As the emergency services are increasingly required to bend to the laws of austerity, converters and truck OEMs alike are coming up with novel solutions. Steve Banner Explains
Emergency Service Vehicles
Never before has electronics, sensor and computing technology so dominated the pace of truck development. Brian Tinham examines the future with Bosch and Wabco
Telematics
Tomorrow’s delivery trucks will have to be safer, greener and quieter, too. But how do you create a noise standard when there are so many sounds in and around a truck? Brian Weatherley hears how
Truck Efficiency
Van and truck operators can find out how to prepare for London’s new ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) at a free event later this month.
Low Emission Zones
Family-run vehicle recovery business Westons Recovery (Abington) has taken delivery of a new Volvo FL-240 4x2 rigid. Fitted with a tilt and slide body, by Dave Bland Engineering, the 5.9m wheelbase 16-tonner joins eight other Volvo trucks in the fleet.
Rigids
Van safety topped the agenda recently, at a briefing held at Mercedes dealer Northside Truck & Van’s Doncaster branch.
Road Safety
Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) has appointed Rab Jackson as group service manager, with responsibility for repair and maintenance at its 24-hour Newtonabbey workshop and Dungannon branch.
Heavy Goods Vehicles
Hauliers now have access to Northamptonshire’s first publicly available driver-over weighbridge, after Wellingborough Norse installed a system from Axtec at the Wellingborough Council depot.
Standards & Practices
Lightfoot is launching a new rewards programme for drivers this month, with a ‘fleet driver of the week’ scheme.
Driver / People Management
Top Irish showjumper Billy Twomey has taken delivery of a Bloomfields horsebox to transport his horses to competitions in the UK and Europe. The horsebox is built on the Renault Trucks Master chassis and, says Twomey, is “far superior” to others on the market.
Chassis
Andover Trailers has launched a new range of tri-axle step frame trailers, designed to carry a range of machines while maintaining a flat deck.
Trailers
Global logistics operator Suttons Group has improved maintenance administration for its fleet of 500 vehicles and 1,000 trailers in the UK, after installing a solution from Freeway.
Fleet Management Systems