Transport industry assesses value of hybrid and electric trucks
Hybrid trucks, with both diesel engines and electric motors, and even electric trucks are possible solutions for urban distribution in satisfying the increasingly tougher environmental demands imposed by not only governments but companies as well. This is the conclusion of a panel of experts, which met recently in Brussels at the Goodyear Dunlop Symposium on Fuel Efficiency in Transport. The panel looked at how ‘Coping with the rising demands of end-customers to be more green’ was influencing the sector and what its key benefits would be. Around 70 transport and government representatives attended the panel discussion and interacted with the panelists: Nina Renshaw, Deputy Director at Transport and Environment, a leading environmental organization campaigning on sustainable transport at the EU level, Stefan Larsson, Director Regulatory Projects at the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association and Collin Bootsveld, Project Engineer at the Colruyt Group. During the debate, Nina Renshaw of Transport and Environment, stressed the importance of the 2020 and 2050 EU green targets. She focused on the need for better information for hauliers on fuel saving vehicles and equipment, such as energy saving tyres and aerodynamic devices. She further called for EU labelling for vehicles and components, to give hauliers clear information on fuel consumption and emissions. Stefan Larsson, representing the interests of the European automotive industry, stressed the fact that much effort and many improvements have been made by both original equipment manufacturers and transport fleets in reducing environmental impact. To reach the 2020 targets will be hard, he said, and to reach the 2050 targets impossible unless an integrated approach is applied. He stressed the importance of using cost-effective measures to improve fuel efficiency but pointed out that the Goodyear Dunlop report shows that if big investments are needed some fleets might risk going bankrupt. Collin Bootsveld, Project Engineer for the Colruyt Group, which includes one of Belgium’s leading supermarket chains, explained how much work Colruyt was doing in reducing the environmental impact of its business with regard to goods deliveries, and how much success had been achieved. The group introduced compressed natural gas (CNG) as a fuel in Belgium and is now testing the first 44 tonne CNG truck in its operations. The first results show good economic results, although torque and power are lower than for a diesel. In addition to this, more than 650,000 euros have been invested into the development of the group’s own prototype hybrid truck, which has a diesel engine for highway use and an electric motor for almost silent operation in towns at night. The hybrid truck is equipped with newly developed tires from Goodyear that offer low rolling resistance, for fuel and power economy, as well as low noise emissions. Night time deliveries mean reduced road congestion and quicker journey times, both factors that have environmental benefits and Colruyt is lobbying to support this. Future concepts such as parallel hybrids, full-electric and hydrogen power are also being studied. “Overall it is clear that the various actors in this debate are agreeing on the same goals, driven by the same ambitions,” states Michel Rzonzef, Vice President Commercial Business Unit, Goodyear Dunlop Europe. “The challenge will be to find ways in which the road transport sector can continue to contribute to a positive way forward. The introduction of the hybrid truck as a standard on our roads, supported by some of today’s most advanced tire technologies, is one such solution, and can play a key role in enabling the industry to meet these goals.”
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Transport industry assesses value of hybrid and electric trucks
Cab cameras help to cut accident rate
Palletforce member H Young Transport has seen its accident rate dramatically reduce in two years after installing video cameras in the cabs of its trucks. The company, a member of Palletforce, the UK’s leading palletised distribution network, installed the cameras in 25 of its vehicles operating from its hubs in Huddersfield and Eastleigh. The number of accidents involving its vehicles has fallen by 34 per cent. “The main reason we installed the cameras was to reduce the number of accidents and encourage drivers to drive in a professional manner, and it has absolutely worked,” said Russell Webster, Managing Director. “It has driven down our insurance premiums every year so our investment in the cameras has more than paid for itself.” H Young Transport has been joined by fellow Palletforce member S and J European Haulage, which installed the cameras in its entire fleet of 38 trucks a month ago. Steve Haines, Managing Director of the Melton Mowbray based firm, took the decision as a method of protecting the company from insurance scams by people causing deliberate accidents. “We’ve had quite a few of these scams happen. A whiplash claim can be £15,000 and when it’s one word against the other it can be hard to disprove but these cameras should provide us with indisputable evidence,” said Steve.
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Cab cameras help to cut accident rate
Volvo promotes blue corridors for long haul trucking
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a viable lower-carbon alternative to diesel for heavy-duty long-haul trucks, but the necessary infrastructure for it in Europe is lacking. As a consequence Volvo Trucks is involved in efforts to establish ‘blue corridors’ with strategically placed filling stations to make the fuel more widely available. The transport industry accounts for around 25 per cent of Europe’s total carbon dioxide emissions, so competitive alternatives to diesel are sorely needed. Natural gas is one such alternative; admittedly it is also a fossil fuel, but it offers many environmental advantages over diesel – and it’s cheaper too. But when liquid biogas (LBG) becomes more widely available, the carbon footprint of the vehicles using it will be reduced by up to 70 per cent. “We are confident that liquefied gas will come to be used as a fuel throughout the world. It is a clear trend in meeting energy needs and we are part of this”, says Lennart Pilskog, director of public affairs at Volvo Trucks – a member of the Natural & bio Gas Vehicle Association (NGVA Europe); the first and still the only manufacturer in Europe with a methane-diesel system. Manuel Lage, general manager of NGVA Europe, says that the technology for driving on LNG is proven and that there exists a will among haulage firm owners and gas suppliers to push the issue forwards. “When it comes to long-haul transport with heavy vehicles, no other alternatives can match LNG at present,” he says, adding, “We feel it is the perfect solution for long-distance transport needs.” In many European cities there is an expanding infrastructure for compressed gas – including biogas made from waste products – on a local level. But it is not possible to run heavy long-haul operations on compressed gas because the tanks are heavy and take up too much space. However, in liquid form, gas has a lower volume, thereby making it more suitable for long-haul operations. However, in order to run long-haul transport on LNG throughout Europe, a filling station infrastructure must first be established. And so the idea of ‘blue corridors’ came about, offering a network of LNG refuelling stations for heavy vehicles. Establishing such an infrastructure will not be simple, because gas suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, haulage firms and various political/administrative organisations at both regional and national levels have to have their say, and extensive co-ordination will be needed “The challenge is that this has to be co-ordinated between various parties,” says Pilskog, adding that Volvo has been active in the Swedish BiMe Trucks demo project, which is similar to the blue corridor project, but on a smaller scale. “Right now the focus is on locating large customers who are willing to test and build up specific routes. Interest among smaller customers will grow when they see that it works and when they appreciate the economic benefits. But this will take a few years.” There are already a number of LNG filling stations in Europe, so the work of establishing blue corridors is already underway. Using these stations as a starting point, it is possible to identify a number of potential corridors suitable for development. “If you take a map and mark the sites of the existing filling stations, you can easily draw various possible transport routes and then identify whether a filling station is missing on any of these routes,” says Lage. In order to boost that process, the EU Commission is currently setting up an €8 million (£ 6.7m) project for a large-scale trial of LNG corridors. “I hope we’ll have around 200 trucks driving in these blue corridors to demonstrate that LNG is a well-functioning alternative for long-haul transport in Europe,” says Manuel Lage. “This is no pipe-dream – all the necessary technology is already available. The market is ready for the commercialisation of LNG.”
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Volvo promotes blue corridors for long haul trucking
High diesel prices are crippling hauliers says RHA
The Road Haulage Association’s (RHA) latest weekly fuel price survey – the most reliable guide to what hauliers actually pay for diesel deliveries to their depots – shows a national average price of 116.33 pence before VAT (139.60 after VAT.). “Diesel has never cost so much and there is nothing the industry can do about it”, said RHA Director of Policy Jack Semple. “This is bad news for customers because haulage rates simply have to keep pace with rising costs. For a typical articulated lorry, diesel represents at least 35% of operating costs. “Inevitably, rising transport costs push up the price of everything we buy, including food and clothing. There is a clear message for companies buying transport – you must pay a sustainable haulage rate”. “There is also a message for the Chancellor which we will be pressing again at the Treasury next week. The duty on diesel, already much the highest in Europe, should be reduced in the up-coming Budget; and it is inconceivable that he should go ahead with the 3.02 pence a litre increase planned for August.”
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High diesel prices are crippling hauliers says RHA
Cutting fuel duty would be a win-win
Initial findings from an independent report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research supports the Freight Transport Association’s assertion that cutting fuel duty would be good for business, promote economic growth, create jobs and have only a negligible impact on the Treasury’s fuel tax take. The initial findings of the report, based on Office of National Statistics modelling, were presented to Treasury Minister Chloe Smith this afternoon by FTA and its partners in the Fair Fuel UK Campaign. James Hookham, FTA’s MD of Policy and Communications, said: “This report is proof positive that cutting fuel duty would be a ‘win win’ for business and the Government. A cut in fuel duty of 2.5 pence per litre would save truck operators £300 million a year – a welcome respite from serious commercial pressure – but more than this, it would create 180,000 jobs in the first year in the UK and increase our gross domestic product by 0.3 per cent. “If the Chancellor went a step further and cut fuel duty by 5ppl it would create a further 30,000 jobs; the short-term hit to Treasury coffers would be relatively small beer in comparison with the stimulus it would provide the economy in the longer term.” The CEBR’s key initial findings: Cutting fuel duty by 2.5p per litre would – · Create 180,000 jobs in the first year · Represent no net tax loss · Boost GDP by 0.33% Cutting fuel duty by 5p per litre would – · Create 210,000 jobs in the first year · Cost the Exchequer c£1bn, a figure offset by intangible benefits of increased business and consumer confidence Hookham concluded: “This evidence shows that the power to stimulate the economy, actually creating real growth and jobs, is well within the Chancellor’s gift. The parlous state of the UK economy demands bold and decisive action, we now know that being bold with fuel duty cuts supports the Government’s objective of stimulating growth. We urge him to extend the logic he used in last year’s Budget and cut fuel tax to bind the economy.”
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Cutting fuel duty would be a win-win
Volvo FH 6-wheelers feature in Ice Road Truckers
History Channel’s top-rated ‘IRT (Ice Road Truckers): Deadliest Roads’ stars can be seen in the present series driving a trio of ageing Volvo FH 6-wheelers across the awesome and exceedingly narrow ‘Death Road’ high up in the Andes in Bolivia. These ‘old, but nonetheless good’ FH Globetrotters were originally from the UK and the drivers featured in the series report that they have given great service during filming in the toughest conditions imaginable. So, when one of the drivers, Texan ‘bad boy’ biker GW Boles, made a short stopover in the UK, he asked if he could, by way of comparison, have a test drive of one of the latest FH tractor units. Volvo Trucks Press Office in the UK were happy to oblige and duly arranged for ‘GW’ to drive on the roads around Warwick at the wheel of a fully-freighted FH artic, accompanied by Driver Development team member and press road test co-ordinator Andy Collett. Despite it being the first time that he had driven on the UK’s roads, ‘GW’ soon got to grips with the traffic, thanks to the FH’s I-Shift automated gearbox. When asked how the old FHs performed in the IRT Deadliest Roads series, ‘GW’ complimented their reliability: “We tried to break them, but they just kept going. Apart from the routine maintenance, all we had was a few air leaks and a broken steering shaft, which it turned out had been previously repaired at the roadside over in Bolivia by somebody welding it together again using a very thin piece of steel plate !” As a professional driver in his ‘day job’ back in Texas, GW Boles drives, by his own admission, ‘a little of everything’, delivering sea containers from Galveston to Florida and even as far afield as Canada. During his time at the wheel of the latest Volvo FH, he expressed considerable interest in the truck’s safety features such as Lane Change Assist, I-Roll and I-Shift saying: “I can see where buying one of these new trucks would save a lot of money on maintenance and on fuel too.” Commenting on his trip on UK roads in the Volvo FH, GW Boles said: “I’m usually used to driving on the deadliest roads, so driving in the UK has been one of the nicest possible experiences. The roads here are safe, very clean, the people are very courteous and very friendly. It’s something I don’t experience, even in the USA. I’m used to the ‘crash and dive’ school of driving ! The Volvo is by far the nicest truck I’ve ever driven. Y’all have a few narrow roads here, but I don’t have to worry about falling off a 5,000 foot cliff if I go off the road. IRT World’s Deadliest Roads is the absolute pinnacle of truck driving. If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space !”
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Volvo FH 6-wheelers feature in Ice Road Truckers
FTA calls on government to cut fuel duty
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has called on the Chancellor to cut fuel duty by at least five pence per litre and scrap the increase planned for August. In its pre-Budget submission to the Treasury, the leading trade body argues that such action could save consumers and businesses £3.6 billion and prove to be a vital shot in the arm for the UK’s ailing economy. Following sustained and concerted lobbying by FTA and its partners in the Fair Fuel UK campaign, the last Budget saw two planned increases in fuel duty deferred and an unprecedented cut in fuel duty of 1ppl, a move which saved businesses some £500 million. However, despite this the price of diesel increased by 7ppl in 2011, adding £3,284 to the annual operating cost of a typical 44 tonne articulated vehicle. James Hookham, FTA’s MD of Policy and Communications, said: “Never mind quantitative easing, cutting the still-disproportionately high amount we spend on diesel, which is, after all, a business essential, would be a simple and effective way to stimulate the economy. The billions that industry and consumers will save over a year would be invested elsewhere in the economy, giving the impetus to growth that is so badly needed. “George Osborne gave industry a lifeline in the last budget, but with the economy still in the doldrums and a new round of duty rises looming, we are asking the Chancellor to extend this logic further for the sake of businesses, consumers and UK plc. It is clear that the economy still needs it.” FTA’s Budget submission calls for tax on road fuel gases to be fixed relative to diesel rates for at least five years to provide confidence for truck operators and investors to commit to use of lower emission vehicles. Hookham continued: “Logistics is helping to decarbonise the economy; members of FTA’s voluntary Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme are on track to meet their self-imposed eight per cent greenhouse gas reduction target by 2015. But much more could be achieved with greater government support. For example, biomethane from landfill sites could be a real option for articulated truck operators, but uncertainty over duty rates on natural gas and biomethane is a bar to investment in this sort of technology. We are simply asking government to help industry help the environment by fixing duty rates for the next five years.” The uneven playing field between domestic and foreign hauliers could be addressed by introducing a time based lorry road user charge or UK Vignette, according to FTA’s Budget submission. Hookham concluded: “It is only right that foreign lorries pay for their use of UK roads. But the industry’s support for a ‘UK vignette’ will be entirely contingent on how the Department for Transport can ensure that it does not impose additional costs on domestic hauliers; the only solution as far we can see is through a rebate on VED – the Chancellor needs to confirm this is what will happen in his Budget statement. Until a workable rebate mechanism is confirmed by government, I expect our members’ reception for a UK vignette will be only lukewarm.” (FTA) has called on the Chancellor to cut fuel duty by at least five pence per litre and scrap the increase planned for August. In its pre-Budget submission to the Treasury, the leading trade body argues that such action could save consumers and businesses £3.6 billion and prove to be a vital shot in the arm for the UK’s ailing economy. Following sustained and concerted lobbying by FTA and its partners in the Fair Fuel UK campaign, the last Budget saw two planned increases in fuel duty deferred and an unprecedented cut in fuel duty of 1ppl, a move which saved businesses some £500 million. However, despite this the price of diesel increased by 7ppl in 2011, adding £3,284 to the annual operating cost of a typical 44 tonne articulated vehicle. James Hookham, FTA’s MD of Policy and Communications, said: “Never mind quantitative easing, cutting the still-disproportionately high amount we spend on diesel, which is, after all, a business essential, would be a simple and effective way to stimulate the economy. The billions that industry and consumers will save over a year would be invested elsewhere in the economy, giving the impetus to growth that is so badly needed. “George Osborne gave industry a lifeline in the last budget, but with the economy still in the doldrums and a new round of duty rises looming, we are asking the Chancellor to extend this logic further for the sake of businesses, consumers and UK plc. It is clear that the economy still needs it.” The FTA’s Budget submission calls for tax on road fuel gases to be fixed relative to diesel rates for at least five years to provide confidence for truck operators and investors to commit to use of lower emission vehicles. Hookham continued: “Logistics is helping to decarbonise the economy; members of FTA’s voluntary Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme are on track to meet their self-imposed eight per cent greenhouse gas reduction target by 2015. But much more could be achieved with greater government support. For example, biomethane from landfill sites could be a real option for articulated truck operators, but uncertainty over duty rates on natural gas and biomethane is a bar to investment in this sort of technology. We are simply asking government to help industry help the environment by fixing duty rates for the next five years.” The uneven playing field between domestic and foreign hauliers could be addressed by introducing a time based lorry road user charge or UK Vignette, according to FTA’s Budget submission. Hookham concluded:“It is only right that foreign lorries pay for their use of UK roads. But the industry’s support for a ‘UK vignette’ will be entirely contingent on how the Department for Transport can ensure that it does not impose additional costs on domestic hauliers; the only solution as far we can see is through a rebate on VED – the Chancellor needs to confirm this is what will happen in his Budget statement. Until a workable rebate mechanism is confirmed by government, I expect our members’ reception for a UK vignette will be only lukewarm.”
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FTA calls on government to cut fuel duty
Tyre specialist gets to grips with Dyson SLa
The latest addition to the Recoverymen fleet represents a ‘double first’ – it’s the north-west London operator’s first chassis to meet Euro 5 regulations and its first to be fitted with a Dyson Hydraloader Sla (Super Low approach) slidebed. Recoverymen is a sister company to Tyremen, a leading supplier of car, truck and plant tyres to some 1,200 companies across London and the Home Counties; tyres supplied by Tyremen are currently being fitted to much of the plant now working on the 2012 Olympics site. Operating from Staples Corner, at the junction of the North Circular and Edgware Road, Tyreman was founded 11 years ago by Managing Director Peter Harrison, who then launched Recoverymen in 2007. “I realised that many of the companies to whom we were supplying tyres also required rescue and recovery back-up,” he explains. “The two businesses complement each other perfectly, and provide a first-class service to our customers.” Recoverymen’s new Hydraloader SLa is mounted on a 12-tonne Renault Midlum 220.12 crew cab chassis that meets Euro 5 emissions limits. Its steel Hydraloader bed offers a market-leading approach angle of just 4.9 degrees. Recoverymen operates a couple of heavy recovery units: a Dyson NRC 9735 Slider on a Volvo chassis, and a low-loader trailer which is pulled by a Scania tractor. The company’s other recovery vehicles are both Hydraloader La slidebeds built by Roger Dyson at its production facility in Droitwich, Worcestershire. Peter Harrison says: “We’ve gone for the Euro 5 chassis because we’re determined to stay ahead of the game as far as the London Low Emission Zone is concerned. The new rules that kicked in for January 2012 mean you have to be running Euro 4 trucks within Greater London, so this vehicle should remain compliant for some time into the future. “And we’ve chosen Roger’s Super Low approach Hydraloader this time,” he continues, “because a lot of the companies for which we work have sports cars and other low-slung models on their fleets. The very low approach angle to the slidebed means there’s no risk of damaging them when undertaking a recovery.” Peter adds: “Roger’s a first class supplier. His equipment is excellent and he’s very personable – I like the fact that if I need to do so, I can always speak to the man himself.”
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Tyre specialist gets to grips with Dyson SLa
RHA manual published
The Road Haulage Association has now published the 2012 edition of RHA Haulage Manual; the road transport operator’s ‘bible’. This is a ‘must have’ addition to the transport office, containing all the advice and information an operator needs to operate an efficient, compliant and of course cost effective business. Leading industry experts cover a variety of topics covering all aspects of a transport operation, ranging from health and safety and operator licensing to drivers’ hours and tachograph regulations. The Manual contains information on all of the latest legislation and haulage industry developments likely to affect both drivers and operators, regardless of fleet size. The 2012 edition has two additional chapters. The first, commercial vehicle tyres, sponsored by ATS Euromaster Ltd, Commercial Vehicle Tyres, includes practical information and advice about choosing the right tyres for your trucks, maximising tyre life and how to control your business’ costs. Winter tyres and how to cope with severe weather conditions are also covered which, given the harsh weather experienced in Britain last year, may well make all the difference to a members’ final choice. The second new addition is the chapter covering vehicle specification, sponsored by Iveco Ltd. This provides advice on commercial vehicles’ different components, from the engine and driveline specification, to fuel, safety and telematics. In fact it covers all of the key considerations operators should make when buying a new truck and looks at how businesses can save money by considering higher vehicle specifications and taking steps to reduce fuel usage and maintenance costs. Also included is detailed information about all of the RHA’s services and the benefits our members receive in return for their annual membership fee. The RHA’s team of area managers, helpdesk operators and specialists offer tailored advice and information on various transport and legislative issues and are only a call away. RHA Training can help you satisfy your training needs and meet the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) requirements, while the RHA’s Conditions of Carriage are the industry standard and will help limit your liabilities for the goods your vehicles carry. In 2011 the RHA launched RHA Smart Safety, a new online service which allows businesses to manage their health and safety responsibilities and ensure they remain compliant. RHA Training managers will carry out an initial risk assessment of your operations and members will have access to their own consultant and receive full technical support. Deliver UK, the RHA’s campaign designed to ensure policy makers recognise the road haulage industry’s contribution to the UK economy, is continuing its fight for lower fuel prices and other representational work. Each RHA Member will receive a free copy, but if you require additional copies they can be purchased through the RHA Hauliers Shop. Either visit our online store at www.rha.uk.net/shop or call 01733 263434. Price £35.00 (zero Vat) for RHA Members – £40.00 (Zero Vat) for Non-Members.
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RHA manual published
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