Are UK Motorists Being Spied On?
Here in the UK we take the privacy of our personal data very seriously, which is more than can be said for some private companies or government agencies who either dispense it, for a fee, to people or organisations who say they need it, or, they lose it in parks and public areas
Now, it seems, over in the Netherlands in 2011, similar information has been sold for profit
The culprit was TomTom, the sat-nav people
They have been caught supplying customers driving data to the police who use it to help catch speeding drivers
The data, including historical speed, has been sold to local and regional governments to help police set traps
TomTom are very sorry, apparently
They thought the information was being used to improve traffic safety and reduce bottlenecks
Yeah, right
As more and more smartphones offer GPS navigation services so TomTom has been forced to compensate for loss of profit by increasing sales in other areas, including traffic data
So not for traffic safety reasons at all, then
Last year no less a person than Jack Straw, the former Justice Secretary, stated that the British Police sold details of traffic accidents to lawyers of the ambulance chasing variety after meeting with the Association of British Insurers
Naturally, the police strenuously deny this
Mr Straw went on to claim that one police force had trousered as much as 1.3m in 2008/9
The cops say that this is money raised from vehicle recovery companies
Who can say? What does appear to be true is that the referrals system works on the basis of mutual back scratching that motorists pay for in their overheated premiums and that s before we consider the unseemly shuffling of our personal information
There should be a proper system in place to prevent police officers, health professionals and mechanics allegedly passing on personal accident details
One aspect of the data fiasco that is known is that the DVLA certainly do sell on personal information
They state that it is allowed if the request has reasonable cause, but they are not too specific about what this constitutes
It certainly seems to include private parking companies and clampers
It is also true that the DVLA chose Experian as a commercial partner
Experian are, amongst other things, a credit reference agency
Make your own mind up
In any event, how can a Government department have a commercial partner? The latest announcement from the DVLA concerns the paper section of your driving licence
BY 2015, this is to be done away with and the related info is to be stored on a database of Britain s 44m drivers, including details of any points or endorsements
It appears, although it is yet to be confirmed, that employers and car rental companies could get access through a portal set up for the purpose
Presumably for a fee
The DVLA have said that, whatever they finally decide, your data will be safe and secure
The answer that springs immediately to mind is: Ha!
Easy HIAB Haulage from Crawley to London Letting the Crane Take the Strain!
Easy HIAB Haulage from Crawley to London
Letting the Crane Take the Strain! Moving containers and cabins is all part of our daily work here at Sussex Transport
With our fleet of HIAB vehicles, it s easy to transport containers from one location to another
The extendable crane mounted on the lorry enables us to carefully manoeuvre goods from the flatbed truck to the desired destination
Last week we moved a shipping container from Crawley to London on one of our HIAB trucks
The UK s largest airline celebrated its 10th anniversary at Gatwick Airport in Crawley last month
EasyJet marked its decade of service with staff gathering in the airport check-in area and a celebratory cake-cutting ceremony. The milestone was also marked with commemorative gifts and entertainment for passengers checking in for flights throughout the morning
The event marked ten years since the first easyJet flight took off from Gatwick to Barcelona, and the start of its rise to becoming the biggest operator at Gatwick
The company now operates 50 aircraft flying around 300 flights a day to and from Gatwick, with a choice of 94 destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Manx Independent Carriers have taken delivery of 3 new MAN 6×2 TGS tractor units
Isle of Man based distribution specialists Manx Independent Carriers have taken delivery of 3 new MAN 6×2 TGS tractor units to join the fleet of their UK subsidiary Walter Edmundson (Haulage)… This is a content summary only. Visit Isle News to read the full News story.
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Manx Independent Carriers have taken delivery of 3 new MAN 6×2 TGS tractor units
Diluting the American Dream
An exhibition of recent work by Studio 6 and Bara Safarova Marfa sits almost equidistantly between Los Angeles and Chicago which would take 64 hours if there were a station to stop at. From above Marfa appears as a discrete and well managed island adrift in a landscape of aridity. From within, howev …
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Diluting the American Dream
One Step Closer To Financial Freedom
I’m dumping an annoying debt – the car payment The average American makes a car payment each month. I am no longer one of those people! That’s right, today I made my last car payment. And by last, I mean my last car payment ever. Why did I have a car payment? My car looks like this one. I love it! I …
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One Step Closer To Financial Freedom
TRACKER showcases telematics and tracking technology at 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show
Leading provider of vehicle tracking services, TRACKER is showcasing its groundbreaking, patented technology at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show, on 24-26 April, at Birmingham’s NEC. Head to stand #3A10 to find out see firsthand the new level of data available with TRACKER Fleet and how TRACKER’s new battery-powered units provide fleet operators with a robust and flexible solution for valuable assets without a power source, including trailers. TRACKER Fleet is a completely re-engineered product which, crucially, has been designed following a comprehensive consultation programme with TRACKER’s existing fleet customers, as well as potential users of fleet telematics. TRACKER Fleet provides important cost-saving benefits by identifying fuel inefficiency and supplying insight into driver and business behaviour and boasts a flexible reporting suite that can be customised to meet the specific needs of each of its customers. One delighted TRACKER Fleet user is Northgate Vehicle Hire, which has been a customer of TRACKER for over 10 years and is experiencing the power of TRACKER Fleet. Stuart Fairbrother, Head of Non-Rental Sales says, “We are reaping the benefits of TRACKER Fleet for both our customers and our own service fleet of 60 vehicles. Our customers have been crying out for enhanced vehicle and driver behaviour information and TRACKER Fleet provides just that and more, invaluable information to both Northgate and our customers. “TRACKER Fleet’s new mapping system incorporates advanced Google maps, such as Street View with a route replay function, which is a standout piece of technology. We have been able to use mapping to understand exactly where our service vehicles are and where they are needed. Crucially, we have harnessed the telematics data to reduce vehicle delivery times to improve upon our customer service levels.” Vital to TRACKER Fleet’s evolution has been the addition of new technology, such as its unique patented Transient Voltage Detection technology, which eliminates the need to connect to a vehicle ignition to allow for more accurate ‘idling’ readings. TRACKER Fleet even offers battery powered modules to ensure assets which have no built-in power supply, such as mobile units and trailers, can be monitored. All these features have proved invaluable for Clancy Group, operating a fleet of over 1,500 vehicles and 10,000 items of plant. “TRACKER’s telematics product has become an integral part of our business, providing detailed information on speeding, idling, driver hours, journey times and mileage,” explains Bernie Stack, Associate Director for Clancy Plant Hire Ltd. “We are still finding new benefits the system can bring to our business and help look after the wellbeing of our drivers.” Apex Plant Hire has also embraced TRACKER’s fleet telematics offering. This enables them to monitor usage on and off-site, helping them meet employee Duty of Care legislation and increase efficiency. David Marriott at Apex Plant Hire adds, “With TRACKER’s telematics on our HGV vehicles, we’ve been able to improve our day-to-day business practices which has boost customer service and fleet performance levels. The system locates the position of all our vehicles, allowing us to deploy the nearest vehicle to the next rental booking. We can also see if a job is running behind schedule without our drivers having to call in with updates, which means we can take action and enhance the level of customer service we provide.” Stephen Doran, Managing Director of TRACKER concludes, “We are looking forward to bringing TRACKER Fleet to the Commercial Vehicle Show. This product marks our commitment to continually developing and enhancing our products to meet the changing needs of our customers. Visitors to our stand will see how they can harness the power of TRACKER Fleet to ensure vehicles keep moving, while improving efficiency and reducing cost
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TRACKER showcases telematics and tracking technology at 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show
New GKN service offers testing for single components and complete vehicles
GKN Structures has launched a dedicated test facility with the capability to analyse the performance of single components up to complete vehicles. Originally established as an integral part of the Structures business, the test centre at Telford is now making its specialist services available on a stand alone basis to other developers and manufacturers. The service benefits from the company’s own extensive design expertise and long experience both as a Tier 1 automotive provider and supplier to defence and mass transit markets. This enables GKN to offer intelligent feedback on results and advise on design for manufacture improvements. The site complies with the rigorous requirements of the TS19649 automotive standard and is certified to ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001. Testing capabilities include: Single axis cyclic; static stiffness/strength; multi-axis cyclic; full vehicle/full axle; full corner testing on 150 tonne seismic mass; Remote Parameter Control (RPC); road load data acquisition; road simulation; road load data analysis; component strain data analysis; and access to test track real life conditions. The company has recently installed an MTS 329 multi-axial spindle-coupled road simulator on a 200 tonne self-levelling seismic mass. This is capable of replicating challenging road surfaces, manoeuvres and events. It combines advanced durability testing with the highest levels of laboratory accuracy when assessing quarter, half and full vehicle structures. It can be used for testing to achieve design verification, Controlled Adverse Environment (CAE) correlation, physical material and part data, conformance of production and vehicle correlation. Other systems include: a 100 kN capacity load frame; torsion rig for full chassis and commercial vehicle body testing; a 327 rig fully adaptable to test the front or rear of any vehicle; hardness testing; a multi axis axle rig; brake/acceleration rigs; torque testing up to 20,000 Nm and a range of data acquisition hardware/software. The comprehensive suite of test and analysis equipment is complemented by the ability to design and construct bespoke systems for applications such as steering rack, spring seat, strut reaction, control arm and engine roll restrictor tests. Says Roy Wakeman, Project Leader, Advanced Engineering at GKN Structures: “We believe we are one of only a very few organisations able to offer a bespoke testing service backed by extensive production expertise. It is this combination which provides our customers with insight which goes beyond simply delivering performance data.”
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New GKN service offers testing for single components and complete vehicles
Where in the World did Barry Wilkinson spot these trucks?
“These vehicles could be anywhere in the UK, but they were actually photographed in the Falkland Islands this January 2012″, says Barry. “There are very few non military HGV’s on the Islands and these were a small batch of an equally small number there and are working in the oil exploration industry. “Purchased second hand in the UK by the Falkland Islands Company and shipped over to the islands. “Oh, and diesel is 78 pence per litre, yes 78 pence per litre !!!!!!!!!!”
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Where in the World did Barry Wilkinson spot these trucks?
Trucking across the Zambezi
Thought the crossing at Calais was a handful? Then think again. Crossing The Channel is a breeze compared to getting your wagon across the Zambezi river. Drivers can expect to join a 3km long queue as they wait to cross the small stretch of water at this border crossing that links Botswana with Zambia. Fortunately, as cars, our group was ushered to the front to help fill the gaps before trucks were loaded onto the barge. With just 40 trucks making it across the river each day, unlucky drivers can expect to wait up to 2 days to cross the water. But their troubles don’t end there. They still have to clear immigration and customs on the other side, a task which took our group over 4 hours to complete – without having any of our vehicles scrutinized. Locals say trucks can be parked up for days, adding further to the log jam at the river crossing. So, next time you miss the boat back to Blighty, spare a thought for those at the Zambezi, where it is 35 degrees celcius, mosquitos are rife, and when moving a trailers length forward is seen as progress. Six 4x4s are currently crossing Africa as part of the CVS Trans Africa Challenge in support of Top Banana and Temwa. You can follow their progress at via video and on the blog at www.transafricachallenge.com and on Twitter .
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Trucking across the Zambezi
Mercedes-Benz Actros to take centre stage at CV Show 2012
The new generation of Actros will take centre stage on the Mercedes-Benz stand (2C60) at the CV Show, following its launch last year. It is the first truck developed specifically to comply with the forthcoming Euro 6 emissions standard. Competing for attention will be new Canter from Mitsubishi. Along with two used vehicles, as well as a Sprinter and Vito perhaps it is more pertinent that the city van, the Citan, won’t be on the stand. It won’t get its UK launch until the start of 2013. Mercedes-Benz also announced new service contracts with a revised and re-priced programme to lower costs. James Ostridge, service contracts manager, says the new packages for Actros, Axor and Atego vehicles could cost a customer up to 15% less to maintain than before. The new service contracts are Complete, a fully comprehensive maintenance and repair offer; and Managed Service, which looks after the routine costs such as servicing and inspections, and is therefore ideal for older vehicles or those customers on a reduced budget.
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Mercedes-Benz Actros to take centre stage at CV Show 2012
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