Economical and social factors are driving RCV operators to rethink some aspects of their vehicles. John Challen discovers measures being taken to boost safety and productivity, while cutting operating costs
Security Equipment
A fleet of 10 3.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Luton vans, equipped with streamlined Bevan bodies, is helping retirement homes builder McCarthy & Stone with its dedicated removals service.
Light Commercial Vehicles
Hampshire contract lifting specialist Rapid Response Solutions is running its first Mercedes-Benz trucks, a 26-tonne rigid with on-board crane and a pair of 44-tonne tractor units.
Flatbed
Hayes-based builders merchant Hendricks Lovell has taken delivery of four new Iveco Stralis Active Day rigids.
Flatbed
Five self-discharging wood biomass silo tankers are to be delivered by Ryder to solid fuels wholesaler Woodpellets2U, a division of CPL Distribution.
Tankers
News of apprentice programs being expanded at, for example, Scania and Smith Electric Vehicles, has brought much New Year cheer to the next generation of transport engineers.
Apprenticeships
Northern Irish transport and logistics firm Woodside Group has completed its purchase of 45 new Volvo trucks worth approximately £4.1 million.
Rigids
GITI Tire (UK) has won a sole supplier agreement with one of the UK's highest profile fleets, Bartrums Warehousing and Distribution.
Tyres & Retreads
Water supplies specialist Watermills is adding three new MAN TGM 26 tonne rear-steer rigids to its truck fleet.
Rigids
Cox Skips has added a Hyva hookoader to its fleet of 45 trucks – the first for this Crawley, West Sussex-based firm.
Municipal Vehicles
Changes to the OCRS (Operator Compliance Risk Score) system aimed at helping VOSA to better target non-compliant operators based on their compliance history, are to be welcomed, says the Freight Transport Association.
VOSA Prohibitions
Privately owned boiler services firm B&K Boiler Services is reporting halved fuel costs, improved customer service and a tenfold payback on tis Fleetmatics GPS fleet management system.
Tracking