quarter of these were UK-registered. Most of the rest were French- , Dutch- and German-registered. at least the rate of increase in foreign-registered trucks has slowed...

Today's the day the authorities seriously crack down on drivers using hand-held mobile phones - top transport lawyer Tim Ridyard explains what's in store for them. And what did I see first thing this morning? The driver of a prison van apparently texting as he drove along the High Street.

Elsewhere, Oliver Dixon looks at the possibility that MAN might take over VW's van division - an intriguing idea.

Are you facing a Public Inquiry? In our Transport Law Blog, solicitor Andrew Woolfall of transport law firm Backhouse Jones gives an excellent rundown of what you need to know, prepare and do if you are facing the Traffic Commissioner.

But we don't recommend you go to see the TC in a Leyland Sherpa - not even the rust-free example being admired by Will Shiers.

Roadtransport.com is one month old today! And since we launched on Feruary 1st we have garnered more than 17,000 unique users and more than 150,000 page views. Thanks for visiting, thanks for contributing, and rest assured that the site will simply get better and better.

Today's big news is the speech by Transport Secretary Dr Stephen Ladyman at the FTA's Freight Summit in Westminster today. Dr Ladyman seems very keen on a 'Vignette' for commercial vehicle operators, which he said would be 'cost-neutral' for UK hauliers. Hmmm, maybe...

Ladyman's other highlight was the rather dramatic statement that there would be 'gridlock in every major city' by 2015 if road pricing was not adopted widely. However, some commentators were very sceptical about this timescale.

Is trailer manufacturer Schmitz Cargobull out to take over the world? It looks like it: after all, they already make 65,000 trailers a year. Colin Barnett has more on the firm's plans to increase production at its UK plant in County Durham under the new management of Andreas Schmitz, great-great-granson of founder Heinrich Schmitz.

Is Eddie Stobart for sale? That's the question over at TruckNetUK, where they have picked up on a story that WA Developments is possibly looking to sell some of their stake in the haulier in order to raise money.

Beware the Belgian tachograph inspectors - it seems that they are demanding to see digital tachograph printouts from the past fifteen days' running, and (understandably) few drivers are prepared for this.

Over in our Transport Law Blog, we have a sobering lesson in the need to make manual entries on the back of tachograph charts from solicitor Andrew Woolfall. And on a lighter note, there's a splendid picture of a Multidrive artic tipper.

The government has finally got round to a proper consultation on the use of biofuels, and on how it can meet its obligation to ensure that 5% of oil usage is replaced with renewable alternatives by 2010. Commercial Motor's Louise Cole reports on the consultation at Roadtransport.com, and explains more here on the Road Transport Blog.

There's more on biofuels, as Ireland's Department of Transport offers grants to operators to convert trucks to duty-free plant oil as part of a trial.

And the FTA is claiming a victory against the new EU drivers' hours regulations: they have negotiated a change in the burden of proof for a prosecution, in favour of operators.

The big news today is the departure of Chris Thorneycroft-Smith from Iveco after 14 years.

CTS has been a forceful, ever-bullish managing director - and before that, an impressive sales and marketing director. He has always shown complete belief in the product and support for the industry, and it's hard to imagine that we won't see more of him.

Iveco didn't go long without a managing director: today comes the news that Henk van Leuven is to be the new MD of Iveco in the UK, having come from the heavy truck unit in Turin. Perhaps he's the man to make the new Stralis a resounding success.

Over on the Transport Law Blog, solicitor Elizabeth Caple explains the importance of daily vehicle checks for your O-licence, and on the Truck & Van Blog there are more vintage gems from Will Shiers and further developments in the Desperate Van Challenge. Oh, the humanity!

Meanwhile, on drivers' forum TruckNet UK, Jeremy Vine is coming in for a fair bit of flak; the Radio 2 presenter has ruffled the feathers of truck drivers by launching a poll on the "most hated road users". Not surprisingly trucks aren't coming out too well and the drivers aren't happy. Plans for a "Most hated radio DJ" poll have been mooted, with one member posting "Whine (sic) is a patronising, uninformed git, who would really be best off on daytime TV". No sitting on the fence there, then.

Elsewhere on TruckNet UK, Traffic Commissioner Beverly Bell has come in for some attention, with opinion mixed. Most agree that she is a firm but fair TC, and there is admiration for her knowledge of the industry, although some contributors are debating whether or not she's a 'babe'... Your comments, please.

The debate - or rather war - between the EGR and SCR camps shows no signs of letting up, with both groups of truck manufacturers fiercely defending their engine emissions technology for Euro 4 and beyond. The latest shot came from Mercedes-Benz, whose Nick Blake called into question MAN's figures on the comparative running costs of EGR and SCR - specifically, how much AdBlue a typical truck would use. We await MAN's reply eagerly...

Stephen Ladyman has made a rare public comment on longer, heavier trucks (LHVs) - or rather, on longer trucks. The Transport Secretary told the FTA Summit that he had 'an open mind' about longer vehicles but was not inclined to encourage hopes of heavier vehicles.

As expected, MAN has come out with a blistering response to Mercedes-Benz' claims that its calculations over EGR "didn't stack up". MAN ERF marketing director David Cussans says, "We're astonished by these accusations. MAN was a pioneer of both EGR and SCR technology - so we do know what we are talking about". he goes on to say, "It's time manufacturers stopped squabbling over technology and joined us in letting operators get on with making their choice".

Also, for those that are interested, we have the full text of the speech given last week by Ian Jones, managing director of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles in the UK.

Meanwhile, pallet network Fortec has launched two new services - one for high-value goods and one offering online ordering - as part of its vigorous expansion drive.

The new EU regulations on Drivers' Hours are less than a month away, and there are quite a few changes from the current rules. To help you untangle the facts from the fiction, and to answer your own specific questions, Roadtransport.com has teamed up with Tachodisc to produce a handy guide to the new EU drivers' hours laws.
The guide is in three parts:
What You Need to Know - a basic introduction to the new rules;
Your Questions Answered - real-world questions, sent in by the readers of Roadtransport.com and answered by the experts from Tachodisc; and
What the Law Says - a more detailed description of the new regulations.
If you have a question on the new rules which is not answered by the guide, email us and we will endeavour to answer it.

Meanwhile, Iveco has finally launched the new Stralis officially, and our man in Rome, Will Shiers, has the story. Here's a new Stralis 500 with the Cube cab:

There are a couple more pictures after the link...

Tim Ridyard, transport law partner at solicitors Barker Gotelee, has put up an excellent blog entry describing the provisions of the approaching Driver CPC regulations - and pretty frightening reading it is, too. However, anything which improves the overall standard of driver competence can only be a good thing. Can't it?

Meanwhile, the RHA has attacked the detail of the new digital tachograph regulations, saying that there are contradictions in the way that time is measured by the devices.

Also in the news today: the dispute between Suckling Transport and some of its tanker drivers has been resolved; Kuehne + Nagel shows phenomenal profit growth; Canute Haulage announces its results, which are good, but warns of a driver shortage; whereas Skills for Logistics downplays the driver shortage, but fears that the workforce is getting too old.

And speaking of things that are too old, check out the latest contender in our Desperate Van Challenge...

You might have thought that there were enough pallet networks in the UK, but it seems that other people don't agree - yet another network has been announced this week. Alliance Freight Network says it offers "a slight twist" on the usual setup, and Motor Transport's Sarah Dennis has the whole story.

At times VOSA seems to go out of its way to court controversy; this time they have been examining their options for outsourcing - or privatising - some core functions such as truck testing and O-licence administration, and understandably the unions are concerned.

With the budget being announced tomorrow, the Road Haulage Association has predictably (but understandably) got its response in first; the RHA is warning Gordon Brown that an increase in fuel duty could damage the road transport industry. Somehow we doubt that this will cut any ice with Gordon; it would be nice to see him use his "big clunking fist" to level out the playing field with foreign operators, though.

Even if Gordon Brown does introduce swingeing fuel duty increases in the Budget today, one manufacturer may just have the answer - Volvo Trucks claims that its new hybrid distribution truck could save up to 35% in fuel consumption on stop-start work.

But for most users the Volvo might be upstaged by MAN's announcement that the successor to the TG-A will be launched at the RAI Show in Amsterdam in October. In fact, there are two successors - the TGS and the TGX. No official pictures have appeared yet, but the TGX won't look too different from our spy shot of a month ago:

This week Oliver Dixon's World Trucks blog is coming from the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, where there's a surprising amount of stuff that is of interest to us Limeys - the DAF XF105 made a surprise appearance, while parent firm Paccar showed off the MX engine, and Cummins has introduced a 600hp version of the ISX. Interestingly, too, there are plenty of different views on the health of the US truck market.

First of all, if you're going to Calais on Tuesday, DUCK! The Port of Calais will be closed for three hours then while the authorities submit a WWII German mine to a controlled (they hope) explosion. How's that for a level playing field, eh?

Speaking of bombs, Gordon Brown has produced another underwhelming Budget for operators. For the latest news and comment on the Chancellor's efforts, visit our Budget homepage: this has an analysis of how the Budget affects small businesses, and will be updated with links to more stories as they come in.

There's good news from Belgium, as the authorities there have dropped their ludicrous requirement that drivers of digital tachograph-equipped trucks carry printouts with them when they are driving analogue trucks.

The EGR / SCR debate rumbles on, with some pithy comment from Dave Cussans of MAN ERF about the Euro 5 RPC announcement in the Budget.

It's easy to reduce the industry of road transport to a succession of statistics, scores and KPIs, but there's a substantial social element to it as well: from the firms showing how well they look after their employees, to an employee claiming to have been bullied by their colleagues, to the Polish hauliers protesting that too many of their drivers are coming to work in the UK. And as part of a substantial investigation into congestion charging, Commercial Motor's deputy editor Louise Cole looks at the social cost of road pricing.

Meanwhile, in our Transport Law Blog, Tim Ridyard takes a look at the definition of 'off-road driving' and how it relates to the new EU hours rules.

And if you want to put something back into the world, take a look at the Multimachine - a multi-purpose machine tool for the Third World, constructed largely from truck parts.

Nobby wants Stobby - or, more precisely, Norbert Dentressangle wants to buy Eddie Stobart. But will they want to sell?

Confusion seems to reign as far as the UK implementation of the new EU drivers' hours rules is concerned - the legislation has been pulled from its passage through Parliament, ostensibly due to 'typographical issues' but likely because some of the details were troublesome. Whatever the reason, operators will still have to adopt the new EU rules - sorry about that...

Meanwhile, take a look at Will Shiers' latest 'Roadtransport Revival' piece, with a splendid picture of a Dennison tractor operated by Tyson H Burridge.

There's a nasty shock in store for UK operators who have already invested in Euro 5 trucks with the hope of gaining tax breaks - the RPC (reduced pollution certificate) system of VED discounts announced in the Budget will only apply to vehicles fitted with on-board diagnostics (OBD). Basically, it means that no Euro 5 trucks sold up to now will qualify for the RPC - read more here.

Oh, well: at least Carlsberg's drivers will be happy with their 10% pay deal - or is it 4%?

And there are some very happy soldiers and nurses over at the Truck & Van blog.

Everyone's got an opinion on the Euro 5 RPC rebate - but the manufacturers can't agree whether it will kill off Euro 4 or not. At least one operator is going firmly for Euro 5 - as long as the trucks are specced correctly.

There's another fantastic pic from Will Shiers - this time a Foden steam wagon operating on the banks of the Thames in 1922, with a rather cavalier attitude to worker protection.

And is it me, or does this look like a very small truck and a very large man? Perhaps it's Norbert himself...

It's the last day of the 'old' EU drivers' hours rules, before the new ones come in tomorrow - as they are saying on TruckNet UK, there will be no more split shifts under the old rules: drivers are mainly mourning the passing of an old friend, although some see it as a happy event.

For more on the new rules, don't forget to visit the Drivers' Hours microsite at Roadtransport.com - there's a new set of questions from users, with answers from the experts here.

Back on TruckNet, there's a thread on the biggest truckstop in the world, reopening the debate on the quality (or lack of it) of UK truckstops compared with Europe and America.

In the Owner-Drivers forum, a member thinking of starting up on his own is given some forthright advice - especially when he admits he looked at the Motor Transport cost tables but didn't understand them.

It's here at last: "Desperate Van Challenge - The Movie"! Now you can see just how desperate the vans were...

[WARNING: contains scenes of silly driving and naked rust]

An inflation-linked pay deal for Argos workers means a 5.1% annual rise for more than 1,600 drivers and warehouse operatives.

Mahindra is to relaunch itself as a commercial vehicle brand in the UK, with the introduction of a new pickup.

A truck driver has been awarded nearly £10,000 after breaking his back - including money for injured feelings.

TNT has moved quickly to reassure employees that it has no plans for redundancies in the UK after revealing heavy cutbacks in the Netherlands.

A haulier plans to build a truckstop on the A55, saying an attack on one of his drivers shows the need for secure sites.

Oh, yes: and if this video doesn't make you wince, you're not human:

Volvo will launch a new EGR-equipped engine in September. The new 13-litre engine will only be available in Euro 4 guise.

Kent County Council is to announce a plan for a giant truck park - with a VOSA test station attached - to reduce congestion on the M20.

Over on Oliver Dixon's World trucks blog, there's a typically pithy piece about the US truck industry's plight (and see here, and here, and here, and...)

On a brighter note, there's another evocative vintage picture (of a Scania in 1987, this time) over at the Truck & Van Blog.

And don't forget to watch Desperate Van Challenge - The Movie!

Volvo will launch a new EGR-equipped engine in September. The new 13-litre engine will only be available in Euro 4 guise.

Kent County Council is to announce a plan for a giant truck park - with a VOSA test station attached - to reduce congestion on the M20.

Over on Oliver Dixon's World trucks blog, there's a typically pithy piece about the US truck industry's plight (and see here, and here, and here, and...)

On a brighter note, there's another evocative vintage picture (of a Scania in 1987, this time) over at the Truck & Van Blog.

And don't forget to watch Desperate Van Challenge - The Movie!

Over at TruckNet UK:

The problems at Taymix have received lots of coverage on Roadtransport.com, TruckNet UK and in CM - now one ex-employee posts on TruckNet UK in defence of the company.

Smoking ban - How are you getting on? Drivers who smoke at work in Wales and Scotland give English smoker drivers some hope, to the scorn of the non smoking fraternity.

Owner-operators are discussing the merits or otherwise of Sole Trader vs Limited Company trading, most seemingly prefer not to go the limited company route.

Finally a member of East Coast Truckers Club reminds the users of TruckNet UK On May 26th and 27th the second Crowfield Truck Rally is being held, at Crowfield near Stowmarket. Held for the 1st time last year, it is raising funds for the East Coast Truckers Club, who are a charity raising money for underprivileged and handicapped children.

The CV Show is almost upon us, so to whet your appetite for the biggest commercial vehicle show in the UK, head over to RoadTransport TV - there you'll find video reports from last year's event, and (from tomorrow evening) a daily webcast from the NEC.

Of course, there will be lots of new stories on RoadTransport.com itself: go straight to our CV Show news page.

While almost all of today's news is coming from the CV Show, there are a couple of other industry stories demanding to be heard: first, there's the appointment of two new Traffic Commissioners, and the transfer of TC Philip Brown; then there's the Irish Road Transport Association's plan for a rolling protest around Dublin.

But at the show itself, all the talk is of the 'Japanese invasion' - in particular, new models from Hino and Isuzu, Nissan's ambitious plans for its van dealers, and an impressive display of massed Hinos at the front of the Show.

And there's even more: of course, there's RoadTransport TV, and there's also our page with all the latest CV Show stories.

New pallet network GPS suspends operations
Global Pallet System (GPS) is suspending operations for four weeks to "regroup and re-establish the network".

TNT buys 50 electric 7.5-tonne trucks from SEV
TNT has announced an order for 50 Smith Newton electric trucks for its operation.

French tanker builder's new assault on UK market
French tanker manufacturer Maisonneuve is launching a renewed sales push in the UK following a tie up with Worcester-based DAF dealer Watts Truck Centre.

Scania offers 'Total Transport Solutions'
Scania launched a 'Total Transport Solutions' package at the CV Show. The idea is to provide operators with a single source of supply.

Hatcher shows new DAF sleeper cab conversions
Hatcher has launched two sleeper cab conversions for Daf's 45 and 55LF with accommodation for either a single or twin bunk option.

Tacho problems for Snap-On drivers
Drivers of Snap-on Tools mobile shops have been forced to adopt driver's hours rules and use tachographs for the first time.

Police appeal for help over Midlands tyre theft
Police are looking for witnesses after thieves stole an LGV and its load of Continental car tyres.

'Excessive cost' blocks trailer registration scheme
The government has rejected a trailer registration scheme, citing excessive costs. Instead, it says, the VOSA MoT number can be used to track each trailer.

Rail-linked distribution park 'doesn't make sense'
Residents are petitioning against plans for a rail-freight depot in rural Kent - and the parish council isn't happy either.

Reports say biofuels cause irreversible damage
Two reports cast doubt on the validity of biofuels as a serious alternative to fossil fuels.

Truck driver without a licence escapes driving ban
A truck driver who drove for three years without a licence has escaped disqualification despite collecting 12 penalty points.

French demand U-turn on digital tachographs
IRU spearheads campaign for tachograph reform and RHA cites 'very serious economic effect'.

Hauliers hit top 100 fastest-growing businesses
A handful of transport companies have made it into a list of the top 100 private businesses with the fastest-growing profits.

Drivers in Germany escape hours fines
Truck drivers in Germany are escaping being fined for breaching the new drivers' hours regulations because the government failed to pass appropriate legislation.

Ken Livingstone OKs the London Low Emission Zone
The Mayor of London has today given the go-ahead for the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) scheme, despite the criticisms of many in the road transport industry.
Trailer manufacturers' delivery times are suffering from a shortage of major components.
New body for heavier Sprinter: At the CV Show, Paneltex showed the first body it has built on the new-shape Mercedes-Benz Sprinter for internet retailer Ocado.
Vauxhall to release new heavier Movano in 2009: Vauxhall is looking to move up in weight when it launches its all-new Movano in 2009.
Strongs unveils new lightweight body prototype: UK plastic fabrication specialist Strongs Plastics Products showed prototype plastic bodywork at the CV Show.
Confusion over fuel economy/CO2 testing for vans: Van makers have mixed views on proposed fuel economy and CO2 testing for vans.
Cash boost for Baylis from TML-Invest: Baylis Logistics has received a seven-figure cash injection from Luxembourg-based TML-Invest.

VOSA uses intelligence to tackle lawbreakers
With so many trucks entering the UK from the Continent, it is hardly surprising that VOSA feels the need to ensure they meet not only driving standards but also all the other legal requirements.

Two new UK VW Van Centres opened
VW's head of sales worldwide Hans-Heiner Tueting had a busy day last week, when he came to the UK to open two new Volkswagen Van Centres.

LDV Commences European Expansion
LDV has taken a step closer to having a European-wide dealer network, with the appointment of a new commercial manager for Spain.

15% increase in Suffolk truck crashes
The number of LGV accidents on roads in Suffolk has increased substantially, says a new report.

Business Post's UK postal arm overtaking Parcels
Business Post predicts its UK Mail postal arm will overtake its parcels business in the next three to five years.

Traffic commissioner Heaps tells why he retired
Former traffic commissioner Chris Heaps retired early when licensing work transferred to VOSA. Here he explains his reasons.

EGR sways it for DST
MOD-managed driver training school orders MAN TGLs for its fleet.

Moving up to a better way
BSH Home Appliances faces huge challenges in distribution. Group logistics managerJoe O'Sullivan talks to Simon Jack about the company's approach to its distinct problems.

Local authority road pricing schemes a step nearer
A law in the pipeline will empower local authorities to introduce road pricing schemes - with certain conditions.

FTA urges transport sector to consider environment
According to the Freight Transport Association (FTA) it's "common sense" for the transport industry, as a major business sector, to consider the environment.

Refuel needs UK Hauliers to aid in expansion
For biofuel to become widely accepted in the UK, hauliers need to get on board. Refuel Energy boss John Neild explains why.

RHA & VOSA back analogue and digitach trials
A simultaneous test of digital and analogue tachographs should finally reveal if the two devices record time differently.

Romanian operator must leave the Super Sausage Cafe
The Eastern Deputy TC gives 'tarnished' director the benefit of the doubt and allows him to apply for an O-licence.

Road rage driver keeps his licence
Though cleared of dangerous driving, the truck driver is fined and given six points.

Salmond calls for toll-free Forth and Tay bridges
The RHA has welcomed calls by Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond to make the Forth and Tay bridges toll-free.

Progress made towards road safety strategy targets
DfT data shows that while traffic on UK roads is increasing, the casualty rate is continuing to fall.

Freightliner tractor meets Euro standard
Cascadia, Freightliner's replacement for its Century and Columbia Class tractor units, boasts a Euro crash-tested cab and is ready for SCR emissions control technology.

Winding up of Lorry Loaders delayed by fees dispute
The high-profile dealer will go into voluntary liquidation - once insolvency practitioners' fees have been agreed.

EC has plans for industry
A slew of tough regulations covering road transport operators throughout the EU has been drafted by the European Commission.

Road rage driver keeps his licence
Road rage cost a Lancashire truck driver £500 and six penalty points on his driving licence when he appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court.

Goodyear Dunlop aims to be top
Top tyre manufacturer to tighten business practice in quest to become leading supplier for LGVs

Mainland takes the AdBlue route
Northampton-based Mainland Group placed an order for 12 new Iveco Eurocargo 7.5-tonners after running an EGR versus SCR test.

Alconbury truckstop closure 'could cause chaos'
The threat to Nightowl's Alconbury truckstop has angered councillors who fear local roads will become a "disaster area".

EC has plans for industry
A slew of tough regulations covering road transport operators throughout the EU has been drafted by the European Commission.

Former Amtrak boss loses dismissal claim
A former line manager at Amtrak has accused the parcels delivery firm of making his family homeless by unfairly dismissing him after he used the company's equipment to raise money for Children In Need.

LEZ could close firms, haulier says
A haulage firm has expressed concern about the financial burden being placed on operators ahead of the new London Low Emission Zone (LEZ). Roger Brown reports.

Isotrak cuts mileage and emissions
Retailer Marks & Spencer has slashed vehicle mileage by 14% with a corresponding reduction in fuel use and emissions thanks to better integration of its distribution sites and improved routeing.

Ramage Group is looking at future acquisitions
Haulage firm seeks to reposition itself as a big player in UK-wide distribution.

'Self-employed' drivers exploit WTD
The European Commission is considering a crackdown on drivers who claim to be self-employed, and thereby exempt from the European Union (EU) Working Time Directive, but who are in fact employees.

Potential LEZ enforcement tool displayed
Enviro Technology Services reckons it has the solution to policing the London Low Emission Zone.

Police try to solve Operation Stack's Problems
There was a touch of anxiety about Chief Inspector Martin Barnes-Smith as he addressed the recent stakeholder meeting for Operation Stack, and with good reason.

Spray-on ceramic to avoid DPF cloggings
A new solution has been developed to combat the problem of soot clogged diesel particulate filters (DPF) when run on low-temperature operations.

Groupe Samat turns from loss to profit
Efficiency inprovements have helped the company move back into profit. Roger Brown reports.

Moto to keep clamping trucks in coach bays at Lymm
Drivers who park in coach bays will have their trucks clamped, even if the designated LGV parking area is full.

Freightliner settles MAN compensation
Freightliner, part of DaimlerChrysler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, has finally agreed a multi-million pound compensation deal with MAN over accounting irregularities at ERF which MAN acquired in 2000.

Ticketing system planned for A14
An overhaul of Operation Stack on the A14 will see LGV drivers being provided with tickets which they must show if they wish to enter Felixstowe Port.

Langdons' 7.5-tonne reefer gives 2,700kg payload
A combination of low chassis weight, lightweight body and direct drive for the fridge unit has resulted in a payload of 2,700kg on a Daf 7.5-tonne refrigerated truck that has entered service with Langdons of Bridgwater, Somerset.

Removal firm Galloway Pettit offers feng shui
A removals company which offers to feng shui its customers' new homes as part of its service says its own premises have benefited from the ancient oriental practice of arranging space in harmony with the environment.

Crackdown on illegal fuel in Northern Ireland
Police and Customs last week seized 3,000 litres of illegal fuel from a secret storage site in West Belfast.

Hartshorne issues winding-up order to Strongserve
Hartshorne East Midlands, Hartshorne (Potteries) and Hartshorne Motor Services - all part of the Hartshorne Motor Group and all based in Walsall - claim to be creditors of Staffordshire operator Strongserve, which has been trading since 1988.

Truck and van registrations remain stable
While UK demand has increased slightly, it has not matched growth across Europe - especially in Germany and the EU accession states.

Kögel launches SAFEBAX air-bag curtain
German trailer manufacturer Kögel is premiering its new SAFEBAX air-bag curtain at the Transport Logistic trade fair in Munich this week.

Lynn Star supports water campaign
King's Lynn-based haulage and storage specialist Lynn Star Distribution has joined the race to provide clean drinking water to the estimated one billion people throughout the world who do not have access to it.

Alarming findings from fleet safety website
A benchmarking website set up by road safety charity Brake has found that 35% of fleet operators do not fully comply with safety laws.

Viridor wins appeal against licence curtailmentTaunton based Viridor Waste Management has won an appeal against the curtailment of its North-western O-licence from 30 to 25 vehicles, but faces an unannounced VOSA visit to ensure that it is continuing its improved maintenance procedures.

Tachodisc calls for digitach paper standard
Tachodisc is calling on the EU and the government to set a standard for the paper used to print out data from digital tachographs.

EU backs Galileo satellite
European Union ministers have refused to give up on EU global positioning service Galileo, telling the European Commission to draw up detailed proposals by September for initial funding by taxpayers.

eGoods insures goods in transit
An internet service has been launched by insurance firm eGoods for small businesses that require goods-in-transit cover.

Salvesen blames UK division for profit fall
Christian Salvesen increased its turnover by 10% to £899m last year, but its profits fell by a greater percentage - and the company blames poor trading in its UK Transport division for the fall.

LEZ classifications will be based on DVLA data
Operators likely to be affected by the Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) should start double-checking all the DVLA data on their trucks now, according to Transport for London (TfL).

LEZ regs all hot air
The LEZ turned into a farce this week as TfL is accused of mishandling the scheme.

HSE to clamp down on unsafe reversingThe Health and Safety Executive is clamping down on the unsafe reversing of street collection vehicles, and its inspectors will be out in force this year.

Mercedes bucks trend on lead times
Despite a strong order book Mercedes-Benz Trucks is bucking the current market trend towards extended lead times.

Wincanton still on buying trail
Less than a year ago Wincanton acquired Lane and RDL. Now it is on the lookout again.

Consultation on VOSA powers
Hauliers who flout the law face fines and impounded vehicles under new road safety proposals unveiled by the government for consultation.

Transport links to ports need more investment
The FTA has called on the government to invest more money into transport links leading up to UK ports, in order to solve the current congestion problems.

CIWM Show Report
An in-depth look at the CIWM show.

KDL European wins back licence
KDL European has had its licence revocation for falsified tachograph records quashed by the Transport Tribunal.

The lowdown on Legal and Illegal clamping
There are many tales of illegally clamping, but what exactly is your legal position?

Companies fined for unsafe dumper truck
A dumper truck killed a construction worker because it was both being driven by an untrained driver and its brakes failed, a court heard.

FTA launches green website
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has this week launched a green website, called Sustainable Distribution, to help members cut their carbon footprint.

Royal Mail trials Smith electric vehicles
The Royal Mail has ordered its first electric vehicles for trials in the UK from Tanfield's Smith Electric Vehicles.

Healthcare programme for all at Ryder
Ryder Europe is introducing a programme of health assessment and maintenance for its entire workforce.

T&G fights for recognition at Tesco
All the drivers involved in the strikes at Tesco's Livingstone depot have signed the supermarket giant's contracts, but the Transport & General Workers division of Unite is still fighting for recognition at the site.

Lighter LHVs in the Netherlands
Although the trial of longer, heavier vehicles (LHVs) in the Netherlands has so far gone well, word has it that the maximum weight of LHVs will be limited to 50 tonnes.

Somerset weight restriction branded 'ludicrous'
Operators and trade associations have described the decision to introduce a 7.5-tonne weight restriction on a Somerset road as "ludicrous" after it emerged that LGVs will be unable to turn around.

Sign up for national truck drivers' conference
The first national truck drivers' conference will take place on 4 April 2008 at the Embassy Conference Centre, Skegness, Lincs.

MAN launches two ranges of heavy trucks
The TGS and TGX ranges include a contender for the title of Europe's most powerful highway truck.

36% of firms have no plans for drivers' health
More than a third of UK transport employers have no intention of paying more attention to their workers' health, despite new laws such as the smoking ban

Lords debate drivers' hours laws
The UK version of the European drivers' hours laws, 561/2006, was to be debated in the House of Lords on Tuesday this week after CM went to press.

Bowles to chair RHA
Stephen Bowles of Colnbrook-based air freight company Roy Bowles Transport has been elected chairman of the Road Haulage Association (RHA).

Cost-cutting by TNT 'necessary' says Boston
A study by Boston Consulting Group has concluded that TNT Post's cost-cutting plans are both "necessary and realistic".

Daf says 66% of old trucks comply with LEZ
Daf says it took four days to sift through records to establish how many Euro 1 and 2 engined-trucks reach Euro 3 levels for particulate emissions.

Strongserve sold on day it went into administration
Staffordshire haulage firm Strongserve has gone into administration. Roger Brown reports.

Foulger wins consolidation deal
Foulger Transport has won a contract with Norfolk County Council to run a 24-hour freight consolidation centre.

Transport 2000 recommends freight road pricing
The environmental transport body wants the government to revisit the idea of lorry road user charging.

Red tape and competition hitting Yorkshire hauliers
A combination of red tape and stiff competition from European businesses is hitting Yorkshire and Humberside haulage firms hard.

The importance of tachograph analysis
Partial analysis is the simple, most popular option with analogue tachographs, but it's more complicated with digital tachographs.

Armstrongs Aggregates hits back at complaints
A Haulage company in the North-West has hit back at complaints from locals over its application to increase its licence by saying that it will cut down on vehicle movements.

HSE calls for forklift operators to assess danger
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says companies operating forklift trucks must use risk assessments to evaluate danger.

International driver skills put to the test
The driver CPC comes into effect in September 2009 with the aim of improving industry standards across Europe. But will it address all the issues faced by cross-channel operators?

MAN launches TGS and TGX heavy truck ranges
The TGS and TGX ranges include a contender for the title of Europe's most powerful highway truck.

Bulmers plans to double turnover in five years
Teesside-based Bulmers Logistics has unveiled a five year plan to double its turnover and create 250 jobs across the UK.

Driver jailed for eating on the move
A Dutch lorry driver has been jailed for eight weeks by the Prestatyn Magistrates for eating spaghetti while driving his 40-tonne artic on the busy A55 Expressway in North Wales.

Driver fined for unroadworthy truck
A 73-year-old disabled Wolverhampton haulage operator who refused to abandon his unroadworthy lorry and drove off chased by police, said he did so to get his load of meat to market before it started rotting.

Bell speaks out about language concerns
Hauliers have a "vital responsibility" to make sure their foreign drivers understand basic English, according to traffic commissioner Beverley Bell.

First drive: New Iveco Stralis in the UK
After its European launch in the spring, the new Iveco Stralis is now in the UK in a right hand drive version.

Signs put up to warn drivers off satnav
Signs have been put up warning lorry drivers to ignore satellite navigation systems after a spate of accidents in two locations.

Wincanton drivers "angry" over contract split
The TGWU section of trade union Unite has accused oil firm Total of "betrayal" after its decision to split its distribution contract.

RHA concerns for TC independence
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has come out in support of the traffic commissioners amid its concerns that the draft local transport bill could threaten their independence.

No Reduced Pollution Certificate for existing Euro5
The Department for Transport (DfT) has said it will not include Euro-5 vehicles purchased before the inclusion of On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) in the Reduced Pollution Certificate (RPC) scheme.

International hauliers can become EU accredited
Hauliers delivering to customers outside the European Union will be able to apply to become Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) from Sunday (1 July).

New Volvo FH set for 2009 launch
Volvo Trucks will take the wraps off a new version of the FH truck range in 2009 to ensure the truck remains toward the top of the European tractor market league table.

Total splits distribution contract three ways
The union representing tanker drivers at Total has condemned the company's decision to split its distribution contract.

Moto defends LGV clamping policy again
Moto has once again had to defend its clamping policy after an LGV was clamped for parking in a coach bay at Thurrock services.

Management the key to fuel cost savings
Philippa Jones joins delegates at the IEA conference and discover that simple management techniques can save hauliers significant fuel costs.

EGR v SCR, you decide
Fraikin is offering its customers the chance to run their own EGR versus SCR trials, having just taken delivery of 900 Euro 4 trucks from both tech-nology camps.

JDR to change name and move away from haulage
JDR Distribution is re-branding to be seen as a one-stop service rather than as "a company that just provides transport".

Treasure Transport shows growing funds
Treasure Transport Services has reported an 8% rise in shareholders' funds in its latest abbreviated results for the year to December 2006.

Laser says growth helped drive profit
Laser Transport International says sustained growth in its core business helped return the firm to profit.

Driver shortage still affecting hauliers
With 'freight-intensive' industries still in decline and the driver shortage continuing to bite, it's not all rosy for road haulage - at least according to the latest FTA survey.

Ruth Kelly takes charge of transport
In a cabinet reshuffle by new Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Ruth Kelly takes over as Transport Secretary.

MSS slashes fuel consumption for Goldstar
Heathrow-based airfreight specialist Goldstar hopes that its decision to specify Motor Stop Start (MSS) on its new Mercedes-Benz Atego and Axor trucks will result in a reduction of at least 15% on its fuel bill.

Eastern Catering fined for overloaded truck
A driver and his employers who overloaded a vehicle with food have been ordered to pay more than £5,000 in fines and costs.

No Reduced Pollution Certificate for existing Euro5
The Department for Transport (DfT) has said it will not include Euro-5 vehicles purchased before the inclusion of On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) in the Reduced Pollution Certificate (RPC) scheme.

The readers of Roadtransport.com certainly are on the ball - perhaps even the crystal ball: looking through the statistics for the site, I see that the most-read story for the week of 17-23 June was 'Met moves to prevent vehicle-borne attacks' - this a week before the recent car-based attacks in London and Glasgow.

Trailer and rigid bodybuilder Don-Bur has invested £2m in impressive new chassis and component manufacturing workshops.
There are more details from Don-Bur themselves.

Other headlines:

Hill Hire used truck scheme a success: Hill Hire says its newly-launched used truck and trailer initiative has been well accepted by the industry.

Bandvulc launches BIG tyres: Bandvulc has launched BIG, a new range of tyres designed specifically for regional fleets and local operations.

Diesel Emissions Conference: Commercial Motor's Dylan Gray reports from Frankfurt, at the third annual Diesel Emissions Conference hosted by Integer Research.

London delivery times flawed: London's extended delivery times are flawed and will entangle operators in red tape, according to the Brewery Logistics Group.

Biofuels Corp battles to avoid insolvency: Biofuels Corporation seeks re-structuring as market conditions hinder business.

McDonalds to run trucks on chip fat
It may be criticised for selling unhealthy meals, but McDonalds claims to be doing its bit for the environment by running its fleet of trucks on used chip oil.
This story also made it to the Financial Times, USA Today and The Sun.

TfL pays VOSA for LEZ testing
TfL's plans to pay VOSA to test LEZ vehicles for particulate matter but not NOx emissions are flawed, according to the FTA and RHA.

Lorry ban proposed for Marchwood
Southampton Container Logistics backs residents' calls for a truck ban near a local school.

Northgate increases turnover
Northgate has experienced double-digit increases in turnover and profit following its acquisitions of rental businesses in the UK and Spain, giving it the impetus to look for further purchases.

Ex EA Aston and Son driver jailed
A truck driver who "cynically and arrogantly" tricked his employers into thinking he had not been banned from driving following a drink-driving offence has been jailed for six months.

Ladyman backs sustainable fuels
Stephen Ladyman has called for the UK to cut its carbon emissions, though not at the cost of economic activity.

Changes to government's transport line-up
The Department for Transport has received a thorough overhaul this week as part of new Prime Minister Gordon Brown's first cabinet reshuffle.

Demountable glazing frame
Supertrucks has launched Fit & Glaze, a new demountable glass-carrying rack for panel vans.

In-tank sensor checks AdBlue quality
An on-board sensor to monitor the quality of AdBlue solution on board diesel trucks equipped with SCR deNOx systems has been developed by Wema.

Liquidators at Lorry Loaders
Bad debts, disputed invoices and reluctance by the banks to provide further funding have led to the downfall of high-profile Hiab dealer Lorry Loaders, according to its liquidators.

ELUPEG's finished car distribution workshop
European Logistics Users Providers and Enablers Group is holding a collaborative finished car distribution workshop on July 16.

Chris Grime appointed as IRTE chairman
Chris Grime has been appointed chairman of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers.

Expect Distribution is MT's Haulier of the Year
Expect Distribution has won the prestigious title of Haulier of the Year at the Motor Transport Awards.

BT training scheme cuts risk
British Telecom (BT) has just assessed its 50,000th driver under its Fleet Risk Management programme, and claims that the scheme has so far slashed its costs and collision rates by 40%.

DC Haulage & Storage loses O-licence appeal
When Walsall-based DC Haulage & Storage (DC H&S) applied to the then West Midland Traffic Commissioner David Dixon for an O-licence he refused it because of fraudulent bank statements and persistent illegal operation.

Interview: James Hookham of the FTA
The FTA's deputy chief executive is on a mission: to promote the industry's strategic importance as well as find solutions to the problems of the day. We catch up with James Hookham as he is on his way to the Treasury.

Tesco to cut 400 jobs at Milton Keynes
About 400 jobs are set to go at Tesco's distribution centre in Milton Keynes.

Ray Smith Group launches new up-and-over tail-lift
The Ray Smith Group has launched Easyloader, a unique up-and-over electric tail-lift for panel vans.

Asda's practical steps to green transport
Sustainable distribution is a new buzzword - and a debate taking place this week will ask the question: 'Will the environment make us think the unthinkable?' This debate follows a survey on fleet efficiency for the Department for Transport by Scala Consultants.

Task Structures wins two-truck O-licence
Scottish Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken has granted an O-licence to Troon-based Gerard McCue, but for two vehicles rather than the three applied for.

Wish list to Gordon Brown
With the arrival of a new Prime Minister, a new Chancellor and a new Transport Secretary, the time is right to collate an industry wish list.

Sainsbury's trials lorry movement system
The supermarket is the first European firm to take up the environmentally friendly Dragon Power System.

The future looks bright for Iveco
Not many years ago, Fiat was experiencing restructuring and financial difficulties so severe that GM paid $2bn simply to extricate itself from a situation in which it could have ended up owning the Italian giant's passenger car business.

Gross misconduct hearing adjourned
The Employment Tribunal has adjourned a truck driver's unfair dismissal case for more evidence.

Keystone: details on McDonalds switch to biodiesel
Will Shiers talks to Keystone Distribution about McDonalds' decision to run on biodiesel derived from cooking oil.

RH Freight says haulage needs more courage
RH Freight's managing director is urging the industry to have more courage in setting rates so firms can make a profit.

MT debate on improving efficiency
Motor Transport and partner Fraikin will hold a round-table debate on July 19 in London on improving efficiency in operation.

Renault takes autos off road
Renault has become the first European manufacturer to offer an automated manual transmission specifically for the construction sector.

Davidson & Wilson closes business
Aberdeen-based haulage company Davidson & Wilson is closing its business because "enough is enough", says one of its directors.

VOSA to crack down on foreign hauliers
VOSA has pledged to intensify its crackdown on law-breaking foreign hauliers, following the success of its recent pilot scheme in Kent.

Hauliers keep business in the family
Family ties continue to dominate the UK haulage industry, but operators are warned to ensure relatives are not shoehorned into jobs.

RHA calls for longer heavier truck trials in UK
Road Haulage Association (RHA) chief executive Roger King says the UK has the potential to introduce longer heavier vehicles.

FTA conducts van load tests
The Freight Transport Association (FTA), with the help of consultants TRL, is researching the importance of safe securing of loads in vans, with a view to establishing a best practice guide for load retention.

Taygroup's Taylor sells firm to management team
Former Taygroup chief Nick Taylor has sold the business in a management buyout deal worth £8.75m.

VOSA u-turn on sideguards
VOSA has changed its mind and decided that vehicles with front-mounted cranes do need sideguards - but not until April 2008.

Hauliers keep business in the family
Family ties continue to dominate the UK haulage industry, but operators are warned to ensure relatives are not shoehorned into jobs.

RHA calls for longer heavier truck trials in UK
Road Haulage Association (RHA) chief executive Roger King says the UK has the potential to introduce longer heavier vehicles.

FTA conducts van load tests
The Freight Transport Association (FTA), with the help of consultants TRL, is researching the importance of safe securing of loads in vans, with a view to establishing a best practice guide for load retention.

Taygroup's Taylor sells firm to management team
Former Taygroup chief Nick Taylor has sold the business in a management buyout deal worth £8.75m.

VOSA u-turn on sideguards
VOSA has changed its mind and decided that vehicles with front-mounted cranes do need sideguards - but not until April 2008.

LCCC interim report
The London Construction Consolidation Centre has been operating for about 18 months - Dylan Gray finds out what it's all about and assesses its likely effect on operators working in the capital.

Bartrum wins Scania prize draw at MT awards
Robert Bartrum, Director of Bartrums Road Services of Norfolk was the winner of the prize draw at the Motor Transport awards, sponsored by Scania.

Montracon launches drop nose trailers
Montracon has launched a 'drop nose', wind-cheating, double-deck curtainsider.

Inefficient UK hauliers ripe for takeovers
A study of 2,000 UK hauliers has concluded that the industry is wasting £646m in potential profit every year, and that many parts of the industry would be more efficiently and profitably run by private equity firms.

FTA to investigate van load safety
The FTA has teamed up with TRL to establish new minimum standards for load security in vans. David Harris finds out why.

Inverview: Frank Heinrich-Jones of FHJ Services
In the 1980s, says Frank Heinrich-Jones, truck crime hardly appeared on the radar. It went on, of course, but the authorities only began to take it seriously in the mid’90s.

Internet shopping boom fuels rise in CO2
The boom in internet shopping and subsequent increase in commercial vehicles delivering to home addresses is fuelling an overall rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to a new report.

Eastern deamand causing trailer shortage
Growth in the trailer market in Eastern Europe has resulted in a shortage of axles in the West, according to UK consulting group CLEAR.

Clearstone bought out of administration by RCapital Clearstone, an LGV training and recruitment agency involved in a high-profile government scheme to tackle the lack of women in transport, has been acquired by a private equity firm after going into administration.

Driver awarded £28k for unfair dismissal
Driver awarded £28,000 in compensation for unfair dismissal after an operator asked him to ignore driver's hours legislation.

Derailed freight wagons difficult to recover
Clean up operation creates a challenge after freight train derailment in Cambridgeshire.

High regrooving rate cuts Nuttall tyre costs
Rochdale-based James Nuttall (Transport) claims to have recorded one of the highest tyre regrooving rates of any UK haulier, with consequent reductions in tyre remoulding and replacement bills.

Empty running still a problem for food deliveries
DfT figures show that different stages of the food supply chain face different issues.

ATS and BOC tackle wheel loss problem
ATS Euromaster and BOC have joined forces in an attempt to reduce the risk of wheel loss across the company's 950-strong truck fleet.

ATS and BOC tackle wheel loss problem
ATS Euromaster and BOC have joined forces in an attempt to reduce the risk of wheel loss across the company's 950-strong truck fleet.

VOSA the innocent victim in LEZ confusion
A former VOSA station manager warns CM that VOSA will face an "avalanche of enquiries" about compliance with the London low-emission zone which it may not be able to answer because Transport for London (TfL) is providing too little detail.

Scania Euro 5 HCCI will cut NOx
Scania says that it will be able to meet Euro 5 NOx limits without the need for either SCR or particulate traps thanks to techical spin offs from its research into Homogeneous Charge Combustion Ignition (HCCI).

65 jobs go as Ramage buys UFD out of administration
After collapsing into administration, one United Freight Distribution depot shuts with the loss of 65 jobs; the rest of the company is bought by Ramage Distribution.

Trucks ran without O-licence
A Tonbridge, KENT-based operator failed in its bid for a 12-vehicle/two-trailer licence after an inquiry heard it had illegally operated vehicles following the refusal of an interim licence despite two warnings from the Traffic Area Office (TAO).

Owner-driver warned over brake safety
A Merseyside owner-driver escaped with a formal warning after admitting several offences including operating without an O-licence and failing to have regular brake tests.

Can logistics go green without the unthinkable?
Tackling environmental concerns can be confusing for businesses. Roanna Avison attends Scala's Annual Logistics Debate to find out what operators can and should be doing.

ATS Euromaster stays ahead of the competition
ATS Euromaster is the UK's largest tyre network. Andy Salter speaks to managing director Ian Stuart to find out how he's staying ahead of the competition.

Palletline plans new hub
Palletline has outlined its future plans, including a move to new premises.

Licence suspended for tacho fidddle
A driver who falsified a tachograph record a month after the suspension of his LGV driving licence had ended has lost his licence for a further two months.

Euro 6 could harm planet
The EC has been warned that it risks boosting greenhouse gas emissions from Europe's road transport fleet if it sets the NOx limit for Euro 6 engines at too low a level.

Felixstowe port scraps booking charge
Felixstowe Port plans to abolish hauliers' booking fees, but will keep the no-show charge.

Fewer hauliers hiring drivers
Fewer hauliers are hiring new drivers despite the driver shortage, according to a survey by recruitment specialist Manpower.

New Peugeot 207 van announced
Peugeot has released details of its stylish new 207 van, due to go on sale 1st September.

Elddis to donate 15p per mile to charity
County Durham haulier Elddis Transport hopes to raise £50,000 for a local hospice, with the help of its 250th Mercedes Actros, by pledging to donate 15p for every mile the vehicle drives over the next three years to the Willow Burn Hospice at nearby Lanchester.

Lorry driver loses unfair dismissal claim
A Stafford lorry driver has lost a compensation claim for unfair dismissal after refusing to make an extra delivery because he feared he would exceed 15 hours of driving and face prosecution.

Lenor defends 'lorries off the road' ad campaign
A TV advertising campaign claiming that buying Lenor's concentrated fabric conditioner can result in fewer truck journeys has been attacked for treating hauliers like "third-class citizens".

Testing station denies knowledge of smoke tests
A VOSA testing station in Purfleet, Thurrock, says it was told nothing about LGV smoke tests for London's Low Emission Zone until an operator contacted CM to complain about the confusion.

NavTeq promises LGV sat-nav maps later this year
Digital mapping company NavTeq, whose products underpin many commercial sat-nav systems, is to launch its LGV mapping this autumn.

DHL hopes to expand airport consolidation centre
DHL- Excel is hoping to expand the scope of its Heathrow Consolidation Centre (HCC) by providing additional services.

LEZ warning for pre-registered Euro-3s
Potentially thousands of letters have gone to operators that pre-registered their Euro-3 vehicles warning they may not comply with the London low-emission zone (LEZ) standard.

Tanker driver dies after crash onto railway line
Driver warned of explosion after his gas tanker crashed onto a railway line in County Durham.

Nissan gunning for rapid CV growth
Having hit its three-year light CV growth target a year early, Nissan is upping the ante with an ambitious strategy to become a leading light CV supplier by 2010.

Mallinson set to add more two-pedal Dafs to fleet
Driver reaction to the three Daf XF95 tractors put into service 18 months ago by Yorkshire haulier Ken Mallinson & Sons was sufficiently positive for eleven more tall-cabbed Dafs to be ordered.

New hub for TPN?
The Pallet Network (TPN) says growth in volume has been so "meteoric" that a move to a new hub is imminent, despite it being in its current premises for just two-and-a-half years.

Council blocks operator's use of showmen's site
Surrey County Council has successfully objected to an operator's application to base its one vehicle on a site restricted to showmen's vehicles.

Government launches skills initiative
A far-reaching government initiative aims to make England a world leader in workplace skills by 2020, and road transport is one of the sectors that will benefit.

Unfair foreign competition concerns TC
North Western traffic commissioner Beverley Bell is concerned that unfair competition from foreign hauliers is tightening operating conditions - and helping the rise of liquidations, bankruptcies and dissolutions of UK haulage businesses.

More details of MAN range emerge
As we reported last month, MAN is adding the finishing touches to a complete makeover of its TGA heavy truck line-up.

Meachers 'holding its own'
Southampton-based Meachers Group has reported profits down on last year but says it is "more than holding its own" in a difficult market.

O-licence hangs in the balance
Drivers' hours infringements, maintenance problems and unrecorded mileage are three of the issues being considered by the TC.

Summer season a washout for business
Logistics firms around the country say the poor weather over the summer is hitting their businesses.

Opinions are divided on benefits of LHVs
The express delivery arm of DHL could run longer heavier vehicles (LHVs) if the government gives them the green light, says its engineering director David Potter.

Dawsonrental's large Mercedes-Benz order
When any operator puts pen to paper for an order for 800 trucks it's bound to create a few column inches.

Making consdolidation centres work
On paper, consolidation centres sound like the ideal way to remove a large number of LGVs from congested roads.

Operator blames illness as licence is revoked
An operator who filled in inspection sheets without checking the vehicles has had his three-vehicle licence revoked and been disqualified from holding or obtaining an O-licence for two years.

TCs streamline O-Licence system
Simplification of O-licence procedures means operators need apply to only one TC if they operate in more than one location.

DfT gives £20m grant to boost rail freight
The Department for Transport (DfT) has provided more than £20m in funding to improve rail freight in the UK.

Islington goes battery-electric
Environmentally friendly dropsider commissioned in drive to 'green' London borough's fleet.

Europe and Asia offset US downturn at UPS
Global parcel supply service UPS says its European and Asian arms performed strongly in the second quarter, overcoming a "challenging" small parcels market in the US.

Father and son confusion over licence application
An O-licence application hearing was adjourned after confusion arose over who had held the previous licence in a father and son operation where both men had the same names.

VOSA extends international checks
VOSA is to include the additional checks it made in the South-East as part of the South East International Pilot into its everyday role across the country.

Authentix fuel markers could deter thieves
Scientists in the US have developed nanotechnology fuel markers to beat diesel thieves.

Dennis upgrades Eagle
Dennis Eagle is due to introduce a host of changes to its latest chassis, cab and body.

Innovate Wins Institute’s Supply Chain Award
Innovate Logistics has won a Best Temperature Controlled Supply Chain Company award after proving it has a 'total quality management approach' and strong relationships with its customers.

Skip man on TC's 'radar' receives cut in licence
A Manchester operator has had his three-vehicle, three-trailer licence cut to two vehicles and two trailers after he was stopped while driving without an MoT or road tax.

After having been awake since 4.30 in the morning with worry and anticipation it was time to head down the road from my Luton Travel Lodge to Wincanton’s depot. This is the setting for my driver training.
Wincanton have been very kind and offered to put me through their in-house driver training with Lead Driver Trainer Alan Cracknell (see pic below).

The test is booked for Friday morning – which means that I’ve got to crack on and iron out any mistakes.

The usual truck was not available in the morning as it was being used by one of the other drivers on his test. This was no problem though as the truck was almost identical (same make and model – 220hp Scania P-series).

The morning session included some of the other aspects which will be covered in the test. This included a controlled stop and the gear-change exercise. The controlled stop is good fun as it consists of driving up to a set of cones at 20mph and then dumping the clutch and slamming on the brakes. The aim is to stop the vehicle in a straight line and without the truck shooting past the cones. After having successfully completed it once I had another couple of goes to make sure it sticks – and because it’s good fun (as long as there is no-one in front of the truck).

I know I can do it – now I just have to get on with it.

The final day of practise was even more useful than I had anticipated. The morning session started with another gear change exercise. After that we decided to grab a quick coffee before starting a mock test.

Alan took me around one of the test routes to get an idea of where the examiners will try and catch me out. Normal driving was fine, though I got caught out once or twice with some situations which I hadn’t encountered before. One of these was stationary traffic after a right turn, which I could have seen before driving through the green light and around the bend. Though I saw it, it was too late, which meant I was sat on the pedestrian crossing. Remember: Constant forward planning.

Look – no ‘L’ plates!

The test is over and the only words I can think of are joy and relief.

This morning was a slightly earlier start than normal, as we wanted to get some practise in before the test at 10.30am.
First and foremost, the vehicle was checked over as usual……….and then again. Alan said the last thing you want to happen is the truck to fail before the test. He even brought along some spare brake lights just in case.

The big news today is, of course, the merger of Eddie Stobart Ltd with Westbury Property Group to form Stobart Group Limited, which will be listed on the London Stock Exchange from September 20th.

As the company's press release says:

Eddie Stobart has a large and loyal fan base. There are thousands of fans who collect memorabilia and attend events and a large number who compete in the ‘Spotters League Table’. For many, the metamorphosis of Eddie Stobart to a publicly listed company will mean that they can now invest and own a part of the company.

Will you be buying shares?

This may be the Silly Season for journalists, but there's plenty of real news happening in the road transport industry. For a start, there's

tax help for hauliers hit by Foot & Mouth;

a £2m order for refrigerated trailers for Gray & Adams;

reaction to Transport for London's proposed changes to the Congestion Charge;

a new guide to telematics from Freight Best Practice;

a possible new system of Traffic Commissioners for Northern Ireland;

even more expensive parking at Clacket Lane Services;

and a new RO-RO freight ferry service from Inverness to mainland Europe.

...and all that's not forgetting the Eddie Stobart merger.

More unsilly transport news today, including details on the other Eddie Stobart deal this week (not the merger and flotation): Stobart has also bought container operator O'Connor, in a move that clearly strengthens its intermodal operations.

And another high-profile operator, Willi Betz, has announced a sharp increase in turnover despite the fact that its MD remains in jail in Germany awaiting trial for bribery and tax evasion.

How many washing machines can you get in a Smart car?

Until yesterday, I would have said 'none', but this driver on the M25 was there to prove me wrong:

Congestion charge plans for Cambridge
Congestion charging is planned to ease traffic problems in Cambridge as the county council bids for government cash.

Small operators get involved in local community
Small transport operators are more likely to be involved in local community events than their larger counterparts.

VOSA test stations begin LEZ emissions tests
Operators can now book their vehicles in for Low Emission Certificate (LEC) tests to comply with London's Low Emission Zone which will come into force next February.

Eardley International opens truck stop by the M47
Scotland-based Eardley International has bucked the trend of truck stops closures by opening up one of its own.

SJS Cannock offers reward after trailer theft
A family-run haulage business has offered a £2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of thieves who stole two trailers, tyres and other equipment in two incidents within two days.

RHA complains about TfL LEZ adverts
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has called on Transport for London (TfL) to change the wording of its advertisement for the London low-emission zone (LEZ), claiming it is misleading for hauliers.

Tincknell adds rear-steering Daf to fleet
Tincknell Fuels of Wells in Somerset has purchased a Daf FAN LF55 rear-steering six-wheeler with a turning circle of 12.47m.

Eddie Stobart sale takes company public
Property group Westbury is buying Stobart for £138m - but what form will the new company take and which direction will it go in?

Bullet Express boost profit with IT investment.
Bullet Express boosts turnover after investing in an online booking system and handheld computers for its drivers.

Drivers at risk of skin cancer
LGV drivers may be exposing themselves to an increased risk of skin cancer during the summer months, according to research which found harmful rays penetrate windows.

Interview: James Armstrong of Scania
Scania aftersales director James Armstrong tells us why he believes it is so important to provide an end-to-end offering.

TC grants interim licence to revoked licencee's son
A son who took over a business after his parents' licence was revoked following drivers' hours abuse has been granted an interim licence until January 2008.

Indefinite ban for nine prohibitions in five years
A firm that received nine prohibitions in five years and had no maintenance systems in place has had its licence revoked and its director has been disqualified from holding an O-licence indefinitely.

Licence bid adjourned as TC confirms details
A bid for a one-vehicle restricted licence has been adjourned while the TC confirms that the applicant has permission to use his operating centre and has enough money in his bank account.

Tories and Lib Dems consider road charging
As the Conservatives and the Lib Dems promote their plans to charge LGVs to use the country's roads (and you thought that's why we pay road tax) the RHA and the FTA brief us on the issues...

Castrol survey shows uncertainity about oil top up
Driver knowledge about oil and whose responsibility it is to top up a truck between services is not something that any fleet manager should take for granted. Research from oil manufacturer Castrol shows that opinions are mixed and that some driver education may be called for.

ALLMI and truck manufacturers set to meet
Truck manufacturers and the Association of Lorry Loader Manufacturers and Importers (ALLMI) will meet next month to discuss issues regarding wiring into engine management systems.

FTA wants LGV friendly sat-nav
Manufacturers of satellite navigation systems are being asked to give more help to truck drivers because so many LGVs are becoming stuck after being sent down unsuitable roads.

M-B offers service pack for Vito and Sprinter
Mercedes-Benz has launched a five-year, 120,000-mile maintenance deal for Vito and Sprinter vans. Service Package Plus covers labour, lubricants and other materials, as well as brake pads and discs, clutch linings and plates.

Pinguin p-p-p-picks up Salvesen’s frozen veg arm
Christian Salvesen has taken another step towards concentrating solely on its logistics and transport divisions by selling its frozen vegetable business.

RHA recommends UK wide Low Emission Certificate
The Road Haulage Association has welcomed VOSA's promise that it will be able to handle the smoke tests needed for a London Low Emission Certificate (LEC) from 3 September.

PACCAR and Eaton in heavy hybrid agreement
Paccar and Eaton Corporation are collaborating on LGV hybrid technology for Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks in the US to be produced from 2009.

EC toughens up on transport managers
Transport managers will need extensive training and operators will have to meet higher standards if plans from Brussels come into force.

London unloading times to be reviewed
The launch of a pilot scheme to double loading and unloading times in the London borough of Westminster has been delayed until October.

Police appeal for witnesses to attempted hijack
Police are appealing for witnesses to the attempted hijack of a truck in Coleshill, Warks.

Eddie Stobart to launch on stock market
Reverse takeover and purchase of container business O'Connor allows Stobart to develop full intermodal service.

Autos grow in popularity
Automatic transmissions are now more popular than manual transmissions on new tractors, although they are still being largely ignored by the distribution sector.

Oldhams buys Draycote from administration
Oldhams Transport has purchased Draycote Continentale Transport from administration.

Cemex receive ultimatum from its owner drivers
Cemex has been delivered an ultimatum by its owner drivers to either pay them correctly or face industrial action.

Gefco hit by Peugeot closure
GEFCO UK says the closure of parent company Peugeot's car factory in Coventry has affected its profits.

VOSA launches £28 LEZ-compliance test
Hauliers can now book low-emission certificate(LEC) tests to prove older vehicles comply with London's low-emission zone (LEZ) due to begin next February.

Two-pedal trucks have better RVs
For the first time since their widespread acceptance by UK fleets, tractors with automated manual transmis-sions (AMT) have a better residual value (RV) than those with manual boxes.

O'Connor says Stobart takeover will speed growth
Steve O'Connor, chief executive of O'Connor Group, says the acquisition by newly-formed Stobart Group will accelerate the company's plans for growth.

Operator refused return of crane fitted to truck
The Transport Tribunal has upheld Scottish traffic commissioner Joan Aitken's decision to refuse to return a crane bolted to an impounded vehicle.

Palletforce doubts there is room in the market
Palletforce has questioned whether there is room in the market for newest competitor Alliance Freight Network (AFN).

Could this be the new LDV?
You are looking at the Valdai, the new 6.5-tonner from Gaz. And according to Russian Automotive giant, which bought LDV last year, it could well be destined for the UK.

Local food often means long trips for hauliers
A decade ago, the local food movement was not widely known. But today, the pressure for people to buy and consume products that are grown or made as close to them as possible is increasing.

Isuzu is right tool for the job for Travis Perkins
Builders' merchant Travis Perkins will be running more than 100 Isuzus by the end of the year, having made the NKR its 3.5-tonne chassis cab of choice.

Analyst questions Stobart move
Transport analysts monitoring the Stobart developments say they see the attraction of moving to a multi-modal operation, but questions remain about how the business will operate.

Operator loses O-licence
A London-based operator who failed to prove he had the required finances of £13,000 has lost his appeal against the revocation of his three-vehicle O-licence.

TfL to launch Freight Operator Recognition Scheme
TfL is developing the Freight Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) to "recognise and assist" operators in their daily tasks.

Interest in 680hp MAN TGX V8 exceeds expectations
Demand for MAN's flagship 680hp TGX model is exceeding all expectations on the German market.

Bynx Software helps firms track their fleets
Managing a fleet of commercial vehicles that are leased out to lots of different customers is a challenge, keeping track of when they all need MoTs, for example, is a full-time job.

Royal Mail in court over race discrimination case
A Royal Mail driver who had more than 540 sick days over five years is seeking compensation for racial discrimination and unfair dismissal.

Co Durham haulier fined £4,000
The Health and Safety Executive is warning operators not to be complacent about workplace safety after a Co Durham haulier is fined £4,000 following a depot accident.

Wolverhampton Nightowl confirmed for redevelopment
The owner of the land occupied by the Nightowl truckstop at Junction 1 of the M54 near Wolverhampton confirmed last week that it intends to redevelop the site as warehousing.

Leyland Trucks boosts Daf production
As lead times for new LGVs in the UK and on the Continent reach record levels, Paccar-owned Leyland Trucks is increasing production at its Lancashire plant by 17.5%.

Stena’s £1.4bn ferry investment
Ferry operator Stena Line says road congestion and rising fuel prices are behind its decision to invest £1.4bn in two vessels to transport up to 500 trucks between Harwich and Rotterdam.

Foreign drivers face on-the-spot fines in UK
Foreign truck drivers who break UK traffic laws could be forced to pay on-the-spot roadside fines of up to £200 under the latest government proposals.

Eurotunnel cuts losses
Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel enjoyed a rare piece of good news last week, when it announced a large drop in half-year losses.

Government blasted over drivers' hours decision
Animals may suffer as movement backlog builds after foot-and-mouth restrictions.

October date for pilot scheme
Westminster Council has denied claims its pilot scheme to extend loading and un-loading times for trucks has been delayed.

Scania launches Euro 5 EGR engine and new cab
Scania has launched a new family of five- and six-cylinder Euro 5 EGR engines, featuring the latest XPI injection system it developed jointly with Cummins.

Revenue downturn for Hanson
Hanson Transport Group posted a loss after taxation of £153,551 for the year to 31 December 2006 - an improvement from a loss of nearly £1.3m in 2005.

Concern over fixed penalty fine level
The freight industry has joined VOSA officials in expressing concern that the level of fines being proposed by the Graduated Fixed Penalty and Deposit Scheme will be too low to act as a deterrent.

Hauliers could lose work under European proposals
UK hauliers specialising in dangerous goods could lose work if the European Commission votes to allow member states to prescribe specific modes of transport.

New 13-litre EGR engine from Scania
Scania's thrust to Euro-5 emissions compliance includes a new range of 13-litre EGR engines.

NYK launches rail freight service
The firm will move about 150 containers every week between the Port of South-ampton and the inland freight terminals at the Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal in Tamworth, as well as Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal.

Salvesen wins Central Foods contract
Christian Salvesen's temperature-controlled business unit (TCBU) has won a contract to distribute frozen food products for Central Foods.

Stolen steel man fails to show at inquiry
A public inquiry concerning a man caught with a trailer full of stolen steel has been adjourned because of doubt over whether he received the letter calling him in.

European Parliament votes in favour of LHVs
A European Parliament vote on trials of larger freight vehicles has revealed strong feelings on the subject .

Norfolkline vessel is 'ok'
Cross channel freight operator Norfolkline has moved swiftly to reassure hauliers that there are no problems over its vessels' safety after it locked the bow doors on one of its ferries.

TISS Impregnable cuts fuel spillage danger
Diesel spills are a clear and present danger, especially to motorcyclists, Department for Transport statistics revealing that diesel spills caused 16 deaths and 3,000 serious accidents between 2000 and 2004.

Pentalver opens Cannock site
Pentalver opens 28 acre Cannock site which has capacity for 15,000 containers.

Lorry Park owner to solve Felixstowe stack problems
The owner of Orwell Crossing truckstop offers his site as a parking area to prevent congestion on the A14 when Felixstowe port is closed.

Franz Xaver Kögel dies at the age of 97
The founder of Kögel Fahrzeufwerke GmbH, Franz Xaver Kögel, has died at the age of 97. In 1934 Kögel, a qualified master coach builder, took over the Ulm-based coach building business belonging to his master and trainer.

No after-treatment with new Scania 13-litre six-pot
Looking to buy a Euro-5 truck but don't want SCR? Scania may have just what you are looking for.

Asda plans to increase delivery times
Asda plans to extend delivery times at one of its stores are met with stiff opposition.

Hargreaves turnover jumps 71%
The fast-growing haulage and mining group Hargreaves Services increased its turnover by 71% in the year to 31 May, following a 134% jump last year.

DfT refuses to relax drivers' hours rules
The Department for Transport (DfT) has turned down requests from livestock hauliers for a temporary relaxation of the drivers' hours rules in order to clear the backlog of animals stuck on farms after the foot-and-mouth crisis.

RHA calls on Treasury to cut fuel tax for hauliers
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has called on the Treasury to decouple fuel duty for hauliers from the tax rises due in October and next April.

Renault and VW unveil van-based passenger cars
This week's Frankfurt Motor Show sees the unveiling of passenger cars from Renault and Volkswagen, giving strong clues as to the van products the two manufacturers are expected to launch at Amsterdam next month.

Ballyvesey Holdings posts £666,000 loss
Ballyvesey Holdings, which owns the Montgomery Trans-port Group, has reported a "disappointing" trading performance in the year to 30 September 2006, with a loss after taxation of more than £666,000.

Don-Bur's Teardrop: The shape of trailers to come?
Don-Bur has launched the Teardrop, a revolutionary new aerodynamic semi-trailer which has the potential to slash fuel bills by 10%.

Pay an on-the-spot fine or face immobilisation
With the consultation period over and the DfT evaluating the industry's input, Dylan Gray assesses what the proposed Graduated Fixed Penalty and Deposit Schemes will mean to you.

Government inaction fuels industry frustration
As Motor Transport reports this week, there are rumblings of discontent against the high (and soon to be higher) level of fuel duty and threats of a return to direct action.

Reformed Transaction 2007 plans fuel demonstration
Members of the Transaction group who were at the centre of the 2000 fuel protests are planning another demonstration before the planned fuel duty hike next month.

Don-Bur's Teardrop trailer a hit with M&S
Don-Bur says the launch of its new Teardrop trailer will have a massive impact on the haulage industry, and is confident that this revolutionary new shape will eventually become standard.

And speaking of new shapes...

...here's Chloe demonstrating the Teardrop trailer. Is it just me, or does she look about twelve feet tall?

BigLorryBlog has posted a video of Scania's take on Longer, Heaver Vehicles (LHVs). It features the latest Euro-5 25.25m B-doubles and drawbars.

The Rugby World Cup is on its way: join in and win £1,000 with Commercial Motor’s Rugby World Cup Challenge, sponsored by Renault trucks.

The emotive issue of fuel duty
The government makes pious noises about ramping up fuel duty to discourage car use and thus help the environment.

The potential dangers of Sat-Nav
Stories are mounting up of trucks ending up on inappropriate roads after relying on sat-nav guidance - but is using this driver aid also a deadly distraction?

Van delays not an issue
The lengthy wait for new vans experienced by several MT readers has been largely dispelled by LCV manufacturers.

Bibby acquires majority stake in Costcutter
Bibby Distribution's parent company has bought a majority stake in convenience store chain Costcutter.

Edwards mitigates overloading fine
A Manchester haulage firm has successfully mitigated the fine against it for an overloading offence by blaming the freight forwarding industry for sharp practice.

TfL reckons rail is greener than road
TfL wants to shift more freight onto the rails because it believes rail freight has less impact on the environment.

VOSA guidelines for Low Emissions Certificate
VOSA has published guidelines for operators who want to book their vehicles in for low emissions tests to obtain a Low Emissions Certificate (LEC) or a Reduced Pollution Certificate (RPC).

Volvo drawbar goes to waste
Cheshire-based demolition, recycling and waste disposal specialists, Nick Brookes has taken delivery of a 13-litre Volvo FM 8x4 hook-loader drawbar rig.

Parks Haulage allowed to expand operation
Residents who bought plots of land and built homes next to a rural haulage yard have lost their battle to stop the operator expanding.

Government waters down restrictions on road freight
The government stands accused of watering down proposals to shift bulk freight by water rather than road.

DfT does not relax drivers' hours for Foot & Mouth
Scottish livestock hauliers are upset that the Department for Transport has again turned down their request to relax drivers' hours regulations to help them tackle the backlog of animals that need to be moved.

Cambridge confused over congestion charge claims
Confusion over plans for a congestion charge in Cambridge has brought councillors, businessmen and operators together to air their views.

MAN lead times in Eastern Europe worse than UK
MAN lead times may still be long, but they are lower in the UK than in Eastern Europe.

Downton and Pets at Home opt for Renault Trucks
After fuel trials of Renault, DAF and Volvo trucks, Downton opted to purchase three Euro-4 Renault Premium 450 6x2 trucks with the Optidriver+ gearbox to run on it Pets at Home contract.

Police seek truck hijack gang
A driver was left in state of undress after thieves made off with his wagon and its load.

Lib Dems propose lorry tariff scheme
The Liberal Democrats plan to raise £12bn from a tariff scheme on lorries using motorways in the UK.

Closing Nightowl will increase truck crime
The West Midlands Business Council has warned that truck crime will increase if South Staffordshire District Council approves a plan to close the Nightowl truckstop in Cheshire.

MAN launches TGS/TGX
MAN has launched the TGS and TGX, which together replace the TGA range.

TPN trials reduced time frame for RDC deliveries
TPN members restrict delivery times into RDCs to reduce time spent waiting to make deliveries.

Mobile phones top of enforcement agenda in Scotland
Communicating with your drivers via text messaging could put you O-licence at risk, according to Scottish deputy traffic commissioner Richard McFarlane.

...oh, and it's International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Road goods vehicles travelling to mainland Europe
UK-registered trucks currently account for about 25% of road-freight traffic heading from England to the Continent. But who carries the rest? Dylan Gray looks at the latest DfT figures.

Lib Dems propose lorry tariff scheme
The Liberal Democrats plan to raise £12bn from a tariff scheme on lorries using motorways in the UK.

MAN V8 TGX road test
From its exterior, the V8 flagship looks great, with a chrome V8 badge, unique graphics and alloy wheels to ensure everyone else on the road knows exactly what you are driving.

TDG delivers £5m a year savings for Corus
TDG says it is delivering £5m a year in cost savings for Corus after taking on the management of its logistics operations.

No-show skip firm loses O-licence
A skip operator who failed to turn up at a public inquiry has had his five-vehicle licence revoked because of concerns over poor vehicle maintenance and evidence that he may not be using his authorised operating centre.