As the move toward electrification is most pronounced in passenger cars and light goods vehicles, operators of heavier fleets might learn what to expect in future by studying how those markets are adapting now, reports Dan Gilkes
Alternative Fuels
High-strength and abrasion-resistant (AR) steel alloys are becoming commonplace in tipper body manufacture. What does this mean for durability, and will they replace aluminium in tipper bodies, asks Toby Clark
Tippers
The 10th annual IRTE Skills Challenge took place 22-24 June, in one of the first public events in the bus industry since COVID lockdowns began. Will Dalrymple was there
Workshop
Haulier M&M Greene of Gorslas, near Llanelli, has turned to MAN for one the most challenging jobs in transport: delivering bulk loads of sand and gravels to and moving spoil and muck-away from local projects and building sites.
Rigids
Warton Freight Services has marked 30 years in the haulage industry by putting a new Volvo FH 8x2 rigid onto the road, equipped with a 70-tonne*metre Fassi crane.
Rigids
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched England’s first ever hydrogen double decker buses, marking another major step towards making the bus fleet zero-emission and cleaning up London’s toxic air.
Alternative Fuels
Frenni Transport is aiming to eliminate any risk of human error by protecting its entire truck fleet with the latest generation of Wheely-Safe technology.
Road Safety
Crouch Recovery has expanded its vehicle lifting capabilities at its Leicestershire workshop with the addition of a Y-MECH Lift from Totalkare.
Workshop
The Pallet Network, an alliance of 119 regional delivery firms, is introducing a per-pallet surcharge for all tail-lift deliveries as of 1 August 2021, to protect driver safety, service levels and partner profitability.
Tail Lifts
Prometeon has expanded the Pirelli-branded Triathlon range of regional and long-distance distribution tyres with the introduction of four new sizes for both steer (FR) and drive (TR) units, and improved load indexes on another two existing steer sizes.
Tyres & Retreads
Derbyshire-based metal and waste recycling specialist Ward has invested more than £2m in upgrading its materials handling vehicles to improve energy efficiency and safety across its 120-strong fleet.
Tippers
Delivery firm Hermes has become the first customer to take part in an early stage trial of autonomous vehicles with Ford. The two-week trial will use a specially adapted Ford commercial vehicle featuring sensors that mimic the look of an actual self-driving vehicle, while enabling an experienced, hidden driver to ‘drive’. The research aims to better understand how other road users would interact with an apparently driverless delivery van.
Light Commercial Vehicles