fleet transport march 2011

IRELAND'S LEADING COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MAGAZINE

MARCH 11

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Truck Innovation of the Year 2011Truck Innovation of the Year 2011

EXCLUSIVE! - INSIDE THE MERCEDES-BENZ DESIGN CENTRE

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME? PREVIEW:

Inside!

Driver’s Walkaround Heavy

Goods Vehicle Checks Video

FREE

INSI

DE

Driven:

contents MARCH 2011 www.fl eet.ie

FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 3

4 NEWSHGV Driver Check DVD produced • Sure of the quality of AdBlue? • Digi Tacho Cards ‘best before’ • Energy Show 2011 • New Driving Licences in 2 years • Eurovignette III • TEVO Modul-System Plus HSA Safety Matters column

8 COVERTest Drive Report: Volvo FMX

10 INTERVIEWwith Steve Dewhurst, M.D., Volvo Bus & Coach UK & Ireland

12 NEW FLEET'11 registered Renaults, Scanias, Volvos & Fords

14 WORKSHOPInside the Mercedes-Benz Design Centre

16 PREVIEWCV Show 2011, NEC, Birmingham

20 SECTORCommercial Vehicle Finance

23 REPORT IHSA’s Taking Care of Business event, Dublin

25 - 40 Fleet Bus & Coach – Spring 2011

41 FUEL PRICES/LEGAL EXPERTKeeping up with fuel costs + Legislation issues

42 TIMES PASTMobile Control Centres

44 WAREHOUSINGRespect! More details on the Networking Lunch

45 COMMENTFrom Where I’m Sitting – Howard Knott

46 LEGALHarmonisation within the European Commission

47 REPORT IICILT Eastern Section Awards 2011

48 FINANCEDealing with the Diesel Surcharge

49 TECHNICALTruck Brakes Part 9

52 FEATUREWaste Management industry evolves

55 TRAILERDon Bur/Wavin • Schmitz Cargobull • Goldstar/Dennison

56 SHIPPING & FREIGHTLatest Ferry & Ports updates

57 OPINIONMore pain still to come

58 MOTORSPORTPart II Dakar Argentina Chile 2011 Report

60 HUMANITARIANChernobyl Children’s Trust's great work

63 REPORT IIIScania hosts Environmental Conference

64 FLEETING SHOTSFrom Russia to the UK and onto Dublin

66 SOAPBOXWho cares about Road Transport issues?

Fleet Transport Magazine,

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Editor: Jarlath Sweeney

Contributors: Sean Murtagh, Gerry Murphy, Cathal

Doyle, Paul White, Jonathan Lawton, Donal Dempsey,

Howard Knott, Jerry Kiersey, Michael Corcoran, Rob Van

Dieten, Ailbe Burke, Simon Walsh

Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Gerry Murphy,

Cathal Doyle, Paul White, Michael Corcoran, Rob Van

Dieten, Aengus Thompson

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Helen Maguire

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Fleet Transport/ Fleet Car/ Fleet Bus & Coach/ Fleet Van &

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Management are published by JJDS Publications Ltd.

Registered Offi ce: D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo.

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Directors: Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh.

Disclaimer: Fleet Transport Magazine management can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributed articles or statements appearing in this magazine and any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Fleet Transport management, save where otherwise indicated. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the authors, contributors, Editors or publishers.The Editor reserves the right to make publishing decisions on any advertisements or editorial article submitted to the magazine and to refuse publication or to edit any editorial material as seems appropriate to him. Professional legal advice should always be sought in relation to any specific matter.

Fleet TransportOffi cial Irish Jury

Member of the International Truck

of the Year Award

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DIPETANE FUEL TREATMENTHow to save up to 10% on diesel costs, overcome poor quality diesel,

overcome waxing and cold start problems.

Contact; Dipetane International Ltd

Tel: 01-2876922. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.dipetane.com

Volume 8. No.1. Spring 2011

www.fl eet.ie

OFFICIAL IRISH JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL BUS/COACH AWARDS

- first impressions last• FEATURE: SETRA CELEBRATES

• INTERVIEW: JOHN O'FLYNN, INTEGRATED TICKETING SCHEME - RPA

P 25

Cover picture taken by Jarlath Sweeney taken at Kildare Sand & Gravel, Broadford, County Kildare.

NEWS 1

4 FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11

Fleet Transport produces Driver Check Video for HSA & RSA

Quality of AdBlue Matters • Campaign launched

‘New’ Digi Tacho Cards

As a follow on to the Commercial Vehicle Driver Walk-Around Check Sheets inserted in the December

edition, Fleet Transport has produced a HGV Driver Walk-Around Check Video on behalf of the Health & Safety Authority and the Road Safety Authority. Endorsed by An Garda Síochaná, the 13 minute video (available as a DVD or on-line) covers every aspect of what is legally required by the driver before sett ing off on their journey. “Well maintained commercial vehicles generate both business and safety benefi ts. Th ey are more reliable and cheaper to run. Th is means less downtime, bett er fuel effi ciency, more reliable customer service, longer vehicle life span and less cost,” said an RSA spokesperson.

“Vehicle walk-around checks, carried out by the driver, are a crucial part of any vehicle preventative maintenance system,” she added. “Employers

should ensure that drivers are familiar with the vehicle and have appropriate instruction, information and training to carry out the walk-around checks. Th is is a legal requirement under Health & Safety law. Th e employer must also ensure that they have a defect reporting system in place so that when defects are found that they are rectifi ed.” All these details and more are to be had in the DVD att ached to this edition of Fleet Transport. If for some reason it is not enclosed please email enquiries@fl eet.ie with your name and address and a copy will be posted out to you. Alternatively, the Driver Check Video can be downloaded from the following websites - www.fl eet.ie, www.garda.ie, www.hsa.ie orwww.rsa.ie.

What many still refer to as the ‘new’ Digital Tachograph - is soon to celebrate its fi ft h birthday. Prior to

its implementation in May 2006, scores of drivers and operators viewed the changeover as the end of the world. Phrases such as “things would never be the same again” and “I‘ll just keep buying old trucks”, were oft en heard whenever transport people gathered in numbers. However, as with so much of the legislation imposed on the industry, we had a grumble and then just got on with it.

A more serious point is that as Digital Tachograph celebrates its fi ft h birthday, the ‘Driver Cards’ will begin to fall for renewal. While this should be a gentle and progressive replacement, there are some issues worth noting.

Th e RSA intend to contact cardholders by post, six-weeks prior to the expiry date informing them of the need to apply for a replacement. It is currently proposed that drivers request a new card by completing the original form, and posting to the RSA - along with the appropriate fee of €50.00.

On receipt of their replacement card, the driver is required to return the old expired card to the RSA offi ces in Loughrea, County Galway.

As the RSA can only write to the address provided on the initial application documents. Anyone who has changed address in the last fi ve years may need to make contact with the authority to inform them. It is also worth checking cards for the expiry date and applying in good time. Paul White.

Today, more than a million vehicles fi tt ed with SCR engine emission controls are on European roads, with the number

increasing each week. Concern has been expressed by the suppliers of AdBlue regarding the quality of the liquid urea additive product required for the fi lterization process. So much so as they have come together along with vehicle manufacturers to raise awareness with regard to the compromised purity of AdBlue in the areas of truck and bus operator sourcing, storing and handling of the product.

Th is message “AdBlue purity is essential. Don’t compromise on its quality. Choose it with care, handle it with care and protect your investment,” was communicated through a pan-European webinair conference with Fleet Transport one of the participants. Introduced by Paul Gunning, Director Emission & Fuel, ACEA who said, “OEM’s are seeing issues arising from operators mishandling AdBlue and we believe that this joint

campaign will be vital in reminding operators how to best look aft er their vehicles and ensure that the environmental performance of their vehicles is maintained as designed.” Other contributors were from Daimler along with AdBlue producers – Yara International (Air 1) and GreenChem.

Th e main issues revolve around the source quality and storage/handling of AdBlue by customers/operators. Some operators do not realise that unless they make the right sourcing decision, they may be buying an ‘AdBlue-type’ of product which does not meet the required quality and which can compromise the SCR equipment on their vehicles. OEM Warranty cover will be invalidated if evidence of use of substandard, impure or contaminated AdBlue is found.

Truck and Bus Operators are therefore recommended to source AdBlue with care, from a supplier they can trust and one which has the

VDA licence to produce and supply the correct quality of product.

Many operators do not realise that they are accidentally contaminating their AdBlue by storing it in containers which have been used for diesel, oil or other chemical products or by exposing it to dust and extremes of temperature. A typical and easy cause of contamination is when an operator uses an old jug to carry the product from its storage container to the vehicle’s tank. Some operators have been placing AdBlue directly into their vehicle diesel tank, which will cause irreparable engine damage if the engine is started. Th e campaign therefore recommends the Truck and Bus Operator to store and handle AdBlue with care, in order to protect the purity of the AdBlue product and to protect their investment in the vehicle.

More details on www.fi ndadblue.com

MIKE MURPHY INSURANCE GROUPThe Insurance Centre, 7 Sandyford Business Centre, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

Working with the Irish Road Haulage Industry for over 35 years.Just call us for a quote! Tel: 01 2932350 Fax: 01 2932360

Email: [email protected] Web: www.mikemurphyinsurance.ieMike Murphy Insurance Group is a trade name of Insureforsure Ltd. Is a member of IBA & Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Pictured at the fi lming of the HGV Driver Daily Check Video were:-Deirdre Sinnott , HSA; Sean Breathnach, RSA; Sheena Notely, HSA; Jarlath Sweeny, Fleet Transport; James Hughes, RSA; Supt. Jim McAllister and Michael Sheridan.

NEWS II


Energy Show 2011, the annual fl agship event for all those working in and with an interest in the sustainable energy sector

presented by Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s (SEAI), takes place at the RDS, Dublin on Wednesday 30 March and Th ursday 31 March.

Th e theme of this year’s Energy Show, Open up to Smart Energy Solutions, will focus on the opportunities that exist for businesses in this growing and dynamic sector – with increased interest in energy effi cient and renewable energy solutions. Th e Energy Show is a business-only trade exhibition showcasing leading suppliers of sustainable energy products and services. A key feature of the Show is a series of Seminars addressing the most current and topical developments facing the sector both Nationally and Internationally.

Electric vehicles are one of those current developments and will feature prominently at the Energy Show 2011. Th e Government has set a target of achieving 10% - some 230,000 electric vehicles operating on Irish roads by 2020 – so those in the motoring trade are on the cusp of exciting times in the sector. One of the feature Seminars on the opening day of the Energy Show, Electric Vehicles – Accelerating the Transition, will provide key insights into how the electric vehicle sector is progressing, with a focus on infrastructure, current and emerging technologies and products. Senan McGrath from the ESB will outline plans to roll out the Electric Vehicle Roadmap and Infrastructure, while Cristiano Marantes from UK Power Networks will discuss the latest developments in the transition towards electric vehicles.

In addition, the exhibition will again feature a dedicated Electric Vehicle Pavilion displaying fi rst hand the latest electric cars, vans and trucks available in this Irish market.

Th e motoring industry will play a vital role in Ireland’s transition towards a smart energy future and the electrifi cation of the transport fl eet over the coming years will transform the Irish energy and transport sector. Th e Energy Show will provide the ideal forum for those interested in developments in electric vehicles and its impact on the wider motoring industry to interact and learn about the latest technologies.

For further details on SEAI’s Energy Show 2011 visit www.seai.ie/energyshow.

SEAI Energy Show 2011 – Open up to Smart Energy Solutions

Euro 6 HGVs exempt from Eurovignette III?




Inadvertently, the European Parliament (EP) is planning to introduce a Scrappage Scheme for operators of

Euro 0 to Euro 3 class goods vehicles as according to its Eurovignett e III proposals. Euro 6 emission controlled trucks may be exempt from this road use charge for up to 4 years aft er it is introduced in 2014. Th e 2006 Eurovignett e Directive currently in force applies to vehicles of maximum permissible laden weight of over 3.5 tonnes. However, it allows Member States to exempt vehicles between 3.5 and 12 tonnes on two conditions – but maybe turned around also.

Aft er a delay of two years, the second reading of the Directive to amend Directive 1999/62/EC on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructure Eurovignett e III is due to begin. Th ere is some time left for lobbying as the vote in the Transport Committ ee is set for mid-April with the plenary vote to take place in June.

Th e proposal seeks to establish a framework which enables Member States to calculate and vary tolls for heavy goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes not only for the use of infrastructure but also according to the air and noise pollution from traffi c emissions and peak-hour congestion levels. Th is will encourage freight transport operators to buy cleaner vehicles and improve their logistics and route planning.

Th e European Council's common position takes a new approach to the congestion charge and reintroduces it for heavy duty vehicles but as a revenue neutral traffi c management tool. Member States will be allowed to vary the infrastructure charge for a fi xed number of hours per day to reduce congestion.

To ensure that the prices of heavy goods road transport bett er refl ect their real cost to society, the proposal introduces external cost charges. Th e generated revenue shall be earmarked so that environmental damage can gradually be reduced. Th ere is still a wide EP majority in favour of earmarking of external cost charges and the agreement on this element will make or break the deal with Council.

Th e European Parliament 1 reading says that no external cost charge shall be applied to vehicles compliant with future Euro emission standards in advance of the dates of applicability. Th at means no external cost charging to Euro 6 class vehicles until January 2014.

Throughout the European Union’s (EU) twenty-seven Member States, it is estimated that there are 110 recognised

formats of Driving Licence in current use. It must be noted that all of these licences are perfectly valid. Nevertheless to have over four times as many formats as there are Countries does appear somewhat strange. Th e reason is that, some countries issue driving permits for long periods. Over those extended periods the licence design may change, or be updated without the requirement for a driver to replace their original. If a person has not lost the original or run it through the washing machine - they may have a permit that is over thirty years old.

Th is is all about to change; from 19 January 2013, EU Directive 2006/126/EC must be implemented in all Member States. In Ireland, it is proposed that a progressive move to the plastic format may begin on a voluntary basis as early as 2012. It is envisaged that in Ireland the transition will be completed within ten years. While cards throughout the EU will contain the same core information, individual Member States can include additional data if they wish. No decision has been fi nalised as to what information will be held on the micro chipped licence in Ireland. One proposal is for the inclusion of the Driver’s CPC status.

Other suggestions, which are on an ‘opt in or out’ basis might have benefit. They include organ donation, blood type, prescribed medication/s and/or allergic reactions. Emergency contact details in case of accidents could also be helpful, particularly for long-haul drivers. A number of proposed changes will directly aff ect commercial vehicle drivers. Th e fi rst is that commercial licences will be valid for a maximum period of fi ve years. Secondly, in addition to the current medical examination, licence renewal is subject to a separate eye examination by a qualifi ed Optometrist. In addition, the minimum age requirements may increase to 21 and 24 years for truck and bus drivers respectively. Paul White

IRISH LOGISTICS NETWORK LUNCH

Slieve Donard Hotel,

Newcastle, County Down.

16 March 2011

See page 44 for more details

New Driving Licences from 2013

NEWS 111


TEVO Modul-System – getting things sorted

Anyone who has ever worked from the back of a van – be it deliveries, sales, or mobile servicing, appreciates the benefi ts of being

organised. Being able to put your hand on the exact item, part or spanner saves time. However, unsecured items in commercial vehicles is a more serious issue than just neatness. Appropriate storage can provide important safety benefi ts, particularly if the vehicle is involved in an accident.

Whatever is in the cargo space, is deemed as cargo, and therefore should be appropriately secured. Health and Safety regulations require employers to provide a safe place of work, and this ‘safe place of work’ extends to all vehicles used in connection with a business – from private cars through to heavy trucks.

Recently TEVO Modul-Systems together with their sole Irish distributors ‘Van Conversions & Linings’

in Clondalkin, have been visiting dealers with their demonstration unit. Th e MWB high roof Ford Transit equipped with a selection of their crash tested racking and storage solutions, allowed customers an opportunity to see at fi rst hand the benefi ts of TEVO’s design and build quality.

TEVO’s Modul-System is impressive in its range and fl exibility. Th e system can be fi tt ed to any vehicle from the smallest Car Derived Vans and Pick-ups through to large box body Rigid Trucks.

Using a modular form it means any system chosen can be adapted and modifi ed as demands change. In addition, investing in a TEVO System allows the units to be easily removed and transferred to a new vehicle, when the original is sold or traded in.

Modul-System’s intelligent design means it uses a smaller amount of space, freeing up more of the cargo area. Th e combination of high tensile steel, aluminium and plastic means it is up to 30 percent lighter than other van racking systems, increasing payload capability, reducing fuel consumption and lowering carbon emissions. Almost all the materials used are recyclable at the end of their useful life, ensuring the Modul-System range of racking has minimal impact on the environment. Paul White

• More details in the next edition of Fleet Van & Utility, out next month.

Every year up to 30 people die in workplaces and up to 70 are killed on the road as a result of vehicles used for work.

Th ousands suff er injuries that result in absence from work that aff ects business productivity and the company's bott om line. Th e person-vehicle interface needs to be managed to prevent avoidable and unnecessary harm.

Do you or your employees use vehicles for work? Do you drive for work in your own or a company provided vehicle? Do you work on or near the road? Do you make deliveries or collections using vehicles? Are you involved in loading or

unloading vehicles? Are you involved in vehicle repair and maintenance?

If you drive for work, work with or around vehicles you are at high risk of injury.

You need to understand the dangers that you face and create in the workplace and on the road when using a vehicle for work.

Employers, have a legal duty to protect employees and those aff ected by work activities from vehicle related harm.

Th e Health & Safety Authority have developed a national program to raise awareness of vehicle related risk amongst employers, employees and others. Th e risks exist in all work sectors. Work activities related to vehicles need to be managed and controlled to prevent harm. Th e 5 most dangerous activities are: driving for work, loading and unloading, vehicle reversing and vehicle maintenance and repair.

Th e Health & Safety Authority has developed a range of FREE resources for employers and employees to explain what vehicle related risks must be managed and controlled and how.

Th e Importance of Regular Vehicle Checks

The Health and Safety Authority, Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána have jointly developed a series of vehicle walk-around check posters and check sheets to highlight the importance of regular driver vehicle checks. Vehicle pre-use daily checks are a simple and effective way to spot potentially dangerous issues before vehicles are used on or off the road. Employers and self employed people should have a system of routine daily checks in place to ensure that vehicles are in good working order at the start of each working day.

The FREE posters and checklists can be downloaded from the HSA website.

Winner of Vehicle Check CompetitionCongratulations to Paul Colbert of Raheny, Dublin 5, who won the Fleet Transport sponsored competition that was run at the Taking Care of Business event recently. Paul correctly spott ed that the windscreen wiper was missing on the Ford Transit Connect van at the Workplace

Transport stand.

PRA ISE Project and CompetitionTh e European Safety Council (ETSC) Preventing Road Accidents and Injuries for the Safety of Employees (PRA ISE) project, is a three year project addressing all safety aspects of driving ‘at’ work and driving ‘to’ work. Its aim is to “praise” best practices in order to help employers secure high road safety standards for their employees.

As part of this project, the ETSC is running their second annual competition on work related road

safety. Th ey are looking for entrants who can demonstrate what they have achieved through their eff orts to reduce collisions at work and/or while commuting to and from work. Th is year there is a separate category for Small-Medium Enterprises (SME’s). Th e deadline for entries is 15 March 2011. Safety alerts issued by HSA relating to vehicles are live on the HSA website - www.hsa.ie. Th e more recent ones have involved liaison with Garda and/or RSA contacts such as:-

Dangers of man-riding foot-boards on • refuse collection vehiclesPressurised road tankers• Roll over protection systems• Trailers with tipping body• Excavator quick hitches•

Are you Managing Vehicle Risks at Work?Safety Matters . . . . Safety Matters . . . . Safety Matters . . . .

WW hen you make big claims about a product, you need to know what you are talking about. Volvo Trucks is making a big statement

about the FMX – so will the famous Swedish brand end up with its face in the mud - or will the new construction series just plough through it?

It is usually a safe bet that the pragmatic Scandinavians will have their facts right before starting to make these claims. Th e old saying about standing on the shoulders of giants, and building on what has gone before could apply to the FMX, in that Volvo is starting with a well-proven and highly regarded vehicle in the FM.

Since fi rst launched, FM has evolved, and has achieved immense popularity with both operators and drivers alike. Furthermore, construction and off -road versions of FM have proven to be competent, tough and reliable. So why develop a new model of an already proven truck?

With hindsight, everything seems perfectly clear, and we all wonder why someone hadn’t thought of it before. So to involve ‘Volvo Construction Equipment’ (VCE) in the development of FMX now seems obvious. In addition, Volvo’s Truck, Bus and Construction Equipment divisions already share many components, so the economics are also useful. Th is development has been recognised by the industry with the Volvo FMX winning the Truck Innovation Award at the Fleet Transport Awards 2011.

What VCE has brought to the design table is its vast experience of the construction industry, and

their customer recommendations. Its customers demanded a purpose built, heavy duty, go anywhere site vehicle, with a high payload, which then performs like a distribution truck on the road - the result is FMX. Th ough cab dimensions are the same as FM - FMX presents a more rugged profi le, and really looks at home when you turn off the tarmac. Our test vehicle with its smart yellow and black ‘FMX’ livery lends well to the overall – 'Let’s Do It' appearance. However, the livery is not just for aesthetics as the colour scheme highlights the link with VCE in the creation of the vehicle.

Sharing the same external dimensions and using the same internal layout as FM, gives the truck a familiar feel. Some small improvements are noticeable such as tailored fl oor mats with a raised edge to keep dirt in the foot-well and allowing easier cleaning. From the driver’s seat the simplifi ed mirror heads allow for good visibility through the ‘A’ pillar and side windows, while still providing an excellent rearward view. Th e overall ergonomics of the Volvo cab are well thought out and everything is to hand. FMX provides a comfortable and functional workplace, which should prove hardwearing and easy to maintain.

As always with Volvo commercials, there is a sense of build quality, which is solid and durable. In cab controls and switchgear are fi rst class. Access and egress through the 90º door opening, with well-placed grab handles is assured. An important point in site work where the ground is not always fi rm or level underfoot. Our Day-cab version caters well for the driver’s needs in this area of

operation. Good purposeful storage lockers close in an assured fashion and will keep items secure when the bouncing around begins.

Other improvements include an up-rated front towing pin that can take a 25 tonne strain, and a 150mm three-piece impact absorbing bull bar. A revised light cluster and 3mm skid plate help to distinguish the model. Th e wiring loom now meets ADR standard and is pre-wired for rear facing auxiliary working lights. Also by raising the 315 litre steel fuel tank 60 mm helps to improve ground clearance.

In addition to the improvements att ributed to VCE, the driveline was also changed with particular emphasis on the transmission. Being fi tt ed with arguably the best performing transmission on the market, the I-Shift in our test unit was confi gured with Construction Soft ware Package to cater for heavy off -road working.

It is possible to re-confi gure the soft ware, to adapt to diff erent operating conditions. Th is could prove of great benefi t, if the truck was projected to operate on road maintenance for an extended period or work where a high level of off -road capability would not be essential. Th e driveline could be confi gured to operate as a highway vehicle and so reduce fuel consumption - reverting to the original sett ings when suited. When the going gets tough (or soft ) the press of a butt on on the I-Shift control engages the ‘Performance+’ programme. Performance+ changes the driveline parameters, enabling the transmission to hold the gear for longer, helping

COVER


Volvo FMX 380 8x4

'A Volvo FM with something ‘X’tra'

Test Drive Report:Test Drive Report:

to maintain momentum through the really heavy sections.

Th ough we put the Performance+ mode to good use in the quarry section of our test, the FMX proved very capable running in Economy mode. Th e Economy sett ing seems to be well able for any terrain - bar the most arduous conditions. Loaded out to 31.6 tonnes the eight wheeler maintained traction when the surfaces changed from loose sand to stone, to mud. While Performance+ is possibly not necessary for the majority of site work, it’s nice to have in reserve. Nevertheless for those operating in extreme conditions such as forestry or mining, Performance+ would certainly come into its own.

Steering both on and off -road is very accurate, and with I-Shift taking care of gear selection, it made for a relaxed drive around the back roads of Kildare. In addition, the all round disc brakes, combined with the excellent Volvo Engine Brake (VEB), meant bringing the eight-wheeler to an assured stop was never a worry. While some still harbour doubts about automated transmissions, the success of I-Shift is undeniable. Current fi gures reveal that over 90% of new Volvo’s sold are fi tt ed with an automated transmission.

FMX is a quick truck and one which a driver can make good time with. Th e six-cylinder D13 is

solid and throughout the test never felt under pressure. Fuel savings should be realised as the

well-matched ratios allows the rev counter to drop to as low as 1,000 rpm before changing down on hills. Over the same hills in a manual transmission, the majority of drivers would drop at least one, if not two gears for the climb. Travelling at a steady 80 kph on the N7 back to Naas, the very quiet D13 was turning over at just under 1,150 rpm.

Some operators may feel that a 380hp is a touch on the small side and would prefer to at least break the 400hp barrier. With eight power options from 330hp to 500hp, from the 11 and 13 litre engines, there is plenty of choice. However, a drive in the 380 is a very good benchmark to see what may suit particular areas of work.

In reality FMX is more like driving two different trucks. Finished with our off -road quarry section, we headed back onto the tarmac where the dynamics of the truck changed. It seemed as if a line was drawn through the ‘X’ and the truck reverted to being a standard road-going FM eight-wheeler. Th e steel spring suspension

was strong and positive on the road with litt le body roll, yet managed to feel light and off ered a very comfortable ride.

With the success of the FMX project, closer links between Volvo’s Truck and Construction Equipment divisions are on the cards – all of which makes good sense. When selling their construction equipment around the world, Volvo can now off er a dedicated construction truck to their customers. Th is will appeal to many plant operators, and won’t do Volvo any harm either, helping to keep customers within the family and loyal to the brand.

Being based on a well-regarded truck with an established track record, the changes have added something X’-tra to the FM – that should fi nd favour with those who own them and those who drive them.

COVER

Text & Photos: Paul White - paul@fl eet.ie FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 9

Spec CheckMake / Model Volvo FMXChassis Type 8x4 Twin Steer Engine Volvo D13C - In Line 6 Cylinder (12.8 Litres)Euro Rating Euro 5 - SCR with Ad BluePower 380 hp (280 kW) @ 1,400 - 1,900 rpmTorque 1,900 Nm @ 1,000 -1,400 rpmTransmission Volvo I-Shift -12 Speed (AMT) Construction Soft ware Rear Axle/s Single reduction with Diff erential and Inter-axle locksFinal Drive Ratio 3.09:1Brakes Full Air / Disc Brakes / EBS / Hill HoldAuxiliary Braking ‘VEB+’ Developing, 503 hp (375kW) @ 2,300 rpmSuspension Volvo’s ‘B-Ride’ Steel Spring SuspensionCab DayWheelbase / Length 5,100 mm

TyresSteer Axle/s: Bridgestone R297 - 295/80 R22.5Drive Axle/s: Bridgestone M729 - 295/80 R22.5

Body Th ompson’s Loadmaster Lite


INTERVIEW

JS. Your role as Managing Director for Volvo Bus & Coach covers both the UK and Irish markets – how signifi cant/important is the Irish market to Volvo?

SD. Over the past 10 to 15 years, the Volvo brand has done well in the Irish market through major fl eet sales with Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann, along with many coach sales to small and large private operators. Th e Irish market will always be very important to us despite the downturn in the last two years. Of the 50 units sold last year, Volvo Bus held a 30% market share overall, which is similar to the 28% we have in the UK. It is not where we want to be at present, but we are looking at various products and services to increase that share.

JS. As a provider of various chassis, drivetrains and bodybuilders, which fr om the range on off er best suits the Irish operator?

SD. Ireland is no diff erent in this respect to the UK in that it’s horses for courses. In essence we have 3, 4 & 5 Star products to suit customers’ needs. Th e Sunsundegi off ers good value for money and continues to be strong for us, particularly on the B9R chassis. It has been around for over 8 years now. Jonckeere has increased its potential with the B9R chassis and also the B13R, which replaced the B12 driveline. We off er a broad choice such as Van Hool, Caetano (UK) or Plaxton, which is the most popular order – with 1 in every 2 Volvos sold with Plaxton bodywork. Our fully integrated model the 9700 has sold well for us, particularly the top of the range B13R 3-axle version. It’s into its third season now and we hope to build volume up to 60 units in the UK and Ireland by the year end.

JS. For the private operator obtaining fi nance is a big issue, which you are addressing at present?

SD. Yes, fi nancing is one of the key problems today but we have introduced a new structure in Ireland with a dedicated Volvo Finance Division, which is very important for us. Th e process is simple and competitive but like other providers, terms and conditions exist.

JS. You mentioned earlier that you are looking at extending products and services.

SD. Other than fi nance, we will off er other services such as the 2 Year Free Annual Inspection & Test and a Fitt ed Price coach catalogue. We’ve got to move on, give more value added to the customer and to our dealers. Our truck market has been doing this

for years with Contract Hire for example. At the moment the bus market is not quite ready for this yet as many operators have their own workshops. Preventative maintenance is another example that could be implemented or our Genuine Parts Supply Programme that could extend to for instance, 5 years. We need to understand the

customers’ needs bett er, educate them and our sales force so that all of us can benefi t. We have one of the strongest dealer networks in Europe who all have invested heavily to cater for the bus and coach industry.

JS. Volvo Bus launched the 2-year Free Annual Inspection & Test package last November, what’s involved here?

SD. Th at’s right, at the Euro Bus Expo 2010 in Birmingham last November we introduced an add-on package for all retail sales from last November to the end of July 2011. Included in the deal is Year 1, preparation for annual inspection, all warranty repairs completed, presentation for the annual inspection test by the Volvo Dealer and also a top end check. Year 2 covers all of the above including the legally required 2 yearly inspection of the tachograph plus system functional test. Th is gives confi dence in the product, improves residuals and above all brings the dealer and customer closer together,it’s all about continually improving the relationship. Increased interest in used vehicle sales will also be generated as you can’t have new without used.

JS. What about introducing a similar package to the buyer of the fi rst time used vehicle?

SD. Interesting suggestion. Yes, it would encourage business in that direction. As the lifetime of a bus and coach goes beyond 10 years something like that would enhance engine life and ensure our parts business extends beyond its second or third life. All our dealers provide comprehensive parts and workshop support for bus and coach operators together with a number of local promotions and activities including new Fitted-Price promotion. Genuine Volvo parts work in harmony together, maximising the bus’ uptime and effi ciency. With a Volvo Fitt ed-Price, what we quote upfront is the price you pay, with no hidden extras. Volvo fi tt ed parts carry a 2-year warranty on both parts and labour.

JS. You said that all of your dealers are onboard in off ering a bett er service to Volvo Bus & Coach customers. Does this include training the customer?

SD. Yes it does, training is very important. We off er a days training to familiarise the customer with a new vehicle. It’s in the best interest to both parties, bett er driving, bett er fuel economy and overall less wear and tear on the vehicle. On the

operational side, the vehicles are becoming more and more complex, with high degrees of electronics and this is where our dealers have also made heavy investment in keeping up to date with the latest technology, tools, diagnostic equipment etc. Also they off er a helping hand to their customer who have their own workshop should they encounter any problem.

JS. Moving back to product, what about the new Volvo City Bus the 8900 that was launched in Hanover late last year?

SD. Th ere will be no right-hand drive version for a number of reasons – it needs to be a decent sized marketplace to justify the development costs required and in addition, at present all R + D is directed towards Euro 6. We are consulting with bodybuilders at the moment to deal with the size of the radiators and cooling issues. Euro 6 is posing a problem for all heavy commercial vehicle manufacturers, but we will have to get around to resolving it.

JS. With the price of diesel escalating by the week now, interest in hybrid technology is increasing.

SD. We are pleased to have conducted fl eet sales of our diesel/electric hybrid off erings to Arriva, the First Group and to Bullocks of Manchester, all purchased through the UK Government’s Green Bus Fund. Fuel economy savings are in the order of 30% compared to diesel only, which is very good. At the moment the cost is punitive but with increased volumes the capital values will fall. Th e technology is good in terms of batt ery life and reduced maintenance.

JS. Dynafleet is a popular and significant telematics tool for Volvo truck operators. Will we see this technology cross over to the Volvo Bus & Coach product?

SD. Indeed we will and as a matt er of fact we are working on providing various systems to the customer by mid-2011. At present fi eld tests are being conducted in Scotland, which covers two aspects initially – the vehicle and traffi c. Th e fi rst will cover fault diagnostics with fl eet management, real-time information such as driver behaviour, fuel consumption, while the traffi c element will integrate with the Local Authority and off er real-time information to the passenger. A full telematics system with SatNav and vehicle tracking system will also be part of the various packages we are working on.

JS. Preparing for the Volvo Ocean Race 2012 already?

SD. With the offi cial fi nish in Galway in July next year we are planning a bigger spectacle than last time. Volvo Bus and Volvo Truck will be there in a big way. We will be bringing over customers and dealers from the UK for the event, which promises to be bigger and bett er than the successful running the last time. We were overwhelmed with the high levels of att endance and enthusiasm over the two weeks when last held in 2009 and we know next time it will be even bett er.

One-to-OneOne-to-OneSteve Dewhurst, Steve Dewhurst, Managing Director,Managing Director,Volvo Bus & Coach,Volvo Bus & Coach,with Jarlath Sweeney with Jarlath Sweeney editor@fl eet.ieeditor@fl eet.ie

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12 FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fl eet.ie

NEW FLEET

Ashbourne based Dixon International has added two new Renault trucks to its fl eet for its National and overseas operations. Purchased through Renault Trucks Ireland, a fl agship Magnum 480.18 4x2

tractor unit was delivered along with a Premium Long Distance 460.18 4x2 tractor. Both units feature Renault Trucks Optidriver automated transmission.

No sooner had a new Hino 700 Series 3241 8x4 tipper arrived at N + C Enterprises Ltd’s yard at Kill, County Kildare, its sister company Gavan Transport took delivery of a new Volvo FH.460

6x2 tractor unit from Irish Commercials (Sales) Naas, County Kildare. It will be directed towards work across the Irish Sea in the UK and further afi eld in mainland Europe. Th erefore, the Globetrott er cab and I-Shift gearbox will add to the comfort factor for the driver.

Renault on the double for Dixon International

New R620 V8 Topline Scania for Sam Culloty

N + C Enterprises Ltd add Volvo to its fl eet




Sam Culloty, a longtime customer of T. Nolan & Sons Ltd in Castleisland, Co. Kerry has just taken delivery of a brand new Scania V8. Th e 620 Topline is the latest Euro 5 specifi cation complete

with retarder, Xenon lights, leather seats, rear mounted batt eries and larger fuel tanks.

Sam works in livestock haulage, mainly sheep but also transports catt le and pigs. Most of his work is Irish based but this new tractor unit gives him scope to extend into Europe.

Sam’s brothers and nephews are also customers of Nolans so you could call them a true Scania family!

Pictured is Tom Nolan handing over the keys to Sam’s son Paul. Th e trailer in the photo is a brand new Pezziola livestock trailer.

Pictured at the handover of 10 new Ford Fiestas to the Airport School of Motoring are: (centre) Tom Murphy, Managing Director of the Airport School of Motoring; and from Rialto Motors, Main Ford

Dealer, which supplied the cars (left ) Dave Carroll and (right) Dealer Principal, Tom O'Neill. Th e cars supplied are specially engineered Fiesta 1.25 litre petrol models with full dual control capability. Th e Airport Driving School is one of Ireland's longest established driving schools with nearly 40 years of experience. Th e school off ers a full range of tuition including advanced driving and encompassing all vehicle classes: motorbikes, cars, trucks (rigid and articulated) and coaches.

Airport Driving School renews Fleet with Fiesta

DD esigning a new truck is no mean feat. Th at enviable task faces the majority of the top brands as new European emission controls approach in 2013.

Th eir current models will not accommodate the larger radiators required to cool the new Euro 6 engines, therefore, a cab redesign is required. Fleet Transport’s Jarlath Sweeney last month got a unique insight into the whole process courtesy of Mercedes-Benz. This programme began signifi cantly enough at the brand’s landmark multi-level Museum in Stutt gart, where we met Kai Sieber and Bertrand Janssen, the two top design heads at its Commercial Vehicle Division. Later that evening a presentation by design icon,

Professor Doctor Peter Zec, President and C.E.O. Red Dot Institute left a lasting impression on the subjects of ‘various products form and function’. Th e next day a pass to venture inside the hallowed halls of the Mercedes-Benz Design Centre at Sindelfi ngen was given (with much anticipation). Here various workshops were held with the most interesting of all being allowed to design our own truck that would do the triple-pointed-star marque both justice and pride. Here we met with Berkam Kocqazi, a pleasant young man with a keen eye for detail and a master with the pencil as demonstrated on the main photograph above. What you see is the result of our creative endeavours from the day’s activities. During the

presentation to the members of the Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles Communications Team, he described our thoughts behind the various elements of the design with great enthusiasm. We wanted to have a one-block unit with litt le or no body joints that would reduce the aerodynamic eff ect. A fully wraparound windscreen would take in the side windows and meet the slightly bulging side panels, top and bott om to give the truck a powerful yet appealing stance. (What you can’t see is that the glass panelled panoramic roof we suggested later that would open up the cab to more daylight, aiding driver comfort). To enhance its look and effi ciency the wipers would be positioned under the sunvisor with the blades travelling downwards to repel the


WORKSHOP

‘Design meets Functionality’ at Mercedes-Benz‘Design meets Functionality’ at Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle Designer Heads, Kai Sieber and Bertrand Janssen

Good Design is Good Business!Professor Dr. Peter Zec, President and CEO, Reddot Institute for Advanced Design Studies (pictured), welcomed us to the world of design during his presentation. He has been working as a communications ad designer consultant for German and foreign companies for more than 20 years. A car fanatic with a liking for Ferraris, Maseratis and Mercedes-Benz, Dr. Peter was named as one of the 20 creative, out-of-the-box thinkers who have changed the appearance of their respective companies or created completely new markets.

During his address he spoke about the function of design and the dominance of form. “Good design is good business,” a quote he used from

Th omas Watson Jnr., former IBM President who highlighted how design adds value and diff erentiation to products. Dr. Peter gave the marketing of water as an example – on average it costs 0.0018 cent per 1 litre from the tap. Put it into a fancy bott le such as Bling H2O USA and sell it for a staggering €65.00 per litre!

Under the topic ‘Brand & Design’ he stated that ‘Design is a brand’s value driver and that brand value is based on communication value and design value’. 69% of car buyers chose design over brand while 89% of fashion decisions are made purely on brand. Other fi gures mentioned included numerous global companies that have witnessed the biggest change in brand value from 2000 to 2009. For example BMW had a 67% increase while Ford’s brand value declined by 8.1%. As the event was hosted by Mercedes-Benz, he stated that the triple-pointed-star brand’s value increased by 13%

over that period and likely to grow further. Dr. Peter concluded with the 4 qualities of design – quality of function, quality of seduction, quality of use and quality of responsibility.

Th e fi nal slide shown was a quote from Albert Einstein – “You don’t have to understand design. You just have to make use of it.”

rain. Th e other main feature is of course, the grille - bulging with pride as it bears the triple pointed star logo. Underneath, a reverse action occurs by introducing a sports car-like louvered grille, similar to shark fi ns. LED headlights and top marker lights plus litt le protruding ‘wings’ that act as the lens for wide-angle cameras, not to mention the fi ngerprint controlled security butt on for opening the doors, were other items included.

As you will also notice, the rear axle is partly covered to increase the aerodynamic eff ect for the grooved side skirts. Spoked alloys, literally rounded off the concept. Although the opportunity did not arise to design the interior in detail, our thoughts were to replicate the centre console as per the shape of the grille with all of the switch gear and small pockets contained within. Th e bunk would be overhead (as per the Scania 4 series) to the front of the cabin but would be hydraulically controlled as per A-class motorhomes. Th is would provide more useful space at the back of the seats for storage and the fi tt ing of a toilet/shower cubicle (as per campervans) that would suit certain applications. All other mod-cons that we are aware of today would be also accommodated. Here’s to the next Mercedes-Benz HGV then!

Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle Designer Heads, Kai Sieber and Bertrand Janssen, accompanied us on a tour of various trucks, buses and vans on display at the Museum before taking a look into the future and how their trucks are designed and the process involved from conception to production. Th is tour highlighted the close affi liation between the Mercedes-Benz past and ongoing car designers and that of its commercial vehicles. Th ey pinpointed certain elements from vehicles of the past that could be seen in modern day designs. “Th is is why a Mercedes-Benz is always directly recognisable as a Mercedes-Benz, even without the star and the brand lett ering,” said Bertrand, who served his time with DAF Trucks in his native Netherlands.

When a completely new truck is being developed, the Mercedes-Benz designers set up what’s called

a ‘Programme of Wishes’. Th ese musings are documented in the form of a mood board to provide an initial coherent picture of the new truck. Numerous sketches follow, as the scope for creativity is limitless. Th e preferred designs are then applied to fi xed dimensions with the driver’s working and living environment kept in mind at all times. Th ough still two dimensional, from this stage the designs are developed on the computer and then passed by the Responsible Project Manager before further progress is made. Th e design proposals then take a 3-D form and analysed in detail from every angle. Phase Five sees the modellers cut around 6 clay models, initially on a scale of 1:4 and later in full size in preparation for the presentation to the Daimler Trucks Management’s appraisal.

In the next phase, a precise 1:1 scale model is built with a painted synthetic resin surface to make it look like the real thing. At this point the Board of Management gives it the ‘thumbs up’ and this phase is commonly referred to as the ‘design freeze’. Th e Production and Testing Teams now take over. Th ese six phases from the collection of ideas through to approval of the true-to-life 1:1 scale model takes around 2 years for a brand new truck. Most of that intervening time is taken

up analysing the structural design, procuring the production tools, together with testing and sett ing up the production facilities. Tooling costs in the manufacturing process are kept as low as possible and maximum use of the pressed sheet metal can be gained through sharing with other models within the truck family.

As a truck is built for more than a dozen years or so, it is likely to have two facelift s in its lifetime so it is also a must that new body parts can be easily reshaped for the model revision stages. Before full production is entered into, ‘clinics’ are held with selected transport operators and drivers provided with a sneak preview of the new truck and questioned in depth as to their overall impressions. From this point on, only details can be altered. Currently driving around Stutt gart are a couple of prototypes of the new Actros all dressed up in camoufl age, but operated by chosen transport companies as part of the live fi eld test programme.

From our unique behind-the-scenes experience at the Mercedes-Benz Design Centre, full appreciation of what is achieved here must be applauded.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fl eet.ie FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 15

WORKSHOP


PREVIEW

CV Show 2011 gets revved up!

TT he 2011 Commercial Vehicle Show is looking promising as the truck brands return to the NEC, Birmingham.

Bookings have been confi rmed from DAF Trucks, MAN Truck and Bus UK, Mercedes-Benz UK and Hino. Iveco will also have a presence.

“MAN Truck and Bus UK is delighted to be back at the CV Show,” says CEO Des Evans, “and will be using the event to launch a number of new initiatives, one of which will focus on providing operators with an innovative total cost of ownership package utilising MAN’s unique EcoStyle Fleet Management System. We are really looking forward to engaging with our customers at this major road transport event.”

DAF Truck’s MD, Ray Ashworth is equally enthusiastic. “We have already said that we can see signs of the long-awaited recovery in the truck market so it is wholly appropriate, given our central position in the business, that we commit ourselves to the CV Show. We’re looking forward to welcoming all of our customers at what is a core date in the truck industry’s calendar.”

Geoff Dunning, Chief Executive of the Road Haulage Association, which along with the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) and Society of Operations Engineers (SOE), one of the CV Show Partner organisations, commented, “Th e

haulage industry has always been an accurate barometer for the economy and the decision to exhibit at this year’s Show is a positive development in diffi cult times. To have the support of these heavy truck manufacturers is tremendously encouraging. Despite the current strains being suff ered by the economy, to have over 350 exhibitors on board is proof of the resilience and tenacity of the UK commercial vehicle market.”

Here’s a preview from some of the exhibitors at the National Exhibition Centre.

Allen DevelopmentsAllen Developments has launched its new Ground Access Rail for semi-trailers, which enables drivers to connect and disconnect truck and trailer from ground level, eliminating the need to climb on and off the catwalk, resulting in a safer and cleaner working environment.

Carl Reynolds, Operations Manager said, “Our system has already been adopted by several major supermarket fl eets.”

Blue Tree SystemsGalway based telematics specialists Blue Tree Systems returns to the NEC to demonstrate the latest developments to its award-winning R:COM fl eet management system. According to Charlie Cahill, Managing Director, its unique digital tachograph feature is the highlight of the R:COM systems. It simplifi es the management of tachograph data by automating the remote downloading of drivers’ cards and the tachograph’s mass memory to fully automating data archiving and driver infringement reporting.

R:COM also off ers vehicle tracking, driver communication, temperature management, driving style management and fuel saving features.

BridgestoneJust like the IAA CV Show in Germany, Bridgestone UK used the CV Show to premier its new Ecopia environmental tyre for the commercial vehicle sector.

Th e Japanese brand had a number of representatives on hand to explain the benefi ts of working with its Total Tyre Management Package, which off ers cradle-to-grave solutions to the management of tyres coupled with the best tyre technology through its new and retread tyre products.

DEL Taillift manufacturer DEL Equipment has announced it will exhibit at the 2011 Commercial Vehicle Show.

“Aft er successful CV Shows we have previously att ended, we didn’t hesitate to sign up for the 2011 Show,” says Simon Eskriett , DEL Sales Director. “It has always given us the perfect opportunity to meet a high volume of potential customers and we look forward to another excellent Show.”

MichelinMichelin X Energy Savergreen range – a single line-up providing road transport operators with safe, fuel-effi cient, long-lasting tyres for steer, drive and trailer axles is to be debuted in Hall 5.

Martin Covington, Head of Truck and Earthmover Marketing at Michelin, explains, “Th e X Energy Savergreen represents the most fuel-effi cient truck tyre range we have ever manufactured. With any new tyre the challenge is always simultaneously to improve performance in several areas, such as grip, tread life, durability, damage resistance and fuel effi ciency. Our strength resides in an ability to enhance each of these performance areas without sacrifi cing another. With the X Energy Savergreen we have once again achieved exactly that.”

VBGAt this year’s CV Show, VBG will celebrate 60 years of trading. VBG started manufacturing its famous 57mm drawbar couplings in Vanersborg, Sweden, in March 1951 and continues to manufacture at the same site.

Since that time the VBG 57mm coupling has established market leader status in many countries around the world, thanks to its reputation for long life and robust construction.

WebastoWith fuel and emissions-saving diesel powered interior heaters to complete luxury car-style climate control systems, Webasto can create comfortable conditions for drivers and passengers.

Full details of the all-new Plus and Heat cargo heating system, as well as a range of interior and water heating products, ideal for the fast growing welfare vehicle market will be on exhibit.

PREVIEW


Alcoa WheelsFollowing the appointment of James Crampton (pictured) as Sales Manager for UK & Ireland, the focus for Alcoa Wheels will be on the fl eet sector and trailer builders.

For the light to medium duty sector, Alcoa will be introducing a new alloy, with MAN Trucks signed up already to supply the TGL.

Alcoa forged aluminium wheels are produced at its European manufacturing facility in Szévesfehérvuár, Hungary.

AxtecDerek Hack, Sales Manager for Axtec is upbeat about sales prospects for the Show and 2011 in general. He cites the deals done with Local Authorities and Vehicle Inspection Agencies to continue with a service and maintenance programme built-in. With the slowdown in the construction sector continuing, Axtec has taken a closer look at the Waste Management Sector and also the light to medium vehicle weight class for its on-board weighing systems.

Continental AutomotiveReporting on a good start to the year, Continental Automotive will continue that rich vein with the imminent changes to the 1 Minute Rule on Digital Tachographs. As these seconds clocked will not be rounded off any more, those involved in multi-drop deliveries will appreciate the time-savings on the system. At the Show Continental VDO, as it is otherwise known, will be presenting a number of value-added packages to its tachograph package that will include telematics and pay-as-you-drive insurance cover.

Ashwoods AutomotiveOne of the leading suppliers of hybrid LCV’s, Ashwoods Automotive continues to handle a growing interest in its products as diesel prices increase. Exhibiting at the NEC for the fi rst time, its Hybrid Drive now delivers a return on investment in as litt le as three years, based on 30,000 miles a year. Th e energy recovery system cuts fuel use by 15%-20%, depending on the drive cycle. * Ashwoods is looking for a sales partner in Ireland – email editor@fl eet.ie.

BalriHaving run a garage for over 20 years Balwart Rio knows a thing or two about vehicle service and maintenance. Since selling the business, he has kept his hand in by acquiring the Balri Agency for UK and Ireland. Its launch product the Mini Ductor CE uses induction technology to easily release stuck nuts, bolts, nipples, bearings and other parts of mechanical components without the use of the blow-torch fl ame. Although designed and made in the USA, it is Type Approved for the EU.

Citroën/ Supertrucks

Representatives from Supertrucks shared a table with its vehicle supplier Citroën to introduce the latest version of its competitively priced, award-winning, low-loading Space Van which will be at the CV Show (stand 5G76/Hall 5, NEC, 12-14 April 2011).

For companies involved in delivering furniture, domestic appliances, offi ce equipment, bedding and other similar products the innovative Supertrucks Space Van brings the benefi ts of productivity – boosting ‘walk-in’ loading convenience. In standard specifi cation the Space Van has a load deck height of 550mm and a step height of just 370mm.

But with optional rear air suspension, the Space Van has one of the lowest deck height/step height measurements available. Fully lowered, the air-suspended Space Van has a load deck height of just 370mm and an associated step height of a mere 190mm. Th ese incredibly low deck-step heights provide convenient walk in/walk out loading accessibility to its large 20.4 cu.m load space.

Peter Wright, Supertrucks’ Chairman, explained to Fleet Transport, “Th e Space Van is ideal for furniture manufacturers, removal contractors, bedding manufacturers, retailers, offi ce equipment and computer suppliers. In addition, we see that there are many other applications for which the Space Van’s easy load accessibility and high cubic capacity will provide the ideal transport solution. For instance we have also supplied Space Vans to Local Authorities as glass carriers and also as an insulated version to a confectionary distribution company.”

Th e 3.5 tonne gvw Supertrucks Space Van is fully integrated into a Citroën Relay 35 HDi 120 cab unit. To achieve the Space Van’s low overall height and low body fl oor level, the Relay cab unit is matched to a unique custom-engineered alloy/steel drop frame, wide track rear chassis. Th is provides the Space Van’s low loading capability, together with the additional benefi ts of on-road stability, excellent ride and handling.

With an internal body fl oor length of 4,100mm, a maximum internal body width of 2,050mm and an internal height of 2,450mm the Space Van has a 20.4 cu.m load capacity and a payload of up to 1,300kg, dependent on specifi cation.

10% of the confi rmed exhibitors at the forthcoming Commercial Vehicle Show (12/14 April) were in att endance at the Pre-Show Publicity Speed-Dating Event at the NEC, Birmingham, the event venue. By the time the doors open in Halls 4 and

5 over 350 stands will be in place, with a number of truck manufacturers making a welcome return. Th e Speed-Dating Show preview facilitated the exhibitors and press met and discussed what’s in store for the CV Show 2011 visitors. Jarlath Sweeney att ended.

FordFord premiered to the world at the Sydney Motor Show and EU debutant in Geneva this month, the all-new Ford Ranger donning its business suit to highlight its arrival on these shores. Th e new version of the popular Utility Pick-Up will not go on sale ‘til the year end but will be joined on the stand by the Transit Connect Electric and the State (Euro) 5 Ford Transit. Ford of Britain celebrates 100 years in business this year.

Driver HireFranchise opportunities exist in Dublin and Cork initially as Driver Hire establishes its presence in the Irish market. Aft er an absence of over 2 years, the Driver Hire customer-off ering portfolio has extended to include Driver Training and Driver CPC course tuition. Th e establishment of a central billing system for transport and logistics recruitments will also be one of its Show highlights, according to Richard Owen-Hughes, Group Marketing Director.

All new Ford Ranger pictured at Sydney Motor Show

Stoneridge

PREVIEW


Refl exite12 July is the compliance date that all new UK registered trucks must wear side and rear refl ective markings. Refl exite, the global manufacturer of all things luminous, which has a production facility in Waterford, is well geared up for the new business that has evolved. Unlike Belgium and Germany where white stripes are used at the rear, the UK has a choice of red or yellow refl ection. Yellow or white can be used on the vehicle’s side bodywork. Special adoptions of same can be used on car transporters, timber trucks/trailers and skeleton trailers etc.

Smith ElectricSmith Electric, a regular exhibitor at the CV Show has developed the world’s fi rst hybrid electric truck to incorporate a hydrogen fuel cell. With fuel cell experts Proton Power Systems pls Smith has integrated a Proton cell into its Newton (Avia D-Line) electric truck. Th e fuel cell will act as an onboard generator, topping up the truck’s lithium-ion batt ery pack, with the potential to greatly increase the vehicle’s range on a single charge.

SMMT European and National Type Approval (SENTA)SENTA is a step-by-step guide to ease vehicle manufacturers and bodybuilders through the complicated Whole Vehicle Type Approval system. It is available through the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ website www.smmt.co.uk.

SMMT will run a number of free SENTA seminars throughout the CV Show. Th e Type Approval Process will cause the biggest change to the UK bodybuilding industry since World War II with huge potential for opportunities for some and problems for the unwary.

StoneridgeGoods and passenger transport managers and drivers are fully appreciative of the modifi cations made by Stoneridge to simplify usage of its digital tachograph system. Its latest generation of the SE5000 will facilitate the new 1 Minute Rule which comes into being in July. Many door-to-door service providers will moan the fact that it cannot be retrofi tt ed but can be replaced at the full cost, however. Already on trial in Sweden the new timing programme is delivering positive results.

TEVOMaking its debut at the TEVO stand is an innovative long drawer storage system for Pick-Up Utilities from racking specialists TEVO. Crash tested like all of its other products the drawers are secure in transit and lockable when the tailgate is down. On its T-track racking system for vans various accessories have been added to the portfolio including a longitudinal security bar and lashing hook that can hold up to 500kg.

Tom TomMuch investment has been made by TomTom in developing various packages for the transport operator and/or professional driver. As part of this new focus, the company has changed the name of this dedicated arm of its business from TomTom Work to TomTom Business Solutions.

“WORKsmart is TomTom’s ready to use fl eet management solution and at its heart comes a wide variety of hardware options such as WORKsmart-Eco which helps businesses in their ambitions to protect the environment and their bott om line,” stated Giles Margerison, Sales Director in the UK and Ireland.

“It can reduce fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions,” he added. Headquartered in Th e Netherlands, TomTom employs over 3,000 people.

Polybilt EULess weight, less cost and more durable, that’s the selling points of the new plastic composite bodyshells produced by Polybilt EU for the fi re, rescue and utility sectors. For the Show the John Dennis backed company will example a 3.5 tonne Iveco EcoDaily specifi ed to suit multi-temp door-to-door deliveries. Easy to repair, the bodywork comes with a 15 year guarantee and is not aff ected by extreme weather or salt splashes.

MobileyeEyeDrive Systems Ltd the exclusive UK and Irish distributor of the Mobileye Advanced Collision Avoidance System in the commercial vehicle market, showcased its latest collision avoidance system. Mobileye C2-270 uses a windscreen-mounted camera and sophisticated electronics to detect pedestrians, land markings and traffi c hazards. Th e system will warn the vehicle’s driver of potential hazards and, the fi rm says, “cuts traffi c accidents by more than 50%.”

Mobileye’s technology has to date been adopted by BMW, Volvo, GM, Nissan, Renault Trucks and Buick.

Ratcliff Palfi ngerWith over 50 years experience in providing lift ing solutions to the passenger and goods transport industry, Ratcliff Palfi nger will have a host of new interesting products for visitors to see and inspect. Among its range include variants of its popular gross weight lift s that cater for the growing number of electric and hybrid vehicles now available such as the RQ527. Later this year Ratcliff Palfi nger will conduct a Roadshaw around Ireland.

Ratcliff Palfi nger

Polybilt EU

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TRUCK AND BUS


SECTOR

“M oney’s too tight to mention,” to use the title from the globally successful single from UK group Simply Red

epitomises the circumstances that practically all transport operators fi nd themselves in over the past two years or so. While operating and running costs have to be dealt with on a daily basis, when it comes to obtaining fi nance to purchase new vehicles, it’s a diff erent story altogether. With our recession came the collapse of the banks which were the main providers of vehicle fi nance directly or indirectly through third party agents. Some of these specialist suppliers of various vehicle fi nance packages walked away from the sector not only due to the resulting money drought but also from the serious downturn in new commercial vehicle

sales since 2007 (up to 70%). So the lack of freely available vehicle fi nance paralled with the reduction in business transactions and lower rates for this work led to transport operators in prolonging the life of their vehicle fl eet or even reducing same in order to ‘cut the cloth’.

In reaction to the diffi culty in potential and existing customers obtaining finance, the majority of commercial vehicle manufacturers have entered the Irish marketplace with in-house banks. MAN Financial Services was the fi rst to see the writing on the wall and addressed the situation by providing money through the MAN Group owned subsidiary. Others soon followed such as Volvo and its sister brand Renault Trucks and Scania. DAF Trucks continue to provide fi nance through a third party while Iveco's plan

to introduce its tailor made product Iveco Capital into Ireland is under review, which operates in 14 countries around Europe. Collectively, they all see that the various fi nancial and maintenance packages on off er not only supports customers’ immediate needs but also helps build long term relationships between third parties. Obtained through the brand’s dealer network, a broad portfolio of fi nancial products are available from Contract Hire, Operating Lease, Finance Lease and Hire plus various Repair and Maintenance options (that includes extended warranties).

Fleet Transport contacted the truck brands that provide their own fi nancial product and services. Here are the numerous off erings that are strongly focused on the specifi c needs of Irish road transport operators.

‘We’re talking ‘bout money, money’

MAN Financial Services (MFS) is a MAN Group owned and marketed division, formed to provide the required

funding to customers acquiring capital equipment. “Because the service is entirely dedicated to the MAN Group, we can tailor the fi nance options to meet your cash fl ow, taxation and accounting needs precisely,” explained Ed Meredith, MAN Importers Ireland. “MAN Financial Services also off er both competitive and highly fl exible programmes, to help you acquire MAN Group Products with the swift est response from our highly trained staff to provide full information on the options available," he added.

Rapid decisions, user-friendly documentation

and a policy of continuous development of new and innovative fi nance options complete this unique service to its customers. “It is the most cost eff ective and transparent too,” according to Ed. From straightforward fi nance, contractual products and operational management, through to fl eet management solutions at all levels, MFS off ers tailor-made acquisition solutions for a wide range of MAN Group products and services. MAN Financial Services are members the FLA (Finance and Leasing Association) and adhere to their code of conduct.

“We have a dedicated team of financial professionals to look aft er all aspects of your fi nancial needs, and endeavour to deliver high

value, low whole life cost packages every time. And because the company is wholly owned by the MAN Group, we have no other business interests to distract us. With MAN Financial Services your acquisitions couldn’t be in bett er hands,” he stressed.

On off er is a wide range of fi nance packages whether it’s Finance Lease, Hire Purchase, Operational Lease or Contract Hire. “Payments can be tailored to suit your cash fl ow, balloon payments can be added to the end of the contract, Repair & Maintenance packages can be factored into the monthly payment, as can extended warranties.”Contact Ed Meredith on 086 0413168. Email: [email protected]




MAN Financial Services (MFS)

SECTOR


Renault Trucks Finance Services (RTFS) opened its Irish operation in November 2010 to facilitate the sale of both new and

used Renault trucks off ered via Renault Trucks Irish dealer network. Services off ered include the fi nance of new and pre-owned Renaults, Operating Lease, Hire Purchase, Servicing Options and full Contract Hire. Uniquely, RTFS is in a position to fi nance a new trailer when purchased in conjunction with a new Renault Truck .

As part of the global Volvo Financial Services Group, Renault Trucks Financial Services has a dedicated team of qualifi ed, professional fi nance specialists whose focus is directed at delivering tailored fi nancial solutions for every Renault Trucks customer. “Another advantage of fi nancing your vehicle with RTFS is that your credit lines with existing funders, such as your primary bank are preserved,” stated Neil Francis, former Irish rugby international and popular TV rugby pundit, who heads up RFTS in Ireland. He has a wealth of experience in the sector having worked previously

for Bank of Scotland on behalf of Lombard and knows the Irish Commercial Vehicle industry well.

Neil stated that up to 80% of the interested parties he has proposed have been off ered fi nance so far. Rates are typically more competitive than the traditional banks at circa 6% APR, however, as with all fi nance these days it comes with the

usual fi nancial fi tness checks and information requirements. Assuming this is in order we can have fi nancial approval in 48 hours.

RTFS has launched in conjunction with Setanta Vehicle Importers, the main Irish distributor for Renault Trucks a very competitive off er on new Premium Long Distance tractor-units. Th is includes a rate of 5.9% APR from RTFS on the truck fi nance as well as 500,000 kms maxi warranty on the truck from Renault Trucks. “Th e result is that you buy your new Renault Premium for €1499 per month. So essentially the truck is covered under eff ective bumper to bumper Warranty for the four year fi nance period. “Th ere has been a great take up on our fi nance promotion,” said Neil, “and I am very encouraged with the increased level of activity to date.”

For further details of this off er and the RTFS range of services contact Neil Francis on 087 2565781 or at neil.francis@renaultt rucks.ie or through the Renault Trucks dealer network.

Scania Finance is a fi nance company fully owned by Scania AB in Sweden. Scania Finance operates in 46 countries around

the World providing fi nance (and in many cases, insurance) products for customers buying vehicles from Scania dealers. On offer is a range of finance products that includes:

Hire purchase• Lease purchase (a hire purchase agreement • with a balloon payment at the end and lower deposit to start with)Finance lease (with and without balloon)• Operating lease• Contract Hire – this includes Repair & •

Maintenance for the vehicle and can also include any of the following: ancillary equipment, replacement vehicle, tyres, road tax, collection and delivery, European Roadside Assistance.

“For any of these products Scania Finance can tailor the customer’s repayments to match their

cash fl ow. So, for example, customers operating in the construction sector may opt for lower payments in the winter months when there is less work around. “Our credit stance is, we believe, competitive,” said Willie Day, Country Manager, Scania Finance Ireland Ltd. “Like most lenders we take into account a number of factors that includes: how long the business has been trading, ability to service debts, gearing, amount to be advanced (including any deposit paid) and the type of vehicle to be fi nanced.”

Contact Willie Day on 087 6366284. Email: [email protected]

VFS Financial Services Ltd, a Volvo Group Company is very much open for business in Ireland, supporting the Irish Dealer

Network in the promotion of Volvo’s Total Off er solutions to customers and the managing of local customer relationships. Volvo Financial Services (V FS) is also able to offer customers a very competitive alternative and additional credit line specifi c to fi nancing Volvo trucks. Based on local market demands, VFS off ers the following fi nancial products to its customers:

Finance Lease - With payments that can be charged in full against taxable income and a large stake in the proceeds once the vehicle is sold, Finance Lease is a very effi cient way to fund that new truck purchase.

Operating Lease - An Operating Lease enables the customer to have the most up to date vehicles on the road at the minimum cost.

Hire Purchase - If the customer prefers to own their own trucks and is looking for a cost eff ective fi nance package tailored to fi t with the cash fl ow of their business, the VFS hire purchase solution may be the best option.

Contract Hire - Volvo Contract Hire combines all the benefi ts of a leasing agreement with a top class service, repair and maintenance plan. All this for one fi xed, tax-deductible monthly payment.

“When a customer applies for fi nance with VFS, we require the usual information and credit information. We can fi nance new trucks for up to 7 years with a range of deposits / down payments, subject to credit status. Th e various fi nance products we off er can be tailored to a customer's needs, including seasonal payments and balloon payments if required,” explains Feargal Quinn, newly appointed Volvo Financial Services Territory Manager for Ireland (pictured). “With Contract Hire and Operating Lease Solutions, customers enjoy the benefi ts of leasing without having to worry about disposal of the goods at the end of the contract. Customers simply return the truck in accordance with agreed return conditions. With the Contract Hire off ering, a full repair and maintenance package is included in one monthly repayment,” he concluded.

Contact Feargal Quinn on 087 7502655. Email: [email protected]

Renault Trucks Finance Services

Scania Finance

Volvo Financial Services Ltd

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REPORT 1

I t was thumbs up all-round at the Health & Safety Authority (HSA)

after its successful running of the inaugural ‘Taking Care of Business’ event held at Dublin’s new Convention Centre. ‘Th umbs up,’ the symbol of the theme initiated by the HSA aims to assist small business owners and managers to minimize workplace accidents. From the large att endance throughout the day, numerous messages were delivered. Alongside an Expo area where HSA personnel off ered specifi c advice in many areas of its portfolio, a series of well-att ended seminars were held throughout the day. Topics included Manual Handling/Work at Height, Display Screen Equipment/Workplace Transport plus Top Tips on Fire & Electricity. Guest speakers included 'Dragon's Den' duo Sean Gallagher and Bobby Kerr, Graham Walsh (Reynards) and Fintan O’Connell (IBEC). Each att endee was given an Information Pack upon leaving covering every area featured at the event, which is the fi rst of a series. Among the new brochures produced include information on Load Security and a Car Driver Daily Pre-checks Sheet.

In the Expo Arena, IBEC (Irish Business & Employers Confederation), SFA (Small Firms Association) and ISME (Irish Small & Medium Enterprises) were among the Business Associations present while Electric Ireland (the new name for the Electricity Supply Board (ESB)), Dublin Fire Service and some Local Authorities were also represented.

Fleet Transport sponsored the Goodie Bag Prize Draw with Ford and Mitsubishi Motors Ireland supplying other give-aways. Th e winner of the Goodie Bag was Paul Colbert from Raheny, Dublin.

In speaking with Martin O’Halloran, CEO, Health & Safety Authority, he was pleased with the large att endance. “When we opened at 8 o’clock the fi rst few people were through the doors at fi ve to eight and that was really a good signal because then the fl ow-through continued and now it’s only half ten and I fi gure we’ve probably had around 500 people through the doors. We have over 3,000 registered and we probably expect another 500-1,000 just drop-ins unregistered.”

“There is something here for everyone,” he continued. “And then we have 20 stations where people can go on-line

and check out the electronic tools and then we have a group of inspectors giving individual counselling and advice.”

“In addition, about 150-160 are att ending the seminars and they are rolling right through the day.”

Thumbs up for HSA‘Taking Care of Business’ Event

Dublin Fire & Rescue Service – Dawn Richards and Anne Fegan

SFA – Avine McNallyESB – Electric Ireland – Vincent Litchfi eld and Kevin Molloy

Veronica Helly, General Inspector, HSAISME – Ronan RigneyDeirdre Sinnott , Head of Transport Safety Unit HSA advising a visitor on load security issues

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Our Tachograph Systems Audit will evaluate your tachograph records and documentation. Based on the Audit fi ndings, Scitrans

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Volume 8. No.1. Spring 2011

www.fl eet.ie

OFFICIAL IRISH JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL BUS/COACH AWARDS

- first impressions last• FEATURE: SETRA CELEBRATES

• INTERVIEW: JOHN O'FLYNN, INTEGRATED TICKETING SCHEME - RPA

FLEETBUS&COACH | Spring 2011 27

www.fl eet.ie

28 NEWSNew Bus Licensing Guidelines • Call for IRU & ITF Awards applications • Real time bus info for Dublin • Wrightbus cleans up with Cummins • Bus Eireann & GoBus join forces • Volvo Bus had a good 2010 Plus Bus Lane snippets

30 INTERVIEWWith John O’Flynn, Integrated Ticketing System, RPA

32 COVERTest Drive Reports: Mercedes-Benz UNVI Cimo & Classic

34 FEATURESetra celebrates with Kössbohrer

36 FLEETING SHOTSSnap-shot stories

38 OPINIONBack Seat Driver Comments

contents SPRING 2011

Please send me an issue of Fleet Transport magazine (plus supplements) every month for one year starting with the next available issue for

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Fleet Bus & Coach- the offi cial Irish

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NEWS 1

Sma r t Awa rd s: promot i ng • excellence in bus & coach transportInternational Transport Forum: • 2011 Transport Achievement Award

Through its Smart Move sister organisation, the International Road Transport (IRU) has issued

a call for public and private candidates for three global awards for innovation, best practices and excellence in bus operation and coach tourism policy to promote and further facilitate sustainable mobility.

Entries are now being accepted for the IRU City Trophy 2011, the IRU Bus Excellence Award 2011 and the new IRU Coach Tourism Innovation Award 2011 for best public or private business and policy practices that further sustain mobility by bus and coach in the framework of the global Smart Move campaign.

Th e IRU City Trophy 2011 acknowledges and rewards municipal authorities that implement proactive policies favouring sustainable group tourism by coach.

Formerly known as the Eurochallenge Award, the IRU Bus Excellence Award 2011, promotes high quality and cost-eff ective innovative projects implemented by any public or private bus/coach company, allowing for a greater use of regular urban and interurban public transport by bus and coach through improved att ractiveness.

Th e IRU Coach Tourism Innovation Award 2011 is a brand new award aiming to recognise and promote best industry practices leading to a greater use of group tourism by coach. It is open to any private transport company worldwide whose main business is coach tourism. Projects

submitt ed should include company initiatives aimed at improving the image and att ractiveness of coach tourism and in particular the creation of innovative new services, including on-board services; successful information and marketing campaigns; the implementation of customers service quality schemes; the implementation of environment and safety care programmes; etc. More details on www.busandcoach.travel.

Meanwhile, the International Transport Forum at the OCED is showing how it is putt ing people first with its 2011 Transport Achievement Award, awarded jointly with the International Association for Public Transport (UITP), the European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs Services (CLECAT) and the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA). Th e honour will recognise projects or initiatives that demonstrate excellence in identifying and effi ciently meeting the transport needs of their clients. It aims to highlight the importance of taking seriously the transport needs of society, both in relation to personal mobility and to ensure ready access of goods within communities.

More information on www.internationaltransportforum.org/2011.

Call for Applications to IRU & ITF Awards

Driver CPC @ Irish Commercials

One day Driver CPC Training is now being off ered by Irish Commercials (Sales) Ltd., at its headquarters at Th e Gateway, Oberstown, Naas, County Kildare. For further details contact Arthur Ring by email [email protected] or on 086 0560211

Volvo & Optare for Arriva

Arriva, the multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn is investing heavily in Volvo and Optare buses for its operations in Th e Netherlands and Great Britain.

Volvo Buses has secured its largest order to date for hybrid buses with 27 Volvo 7700’s destined for the City of Dordrect. In the UK, 69 single and double-deck buses will be supplied by Optare during 2011. Th e contract worth £7.6m includes 16 Visionaire open-top double-deckers for use by Th e Original Tour on London sightseeing tours. Th ese will have seating for 101 passengers and will be built on 12.35 metre Volvo B9TL tri-axle chassis. Optare plans to deliver the vehicles in time for the 60th anniversary of the service in June. Th e other 53 vehicles comprise of 41 Versa 11.1 metre models and 12 Solo 8.8 and 9.5 metre models, all Mercedes-Benz powered. Th ey will be for various Arriva subsidiaries with deliveries scheduled through to September.

EU approves passenger rights

After lengthy negotiations, the European Parliament has voted in favour of a regulation on rights of passengers travelling by bus and coach. Aft er air, rail and water, now transport by road will also be covered by a specifi c set of rights for passengers, thereby completing the legal framework for users of all transport modes at EU level. Bus and coach passengers, and in particular passengers with a disability and people with a reduced mobility, will enjoy new rights that will protect them when they travel anywhere within the European Union.

Siim Kallas, Commission Vice-President in charge of transport said: “Th anks to this new regulation, passenger rights will be extended also to bus and coach transport. Passengers travelling by road will benefi t from the same basic service quality standards wherever and however they travel in the Union. With the adoption of a regulation on rights for bus and coach passengers EU passenger protection will now cover all modes. I am very satisfi ed that the EU has established the fi rst integrated area of passenger rights for all modes of transport in the world.”

BUS LANE

Fleet Bus & Coach First with the news in the PSV

industry www.fl eet.ie

28 FLEETBUS&COACH | Spring 2011

Following a public consultation process from July of last year, the National Transport Authority has issued

guidelines for the licensing of public bus passenger services. It explains the Authority’s approach for considering licences for commercial public bus passenger service licences and covers applications, renewals, transfers and amendment. Time frames and conditions that may be applied are also outlined.

Th e Public Transport Regulation Act 2009 (PTR 2009) established the basis for the Guidelines, which are applicable to all commercial public bus passenger services operating within the State. Th is licensing system replaces:-

Th e licensing system that has been operated • under the Road Transport Act 1932 for services provided by operators from the private sector and;Th e notifi cation system that had been in •

place for services provided by Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus.

As outlined in the Guidelines, application forms should be fi lled in electronically and include, as appropriate:

Details regarding the nature of the proposed • service, fares, estimated capacity of vehicles to be used, details of the accessibility status of vehicles proposed for the service;A detailed electronic timetable for the • proposed service including a departure and arrival time for each pick-up and set-down point along the route on the outward and return journeys;An Ordinance Survey Ireland map to a scale • 1:20,000 for urban and suburban areas and 1:50,000 for all other areas, preferably on a web-based geographical fi le, identifying and naming each set-down point clearly along the proposed route.

Bus Licensing Guidelines issued

Dublin Bus has caught up with the LUAS, in terms of Real Time Passenger Information. Ten new electronic bus

stop signs will inform passengers when their bus is due to arrive as part of a pilot project around Dublin with a view of having 450 units in place before the year end. Launched by the National Transport Authority, a web and text based service is also being developed to provide bus arrival information for the Greater Dublin Area. Th e new service is being delivered in co-operation with Dublin Bus, who is responsible for the automatic vehicle location system and the associated real time arrival predictions for their buses. Th e scheme can also take information from Bus Eireann and other licensed transport operators.

Work has already started in Cork for a launch towards the end of this year in co-operation with Bus Eireann. Th e service will be established in

other cities around Ireland – Galway, Limerick and Waterford – next year.

Th is live testing phase is designed to check the accuracy of the information on the fi rst ten new signs. Th e project team is encouraging public feedback through a website: www.transportforireland.ie, which will be highlighted on the display signs at bus stops.

Th e signs can also carry other information about bus services or update messages for passengers from Dublin City Council’s traffi c control centre and also incorporate the latest technology to ensure easy readability and comply with disability guidelines for electronic signage. Options are also being identifi ed to assist blind or partially sighted people to use the bus network more easily using a combination of telephone and text services together with Braille identifi cation of individual bus stops.

To provide real time information, buses must be equipped with an Automatic Vehicle Location transmitt er. A Global Positioning System (GPS) tracks the bus and sends a signal to the bus stop through a central control system. Th e screens at the bus stops count down the minutes until the bus arrives and are updated every 30 seconds, depending on where the bus is along its route, so information should always be up to date.

Real Time Passenger Information for Bus Services

London’s 21st century recreation of the iconic Routemaster bus to be manufactured by Wrightbus in Ballymena has teamed up

with Cummins to produce one of the cleanest buses on the planet. NBfL – New Bus for London will be powered by the Cummins ISBe 4.5 litre diesel hybrid that is both designed and made in Darlington. It is already capable of meeting the EEV ultra low emissions standard without the need for additional particulate exhaust aft er-treatment.

Alongside the engine, Cummins Emission Solutions has worked closely with Wrightbus to develop a unique aft er-treatment system that will allow the bus to meet the real world ultra low

emissions targets needed for the project. While the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matt er (PM) emissions are reduced with the Euro V/EEV SCR system, an additional Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) is fi tt ed between the engine and the SCR system to substantially reduce carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions. Th e result is that it will have a carbon footprint less than half of the majority of buses operating in London today.

Th e Cummins ISBe 4.5 litre engine provides 185hp and is mated to a Siemens hybrid transmission. Th e engine drives a generator, which supplies energy to a lithium-phosphate batt ery pack, which in turn provides electrical current for the new electric drive motors. Regenerative braking feeds otherwise wasted kinetic energy back into the batt ery pack from the electric

motors.

I n an innovative move between two private and public service providers, Galway-based GoBus.ie and Bus Éireann have come

together to off er a broader range of services between Galway-Dublin City-Dublin Airport.

Th e integration of services of both companies means that GoBus.ie passengers now have access to Bus Éireann’s extensive Expressway network and Bus Éireann can off er its customers the choice of 14 daily non-stop direct return services between Galway and Dublin.

With the East-West motorway network now fully

operational, coach operators have cut the travel time down to 2 hours 30 minutes.

Th e GoBus.ie award winning Volvo coach fl eet provides excellent passenger safety and comfort.Features include toilet facilities, free Wi-Fi, a climate control ventilation system, great legroom, 3-point safety belts, adjustable head and foot rests and low interior noise.

“We are delighted to be working in association with Bus Éireann on our direct Dublin-Galway return service,” said Jim Burke, Managing Director of GoBus.ie. “Over the past 12 months our non-stop service has proved hugely popular with locals and tourists alike, nonetheless, we are determined to continuously adapt and refocus our business to ensure that we constantly meet the needs of our customers and make our service bett er for them. Th rough this association with Bus Éireann we are able to off er our customers forward travelling options throughout the Country. Similarly, Bus Éireann will be in a position to off er customers greater variety with the option of a non-stop service,” added Jim.

Wrightbus drives cleanest buses on the planet with Cummins

Bus Éireann & GoBus team up on Galway-Dublin-Galway route

neededhile

entenshe

CRonalatalyst

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Th e Cand iTh eenewhthbrba

mot

es on the planet

NEWS 11

FLEETBUS&COACH | Spring 2011 29

Volvo Bus records strong year

Despite the global bus market having its peaks and troughs Volvo Buses recorded a

strong year in 2010, with more buses and coaches than 2009 with signifi cantly improved earnings. With Europe characterised by continued weak demand, however, some positive signs were noted in the coach market. In North America, the coach market remained weak, but there are signs that the market has bott omed out. For city buses, the trend remained negative.

Th e market in Mexico largely corresponded to the trend in the US, with low activity in general but major interest in the Bus Rapid Transit systems (BRT). Volvo is the leading supplier of buses for the BRT systems in Latin America. In South America, demand rose in the market for city buses and coaches. Likewise, the total bus market in Asia and Africa displayed a strong increase. It is primarily China and India that account for the largest increase.

During 2010, Volvo delivered 10,229 buses, up from 9,857 in the preceding year. As a result, operating income improved signifi cantly to a profi t of SEK 780m (€89.145m) compared to a loss of SEK 350m (€40m) in 2009. Th e operating margin was 3.9% compared with a negative 0.8% in the fourth quarter of 2009. Th e income improvement was primarily due to increased sales volume, improved market mix and cost savings.


INTERVIEW

JS Th e long awaited Integrated Ticketing Scheme for Dublin is soon upon us. How is the project coming along?

JOF Th ere’s great momentum behind the project. Th e core elements of the scheme have been delivered or are near completion. Th e back-offi ce has been largely delivered by IBM, the website is in the fi nal stages of development, the top-up network has been earmarked and many of the Smart Card readers have been upgraded to read the integrated Smart Card. Most signifi cantly, we’re currently conducting a live test of the system on operational Dublin Bus and LUAS services, so that’s a huge step.

JS W hat is the time schedule for introduction?

JOF Th e full scale customer roll-out will take place in a few stages. Th e fi rst stage is scheduled to take place later this year, subject to successful testing. It will allow customers to pay-as-you-go on the participating transport operators. Once it’s up and running we’ll be incrementally introducing additional functionality such as the capacity to top-up the card with integrated period tickets.

JS How will it work?

JOF It’s going to make paying for travelling around Dublin much easier. First, the customer will top-up the card with travel credit and/or period tickets. Th en, the card will be used to pay for travel by simply holding it against an electronic reader. Th e readers are located on board buses, on Luas platforms, and in Irish Rail Stations. It will be a durable, reusable Smart Card so the customer will be able to repeat this cycle as oft en as they like.

JS Where will the top-up points be located?

JOF Th ere’s going to be a huge range of choice for customers. Th ey’ll be able to top-up at over 400 shops in and around Dublin, every LUAS stop and Irish Rail stop in the short-hop zone, and online through a dedicated website.

JS How will you promote the new system: Internet/Twitt er/Facebook?

JOF Our dedicated website is going to be our primary platform for gett ing our information out there all in one place. We may also use social

media to connect with customers, particularly regarding any special offers or promotions we’re running. We’re also going to have a lot of advertising on transport services as it’s the perfect connection moment. When people are fumbling for change and overpaying as they get on a bus we want them to see an ad for integrated ticketing and say “Hey, I want one of those!”

JS Who are the main suppliers to the programme?

JOF We have a huge range of Irish and International suppliers. HP will be responsible for the day to day operation of the scheme including providing customer support. Th e point-of-sale network for topping up cards is being provided by Payzone. Mapfl ow is partnering with Avego to supply ticketing equipment to private bus operators. IBM is providing the back-offi ce systems. Other suppliers include Eircom which is hosting our back offi ce, Planet 21 is providing the communications network, Real Time Technologies has developed the device needed to read an integrated Smart Card, while Sequoia are ticketing scheme design experts.

JS Once in operation, do you envisage that the other main Irish cities will introduce a similar ITS?

JOF Th e scope of this project doesn’t go beyond the Greater Dublin Area. However, the systems we’ve developed are quite fl exible, and could be adapted to be used nationwide. So, if funding becomes available there’d be plenty of opportunities to expand the scheme to other Irish cities. I hope that once the benefi ts of the scheme are proven in Dublin there’ll be a push to use our experience nationwide.

JS W hat did the project cost to implement?

JOF Th e total budget for the project is €55.4m which actually compares quite favourably to a lot of schemes we’ve researched around the world.

JS Can other services be built into the Card System?

JOF Yes, we’re looking at a wide range of opportunities including taxis, small payments in shops and other venues, as well as Dublin Bikes. But for now our real focus is gett ing the system working on the core public transport services in Dublin.

JS How will ongoing issues/concerns/enquiries be handled?

JOF HP Ireland is contracted to operate the scheme. Th ey will have a customer service help-desk, email address and website through which any customers’ issues can be handled as quickly as possible.

Used Coach Sales

2004 BMC Probus

2005 Mercedes 616 Unvi

Riada VIP

2001 DAF SB3000 OVI

1997/98 Mercedes 0814 Euro

Coach Imps

www.centralbusandcoach.ie for more used coaches

One-to-OneJohn O'Flynn, Integrated Ticketing Scheme,Railway Procurement Agency,with Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fl eet.ie

John O’Flynn uses a test Integrated Ticketing Card on a Luas validator at Heuston Station, one of Dublin’s major transport interchanges. The card is currently being tested on LUAS and Dublin Bus services.

Private Bus Operators att end an information forum held by RPA for private transport operators who are interested in joining ITS.

CENTRAL BUS & COACH LTD

The One Stop Shop for Bus & Coach

Sales, Parts & Service in Ireland

CENTRAL BUS & COACH LTD is the distributor for UNVI Bus & Coach products in Ireland.

Located in Keenagh, near Ballymahon, County Longford, CBC are within easy reach of all areas of Ireland.

CBC provide the following services to Coach and Bus operators.

New Bus & Coach Sales

Used Bus & Coach Sales & brokeage

CONTACT: LIAM FARRELLY

[email protected]

SALES

Service for all bus makes

Warranty repairs for UNVI products

Glazing for all bus makes

Air conditioning service and repair

DOE preparation and repair

Brake testing (rolling road)

Tyre fi tting

Diagnostics for all bus makes

Towing and recovery (underlift)

Valeting

Signwriting

CONTACT: JOHNNY CURRAN

[email protected]

SERVICE

Parts for all UNVI range

Genuine Mercedes parts - overnight delivery

Large stock of windscreen and side glazing

Parts for all popular coach and minibus makes

Volvo, DAF, MAN, Ford etc.

CONTACT: DAVID QUINN

[email protected]

PARTS

Used Coach SalesUsed Coach Sales

2004 BMC Probus2004 BMC Probus

35 seats + C, 220 hp Cummins engine,

AC, DG, Radio, CD,PA, Driver and courier

microphone, Power door, ZF manual

gearbox, ZF axle, tables to fi t, 200,000

km, mint

condition,

sold with

minimum

6 months

DOE

2004 Mercedes Plaxton

Cheetah manual, 29 + C, 250,000

km, DG, Radio, CD, PA, driver and courier

microphone, Retarder, mint condition.

2004 MAN Beulas Midistar

White, 37 seats, 55807 km shown, (Tacho

replaced approx 141,000 km)

Very high spec, AC, DG, Power door,

Power lockers, Radio, CD, DVD, PA,

electric mirrors, driver and courier mic,

fridge, carpets, curtains, wheel trims,Seat

belt certifi cate,

Tacho

calibration to

4/7/2014, Will

be sold with

new DOE

€49,950

2006 Mercedes Riada 616,22 + C Leather Seats, Monitor/DVD, Double

Glazing, AC, Luggage Racks, Decorative

Curtains, PA System, 3 Point Seat Belts,

Power door, Manual Gearbox, Large

Boot, Euroliners, FSH, Very Clean, Will be

sold with

at least six

months

DOE

1997 Volvo 53 seats, certifi ed belts,

AC, DG, DVD, Radio cassette, PA, drivers

and courier microphones, electric

mirrors,

€36,000

2005 Mercedes 616 Unvi 2005 Mercedes 616 Unvi

Riada VIPRiada VIP only 177,151 kms, 16/22

black leather recliners, 2 tables, Top

of the range coach with AC, DG, DVD,

Radio, CD, PA, driver and courier mic,

carpets, curtains, extra large boot, fridge,

euroliner wheel trims, electric mirrors,

power door. Also 2006 (140,000km)

2001 DAF SB3000 OVI2001 DAF SB3000 OVI 53

seats, certifi ed belts, AC, DG, DVD,

Radio cassette, PA, drivers and courier

microphones, electric mirrors, power

lockers, fridge

1997/98 Mercedes 0814 Euro 1997/98 Mercedes 0814 Euro

Coach ImpsCoach Imps choice, 33 service seats

with certifi ed belts, automatic, power

door, recent repaint, all in test, ideal

contract buses. Price €12,500

CENTRAL BUS & COACH LTDKeenagh, Co. Longford.

Tel: 043 [email protected]

The New Name for UNVI in Ireland

www.centralbusandcoach.ie www.centralbusandcoach.ie for more used coachesfor more used coachesSEE

Don’t forget your Air Con servicing before season starts


COVER

Central Bus & Coach and UNVI‘Plenty of seats available’

T he old adage, which stresses the importance of fi rst impressions still holds true. Arriving at ‘Central Bus & Coach’ in Kenagh, County Longford,

you are immediately impressed - by the well-organised appearance of the business. All vehicles parked in their proper place alongside a clean and tidy workshop, and everyone going about their work in an ordered fashion. We certainly noted that during our time there the vehicle-washing bay was constantly occupied, with vehicles being cleaned inside and out, before parked in the appropriate parking slot or taking to the road.

Th e purpose of our visit to Central Bus & Coach was to drive two of the off erings from the UNVI Coach range. UNVI has achieved popularity in Ireland, as the Spanish manufacturer has built a strong reputation for constructing a wide variety of solid and att ractive body types. At its manufacturing facility in Ourense, UNVI produces bodywork for microbuses and midis - through to top end-touring coaches. It also designs and builds special order vehicles, such as luxury hospitality units’ mobile workplaces and 4x4 crew transporters for remote work sites.

However, our test units were not from UNVI’s luxury range, but were more suited to regular passenger transport in Ireland.

First up was the CIMO 1024. Th e immaculate white paintwork and modern profi le gives CIMO the appearance of a much larger vehicle. Th is is further enhanced by the mirror arrangement and contemporary lighting cluster. Being built on the Mercedes-Benz Atego chassis, helps to promote the sense of a large touring class vehicle, as the passenger seating position is relatively high. Passengers climb two steps then turn at right angles

to enter the seating area. Occasionally this can be an issue for some elderly or infi rm passengers. However, the CIMO off ers a spacious entry with well-positioned handrails at all points through ascent. Safe entry is also helped by the fl oor covering which provides a high quality non-slip surface, even in wet conditions.

Entry for the driver is through a separate door as the passenger handrail prevents cross cab access. While the door does not open to full 90o, two steps allow an easy climb to the driver’s seat. Th ough the parking brake is located to the right of the driver’s right knee, it does not impede access. Seating position is comfortable with good steering wheel adjustment and the wraparound cockpit off ers a sensible ergonomic layout set into a pleasant wood eff ect dashboard. Switchgear and controls are standard issue Mercedes-Benz, and do their job in a practical and uncomplicated Germaneske style.

From the driver’s seat, forward visibility is excellent. However, some drivers may favour a see-through panel in the nearside entry door. Th e mirror arrangement provides good rearward vision, with the additional mirror on the driver’s side giving an alternative to the overhead arm, which may not suit all driving positions.

Th e forward mounted in-line six-cylinder delivers 240 hp and has ample power to move a full complement of 35 passengers and their luggage. Our test vehicle was

driving through a six-speed manual transmission. We found gear selection very positive, with the ratios nicely spaced helping to move the coach quickly up the gears, always managing to stay in the lower half of the green band. If preferred, automated options are readily available.

On the road, CIMO exhibits the hallmarks of a larger touring coach, while remaining very easy to drive, it handles well, is very stable on twisting sections of tarmac, and the all-round disc brakes bring it to a confi dent stop. One point worthy of note was the highly accurate steering and excellent turning circle.

In servicing the broad 35-seat market, few passengers could fi nd fault with the coach. Clients booking the vehicle would believe they were gett ing good value for money - with the high level of comforts provided. Th is would no doubt shine a favourable light on any company’s image. CIMO is a highly practical coach that can handle the rough and tumble of school runs, yet off er refi ned comforts to touring groups. Th e bodywork is well put together with sturdy overhead storage and generous external luggage lockers. Furthermore, UNVI’s CIMO does not forget the needs of the driver.

Our next run may have been a step down in vehicle size but not in levels of practicality. If there is a passenger transport vehicle that typifi es reliability on regular day-to-day work, then the Mercedes-Benz 816 Vario chassis, powered by the OM904LA is it. Th e vehicle’s remarkable longevity is now reaching iconic status, and remains a favourite with operators throughout the Country.

It has remained popular for a number of reasons, fi rstly its size and fl exibility fi ts well with much of the private hire work in Ireland. Also good fuel economy from the exceptionally reliable and easy to maintain 160 hp Euro 4 engine,continues to validate its reputation. When fitted with UNVI’s 33-seat Classic body, the combination gives operators a high degree of fl exibility and

productivity. It is worth noting that under New Type Approval Regulations this 33-seat format may no longer be available aft er October 2011.

Another important selling point is the Classic’s driveability; fi tt ed with a straightforward six-speed manual transmission allows any reasonably competent driver can handle the vehicle. Th e exceptional level of durability means the Classic can (within reason) withstand constant driver changes when operated in fl eets.

A prominently displayed three-pointed star adds a fi nishing touch to the smart body styling, helping to present a businesslike profi le to intending commuters. Inside our test unit was trimmed with a dark grey fl oor covering and two-tone grey seating, a sensible choice of colours, which should remain clean and serviceable for a long time. Th at said, these shades frequently make the interior appear dull and unfriendly. However, the Unvi’s large double-glazed window and roof hatch provides generous amounts of light, which conversely gives the interior a feeling of superior quality.

Th e forward mounted Euro 4 engine has always sounded a litt le noisy when standing outside the coach, but revised soundproofi ng has further reduced noise levels and internally it is not a problem. Keeping the rev counter in the green band is not an issue as it ranges from 1,200 to 1,800 rpm, allowing a great deal of fl exibility for urban driving. On the open road at 80 kp/h, the needle sits halfway at 1,500 rpm - which should help with fuel economy.

While not as refi ned as the bigger CIMO, the Classic is nonetheless very enjoyable to drive, and you quickly appreciate its robustness and strength. Parabolic springs combined with front and rear stabilisers ensure road holding is fi rst-rate, and passengers are guaranteed a comfortable journey. All round discs provide assured braking and the steering is nicely weighted. Overall, the driving position is fi ne, though one criticism we have is the high location of the driver’s seat-belt anchorage point. Depending on body shape, some drivers may prefer the belt to be anchored lower than it is – though, this small issue is due to be rectifi ed shortly.

As an investment, the Classic is a well-proven solid and reliable passenger vehicle, which can be put to any type of work. Proof of which can be seen on a daily basis on the roads of Ireland. Features such as good fuel economy, driveability and passenger comforts will all help to ensure it remains one of the most popular passenger vehicles on the road.

Our test day showed that both units performed well, were good to drive and should create the positive impression with passengers. Drivers are well catered for as both vehicles help to make the job as comfortable as possible. Th e standard specifi cations are well suited to the needs of the Irish market - though if required UNVI, can equip vehicles with a host of optional extras. First impressions indicate that Central Bus & Coach was well worth the visit.

Text & Photos: Paul White – paul@fl eet.ie FLEETBUS&COACH | Spring 2011 33

COVER

Spec Check UNVI Cimo 1024 UNVI ClassicSeating Capacity as tested 35 33Chassis Type Mercedes-Benz (M-B) Atego 1024 Mercedes-Benz (M-B) Vario 816Engine M-B - OM924LA M-B - OM904LACylinders In-line six-cylinder In-line four-cylinderRated Power 240 hp / 179 kW 160 hp / 120 kW Euro Rating 4 4Transmission Six Speed Manual Six Speed ManualBrakes Discs all round Discs all round

Telligent (ABS) Engine Brake/ (ABS)Tyres Bridgestone R227 Bridgestone R227Size 235/75 R17.5 215/75 R17.5DimensionsLength 9130 mm 8560 mmWheelbase 4820 mm 4800 mmWidth 2420 mm 2420 mmHeight 3260 mm 3150 mmLuggage Capacity 5 cu.m 3.6 cu.m

Features Th ree point seatbelts Th ree point seatbeltsAir conditioning Individual ventilationDouble glazed windows Double glazed windowsEntertainment System Entertainment System

Seating Options 35 / 31 29 / 33*Toilet Available(31 Seat option)

*33 Seat version may not be available aft er October 2011.


FEATURE

A t the forthcoming Retro Classics 2011 Show in Stutt gart (11/13 March) Setra, Daimler’s luxury coach brand celebrates 60 years in the business

while its production plant in Ulm, Germany marks its 100th anniversary.

Th e highlight of its four vintage buses (from 1911 to 1976) on display in Hall 8 will be the fi rst Setra bus ever produced bearing the chassis number 001. Th is vehicle was presented to bus companies for the fi rst time at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in 1951. Th e defi ning characteristic of this vehicle was that it did not use a truck frame as its base. Instead, a self-supporting frame was lined with sheet metal to form the vehicle’s body. It could be said that this method was the start of the integrated modular system of bus coachworks. Other features of the fi rst Setra include a six-cylinder Henschel rear engine rated at 74 kW (100 hp), under-fl oor luggage compartments and a fully synchromeshed fi ve-speed ZF manual transmission.

Th e 200 series in the Setra brand’s 25th year opened another successful chapter in its history books. Th is generation of vehicles introduced cross-fl ow ventilation, whereby fresh air was channelled draught-free into the passenger compartment along the entire length of the vehicle. Th e exhibit is the prototype of the 200 model series and is fi tt ed with an OM 403 10-cylinder V engine from Mercedes-Benz rated at 235 kW (320 hp).

It was 100 years ago, in February 1911, when Kässbohrer undertook its fi rst step in the fi eld of bus construction. Th e fi rst Kässbohrer bus was built on a Saurer truck chassis for the city of Ulm’s fi rst bus service running from Münsterplatz to the suburb of Wiblingen. Th e exhibit is a fully functional replica of the lost original. Th e vehicle possesses a four-cylinder Saurer petrol engine with an output of around 29 kW (40 hp). Th e wooden body has 18 seats plus space for around ten standing passengers.

Setra’s compact bus dating from 1956 was built on the chassis of the Opel Blitz, which was highly popular among bus companies at the time. With the introduction of the Setra S 6, compact buses were also produced in self-supporting design from the mid-1950s. Th e exhibit is fi tt ed with a six-cylinder petrol engine rated at 46 kW (62 hp). A Kässbohrer luggage trailer compensates for the lack of space in the luggage compartment.

With over 1,000 exhibitors, Retro Classics 2011, is an International tradeshow for vintage and classic vehicles, replacement parts and restoration which takes place at the Stutt gart Exhibition Centre.

Setra celebrates on the double at Retro Classics 2011

An early Kässbohrer bus body, Mercedes-Benz N1 fr om 1927

Th e prototype of product range 200: Setra S215 HD fr om 1976

Kässbohrer body with glazed edge to the roof and sunroof on Mercedes-Benz model Mannheim

FEATURE

Text: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fl eet.ie FLEETBUS&COACH | Spring 2011 35

K arl Kässbohrer, the former Ulm based commercial vehicle manufacturer which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year formed the foundation

stones to Setra, the luxury coach brand from Daimler AG. In fact the business relationship between the big ‘K’ (as seen on the steering wheel on all Setra models) and the Stutt gart based global company dates back to 1910. Co-incidentally, the Setra brand is 60 years old also!

11 February 1911 was the signifi cant milestone as it was the actual start of the eventful history of Kässbohrer buses. Th is was the day the fi rst Ulm bus line was opened, going from Ulm’s Minister Square to the southern suburb of Wiblingen. Th e transport company was founded especially for this event with Karl Kässbohrer as one of the partners and his share was his fi rst motorbus. Th e bus was built on a Saurer chassis with 18 seats and standing room for ten people and was powered by a strong four-cylinder engine with a performance of 22 kW/30 hp. Th e whole body was well in advance of its time: in contrast to what was usual at that time, the driver was already sitt ing in a closed driving cab – the very fi rst of its kind in a German commercial vehicle.

In Europe following World War I there was an increasing demand for mobility. A great number of vehicle manufacturers which are hardly remembered today and the emerging transport industry with its numerous medium-sized companies already relied at this time on the Mercedes-Benz chassis and Kässbohrer bus bodies. A prime example of the co-operation

between the two bus pioneers was the streamlined coaches developed by Kässbohrer in 1935 for the German National Railway. Th ey were built by Kässbohrer on a Daimler-Benz chassis. Th ese coaches were designed for use on scheduled services on the new motorways. Th ey were supposed to keep to an average speed of 100 km/h and reached a top speed of 130 km/h. To achieve this, Daimler-Benz fi tt ed the chassis with an especially fast gear-changing transmission and high speed tyres. Th ese coaches were also used for the newly-opened scheduled service Leipzig – Berlin.

Th en in 1938, the largest coach in the world at that time, was built by Kässbohrer and it was also the product of joint development. Th e four-axle coach was towed by a Mercedes-Benz articulated truck, model LZ 8000, a world innovation in the truck sector. Th e overall length of the vehicle was 18.7m long and provided enough room for 170 passengers. From 1976 on, the co-operation became even closer. At that time, Kässbohrer launched his bus product range 200. With this product range, Setra customers – following the integration of the previous engine supplier Henschl from Kassel in the Daimler-Benz Group – could choose between Mercedes-Benz or MAN diesel engines. Very soon, the proportion of Mercedes-Benz engines used in Setra buses and coaches had grown to almost 90 percent and Kässbohrer was one of the largest single customers in the non-captive market for the well tried and tested drive systems from Mannheim. Nowadays, all Setra buses and coaches with a performance range from 210 to 370 kW are fi tt ed

with state-of-the-art low-pollution and extremely cost-eff ective Mercedes-Benz diesel engines with SCR technology from Mannheim.

It is typical of the more than 80 years of good business relations between the Stuttgart automotive group and the medium-sized automobile manufacturer, that when Karl Kässbohrer Vehicle Manufacturers Ltd found itself in fi nancial diffi culties in the mid-nineties of the 20th century the former Mercedes-Benz AG off ered the Ulm company a co-operation agreement. Mercedes-Benz AG made an off er for Kässbohrer’s bus and coach sector with a job guarantee till the end of 1998. Th e fi rst steps were thus taken towards the EvoBus GmbH which was founded in 1995 as a 100 percent Daimler subsidiary to combine the bus and coach activities of Mercedes-Benz Omnibus and the Kässbohrer brand Setra.

Kässbohrer – Daimler – Setra: A 3-way relationship

Th e fi rst Setra coach (S8) 1951 with the current Setra S415 HD Special Edition - "60 Years of Setra, 100 Years of Bus & Coach Expertise"

FLEETING SHOTS

36 FLEETBUS&COACH | Spring 2011 Text: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fl eet.ie

Innovative Dorset based vehicle hire specialists Abacus has launched a new short to midterm

hire service for organisations that need fully equipped accessible minibuses for the transportation of disabled or elderly passengers. Th is unique facility could provide an opportunity for an operator over here to do the same thing.

Ron Bray, Mini Bus Account Manager at Abacus (pictured), said that the company has identifi ed a need for the specialist vehicles to be available for schools and charities with contracts starting from just a week hire period or longer leasing up to 5 years.

“We now operate two low f loor Peugeot Boxer Accessible Minibuses built with the fl exibility to carry 16 passengers plus driver or a combination of wheelchairs and passengers. We are adding a further two accessible buses, one a Mercedes Sprinter and the other a Renault Trafi c, to meet demand,” said Ron Bray.

He added, “Our own body shop carries out the ful l bespoke conversions.”

Volvo Bus aims to raise £100,000 to support the Teenage Cancer Trust’s

West Midlands Appeal following the highly publicised success of the company’s 2010 initiative which raised £60,000 towards a new £1 million dedicated unit at Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital last year.

“Every litt le bit that we can do to support Teenage Cancer Trust will hopefully go some way to improving the lives of young people diagnosed with cancer in the region,” explained Volvo Bus Managing Director, Steve Dewhurst. “We raised a signifi cant amount of money in 2010, with some excellent events and people worked

really hard to raise as much money as possible, I hope we can replicate or even bett er that in 2011.”

“Whilst the events planned for the year are still to be fi nalised everybody at the company is eager to support the drive to make a diff erence to young people’s lives by their commitment to achieve their target of £100,000,” he added.

Picture shows TV motoring celebrity Quentin Wilson making a donation at the Euro Bus Expo last November.

91 Double-Deck and 50 Single-Deck Scania buses are destined for Stagecoach operations

throughout the UK. Supplied with Alexander Dennis bodywork, all vehicles will be fi tt ed with Scania’s 9-litre Euro 5 and EEV engines which deliver 230 horsepower and 1,050 Nm of torque mated to ZF HP504 fi ve and six-speed fully automatic gear boxes.

Th e Double-Deckers, based on the Scania N-series, will be equipped with Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 bodywork, seating 47 on the upper deck, 29 on the lower deck and space for 16 standees. Th e single-deckers are built on the Scania K-series with Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 bodywork, fi tt ed with 43 seats and with the number of standees yet to be decided.

“Scania double-deck buses are well proven within our fl eet and their reliability, performance and fuel economy has led us to specify them once again,” comments Stagecoach Group Managing Director Les Warneford. “Th is positive operating experience has also infl uenced our choice of single-deckers. Th is order marks our fi rst signifi cant purchase of such vehicles from Scania and they will be the fi rst to be equipped with Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 bodywork.”

Th e Stagecoach Group is a leading International public transport group, with extensive operations in the UK, United States and Canada. Th e company employs around 35,000 people, and operates bus, coach, rail and tram services.

Hire Service introduces accessible minibuses to fl eet

Scania to supply 141 buses to Stagecoach Group

Volvo Bus continues its support of Teenage Cancer Trust

VOLVO BUS. DRIVING QUALITY OF LIFE

NEW VOLVO COACHES AVAILABLE FROM

James Hyde Tel: 07818 [email protected]

At Volvo Bus and Coach SalesCentre you can view the full rangeof New Volvo coaches.

Our economical vehicle range is perfectfor the needs of every operator and hastraditionally strong residual values.

The coaches are supported by acomprehensive warranty package andare backed by professional aftermarketsupport supplied through a worldwidedealer network.

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VOLVO BUS AND COACH SALES CENTRE at COVENTRY...

GETTING THERE, TOGETHER

Volvo Bus and Coach Sales CentreSiskin Parkway East • Middlemarch Business Park • Coventry CV3 4PE • UKTel: 44 02476 210250 • www.volvobus.co.uk

Sunsundegui Sideral 13m380hp engine • I-Shift • 2 AxleUp to 55 seats and Centre ToiletAvailable from stock now!

Sunsundegui Sideral 330 12.2mAutomatic • A/C • Choice of 53or 57 Seats with 3 points beltsOnly one available from stock!

Sunsundegui Sideral ‘10’ • 10.3mChoice, 40 Luxury seats with rear toiletor 43 straight seats • ZF Auto • FridgeTV/DVD • Available from stock now!

Plaxton Panther Facelift EditionChoice of 53, 57 or 61 Seats • 12.8m2 Axle • Full Executive SpecificationA/C • Available from stock now!

Plaxton Panther380hp Rear Mounted Engine • I-ShiftChoice of 49, 53 or 57 SeatsAvailable from stock now!

Jonckheere JHV Executive Spec.380hp Rear Upright Engine • 53 SeatsA/C • I-Shift • 12.6m • Available April2011, limited availability from June.

Volvo B9R

Volvo B9R

Volvo B9R

Volvo B9R

Volvo B7RVolvo B7R

B13R 13mTri-Axle • 53/55 Seats460hp rear upright engineI-Shift • WebastoDura Bright AlloysSatellite NavigationAvailable from stock now!

B13R 12.3m420hp rear upright engine49/51 Seats • I-ShiftWebastoExecutive SpecificationArriving soon!

Volvo 9700

OPINION

38 FLEETBUS&COACH | Spring 2011 Text: Sean Murtagh – sean@fl eet.ie

L ast month, the second annual Irish Logistics and Transport Awards took place in front of an audience of Chartered Institute of Transport & Logistics (CILT) members and other interested parties from the industry. As always at these events there is

plenty of excitement and anticipation, as the fi nalists wait to hear which of them will take the ultimate glory. 43 fi nalists from all sectors of the transport industry were competing in 12 diff erent category awards. When the category winners were announced, an overall all-winner had to be selected from this group. Aircoach was announced as the overall Logistics and Transport Excellence Award. A spokesperson for the judging panel described the company as a “Class Act”.

Earlier in the evening the Dublin based commuter service provider Aircoach had won the Safety Award. Safety is a key priority for all modes but one usually associated with airlines and shipping companies. It is indeed a recognition of the whole bus and coach sector and how serious passenger safety is regarded. Allen Parker, Aircoach Managing Director who received the award on behalf of the company said he was delighted to have been

selected as the number one operator in the Country. He stressed that the award was a recognition of the hard work put in by all of the company staff in the area of passenger and staff safety. Quite obviously the judges agreed and they were especially impressed by Aircoach’s total commitment and focus on passenger safety and comfort. Bus and coach travel is one of the safest forms of transport and continued investment by manufacturers makes sure it remains that way. Last year the overall winner of the event was Irish Ferries.

Aircoach is part of the First Group, a UK company in business for over 20 years and now carries 2.5 million passengers per year. Between Ireland and England the group operates 9,000 vehicles.

When Aircoach commenced trading it provided a service linking Dublin Airport with all of the City Centre hotels and the South-side of the City. In recent times they provided a service between Dublin and Cork. Allen Parker said that while business was challenging at the moment but they were recruiting drivers to work at their Dublin Airport depot.

Dr. Garrett Fitzgerald honoured by CILT

T h rough its awa rds programme the CILT honoured former Taoiseach and Fellow of the Institute Dr. Garrett Fitzgerald by presenting him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Institute President Paul Mallee said that Dr. Fitzgerald had made a massive contribution to the debate about Transport Policy. In his early career Garrett Fitzgerald worked with Aer Lingus. Th ere is an anecdote that claims

he was the fi rst person to accurately estimate the size of the aeropilot of aircraft . In the period of the Cold War information like that would have been sensitive and well guarded. So how did Dr. Fitzgerald calculate

this fi gure? Well the story goes that he managed to get his hands on their timetable and that by studying this document he was able to estimate the number of aircraft in the fl eet. True and original transport genius.

Political Transport

A key feature of the election campaign is the leaders moving around the Country as they visit the various constituents. In years gone by most of the parties had full size coaches painted up in party colours and a full size picture of the party leader. Maybe there is a feeling now that such a display of colour could become an object inviting vandalism. Certainly speaking to some of the political parties the emphasis is on smaller vehicles. In the case of the Green Party it has chosen a Volkswagen Transporter BlueMotion as its campaign MPV. Nicola Cassidy, Press Offi cer with the Green Party was very keen to point out the environmentally friendly features of the Volkswagen Transport’s Start Stop system to cut out the engine whilst the vehicle is stopped in traffi c and has regenerative braking. Meanwhile over at the Labour Headquarters four 7-seater Ford Galaxy’s are the backbone of its transport fl eet. Fine Gael did venture a litt le bigger and used a 2006 Iveco Indcar Wing to transport party leader and Taoiseach elect Enda Kenny and his party of canvassers around the Country.

In the regions some of the candidates have 4x4 SUVs personally branded with the candidates details in large colour. One of the highest profi le campaigns in terms of vehicles is that of South Tipperary candidate Matt ie McGrath, with no less than four vehicles decked out with Matt ie’s smiling face in full view. Over in the West, Luke 'Ming' Flanagan travelled around in his Ford Transit Campervan.

Let us hope that when elected the new Government will have the same enthusiasm to rebuild our damaged economy.

Closing date for receipt of completed tenders is 17.00 onMonday, March 21st 2011

Dublin BusFor Sale by Tender the following Vehicles:

4 x 1994 “ME” Class Mercedes-Benz Mini-Buses

4 of - Mercedes-Benz 709D Minibuses with ‘Euro Coach’ bodywork, Featuring Mercedes-Benz OM364 engines with

Allison AT545 fully automatic transmission & Telma electric retarder,Vehicles are converted to “Ticket Bus” Con guration.

Original Seating Capacity: 23DoT Test Certs:

ME21 – Exp 09.11.11/ ME22 – Exp 09.06.11 /ME 26 – Exp 20.05.11/ ME 27 – Exp 22.03.11

These vehicles are due to be withdrawn from the Dublin Bus eet by end of April 2011.

To request a tender form and to make arrangements to view the vehicles please contact :-

Mr. Chris Quinlan, Procurement Manager, Dublin Bus,21 Phibsboro Road, Dublin 7, Ireland.

Telephone: +353-1-7033472 Facsimile: +353-1-8303126Email: [email protected]

Aircoach sets the standard

Allen Parker CEO of Aircoach receiving the Overall Logistics and Transport Excellence Award for 2011 fr om CILT President Paul Mallee

Gerry Drum, Enterprise Manager of the Irish Independent presents Dr. Garrett FitzGerald with the Lifetime Achievement Award

Back Seat Driver by

Sean Murtagh

A new 2 day special has been designed specifi cally for

Bus & Coach operators to include:

to include

• 1 night B/B

• Lunch and refreshments

• Limited numbers

(16 participants to each trainer)

• Course Materials

• Qualifi ed Trainers

• Certifi cation

The IRMC is a FETAC registered training centre and has

approved status from both the Road Safety Authority

(RSA) and the Irish Heart Foundation. This 2 day special is

conducted by a team of qualifi ed trainers

• Driver CPC

• Manual Handling

• Digital Tachograph

• Emergency First Aid

For further information please contact:

045 878500 or Email: [email protected]

All-In Course Fee €350 for Clients of

(Normal rate €500)

Plaxton Coach Sales Ryton Road, Anston, Sheffield, S25 4DL Tel: +44 (0)1909 551166 Email: [email protected] www.plaxtonlimited.co.ukA division of Alexander Dennis Limited

…Take a look at Plaxton, from the best selling Cheetah, the high value Profile and the acclaimed Panther through to the stunning new Elite, there’s a new or used coach to suit your needs.

Panther

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Profile

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Before you buy a coach in 2011...COACHING EXCELLENCE

Country Currency 95 Lead Free 98 Lead Free Diesel Country Currency 95 Lead Free 98 Lead Free Diesel

Albania ALL 158.00 170.00 162.00 Lithuania LTL 4.44 4.58 4.16

Andorra EUR 1.142 1.192 1.032 Luxemburg EUR 1.253 1.279 1.148

Austria EUR 1.299 1.457 1.288 Macedonia MKD 74.50 76.00 65.50

Belarus EUR 0.783 - 0.624 Moldova MDL 15.35 15.80 14.35

Belgium EUR 1.559 1.583 1.386 Montenegro EUR 1.260 1.300 1.210

Bosnia-Herzegovina BAM 2.15 2.20 2.20 Netherlands EUR 1.657 1.724 1.363

Bulgaria BGL 2.39 2.57 2.50 Norway NOK 13.74 14.07 13.38

Croatia HRK 9.45 9.86 9.02 Poland PLN 4.83 4.99 4.72

Czech Republic CZK 33.50 35.30 32.80 Portugal EUR 1.531 1.643 1.386

Denmark DKK 12.09 12.43 10.99 Romania RON 5.07 5.51 5.13

Estonia EEK 1.217 1.257 1.287 Russia RUB 26.19 27.14 24.87

Finland EUR 1.507 1.557 1.319 Serbia RSD 120.60 - 125.50

France EUR 1.483 1.514 1.323 Slovakia EUR 1.399 - 1.286

Georgia GEL 2.05 2.10 2.10 Slovenia EUR 1.279 1.286 1.237

Germany EUR 1.476 1.513 1.354 Spain EUR 1.280 1.400 1.250

Greece EUR 1.593 1.785 1.391 Sweden SEK 13.58 13.98 13.79

Hungary HUF 365.00 - 355.00 Switzerland CHF 1.710 1.750 1.830

Ireland EUR 1.449 - 1.399 Turkey TRY 3.94 3.99 3.42

Italy EUR 1.472 1.548 1.357 Ukraine UAH 8.80 9.90 8.20

Kosovo EUR 1.10 - 1.08 UK GBP 1.292 1.365 1.346

Latvia LVL 0.847 0.877 0.863 USA USD - - 0.944

The price of fuel is an important element in costing an international trip. Drivers are invited to check this report which is compiled fortnightly from information supplied by IRU national associations and by ‘TCS Touirsme et Documents’, Geneva. Prices you can see here are an average for each country (for week 9).

Q: If I am stopped at a roadside check how do I prove that I have completed and passed my Driver CPC?

A: Whether you are a new driver, or a driver with ‘acquired rights’, you will be issued with a ‘Driver CPC Qualifi cation’ Certifi cate. Th is cert must be kept with your Driving Licence as, without it, you will not be licensed to drive a commercial vehicle for which a CPC is needed. Clearly, to prove that you have obtained your Driver CPC, you must be able to show the ‘Qualifi cation Certifi cate’. Provided that the cert is kept with your driving licence this should cause no problem.

Q: Is the Driver CPC important for insurance purposes?

A: Anyone who chooses to drive a vehicle, for

which a Driver’s CPC is required, without having obtained a CPC, is likely to fi nd that they are uninsured in precisely the same way as if they were to drive any vehicle without a licence. Th e ‘Driver’s Qualifi cation Certifi cate' must be seen as being an integral part of a driving licence, and they should always be kept together. An employer will be expected to ensure that any driver holds the necessary qualifi cation to drive the employer’s vehicles, and may well be held liable if it is found that an employee does not hold the necessary licence.

Q: What is the present state of the law in this regard?

A: Th e Driver CPC for truck and bus drivers was introduced by the EC in 2009. It was clear that provision would have to be made for those

drivers who already held the relevent licence and, where a licence was held prior to the 9 September 2009 a driver was said to have ‘acquired rights’. A driver with these ‘acquired rights’ is entitled to a Driver Qualifi cation Certifi cate. To keep this entitlement, however, a driver must complete 35 hours of periodic training over the next 5 years. Th is requirement is based on the idea that a driver will undertake one days training each year.

A new driver, that is to say a driver who did not hold a truck/bus licence before the 9 September 2009, must take a four part test to obtain a Driver Qualifi cation Certifi cate. Th e test headings are: 2 hour multiple choice question paper: 2 hour case study/theory paper: 90 minute driving test: and a 30 minute practical test. Once the test has been passed then the new driver must also undertake 35 hours periodic training spread over 5 years.

J L SERVICES Consultant: Jonathan Lawton (MACantab) (UK Solicitor-Advocate)

We off er assistance with: • Employment documentation • Health and Safety documentation • Dismissal and redundancy procedures • Transport administration and documentation

t: 094 9038087 m: 0861 510938 e-mail: [email protected] Address: Parkmore, 16 Watersville, Castlebar, Co Mayo.

Ask the Expert YOUR CALL! Send in your legal questions or queries to ASK THE EXPERT – Contact: jonathan@fl eet.ie

FUEL PRICE UPDATE / LEGAL EXPERT

Text: Jonathan Lawton - jonathan@fl eet.ie FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 41




O ver the years, several items have appeared in Times Past about emergency vehicles and the vital role they played in our lives. When

the subject is mentioned, most of us immediately think of ambulances, fi re engines or the rescue tenders which in recent years have been growing in importance because of the necessity to get injured people out of mangled vehicles. But what happens when a major emergency happens and extra resources are needed?

Some years ago, the Museum was given a major incident vehicle by the former North Eastern Health Board. Th is was a bus which had been converted into a mobile hospital and had been commissioned in 1982 when there was a grave risk of an incident on the railway between Dundalk and the Border. Th e bus, fi tt ed out as a hospital with four bunks and a great array of surgical equipment, could travel off -road to reach the scene and was fi tt ed with substantial roll-over bars and bumpers, enabling it to traverse rough ground. Th e vehicle was a former CIE Leyland Leopard, fl eet number C64, that had latt erly been used in the Driving School. Luckily, it had never had to att end any very serious off -road incident and is now one of several emergency vehicles stored by the Museum.

Th ere are fi ve quite varied ambulances in the Museum collection, some of which have featured in Times Past. However, a brief resume may help to recall their places in the scheme of things. Th e most conventional are two splendid Bedfords: a 1969 J1 with Lomas bodywork which served with Dublin Fire Brigade and a 1976 Hanlon-bodied CF which came from the erstwhile Eastern Health Board. Th is vehicle was acquired with Gleeson’s Ambulance Service and was claimed to be the fi rst heart ambulance in the Dublin area. Th e DFB Bedford was one of the vehicles that att ended the terrible Dublin bombings of May 1974 and was later used as an emergency tender by Dundalk Fire Brigade; it was restored by Dublin FB in 2001.

Th e other three Museum ambulances are all very diff erent. Th e oldest is a Knock Shrine vehicle, converted from a 1950 GNR Gardner bus and based at Ballina to carry invalid pilgrims from Claremorris Railway Station to Knock. Next is a 1960 Morris combined ambulance and pump towing vehicle that came from Guinness and was described fully here at the time of the Brewery’s 250th anniversary celebrations two years ago. Up to now, the collection was completed by a 1960 electric vehicle that came from the James Connolly Memorial Hospital at Blanchardstown.

Connolly Memorial Hospital was originally a sanatorium catering for people suff ering from the terrible and highly contagious scourge of tuberculosis that aff ected Ireland in the 1950s. Sanatoriums of that period usually consisted of a number of units spread out over a very wide area. An internal ambulance service moved patients

between the various units and at Blanchardstown an Austin Electricar was chosen to do this work in 1960 and this vehicle is now in the Museum collection. We all thought our collection was very representative until a surprise vehicle turned up in January 2011.

At really big incidents it is necessary to have a vehicle designed and built as a mobile control centre. Th e need for such a vehicle was probably recognised by the Southern Health Board following the disaster at Whiddy oil terminal in 1979 and the Butt evant railway tragedy of 1980. In September 1981 the Board placed in service a Bedford mobile control centre, which may have been one of only two used in the Republic.

387 JPI is based on Bedford’s four-wheel drive M type military chassis, powered by a six-cylinder petrol engine. Described as a Mobile Control Vehicle, its purpose was to provide fi rst line medical and logistical support at the scene of a major accident. Th e large van body contains two compartments, a control section and a stores section. Th e crew consisted of three ambulance staff and a doctor who was the site medical offi cer. An amazingly comprehensive range of equipment included radio and telephone communication facilities, and an elecricity supply from either ESB lines or the vehicle’s own generator. A special feature is the air operated mast behind the cab which can extend to more than eight metres in height.

Th e control centre was replaced some time ago and staff at the Health Service Executive were anxious that it be preserved. Colin Megan of the EHB Ambulance Service liaised with Liam Kelly of the Museum and the vehicle arrived in Dublin on 17 January. Fully equipped, it is now in secure storage pending transfer to Howth. Th is unique and very well maintained vehicle

TIMES PAST

A MOBILE CONTROL CENTRE

Dublin Fire Brigade 1969 Bedford Ambulance

Bedford Mobile Control Centre 387 JPI


makes our fi re and emergency section more fully comprehensive than ever and taken with the other items described, must put our collection - to use an obvious cliche – in the front line.

A view that gains more support as the years go by is the ability of various groups of vehicles in the Museum collection to portray a particular activity or era in as broad a manner as possible – and this part of the collection certainly does just that.

TIMES PAST

Opening Times:Sept - May:

Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays,

2.00 - 5.00pm.26 Dec - 1 Jan:

2.00 - 5.00pm daily.June - August:

Monday - Saturday, 10.00am - 5.00pm.

Th e National TransportMuseum,

Heritage Depot,Howth Demense,

Howth.

Equipment Compartment, Bedford Control Unit

Control and Crew section, Bedford Control Unit

GNR 1959 Knock Ambulance

Th e Electricar Ambulance fr om Connolly Memorial Hospital

Text & Photos: Michael Corcoran – enquiries@fl eet.ie FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 43

The pre-Christmas weather conditions and previous driver fuel strikes may have served to underline how crucial the

logistics industry is in terms of gett ing essential items to the consumer, but the strategic importance of the sector to the whole economy remains seriously undervalued, says Roger Wil l iams, Chief Executive o f U K WA - United K ingdom Warehousing Association (pictured). Despite its value to the Irish economy there is a wide discrepancy between the public perception of what logistics companies do and the indispensable role the industry as a whole plays. Companies within the logistics industry operate leading edge IT systems, adhere to heavy regulations, reach environmental targets and, perhaps most importantly, constantly strive to improve operations that reduce costs to the end user. And yet if you ask the average person to describe someone employed in logistics and

transport, they will portray an overweight, middle aged, right wing, white man. As an industry we complain that such caricatures are grossly unfair and point to the fact that without an effi cient logistics industry the country would quickly grind to a halt, but the truth is that for many young people logistics is not an att ractive career option. Th ere is litt le doubt that the industry is in urgent need of a co-ordinated campaign that not only informs school and university leavers about the opportunities off ered by a career in logistics, but educates society about the sector and makes an impact on our nation’s policy makers. With an ageing workforce and a perception among those currently in education that logistics does not off er an att ractive career path, the industry may well fi nd itself facing a skills shortage in the near future. It is therefore vitally important that we begin to att ract young people and bring a greater diversity of skills into the sector. But a possible skills shortage is just one of the challenges facing the sector. With the rising cost of fuel and general infl ation added to the price-driven demands of clients who are always looking to reduce their supply chain costs in

order to remain competitive in very challenging market conditions, companies operating in the third party logistics sector are likely to come under ever greater pressure. It is perhaps inevitable that a number of operators - having survived the recession - will now face a batt le to remain profi table. While the outlook for 2011 is uncertain, there is no question that an eff ectively managed supply chain can positively infl uence business performance and, if companies are going to succeed in a competitive and unpredictable environment, every link in the chain must operate at optimum effi ciency. Th at’s why any company that fi nds its fi xed logistics costs are having a negative impact on its balance sheet, simply has to consider outsourcing to a 3PL. Our members report sustained growth in the number of businesses choosing to outsource logistics and supply chain management functions. With more companies looking to outsource their logistics and warehousing operations UKWA will continue to do everything that it can to ensure that its members are well placed to take advantage of any openings that present themselves.

The 2011 Irish Logistics Network Lunch takes place at the Th e Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, County Down on

Wednesday 16 March.

Th e current economic situation continues to provide challenges that are diffi cult to overcome alone. Every company is looking to take costs out of its operations and seeking to fi nd

innovative solutions to generating new business and retaining existing clients. Networking is a vital strategy in these market conditions, and this event will provide a discreet and quality networking opportunity for you, whether you are a third party operator, own account operator or a supplier to industry.

Att ending the lunch will be a Principal Guest and Speakers as well as leading Logistics Directors and CEOs together with suppliers f rom I rela nd a nd leading UK companies with business links in Ireland.

Th e event is organised b y t h e U n i t e d Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) on beha l f of t he

International Federation of Warehousing Logistics Associations (IFWLA) and the Confederation Europeene de l’Entreposage et de la Logistique (CEEL). It is supported by CILT (Ireland) and Fleet Transport magazine. A major Cross-Border initiative will be announced on the day.

Th e hotel is also off ering us a special rate of £100 twin/double B&B and £80 single B&B which should be booked direct with the hotel. Please contact: Nora Hanna at [email protected] or tel: 048 437 21010 and she will be pleased to book the accommodation for you.

I so hope that you will be able to att end the lunch and please contact Jacquie Corderoy at: [email protected] for the booking form. Tickets are priced from €59 for UKWA/IFWLA/CEEL members or €71 for non-members. Th ank you, Roger Williams, CEO, UKWA.

WAREHOUSING

Logistic's indispensable role should be appreciated

Make a date for annual Networking Lunch - 16 March 2011





A s you might already know, I am quite involved with the ‘All Island Freight Forum’ (AIFF) project which has been set up under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental body arising out of the Good Friday Agreement. At its simplest, the objective of

the Forum is to develop a solid basis for Freight Transport policies, both for freight moving on the island of Ireland and that moving internationally. Th e project had been announced by the then Minister Noel Dempsey T.D., at a Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) Dinner two years ago, but it is only now really gett ing underway.

Arising out of the work that we have been doing with the Irish Exporters Association’s (IEA) Rail Freight Group I have been given the responsibility of leading the Working Group tasked with looking at rail freight and other alternative transport modes to road. Glenn Murphy of the Irish Marine Develoment Offi ce (IMDO) has been tasked with driving the whole International Connectivity Agenda taking in Sea freight, Air freight, Ports and Airports and it has already become clear that, as Coastal Shipping is one of the specifi ed alternative freight transport modes and that any Irish rail freight will be moving into and out of Ports, there will be considerable overlap in the two work programmes.

Other AIFF programmes cover Road freight in all of its aspects with emphasis on competitiveness, compliance, eco-effi ciency and safety. Th e work is also backed up by organisations including the Central Statistics Offi ce and their Northern counterparts seeking to develop accurate and useful data on which a rational freight transport policy would be based.

As part of my initial work I went to Belfast last week and met with Mal McGreevy, the General Manager for Rail Services within the Translink Organisation. As it happened I had taken the opportunity when travelling to Belfast on the train to start reading Peter Rigney’s recently published 'Trains, Coal and Turf ' which carries the sub-title 'Transport in Emergency Ireland'. I am still only half way through the book but the picture that is emerging was of an Ireland, particularly during the 1939 to 1942 period that was slowly being strangled by a lack of imported petrol, diesel and, most important, high-grade coal. First, cars began to disappear off the roads, and then buses, passenger train services became fewer and less reliable as what litt le coal there was had to be used for freight trains needed to move essential supplies. Th ere were many “Are Ye Right Th ere, Michael...” stories of passengers scouring the bogs near the trackside looking for something to burn to keep the train on the move, but, unlike the Percy French song, this was no laughing matt er. Rigney was painting a picture of a country that was going into a fuel starved melt-down.

A quick cup of coff ee and morale restored, I heading into the meeting with Mal McGreevy. Pleasantries over, we got down to the real meat of the conversation, the AIFF 'Rail Freight and other Alternatives' discussion. Th en, he began to explain that the railway business is one in which investment timescales are very long. Rolling Stock would have an expected life span of forty years or more while the infrastructure, tracks, stations and so on would be in place for a great deal longer.

So far so good, but then came the rude awakening. He began to speculate as to what the fossil fuel situation was likely to be in a mere thirty year’s time. At that point much of the present equipment in use and all of the infrastructure would be well within its useful lifetime, but would there be enough diesel or compatible bio-fuels available to power not only his trains but also the trucks, buses and cars that are seen as essential to enable people to go about their daily business and to allow goods to be manufactured and transported? In my mind, Peter Rigney’s trains, no coal and quite unsuitable turf, came into my mind again. Are we heading for a re-run of the Wartime scenario?

Well, perhaps not if you are coming from the Northern Ireland Railways’ perspective. Mal’s view was that Governments in UK and Ireland in particular, should accept the reality that, in thirty years’ time and thenceforth, oil and coal will be unavailable certainly in Europe and, yes, there may be some LNG and some Bio-diesel, but that the real power is going to electricity. Th at electricity will be generated from wind and wave power with nuclear

power, however unpopular, playing a crucial role in smoothing the fl ow of power so as to meet needs. Th e logic of his position dictates that the most urgent transport project on this island is the electrifi cation of the combined railway networks. In doing this, Ireland Inc. is doing no more than most of Europe has done within the last fi ft y years while we have been dozing in diesel heaven. His view is that the cost of electrifi cation of the network would even at present fuel prices, be recouped within ten years, but if diesel prices continue to increase at their current rate, then the payback period might be a lot shorter. I am no railway techie but I understand that electric locomotives have another major advantage over diesel insofar as they are considerably lighter and do a lot less damage to tracks enabling speeds to be kept up on the network.

But where does this leave the whole business of the Motorway network, Euro 5 going onto Euro 6 trucks and all of that? Now that, actually, is the very big question and no transport policy for freight or for passenger transport can move off the drawing board without some clear answers.

COMMENT

Text: Howard Knott – howard@fl eet.ie FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 45

Electric power to fuel freight

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LEGAL

46 FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 Text: Jonathan Lawton – jonathan@fl eet.ie

I t is clear that, if the European Commission (EC) is to work eff ectively, legislation that is common to the activities of each member state must be harmonised. It is, therefore inevitable, that the EC will be making continuing eff orts to harmonise all the relevant legislation.

Th e impact of this approach has been felt particularly by the road transport industry, and industry in which the daily operational requirements have changed beyond recognition. By way of example it is only necessary to look at the need for transport managers and drivers to hold a Certifi cate of Professional Competence.

Th ese administrative tasks have a particular impact on small companies, and, in some cases have made it impossible for the company to continue in business. Unhappily a recent EC Directive is a very good example of this need for increased administrative activity.

Directive 2009/101/EC requires that the basic documents of a company shall be disclosed to enable third parties to ascertain their contents and any other company information. It also requires that details of any person who is authorised to bind the company are disclosed. Th e information, which can be notifi ed electronically, will be stored in a central registry and will be accessible by anyone who is interested. Copy documents will also be available.

It will be appropriate to display a statement of these compulsory particulars on the company lett er heading and on company order forms. Predictably the same information must be available on any company website. It now seems likely that this Directive will become law in 2012.

Th e documents whose disclosure will be mandatory are: -Th e company’s Articles of Association• Any amendments to those Articles• A repetition of the complete articles including the amendments• Th e appointment and particulars of any person authorised to represent • the company in dealings with others, or in legal proceedings. It must be clear whether that person may act alone.Th e amount of the subscribed capital if the articles specify an • authorised amount.Th e required accounting documents for each year.• Any change in the company’s registered offi ce.•

Th e Directive provides that the information may be stored by electronic means but leaves the detail of the process to be determined by the Member State. However it must be possible to obtain either paper copies or copies by electronic means. Importantly there is a proviso that certain old documents may be excluded from this need for disclosure.

Member States are required to ensure that any documents obtained from a central registry will be certifi ed as being correct and accurate copies.

Chapter 3 of the Directive sets out to deal with tactics that have been used by companies to avoid liability by denying that those responsible for an agreement had authority to act. Th e relevant articles are 8, 9, and 10.

Where contracts are entered into in the name of a company before it has been legally formed and subsequently liability for the contract is denied, those individuals who entered into the agreement will be personally liable.

Where a contract is entered into which may be out with the declared objects of the company the contract will still be binding.

More importantly, even if the limits on the authority of those acting for the company have been disclosed, those limits may not be relied on against third parties.

Th e fi nal form of the Directive will be aff ected by the way in which the Irish legislators bring it into the domestic legislation but, whatever the fi nal approach my be, it is clear that any limited company, whatever its activities may be, will be well advised to look at all the relevant documentation to avoid

any nasty surprises. It is important that, so far as is possible, the transport industry ensures that its voice is heard in the EC when these Directives are under discussion. Th is Directive, of course, aff ects any limited company but it is inevitably the smaller companies that are going to fi nd the greatest diffi culty in achieving compliance with the legislation.

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With exhibitors ranging fromcommercial vehicle and tankermanufacturers, to thoseproviding every possible industryproduct and service you couldimagine, FPS EXPO 2011is truly a ‘one stop shop’.

Plus FPS EXPO 2011 is anexcellent networking opportunitytoo; everyone and anyone in thissector will be there.

For free entry, register onlinetoday at www.fpsshow.co.uk

A date for your diary: 13 & 14 April 2011 Harrogate International Centre

��

REPORT 11


To prove that a strong entrepreneurial spirit still exists in Ireland a record number of entries were received by the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (Eastern Section) for its 2011 Innovator

& Student Idea of the Year Awards. In announcing the winners Monica Murphy Eastern Sector stated, “It is encouraging to know that our students and entrepreneurs are still full of ideas and enthusiasm as this is what is required in these very challenging times.”

Nightline, the Nationwide Company won the 2011 Innovator of the Year Award. Th e judging panel deemed that this entry demonstrated how innovation is becoming an integral part of our culture. “Th e innovation culture was shown by the approach used in researching the customer needs and the commitment in utilising cutt ing edge soft ware,” the citation read. It continued, “Nightline has developed a sophisticated IT system called SMARTSHIP which was developed in-house by the Company’s own team of soft ware developers in Dublin. Th is system controls all aspects of parcel and pallet distribution and allows customers to track progress of their deliveries on-line and in real time.” Th e judges felt that what stood out in this entry was that Nightline would not compromise on its objectives and found new solutions when there was no standard solution available.

Th e Student Idea of the Year Category winners were as follows:-

Safety Category – Student’s Names: Olgierd Gosztowtt , Peter Istenes and Paul Jacobsen from NUIG (Galway). Lecturer’s Name: Mary Dempsey. Idea: Traffi c Garden – A Traffi c Training Park for Young People

Road Category – Student’s Name: Darren O’Reilly from DIT Aungier Street (Dublin). Lecturer’s Name: Eileen Doran. Idea: E4Z – a car-pooling initiative

SEA Category – Student’s Names: Jason McDonagh, Cathal McCormack, Kieran McDonnell from NUIG (Galway). Lecturer’s Name: Mary Dempsey. Idea: Shock Mitigation System

Special Recognition Award – Student: Anthony Shanahan. College: DIT Bolton Street (Dublin). Lecturer: Declan Allen. Idea: Addressing Abuse of Disabled Parking Places

Th e winner of a new Eastern Section CILT/Wincanton internship was also announced on the night with Richard Butler from UCD being the successful candidate while the Lecturer of the Year 2011 went to Declan Allen from DIT Bolton Street.

CILT honours Innovator & Student Ideas

Pictured at the CILT Eastern Section Awards are L-R: Seamus Cleere (HazChem Training Ltd.), Monica Murphy (Eastern Section Chairperson), NUIG Students with Mary Dempsey (Course Lecturer) and RTE's Duncan Stewart.

Idea of the Year Award 2011L-R: Seamus Cleere (HazChem Training Ltd.), Monica Murphy (Eastern Section Chairperson), Darren O'Reilly fr om DIT Aungier Street, Dr. Garrett FitzGerald and RTE's Duncan Stewart.

Innovator Of Th e Year 2011Award L-R: Monica Murphy (Eastern Section Chairperson), John Tuohy (CEO Nightline), Dr. Garrett FitzGerald and RTE's Duncan Stewart.

T he single biggest issue in Irish Road Transport at present is the dramatic rise in diesel cost and the inability of operators to apply a diesel surcharge to customers in order to survive in business.

In the UK market a diesel surcharge is a common factor in any contract between an operator and their customer. Th is contract or agreement can either be writt en or a verbal agreement and a precedence set. Th e logical thinking behind this is that the operator is expected to quote for work based on the most productive and economical means of carrying out the task, and this competitive cost has one key variable outside the operator’s control, which is the cost of diesel. If operators do not have this diesel surcharge in place its quotation will have to be higher to cover the risk of a diesel cost increase or else not commit resources to a long term contract.

In Ireland Diesel Surcharge agreements occur with some semi-state bodies, some of our indigenous food co-ops and with some operators who carry out specialised work as sole operators for niche customers. Th e reason behind this normally is that the operators and customers developed their business in tandem with each other and the transport element of the business is a crucial link in bringing product to market that the manufacturer cannot aff ord to alter in the short to medium term.

If you are in business and you have one key cost (diesel cost) you look at ways of reducing your exposure to this risk. Progressive transport operators in Ireland have looked at alternatives to diesel (pure plant oil being one), however the cost of this product has escalated in line with diesel cost so the logic of having a second energy source to safeguard against cost increases did not materialise. Th e availability of the product is an issue and also technical problems have been experienced by operators in using the product. Th e second factor that transport operators could not implement was to hedge forward against the cost of a diesel cost increase. Th e volume and cost of doing this was prohibitive and it did not guarantee against excise duty increases, a factor that has added one third of our recent diesel cost increase.

In 2009 and 2010 operators have looked at every possible way of improving the MPG of their fl eet. Th e biggest savings are made by driver training and monitoring of usage.

Th ere is a perception that the large own-account fl eets we see on Irish roads are ineffi cient. Th e opposite is the case where they were monitoring individual runs daily, in order to ascertain individual vehicle and driver performance. Other factors such as engine/ gearbox oils, fuel additives and make and spec of vehicle are all factors scrutinised by operators. Maintenance and tyres are further factors, that combined, can account for a 25% diff erence in fuel usage from one operator to another. Don’t be under any allusion, all these factors will be asked by your customer if they are of a size to employ a competent logistics manager and if they are not they can employ consultants that will carry out the function.

WARNING: At present operators that do not have a diesel surcharge in place and approach their customers to implement a surcharge are met with the att itude of ‘no surcharge and here are our requirements for a rate decrease’. Some customers are using the recession to reduce costs and increase margins, but many customers are genuinely struggling for survival like the majority of operators. While other customers have a vested interest in retaining you as a service provider as they know the market conditions and realise that short term gains from switching an operator will be off set by lower service levels, the new operator either going out of business or looking at a realistic rate increase in the medium term. So, overall a negative result for both the current operator and customer. You need to know your customer before you approach them for a meeting. At present groupage operators are being squeezed out of business by network bosses. General hauliers are quoting ridiculous rates for volume, and UK logistics giants are quickly growing and picking off market share.

Diesel Fuel Surcharge - ExplainedTh e 5 key issues are:1) What is a diesel fuel surcharge?2) How is it calculated?

3) How do you approach your customer/ present your proposal?4) What happens if it is refused?5) What is the next step? A diesel surcharge is an agreed format to compensate both customer and operator for the fl uctuations in diesel cost.

To calculate a diesel surcharge we need to set a base rate for diesel (92 cent in Jan 10). We need the current cost of diesel (€1.10 February 2011). Th at’s a 20% increase. If diesel is 32% of overall costs, then 20% x 32% is 6.4% rate increase.

Many operators have adopted the approach of “let sleeping dogs lie” so don’t interact with the customer. In many cases not the best approach because if you are not talking to your customer you can bet the competition is and also be under no illusion the customer will have no hesitation in looking for you for a rate decrease.

It may surprise you but many operators are gett ing rate increases in lieu of surcharge and are sett ing a marker for further diesel cost increases. It may not be the full amount required and may be compensating for decreases given previously but it does signify that customers need reputable operators that they can rely on in the future.

If the customer will not give a diesel surcharge and the meeting is purely for a rate decrease then review your operation without the customer, by downscaling. Can you survive short term with less sales revenue? Can you cut costs in line with turnover education? Bott om line, what is your walk away point with this customer, who will they go to and can your business survive without them? Also ask the question can your business survive with them and if they are that desperate to cut costs what is their underlying fi nancial strength?

FINANCE

Business Profi tability and Diesel Surcharge

48 FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 Text: Donal Dempsey – donal@fl eet.ie

MAN Importers Irl, Dublin 12. Tel: 01 419 1300Dennehy Commercials, Limerick. Tel: 061 229900 Cork. Tel: 021 488 3344MS Commercials, New Ross. Tel: 051 422277

O’Reilly Commercials, Ballinalack. Tel: 044 93 71360Newtown Trucks, Newtowncunningham. Tel: 074 91 56666Athenry Truck Centre Ltd., Galway. Tel: 091 849 375

Call to your nearest MAN Dealer for further details:

Text: Ailbe Burke FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 49

TECHNICAL

I n last month’s edition we looked at the systems of the truck which supply the trailer with air to operate the trailer brakes and also covered the mechanical

braking components such as the disc and drum brake set up.

In this issue we explain the complete air brake operating circuit of a semi-trailer.

Just to recap, air is supplied to the trailer via the trailer control valve Fig 1 which is fi tt ed to the truck. Th is valve is connected to the Primary, Secondary and Park brake circuits of the truck. So if we remember the numbering format for ports on air valves we can see from the trailer control valve that 41 is the primary circuit input, 42 is the secondary circuit input and 43 the park brake circuit. 11 is the main feed to the valve from the park brake tank of the truck, 21 is the supply line to the trailer air tank (Red Suzie) and 22 (Yellow Suzie) is the signal pressure (Foot Brake Applied) which activates the emergency relay which in turn allows air to fl ow from the trailer air tank and on to apply the trailer.

Figure 1 Wabco

Th e yellow line supplies a signal pressure to the relay emergency valve which in turn allows air from the trailer air tank to travel down to the brake cylinders to apply the brake. Th e red Suzie supplies the trailer air tank with air as well as releasing the spring brake chambers to allow the trailer to be towed.

Figure 2 Suzie’s

Th e Relay Emergency valve as the name suggests acts as a normal relay valve during braking application and also acts as an emergency valve if there is a sudden interruption in supply of air to the trailer where it will automatically apply the trailer brakes. In some instances the relay emergency valve has a load sensing function built into the valve (Fig 4) or in other cases the load sensing valve is a separate valve fi tt ed in conjunction with the emergency relay valve.

Figure 3 Haldex

Figure 4 diagram shows a simple semi-trailer tandem axle arrangement with spring brake chambers. Th e red line shows the air supply to the relay emergency load sensing valve, the air tank and the shunt or manoeuvring valve. As the air tank is being fi lled air pressure is also applied to the Park or 12 ports of the spring brakes, this overcomes the spring pressure and releases the park brake. Th e manoeuvring valve is a very useful addition to a trailer for those who use a shunt truck for loading and repairing trailers as the trailer can be manoeuvred without connecting the Suzies. Th is can only be done if there is suffi cient air pressure in the trailer air tank.

Because the manoeuvring valve diverts air pressure from the air tank to the relay emergency load sensing valve this provides the trailer with the same operating conditions as a direct supply

from the tractor unit and allows the spring brakes to be released. Th e Yellow line represents the control signal pressure which when applied through port 4 allows air pressure from the trailer air tank to fl ow out through the delivery ports 2 and on to the service ports or ports 11 of the brake chambers and apply the brakes. Th e load sensing part of the valve regulates the amount of air pressure being applied which is dependent on the weight of the load placed on the trailer, i.e. if the trailer is empty you might get 2 bar pressure applied to the brake chambers or when the trailer is fully laden you could get 6 bar pressure applied. Th e number of ports 2 on the relay emergency (load sensing) valve determines the type of valve or trade name of the valve where you might hear terms like RE6 that means the valve has 6 delivery ports 2 or RE4 has 4 delivery ports.

Legislation and technology improvements has seen ABS (anti-locking brakes), EBS (electronic braking systems), RSP (roll stability Programs) and anti-collision technology used on modern trucks and trailers which has increased safety for driver’s and other road users.

Information supplied byDepartment of Mechanical & Automobile Engineering,Limerick Institute of Technology,Moylish,Limerick.

Truck Brakes Part 1X

Figure 4 WABCO

Dennison Commercials Ltd Ballyclare, Co Antrim

Tel: 00 44 28 9335 2827

Coleraine, Co Londonderry

Tel: 00 44 28 7032 1155

Dungannon, Co Tyrone

Tel: 00 44 28 8772 2220

Newry, Co Down

Tel: 00 44 28 3026 5425

Irish Commercials (Sales) Ltd Naas, Co Kildare

Tel: 00 353 45 879881

Glennascaul, Oranmore,

Co. Galway

Tel : 00 353 91 790500

McCarthy Commercials Ltd Clonlara, Co Clare

Tel: 00 353 61 356360

Ring Road, Kilkenny

Tel: 00 353 56 773 4200

Watergrasshill, Co Cork

Tel: 00 353 21 488 9700

McDonnell Commercials Ltd Monaghan, Co Monaghan

Tel: 00 353 47 83588

Murphy Commercials Ltd Galway, Co Galway

Tel: 00 353 91 739700

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A ll business entities are subject to some form of regulation designed to ensure they operate in a manner which society deems to be legally and morally correct.

Business lobby groups argue strongly that high levels of bureaucracy stifl e the ability of companies to develop and grow. As with most arguments, there are always two sides to consider. On occasion offi cialdom does restrain growth by imposing directives, which are sometimes unworkable, but oft en deter the implementation of new ideas because it is just not worth the hassle. On the other hand, regulation is necessary to guarantee minimum standards for customers and some level of fairness for competitors.

However, the body of legislation, which applies to the waste industry, is enormous. Few industries are so heavily regulated and subject to such constant scrutiny. Almost every Government Department has some input into the regulation of the waste transport sector. Each creating their own guidelines and procedures, which must be implemented by the companies who do the work. Th e waste industry may be perceived by the general public as an unfortunate necessity and something that does not really aff ect them. Once they have wheeled the correct colour bin out on the right day, they have made their contribution. Nevertheless, because we all create waste in some form we are all involved, and will be more involved in the future.

It stands to reason that managing waste products will never be the most glamorous areas of work and will usually bring polite dinner conversation to an abrupt end. Historically we simply threw anything we no longer required into landfi ll, but that idea has long since changed. Th e original landfi ll sites were not an issue as they had ‘always been there’. However, as the sites became full any proposed enlargements or att empts to open new tips would meet with ferocious opposition from several quarters, not just local residents. So began the culture of reduce, reuse and recycle.

Th e need to fi nd alternative solutions to landfi ll has transformed the industry. Turning it into one of the most creative and forward thinking sectors in business today –arguably on par with the (beloved) IT companies.

Within the industry, the range of companies are vast and comprises many small or medium enterprises providing skips to the domestic market and small businesses within a certain local area. It also contains several large private companies who operate on a nationwide basis, many of whom have become household names. In addition, there is also semi-State bodies and County Councils whose work oft en goes unnoticed as they collect during the night or early morning, with most people only aware of them once a fortnight.

Only when vehicle numbers are totalled does the size of the sector become apparent. Th e industry is very labour intensive, with a high proportion of vehicles requiring two or three crewmembers, in addition to the driver. Operations at the recovery plants also demand a large workforce to grade product and manage the administration side.

Few outside the industry appreciate the continuous investment in vehicles and machinery necessary to operate in this business. To observe this fi rst hand Fleet Transport paid a visit to the South Dublin County Council’s (SDCC) transfer station at Ballymount - just off the M50.

With the exception of a few ‘Dennis Eagle’ units, the fl eet consists of Mercedes-Benz Econic 8x4’s with fully automatic six-speed Allison Transmissions. We spoke to Paddy Whelehan who manages the maintenance programme for the refuse trucks. Although Paddy works at the facility, he is employed by the specialist bodybuilder ‘Manvik’, which supplies ‘rear end loaders’ to SDCC.

Being purpose built for this type of operation the award winning low entry Econic has proven reliable on SDCC’s regular collection services. While the units do not cover great distances, the ancillary equipment works hard - and in tough conditions. Apart from small running repairs, the bulk of Paddy’s work is to ensure the trouble free operation of the onboard technologies that control the operating systems - such as bin lift ing, tag reading and a host of integrated safety systems.

Showing us around one of the units, which cost in excess of €150,000 - it is easy to see where the money goes. While onboard systems monitor and control all functions relating to what the vehicle is doing, tag readers scan the bin to see if the customer’s accounts are up to date. Once the account is okay, the bin is weighed and lift ed - if the account is in arrears, the bin is replaced. On arrival, back at base all statistics from the days run is remotely uploaded to SDCC main offi ce in Tallaght.

Paddy said that one aspect of his work, which is becoming ever more important “is keeping up to date with changes in Health and Safety Regulations” and ensuring Manvik’s vehicles are fully compliant. Due to the nature of the work there are some unique operational requirements demanded of refuse vehicles. As an example, he explains that when the truck is in working mode a speed limiter automaticically engages to restrict road-speed to a maximum of 30 kp/h.

FEATURE

'Finding value in what we no longer want'


Trucks are kept for approximately six years and the bodies for twice that time. On future developments in refuse collection Paddy states, “there have been some trials with the use of electric motors to drive the lift ing mechanisms” adding that we may soon see the “use of Twin Pack split bodies, which are split one-third / two-thirds, allowing them to collect product from brown and grey bins at the same time” – thus reducing the number of journeys accordingly.

Collecting waste is only one element of the equation, what happens to the waste aft er is perhaps a more important issue. When asked most people are at best unsure, some understand that it goes ‘somewhere’ to get sorted. However, aft er that the trail goes cold. Pacon Waste & Recycling is one of the ‘somewheres’, product goes to get sorted.

Th e company began operations in 2003 and its Materials Recovering Facility (MRF) just off the M1 in Balbriggan, County Dublin - is immaculate. Pacon’s customer base includes many ‘blue chip’ companies in the hospitality, retail and aviation sectors, all of which demand superior levels of cleanliness. From small domestic skips to hook and rear end loaders, waste is brought into the MRF to be graded. An integrated scanning system ensures full traceability of all products entering the MRF. Using the most up to date methods, materials recovery rates are touching 85% with the remaining 15% going to landfi ll.

Has the downturn in the economy affected incoming volumes? Pacon’s Director Pat Garvey explained that “yes, volumes are down for everyone across the board; in particular product from the construction sector has reduced”. On a tour of the MRF Pat explains how waste transits through the plant from weigh-in to fi nal destination. Dealing with so many diff erent products is a complicated process, but heavy investment in machinery and technology means the plant operates effi ciently.

Pacon has added two special purpose ‘drainage service vehicles’ to the fl eet. Th e high-tech units can internally examine and map drainage systems using a remote control CCTV. It also checks for

blockages and locates damaged sections. Blockages are cleared with the trucks high-pressure cleaning system and small repairs can be completed without the need to break ground. Th is type of investment typifi es the industries willingness to invest and diversify into associated areas of work. Waste recovery companies are highly creative users of technology. Keeping track of equipment is just one important and time-consuming factor of the business. While a great deal of technology available does not necessarily improve operational effi ciency - in that it simply records data. One company ‘Outt rak’ based at Rathcoole, County Dublin has designed and marketed a hand held data unit, which has completely eliminated the need for paper dockets. Th eir extremely robust device was originally developed for use in food companies, but is now establishing itself as a valuable tool for managing waste transport. ‘Th ornton’s Recycling’ is a keen user of the system and has realised savings on a number of fronts. In addition to

tracking individual skips, Outt rak arranges delivery schedules, logs wasted journeys and collects signatures.

Arguably, the greatest benefi t of Outt rak is in reducing Debtor Days. Once a job is completed and signed for, the data automatically is sent via the GSM network back to the server, where an Invoice is raised and immediately emailed to customers. Having your Invoices with the customer hours before the truck is back in the yard, without having to chase PODs, process the paperwork and post, will dramatically reduce administration, and more importantly reduce debtor days.

Outrank fi ts well in the waste business and when linked to fl ow meters is now providing effi ciencies for fuel suppliers. Th e devices are accurately recording data on complicated multi-drop deliveries to retail outlets, helping to eliminate time consuming and costly discrepancies.

FEATURE

Text & Photos: Paul White - paul@fl eet.ie FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 53

The volume of reports, planning objections, and letters to media organisations, debating the pros and

cons of the ‘Poolbeg Incinerator’ - have possibly created its own waste problem. For anyone not immediately aff ected by the Incinerator to sift through the volumes writt en on the subject and fi nd an impartial view is not easy.

Both sides present valid arguments supported by credible studies making it diffi cult to choose. Unfortunately on closer examination, most submissions represent the view of a vested interest that is either for or against the instillation. Oft en such prolonged and in-depth arguments create a state of ‘paralysis of analyses’ - whereby nothing can be resolved. Eventually a decision is arrived at by an appointed group or body, who may not fully understand the issues. Th is process can result in poor decisions then being implemented.

It is somewhat ironic that each side claims the other side’s statistics are misleading and bogus. When the fi gures quantifying the volume of waste needed to make the Incinerator viable, it should be easy to establish. Also fi gures detailing the exact volume and category of waste being produced are instantly available from every refuse truck that lift s a bin. Th ere should be no argument as to the potential feasibility of the project as the fi gures are readily available; therefore, the answer is some relatively simple mathematics.

Concerns regarding any possible environmental impact are a separate debate. This is not just an issue that aff ects the Ringsend area, currently Dublin’s waste is being transported to neighbouring counties. With the further development of incineration as a means to solve our waste problem, it will quickly become a national question.

Incineration brings one major change to the waste issue, in that incineration changes waste into a commodity - which can be traded. Th e product now has a value where before it only created costs. As the number of landfi ll sites continues to decline

from almost 100 in 1995 to the current 30 licensed facilities, the value of the commodity can only increase. Th is may create some opportunities for waste transporters and MRFs. Th e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that -“during 2009, Local Authorities in Ireland investigated approximately 60,000 environmental complaints”, adding that - “the majority of these complaints relate to waste and litt er– however a signifi cant portion relate to water pollution, noise and other issues of air/odour”. In fact, 71% of all complaints against licensed waste facilities related to odour.

Last year the Agency brought 12 prosecutions in the District Courts under Waste, WEEE and Environmental Protection Regulations. At hearings between February and July 2010, six of these cases resulted in fi nes totalling €6,450. Interestingly the cost of bringing the prosecutions was €31,175. In all cases costs were awarded to the EPA. It should be noted that not all of the prosecutions were against licensed waste businesses. It is also worth highlighting that considering the size of the industry and the volume of product handled, the number of contraventions is in fact quite small.

Irrespective of what methods are employed to manage the materials we no longer want – waste management will always create a diffi culty for someone. Yet the resourceful and imaginative people who work in the waste transport industry will - if allowed - fi nd solutions to what is everyone’s problem.

M749R249 M749 R109R249

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Fuel eff iciency and r e d u c e d C O 2 e m i s s i o n s w e r e

the deciding factors for Wincanton, one of the leading European supply chain providers on purchasing eleven new aerodynamic high cube trailers from Don-Bur for its Wavin contract. Th e trailers also come with a host of safety features.

Th e bespoke 13.7m long, tri-axle step-frames sport the Don-Bur ‘EcoStream’ curved front roof section, which has been aerodynamically proven to reduce drag and therefore, fuel.

Running in Wavin livery, the new curtainsiders have been specifi ed to cater for Wavin’s pipe-carrying requirements. Seven central support pillars, running down the length of the trailer, have been engineered to accept twelve moveable, cantilever arm racks, that can be positioned at any

height and provide the fl exibility to forklift -load a wide variety of diff ering radius pipework. If required, these padded-top arms can be stowed on-trailer in a specially built storage box located on the nearside at the rear. Th e benefi t of the racking system is a higher percentage load-fi ll and lower resultant delivery miles.

Wincanton is passionate about maintaining a high safety standard and these trailers incorporate a signifi cant number of features designed to reduce injury risk:-

‘Easyglide’ curtain rollers provide low • resistance curtain-openingCurtain strap assemblies have been stress-• rated at 1500kgAll load restraint straps are labelled to • comply with BS EN 121952 sets of ‘Fall-arrest’ cables and harnesses • have been specifi ed for work at heightReverse sensors and indicators provide • added awareness of object proximity at the rear4 sets of pull-out access steps – each with • supporting ‘3 point contact’ grab polesRecessed additional tread steps in trailer • stepAll access areas have been fi nished with • high visibility grit fl ooringProvision of a bespoke working platform • (700mm above fl oor) at rear with integral access ladder and safety gates.

Schmitz Cargobull has increased prices on all of its products with immediate eff ect. Th is aff ects the box vehicles, platform

vehicles, tippers and container chassis. More price rises are imminent according to Europe’s leading trailer manufacturers.

Th e costs of energy-intensive primary products required for trailer construction, such as steel, aluminium and plastic, are currently reaching record highs as a result of large increases in oil and raw material prices. In addition, increasing

worldwide demand for primary and semi-fi nished products, like tyres and rims, also exerts a massive infl uence on the market situation. To date, Schmitz Cargobull has been able to absorb previous increases. However, the current situation requires price adjustments and these vary depending on the vehicle type.

As medium-term procurement contracts are subject to volatile market conditions and the development of supply and demand (for wood, oil, steel, aluminium, zinc, etc.) on the

commodities exchanges Schmitz Cargobull cannot rule out further price increases over the course of 2011.

Dennison Trailers has just supplied fast-growing container haulier Goldstar with 156 of its award-winning bogie

skeletal semi-trailers to augment its 300 strong trailer fl eet and replace a number of its older units.

Unlike the Felixstowe-based company’s 260 tractor units, which are sourced from a number of manufacturers, all the trailers in the fl eet are Dennisons.

Goldstar Director, Simon Day explained why, “Over the years we have forged a great partnership with Dennison and have found the company to be very responsive to all our needs. In today’s highly competitive environment being able to rely on your suppliers is crucial.”

“As far as we are concerned Dennison trailers are perfect for the work we do. Th ey are tough, reliable and the back-up support is terrifi c, which makes our job so much easier. We know that with Dennison, trailers are one less thing that

we have to worry about.”

Th e new trailers are fi tt ed out to Goldstar’s specifi cation with BPW ECO Plus 2 axles with drum brakes. Th e chassis, which are fi nished in hard-wearing PPG Paint two pack epoxy primer and top coat, come with Knorr Bremse EBS and raise and lower facility. Th ere is a push pull valve for air operated chassis locking pins and a valve that raises the suspension when reverse is selected to avoid damage to mudfl aps and mudguards. Th e unladen weight of the trailers is a competitive 4,800 kgs.

TRAILER


Wincanton invests in New Green Wavin fl eet

Schmitz Cargobull increases prices

Goldstar – dedicated to Dennison




16 March 2011


Following publication in February’s 'Fleet Maritime' there have been a number of Developments with regard to Ferry

operators.

Belfast to Birkenhead route – the UK Offi ce of • Fair Trading has decided to refer to purchase of this service, vessels and terminals to the UK Competition Authority. Th e takeover is also subject to a ruling by the Irish Competition Authority. Th e service is currently operating under the brand Stena Line Irish Sea Ferries as a standalone company and bookings continue to be made through the DFDS Seaways website. Stena commented to 'Fleet' on the second referral; “Stena Line’s decision to acquire the DFDS routes was taken primarily to improve its service to customers. Th e routes fi t strategically within Stena Line’s network and have the potential to help the company develop its business over the medium to long term. Th e complex nature of the acquisition always had the potential to

att ract a Competition Commission referral, but Stena Line is confi dent that the acquisition will receive full approval, thus enhancing the logistics service for the people and economy of Northern Ireland.”

Dublin to Heysham route. Th is service • dropped by DFDS Seaways on 14 January has been restored by Seatruck using the same

1050 lane metre vessel which had previously operated the service.

Seatruck has transferred its Dublin terminal • to the former DFDS/ Norfolk Line location at the eastern end of the Port. Th is terminal was originally built for Coastal containers and is rail connected.

P & O Ferries has announced the replacement • of the 1500 lane metre Norcape on the Dublin / Liverpool route with the 2000 lane metre, European Endeavour. Th e three round trip sailings each day will now be operated by similar capacity vessels. Th e line is yet to confi rm whether or not passenger and tourist traffi c will be carried on the third vessel.

Stena Line expects to run the HSS, Stena • Explorer on its Dun Laoghaire / Holyhead route commencing 1 April. Th is vessel will add a further 800 lane metres each day to the line’s Central Corridor export capacity.

SHIPPING & FREIGHT

Irish Sea Ferries with HGV capacity – update

DFDS sisters move on quickly

56 FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 Text: Howard Knott - howard@fl eet.ie

Following closure of its Dublin / Birkenhead route DFDS Seaways has re-deployed the vessel Mersey Viking on its Rosyth to Zeebrugge route. She is running there in a freight only mode but with substantial capacity of drivers accompanying its loads.

Sister ship Dublin Viking has been purchased by Stena Ro-Ro. Th is company is a standalone ship owning and chartering business within the Stena group and its client list includes many lines outside the Stena group. At this stage it is unclear as where the vessel will resume service.

Galway Engineering students, Cathal McCormack, Jason McDonagh and Kieran McDonnell, won the 2011 Eastern Section of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Marine

Innovation Award.

Their hydraulic shock mitigation system for use in seats on RIBs (Rigid Infl atable Boats) could, if developed and adopted, greatly increase the effi ciency of such craft and reduce the risk of back and other injuries.

Dublin Port has reported a 6.1% increase in cargo volumes through the Port for 2010, to 28.1 million tonnes. Th is is 10% less than the peak year of 2007.

Th e gap between Imports and Exports continued to close with export volumes up by over 12% to 11.2 million tonnes while the more modest 2.4% increase in imports brought that fi gure up to just under 17 million tonnes.

Th e strongest growth came from Ro-Ro freight units with an increase of almost 13% to 725,665, which is less than 1% down on the record 2007 fi gure. A major factor in this growth was the development of the Cobelfret services to Rott erdam and Zeebrugge. Lo-Lo container traffi c also grew, but at a more modest 1.1% to reach 554,259 TEU.

Looking forward to 2011, Dublin Port CEO, Eamonn O’Reilly said; “For 2011 we are projecting continued growth, albeit at a reduced level compared with 2010. Dublin Port’s success is due to its location at the centre of the largest concentration of population on the island and also the exceptional connections to the national road and rail networks.”

Following many expressions of concern by exporters in south Leinster and Munster, Fleet Maritime spoke with Frank Nieuwenhuys, Stena Line’s Freight Commercial Manager, UK and RoI, about the Line’s

commitment to freight on that corridor.

Mr. Nieuwenhuys commented; “Th e market on the southern corridor has been challenging and freight volumes between southern Ireland and Britain and vice versa fell by around 5% last year when some other areas saw some market growth, albeit modest. On a more positive note, looking forward the future looks brighter with the recent news that the Conygar Group, highly respected property developers, has submitt ed a planning application for an exciting project to construct a state-of-the-art Truck Stop and associated facilities including warehousing on the approaches to the Port of Fishguard itself. As the market recovers this facility and the ongoing investments that are the hallmark of Stena Line’s business approach will be in place.”

During February the line took the Stena Europe out of service for an extensive overhaul including improvements and repairs to her engines. Th e freight ferry Stena Seafarer covered the services in her absence.

Stena re-affi rms its commitment to the Rosslare/Fishguard route

NUIG students win marine innovation award

L-R: Seamus Cleere (HazChem Training Ltd.), Monica Murphy (Eastern Section Chairperson), NUIG Students with Mary Dempsey (Course Lecturer) and RTE’s Duncan Steward and Dr. Garrett Fitzgerald (centre)

Dublin Port reports a much stronger 2010

More Pain still to come

W hen there is an accident or some type of catastrophe you can identify when it started and fi nished. So a serious road crash

may take 30 or 40 seconds to happen, the rescue or recovery operation can take a few hours while the rebuilding, repair or healing for victims may take up to a year. At all times it is easy to establish where you are in the process and while people may feel despair they may get some hope as they see progress and a possible return to normality. Unfortunately our economic recession is not as easy to make any prediction on its progress or when the Country may emerge from it. When did the downturn start? Is the initial event over? Has the recovery started and is there any sign of the rebuilding or healing?

Haulage and transport companies are like all small businesses, they are at the mercy of their customers, suppliers and in some cases the State. Most people are in agreement that the current economic crisis started around the middle of 2008. When did the initial impact fi nish? Well, nobody is quite sure. In fact there is an argument to say the original event is still happening and the impact is not over yet and that we have not seen all the wreckage yet.

For hauliers two events happened very fast. Volumes of business dropped dramatically, in other words less loads. As work became scarce people started to reduce rates to keep trucks busy. Th is sent the pricing structure into free-fall and there it has remained. Companies were forced to reduce costs including drivers’ wages to stay in business. Initially there were some casualties as companies that were at the edge before the downturn became the fi rst victims. For those of us that survived the initial impact we fi nd ourselves trading in a minefi eld and

an unsure future. During the fuel protest in the early 1990s fuel was signifi cantly higher in price and rates were bett er. Fuel is signifi cantly higher now and rates are lower – how can this make sense? Certainly some costs have been reduced but not by that much. Who will survive this crisis? As always it will be the more resourceful companies as they form and forge alliances with each other. When I meet other operators there is a palpable sense of despair and nervousness topped off with anger in any conversation. Newcomers gett ing easy access to fi nance did a lot of damage to small companies. In the old days you needed to have a signifi cant deposit available before you could get fi nance for a truck. During the so-called ‘boom’ a biro and signature seemed to suffi ce.

Rather than humping around the baggage of the past it might be bett er if people that run small companies looked to the future and see how best we can proceed. Unfortunately we cannot do it on our own. We need State assistance, not money. With a new Government in place the Department of Transport have to take ownership of some of our problems. Fuel prices are a high priority. Politicians cannot use the old get-out-clause ‘pass it onto the customer’. Excise and Tax collected on fuel is a bonanza and the more it increases in price the bigger the bonanza for Government coff ers. Carbon Tax, Road Tolling and Rates are just another method of extracting money without value for the transport operator.

I recently met an owner-driver who said he was just about surviving. He felt if his tractor unit would last eight more years he could walk away and survive on his pension. But he said that depends on if he doesn’t get sick, encounters any bad luck and the rate does not get reduced further and

the price of diesel stabilises. A lot of variables there. As he continued to tell his story his frustration was turning to anger. He vented fury at some of the law enforcement agencies. It would be diffi cult to convince this man that these agencies are there to protect his livelihood rather than close him down.

If our industry is to stabilise and emerge as a sector that can provide value for money and our customers and a living and future for ourselves, it will need strong representation to help it. Never before has there been need for a strong trade association like the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA). In times like this members will be very critical because it is a soft target for criticism. Legendary Wexford Hurling Manager Liam Griffi n once told his team aft er a terrible beating that they could not blame the

fans or the media for the performance. You must hurl your way out of this defeat. Similarly the IRHA with the backing of its Members must lobby their way along with the people they represent out of this crisis.

Last year people were saying that if you could see out 2010 you would be fi ne. Now the same people are less sure. Th ey seem to think the recovery is like a mirage at the end of the horizon. Th oughts like that, while understandable should not be entertained. A need for road transport will always exist and while there may be some need for adjustment there will be a future. In the short to medium term you can be sure we will have no new entrants in the business, for no other reason than they will not get fi nance. People in the business will only expand where it makes sense. Rates may stabilise and our pricing structure may go like the budget airlines and we will make our money on the extras.

No doubt there is more pain still to come, but as the patient gets stronger some ground will be regained. We need benchmarking and the new Government must ensure that the level of pain private companies have taken is refl ected in service and value provided by the State. In the meantime we must continue to assist the economy to grow.

OPINION

Text: Sean Murtagh – sean@fl eet.ie FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 57

Operators Desk

by Sean Murtagh




16 March 2011


MOTOR SPORT


Volkswagen Motorsport's Synchronised ServiceJ amiroquai’s Jay Kay once sang about

‘Synchronisity’ and that make-uppy word perfectly describes Volkswagen Motorsport’s

handling of the Service Area at the Dakar Rally. On the tour through Argentina and Chile – nine MAN service trucks, two MAN race trucks plus other support vehicles travelled along the route to support the four VW Race Touareg 3’s. Th eir daily destination at the end of the day is the newly constructed bivouac for the overnight halt.

Each support vehicle endeavours to get the arena, reminiscent of a campsite, based on a plan that is synchronised in every detail.

Th e time schedule varies, depending on the task. Along the assistance route, just before the rally route branches off , one of the MAN TGX service trucks is used to provide service at the start and later, when the two routes merge again, at the fi nish. One Volkswagen Multivan, with engineers and mechanics on board, follows each Race Tourareg before and aft er the Special Stages, while the remainder of the service vehicles wait for the rally vehicles to arrive at the bivouac. All other service trucks and support vehicles directly tackle the prescribed assistance route in order to have fi nished sett ing up the bivouac in time for the rally vehicles’ arrival. Clearly, this follows the principle of leaving nothing to chance during the daily course of events.

72 team members and 20 service vehicles had only two months to prepare for the Dakar onslaught. Th e return of the service vehicles from the Silk Way Rally held in Russia (which VW recorded a 1-2-3 win) meant that the logistics operation team had to work almost around the clock. From transporting people and equipment to the venue

and during the entire rally and organising the service locations through to smooth spare parts supply takes huge planning.

Four trucks specifi cally designed for this purpose are assigned to each of the Race Touareg vehicles during the Dakar Rally. Each of these trucks carries so many spare parts on board that a new Race Touareg could basically be built from them – plus several identical components that are prone to higher wear or risk of damage. Th e preparation of the trucks – including spare parts loading and technical inspections – had to be completed by 23 November 2010. On that day the service trucks, three other equipment and two race trucks (all of which are MAN vehicles) departed for Le Havre in France to board the ship for Buenos Aires where they were received by the team just before the rally started.

Every day the Volkswagen crew sets up a small self-suffi cient town in the bivouac. Stage aft er stage, the team extracts material from the MAN service and equipment trucks transporting a total cargo of 50 tons between them and at lightening

speed sets up a service location totally geared to eff ective and professional maintenance of the rally vehicles, at a diff erent location for each of the rally’s legs.

Th e Volkswagen bivouac is not dependent on any external utilities. For example, each of the service trucks carries its own power generator and water supply.

Unlike the service trucks, the equipment trucks are used to fi t out the bivouac: tents as dust, sun and rain protection for the engineers and the medical department, a kitchen and a team

chef plus showers for the mechanics are on board these vehicles.

Th at Volkswagen prepares food for the crew directly in the bivouac is based on a sound consideration. It saves a great deal of time, allows the crew to get more sleep and, last but not least, helps the mechanics to maintain their strength.

Carefully orchestrated spare parts logistics is another crucial element that assures the smooth fl ow of all processes at the Dakar Rally. In addition to warehouse logistics, this includes quality inspections. Before its potential deployment at the desert classic a supply part, for example, will pass through a complex process before being rated as ‘Dakar’-ready.

For each team member a duff el bag with a one-man tent, a ground pad and a sleeping bag is available for the night. Humid and dry air take turns but the technicians and engineers as well as the drivers and co-drivers of the Race Touareg have to maintain their concentration throughout the whole ‘Dakar’ distance.

T he two MAN race trucks in the Volkswagen team have a special signifi cance. Th ey drive as part of the competition, every minute

counts for them – yet driving for victory in the truck classifi cation is not the crucial part of their mission. Since the race trucks run as registered participants they – unlike the service trucks – use the same route as the four VW Race Touareg 3 vehicles. Should any of the Race Touareg require assistance on the route through Argentina and Chile, the trucks are there to respond quickly, albeit as the only helpers on hand. As soon as the rally vehicles leave the bivouac in the morning they are no longer allowed to accept external help. Only assistance from other participants such as the race trucks is permitt ed. Th erefore, in case of an accident or major failure, the Volkswagen drivers rely on help by the trucks, which can enable them to continue driving.

Unlike the pure racing prototypes with engine power ranging between 700 and 1,200 hp, the trucks used by Volkswagen are production-based vehicles. However, they have been modifi ed by fi tt ing them with components like roll cages, rally suspensions, bucket seats and infl ation pressure control systems. Th e trucks are fi lled to the brim with tools, tyres, spare parts and anything else mechanics need during the rally.

Dieter Depping and François Verbist were at the wheel of the two MAN race trucks. Both of them are seasoned desert drivers who have greatly assisted Volkswagen in the ‘race trucks’ during Dakar events. Th ey not only cover the entire rally route and provide technical assistance in case of emergencies but, in addition, have to service their own trucks aft er each leg and prepare them for the next day.

Th e co-drivers of the race trucks prepare as extensively for the next day as their colleagues in the Race Touareg vehicles. Nights with very few hours of sleep are

the rule. “Th e signifi cance of our fast trucks is oft en underestimated. During the stages they act as reinsurance for the Race Touareg. Arriving is everything, and in line with this principle our fl eet has not lost a single vehicle for technical reasons to date,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. Verbist got the bett er of Depping on this occasion fi nishing just one place ahead in 35th place in the 6x6 MAN TGA 26.480.

Volkswagen Motorsport success is down to MAN

Dakar 2011 will also be remembered as the event that evolved the batt le of the energy drinks – Red Bull (VW & Kamaz),

Monster (BMW X-raid and Mini ALL4 Racing), Loprais (Tatra) were joined for this occasion by Speed Energy brought over from the US by Robbie Gordon. Th e one time Indy Car and Nascar racer has developed his own unique energy enhancing formula with vibrant livery to aid its promotion. Luminous orange coloured racing Hummers

emblazoned with Speed Energy certainly caught the eyes of the spectators and along with Robbie’s unique entertaining style kept viewers happy. Even aft er he was disqualifi ed aft er a lengthy time penalty due to a breakdown on the road section, he kept fans happy by undertaking some demo laps around the Bivouac sites during the Dakar’s stop over posts. What impressed the many visitors to the enclosed Bivouac were his teams vehicle fl eet headed up by a couple of Freightliner Argossy 6x6 rigids.

MOTOR SPORT

Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fl eet.ie FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 59

Team Dessoude – pillar of the Rally Raid community

Mayo mechanics master Monster X-Raid BMW’s!

Leading privateer team Dessoude provided its services to 8 separate crews ranging from Nissan Pick-Ups and Pathfi nders to Buggies

and KTM motorbikes, not to mention its own Mercedes-Benz service truck in the 2011 Dakar. On top of all that Team Dessoude is also taking care of the logistics for Team Mitsubishi Brazil.

Th e French based outfi t that is reported to gain some backing from Nissan is nearing 30 years involvement in Rally Raids around the World. Led by André Dessoude, Team Dessoude has become a pillar of the Rally Raid community.

To enter in the Dakar means careful preparation of all the mechanical aspects but the human side is also vitally important according to André Dessoude. “Th e Dakar places both human and mechanical resources under huge pressure, so I lead a team

as I would a family. Always present, I observe, I look at the people closely, allowing me to guess the worries or expectations of the drivers.”

In all André has to use his management skills on 35 people from 6 diff erent nationalities. Th is year,

Team Dessoude had many ambitions, including to see the brand new Buggy of Isabelle Patissier and navigator husband Th ierry Delli Zott i cross the fi nish line. Built by French transmission specialists Sadev, the new Buggy is powered by a Nissan 3.5 litre V6 engine. “Th e car built by Sadev is really a new concept car, which has many advantages: lower costs, simplifi cation which means great reliability, easier to maintain, light and competitive. Inspired by the Cross-Country endurance races, it is very fast, small and without overhangs, it is extremely agile,” said Isabelle, a former sports climbing champion.

Last year Isabelle became captive of the White Dunes and was forced to retire. Th is time a creditable 16th position was achieved, 2nd in Class Th ree.

David Carney (Westport) and Ian Moore (Louisburgh) were part of the works BMW X-Raid team that took part in the

Dakar Rally 2011 held in Chile and Argentina.

At Acira, on the so-called Rest Day at the half way point in the 9,600 km, 16 day Cross-Country marathon both David and Ian together with another Irishman Steven McMaster from Irvingstown, County Fermanagh were all hard at work stripping down and rebuilding the BMW X3CC rally cars in time for the event restart at 5am the next day.

Once the mechanics had fi nished their technical work, it was all hands on deck to disassemble the service area and transfer it all to the next overnight halt at Antofagasta a 750 km drive South along the Pacifi c Ocean. By the time all that was done, the lads had only 2 hours sleep before the cars came back into service aft er completing another challenging special stage across sand dunes, rough roads and open country. Such is the life at the top level of motorsport! David and Ian are pictured alongside Stephen Schoot and Holm Schmidt’s car which went on to complete the distance just inside the top 20.

Robbie Gordon up to SPEED!

For the second Dakar in a row, Gerard De Rooy has had to withdraw early from the Truck Category. Within days of participation and in a position to put some pressure on the dominance of the Russian

Kamaz team, a back injury sustained in the Silk Way Rally fl ared up once again causing the Dutch vehicle logistics company director to withdraw his Iveco Trakker from the Rally. He was to have corrective surgery upon returning home to Eindhoven and be back in Buenos Aires to applaud his team members who were competing in three other trucks. Pep Vila kept the ‘Orange’ fl ag f lying f inishing 6th overall with Jo Adva in a DAF CF 75 coming home 12th followed by Hugo Duisters (22nd) in the other Iveco Trakker.

With fellow Chinese auto manufacturer Great Wall entering the EU market in 2011, there are no plans for Chery to bring the Rely or other models to this side of the World as yet. Chery had

two examples of its new SUV models competing that go on sale in China shortly.

They were using the Dakar as a durability test for the 3.5 litre petrol powered 4W D util ities. Both cars fi nished just outside the Top 40.

Chery Relies on RelyDisappointment for De Rooy

HUMANITARIAN


Chernobyl Children’s Trust – changing lives in Belarus

C hernobyl Children’s Trust (CCT) is an Irish registered charity set up and run by volunteers dedicated to helping children and families most aff ected

by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. All proceeds from fundraising eff orts go directly to helping the children of Belarus through a variety of eff ective and relevant programmes.

A non-denominational, non-political, humanitarian organization, it works in partnership with community based Belarusian organizations to bring children to Ireland for recouperation holidays. Th e CCT also operate essential programmes for the advocacy and support for disabilities, poverty and sickness, the promotion of health and community development for marginalised children and their families, throughout Belarus. It is committ ed to bringing trust, dignity and joy both to those seeking their help and to its volunteers and supporters. As an organization of volunteers, the CCT can give maximum donor value by directing all funds to exactly where they are most needed.

Logistics forms a substantial part of the work of this organization. Whether it’s arranging fl ights to airlift stricken children from Belarus to Ireland, the mountain of paperwork necessary to host children here for holidays, or the visas, fl ights and myriad of other documentation to get Irish volunteers from Ireland to work in Belarus on the various volunteer programmes, the amount of time and eff ort and logistics is huge. Without doubt, the single biggest logistical task facing Chernobyl Children’s Trust, is organizing humanitarian aid deliveries from Ireland to Belarus by road convoy. Th e charity is fortunate to have a variety of skilled professionals available to volunteer the necessary talents that it takes to make the logistical machine work! Two such volunteers are Stephen Murphy, RSA Supervisor and former Logistics Manager and Michael Guerin RSA Driver Trainer/Tester and former Logistics Manager. Both men are Board Members of Chernobyl Children’s

Trust and volunteer much of their spare time to this charity. Stephen who has responsibility for humanitarian aid says, “The sight of a convoy bearing the organisations logo and draped with Irish fl ags is impressive traversing ma in land Europe. However, this belies the mammoth task involved behind the scenes in making such an event happen.” On the Irish side, there is the sourcing and collection, sorting, storage and the loading of aid. Th en there’s the sourcing of trucks and

drivers, the manifesting and documentation of every item loaded on trucks, organising press and media to create public awareness, fundraising activities to cover costs and the management of all of this. In preparation for convoy deliveries, there are the usual transport logistics such as DOE inspections of vehicles, maintenance issues, trailers, tyres and associated items, booking of ferries from Ireland to UK and the UK to mainland Europe in addition to customs export documentation and a plethora of permissions, exemptions and certifi cations in order to legalise everything and conform to best International standards. Th ere are myriad complex procedures involved on the Belarusian side of the equation and this process begins long in advance of departure from Ireland.

Mike Guerin added, “Of course the primary objective is the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to contaminated and disadvantaged areas of Chernobyl-aff ected Belarus and the safe return of the fl eet and drivers, and this must always be at the heart of every eff ort.” Th e journey across Europe begins with a farewell event in Ireland before shipping to the UK by freight ferry. Trucks usually have two drivers to facilitate safe driving, staying within hours in the now very strict European driving regulations which are strictly enforced. Th e convoy route usually takes in eight countries and distances travelled are up to 7,000 kilometres per truck. Th e return journey can take 2 to 3 weeks and drivers volunteer their time and take annual leave to make the journey. “Moving a convoy across Europe in a safe and effi cient manner is no mean achievement! Driving in convoy is a very unorthodox way to travel and takes gett ing used to. It can be tedious and monotonous at times and this can be as big a challenge as the more obvious ones. Communication between vehicles via CB radio is essential in this regard as well as for the coordination of all vehicles in a safe manner.” Other en-route tasks include daily route planning, rest stops, coordination of fuelling and parking

of vehicles at rest and overnight stops, repairs as necessary to vehicles, communication with Belarus about arrangements, clearances, border, accommodation, interpreters and many other items that must be in place in advance of the arrival of the convoy from Ireland.

Customs clearance procedures must be done leaving the EU at the Polish/Belarus border before aid deliveries can begin. Fortunately Customs clearance is no longer necessary entering Poland but vehicle and personnel documents must be produced. Usually one full day is spent at the Belarusian side before being cleared to enter the country to deliver the aid, this is considered quick as humanitarian gets priority at border posts. Th is procedure however is only border transit clearance; within Belarus, Local Customs clearance must be done in each delivery location before permission is granted to deliver aid. At times these may seem like unnecessary delays but they are normal procedures that have to be gone through to legitimately clear the goods being delivered as humanitarian aid and to avoid paying import taxes. Aid deliveries involve ‘all hands on deck’ and drivers must unload trucks by hand and carry the aid whatever distance is necessary in each delivery location across Belarus. “Th is of course is a fantastic feel-good factor and the sense of satisfaction of personally delivering vitally needed supplies is a feeling that’s hard to beat!” said Stephen. Aft er deliveries are complete, all trucks head back to the Border and go through a reverse customs procedure to exit back into the EU and the long drive home.

An example of one of the most-needy recipients of our humanitarian aid is to a partnership programme sponsored by Chernobyl Children’s Trust in Southern Belarus. Th e CCT works hand-in-hand in a partnership arrangement with a Belarusian community organization ‘White Dove over Chernobyl’ that helps seriously ill Children and their families. Th ere are 30 patients currently being helped, many of whom are profoundly disabled children in addition to terminally-ill children. Th e families of these very special children have chosen to keep them at home in the loving care of the family unit rather than giving them up to State care as is the norm with such children in Belarus. However, this causes huge stress and diffi culties within the families, many of whom were destitute from supporting their children at home and were in dire need of help before this programme was set up. It takes an extraordinary family (usually the mother) to fi ght against all odds to continue to nurture children at home without State support or indeed any form of outside help. Th ese brave and wonderful families now have a vital life-line from this most important programme and deeply appreciate any support that they receive.

Mike Guerin again, “During the past twelve

HUMANITARIAN

Text: Simon Walsh FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 61

months, three of the children have sadly passed away, fi nally at peace. Th is illustrates just how very fragile and delicate life is for some of the children in this programme, and it reminds us of the harsh realities being faced everyday by these exceptional families. Th e father of the most recent child to pass away (a litt le boy named Timur who would have been aged fi ve on 6 February 2011) phoned our organization on the day of his son’s funeral to thank us for the help that they received and for enabling his family to keep his son at home during the last months of his life. He stated that this was a great comfort to the family and would not have been possible without intervention. Th is reinforces the importance of the programme, even for the ones that we lose.”

Th e programme essentially provides respite care for families. Th e Chernobyl Children’s Trust employ nurses locally in Belarus and they visit the families concerned on a regular basis supplying whatever is required. CCT gives the nurses a monthly budget to buy medications and other essential supplies for the families. It has also provided a specially adapted wheelchair mini-bus and sent regular supplies of humanitarian aid from Ireland to be distributed amongst the families, as and when needed. Th e single most requested item by all of these families is incontinent nappies for their children and young adults. To put the cost in perspective, one family explained it this way: it takes one week’s salary out of four in the month to buy these nappies. Obviously this puts huge pressure on parents and the provision of the nappies free of charge is hugely benefi cial! Th e purchase of these nappies puts a huge strain on the charities ‘coff ers’ and therefore donations of small and large quantities of these products are of great value. Th e CCT appeal to any company or individual that may be able to help in this regard to please get in touch by emailing: [email protected].

Irish volunteer medical professionals supplement the locally employed nurses by travelling to Belarus every couple of months providing specialized training and monitoring the progress and eff ectiveness of the overall programme. Specialized equipment has been provided for some of the children but generally just someone to talk to and to give the mothers a litt le break can be all that is needed to make the world of a diff erence!

CCT also funds holiday camps for all of the children that are mobile or well enough to travel and for most, these were the fi rst holidays that both the children and their mothers had ever experienced! Irish volunteers travel to the camps in Belarus to help entertain the children while giving the mothers a well-deserved break, even though keeping a close ‘eye’ on their litt le darlings, but at a distance! Th ese holidays have proven to be hugely successful, with two teams of Irish volunteers working hand in hand with the parents and locally employed nurses to give profoundly disabled children and their families the holiday of a lifetime!

It is hoped to continue this programme and develop it further but at current funding levels, we cannot aff ord to!

Every euro raised really does count and directly helps these brave and wonderful families. Donations can be made in a variety of ways: Secure on-line donation via its website: www.chernobylchildrenstrust.ie or by bank lodgement to: Chernobyl Children’s Trust A/C, Bank of Ireland, 189 Howth Road, Killester, Dublin 3. A/C Number 90812589 Sort Code: 90-05-94, cheques to Mary Manning, Treasurer, 14 Vernon Gardens, Clontarf, Dublin 3.

Chernobyl Children’s Trust is an entirely voluntary organization and would like to sincerely thank the following companies and individuals for their invaluable help and support with its humanitarian aid programme for Belarus:

North East Logistics & Mr. Fran Noone• MAN Importers & Mr. Michael Hynes• T.I.P. CTR Trailer Rentals and Mr. • Michael MurphyMr. Alan Rock• Austin Long transport• CP Commercials, Mr. Peter Costello & • Mr. Louis MonaghanFran McGuinness Transport, Swords• Corium Ltd• Homecare Medical Supplies & Mr. Martin • RyanMMS Medical Ltd., & Mr. Michael • LockyerDennehy's Carrigtwohill & Mr. Peter • DennehyNicholls Household Furnishings• Beagans Ltd., Dundalk• Diamond Freight Services• Dept. of Transport• Dept. of Agriculture• Stena Line Ferries•

Th e CCT would also like to thank all the companies and individuals that supplied and drove trucks, sponsors, fundraisers, those who donated aid and especially all the volunteers who helped on an ongoing basis to collect, sort and load aid and who enabled us to get humanitarian aid to Belarus.

Mission Statement:Th e Chernobyl Children’s Trust aims to help build the futures of those aff ected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in a principled, eff ective and humanitarian way. It is committ ed to bringing trust, dignity and joy both to those seeking to help and to its volunteers and supporters. Together this can be achieved and change lives... one by one.

Contact Details:Web: www.chernobylchildrenstrust.ieEmail: info@ chernobylchildrenstrust.iesimon@ chernobylchildrenstrust.ieAddress:33, Ashington Dale, Navan Road, Dublin 7, Ireland.

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REPORT 111


“Use less and cleaner energy to meet climate challenge” – EU Transport Commissioner, Siim Kallas

“Driver training is the fastest way to reduce carbon footprint” – Scania CEO, Leif Östling

W hat needs to be done from a regulatory and industry standpoint to realise the CO2 saving

potential that already exists in goods and passenger transport? Th at topic and more was discussed at a Conference in Brussels, hosted by Scania and featured keynote speaker Siim Kallas, the EU Transport Commissioner. Political decision makers, representatives of interested organisations and transport operators gathered to discuss how the transport business can meet environmental chal lenges while maintaining its high service level and transport effi ciency.

Mr. Kallas highlighted the need to use less and cleaner energy in meeting the climate challenge. He also emphasized the importance of using infrastructure more effi ciently, improving existing roads rather than building new ones and eliminating obstacles to a single European transport market.

“We must use less energy, cleaner energy and use the infrastructure more effi ciently,” he declared.

In opening Session 1, Scania’s President and CEO Leif Östling noted that there is an ageing population of heavy vehicles in Europe. In 1995, 90 percent of all European commercial vehicles at best conformed to the fi rst Euro emission standard. Now, 15 years later, more than half of all commercial vehicles still only meet the Euro 1 and 2 standards, while the Euro 5 standard is already in force.

“Given the slow pace of progress in renewing the vehicle population, it is more important to make full use of all available means to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Th ese include longer truck and trailer combinations, bett er logistics systems, alternative fuels and driver training with effi cient support systems,” Mr. Östling stated.

He emphasised that Driver Training is the single most and fastest way to reduce the carbon footprint of transports. “We know that the diff erence between skilled and less skilled drivers can be up to 20 percent fuel consumption. Using driver training and support systems, we can easily reduce consumption by 10 percent. By means of engine development, it would take us some 6-7 years to achieve similar savings,”

concluded Mr. Östling.

At the Conference, Scania and a select group of partners and customers presented existing case studies that employ a wide range of available technologies, methods and solutions to save carbon dioxide – and increase transport capacity at the same time. By introducing sustainable transport solutions here and now, we can have an immediate, positive effect on the environment and the long-term economy.

Scandinavian food transport logistics company, Bring Frigo was one of the participating operators that described what could be achieved in the short term. It has established two green corridors as one way to fulfil the company’s goal of a 30% reduction in its carbon footprint by 2015.

Rehana Moosajee, Member of Mayoral Committee on Transportation, Johannesburg outlined the city’s new Rea Vaya construction – a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to combat congestion and improve public transport. “Th e initial results from the fi rst phase are overwhelmingly positive,” she said.

Dutch logistics service provider and biofuel pioneer Rotra has a far-reaching green vision that includes longer truck combinations and ethanol fuel. Th is perspective gives the company an edge

over the competition, according to Machiel Roelofsen, Vice President, ROTRA .

Th e event concluded with the presentation of the Young European Truck Driver 2010 competition winner – Andreas Söderström from Sweden.

Read Mr. Kallas’ keynote speech on • www.fl eet.ie.

Europe’s best young truck driver awardedAndreas Söderström, the 27-year old Swede who won the Young European Truck Driver Championship, was honoured at a ceremony held at the Scania Transport Conference in Brussels on 26 January.

Th e 2010 competition att racted more than 10,000 participants from throughout Europe. At the fi nal, held in Södertälje, Mr. Söderström beat national fi nalists from 13 other European countries.

Andreas Söderström was represented at the awards ceremony by his father Göran, since Andreas was awaiting the birth of his second child. Göran Söderström has a family-owned haulage company where Andreas works. EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas and Scania President and CEO Leif Östling presented the award.

Praising Andreas’ achievement, Mr. Östling noted that the birth of the child secures yet another successful generation of Söderströms.

Scania’s Transport Conference in Brussels att racted some 300 visitors on 26 January, 2011.

FLEETING SHOTS

To highlight the current boom in demand for commercial vehicles in Russia the 11th International Specialised Exhibition

COMTRA NS 2011/Commercial Auto-transport 2011 will be held at the IEC Crocus Expo, Moscow from 13/17 September next. During the fi rst nine months of 2010, truck production in Russia increased by 63.3% compared to the same period the previous year. More signifi cantly the volume of foreign brands truck production, which are made on Russian territory grew by 112.1%. Th is has resulted in sales increasing overall by 82%.

Th e bus market also began to move forward last year with 50% sales growth recorded.

“The Russian market looks att ractive to foreign companies today,” said Daria Sebyakina, Marketing Manager.

“Th ose companies who want to fi nd a way into the local market should study carefully tendencies of the industry. COMTRA NS Show is one of the best ways to reach these goals because here is the place where commercial transport professionals come together. COMTR ANS aims to become one of the biggest commercial transport exhibitors. Last year’s event, held in

April att racted manufacturers from Germany, Italy, Th e Netherlands, France, Eastern Europe, Korea, China, Japan and the United States.

Following the presentation of the Continental Tyres sponsored Irish Van of the Year 2011 Award to the Mercedes-Benz Vito, the Irish

Motoring Writers Association Van of the Year Jury

selected the Land Rover Discovery and Volkswagen Golf Van as the Irish Commercial SUV 2011 and Irish Car Derived Van of the Year respectively.

In deciding on these two vehicles as category winners, the nine member adjudication panel took into account such att ributes as load capacity, reliability, overall versatility, cost of ownership and drive comfort.

In presenting the Awards to Eddie Kavanagh, Land Rover Ireland and Niall Phillips of Volkswagen Ireland, Paddy Murphy of Continental Tyres Ireland commented, “Th ese two great vehicles have won the valuable endorsement of the Irish Motoring Writers Association. I am sure that

winning this Continental Irish Van of the Year Category Award will support the success in the commercial marketplace for both the Discovery 4 and the Golf Van.”

Double Le Mans winner Allan McNish has raced a variety of diesel powered Audi sports cars in his day, but when

the chance to drive the world’s most powerful truck – he jumped at it – or into it! Having only previously driven a 7.5 tonne rigid, back home in Dumfries, Scotland, the Scania R730 proved to be a diff erent animal altogether. He successfully careered the 16-litre V8 730hp 42 tonne gross combination vehicle around the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire.

“I was briefed by Scania personnel that hauliers generally look for 10hp/tonne so on that basis, the R730 would be good for 73 tonnes. To put that in perspective, the top weight for ‘standard’ road operations is 44 tonnes – so the R730 had plenty of power to spare,” commented the Audi Sport ‘factory’ driver McNish.

He added, “I’ve spent the last fi ve seasons driving either the R10 TDI, R15 TDI and most recently the new Audi R18 Coupe. Th e R10 TDI back in 2006 had over 1,100 Newton Metres of torque with the R15 TDI that I drove in this year’s Le Mans featuring around 1,050 Nm. Th e Scania R730 boasted an incredible 3,500Nm torque!”

Allan was ultimately impressed, “Considering the immense power, acceleration is very controlled, relaxed and smooth. My Audi sports car has less horsepower and a lot less torque but only weighs 900kg. But I saw a lot of the same solutions to problems but maybe using them in a slightly diff erent way on the Scania as we do at Audi Sport with our race cars.”





COMTRANS 2011 – Moscow, Russia

Irish Van of the Year Category Awards for Land Rover & Volkswagen

McNish drives Scania’s fl agship R730

Gerry Murphy, Chairman IMWA Irish Van of the Year Jury; Eddie Kavanagh, Land Rover Ireland; Michael Moroney, IMWA Chairman & Paddy Murphy, Continental Tyres.

Gerry Murphy, Chairman IMWA Irish Van of the Year Jury; Niall Phillips, Volkswagen Ireland; Michael Moroney, IMWA Chairman & Paddy Murphy, Continental Tyres.

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66 FLEETTRANSPORT | MAR 11 Text: Jerry Kiersey - jerry@fl eet.ie

SOAPBOX

B y the time you get to read this Ireland will have decided on the make-up of the new Government. Will there be a change in att itude post the election to

transport in general, freight movements on or off the island, or the licensed road transport sector? I doubt it reading the pre-election manifestos from the various parties. However, I can also say that as an industry we have done litt le prior to the election to inform the political parties of our needs, so we have only ourselves to blame, but more on that later.

We have heard all so oft en the clichés from politicians ‘that we are an island nation relying totally on external trade for our existence’. Look for recognition of this in their policies published on the various websites and you will search in vain. I did my research from an interested point of view and perhaps if I were a Ph D student I could have explored more into the various sites and come up with more, but I am not and therefore found almost nothing about transport in general and absolutely nothing about gett ing our exports off and imports onto this island. But then, why be surprised?

Th ere are disparate bits here and there; the Fine Gael site has a very good policy paper on buses that was published in 2009, it also appears to be cutt ing/ending travel taxes, which can only be a good thing. Th ere was nothing else bar a load of old rubbish on the reduction of CO2 emissions from the transport sector that seems to have been stolen from the Greens (I didn’t bother looking at the Green site to fi nd out one way or the other). Th e targets are all according to the Party’s Transport spokesman, Simon Coveney to be achieved by the introduction of batt ery powered cars, not by hybrids, which he reckons are not the way forward. Not sure where he is gett ing his info from because the Environmental Protection Agency Lecture in Dublin’s Mansion House on 1 February had Prof. Julia King (who from her introduction is eminently more qualifi ed to speak on this topic than Mr. Coveney) stated quite clearly that hybrids (petrol/diesel/electric) as opposed to pure electric cars were going to be the way forward in the short to medium term. Short term being 2020 and that is the target date for emission reduction set by the EU.

Labour had nothing other than the same lip service to reducing CO2 emissions by the roll out of electric cars, nothing on buses or freight transport.

Sinn Fein had a fairly decent policy paper on taxi’s, so obviously the Taxi Associations have been lobbying them. Freight or buses are obviously not a problem for these people either.

Fianna Fail had nothing at all on transport be it people or freight, should I be surprised? Th e real question here is what have we as an industry done to highlight the fact that we are on our knees, that

the outgoing Government instead of helping us off them simply drove us deeper into the ground. In my opinion nothing? We or at least I am looking for leadership from the political parties but should I expect it when my own Association (the IRHA) appears like a doormat to every blow, not a word. Companies in our industry that span generations are on the verge of going out of business and you can take my word for it that many of them will, but where is the anger and leadership from the Irish Road Haulage Association?

Yes we can all sit around in groups and talk to each other about how terrible things are, and they are dreadful but it’s not to each other that we need to be telling of our plight, it’s the public and the

IRHA that has signifi cantly failed to do that in the last twenty four months.

We had the stunning CSO fi gures for 2009 published showing how vital we are in Ireland’s economic life but it appears to have fallen on barren ground as far as the IRHA is concerned. Cabotage has been introduced without protest from the IRHA of any meaningful sort, yet it has done huge damage to Cross Channel shippers of unaccompanied trailers. Diesel with the help of the outgoing Fianna Fail/Green Party Government’s carbon taxes has hammered hauliers but hardly a murmur from our Association.

Recently the Freight Transport Association has arrived in Ireland with quite a fanfare. My opinion of the FTA hitherto was that it was predominantly an English as opposed to British Own Account sector organisation, yet it is already represented on Government committ ees in Ireland that the IRHA is not. Th e fact that some of the best of Irish haulage companies are prepared to pay the (not inconsiderable annual membership) fee of up to €2,500 yet won’t join the IRHA, says more about the failure of the IRHA than the success of the FTA.

Like the Nation, the IRHA has its own general election looming, we members need to seriously look at who we are putt ing forward to represent us and at how our organisation is being represented. Beware of those who seek election to any offi ce in the Association for egos sake, ask all those who seek such an offi ce just what is their vision for the Association. I am mindful of how a political party has almost exterminated itself by factions supporting leaders of no caliber out of tribal loyalty, rather than facing the reality of hard decisions. We need those who would speak against the mainstream active within the Association, rather than driving them out which is what has happened. Unfortunately, we have got nowhere for the last two to three years. Where we are going for the next two, is the decision all those who have a vote, have got to take.

Not even a Mention

Dublin based Freight / Transport Company looking to acquire similar type of business.

National and International companies considered.

Please reply in strictest confi dence to enquiries@fl eet.ie

quoting 115 in the subject line.

The New Vito has now arrived.

Motor Distributors Ltd., Naas Road, Dublin 12. Tel (01) 4094 444

The New Vito has arrived - A van that doesn'tbreak the bank.My van. The new Vito

A van that doesn't generate any unnecessary cost.

Because long service intervals and short downtimes

ensure that a Vito isn't left standing around doing

nothing. And the running costs hardly blot the balance

sheet either: the new Euro 5 diesel engines see to it thatfuel consumption is reduced. The Vito is more profitable

than ever.

fleet transport march 2011

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