Type approval-friendly trucks launched early by DAF 03 October 2012

As part of DAF Trucks' introduction of EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval, factory bodied DAF LF and CF trucks designed and built at Leyland Trucks are being approved two years ahead of the deadline for independent body builders.

Staff at the manufacturer's plant in Lancashire have been working with colleagues in their sister plant, DAF Trucks in Eindhoven, to comply with the new legislation, under Directive 2007/46/EC. This comes into effect on 29 October 2012 for vehicles built in a single stage (complete) or as a chassis cab (incomplete) for later body fitment.

The independent body building sector, which mounts these items as part of a second manufacturing stage, is not required to meet EC WVTA for another two years. Until Oct 2014, it will still be possible for DAF vehicles bodied by external body builders and not ready with their own approvals, to be registered in the UK.

A central part of the planning has been the development of a vehicle specification data recording system, which will be used to gather and hold evidence that a vehicle conforms to the new regulations.

"Implementing this legislation has proved challenging but we have gained from it because of the robust review of our systems and processes that has been necessary," says Denis Culloty, Leyland Trucks chief engineer.

"This year, well in excess of 1,000 fully bodied trucks will leave our plant ready to enter revenue earning service. All of them will be fully type approved under the existing regulations pre 29 October and under the new EC regulations after that," he confirms.

As well as the software systems developed and introduced to meet the new regulations, Leyland Trucks has invested in a dynamic weighbridge, from Axtec. The EC regulations require that the gross and individual axle weights of each vehicle must be recorded to a tolerance of 3%.

Author
John Challen

Related Companies
DAF Trucks Ltd

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