Truck Buyers Guide 2009 - Fleet Transport Magazine Fleet

Transcription

DEC ‘08/JAN ‘09
€4.50
STG £2.80
inc. V.A.T.
ISSN 1649−9433
01
9 771649 943027
Truck Buyers Guide 2009
in association with
dec ‘08 / jan ‘09 contents
www.fleet.ie
Fleet Transport Magazine,
D’Alton Street, Claremorris,
County Mayo, Ireland.
Telephone: +353 (0)94 9372819/ 9372826
Fax: +353 (0)94 9373571
Email: enquiries@fleet.ie
ISDN: +353 (0)94 938 8242
ISSN: 1649-9433
4
NEWS
• Reflective marking regulation change • Daytime Running Lights for Trucks & Buses in 2012 • Major
withdrawals from CV Show ’09 • Retrofit blind spot mirrors • Gulf Oil enters retail scene • Biofuels
Seminar • Digitacho technology moves on
8
COVER
Tribute to the International (& Irish) Truck of the Year ‘09.
10
LONG DISTANCE DRIVE
Covering 1000 kilometres in the Mercedes-Benz Actros.
12
NEW FLEET
Last of the ’08 registered vehicles to be featured this year.
14
NEW FLEET
Featuring recent sales by Caseys, Mercedes-Benz, Scania and Renault Trucks.
14
FLEETING SHOTS
Tribute to ‘Our Col’, Airport Driving School, Dakar Rally ’09 and InterTrade Ireland visit.
16
TEST
Multi-test drives from the new Volvo range.
18
REVIEW I
Coach & Bus Show 2008 – RDS, Dublin.
20
LEGAL
Drivers Hours.
21
MARITIME
Shipping & Freight Newsletter.
25
FEATURE
Celtrak and the future of telematic technology.
26
TRAILER
Latest from Gray & Adams.
29
KOTR
IRHA Newsletter.
37
FUEL PRICES
Keeping up with global fluctuations.
38
TIMES PAST
Early days of automated van transport.
40
FINANCE
Budgeting.
42
REVIEW II
EuroBus Expo 2008, NEC, Birmingham.
45
BUYERS GUIDE 2009 IN ASSOCIATION WITH ALCOLOCK
Truck specifications for Model Year 2009.
55
REVIEW III
Paris Motor Show from an LCV viewpoint.
56
PROFILE
Profile – K&L Deliveries Ltd – Irish Haulier of the Year 2009.
58
TYRES
Innovation from Michelin and
new deals by Bridgestone.
60
LAUNCH PAD
Irish Commercials (Naas)
played host to the Volvo
Road Show.
62
SOAPBOX
Green is not the new Gold!
Editor: Jarlath Sweeney.
Contributors:
Sean Murtagh, Gerry Murphy, Cathal Doyle,
Donal Dempsey, Jerry Kiersey, Michael
Corcoran, Jimmy Quinn, Howard Knott,
Jonathan Lawton, Creels, Paul White, Podge
Newe, Tony Colley.
Photography:
Jarlath Sweeney, Cathal Doyle, Gerry
Murphy, Michael Corcoran, Image Box UK,
Alan Spillett (Roadscapes), Podge Newe,
Tony Colley, Paul White, F63 Photography,
DAA.
Cartoons:
Tony Colley, HandEye Studios.
Administration:
Orla Sweeney/Denise Vahey.
Advertising:
Mary Morrissey/Orla Sweeney.
Design & Print: KPS Colour Print Ltd.
Fleet Transport/Fleet Car/
Fleet Van & Utility/Fleet Bus & Coach/
Fleet Trailer & Body Builder/Fleet Maritime
are published by JJDS Publications Ltd.
Registered Office: D’Alton Street,
Claremorris, Co. Mayo.
Co. Reg. No. 368767
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.
12
14
29
Christmas Competition
WIN A TEKNO MODEL TRUCK
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 Transport - the official
Irish journal of
the International
Truck of the
Year Award
4
Glynn’s Transport & Distribution, Milltown, County Galway, recent
International Haulier of the Year Award winner in the Fleet Transport
Awards 2009 has generously donated one of its prize Tekno Irish
Collection replica model trucks as this month’s prize draw. It is based on
one of Glynn’s flagship vehicles in its fleet, a Scania R580 V8.
Seasons Greetings
from all at
Fleet Transport
To be in with a chance to win this superb piece of artistry
just jot down your Name, Address and Telephone Number
on a postcard and send it to Christmas Competition /
Fleet Transport, D’Alton Street, Claremorris,
County Mayo or by email to enquiries@fleet.ie
Please note closing date December 18th 2008.
FLEETTRANSPORT I DEC 0 8/JAN 09
3
news I
New HGV Reflective Marking Regulation
I
n 2004, the Italian Gover nment mandated the UN ECE – 104 regulation
requiring vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes to feature approved
reflective tapes on their side and rear panels. This regulation will become law
throughout Europe with the minimum requirement being to apply a line marking
(a strip along the lower part of the vehicle) and
marking of the top corners, if not full contour
marking of the vehicles.
Up to now only traditional Irish markings were
acceptable in the annual vehicle roadworthiness test.
This change, which comes into effect on 1st January
2009 will help to bring Ireland in line with other
European Member States.
present a hazard for a driver who cannot accurately
calculate their size or speed. By making large
vehicles stand out more clearly to other road users,
especially in low light and at night this measure
should help to reduce the risk of death and serious
injury resulting from
collisions involving large
vehicles.
Research by the U.S. Department of Transport has
found that vehicles featuring retro-reflective tape
experience 41 per cent fewer night-time accidents.
Reflexite, the Waterford based leading manufacturer
of reflective safety products launched its new ECE
104 approved marketing tape at the IAA CV Show in
Hanover. Easy to apply and durable, its new design
ensures an even better colour during the daytime.
Large vehicles that are either stationary or moving
relatively slowly compared with the speed of
following traffic, represent a traffic hazard. Similarly,
large vehicles crossing a stream of traffic (slowly) also
Dedicated Daytime Running Lights on Trucks & Buses in 2012
T
On vehicles equipped with daytime running lights, the
light is automatically switched on when the engine is
started. When it is dark, the driver has to switch on the
driving lights manually. In this case, the DRL goes off
automatically.
o incr ease r oad safety, the Eur opean
Commission (EC) plans to introduce dedicated
Daytime Running Lights (DRL) on all types of
motor vehicles in the European Union (EU) as and
from 2011 onwards. The new directive, which was
adopted by the EC on September 24th, foresees that
starting February 7th 2011, all new types of passenger
cars and small delivery vans will have to be equipped
with DRL. Trucks and buses will follow 18 months later
(August 2012).
Dedicated daytime running lights are special lamps that are automatically switched
on when the engine is started. They substantially increase the visibility of motor
vehicles to other road users, and have a low energy consumption compared to
existing dipped-beam headlamps.
According to latest research, all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and
motorcyclists, can detect, recognize and identify vehicles equipped with DRL, both
better and earlier. In countries that have already made DRL obligatory, the
experience in the field of road safety is very positive.
From the environmental point of view, dedicated
daytime running lights are an effective solution to
improve visibility and conspicuousness of vehicles. As
the technology is especially designed to be used during
daytime, it is much more effective and efficient than
existing lighting devices. The energy consumption is
approximately only 25 – 30 per cent of the energy consumption of normal driving
lights. When using limit-emitting diode technology for dedicated DRL, the energy
consumption is reduced to only 10 per cent.
According to Günter Verheugen, EC vice president responsible for Enterprise and
Industry policy, “The introduction of daytime running light for cars, trucks and
buses makes them more visible, which will increase road safety. This will make a
positive contribution to our goal of reducing fatalities on European roads whilst
being more fuel-efficient than existing lights.” Sweden was the first country to
acquire widespread use of DRLs in 1977.
Major manufacturers withdraw from CV Show 2009
S
cania led the charge. Then all the other major tr uck manufacturers
announced that they too are not exhibiting at the Commercial Vehicles
Show 2009. In alphabetical order DAF, Isuzu, Iveco, MAN, Mercedes-Benz,
Renault and Volvo collectively cited that the decision was taken “in light of the
extraordinary economic and market conditions.”
Nigel Emms, Director Brand & Communication at Iveco addressed the situation by
saying, “The industry needs to review its approach to such events and we
understand that the CV Show Partnership is also taking the opportunity to
restructure the Show to meet the latest market requirements.”
“Surprised and disappointed,” is how Robin Dickeson described the feelings at the
Society of Motor Manufacturers &
Traders
(SMMT),
the
joint
organisers of the CV Show.
“While a half a dozen or so big
brands have withdrawn from next year’s CV Show, we
still plan to deliver a cracking good three day event,” he
said. “With 350 exhibitors booked-in to date, other companies present will cease
the opportunity to capitalise on the bigger share of the lime-light that now exists.”
In reality, it is more of a strategical move by the truck manufacturers not to support
the CV Show 2009 as the majority of them have little new product to exhibit
having launched Euro 5 specific models prior and during 2008.
Shows & Exhibitions 2009
Event
Dakar Rally –Argentina/Chile ‘09
Geneva Motor Show
IRHA Conference & AGM
AUTORAI
FPS Xpo 2009
Construction Plant Show
SED – Site Equipment Demonstration
Tunisia Rally 2009
CV Show 2009
Multimodal 2009
Togher Truck Show
Solutrans Road Transport Show
UITP World Congress
Frankfurt Motor Show
16th ITS World Congress (Intelligent Transport Systems)
European Car & Van Rental Business Expo
Fleet Transport Awards
Fleet Bus & Coach Awards
Busworld Europe
European Road Transport Show 2009
Trailer 2009
4
Date
3–18 Jan
6–16 March
7 March
31 March – 11 April
1-2 April
2–4 April
12-14 April
22 April – 2 May
28–30 April
28–30 April
3-4 May (Bank Holiday)
12–16 May
7-11 June
15-27 September
21-25 September
29-30 Sept – 1 Oct
5 October
6 October
16–21 October
29 October – 5 November
20–24 November
Venue
Web
Buenos Aires
www.dakar.com
Palexpo, Geneva
www.salon-auto.ch
Trim, Co. Meath
www.irha.ie
Amsterdam RAI Complex
www.autorai.nl
Harrogate, UK
www.fpsshow.co.uk
Punchestown Event Centre
www.constructionplantshow.com
Rockingham Motor Speedway, Corby
www.sed.co.uk
Tunisia/Libya
www.npo.fr
NEC Birmingham
www.cvshow.com
NEC Birmingham
www.multimodal.org.uk
Portlaoise
Contract freddyharte@eircom.net
Euroxpo, Lyons, France
www.solutrans.fr
Vienna, Austria
www.uitp.org/vienna2009
Frankfurt am Main
www.iaa.de
Stockholm, Sweden
www.itsworldcongress.com
Hanover, Germany
www.carrentalbusinessexpo.com
Marriott Johnstown House Hotel, Enfield
www.fleet.ie
Marriott Johnstown House Hotel, Enfield
www.fleet.ie
Kortrijk Xpo, Belgium
www.busworld.org
Amsterdam RAI
www.roadtransportshow.com
Kortrijk Xpo, Belgium
www.sav.be
news II
Retrofit blind-spot mirror regulation
F
ur ther to our News Stor y in the October edition, the European
Commission has brought for ward the date (to Januar y 1, 2009) requiring
the retrofitting of wide angle and close proximity mirrors on heavy goods
vehicles registered after January 2000.
Since January 2007, the fitting of these ‘blind-spot’
mirrors has been compulsory on all newly
registered trucks. Blind spots on goods vehicles
could be a contributory factor in as many
as eight pedestrian and
cyclist fatalities in Ireland
each year. Recent research
revealed that if these new
Regulations are implemented
throughout Europe, up to 1200
extra lives will be saved between
now and the year 2020.
HGVs of categories N2
(GVW between 3.5 – 12
tonnes) and N3 (GVW over
12 tonnes) registered after
January 1, 2000 come
under this Directive. The passenger side of
the HGVs must be equipped with a wide
angle (Class IV) mirror that provides 95 per
cent of the field of vision and a close
proximity (Class V) mirror that provides 85
per cent of the field of vision. Mirrors
should be fitted so as not to move or
vibrate and must be so placed that the
driver has a clear view of the road around
the vehicle.
The cost associated with the retrofitting of
these mirrors will be borne by the vehicle
owner. However, the calculated benefit-cost ratio on a European Union wide basis
is 3.5:1. That is, for every Euro spent retrofitting these mirrors, €3.50 will be saved
due to the reduction of the costs associated with road traffic accidents caused by
blind spots.
Enforcing this new regulation will be the Road Transport Unit of the Gardai. This
will require awareness and education of this proposal to ensure correct detection
of non-compliant vehicles. New testing methods will also have to be developed to
ensure compliance, which will have implications in the testing of HGVs.
Gulf Oil pumps-up the Irish Forecourt market
G
ulf Oil, one of the world’s leading and most recognised oil
brands has just launched in the Irish market place. Despite
the recent trends within the forecourt and fuel distribution sector
which has seen the departure of global names like Statoil and Shell,
another global brand, Gulf Oil is gearing up to revolutionise the
whole fuel retail sector in Ireland. At the helm of Gulf Oil Ireland is
Managing Director, Dermot Fallon. “We have the right product at the
right time in the right place. The model we offer gives total
independence to retailers and distributors. Our job in Gulf Oil is to
provide a major international brand accompanied by marketing and
management support to retailers, in order to drive more business into
their forecourts,” explains Dermot (pictured with former Miss World,
Rosanna Davison).
The Gulf ‘Orange Disc’ logo was first introduced to Ireland through
its Lubricants Division by National Oil Brands Ltd., owned and run by
Sligo based Dermot Fallon.
With the full Gulf Oil franchise, Dermot plans to introduce over 100
Gulf branded service stations around Ireland.
Biofuels Can Be Genuine Alternative To Fossil Fuels
P
ublic opinion has seen a shift away recently from the use of biofuels, largely due to concer ns over the impact on world food supplies. However a recent
conference on the subject heard that the development of second generation biofuels can present a realistic alternative to the use of fossil fuels without impacting
negatively on global food production or the environment.
Speaking at the Green Power Forum organised by the Irish Motoring Writers Association
and sponsored by Continental Tyres, Anders Fredriksson of Swedish biofuel company
Sekab highlighted the problems of dwindling oil supplies, noting that at the current
consumption rate of 88 million barrels per day, by 2050 there would only be enough oil
to allow for one litre of fuel per week per adult. If combined with electric hybrid
technology, he noted, cellulosic (second generation) biofuel would need a global area of
60 milion hectares to fuel the world’s car population, a fraction of the land mass that
would be needed at present. “Brazil alone”, he said, “could provide half this without
impacting on the rain forests, while Africa could be a viable source for the remainder.”
Colin Roache, policy and advocacy co-ordinator with Oxfam spoke of the need to be
careful of encouraging demand for biofuels, saying that Oxfam estimated that some 30
million people had been driven into poverty as a result of the use of land for biofuel
production instead of food crops. However, some speakers from the floor countered
that this argument was not relevant in the Irish context, noting that all Irish bio-fuel was
made from waste materials, and that with second generation bio-fuels about ten years
away, there was a need to continue to develop and produce first generation biofuels in
the interim. Cathal Doyle.
Pictured at the Green Power Forum on biofuels in Dublin were (l-r): Key
note speaker Anders Fredriksson of biofuel producer Sekab in Sweden,
Tony Toner, Chairman, Irish Motoring Writers Association and Paddy
Murphy of sponsors Continental Tyres. Biofuel cars are available in Ireland
from Saab, Volvo and Ford.
5
news III
Text: Paul White - paul@fleet.ie
Tachographs – The Next Generation
A
lmost three years after the implementation of Digital Tachographs Siemens VDO now trading as VDO, a
member of ‘Continental Trading GmbH’,
presented the next generation of ‘Vehicle
Units’ (VU) to the road transport industry at
the Green Isle Hotel.
DTCO Version 1.3 will be installed in new
vehicles from January ‘09. Outwardly,
Version 1.3 appears identical to previous
models. Only by opening the print
drawer and inspecting the sealing label
can you tell the difference. So for the
most part operating, downloading,
and calibrating the VU is as before.
VDO’s latest range of products has been simplified to ‘plug
and play’ with all PCs and are fully compatible with Stoneridge
and Actia units.
The updates have arisen from customer feedback, and
advances in data processing. It is now possible to download three
months vehicle data in less than two minutes. The VU will now warn the driver
when his/her driver card is due to expire, and when the unit is due for recalibration. Version
1.3
also
takes
account
of
the
changes in driving
regulations arising
from
561/2006
regarding
break
times of 15 and 30
minutes. In addition,
it is possible to select
an ‘out of scope’
mode, when no card
is required.
Peter
VDO’s
6
Project Manager, states that “ improvements in flexibility and ease of use were
high priorities at the design stage ” – with this in mind, Continental has created a
one piece mobile card reader and download storage device, enabling drivers
spending long periods away from base to adhere to the legislation. In addition,
data can also be retrieved by two remote methods.
The new remote ‘Download Device’ (DLD) can be configured to
download data on specified dates either through a wireless
LAN ‘short range’, when a vehicle drives into the yard or
alternatively using the ‘wide range’ model via GSM/GPRS
when the vehicle is anywhere in Europe. Data retrieved can
then be stored ‘in-house’, transmitted to VDO’s storage
facility, or any other third party of your choosing.
Needham,
Tachograph
(More information will be available before January on the
website: www.dtco.co.uk)
Summary of Changes
Previous Models
DTCO Version 1.3
Slow download
Calibration Dates
Drivers Cards
Hours regulations
Speed Data
Printout
Out of Scope
Storage
Download
Flexibility
Hard wired
Data Transfer
Downloads four times faster
Displays warning of due date
Displays warning of expire date
Accounts for 15 & 30 minute breaks re Reg 561/2008
More detailed and can produce speed graphs
Full seven days can be printed in graph form
Specified mode for out of scope operations
Plug and play with any PC terminal
Displays status of download and when complete
Mobile card reader, and remote download
Wireless and encrypted data transfer
Can be assigned directly to any Folder on PC
cover story
Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie
Mercedes-Benz Actros
lifts International Truck of the
Year Trophy for the third time
Proudly holding the Fleet Transport Irish Truck of the Year Award and Tractor Unit
Category Winner for the Mercedes-Benz Actros are Gerry McDonnell and Fergus
Conheady, Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles Ireland.
Many jury members including Fleet’s Jarlath Sweeney, commented on the fact
that the Actros is now offered with a complete safety package including Lane
Guard System, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) and ACC (Adaptive Cruise
Control), which is made available to all customers, including its own CharterWay
rental company. Safety of commercial vehicles and other road users is of primary
concern to everyone involved in the sector and the jury welcomed the initiatives
shown by Mercedes-Benz in this area. It remains the only truck with Active Brake
Assist – also know as Emergency Braking Assist. Through the ‘Safety Technology’
initiative, the Mercedes-Benz Actros has made a name for itself as a safety truck
far beyond its field.
Hubertus Troska, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks EU, and Andreas Renschler, Head of
Truck Division Daimler AG receiving the ITOY ’09 Trophy from Jury Chairman, Andy Salter.
O
n the occasion of the European Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover,
a panel of exper ts awarded the new Mercedes-Benz Actros “Truck of
the Year 2009”. The specialist journalists from 21 European countries paid tribute
to the enhanced economy, environmental compatibility, safety and comfort
afforded by the innovative technology with the new Actros. This achievement
records a hat-trick of wins for the Actros in the commercial vehicles industry’s most
prestigious accolade. The first generation scooped gold in 1997, while seven years
later Actros II took the accolade and now Actros III has completed the set for the
German manufacturing giant.
Actros fought off a strong challenge from the Iveco Eurocargo to take the trophy,
while the new Volvo FH and Scania R-Series with EGR engine shared the third
position.
The International Truck of
the Year trophy is awarded
to the truck launched in
the
previous
twelve
months which is deemed
to have made the greatest
contribution
to
road
transport efficiency and in
the case of the Actros the
improvements made to
the vehicle, particularly in
the areas of safety and
driver comfort scored a
major hit.
The Actros has benefited from a number of improvements to the driveability and
efficiency of the truck and this was also commented on by the jury members when
making their decisions. The addition of the new automated PowerShift
transmission, as standard, is a major step forward in driver comfort, as is the
addition of the new sleeping bunk arrangement. “New Actros brings a host of
improvements to the driving and operational efficiency of the truck,” said Jury
Chairman, Andy Salter. “The whole is very much more that the sum of the parts
and it’s easy to see why Actros is building a strong reputation for itself among
drivers and operators. This year was particularly strong for new vehicles and for
Mercedes-Benz to scoop gold for the third time with Actros is a tremendous
achievement.”
Since entering the market in 1996, more than 600,000 Actros trucks have been
sold. All three generations of the Mercedes-Benz Actros have been market
trendsetters on making their debut. The Mercedes-Benz Actros tractor-unit has
been available since March 2008 in its third-generation version. Additional
members of the new Actros family have made their debut in Hanover in the shape
of construction vehicles and the Actros heavy-duty tractor unit with its 250-tonne
GCW.
Power is provided by the acclaimed OM 501 LA and OM 502 LA engines in Euro
4/5. The range encompasses six 11.9-Iitre V6 engines from 235 kW (320 hp) to
350 kW (476 hp) and three 15.9-Iitre V8 engines from 375 kW (510 hp) to 440
kW (598 hp). The engines have proved themselves with their exceptionally
economical
and
environmentally friendly
BlueTec technology in over
200,000 trucks produced
to date.
• T h e n e w M e r cedesBenz
Actr os
subsequently won the
seal of appr oval in
Ireland in scooping the
Fleet Transpor t Irish
Truck of the Year 2009.
The new Mercedes-Benz Actros ‘Trust Edition’
8
long distance drive
Mercedes-Benz
Actros 1846 LS
T
en years after the invention of the
first car, Gottlieb Daimler
built the world’s first
tr uck. On October 1st
1896 the following order
entered production at the
Daimler
MotorenGesellscraft (DMG) factory in
Cannslatt near Stuttgart:
‘Motorised
goods
vehicle,
Vehicle No. 42, four hp, twocylinder engine, weight of the
complete
vehicle,
1200
kilogrammes for carrying a load of
1500 kilograms.’ It was invoiced to
British Motor Syndicate Ltd., London.
The world’s first truck looked like a horsedrawn cart without a drawbar. The driver
was seated on the coach-box ahead of the
front axle, out in the open air. Therefore, it was
also the first cab-over-engine truck. According to the first brochure, Daimler
supplied the truck in 4, 6, 8 and 10 hp versions, with payload capacity ratings
between 1500 and 5000 kilogrammes and top speed of up to 12 km/h.
While Daimler launched the first volume load carrier Karl Benz built the first car in
1886 and the first bus in 1895. He then presented his ‘Combination Delivery
Vehicle’ – which today would fall into the category of vans. When the two
innovators’ companies got together and merged in 1926 to form Daimler-Benz AG
this led to the branding of their products as Mercedes-Benz. The two companies
had both already enjoyed success in the new sport of motor racing – both had
entries in the very first automobile race the Paris to Rouen in 1894. Representing
Germany, 9.3 litre Mercedes cars took top honours in the famous Gordon Bennett
Cup Motor Race in 1903, the Irish hosted International contest that was the
precursor of the present-day Formula 1 Grand Prix. Most of this 166 km historic
route still exists, taking in counties Kildare, Carlow and Laois. On the occasion of
undertaking a 1000 kilometre test in the award winning Mercedes-Benz Actros
10
Tractor
unit, we reenacted the link
between the legendary race
and the famous German brand.
Without the services of the winner of the
event Camille Jenatzy (otherwise known as the Red
Devil) it was down to Fergus Conheady (Sales Manager,
Mercedes-Benz Commercials) and myself to take-up the mantle!
On board the 1846 LS Megaspace cab, our long distance journey began at the
Mercedes-Benz headquarters on the Naas Road, Dublin. Co-incidentally, as part of
the assessment programme for the International Truck of the Year 2009 (ITOY)
contest, a similar version of this 4x2 tractor was driven around the Black Forest
region in Germany. So, getting familiar with this subsequent ITOY winner did not
take long. Movement up through the 12 speed PowerShift2 automated
transmission was quiet, smooth and effortless. On heading down the N7 a
diversion was made from the M7 to the N78 at Kilcullen, to take the Gordon
Bennett route to Carlow on the N9. From there it was North-West to Athy and
back down through Ballylynan before retaking the N80 to Portlaoise via Stradbally.
The front of the silver Actros pointed North-Eastwards to complete a lap of the
famous race south of Kilcullen via Kildare. After carrying out this memorable
exercise, it was time to get down to the real business of the three day journey.
From Portlaoise the N8 was travelled to Durrow to Ballyragget (on the N77) before
taking a break at Kilkenny. Waterford was the next port of call (N10) and this
section of so called National Route is a disgrace in this day-and-age of high volume
traffic. The same can be said for the Western route from Mitchelstown to Mallow
(N72) and Mallow to Killarney. After parking up, a well-earned rest was
appreciated at the Brehon Hotel, Killarney. 408.5 kilometres had been clocked up
on Leg 1.
Before setting off for Leg 2, various checks were made to ensure the drivetrain was
Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie
in safe order including the new Dennison
curtainside trailer that was built in Naas and
loaded to 40 tonnes gross. The first real test
to its performance and capability came at
Castleisland where the long climb was
taken at 60 kp/h in 9th gear at 1800 rpm
with the Power On system used for the
first time. This power boost operated by
a switch on the dash injects a few extra
pounds of energy into the horses’
blood stream whenever required. On
our way up the N18, a pit-stop was
made outside Limerick to see Truck
Car’s splendid new Mercedes-Benz
Commercial Vehicle dealership. Thanks to the Ennis
By-Pass good time was made on our own way to the next
overnight stop at Claremorris, County Mayo (did get help up in Gort
though!). When desired manual shift was simply engaged by flicking the
button and moving the stubby gear-lever forward and backwards to go up and
down the 12 speed box. With cruise control on a steady 80 kp/h was noted at an
efficient 1175 rpms and although the two-stage Engine Brake did its job, I would
prefer a fully blown Retarder to match the 460 hp V6, which proved well balanced
for the power to weight ratio needed.
Day 3 saw us take the road North to Colloney, County Sligo, before making the
right turn at the roundabout towards Dublin via Boyle. Carrick-on-Shannon,
Longford, and Mullingar on the N4 were next on the map. Upon approaching two
of the climbs en route such as those at Barnacarroll and Knock Airport, just one
gear was dropped on the former and two cogs down on the latter, but in the
shortest time possible. The Curlews ascent on the N4 proved a sterner test. Again
the 460 horses did not break out in a sweat. By the time we returned to the
Mercedes-Benz CV Headquarters on the Naas Road, 1010 kilometres were
registered. After three days on the saddle, there were no sores to report, just the
many positives that this new truck brings to the marketplace. As you will read
elsewhere, this third generation Actros was elected International Truck of the Year
2009 and the Irish Truck of the Year Award 2009 followed.
features fitted on this Continental specification include towel rails,
coat hooks, swivelling shaving mirror, pull-down sunblinds,
in-cab entertainment systems that’s iPod/MP3
compatible and a compressed air
connection behind the driver’s
seat. The buttons on the air
suspension remote control
unit are now illuminated.
Finally, the folding table on
the passenger’s side is a handy
aid for meal breaks or
paperwork.
Well
Benz
rather
Vehicle’
done Mr. Daimler and Mr.
for helping in bringing this
large ‘Combination Delivery
to where it is today.
Spec Check
Model:
Type:
Cab:
Engine:
Power (Torque):
Transmission:
Wheelbase:
Brakes:
Suspension:
Tyres:
Mercedes-Benz Actros
1846LS 4x2 Semitrailer Tractor
Megaspace
V6 456 hp @ 1800 rpm BlueTec4 (Euro 4)
2200 Nm @ 1080 rpm
Powershift2 (12 speed)
3900 mm
Dual circuit full air / discs all round.
Engine brake / ABS / ASR
Front: Springs / Rear: Air
Front: 385/65 R22.5 / Rear: 315/80 R22.5
All changed inside and out
Externally, new Actros is easily distinguished from the
previous model. Features include a revised V-shaped grille
(with two or three stars) as well as re-positioned badging and
a more prominent 3-pointed star that now can be backlit.
The redesigned mirrors increase the driver’s field of vision.
New Actros also sports new headlights with easily removed
lens covers.
Inside, new Actors oozes style and class. Undoubtedly, the
interior is smarter and more modern than before with the
emphasis on quality. The seat covers are of new design fabric
and the instrument cluster has white on black dials, with
chrome rings around the speedo and tacho while the wood
finish is now replaced by brushed aluminium. Another
worthy feature is the automatic headlights and windscreen
wipers function, which were appreciated during the 1000
kms run. Driver comfort has been given high priority too.
Considerable attention has been paid to the bunks, which
can be adopted to suit the size and weight of the user by
means of pads and has a head section that can be raised.
There is a number of extra storage areas all round. Other
11
new fleet
Euro 5 Renault Trucks for Local Authorities
New Renault Midlum 280.18 Global Cab complete with Comfort box and
Palfinger crane for Dublin City Council.
New Renault Premium Lander 320.26 6x4 Global Cab complete with Phoenix
tar patching unit for Kerry County Council.
Volvo to the rescue on the Hylands!
Padraig Hughes opts for Scania
R
H
aving operated a number of DAF Trucks over the years, Padraig Hughes
Transport (Kilmovee, County Mayo) has decided to move from the Dutch
manufacturer and head further North to Sweden. Through Westward Scania,
Strokestown, County Roscommon Padraig purchased a new P270 4x2 Distribution
truck. Quinns of Athenry built the curtainsider body.
ecent sales fr om Irish
Commer cials
(Naas)
include a Volvo FLL Fire Tender
sold to Offaly County Council
with Sidhean Teo built
bodywork.
Hyland Transport (Portlaoise)
purchased two Volvo FH.480
4x2 Tractor Units fitted with XL
Cabs
and
I-Shift
auto
transmission. Joe Hyland and
Vinny O’Connor are pictured.
Salesman Des Gallagher and
Jim Bergin did the deals.
DAF delivers!
Michael Redmond
Transport &
Distribution Ltd.
(Dublin) recently
took delivery of a
new DAF XF105.
Mark Hunter, Sales
Manager, DAF
Distributors Ltd is
pictured with
Michael Redmond.
One of six new
DAF Trucks
supplied to City
West Transport Ltd.
Pictured (l/r) John
McPeake (City West
Transport), Mick
Fitzgerald
(Workshop
Foreman), DAF
Distributors Ireland
and Mark Hunter.
Exceptional Loads Services Ltd.
Specialist Services to the Heavy Haulage Industry
• Permits • Escorting • Route Planning • Route Surveys
Tel: 0402 31229 Fax: 0402 31257 Mobile: 087 2549601 Website: www.wide-loads.com
12
fleeting shots
Colin McRae remembered
H
osted by the Coltness Car Club the Colin McRae Forest Rally 2008 attracted
up to 40,000 spectators to Pertshire in Scotland to celebrate the life of the rally
legend who tragically lost his life in a helicoptor accident in 2007.
Amongst the tributes was a 2007 DAF XF105 belonging to Martin Downey of
Magherafelt, depicting the Scot’s greatest rallying triumphs.
“All along I had planned to have a unit painted and when Colin lost his life last year, I
decided to dedicate a truck in his memory,” said Martin. The artwork was carried out
by Gary O’Neill of GCOM in Toomebridge. Purchased from DAF dealer Letterkenny 4x4
by Martin’s company Outdoor Services, which specialises in groundwork and civil
engineering throughout Ireland and the UK.
Through Outdoor Services three Mk2 Ford Escorts were entered in the rally all of which
finished in what was an unforgettable event for those who turned out to remember
the life of the 1995 World Rally Champion. Podge Newe
Airport Driving School’s new Training Centre opened by Minister
P
ar tly in response to the needs for increased road safety and driver training, the
Airport Driving School has invested substantially in new vehicles and facilities. On December
1, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey T.D., officially launched its new Driver Training Centre at its
Jamestown Business Park, Finglas Headquarters.
Every category of driving is catered for in the Airport Driving School – Motorcycles, Cars, Buses,
full-size Coaches, Rigid Trucks and Articulated Trucks.
Recently, Airport Driving School purchased a new Mercedes-Benz Actros and Mercedes-Benz
Tourismo 53 seater coach, fitted with the latest in safety technology. This means that along
with its fleet of eco-friendly cars, the Airport Driving School is the first driving school in Europe
to provide vehicles of this high standard for learners.
Pictured with the Minister at the event were management and staff of
Airport Driving School.
Dakar Rally enters new territory
F
ollowing last year ’s last minute cancellation due to political unrest and terrorist threats, the Dakar
Rally crosses Continents to South America for the 2009 marathon event. The plains of Patagonia, the
Atacama Desert and the passageway through the Andes Mountains will provide an ideal setting for testing the
endurance of the 530 participants committed to Dakar-Argentina-Chile 2009. Dunes, fesh-fesh sand, limitless
roads and mountains await the 230 motorbike, 30 quad, 188 car and 82 truck competitors on the morning of
January 3, 2009.
Mitsubishi’s title will be up for grabs as major car rivals such as Volkswagen and BMW, In T2, Toyota and Nissan
will battle for this category victory while KTM will once again turn-out in force in the two-wheeler class. All the
top trucks will be there too from Kamaz, Tatra, Hino, Mercedes, Ginaf-Iveco and reigining title-holders MAN.
InterTrade Ireland visits CJ Sheeran
T
he Chief Executive of InterTrade Ireland, Liam Nellis, along with the directors of the Acumen and Fusion
programmes, Willie Maxwell and Jim Fitzsimons, visited Mounthrath-based firm CJ Sheeran Limited recently.
Trade and Development body InterTrade Ireland, is one of the six cross border bodies established under the Belfast
Agreement in 1999 to promote All Ireland cooperation regarding infrastructure, innovation and enterprise
development. “We have participated in all three InterTrade programmes in recent years,” says Mark Sheeran,
Managing Director. “It has proven to be immensely beneficial to us with regard to making inroads into the Northern
marketplace,” he added.
The company has also teamed up with the University of Ulster (under the auspices of the InterTrade Fusion
programme) to examine the techno-economic benefits of adding value to recycled wood packaging waste, which
the company produces from off cuts and recycled timber. The strategy behind the Fusion project is to achieve an
integrated and sustainable wood waste management and recycling system which in turn could lead to launching
more value added products.
14
Pictured (l-r) Mark Sheeran, MD at C. J. Sheeran
Limited; Liam Nellis, CEO InterTradeIreland; Ashleigh
Doyle, Administration Manager, C.J. Sheeran Limited;
Brendan Hogan, FUSION Programme at C. J. Sheeran
Limited; and Dermot McEntegart, ACUMEN
Programme at C. J. Sheeran Limited
test
New Volvo Trucks on trial
Volvo FH 16 – 660
Volvo FH 520
W
S
hile
the
market may be
limited for vehicles
such as the FH16,
ther e i s s t i l l a
market. Any flagship
product
should
showcase all that is
good about a company
and promote what it
has to offer its
customers; - the big
Volvo does just that.
It stands out from the
crowd, and it is clear
there is something
different about this
piece of equipment. To
enhance this image
Volvo has designed a
specific
particular
interior, which is only
available on FH 16, floor mats, door panels, seat fabrics all help to individualise the
truck.
Chiefly the FH16 is the same as the standard FH Globetrotter or Globetrotter XL.
The main difference being the D16E engine, which provides a choice of three
power outputs. Ranging from 540 to 580 to the 660 Hp, all driving through a
twelve speed I-Shift transmission or a 14 speed split/range.
Before taking to the road your expectations are high and the 16 meets those
expectations. What is surprising is the manner in which it achieves this. Grossing
44 tonnes, the 6x2 climbed the hill up to Warwick services on the M40 without
any change in engine tone. Only the rev counter tells you otherwise, you could
assume the engine is still at idle speed. Throughout our test route with 3,100 Nm
of torque on tap, the big FH was never troubled at any point.
In addition to its ability to go up hills, its capability in coming down is just as
impressive. With ‘Volvo’s Engine Brake’ engaged, a retardation effect of 578 Hp is
realised at 2,200 rpm, and when used in conjunction with I-Shift the unit
downshifts automatically to maintain a smooth and steady deceleration.
Available for FH and FH16 are a series of safety systems. These include ‘Driver Alert
Support’ and ‘Lane Guard Systems’, which monitor vehicle movements in relation
to road markings and alert a driver who may be tired. Others like ‘Lane Changing
Support’ use a radar unit to cover the passenger side blind-spot, warning the driver
of a vehicles presence, and ‘Cornering Lights’ which illuminate a wider area when
the indicator is activated.
ince
its
launch, back
in the early 90’s
FH
has
re m a i n e d o n e
of
Eur ope’s
most popular
trucks. The new
FH will no doubt
be
just
as
popular. If you
think there are no
major changes to
the exterior:- you
would be correct.
There are some
small refinements
in detail making
the vehicle lines
cleaner, but that’s
about it. The real
effort has been
a p p l i e d
elsewhere.
Our test vehicle
was an FH 520 powered by Volvo’s D13A in-line six with a Euro 5 rating. The 6x2
was hitched to a tri-axle Gray & Adams fridge and grossing 44 tonnes.
The Globetrotter cab is a familiar sight on our roads now. This was not the case
when it was first introduced back in 1979, then it was a very rare thing only to be
dreamed of. It has survived well but to some degree has been overtaken by other
manufacturers’ big cabs. For the new FH, Volvo’s design team has created well
thought out environment, within the limitations of the existing cab.
There are numerous small changes to the vehicle, such as interior trim and fabrics.
A wider reclineable bed, improved under-bunk storage, with options for fridge and
a secure safe. The passenger seat now swivels through 90°, and FH is fitted with
an advanced interior lighting system that offers a multitude of settings. Another
clever function allows the driver via a USB port to play music from a memory stick
through the sound system.
On the road the 520 delivers the power effortlessly, and with I-Shift in automatic
mode the driver is free to concentrate on what’s happening outside. Our selected
model was fitted with a 2.64:1 ratio diff, which means that cruising at 90 km/h
the rev counter is reading 1,250 rpm. This is bang in the middle of the torque
range, where the 2,500 Nm is achieved between 1,050 and 1,450 rpm.
Working within the limits of the
original cab Volvo has enhanced the
working and living environment
with good thinking, clever design
and a series of optional packages
from which to choose. Build quality,
proven durability and residual values
will all help to ensure its popularity.
Volvo has also taken on board the issue of the driver’s personal safety, by providing
alarm systems which can be used in isolation or can be linked to monitoring
stations.
Currently the 25.25-metre
vehicles
common
in
Scandinavia are on trial in a
number
of
European
countries. If there is a
general move towards these
‘Longer Heavier Vehicles’
Volvo’s
flagship
may
become more prevalent on
the roads and the market
for the FH16 be not so
limited.
Vehicle/Model
Chassis type
Hp/Euro Rating
Engine
Torque
Transmission
16
Overall, the FH 520 is a very good
truck that will comfortably do
whatever is asked of it. With the
revised model there is little to
detract from a vehicle that almost
fifteen years on is still at the top of
many drivers wish list; and one that
many operators are comfortable to
invest in.
Volvo FH 16 Globetrotter XL
6x2 Tractor (Tag)
660/Euro 4/SCR
16 Litre / In-line 6
3,100 Nm
12 speed I-Shift
Vehicle/Model
Chassis type
Hp/Euro Ratng
Engine
Torque
Transmission
Volvo FH Globetrotter XL
6x2 Tractor (Pusher)
520/Euro5/SCR
2,500 Nm
12 speed I-Shift
Text & Photos: Paul White - paul@fleet.ie
Volvo FM 430
Volvo FL 280
I
t is said that first impressions are ver y impor tant, and if the old saying is
tr ue, on first seeing Volvo’s FM it is hard not to be impressed. The vehicle
projects a positive ‘can do’ image, and hitched to a tri-axle bulk powder tank it
looked ready to tackle anything.
The positive first impressions are confirmed once inside the cab, with a quality
finish to the interior. A finish that strikes a balance between the practical needs of
fleet operators and the home comforts sought after by owner-drivers. After
getting the seat right, you have a sense of ‘wearing’ this truck like a big
comfortable coat, rather than just sitting in a heavy vehicle. All switches and
controls are well placed, and it is clear that attention to detail was a high priority
at the design stage.
On the road, and we were just as impressed. The in-line six cylinder D11B with a
Euro 5 rating producing 430 hp is very quiet. Maximum torque of 2,100 Nm
between 1,100 and 1,300 rpm is transmitted through the well-matched 12 speed
I-Shift transmission.
We feel that I-Shift has now come of age, changing through the ratios seamlessly
to pull the combination grossing 44 tonnes. As an example, at traffic lights on a
slight incline at the top of a slip road, the FM moved from being stopped - to 8th
gear in less than 7 seconds. Few experienced drivers could achieve this feat as
smoothly as I-Shift manages to. In addition, as I-Shift allows the driver to
concentrate on the road and the driving environment, there is an enhanced benefit
with regard to road safety.
While the vehicle tests were conducted from Volvo’s base in Warwick, it was clear
that the FM would perform admirably on the wide-ranging mix of Irish roads.
Being lower than the FH, this factor improves stability and the FM’s road holding
is superb. It is well suited to negotiating the difficult roads encountered once you
go off the main routes.
In FM, Volvo has hit the nail on
the head. The truck is well able
to tackle any day’s work, from
construction, to distribution, to
tank work and with the higher
spec Globetrotter option, longhaul is not a problem.
I
n a very aggressive section of the market, the FL will need something
extra to rise above its competitors. Volvo hopes its I-Sync transmission will be
that something extra.
The close co-operation with alliance partners, Renault Trucks is clearly apparent in
the vehicle lines, and as such, the truck seems quite familiar. One area of concern
is the large protruding bumper and air dam, which house the front light clusters.
Considering that this vehicle will spend a lot of time manoeuvring in tight areas,
this issue could prove costly.
While the doors feel lighter than you expect, access to the cab is adequate and
once inside the trim is practical, and will wear well. A good driving position can be
achieved, though at times the clocks can be obscured. Visibility is fine from the
driver’s seat; - however, fitting a see through panel in the passenger door could be
helpful.
There are a number of well thought out features, such as a sturdy coat rack
mounted across the rear wall, useful for hanging rain gear, and excellent storage
areas. One simple but clever idea fitted to the test vehicle was two reversing lights
mounted mid-way along each side of the body, which greatly assist manoeuvring
in bad light. Seating in the FL is of a high standard though the switchgear and
vehicle controls are a little fussy and takes a few minutes for a driver to become
accustomed.
On the road, the 6 cylinder 7.2 litre D7E engine delivers 1,050 Nm of torque
between 1200 to 1700 rpm. The power is transmitted through the 6 speed I-Sync
transmission, which at times could be a little smoother. It is sometimes necessary
to lift your foot from the accelerator slightly, to encourage the transmission to
change up, so some changes in driving style may need to be adopted. One
criticism of the FL was that we found the noise level quite high for a modern
vehicle.
Under braking the Volvo gives a good progressive and
even feel through the pedal, and the engine brake
when used correctly is first class. Depending on
individual specification the FL has a good
turning circle, important in a delivery
vehicle.
On the day, we tested the FM
after getting out of the FH 16.
After driving any flagship
vehicle, anything else can
sometimes disappoint, - in fact
the opposite was the case. FM’s
drivability and performance has
certainly raised the bar in this
vehicle class.
Vehicle/Model
Chassis type
Hp/Euro Rating
Engine
Torque
Transmission
Volvo has provided FL with a wide range
of specifications and optional extras.
From our test, we recommend a good
long test drive covering all areas of the
vehicle’s working environment. Overall,
the FL 280 is a good truck which maybe
could be a little better.
Volvo FM Globetrotter LXL
6x2 Tractor (Pusher)
430/Euro 5/SCR
2,1000 Nm
12 speed I-Shift
Vehicle/ Model
Chassis type
Hp/Euro Rating
Engine
Torque
Transmission
Volvo FL
4x2 Rigid
280/Euro 4/SCR
7.2 Litre / In-Line 6
1,050 Nm
6 speed I-Sync
17
review I
Coach & Bus Show 2008 – RDS, Dublin.
Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland Chairman, J.J. Kavanagh in an upbeat introduction said that the increase in the number of exhibitors at the Coach & Bus
Show 2008 is testament to the success of the passenger transport industry. “We face uncertain times and we need assistance from the Government,” he stated. “The
loss of the fuel rebate must be replaced with some other relief. Furthermore, we are calling on the Government to speed-up reform of public transport. Surely, the
Minister for Transport must realise we cannot operate in the 21st Century with laws that were made in 1933,” he added. He concluded by saying that the C.T.T.C. was
available to provide expertise and advice to the Department of Transport.
On officially opening the Show, Paul O’Toole, CEO of Tourism Ireland complimented the C.T.T.C. and its members for providing quality service and quality vehicles for
the tourism industry. Admitting that 2009 would bring challenges for the industry, he said, “Next Year we will see different and difficult times, but we must put our
best foot forward. All of us must deal with the realities and emerge stronger from the present crisis.”
Politecnica
King Long
Esker Bus & Coach
Passenger transport seat manufacturer Politecnica continues to
make inroads in the market from its Irish base. Pictured here is
the new range of seats commissioned and exclusive for Esker
Bus & Coach. Three variants are available and all have the Esker
logo as part of the seat design.
A new dealer has been appointed – Kearneys of Cork to sell King
Long Coaches. Roy Kearney explains, “I have decided to put my
years of knowledge as a PSV operator and apply it to selling.”
Kearneys are keen to build up the service side in advance of pushing
sales. Carlyle Bus & Coach will provide parts from its new facility in
Dublin. King Long is confident that it will put ten coaches on to Irish
roads next year through Kearneys.
Danny McGee, Managing Director, Esker Bus & Coach Sales is
confident that next year may not be as slow as some people
think. “We have fourteen vehicles on stand here and almost all
of them are sold. We have just come from a very successful
Birmingham Show, where the positive reaction is the same.”
Many people visiting the Stand showed great interest in the
recently launched Riada GT.
Cronins
Brian Noone & Sons
Scania
Cronins of Cork - agents in Ireland for Plaxton and VanHool
premiered the new Plaxton “Elite”. Founder and Managing Director,
Dermot Cronin said that having expanded into Limerick it is one of
the few coach companies located close to the three main Airports Dublin, Cork and Shannon. Not a man to be diverted by sentiment,
Dermot had two ‘SOLD’ stickers in his jacket pocket. “When I stick
these on a bus we will have had a successful Show,” joked the witty
Cork man.
Mark Noone of Brian Noone Coach Sales (Maynooth) agents for
Beulas, MAN, Irisbus and Optare products is cautiously upbeat about
the future. “All ten vehicles on stand are sold, we can only take it as
it comes.” Launching the multi purpose Fast coach in the Irish scene
for the first time, Mark is confident that it will be a big seller.
Competitively priced at €169,000 + VAT with 57 seats on a MAN
Chassis, it attracted a lot of interest.
Pat Carton of Westward Scania says that currently the
Roscommon company is delivering 25 Omnilink vehicles to Bus
Eireann, which will go into service in January. Together with
Scania’s, Spanish Bodybuilding Irizar, Westward Scania has now
delivered over 400 PB and Century vehicles.
Leinster Vehicle Distributors
Texoil
J.F. Dunne Insurances
Leinster Vehicle Distributors launched three new vehicles. From
Slovena is the new Viveth, a 7.5m and 9.6m coach built on
MAN running gear. From Spanish bodybuilder Farebus is the
Kalifa again on a MAN chassis. A production model of the Kalifa
in a three axle formation featuring 62 seats will be available in
February ’09. Pictured here is the Merc LimoBus.
Carol Smith and Geraldine Lavery, representing Texoil, Dublin.
Colm Devitt, Philip Kenny and Carlos Dunne were all on hand to
discuss insurance issues and packages.
18
FLEETTRANSPORT I DEC 08/JAN 09
Text and Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie & Sean Murtagh sean@fleet.ie
Concluding Paul O’Toole wished the C.T.T.C. good
luck with the Show and reiterated the importance
he placed on the relationship between Tourism
Ireland and the Coach Tourism & Transport Council
of Ireland. In his closing remarks C.T.T.C. Chairman
J.J. Kavanagh thanked Cora Collins, CEO; C.T.T.C.,
Paul Morton and their committee in putting the
successful event together.
Pictured right (left to right) J.J. Kavanagh, Cora
Collins (C.T.T.C.) and Paul O’Toole (Tourism Ireland).
EUROCOACH CHRISTMAS HAMPER PRIZE DRAW
JARLATH SWEENEY, FLEET BUS & COACH MANAGING EDITOR,
PICKING OUT THE WINNING ENTRIES FOR THREE CHRISTMAS
HAMPERS IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIS WATTS (LEFT) AND JOE
FERRY (RIGHT) REPRESENTING SPONSORS EUROCOACH. THE
THREE LUCKY RECIPIENTS WERE JOE MCGONAGLE, REDCASTLE;
DANNY MONAGHAN, BELFAST AND SAM SINNAMON,
DUNGANNON.
Road Safety Authority (RSA)
Ice Training
Eurocoach
The Road Safety Authority was one of the busiest stands
throughout the two day event. Handouts on the Digital
Tachograph, Driver CPC and Drivers Hours regulation were
available in hardcopy form. Downloads are also available from its
website – www.rsa.ie. According to the RSA, 2008 has seen a
huge increase in compliance in all sectors of the industry.
Pictured (l-r) John Norton and Dave Eneff.
Ice Training based in Finglas, Dublin has recently had its Digital
Tachograph courses approved by FAS. By Christmas it expects to
have FETAC Certification and be approved by the Road Safety
Authority as a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence
Centre. Pictured is Aidan Flynn, General Manager.
Having launched the new Arora 200 in Birmingham earlier this
month, Eurobus made some changes to the vehicle including a
new colour! A very striking and futuristic look on the new
vehicle attracted lots of attention. Based on the Mercedes-Benz
Vario 816 chassis it can be supplied as a 16 seater VIP or
standard 29 seater. Conversion from the VIP version to 29 seats
can be carried out in a few hours.
Setra
Bartons
Optare
Mike Beagrie, General Manager of EvoBus’ Setra division
explains the philosophy of success that is Setra. “Sales sell the
first coach but Aftersales sell the rest. Notwithstanding that no
matter how far you search you will not find a safer, more
luxurious or perfectly equipped vehicle than a Setra.” Having
sold twenty vehicles at the Birmingham Show, Beagrie is
reasonably confident that next year will not be all bad news.”
Bartons of Maynooth, agents for VDL MarcoPolo, Plaxton, Cheetah,
VDL Berkhoff and Temsa are cautious about what next year will bring
as both sales agents and coach operators. Corporate business is an
area where coach operators may see reduced activity. Interestingly,
the father and son team of Pat and Fergal Barton see less work in
school transport because of the fall out from education cuts. While
both men are very confident about the long term they feel short
term may be a little unpredictable.
Optare has had some turbulent times in the past twelve months.
However, what has emerged is a more vibrant and robust
company. A new Visionaire Double Decker open tour business is
now ready for delivery to Dualway (Dublin). A Toro Midi Coach
and a Versa coach made up the rest of its display. Optare is
about to make another Irish dealer announcement in the next
few months.
Campion Insurance Group
Clarke Autowash
Argent DOT Test Centre
Michael Gardiner, Manager and Sharon Ryan, Commercial
Accounts Handler, Campion Insurance Group, Urlingford, Co.
Kilkenny.
Clarke Auto Wash Ltd specialises in a complete range of
automated vehicle wash equipment. Pictured are Vincent Clarke
and Petra Vranova.
Jim McGrath, Managing Director, Argent DOT Test Centre on
the Long Mile Road, Dublin has informed us of its appointment
as the new importers in Ireland for Stoneridge Digital and
analogue Tachographs.Optac is the new download tool for
Stoneridge electronics making it possible for all drivers and
companies to read all information from digital driver cards and
tachographs.
19
legal
Text: Jonathan Lawton - jonathan@fleet.ie
DRIVER’S HOURS
O
ne of the pr oblems r esulting fr om the
impact of Eur opean Legislation on the
haulage industry is that, whatever the size of the
company, many operators are simply unaware that
there have been changes to the existing legislation.
EC Directive 3821/85, set out the limits for
periods of driving, breaks, and other work since
it came into effect and, as the industry has
become more familiar with those rules, various
interpretations have allowed different
‘understandings’ of these permitted periods
to be adopted throughout the industry. In
particular it has been possible to extend a
drivers hours of driving without,
apparently, breaking the law.
Those in Europe who are responsible for
this legislation have been aware of the
problem and, predictably, have been
concerned that there are substantial
safety issues when a drivers hours of
driving can be extended without,
apparently, breaking the law. Following
the appropriate consultations, Regulation (EC) No
561/2006 came into force on the 11th of April 2007.
Chapter II of this new directive deals with Crews, Driving times, Breaks, and Rest
periods. Article 5 reduces the minimum age for the driver of a driver’s mate to 18
years. A minimum age, which, in certain circumstances, can be reduced to
16 years.
Article 6 provides that daily driving time
shall not exceed 9 hours,
although that
period
may be
extended
to
10
hours not
more than
twice
a
w e e k ,
however the
weekly driving
time must not
exceed 56 hours.
The
Directive
allows for a total
of 90 hours driving
in
any
two
consecutive weeks.
It is important to note
that when a driver is
carried in a vehicle as
part of his duties to be
available to drive that is
‘other work’ however short
the journey may be. Additionally,
even where driving is done in another country, it
must be taken into account when calculating the hours of driving. Any time spent
driving a vehicle which is not covered by these regulations for commercial purposes
is also ‘other work’, and that time, including time recorded as a period of
availability (POA), must be recorded either manually or on a record sheet.
The need to take a 45 minute break after 4.5 hours driving remains, but, where
that break is taken during the driving period, there may be one break of not less
than 15 minutes and one break of not less than 30 minutes.
There has always been a problem when a driver accompanies a vehicle on a ferry
or train. Now, when a driver includes the train or ferry journey in his daily rest
period, he can interrupt that rest twice by other activities provided that that other
activity does not occupy in total more than 1 hour.
Time spent travelling to or from a vehicle that is not at the driver’s home nor at the
place where the vehicle is based will only count as rest unless the driver is on a train
or ferry and there is a bunk or couchette available. Where a driver has to drive to
get to a vehicle that is neither at his home nor at the base, will count as ‘other
work’.
The provisions dealing with daily and weekly rest periods are set out in Article 8.
During a ‘daily rest period’ the driver must be able to freely dispose of his time. A
‘regular daily rest period’ means any period of more than 11 hours, a period which
can be split into one period of 3 hours, and one of at least 9 hours. A reduced daily
rest period is a break of not less than 9 hours.
A ‘regular weekly rest period’ is one of at least 45 hours. This can be reduced to a
period of 24 consecutive hours, but there are provisions for compensation, which
must be taken in the third week.
All operators will be familiar with the old regulations, and the changes effected by
the new Directive are not dramatic but, given the new enthusiasm for enforcement
throughout the EC, operators must be sure that they understand the new
provisions. The best course of action would be to get a copy of the new rules and
to ensure that they are understood.
20
maritime
Text: Howard Knott - maritime@fleet.ie
fleetMaritime: IRISH SHIPPING & FREIGHT
Dec ‘08 / Jan ‘09
LD Lines restores Rosslare / Le Havre link
n November 8th, Shipping giant, the
Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group,
through its subsidiary, ‘LD Lines’, launched
its first scheduled Irish Service with the
arrival of a brand new vessel “Norman
Voyager” at Rosslare. This vessel will provide
a once weekly link with Le Havre, thus, restoring
a link last operated some twenty years ago by
the Irish Ferries vessel “St. Killian II”.
O
The “Norman Voyager” is a product of the Italian
Visentini Yard and is, in many respects, a
development of the “Lagan Viking” which
Norfolk Line operates on their Belfast –
Liverpool route. She has a service speed of 24
knots enabling her to make the passage within a
20 hour schedule. In normal loading conditions
she would take up to 500 passengers, 200 cars
and up to 120 freight vehicles. Its upper main
deck is ventilated to facilitate trailers laden with
livestock as well as a large number of
refrigerated units.
The current schedule has the “Norman Voyager”
leaving Le Havre just before midnight on Friday
and docking at Rosslare
at 21.30 on Saturday. She
sails at 01.00 on Sunday
and docks at Le Havre at
22.00 that night. The Line
is considering bringing the
whole schedule forward
by a few hours to better
facilitate the passenger
traffic.
Speaking at the launch
event in Rosslare, LD Lines Managing Director,
Christophe Santoni said, “The new service
provides a value for money, direct route
between Ireland and France for a growing
passenger market and will also meet the
demands of an expanding freight market, such
as new vehicles produced by Peugeot, Citroen
and Renault which will be transported on behalf
of freight haulage companies Gefco and CAT.”
On the 29th November arrival, there were over
500 such vehicles aboard together with a
number of freight trailers, while for the outward
voyage “Norman Voyager”, loaded with 50
trailers, mainly driver accompanied reefers, but
also including seven livestock trailers laden with
pedigree cattle en route to Russia for breeding
purposes.
John Lynch, General Manager at Rosslare
Europort, in welcoming the first brand new ship
to operate into the County Wexford Port for 20
years, said, “LD Lines’ new multi-purpose ferry
service is a major boost
to
the
continuing
development of Rosslare
Europort’s Continental
Direct
services
and
provides a new choice for
passengers, hauliers and
shippers seeking direct
access to and from the
Continental Mainland. Its
arrival is particularly well
timed as cost and
environment conscious customers are actively
looking for ways to reduce fuel usage bypassing
the UK Landbridge.”
LD Lines operates a range of English Channel
Ferry services, including Le Havre to
Portsmouth and Dieppe to Newhaven and will,
in 2009, open new routes linking Dover with
Dieppe and Boulogne. In the Mediterranean, the
company operates the three times weekly,
Toulon to Civitavecchia, near Rome, service in
conjunction with Grimaldi Lines, as well as a
freight Ro-Ro service linking Marseille with
Tunis.
Louis Dreyfus Group’s long time Irish Agent,
O’Toole Shipping has opened an office at
Rosslare managed by Thora O’Toole, while the
LD Lines has recruited former of P & O Ferries
and Celtic Link, executive Paul Tyrell (pictured
with Christophe Santoni aboard “Norman
Voyager”) to develop its freight business.
Stena Line HSS future in doubt
s reported in the last edition of Fleet
Maritime, Stena Line has reduced its
schedules from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead
to once daily. On the introduction of the “Stena
Explorer” in 1996, she sailed 5 round trips daily,
but cost increases and a general traffic drop-off
on the Central Corridor, combined with the
introduction of new and improved competition
from Dublin Port, have put the continuation of the
service in some doubt.
A
Stena spokesman, Eamon Hewitt was quoted in
a Sunday newspaper as saying: “The biggest
issue has been fuel costs, but there is also the
fact that we are in dispute with the Dun
Laoghaire Harbour company. We are
paying €6.5 million in Harbour costs. If we
were to run a comparable service from
Dublin Port it would cost about €2 million.
We are in negotiation with the (the Harbour
company) but have not managed to get
them to reduce.
In the meantime, Stena has brought back the
“Stena Nordica” to partner the Cruise Ferry,
“Stena Adventurer” on the Dublin-Holyhead
route. From March 2009 this popular second
vessel will sail two round trips a day, greatly
enhancing the service ex-Dublin.
A further sign of Stena Line’s shift from Fast
Ferries to higher frequency Cruise or Ro-Pax
Ferries comes with withdrawal of the “Stena
Charisma” operating out of Gothenburg. The
“Stena Lynx” which operates a seasonal service
ex-Rosslare is wintering in Dublin Port.
21
maritime
SEATRUCK opens Nordic Route
he Seatruck Ferry operation (part of the
Danish Group Clipper Shipping Group)
has developed replacement for the service
formerly operated by Norse Merchant Ferries
linking Warrenpoint and Heysham.
T
Two years ago Seatruck took over the Dublin to
Liverpool service operated by Celtic Link and
more than doubled its capacity on that route
through the purchase of second hand tonnage
and its transfer from the Warrenpoint route.
From January, 5th 2009 Seatruck is transferring
EXPORT AWARDS
he Irish Exporters Association annual
awards took place on November 5th with
the “Exporter of the Year” title being presented
by An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen T.D. to Martin
McVicar, Managing Director of Combilift Ltd.
The Company had earlier been presented with
the Manufacturing Exporter of the Year award.
T
Combilift won the top award due to its impressive
performance in developing and exporting the
world’s first engine powered multi-directional
forklift. The Monaghan based company currently
exports to some 50 countries and, with the
introduction of a new model “COMBI-CB”, its
exports should exceeds €100 million this year.
Containerships Ltd. scooped the “Short Sea
Shipping Company” award, sponsored by the
IMDO. The Containerships Group established its
Dublin Operation in 1984 and received the
the ferry “Moondance”
from Warrenpoint to a new
route which will link the
Danish Port of Fredericia
with Moss in Norway on a
three
times
weekly
schedule.
The service will carry the
full range of driver
accompanied
and
unaccompanied trailers
and
will
cater
for
hazardous
cargo, reefer
and oversize traffic as well as
containers. Seatruck Commercial
Director, Alistair Eagles says that
the new service will offer exporters
from Norway a direct connection to
Rail Services into Central Europe
through the rail terminal in
Taulov/Fredericia as well as direct
transhipment to the existing DFDS
Line Baltic Service from Fredericia.
honour in recognition of the
excellence of its door-to-door
container service from Ireland
to Finland, the Baltic States
and Russia. Containerships
recently became part of the
Eimskip Group and Dublin
Chief
Executive,
Maria
O’Reilly says that two huge
factors in their success is a
really reliable set-up in
Russia and an excellent level
of service from its principal
Feeder Line operators, Eucon
and DFDS Container Line.
The other nominees for the
award were, CMA-CGM
Shipping Ireland and DFDS
Container Line.
The 50 trailer capacity “Moondance” will offer the
only ‘freight-only’ ferry service between Norway
and Denmark and its pending success on the
route could facilitate displacement by vessels
moving off the Irish Sea routes as the first four
newbuildings are deployed namely, the “Clipper
Point” and “Clipper Pace” at Warrenpoint and the
“Clipper Pennant” and “Clipper Panorama” at
Dublin.
Winners of the Exporter of the Year Award Robert Moffett and Martin
McVicar, Combilift along with An Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Liam
Shanahan, IEA President.
Geodis Ireland won took Dublin Port sponsored,
“Logistics Company of the Year” accolade. The
judges impressed with its effective and efficient
logistics and supply chain management,
enabling its clients to compete in overseas
markets. The other award nominees were, Burke
Shipping Group, DHL and Kuehne & Nagel.
Direct Service to North America planned
leet Maritime” has learned that plans
are well advanced for the launch of a
new shipping service from Ireland direct to
and from Canadian and US Ports. The service
will run to a fortnightly ‘time definite’ schedule
and will bring the North American marketplace to
within a week to ten days of departure.
“F
The service is focussed on Oversized and/or
Overweight, Break Bulk and Ro-Ro piece cargo
22
that is basically unsuited for containerisation.
The vessels that the US based Line Operator will
use are so configured as to be able to take
pieces of almost any dimensions or weights.
Oversized & Overweight and Ro-Ro cargo was
identified, in the recent Institute for International
Trade for Ireland Study of Ireland’s North Atlantic
Trade, as being the traffic that has huge growth
potential and the promoters of the new service
are confident that it will facilitate the growth of
trade and employment in this sector.
The service will be launched in Q1 2009.
Exporters and Cargo Forwarders interested in
learning more about the new service should email “Fleet Maritime” at maritime@fleet.ie and
we will pass your enquiry on to the Line
Operator.
maritime
Volvo Ocean Race – End of Second Leg
similar groove to move
from seventh to fourth
just before the finish.
Delta Lloyd came in just
200 metres astern of
Puma, while Green
Dragon took seventh
place well ahead of final
place Team Russia.
Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race
verall leader of the Volvo Ocean Race
2008/2009 from the very start, Ericsson 4
stormed into the Indian Port of Cochin well
ahead of the pack. Behind her the fleet was
scattered across the Indian Ocean with any one
of four boats likely to catch her sister ship
Ericsson 3 which appeared to be set for second
place.
O
However, Spanish entry Telefonica Blue found
an inside track close to the shore and stole
second place, while her sister, Telefonica Blue,
which had been in a bunch with Puma and
Galway’s Green Dragon and Limerick based
Delta Lloyd, stole away from the group to find a
The fleet had taken just
two weeks to complete
the 3000 mile leg from
Cape Town, had battled
through storms in the
Southern Ocean before
hitting the doldrums as
they neared their final
goal. Several boats
suffered
substantial
damage; Puma’s hull
had cracked as she fell
off huge waves at high
speed while the two Telefonica boats had
smashed the dagger boards that are essential to
the stability of the boat.
Neither of the Irish boats suffered hull damage,
though early in the leg, Green Dragon, while
screaming along at up to 25 knots in up to 40
knots of wind, under full main sail, smashed her
boom, thus, making the process of controlling
the massive sail all the more challenging.
Skipper, Ian Walker, was keen to divert to the
remote island of Diego Garcia to meet up with
the support team and install a new boom.
However, though the American authorities who
control access to the island were happy to allow
the team fly in with the spare gear, they would
not allow Green Dragon to dock and the whole
venture had to be aborted and Walker and his
crew had to sail on without the boom. Thus,
Walker was philosophical about his seventh
place arrival at Cochin and raring to go for the
next leg to Singapore.
Skipper and owner, Ger O’Rourke, handed Delta
Lloyd over to the highly experienced, Roberto
Bermudez at Capetown as he headed back to
business. Bermudez guided the only yacht not
specially built for the 2008 Volvo Race (built for
the 2006 event); very safely to Cochin with little
or no damage. Crewman, Gerd Jan Poortman
was a little disappointed that she did not hold the
fourth place to the finish: “it was disappointing ...
we were power reaching ... but because of the
old mast we just did not have the horsepower.”
Then a jib sheet broke and the jib was left
flapping. That was ‘game over’ and Delta Lloyd
had to be satisfied with sixth place.
As the fleet prepares to leave Cochin, on
December 13th, for the third leg to Singapore
both Irish Boats are in good shape and anxious
to improve, Green Dragon, from her fourth
overall placing, Delta Lloyd, in seventh.
After Singapore comes Qingdao, China, then, on
the marathon of the event the run through the
Southern Ocean and round the Cape to Rio.
Next stop, Boston, then, about May 22nd
Galway should welcome the first of the fleet.
It is certainly turning out to be one heck of a race.
Irish Express Cargo is first to qualify for AEO
n Friday, November 28th, John Scanlan,
Flextronics Managing Director for UK
and Ireland was presented with the first
Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Certificate
by an Irish company. The certificate is in the
name of Irish Express Cargo (IEC) and covers
the
Flextronics
Group
locations in Ireland, UK and
Holland that come under the
management of Limerick
based Irish Express Cargo.
The company also supports
its logistics service clients
from its Polish location. IEC
was founded in Dublin in
1972 and became part of the
worldwide Flextronics Group
in 2000. It is heavily involved
O
with many of the multi-nationals that have based
themselves in Ireland and runs large airfreight
and trailer operations in Europe.
Following the 9/11 disaster, the US Authorities
introduced a Security based validation system
for
companies
importing into the USA,
going under the name
“C-TPAT”. The EU
subsequently came up
with
the
AEO
programme,
which
required
companies
that
wished
to
participate to be not
only, best in class, on
security but should also
be in all other aspects thoroughly reliable
business partners. Much discussion in going on
at present on making the US and European
criteria compatible so as to better facilitate trade.
It is likely that both manufacturers and freight
forwarders will find that securing AEO status will
increase business opportunities. Manufacturers,
Organon Ireland Ltd., Medtronic Vascular
Galway
Ltd,
and
Medtronic
Ireland
Manufacturing Ltd. were also presented with
their AEO certs by Revenue Commissioners
Chairman, Josephine Feehily at the November
Ceremony. The Revenue Commissioners, which
manages the scheme, advise that there are 24
other Irish companies in the process of securing
authorisation.
23
maritime
SHORT STOPOVERS | SHORT STOPOVERS | SHORT STOPOVERS | SHORT STOPOVERS |
DFDS GROUP ANNOUNCES CUT
BACKS
The Danish Ro-Ro and container shipping
group has announced capacity reductions
and job cuts following disappointing ninemonth profit figures.
Profits halved
compared to the same period in 2007 to
€34 million, though turnover increased by
3% to €900 million. The cuts will apply
throughout the group with capacity
reduction of 5 to 6% and 10% job cuts.
DFDS Container Line’s services from
Waterford and Dublin will be unaffected by
these cutbacks. Pictured below Dana
Gothia leaving Dublin.
IRISH
FERRIES
REVISES
BUNKER
SURCHARGING
SYSTEM.
Irish Ferries has announced that, effective,
1st January 2009, it will adjust the Bunker
Surcharge rate charged to customers each
month, rather than quarterly which has
been the case up to now. Eugene Carron,
Freight Manager at the Company advises
customers that: “It is anticipated that this
move will continue to assist with your need
to remain competitive within the freight
marketplace”.
HEINEKEN MOVES TO WATER.
Heineken will, from 2009, ship all of the
export beer brewed at its Zoetermeer
location, by barge to the Ports of Antwerp
and Rotterdam. This should save 100,000
truck journeys a year.
MEANWHILE,
IRISH
CONTINENTAL
GROUP’S
RESULTS for the nine months up to end
October show an increase in its Eucon
Division’s container freight volumes of
1.8% at 450,000 TEU for the period while
the units handled through its Port Terminals
showed a similar level of growth. Irish
Ferries, Ro-Ro freight volumes fell by 6.6%
to 207,000 units.
IMDO UPDATES.
BULK
SHIPPING
COLLAPSE.
RATES
Delegates at the IMDO Marine Money
Conference were informed by Shipping
Analyst, Fred Doll, that spot charter rates
for very large Bulk Carriers had plummeted
in the period from June to early November
from US$200,000 a day to US$8,000 and
were still falling. At that rate the vessels
were barely covering running costs.
Shipping paper “Lloyds List” quoted charter
rates of US$2,500 a day by the end of
November, a rate that would barely cover
vessel insurance costs and nothing else.
The main cause of the rate collapse has
been the drop in Chinese demand for steel
which co-incided with major new tonnage
coming onto the market.
24
The
Irish
Maritime
Development
Organisation (IMDO) has completely
updated its website (www.imdo.ie) to
provide a wide range of information on
Ireland’s rapidly growing maritime sector. It
has also launched two new additions to its
“Shipping Review” series, one on the
Netherlands and one on North-west
England.
CONTAINERS
SHIPPED
THROUGH ROSSLARE.
Cobelfret, which launched its weekly RoRo service linking Rosslare with Zeebrugge
and Rotterdam, in October, now provides
Mafi Trailers on board to facilitate the
shipment of containers and other nonwheeled cargo. Rosslare Europort has
secured a Reach Stacker and operates a
container lay-down area close to the berth.
FRENCH PORT CONTAINER
HANDLING GOES PRIVATE.
Unionised dock workers and port
employers have signed an agreement
paving the way for the privatisation of
container handling at France’s seven statecontrolled Ports, including the top box hub
of Le Havre. The agreement brings to an
end months of disruption and difficulties for
cargo shippers including those in Ireland
whose cargo is routed through Le Havre.
€30 MILLION OIL TERMINAL
DEVELOPMENT AT FOYNES.
Atlantic Fuel Supply Company is
developing one of Europe’s most advanced
oil terminals which will have the capacity to
supply 15% of the country’s fuel
requirements when completed. Developers
say that the facility with specially designed
bio-fuel tanks will be capable of playing a
major role in helping Ireland achieve its
2020 target of 10% transport bio-fuels.
feature
CELTRAK: DRIVING DOWN
FUEL COSTS FOR FLEETS
Dr. Helen McBreen, Sales Director, Celtrak
E
arlier this year, telematics technology provider, Celtrak, launched new
technology to help companies significantly reduce their road transport
fuel bills. New and existing customers of Celtrak in Ireland and the UK are now
significantly benefiting from its innovation in this field.
Branded “Festino”, Celtrak’s solution is a telematics-based application designed
especially for the operations management needs of companies involved in three
targets sectors; utilities & construction, distribution & maintenance and service &
maintenance.
In these challenging times the goals for companies in these areas of commercial
transport is to excel in value creation, retain existing customers and grow business.
Operational Excellence is the core strategy, delivering services to the market at the
lowest total cost with good quality service.
Realising this, Celtrak created Festino to provide companies with new capabilities
to monitor their operations, in particular their vehicle fleet. The solution
streamlines processes, increases coordination and optimises the utilisation of
remote and mobile assets. In addition, the solution reduces and control costs by
optimising processes and tightly managing operations.
With cost control in mind, it is predicted that fuel
costs are likely to be the most significant cost
increase that businesses will face in 2008 and
2009. Companies with a transport division now
face huge increases in order to run their vehicles
more efficiently. Using Celtrak’s technology there
are a number of ways in which companies can
reduce fuel costs.
Reducing Unnecessar y Mileage
For a fleet, the average “all in” cost could be
between €2.00 and €2.50 per kilometre.
Therefore, every unnecessary kilometre driven can
affect the bottom line dramatically. Many
companies see that reducing distance travelled is
a significant method to reduce operational costs.
Celtrak provide real-time features that allow the right questions to be asked in
terms of each journey taken: Was the journey necessary? Could it have been
shorter? Could we out-source the trip to a third party? Should we allow drivers use
the vehicles for private use?
Reducing Idling
It is now well documented that excessive idling leads to fuel wastage. On heavy
goods vehicles in particular, one hour of idling can waste up to 4.5 litres of fuel.
Celtrak’s solution reports on high or unusual idling patterns drawing attention to
poor driver behaviour and unnecessary fuel wastage. Celtrak’s idling clock
immediately reports on any vehicle that is idling over a preset threshold; for
instance with the engine running stationary over 3, 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes. This
feature alone can save companies up to 8 per cent
on fuel costs.
Scheduling Service Dates
Scheduling vehicle service dates not only
minimises unplanned down-time of a
vehicle, but more importantly it can reduce
vehicle wear and tear. Improving engine
performance and vehicle performance
means the vehicle will run more
smoothly. Ultimately vehicles that are
serviced on time will run more
efficiently and therefore use less fuel.
Reducing Vehicles Speed
Speeding can decrease vehicle performance increase. Slowing down by 15
kilometres per hour could result in a 10 per cent decrease in litres per kilometre.
Celtrak’s reporting suite will alert users to speeding patterns and can be used to
train drivers to improve driver behaviour. Reducing speed also results in less
emissions which will have a significant impact in the future.
Monitoring Excessive Fuel Consumption
Celtrak also offers CAN-Bus integration solutions for certain vehicle types, showing
accurately if fuel is being consumed excessively.
The solution produces information on driving
patterns and can be used to improve driver
behaviour. CAN-Bus technology provides exact
visibility of engine and driver performance and
enables driver education to optimise fuel usage.
Celtrak’s technology tracks fleet activity and
enables customers to understand fleet
inefficiencies such as excessive idling and
matching mileage driven with fuel expenditure
reports.
About Celtrak
Galway headquartered, Celtrak has been a
primary supplier of telematics solutions to industry
and public authorities for over eight years. New
customers availing of the new technology are from Celtrak’s three target sectors utilities & construction, distribution & maintenance and service & maintenance.
New clients include Sweeney Oil, Bord Gáis Eireann, Neylon Maintenance, DK
Trotter, and Ward & Burke Construction.
Growing out of the world-class automotive electronics company, CEL, Celtrak was
one of the first providers of Fleet Management Systems to the logistics industry in
Ireland. It pioneered speed monitoring, driving behaviour and vehicle location
services for the public and private sectors.
As a total solution provider of telematics technolgies, Celtrak is unique in Ireland.
The company designs, manufactures and supplies sophisticated Telemetics
Systems, web-based Operations Management Software, Back-office Data Centre
and full Customer Support Services.
The company’s aim is to become the leading supplier of telematics solutions for the
utilities sector in Ireland and UK. The addition of Celtrak’s new technology allows
companies to manage fuel consumption and will play an important role in the
development of the company in 2009.
For further information visit www.celtrak.com. To arrange an appointment in
Ireland call +353 91 765312 or from the UK call 0845 299 4001.
25
trailer
MAKE YOUR EURO GO FURTHER
A
lthough Gray & Adams was established in 1957 in Scotland, the
company has been supplying to the Irish refrigerated trailer and body
market since the 1970s, albeit from a distance. In 1981, a facility was
established in Belfast to enhance the company’s presence in Ireland.
Despite being the only major refrigerated trailer manufacturer in Ireland, the
company has not yet fulfilled its maximum potential within this market. Changing
economic conditions and a dedication to listening to its customers has meant that
past barriers have either been removed or have now come full circle and are
actually working in the company’s favour.
A capping repair being carried out by the Gray & Adams repair team
Clare Distribution Services has benefited from the introduction of a Gray &
Adams repairs facility in Dublin
Dispelling the Myths
There were perceptions in the marketplace that Gray & Adams trailers were heavier
than many of its competitors. Modern methods of manufacturing and other
design changes, including the introduction of twin member chassis to replace the
chassisless construction, mean that trailer weight is no longer significant.
within County Dublin, a decision was made to open an after sales support facility.
Gray & Adams Dublin has now been open since August of this year and customers
such as Tesco and Allied Foods, amongst others, have been reaping the benefits of
its presence.
Gray & Adams Dublin is primarily aimed at providing after sales support for existing
customers. It has been modelled on the well-established Gray & Adams Belfast
repairs department and can therefore cater for a much wider market. The
company’s highly skilled staff is capable of carrying out repairs to any type of trailer
or body, including dry freight and specialist vehicles, rather than just types that
make up the Gray & Adams portfolio.
The Gray & Adams product has also been perceived to be expensive in relation to
competitors’ prices. Although Gray & Adams
has never competed solely on the initial purchase
price, there have been reasons for this higher
cost in the past. Because Gray & Adams’ parent
company is Scottish based, all costs originate in
Sterling, meaning that the Euro to Sterling
exchange rate affects the final price to the Euro
customer. In the past twelve months, the
exchange rate has moved dramatically and now
means that customers are getting more pounds
for their money. For example, a trailer costing
£40,000 12 months ago, that would have
converted to €55,600, now works out at
€48,000 using the current exchange rate!
Although this is not directly comparable because
of the hike in material costs that all
manufacturers have incurred, Gray & Adams has
been able to offset some of this additional cost
A refurbishment carried out by Gray & Adams on a badly
and is still able to pass on significant savings to
damaged body (not originally manufactured by G&A) - before
customers. Considerable changes in the
and after
exchange rate have meant that Gray & Adams
prices have become much more favourable than
ever before.
Back-Up Reassurance
Finally, a major concern for many operators
when choosing a supplier is undoubtedly having
the reassurance of local back-up. Gray & Adams
has been considering a Dublin based depot for
many years but for various reasons the time has
never been right. Today, however, Gray &
Adams is thought to have more than 500 trailers
and bodies in operation within the greater
Dublin area alone. With the company’s vehicle
park at such a high level and with many of the
company’s biggest Irish customers being located
26
The Gray & Adams group has earned a
reputation for the quality of its competitively
priced after sales services, and is well known for
turning repairs around quickly. These benefits
have been recognised by customers using the
services of the Dublin facility. Mark Clare of Clare
Distribution Services had this to say: “Gray &
Adams has established an excellent repairs
facility in Dublin which offers a fast and efficient
service. We have recently had extensive work
done on a trailer from our fleet and the end
result was a top quality and professional job. Its
central location just off the Naas Road is also
extremely convenient.”
One way that operators are saving money during
this difficult economic climate is through
refurbishing rather than renewing trailers or
vehicles in their fleet. Gray & Adams has
considerable experience in this service as well.
Competitively
Effective Parts
Priced
Repairs
&
Cost-
Gray & Adams is confident that its repairs are
competitively priced within the market. The
early findings of a recent costing exercise have
highlighted how competitive Gray & Adams
repairs can be compared with some of the
European competitors.
Dermot Nolan,
Managing Director of Gray & Adams Dublin is so
certain of this that he is prepared to offer
customers very transparent pricing.
Dermot
explained, “We are currently working on a menu
style pricing system for the most popular repairs,
such as items that get damaged on a day-to-day
basis, like cappings, corner castings, side guard
trailer
WITH SOLUTIONS FROM
rails and rear doors and frames. Customers will see a genuine difference between
our pricing and that of some of our European competitors but they will have the
added benefit of Gray & Adams quality workmanship and experience”.
The Gray & Adams back-up division is capable of supplying parts and materials
much more quickly than most Continental European manufacturers because many
parts are manufactured in-house, including panels. Parts can be supplied directly
to customers or can be used for repairs at the facility in Dublin.
GRAY & ADAMS
“We have identified an opportunity and have taken the plunge to further invest in
the company’s future in Ireland. With the benefits we are currently seeing in the
currency exchange and the addition of a local back-up service, Gray & Adams is
undoubtedly able to offer a better deal for customers than ever before. We
genuinely believe that there has never been a better time to talk to Gray & Adams
for sales, repairs or parts,” Billy Dougan, Managing Director, Gray & Adams
(Ireland) Ltd.
Customers often find that repairs carried out to competitors vehicles using the
equivalent Gray & Adams parts are more cost effective compared with the original
manufacturers’ option and are also assured that materials supplied will be the
highest quality.
Refrigeration Solutions W ith Car rier Transicold
To further enhance the company’s sales activity and as a leading supplier of
temperature-controlled equipment, Gray & Adams has chosen to offer the Carrier
Vector 1850 refrigeration unit as standard. The company believes that in so
doing, it can offer the best value for money on temperature-controlled solutions,
with emphasis on reduced maintenance and operating costs.
Based on current exchange rates, this enables Gray & Adams to offer a full
package to accommodate a 13.6 metre trailer using the Carrier Vector 1850, from
a very competitive €46,500.00
The Product Portfolio
While the company traditionally specialised in the manufacture of refrigerated
trailers and rigid bodies, catering for 3.5 tonne operations upwards, the product
portfolio has expanded in more recent years to include a wider range of dry freight
and specialist vehicles for an extensive variety of applications.
The Gray & Adams FuelSaver Trailer can reduce fuel consumption by up to 10%
Innovation has prompted Gray & Adams to add twin and lifting deck trailer designs
(both dry freight and refrigerated), insulated curtain-side trailers and light
refrigerated bodies to the product portfolio. The Gray & Adams double deck trailer
design has the potential to offer up to a 70% increase in carrying capacity, as
certain designs are capable of carrying a maximum of 44 GKN pallets compared
with 26 on a standard reefer, therefore offering huge opportunity to save on
operating costs.
An example of Gray & Adams’ proactive approach to the ever-changing market is
the introduction of the ‘FuelSaver’ range. This design, which is available on a
trailer or body, has been modified to enhance the aerodynamic properties of the
equipment, in an effort to help operators reduce the effects of escalating fuel costs
and their impact on the environment, two of today’s major concerns within the
industry. The design has been tested at MIRA (the Motor Industry Research
Association) and it has certified that the design is capable of offering up to 10%
reduction in fuel consumption under certain operating conditions.
Gray & Adams has contributed immeasurably to technological innovation and
development within the industry. The company has the ability and capacity to
cater for the smallest owner-driver to the largest logistics operation, but new
products are always tailored to meet each customer’s individual requirements. The
company considers product quality to be of paramount importance and this has
contributed to the fact that the company’s products are renowned for their
longevity, even under the toughest of operating conditions.
The innovative Gray & Adams twin deck trailer can offer huge operating cost
savings for operators
27
KOTR I
DECEMBER 2008 / JANUARY 2009
NEWSLETTER OF THE IRISH ROAD HAULAGE ASSOCIATION
Road Hauliers to Contact
Authorities, Conduct
Investigation
T
he Road H aulage Asso ciation has sought immediate meetings with the
Depar tment of Transp or t and the Road Safety Authority on foot of the
Prime Time Investigates programme.
“The IRHA will not condone any law-breaking on the part of its members, and
will not support action which endanger public safety,” Liam Brewer, Vice
President of the Association said. “As an Association, we’re committed to
bringing our industry to the highest levels of professionalism and
responsibility.”
The Association said that it planned to do a “line by line investigation” of
accusations made in the programme against three named haulage companies.
It had, it said, repeatedly brought problems likely to lead to flouting of the
regulations to the attention of the authorities. The Association has complained
to the authorities about the failure to police illegal operators and about the fact
that no haulier found to have repeatedly broken the law has ever lost their
license.
“Our function and purpose is to secure an environment where hauliers can
operate in a professional and responsible manner in full compliance with Irish
and European regulations. Safety is a major consideration, and it is unhelpful
when the haulage industry is put under pressure to operate at uneconomic
rates and to unrealistic deadlines. It is incumbent on all stakeholders to create a
culture and context within which haulage operators can operate responsibly, be
employers of choice and to obey national and EU regulations.”
The Association said that its investigations into the operations of its member
companies would begin immediately. IRHA President, Jimmy Quinn, who
figured briefly in the programme, is in the process of lodging a libel complaint
against RTE and has decided to step aside from his role until that complaint is
dealt with. His role will be undertaken by IRHA Vice President Liam Brewer.
IRHA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
IRHA National Council will convene on Saturday
7th March 2009 for its A.G.M. and Annual
Conference at Knightsbridge Hotel,
Trim Saturday 7th March 2009 and
Sunday 8th March 2009.
Profile Operators
A
recen t roadside c ampaign by the Vehicle and Op erator S er vices
Agenc y ( VOSA) in the UK found 52 per cent of vehicles stopped were
operating illegally. Called ‘Operation Boston’, which covered ninety-seven
checkpoints around the UK, held during the first week of October issued
almost 2000 prohibition notices. In total 3628 trucks were stopped. It is not
clear from the VOSA statement how serious a fault needed to be before a
vehicle was issued with a prohibition notice. Interestingly out of 1355 UK
registered trucks stopped 683 were
found to be breaking the law. As a
response to these findings VOSA
will make more use of the Operator
Compliance Risk Score (OCRS)
system. In practice this allows low
risk operators to pass freely through
checkpoints. A similar system is in
operation in Ireland and the Road
Safety Authority (RSA) is currently
building a database with the cooperation of the Gardai. While the
IRHA broadly welcomes these type
of enforcements the road transport
body is concerned at the point
where a prohibition notice is issued.
IRHA President Jimmy Quinn
commented, “In the past these
notices have been issued for some
very menial offences.”
Obituary - Micky Heffernan
I
n a time when transp or t is dominated by International brand names it is
easy to forget that the foundations of all of these companies were family
businesses. Heffernans from Limerick was one such family. Michael (or Micky
as we knew him) was the corner stone of the road transport industry. Micky
Heffernan may not have been the first man to leave Ireland with a refrigerated
trailer but he was certainly in the first ten. You could spend an hour talking to
him without getting one worthwhile bit of information out of him. Although
he did not suffer fools lightly he always tolerated them and might later remark.
“That fella is a legend in his own mind.”
Micky was a pioneer in our business and his vision got him into new areas of
the industry ahead of most but more importantly he knew when to get out.
Five years ago after many years on the road, Micky Heffernan decided it was
time to retire. Having sold his business he moved back to his native
Newcastlewest, where it all began. His passing was mourned by many and his
funeral was a testament to the man loved by all. People from the four corners
of Ireland came to West Limerick to send their friend on his last trip and bid
farewell to a man who greeted everyone with the same salute,“How’s things?”.
MIKE MURPHY INSURANCE GROUP
The Insurance Centre, 7 Sandyford Business Centre, Sandyford, Dublin 18.
We are 35 years working for the Haulage Industry.
Just call us for a quote! Tel: 01 2932350 Fax: 01-2932360
Email: info@mikemurphyinsurance.ie Web: www.mikemurphyinsurance.ie
M.Murphy Insurance Services Ltd. is a member of IBA and regulated by the Financial Regulator.
KOTR I DEC 0 8/JAN 09
29
KOTR II
EDITORIAL
hen IRHA officials met with Brian Cowen,
T.D. in his capacity as Finance Minister he
told the delegation he would not interfere with
the fuel prices from a tax point of view because
he might distort the market. Later at the
meeting with Transport Minister, Noel Dempsey,
T.D., a similar line was quoted. As an industry it
seemed we had no choice but take this on the
chin. Now that the barrel price of oil is coming
down it is clear that pump prices are not falling
at the same rate. Some Ferry companies that
implemented fuel surcharges are not removing
them. Both Ministers who were not prepared to
interfere with the market when fuel was on the
way up may now need to intervene, because the
situation is now so different, it may be being
interfered with by suppliers. At the very least
they should be urging their Cabinet colleague
Minister Coughlan to intervene in case there is
evidence of possible price fixing.
W
one of the allegations made by Prime Time
should come as a surprise to anybody.What
is a surprise? It took exaggerated and
sensational events to highlight what are
fundamental problems in the road transport
industry. Nobody can walk away from the issues
highlighted but the solution will be complex.
During previous public encounters other Trade
Associations have offered support and in
particular our customers. Enforcement
Authorities have also previously offered
support.We need it now more than ever and not
just lip service. Whatever methods were used to
bring this into the public domain, it should now
be used as an opportunity. People should desist
from passing judgment. Compliance in our
industry presents challenges and maybe in time
a re-look at some of the regulations could
reduce the difficulty of being professional. We
must not forget we are a Trade Association
representing road hauliers.
N
IRHA National Council will
convene on Saturday 7th March
2009 for its A.G.M. and Annual
Conference at Knightsbridge
Hotel, Trim Saturday 7th March
2009 and Sunday
8th March 2009.
You can bank on it!
W
hen the ‘H air y Fella’ gets into a row he of ten forgets
who he star ted fighting with and why! Last year,
his missus was on about putting on an extension to
the house and he went ballistic. It went on here
for a couple of weeks but eventually he caved
in.
Picture the scene. Silence across the table,
arguments at work with anyone that did
not see his point of view, and then he gives
in and agrees to it. He went to the bank
and they were willing to put it onto his
mortgage. Now for the best bit. He went
home to tell his beloved the good news
that he had a change of heart and now
thought it would be a great idea to build a
small extension. What’s more the bank
would sort out the money and it would
not cost that much. “I’ve changed my
mind,” she said, “between weddings coming
up over the Summer, cousins coming from
America on holidays, we have enough to do without trying
to cope with builders around the place. So you would think the
Hairy Fella would be happy with that. Not at all. Another row ensued, even though he was glad the job was
not going ahead. Over the next few months he actually thought the whole building thing had gone away
and might stay away for good. As talk of Christmas started and the lights put up in the town, he thought he
was home and dry.
Not a bit of it, one evening he went home, there was a Transit backed up to the house. Apparently the builder
was back looking around to see if he could do the job a bit cheaper. Holding his tongue ‘til the tradesman
left, the Hairy Fella exploded.“What’s this about?”“He is going to do it cheaper than the price he gave last
year and if we go ahead before Christmas he will knock another 5 grand off it,” she said walking away and
leaving him to chill. It looked like this job was going ahead in spite of him. Next morning he rang the bank
to say he would be drawing down the money for the extension, however he was not prepared for the answer
he got. His approval letter was out of date and he would have to apply again. This time he would have to
apply in writing and it looked like it would be more formal. Well, he was like a lunatic. It was a Friday and I
knew well the Friday night pint would be a bank bashing session.
All night long he went on about the banks and how they did not trust him and questioned his integrity. He
was in flying form. Come Monday morning he would be in with the other crowd across the road, and transfer
the lot over to them. He needed no overdraft as he would get the few quid together from the Credit Union
and use up some savings to pay for the extension. I was telling him that this credit crisis was nothing to do
with him and that the banks just did not have the money to give out. “After all, the banks are just like any
other supplier, money is what they supply and if they don’t have it, they cannot give it to you, you just have
to go elsewhere,” I advised. He was kinda listening but would not give in. Anyways as we parted company
outside, he as usual headed for the ‘Chipper’.
Next morning he arrived in, with that curley mop on the top of his head held high.“You are a genius,”he said
to me. It’s not often you get a blunt compliment like that from him and when you do it is sometimes loaded.
It seems when he went into the Chipper the night before he was told they had no chips left, just burgers.
Obviously, they make more money on the quarter pounders.
Reluctantly, he went to the Chicken Hut up the road, even though he was not keen on their stuff but ‘any
port in a storm’. “Then, just then,” he said,“it dawned on me, the first lad had no chips sure that was hardly
my fault, and isn’t that a reflection on him not me,” he quipped. At least he told me straight when I went in
and saved me wasting time. The bank crowd want me to waste more time filling in paperwork before they
might say no. I am going into that man in the bank on Monday morning and tell him, when the Chipper runs
out of chips they at least tell me, now if you have no money then close down the show and don’t try and
make it look like it is my fault,” he said as the blood pressure visibly rose in his face. I don’t know how the
meeting went on Monday, but there is no more talk about it and the extension is going ahead.
30
KOTR III
Comment - Jimmy Quinn, President, IRHA.
That
Budget!
P
hew! That was a close one. I refer to the recent Budget where our hardpressed Finance M inister resisted the temptation to inflict grave discomfort on
our already besieged industry. We were spared the 8 cent/litre, that was put on
petrol. Indeed, given the ruckus kicked up by the ‘grey rinse brigade’ he might well
reflect that the hauliers might have been a softer touch!
Such was the mood among hauliers after the mauling we have taken this past few
years with fuel prices etc., that 8 cent/litre would have been the equivalent of an
unmerciful kick in the backside, delivered from the front. As there are so many trucks
lying idle as a result of the economic downturn there would have been no shortage
of volunteers to lay siege to Kildare Street. Imagine, €80 per 1,000 litres at the stroke
of a pen, or €5,000 per annum per vehicle. One fleet owner phoned me on the day
before the Budget and reckoned if the expected increase materialised, he would be
closing the doors! He was a very relieved man the evening after the Budget!
Alternative Energy he abandoned recently. There is a lot of scaremongering on this
whole issue and it is time for clear and unambiguous thinking. There is no way that
a farmer in Leinster growing oil seed rape is causing hunger in the Third World.
Clearing forests to put in palm oil plants is a different kettle of fish altogether.
No movement either on reduced road tax for Euro 4 and Euro 5 engined vehicles. As
regards the income levies I have no problem taking a share of the pain. I don’t think
there will be too many hauliers worried about losing 2 per cent on their income
should they be lucky enough to earn over €100,000 per annum. The really rich have
hidden behind generous tax shelters these past few years; they should come out
now and put their shoulder to the wheel like the rest of us.
There is no doubt we live in very interesting times. The maelstrom in the financial
world affects us all. The chicanery that precipitated this tumult must not be allowed
to happen again. The blatant abuse of the Stock Market and the whole World of
financial derivatives need to be more rigidly policed. The purpose of any Stock
Exchange is to encourage the production of wealth and act as a market for capital. It
is not a horse race or a football match to be used as a gambling tool. Money is much
too valuable to be used in such a fashion.The downside of this whole business is that
companies with sound track records going back many years will be unable to source
finance to expand their business and create wealth. Those businesses are our clients
and we, as hauliers in a service industry, depend on their ability to produce goods to
give us something to do! When the money wheel stops turning, we are all losers. Ben
Dunne once said,“Money is like manure, it’s no good unless you spread it around!”
Happy C hristmas and a Pr osp erous New Year to one and all!
I have never seen such misguided comment on the Medical Card situation. Does
anybody really believe the Tony O’Reillys of this world need a Medical Card? To hear
politicians who decried the misguided but well intentioned move to grant Medical
Cards to the over 70s in the first place, take the exact opposite view when the cards
were being hauled back, was a farce. Surely the job of the State is to take care of
those people who need the assistance of the state. Whether those people are seven
or seventy should be irrelevant.
The package for a couple over 70 is not bad. At less than €1400 per week income per
couple there are free Medical Cards, free telephone, fuel allowance and free travel.
There are a good many truck drivers and other ‘Joe the plumbers’ out there who have
a far greater call on the scarce resources of the State than comfortably off over 70s.
After all, there are 33,000 millionaires in the country. Do they need Medical Cards
when they reach seventy? Do they need free third level education for their children?
Do they need financial assistance from the State in any shape or form? The answer is
no. So why all the fuss?
“It’s hardly worth the effort, sure we will ‘only’ save 10 or 20 million,” was one
response I heard on the radio. Did that person realise the blood, sweat and tears that
go into generating €20 million? And that, my friends is why I would rather see
Michael O’Leary running the Department of Finance than Brian Lenihan. Every
penny raised from the taxpayer is hard earned money. To see funds squandered in
this way makes me ill. Whether it’s the €30 million to the HSE spent on Taxis, the €2
million spent on the kiosk outside Leinster House, the army of spin doctors attached,
limpet like, to Government Ministers and Juniors. The barrister fattening farce that
was the tribunals …. the list goes on and on.
The teachers too made me mad as hell. If there were Olympic Medals for moaning
we would surely be world leaders. Not once did I hear any teacher say that they
would take week’s less holidays if it would help balance the books, or offer to take
training days as part of their generous annual leave.
Leaving that aside I was disappointed that more progress was not made on the Bio
Fuel/Alternative Energy question. There are huge upsides here for Irish agriculture
and the Irish road transport industry, these must not be squandered or surrendered
to big business. Energy Minister Eamonn Ryan should revisit the targets for
31
KOTR IV
HEAD OFFICE... NEWS IN BRIEF FROM
IRHA, Suite 6, Crown Plaza, Bracetown Business Park, Clonee, Coun
Dun Laoghaire Ferry
Negotiations are in place between Stena Line
and Dun-Laoghaire Harbour to agree charges
for docking facilities. A spokesperson for Stena
said the proposed fees are ‘grossly exorbitant’.
Last year the Ferry company paid over €6
million to the State-owned Port Company.
Both sides are keen to do a deal that will keep
the historic link between Dun Laoghaire and
Holyhead.
Motor way S er vice Station
One of the consequences of budgetary cuts is
a slowdown on the roll out of Service Stations
on the Motorway Network. Referral of these
plans to An Bord Pleanala for these longawaited services is not helping progress.
Strong lobbying by the IRHA, Road Safety
Authority (RSA) and opposition politicians to
the National Roads Authority and the
Department of Transport is currently ongoing.
No doubt this long figured development will
have a negative effect for Irish operators.
Working Time Direc tive
Changes in the Working Time Directive has
come into law to provide owner-drivers with
the same status as employed drivers since
October. Additional changes will also be
announced to clarify regulations for nighttime
workers in the Transport Sector in early 2009.
New Weight Limits
Progress has been made by bringing in the
proposed new weight legislation. A
spokesperson for the Road Safety Authority
(RSA) said it hoped to have a proposal
presented to the Department of Transport
before Christmas.
At the early part of the consultation process it
seemed that there would be little change that
would adversely affect hauliers. However, the
IRHA is sceptical according to President,
Jimmy Quinn who said, “we would like to see
the proposal before commenting.”
Speed Camera Delay
An objection by one of the unsuccessful
bidders for the installation of speed cameras
will delay the project by another few months.
While no contract has been issued yet a
spokesperson for the Department of Justice
said it was anxious not to sign anything until
various issues were dealt with and resolved.
Road Projec t Freeze
Thanks to Budget cutbacks, a freeze on all new
projects seems likely according to the
National Roads Authority (NRA). While all
projects under construction or under contract
will continue, other developments will suffer.
Next year almost 90 per cent of the money
available to the Authority will be spent on
Inter-City routes. In Finance Minister Brian
Lenihan’s Budget, he reduced the NRA purse
for next year by €157 million. In the context of
the overall budget of €14 billion it does not
seem excessive but the NRA says it will be
mostly smaller projects that will be effected.
M20 Limerick – Cork
Public consultation on a preferred route for
the new Limerick/Cork route is ongoing. The
said route which will form part of the ‘Atlantic
Corridor’ will run from the Patrickswell Bypass,
west of Charleville and east of Mallow and
Buttevant. It will link into the existing
Patrickswell ByPass on the north side and the
proposed north Cork Ring Road on the South
Side. No start or finish dates have been
announced yet, but it is believed that the
project could start late next year.
Tesco Logistics
A change in policy by Tesco may have some
implications for Irish distributors as
purchasing becomes even more centralised. It
is also believed that Tesco may take advantage
of the space available on its own vehicles as
the trucks can collect from suppliers on the
return journeys from supermarkets.
Changes to Operators C.P.C
A number of changes are being proposed to
the Certificate of Professional Competence
(CPC) for road transport operators in the New
Year. An IRU Spokesperson has told the IRHA
that he believes that when the final
regulations are presented a certain amount of
latitude will be allowed to Member States to
interpret the rules to suit their market. A senior
member of the IRHA said that for many years
the CPC has been lost between being a safety
instrument and a regulatory document.
Maybe these changes will resolve that
dilemma.
Significant reduc tion in Bridge Strikes
Since August 2007 the number of trucks and
high machines striking overhead bridges has
decreased significantly. A spokesperson for
Irish Rail said bridge strikes are on the
decrease. Clearly a combination of
information and enforcement has helped to
reduce the number of incidents. Gardai in the
Portlaoise area have prosecuted thirty-three
drivers for striking overhead bridges from
2006 to date. IRHA President Jimmy Quinn,
while pleased with the progress said the
introduction of a max height may have been
premature. He said that the Association would
continue to co-operate with Irish Rail and the
Rail Safety Office where it
could. In the figures
released by Irish Rail there
is a significant rise in the
number of near misses at
railway level crossings.
Near misses reports do
not distinguish between
the type of vehicles but
Irish Rail warned that all
motorists should be
careful in or around level
crossings.
Income from Speeding fines down
Income from speeding fines is expected to be
down by 25 per cent on last year’s figures. In
2007 over €1 million was collected and based
on half year figures in 2008, the final figure is
expected to be around €750,000. Plans to
position six hundred new cameras on the
National road network in the next two years
are likely to increase this figure again. A
spokesperson for the Garda Commissioner
has said that, “reducing speed and ultimately
road deaths was the main focus of attention,
and the cameras would be placed at high risk
locations rather than high yield locations.”
32
KOTR V
HEAD OFFICE ...NEWS IN BRIEF FROM
nty Meath. Telephone: 01 801 3380 Fax: 01 825 3080 www.irha.ie
Ennis – G or t Bypass
One project that escaped the Government
cutbacks in the recent Budget is the extension
of the Ennis By-Pass, which will continue to bypass Crusheen and Gort. Consisting of 32 km
of Dual Carriageway the route will finish 1 km
north of Gort. Construction work will start in
January 2009 and the project will be
completed by 2011. A final phase linking Gort
with Oranmore has been shelved for the
moment but a spokesperson for the National
Roads Authority
said it was
confident that
a
n
announcement
on a start date
for that part of
the
project
could be made
by the end of
next year.
President criticises Oil Companies
IRHA President, Jimmy Quinn has asked
Tainiste Mary Coughlan, T.D. in her capacity as
Minister for Enterprise to intervene on the
high prices being paid by hauliers for diesel. In
a strongly worded letter the President said
crude oil is half the price per barrel as it was
during the Summer.“Crude Oil is now costing
the same as it was last May but our members
are paying 8 cent per litre more than back
then,”he said. A spokesperson for the Tainiste’s
Office said they were aware of the situation
and would be taking some action.
Policing Dublin Por t Tunnel
Keeping Dublin Port Tunnel safe is costing the
Gardai almost €1 million annually. At all times
two patrol cars and four Gardai are assigned to
monitor the tunnel. As the tunnel is classified
as a high risk location from an accident point
of view it requires this level of protection. Both
patrol vehicles used by the Gardai are fitted
with specialised breathing apparatus and
personnel assigned to tunnel duties have
additional and specific training.
New Reflec tive Marking
Changes in the regulations governing
reflective markings on trucks comes into EU
law in January 2009. Irish trucks will be
allowed to use either the old or new system in
the short term. More information is available
at the member’s sections of the IRHA website
www.irha.ie
Roadscapes Escapism!
Alan Spillett, renowned road transport artist
has just launched his 16th Road Transport Art
Calendar. Once again this superb new
collection of (A4 sized landscape size) features
a colourful variety of modern and historic
trucks such as Albion, Foden, MAN, Scania, DAF
and AEC with scenic backgrounds. The A3
Portrait sized 2009 calendar is available from
www.roadscapes.co.uk at £12.50 (incl P&P).
Also in the
lead-up
to
Christmas
Alan
has
created four
n
e
w
Christmas
Cards at £1.50
each
(incl.
Env/P&P to
UK
and
Ireland) or 4
for £5.00 bulk
orders – over
20 cards at
£1.00 each –
see sample
Page 3).
Irish G overnment calls for Biofuel Polic y
inputs
The IRHA’s response to the Department of
Communications, Marine
&
Natural
Resources’s call for papers has been to hire
Biofuels expert Dr. Tom Bruton to help it
prepare a response to the Government on
future Biofuels Policy. The IRHA is highlighting
the potential for rape seed oil as a fuel for its
members’ trucks. Tom is working with the
Biofuel and Alternative Energy Committee of
the IRHA to produce a document highlighting
the potential for Rape Seed Oil to help
Government reach its Biofuels obligations. On
board along with the President and Vice
President of the Committee are leading rape
seed oil producer and founding Chairman of
IrBea (The Irish Biofuels Association) Michael
McBennett and John Porter, Managing
Director Interactions Ltd. John who has been
involved in the Hippo feasibility study for PPO
has been engaged by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to produce a
template to which hauliers can work to
convert their trucks to run on rape seed oil.
The paper has to be with Government by the
27th of November and it is hoped it will help in
the battle to see producers and hauliers
profiting from home produced rape seed oil.
Jerr y Kiersey.
McArdle Transpor t defies the ‘Recession’
with expansion!
McArdle Transport (Dundalk) marked its 40th
anniversary in business in two significant
ways. Together with the official opening of its
new office block and warehouse facility at
Inniskeen, the McArdle Group announced the
take-over of Emyvale, County Monaghan
based Skeath Transport.“With the addition of
Skeath Transport into the McArdle Group the
company is now in a position to provide all our
customers with greater temperature
controlled options that are required in the
highly regulated pharmaceutical and food
sectors,”said Micheal McArdle. Skeath’s fleet of
trucks and their employees will be retained
under the new ownership.
John F. Whelan, CEO Irish Exporters
Association who performed the opening
ceremony, congratulated McArdles on its
expansion and diversification especially in
these recessionary times. The company
transports goods throughout Europe and
provides warehousing facilities for many well
known brands. It currently employs 60 people
and with the new warehouse facility they
hope to create 10 more jobs over the next two
years. It is expected that the new refrigeration
arm of the business will also grow.
Wishing Members of the
Irish Road Haulage
Association and their
families a very happy,
peaceful Christmas
and Prosperous
New Year.
33
KOTR VI
N
E
W
S
I
N
B
R
I
E
F
F
R
O
M
H
E
A
D
O
F
F
I
C
E
.
.
.
IRHA, Suite 6, Crown Plaza, Bracetown Business Park, Clonee, County Meath.
Telephone: 01 801 3380 Fax: 01 825 3080 www.irha.ie
Key Road S afet y issues outlined at CILT event
IRHA President Jimmy Quinn addressed the
Southern Section of the Chartered Institute of
Logistics and Transport (CILT) on Saturday
31st October at its annual road safety event
held in Cork outlined to an audience of sixty
delegates, a number of issues relating to road
safety that effect member’s daily lives. He
began by mentioning that the IRHA has just
launched a Road Safety DVD explaining to
pedestrians, cyclists and motorists what a
commercial vehicle is all about. He said it is
time to look at specific risks relating to the
design of some delivery points especially
supermarket chains set up for left hand drive
vehicles. The IRHA fully supports the use of
daylight running lights, making vehicles
visible during rain and poor conditions.“Now
that we have a height restriction of 4.65
metres (with derogation of 5 years on existing
trailers), it would be a more practical and
economically viable option to place
electronic readers before high vehicles
approach low bridges.”
He then went on to make a number of
valuable points:
• Statistics state that a HGV is involved in an
incident for every 1million kms travelled,
however in 4 out of 5 cases it’s not the HGVs
fault.
• Defensive driving and continuous driver
training not only yields results regarding road
safety, they also reduce diesel and wear and
tear.
• Adequate load restraining systems are
vitally important for vehicle stability.
• The number of roll-over incidents at
roundabouts leads to questions regarding
the design of roundabouts and adequate
warnings should be installed on approach.
In relation to law enforcement, the IRHA
supports An Garda Siochana in its efforts to
reduce road fatalities, but the need for
infrastructure such as rest-stops is paramount
in order to adhere to regulations. Jimmy
Quinn, in conclusion expressed some items
from his wish list looking for improvements in
vehicle testing facilities to keep up with the
technical advances made by manufacturers.
He said that the transportation of hazardous
goods by road needs review and that fuel
tankers to be allowed to use the Dublin Port
Tunnel is a recipe for disaster. “Road safety
needs to continuously educate all road users
such as truck drivers, pedestrians, cyclists,
motorcyclists, car and van drivers. Remember
the 3’s, he said “Care, Courtesy, Common
sense.” Donal D empsey.
Prayer for Pr otection on our Roads
Dear God,
Thank you for the gift of life which
no one has the right to take away.
Send your blessing on all who use
the roads today that they may be
kept safe from harm.
Give all road users a sense of
responsibility towards others;
That they may at all times show
care, courtesy and consideration.
Bless also, those who are called
upon to deal with the aftermath of
collisions; police, fire brigade and
paramedics, that they may have
the strength to cope.
Be with the relatives and friends
of all victims of road collisions;
Comfort and strengthen
them to face the future.
Guide me that I may do nothing to
cause harm to anyone else or myself.
Keep me and all those I love,
safe in all our travels.
We ask this through
Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Official Opening of the New IRHA Headquarters at Bracetown Business Park, Clonee
IRHA Management Team with Transport Minister Mr Noel Dempsey,
T.D.
Liam Brewer, Vincent Caulfield (IRHA), Michael Nielsen, IRU, Brussels;
Jimmy Quinn (IRHA), Peter Cullum, Head of International Affairs, RHA,
UK and Jonathan Molony (IRHA)
AGM Dates 2009
B r anch
Midlands
Dublin
Western
Location
Comfort Inn, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
IRHA Headquarters, Clonlee, Co. Meath
McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, Co. Mayo
Da te
Sunday 11th January 2.30 pm
Tuesday 13th January 8.00 pm
Saturday 17th January 8.00 pm
34
KOTR VII
35
KOTR VIII
Operators Desk - Sean Murtagh
- sean@fleet.ie
Prime Time Investigates
recent RTE Prime Time Investigates exp ose into
some prac tices in the road haulage industr y has
caused a lot of anger within the Irish Road H aulage
Asso ciation (IRHA). Predominantly dealing with abuse
of illegal immigrants regarding terms of employment
and wages in haulage created in many ways sensational
rather than investigative journalism.
A
all European transport companies. VOSA is one of the
numerous Enforcement Authorities in Europe and it is
in danger of being accused of producing sensationalist
findings. While the relationship between the RSA and
the IRHA may not always be cordial it has a better
chance of developing in a climate where legitimate
problems are discussed and resolved.
Programme makers may think they have exposed
something special while in reality what has been
highlighted are problems that the industry have been
aware of for a long time and to the Enforcements
Agencies if the truth be known. Three transport
operators were singled out including a company
associated with the IRHA President, Jimmy Quinn.
Our industry faces many problems. Long time member
of the IRHA says these problems go back to the
liberalisation of the road haulage license. While many
agree with this others say it goes further and suggest
that no value is placed on an operator’s license by the
Department of Transport and little or no value is placed
on our profession by those who use our service. If this
programme could be used as a catalyst to change the
way our industry operates it would be a positive start.
There were some telling points during the programme.
One driver suggested he was kept waiting in the Port
for up to ten hours. Why, do we as an industry allow this
to happen? Aircraft would never be kept on the ground
for that long without someone paying, why are we so
different?
Hauliers were divided in their view of what the
President should have done. In the event he has
decided to pursue a legal action with RTE and stand
aside from Presidential Office while this action goes on.
We know that both of the other companies involved are
keen to defend their position. As yet it is not clear to
what extent they will pursue this.
A few points are worth noting. In the first instance there
was no criticism of the industry as a whole by either the
Gardai or the Road Safety Authority (RSA). It is fair to
assume from this that both the IRHA and the transport
sector have the respect of both these Enforcement
Authorities. There are indications of increased
enforcement on the roads and through visits to
operator’s premises. While some hauliers regard this as
low level and unnecessary enforcement, people in the
RSA claim that they are seeing a reduction in
infringements by drivers, operators and consignors. For
the present the RSA continues to use the ‘carrot’
approach as it has not issued any summons or
proceedings against road transport operators.
One of the surprising pieces on the programme was the
intervention of Vehicle & Operator Services Agency
(VOSA). A suggestion that Irish trucks and trailers were
in poorer conditions in terms of road worthiness than
their European counterparts is inaccurate.
Had the film been slowed down enough you would
have been able to see that the percentage of offences
committed by other nationalities was on par and in
some cases worse than those of Irish vehicles. VOSA
needs to be careful that it does not stand accused of
being ‘the little boy who cried wolf’. We know that in
‘Operation Boston’, carried out in early October, it
stopped 3628 trucks of all nationalities and issued
almost 2000 prohibition notices. Out of the total
stopped over 1300 were UK registered and there were
issues with 683 vehicles. It is not clear what type of an
offence that requires a prohibition to be issued. But
putting figures like this into the public arena is unfair to
Trucks while parked cost money and this outlay must
be paid.This is one of the core problems. Secondly, what
about the instrument (the tachograph) that is meant to
protect us and our drivers? Tachograph law was written
and enforced by people that may not have any practical
understanding of what it is they are trying to regulate. I
have no doubt if the technical infringement, for
example correct use of the mode switch were separated
as offences, the programme may not have been as
sensational.
An IRHA Council meeting will be held shortly and
members will have a chance to air their views. At the
moment the feeling on the ground is that by
highlighting and possibly exaggerating potential risk
may not improve things in the industry.You can teach a
child table manners but if you do not provide him/her
with a table and proper environment to eat their meals,
their knife and fork is of little use. In our business, the
RSA say it is trying to provide a professional
environment for us to work within, but it needs to
happen faster. An uneasy nervousness has descended
on the industry as many people wrestle with the impact
of this programme. Three member companies have
taken the brunt of the nation’s anger as their staff shine
lights into corners of their activities.The RTE Prime Time
team may feel they have done the public and the
industry a service and may be they have, but with less
exaggeration and more balance it would have been
more welcome. As a Trade Association the IRHA has to
represent its members and their interests and if change
needs to be brought about then it may be necessary to
challenge the status quo.
Obituaries
J o h n F r a wle y – F r ank
Kilkenny
Two men from West Clare that
had strong haulage roots
passed away recently.
J ohn F r a wle y from Kilrush
often referred to as the ‘King of
West Clare’ started hauling turf
from Kilmihill and had in recent
times built up a strong business
at Moneypoint. An extremely
hard worker and keen socialiser,
he was even known to warble
the odd song.
Fr a n k K i l kenny was one of the
founder members of the IRHA
and a signatory on the original
constitution when set up in
1985. A well organised man, he
had a distinguished career in
the Gardai before he entered
haulage. After his retirement he
was able to give the other great
love in his life Greyhound
racing more time.
Both men made a great
contribution to the industry
and will be sadly missed.
Tom Nevin
Tom Nevin, whom many
hauliers in the Mid West Region
would have known, passed
away last month. Having spent
forty-one years with the Office
of Public Works he retired in
1987 and had a very active and
fulfilling lifestyle during his
retirement.
In a moving tribute at his
Funeral Mass, his son Dave
described him as a simple man
who lived a simple life wishing
for nothing more than to be
surrounded by his family. He is
survived by his wife Mary,
daughters Marguerite and
Rosaleen and sons Vincent and
Dave.
✝
36
fuel prices
Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie Photos: Jarlath Sweeney
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 49).
Country
Currency
*Albania
Andorra
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Rep.
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
*Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
*Kosovo
ALL
Euro
Euro
Euro
Euro
150.00
0.879
0.999
0.92
1.210
BAM
BGN
HRK
CZK
DKK
EEK
Euro
Euro
GEL
Euro
Euro
HUF
Euro
Euro
Euro
1.82
1.79
6.65
27.00
8.81
13.35
1.177
1.176
1.55
1.148
0.905
274.00
0.999
1.163
1.09
Diesel
Country
Currency
0.930
1.149
1.234
155.00
0.860
1.072
0.73
1.054
1.92
1.95
6.85
30.50
9.10
13.85
1.209
1.197
1.70
1.225
1.153
1.276
-
1.99
1.97
7.27
28.50
8.52
15.40
1.054
1.084
1.75
1.122
1.073
297.00
1.049
1.158
1.15
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Montenegro
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine
UK
USA
* New entry
LVL
LTL
Euro
MKD
Euro
Euro
NOK
PLN
Euro
RON
RUB
RSD
SKK
Euro
Euro
SEK
CHF
UAH
GBP
USD
95 Lead Free 98 Lead Free
95 Lead Free 98 Lead Free
0.582
2.79
0.967
51.50
0.920
1.289
10.98
3.88
1.147
3.14
24.08
87.30
32.50
0.827
0.900
10.79
1.47
4.75
0.915
-
0.612
2.93
0.992
53.00
0.930
1.345
10.29
4.13
1.271
3.50
25.03
0.850
1.020
11.19
1.51
5.75
0.985
-
Diesel
0.672
3.13
0.909
51.00
0.930
1.097
11.64
3.89
1.070
3.63
22.92
77.10
36.84
0.914
0.970
11.84
1.76
5.40
1.067
0.691
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37
times past
VANS
T
he innumerable ways in which vans can be looked at makes
them highly subjective and is often based on a person’s
concept of what a van actually is. Vehicles with a carrying capacity
of less than a ton are frequently designed around the mechanical
components of a private car and the viewer’s opinion of a van can be
seriously affected by his or her experience of the equivalent car or its
maker. Those lighter vehicles, which have more manifestations than one
might at first imagine, are the main subject of this offering.
Long before self-propelled vehicles began to take over about a hundred
and ten years ago, an enormous variety of horse-drawn vans plied our
streets. Although rapidly diminishing in numbers, some remained in the
1950s, and the four-wheeled Bolands Bread van in one of the
accompanying photographs was still working at that time. Such vehicles
would be completely unacceptable in commercial service today on
grounds of cost, safety and hygiene. The van illustrated, believed to have
been built around 1926 and now in the Transport Museum collection,
has iron-shod wheels but some later vans boasted rubber tyres and a
shelter or primitive cab for the driver, as with the Merville Dairies vehicle,
which was almost a last gasp in the losing fight against more modern
transport.
The earliest self-propelled vans - electricity and gas competed with petrol
as a motive source - appeared in the 1890s and several builders who
were later to become household names offered light vans. Some makers
who based vans on their motor car components later left the lighter field
to concentrate on heavier commercials, but many persisted, the most
famous is probably being Ford with the Model T introduced in 1908. The
Model T became as famous in the business world as did the car in
motoring circles and was progressively modernised until it was
supplanted by the Model A in the 1920s. A surprising number of Model
T vans has survived into preservation; several appeared at rallies around
the country in 2008 to mark the brand’s centenary.
In the 1920s several makers introduced vans which had direct car
equivalents. Ireland at that time imported vehicles from Continental
Europe and the United States, but the vast majority of light vans sold
here came from British manufacturers. Over the next forty years the
names of Morris and Austin, later to merge as BMC, could be seen on
successive ranges of delivery vehicles closely related mechanically to the
same makers’ Cars. Ford developed a distinctly British range of vans of
up to about three quarters of a ton (15cwt) capacity, again mechanically
similar to Ford cars. It should be borne in mind that most of the lighter
vans described here have unitary bodywork, the cab being part of the
entire structure.
Bolands Bread Van No. 106 at Merrion Square during filming in October 1987.
Note the anachronistic parking meters.
38
A Model T Ford Van at the Stradbally Rally, August 2008.
At least two makers marketed mechanically similar vans and cars under
different names. Following their acquisition by General Motors, the
highly respected Vauxhall name was retained for cars. GM initially sold
their British-built commercials as Chevrolet, the name changing in 1931
to Bedford, which subsequently appeared on light commercials that were
closely related to Vauxhall cars. Further examples would make this
offering into something of a catalogue list, but several other marques
that indulged in what could be called badge engineering will probably
occur to different readers.
American light and medium commercials continued to sell in Ireland into
the early 1950s, but by then they had a serious competitor in the guise
of the Volkswagen air-cooled rear-engined van, which was also available
as a pickup or a minibus. Other continental makes also arrived, but not
in substantial numbers until the 1970s, by which time Japanese brands
became challengers. There was, too, an increasing number of vans from
makers on the European mainland, where as in Britain, mergers and
takeovers led to globalisation with bigger factories turning out greater
numbers of mass-produced and economical vehicles. For example, I cite
the rise and great success of the Renault 4L.
Despite what looks like a smooth if drawn-out progress from horsedrawn vans to vehicles that, of whatever make, look similar because they
were largely designed on computers into which the desiderata of the
ideal vehicle were fed by market researchers, two exceptions stand out.
One is the rise, between the 1950s and 1990s, of the battery-electric.
Several economic and social changes led to their disappearance,
including the rise of supermarkets which virtually wiped out doorstep
deliveries, while new lifestyles changed shopping patterns out of
recognition. The electrics are now poised to return, but mainly for
environmental reasons.
A second vehicle type out of step with the march of the mass-produced
petrol-engined van – which in later years, increasingly tended to be
A prewar Merville van used for bottled milk deliveries before open floats
became the norm.
Text: Michael Corcoran - enquiries@fleet.ie
A catalogue illustration of an early Albion motor van.
diesel-powered – was the three-wheeler. During the 1930s, threewheelers driven by motorcycle engines built up a limited following and
in more recent times, vans like Del Boy’s Reliant have catered for a
segment of the van cohort. A particularly economical and popular
Bolands No. 103, a 1951 Smith’s NCB, at Christchurch Place, Dublin in 1960.
Any discussion on the relative pros and cons of vans over the years can
easily degenerate into a heated argument by the protagonists of one
particular type or make and it is probably wise to depart from the subject
– for now – at this stage.
The National Transport Museum, Heritage Depot,
Howth Demesne, Howth.
Opening Times: Sept - May: Saturdays, Sundays & Bank
Holidays: 2:00 - 5:00 pm
26 Dec - 1 Jan: 2:00 - 5:00 Daily. June - August: Monday Saturday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
ARGENT EQUIPMENT
(IRELAND) LTD.
• DOE Testing LGV & HGV
• Tachograph and Speed Limiter Calibrations
32D 2, a handsome Ford Model B, known as a panel van, at the Dublin Bay
Rally, 30 June 1990.
development was the evolution of the light three-wheeler based on
scooter technology.
• Weight and Dimension Plating
• Engineers Report
• Stoneridge Tachograph Importer for Ireland
• Training Room Facility
• Open 6 days per week
• Garage Equipment Specialists
Argent also provides the facility for the
single driver owner to have their digital driver cards and
tachographs down loaded
and saved as per RSA requirements.
Unit 21, Parkmore Ind. Est, Longmile Rd,
Dublin 12
Jim McGrath EngTech AMSOE AMIRTE, Managing Director
Contact: 085 1092100 / Tel: 01 4508414
Fax: 01 450 8412 Email: jim.mcgrath@transcomp.ie
Three-wheel scooter-derived vans are noted for economy and manoeuvrability.
VTN NEXT DAY SERVICE
39
finance
Text: Donal Dempsey - donal@fleet.ie
Budgeting for an
Uncertain Future
O
ver the last four years, the requirements by Banks for transport fir ms
to pr o d u c e b u d g e t e d p r o f i t a n d l o s s f o r e c a s t s a n d c a s h f l o w
projections for the next twelve to twenty four months were unheard of for
the majority of firms around the country. The buoyant economy
saw that turnover was increasing, finance was readily available,
customers were paid on time with little risk of bad debt and an
increase in the overdraft was but a phone call away.
Heading into an uncertain 2009, firms need to budget ahead and
expect volume decreases of a minimum of 10 per cent if new
contracts are not in the pipeline. See where costs can be cut in order
to put your business on a profitable footing. Setting out a budget is
easy, your Accountant will take historic data and adjust same based on
known circumstances at present. The main factors that are most
effected by change will be fuel costs and turnover. Most transport
companies have become lazy with regard to the control of overheads,
bills such as phones, light, heat, rent, administration costs should be
questioned.
What are the practicalities of a budget? The biggest use of a budget is that
it allows you to forecast the year ahead financially and take action on matters
now to effect the pending outcome of the next year or two years. By
contacting your Accountant to set a budget and then not referring to it over
the course of the year eliminates any practical use it has. A budget to be useful
sets targets for the year ahead and is a
basis on which a cash flow forecast is
produced and is a tool by which you
monitor your business month on
month. If you had forecasted diesel
to cost €1 a litre and the actual
cost is 86 cent this should give rise
to a positive variance (difference)
of actual costs from budgeted
costs. However, if the amount
of empty running has
substantially increased due to
volume decreases the cost
reduction
may
be
eliminated by the way you
operate your fleet.
Where am I going to
make cost reductions, I
hear
you
ask?
Overheads
are
normally 10 – 20 per
cent of total costs
with the biggest
overhead normally
the proprietor’s salary and
pension. If you want the business to
survive start with your own cost.
The two biggest costs in operating a transport firm are wages and diesel. If
current volumes do not allow retention of all staff then agree with your
Accountant the core number of staff required and reduce numbers to guarantee
the jobs of those remaining. It is best to make one major adjustment rather than
a piecemeal effort
which demoralises
those remaining as
they await the next
cut.
Once you have a
budget completed,
next step is to
produce a cash flow
forecast.
With regard to
diesel purchasing
and usage there
was
a
general
complacency with
regard
to
the
control and usage of fuel prior to its cost peaking in July ‘08. Usage per vehicle
was not monitored, private usage of vehicles was allowed, and the type and
horsepower of vehicles was more an image and driver retention issue than a
financial decision. At the peak of diesel cost, a difference of 2 mpg meant €17,500
extra per vehicle per annum. So, monitor usage, eliminate waste, reward
employees that perform by way of productivity and vehicle cost savings.
Once you have a budget completed, next step is to produce a cash flow forecast.
If the budget shows a projected profit, the cash flow forecast shows an increasing
overdraft, your Accountant will explain from where this apparent disparity arises
(you are actually paying for capital items quicker than they are depreciating) and
will give a number of options available to you to remedy this. If your budget is
showing losses and you still have a positive cash flow it means your healthy
balance sheet is being eroded (previous years hard work going out the door). If it’s
an unprofitable business with worsening cash flow now is the time to access
financially how best to proceed, ceasing some or all of the business may be the
best and only option as financial institutions will not bank roll an unprofitable
business.
40
review II
EURO
BUS
EXPO
2008
NEC, Birmingham – 4th – 6th November, 2008.
E
uro Bus Expo
2008 was a
ver y
successful
and lively event.
Over three hundred
companies
from
t w e n t y - o n e
countries exhibited
their wares that
included 180 new
vehicles. It was an
oasis of positivity
for the few days of
the Show, held at
the
NEC,
Birmingham with
Wrightbus StreetCar
also present with its new Enviro 4. If the Citibus/London bus is buzzing then
unfortunately it is at the expense of the coach market. Most manufacturers are
reporting sales and new orders down by up to 40%. However, this did not reduce
their collective enthusiasm to display some very impressive equipment. ADL Plaxton
launched its new ‘Elite’ coach (pictured bottom left). Temsa, now known as ‘Temsa
Global’ unveiled its upgraded Safari HD along with its new Citibus ‘Temsa Avenue’.
There were impressive displays from VanHool, King Long and the stunning
Neoplan Starliner 2. Volvo proudly displayed its 9700 ‘Coach of the Year 2008’ in
the Ocean Race livery. Also on display was the newly crowned Bus of the Year
2009, the Setra S415NF.
Mieke Glorieux and Luc Glorieux, Busworld
little talk of recession or doom and gloom in the UK. Many exhibitors see the Torch
of the London Olympics as the light at the end of the tunnel. One Scottish operator
said, “The success of the Olympics might not make it up to me, but it is putting
the boys down South in good form, and that is rubbing off.” Good form aside
there was a strong shade of ‘Green’ around as bus and coach manufacturers work
hard to reduce exhaust emissions. As expected there is lots of enthusiasm for the
London market. The Low Emission Zone English capital has the same lure for
operators as it had for Dick Whittington two centuries ago. One exciting new
vehicle destined for London town is the new Integral Optare expected to enter
service next year. Making its debut also at the Show was the Wrightbus Gemini 2
available as a Hybrid electric or low emission diesel. Alexander Dennis (ADL) was
42
One of the noticeable trends in the coach market is a strong move to 3 axle
vehicles. All coach exhibitors showcased six-wheeled coaches. As ever a Show like
this attracted the characters and stalwarts of the industry. Wrightbus founder,
William Wright answered questions and proudly demonstrated the Ballymena
company’s products. Upon opening the Show, Peter Panturo, CEO of the American
Bus Organisation said he was very impressed at how upbeat everybody was in the
bus sector in the U.K. “Not only is green good, it is the way we must do business
in the future.” Giles Fearnley of the C.P.T. commented that “It is great to see so
many exhibitors at the Show. At the last event, the industry was facing Digital
Tachograph and Drivers CPC and as we seem to have weathered those, surely we
can weather the financial crisis.”
Irish presence in Birmingham
Also exhibited were three new coaches livered and ready for delivery to Ireland. A
Volvo based VanHool T915 Acron for Pierce Kavanagh in Urlingford and an Integral
T915 Acron for Danny Collins in Carrickmacross. Veteran coach operator and
VanHool agent for Ireland, Dermot Cronin, was also present to meet customers.
Bus Eireann allowed Arriva display one of its new VDL Berkhoff Axial 100 Double
Text & Photos: Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie
Deckers (picturerd previous page bottom left), which will seat 87 passengers. This
coach is one of a substantial order being delivered currently.
Esker Bus & Coach Sales displayed its recently launched Mercedes-Benz Riada GT
(pictured above). Managing Director, Danny McGee said he was happy with the
customer reaction both in Ireland and the UK and is confident that the Midi-Coach
Past Times
Ten Decades of transport were highlighted. Sponsored by Belmont Insurance, a
number of vintage vehicles were provided by Mike Sutcliffe, a keen enthusiast who
has a substantial collection of vintage Leyland vehicles. On display were a fully
restored 1908 Leyland X2 and a 1914 Leyland Torpedo Charabanc. Anybody
interested in knowing more about the Leyland Society show visit
www.leylandsociety.co.uk
Optare launch Double Deck
No fewer than six vehicles were displayed by Optare at the Euro Bus Expo 2008.
Working late into the night before the event, Optare had its best foot forward
when presenting itself to the industry and the media. In a radical move, Optare has
entered the Double Deck market (pictured below). Using fully integral design, first
models will be powered by MAN with the choice of Mercedes engines coming
later. Production of the new vehicle will commence in the middle of next year and
it will be able to carry over ninety passengers. Particularly aimed at the London
market the bus will be available in two lengths 10.8 and 11.5 metres. One of the
features Optare is particularly excited about is the lightweight design. At 10,700
kg it is, according to Optare, almost 1000 kg lighter than its nearest competitor
and will deliver a 5 per cent fuel savings. A hybrid power system will be an option
on the new model which will deliver a further 30 per cent in fuel savings and CO2
emissions. The new bus has a windswept futuristic design that will set it aside from
its competitors and it will certainly be well received by the travelling public. Many
of those looking at the vehicle wondered what it would look like in red.
Spectacular, I am sure.
Mercedes-Benz Citaro
market will remain steady. Eurocoach (Bunbeg, Co. Donegal) used the occasion to
launch the Arora range (pictured below). Managing Director, Paul Gribben said
they were confident that with the newly appointed dealer network in the U.K. will
increase demand. Wrightbus of Ballymena premiered its new Gemini 2 Double
Deck. On the stand too was one of their eye-catching StreetCar soon to be
exported to America.
Elsewhere at Optare
Environmental issues are very much to the fore in the industry both for operators
and the travelling public. Optare is very much aware of these trends and concerns.
As a manufacturer its focuses in on fuel efficiency and clean emissions and a lot of
this is achieved through low weight vehicles using integral construction.
Celebrating ten years of Solo production, an all-electric version was up for review.
A hybrid Tempo built to Transport for London (TfL) specification was also there. At
10.6m it attracted a lot of attention, as did the Versa, also built to TfL specification.
Interestingly, it is built to the European Bus Directive, which does not require an
emergency door. Optare also exhibited its best selling coach model the Soroco,
built on the Mercedes 515 CDi Sprinter chassis with automatic transmission.
43
Iteco Mono Brush
• Reduce your labour costs - 5 minutes to
wash one Truck!
• Reduce your detergent costs
• Reduce your water charges
• Easy to use
• Engine driven - no pushing
• 500 litre on board water tank
- no trailing cables
Prices starting at €15,950 + VAT
Iteco - washing Trucks & Buses in Ireland since 2000.
The complete vehicle washing solution.
Contact: Vincent Clarke 087 2595519
Clarke Auto Wash Limited, Unit 8, Park West Drive, Nangor Road, Dublin 12
Tel: 01 623 3631 Web: www.itecosrl.com
buyers guide
Buyers Guide 2009
in association with
AVIA
Avia Trucks Ireland, Burlington Business Park, Sragh Road,
Tullamore, Co. Offaly
Contact: David Mullen
Tel: 057 93 61488
No. of dealers: 10
Web: www.aviatrucks.ie
Since Indian company Ashok Leyland took
over Czech truck brand Avia in October
2006, substantial investment has been made
through parent, the Hinduja Group. In 2008
alone 72 million CZK (€250m) has been put
towards furthering developing the Avia DLine product. For instance, air suspension has
been fitted for the first time, while Euro 5
drivetrains are currently being worked on as
is increasing the safety parameters of the
driver’s cab.
Sales wise, export markets have been
buoyant, with increased orders from the UK and Ireland due to the adoption of the D-Line to electric power by Smith Electric Vehicles.
Make/Model
D 75
D 75
D 75
D 75
D 100
D 100
D 100
D 120
D 120
D 120
Chassis
Type
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Configuration
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
GVW
(Tonnes)
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
10
10
10
12
12
12
Wheelbase
(mm)
3400
3900
4500
5100
3900
4500
5100
3900
4500
5100
Cab
type
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Engine Capacity
(litres)
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
DAF
DAF Distributors Ltd. , Baldonnell Business Park,
Baldonnell, Dublin 22
Contact: Simon Teevan
H.P.
SCR/EGR
160/185 SCR
160/185 SCR
160/185 SCR
160/185 SCR
160/185 SCR
160/185 SCR
160/185 SCR
185 SCR
185 SCR
185 SCR
Torque
Nm@/rpm
602/700
602/700
602/700
602/700
602/700
602/700
602/700
700
700
700
Gearbox
Types/Gears
ZF 6 speed
ZF 6 speed
ZF 6 speed
ZF 6 speed
ZF 6 speed
ZF 6 speed
ZF 6 speed
ZF 6 speed
ZF6 speed
ZF 6 speed
Brakes
Air/Air
Air/Air
Air/Air
Air/Air
Air/Air
Air/Air
Air/Air
Air/Air
Air/Air
Air/Air
Suspension
Front/Rear
Parabolic Leaf
Parabolic Leaf
Parabolic Leaf
Parabolic Leaf
Parabolic Leaf
Parabolic Leaf
Parabolic Leaf
Parabolic Leaf
Parabolic Leaf
Parabolic Leaf
Tel: 01 4034141
Web: www.daf.ie
No. of Dealers: 9
To commemorate its 80th Anniversary DAF is about to upgrade its CF and XF105 Series. Both models are getting a new interior
design, expanded driveline and optional Adaptive Cruise Control and Forward Collision Warning. All of its engines are available
as EEV – Enhanced Environmentally-Friendly Vehicles which have 50 per cent less particulate emissions than the Euro 5 standard
which 2009 requires.
‘Evolution Never Stops’, was the catch phase used by DAF at the IAA 2008 in Hanover where its 2,500m2 stand also showcased
a new Fleet Management telematics system and a night lock for added security against break-ins. Following its withdrawal
from exhibiting at the CV Show 09 in Birmingham, news has filtered through that DAF will not be present at its home event
at the RAI, Amsterdam.
Make/Model
LF
CF
CF
XF.105
Chassis
Type
Rigid
Rigid
Tractor
Tractor
Configuration
GVW
(Tonnes)
4x2
7.5–18
4x2/6x2/6x4/8x4 18-32
4x2/6x2/6x4
18/26
4x2/6x2/6x4
18/26
Wheelbase
(mm)
3000–6250
4000-7100
3250-4050
3600-4100
Cab
Engine Capacity
type
(litres)
Day/Slp
4.5 /6.7
Day/Slp/Space
6.7/9.2/12.9
Slp/Space
12.9
Comf/Space/Super Space 12.9
H.P.
SCR/EGR
140-280 SCR
220-510 SCR
410-510 SCR
410/510 SCR
Torque
Nm@/rpm
550-1020
820-2500
200-2500
2000-2500
Gearbox
Brakes
Types/Gears
ZF 5sp/6sp
Disc/Air/ABS/EBK
ZF 6/8/9sp
Disc/Air
ZF 16sp AS Tronic Disc/Air/ABS/EBS/EBK
ZF 16sp AS Tronic Disc/Air/ABS/EBS/EBK
Suspension
Front/Rear
Parabolic/Air
Parabolic/Air
Air
Air
45
buyers guide
Tel: 01 4194500
Web: www.hino.ie
No. of Dealers: 7
HINO
J. Harris Assemblers, Naas Road, Dublin.12.
Contact: Patsy Kealy, Sales Manager
J Harris (Assemblers) has been importing, assembling and distributing Hino Trucks since 1967. Dealer networks exist not only in Ireland but throughout Great Britain. As
and from Quarter 4 2008, Hino offers a complete range of trucks from the light duty 300 Series through to the 700 Series heavy duty with the 500 Series medium duty
range in-between.
Back-up is provided by the Hino Quality Service programme whereby the dealer network offers repair and maintenance contracts to suit customer’s individual
requirements along with 24/7 Roadside Assistance.
Make/Model
300 Series
3615
3715
3815
500 Series
51826
51826
700 Series
72838
72838
73241
71945
Chassis
Type
Configuration
GVW
(Tonnes)
Wheelbase
(mm)
Cab
type
Engine Capacity
H.P.
(litres)
SCR/EGR
Torque
Nm@/rpm
Gearbox
Types/Gears
Brakes
Suspension
Front/Rear
5 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
Discs/ABS
Discs/ABS
Discs/ABS
Springs
Springs
Springs
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
4x2
4x2
4x2
5.5
6.5
7.5
3430
3430/ 3870
3430/ 3870/ 4200
DAY
DAY
DAY
4.0
4.0
4.0
150/EGR
150/EGR
150/EGR
397@1800
397@1800
397@1800
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
4x2
4x2
18
18
4260
6200
REST
REST
8.0
8.0
260/EGR
260/EGR
794@1500
794@1500
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man/Eaton Sp
Drum/ABS
Drum/ ABS
Springs
Springs/Air
26
26
32
19
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
REST
REST
REST
REST
13.0
13.0
13.0
13.0
380/EGR
380/EGR
410/EGR
450/EGR
1814@1100
1814@1100
1863@1100
1812@1100
ZF 16 Sp Man
ZF 16 Sp Man
ZF 16 Sp Man
ZF 6 Sp Man
Drums/ABS
Drums/ABS
Drums/ABS
Drums/ABS
Springs
Springs
Springs
Springs/Air
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
6x4 Tipper or Mixer (Live Drive)
6x4 Cargo (Distribution)
8x4 Tipper or Mixer (Live Drive)
4x2 Tractor Unit
ISUZU
Isuzu Ireland, Naas Road, Dublin 12.
Contact: Noel Lynch, Sales & Marketing Manager
Tel: 01 4194500
Web: www.isuzu.ie
No. of Dealers: 38
From 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes Isuzu Trucks earned a good reputation in Ireland down through the years with its no-nonsense approach to the task in hand. Although the
Japanese brand has been with us for decades now one could not help but notice that its product range is becoming more Europeanised. Before the end of 2009 Isuzu
will have a brand new modular range of vehicles from the latest generation 3.5 to 18 tonnes GVW. The popular N-Series will be joined by the medium duty F-Series
range come Autumn and will be Euro 5 engine compliant. The 18 tonner F-Series will have a new cab and 6-cylinder diesel engines and a choice of Eaton or ZF gearboxes.
Make/Model
NMR85 E4
NPR85 E4
NPR85 E4
NPR75 E4
NPR75 E4
Chassis
Type
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Configuration
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
GVW
(Tonnes)
5.0
6.2
6.2
7.5
7.5
Wheelbase
(mm)
3395
3395/ 3845
3395
3365/4175/
4475
Cab
type
Single
Single
Crew Cab
Single
Crew Cab
Engine Capacity
H.P.
(litres)
SCR/EGR
3.0
150/EGR
3.0
150/EGR
3.0
150/EGR
5.2
190/EGR
5.2
190/EGR
IVECO
Truck Dealers Inter national, Naas Road, Dublin 12.
Contact: Patsy Kealy
Torque
Nm@/rpm
375@ 1600-2800
375@@1600-2800
375@1600-2800
513@1500-2600
513@1500-2600
Gearbox
Types/Gears
5 Sp Man
6 Sp Man/5 Sp Auto
6 Sp Man/5Sp Auto
6 Sp Man/5 Sp Auto
6 Sp Man/5 Sp Auto
Brakes
Discs/ABS
Discs/ABS
Discs/ABS
Discs/ABS
Discs/ABS
Suspension
Front/Rear
Springs
Springs
Steel
Spring
Springs
Tel: 01 4194500
Web: www.ivecotdi.ie
No. of Dealers: 16
In the last two years Iveco has launched 10 new models ranging from 4x4 versions of the Daily to the award winning Eurocargo. The Italian manufacturer is one of the
few complete commercial vehicle suppliers in the Global marketplace. In fact Iveco is in a unique position to offer an all-wheel drive Commercial SUV in the Massif at
the light end and with the Daily, Eurocargo, Trakker and Stralis model ranges from 2 to 44 tonnes.
Speaking to the press at the IAA CV Show in Hanover, Iveco CEO Paolo Monferino expressed satisfaction on how the company has progressed in recent years. “Revenues
have exceeded forecasts with every half year period from 2005 better than that preceding”. While foreseeing a contraction in Western Europe, this will be offset by
growth in other markets such as Latin America and Eastern Europe.
46
trucks
IVECO (CONTINUED)
Make/Model
DAILY
50C15
65C15
65C18
EUROCARGO
80E22S
100E22S
120E22S
140E22S
150E22S
180E25S
180E28S
STRALIS
AD190S31P
AD190S33P
AT190S31P
AT190S33P
AD260S31YP
AD260S33YP
AT260S31YP
AT260S33YP
AT440S45TP
AT440S45TXP
AT440S45TZP HM
AS440S45TP
AS440S50TP
AS440S56TP
AS440S45TXP
AS440S50TXP
AS440S56TXP
AS440S50TZ HM
TRAKKER
AT340T45P
Chassis
Type
Configuration
GVW
(Tonnes)
Wheelbase
(mm)
Cab
type
Engine Capacity
H.P.
(litres)
SCR/EGR
Torque
Nm@/rpm
Gearbox
Types/Gears
Brakes
Suspension
Front/Rear
C/Cab
C/Cab
C/Cab
4x2
4x2
4x2
5.2
6.5
6.5
3150
4240
4240
Day
Day
Day
3.0
3.0
3.0
146 EGR
146 EGR
176 EGR
350 @ 1400 to 2600
350 @ 1400 to 2600
400 @ 1250 to 3000
6 Speed
6 Speed
6 Speed
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Springs
Springs
Springs
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
C/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
7.5
10.0
12.0
14.0
15.0
18.0
18.0
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
5.88
5.88
5.88
5.88
5.88
5.88
5.88
217SCR
217 SCR
217 SCR
217 SCR
217 SCR
217 SCR
217 SCR
680@1200-2100
680@1200-2100
680@1200 to 2100
680@1200 to 2100
680@1200 to 2100
850@1250 to 2100
950@1250 to 2100
6 Sp
6 Sp
6 Sp
6 Sp
6 Sp
6 Sp
9 Sp
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Springs *
Springs *
Springs *
Springs *
Springs *
Springs *
Springs *
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
4x2 Rear Air
4x2 Rear Air
4x2 Rear Air
4x2 Rear Air
6x2 (Lifting) Rear Air
4x2 Rear Air
6x4 Rear Air
4x2 Rear Air
4x2 Rear Air
4x2 Rear Air
6X4 Rear Air
19.0
19.0
19.0
19.0
26.0
26.0
26.0
26.0
44.0
44.0
44.0
44.0
44.0
44.0
44.0
44.0
44.0
44.0
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
3650/3800
2440+1360
3200+1360
3800
3800
3800
2440+1360
2440+1360
2440+1360
3200+1360
Day
Day
Sleeper
Sleeper
Day
Day
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
7.79
7.79
7.79
7.79
7.79
7.79
7.79
7.79
10.30
10.30
10.30
10.30
12.88
12.88
10.30
12.88
12.88
12.88
310 SCR
330 SCR
310 SCR
330 SCR
310 SCR
330 SCR
310 SCR
330 SCR
450 SCR
450 SCR
450 SCR
450 SCR
500 SCR
560 SCR
450 SCR
500 SCR
560 SCR
500 SCR
1300@ 1200-1675
1400@ 1080-1660
1300@1200-1675
1400@1080-1660
1300@1200-675
1400@1080-1660
1300@1200-1675
1400@1080-1660
2100@1050-1550
2100@1050-1550
2100@1050-1550
2100@1050-1550
2300@1000-1525
2500@1000-1575
2100@1050-1550
2300@1000-1525
2500@1000-1575
2300@1000-1525
16 Sp
16 Sp
16 Sp
16 Sp
9 Sp
16 Sp
9 Sp
16 Sp
16 Sp
16 Sp
16 Sp
16 Sp
16 Sp
12 E'tronic
16 Sp
16 Sp
12 E'tronic
16 Sp
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc/Drum
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc / Disc
Disc/Drum
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Rigid
8x4 Rear Air
44
Various
Sleeper
10.30
450 SCR
2100@1050-1550
16 Sp
Disc / Disc
Springs/Air
Eurocargo * (Rear Air Option)
MAN
MAN Importers Ireland Ltd, Oak Close, Oak
Road Business Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 12
Contact: Michael Hynes, General Manager
Tel: 01 4191300
Web: www.mantrucks.ie
No. of Dealers: 6
Today the breadth and depth of the MAN Nutzfahrzeuge truck range, which extends from 7.5 tonnes to trucks with 44 tonnes
gross vehicle weight and from standard semi-trailer tractors to multi-axle special-purpose vehicles, are such that more help and
advice are needed than ever before. Coinciding with the IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hanover MAN introduced a new truck
configuration on the web. It guides interested parties through the product range and to a suitable vehicle on their computer in
the office or at home. Is a light TGL required, or a medium-weight TGM? A heavy TGS tipper, or even a heavy-duty TGX tractor?
No problem at all – the simple structure of the configurator will come up with a suitable selection.
This guides customers and other interested parties through the MAN product range and puts together a suitable vehicle
proposal. On request a member of the sales team will contact the customer within 24 hours. The program is based on MAN's internal sales systems MANEX and ECON.
Only the vehicles that can be produced for and sold in the country in question will be shown.
47
buyers guide
MAN (CONTINUED)
Make/Model
TGL
8-185
10-185
12-185
15-240
TGM
18-240
18-280
18-320
26-320
TGS
18-440
18-480
TGX
26-440
26-480
26-440
26-480
TGS
32-400
35-400
Chassis
Type
Configuration
GVW
(Tonnes)
Wheelbase
(mm)
Cab
type
Engine Capacity
H.P.
(litres)
SCR/EGR
Torque
Nm@/rpm
Gearbox
Types/Gears
Brakes
Suspension
Front/Rear
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
7.5
10
12
15
Various
Various
Various
Various
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
4580
4580
6871
6871
180/EGR
180/EGR
240/EGR
240/EGR
700@1400
700@1400
925@12/18
925@12/18
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Air
Air
Air
Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
4x2
4x2
4x2
6x2
18
18
18
26
Various
Various
Various
Various
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
6871
6871
10518
10518
240/EGR
280/EGR
320/EGR
320/EGR
1100@12/17
1100@12/17
1600@10/14
1600@10/14
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Air
Air
Air
Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
T/Unit
T/Unit
4x2
4x2
18
18
3900
3900
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
12419
12419
440/EGR
480/EGR
2100@10/14
2300@10/14
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Air
Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
T/Unit
T/Unit
T/Unit
T/Unit
6x2
6x2
6x4
6x4
26
26
26
26
2600
2600
Various
Various
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
10518
12419
10518
12419
440/EGR
480/EGR
440/EGR
480/EGR
2100@10/14
2300@10/14
2100@10/14
2300@10/14
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Air
Air
Air
Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
Steel/Air
Rigid
Rigid
8x4
8x4
32
32
3.2/3.5
3.2/3.5
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
10518
10518
400/EGR
400/EGR
1900@11/14
1900@11/14
Man/Auto
Man/Auto
Air
Air
Steel/Steel
Steel/Steel
Brakes
Suspension
Front/Rear
Tel: 01 4094444
Web: www.mercedes-benz.ie
No. of Dealers: 8
MERCEDES-BENZ
Motor Distributors Limited, Naas Road, Dubiln 12.
Contact: Gerry McDonnell
Generation 3 of the Actros is the ‘new kid on the block’ for Mercedes-Benz. The
multi-award winning premium tractor range will be joined by a line-up of multiwheeler rigids that will cater for the construction sector.
Wearing a new face, cleaner classier cab with extra comfort features, the new Actros
Tractor also gets PowerShift2, an even smoother version of the acclaimed 12 speed
automated transmission. That’s at the top end.
At entry level there is the Vario van and light truck range plus the Atego chassis/cab
while the Axor covers the medium weight rigid and fleet tractor sector for municipal
and utilities Mercedes-Benz market the Econic and Unimog.
Make/Model
Vario
813D/43
813D/43
Atego
816
818
1018
1022
1218
48
Chassis
Type
Configuration
GVW
(Tonnes)
Wheelbase
(mm)
Cab
type
Engine Capacity
H.P.
(litres)
SCR/EGR
Torque
Nm@/rpm
Chassis/Cab
Van
4x2
4x2
7.5
7.5
4250
4250
Day
Day
SCR/4249
SCR/4249
129
129
500@1200-1600
500 @1200-1600
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
7.5
8.6
10.6
10.5
12
3020 -4820
3020 -4820
3020 -4820
3560 -5360
3560 -5360
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
SCR/4250
SCR/4250
SCR/4250
SCR/4801
SCR/4250
177
177
177
218
177
675
675
675
810
675
Gearbox
Types/Gears
6 Sp
6 Sp
G56 - 6 Sp
G56 - 6 Sp
G60 - 6 Sp
G85 - 6 Sp
G60 - 6 Sp
Disc
Disc
Disc-ABS
Disc-ABS
Disc-ABS
Disc-ABS
Disc-ABS
Spring
Spring
Spring/Air Rear option
trucks
MERCEDES-BENZ (CONTINUED)
Make/Model
1318
1518
1524
Axor
1824K
1829K
2629K
1824L
1829L
2529L
2535L
2540L
2543L
1835LS
1840LS
1843LS
2535LS
2540LS
2543LS
3236K
3240K
3243K
Actros
2632K
2636K
3236K
3241K
3241
1832L
1836L
1841L
1844L
2532L
2536L
2541L
2544L
1841LS
1844LS
1846LS
1848LS
1851LS
1855LS
1860LS
2541LS
2544LS
2546LS
2548LS
2551LS
2555LS
2560LS
Chassis
Type
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Configuration
4x2
4x2
4x2
GVW
(Tonnes)
13.5
15
15
Wheelbase
(mm)
3560 -5360
3560 -5360
3560 -5360
Cab
type
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Construction
Construction
Construction
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Construction
Construction
Construction
4x2
4x2
6x4
4x2
4x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
8x4
8x4
8x4
18
18
26
18
18
25
25
25
25
18
18
18
25
25
25
32
32
32
3600/3900
3600/3900
3300/3900
3900/6300
3900/6300
4200/5100
4500/5100
4500/5100
4500/5100
3900
3900
3900
3900
3900
3900
5100
5100
5100
Day
Day
Day
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Sleeper
Day
Day
Day
SCR/6370
SCR/6370
SCR/6370
SCR/6370
SCR/6370
SCR/6370
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
SCR/11970
Construction
Construction
Construction
Construction
Construction
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
Tractor
6x4
6x4
8x4
8x4
8x4
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
6x2
26
26
32
32
32
18
18
18
18
25000
25000
25000
25000
18000
18000
18000
18000
18000
18000
18000
25000
25000
25000
25000
25000
25000
25000
3600/3900
3600/3900
5100
5100
5400
3900 -5100
3900 -5100
3900 -5100
3900 -5100
4200 -6000
4200 -6000
4200 -6000
4200 -6000
3600 -3900
3600 -3900
3600 -3900
3600 -3900
3600 -3900
3600 -3900
3600 -3900
3900
3900
3900
3900
3900
3900
3900
Day/Midi
Day/ Midi
Day/ Midi
Day/ Midi
Day/ Midi
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Mega
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Day/Slp
Mega
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/15928
SCR/15928
SCR/15928
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/11946
SCR/15928
SCR/15928
SCR/15928
MITSUBISHI FUSO
MMC Commercials, John F. Kennedy Drive,
Naas Road, Dublin 12.
Contact: James Duignan/Gar y Collins
Engine Capacity
H.P.
(litres)
SCR/EGR
SCR/4250
177
SCR/4250
177
SCR/6370
238
Torque
Nm@/rpm
675
675
810
Gearbox
Types/Gears
G60 - 6 Sp
G60 - 6 Sp
G85 - 6 Sp
238
286
286
238
286
286
354
401
428
354
401
428
354
401
428
354
401
428
850
1120
1120
850
1120
1120
1850
2000
2100
1850
2000
2100
1850
2000
2100
1850
2000
2100
G85-6 Disc/Drum
G131-9
G131-9
G85-6 Disc
G131-9
G131-9
G221-9/G211-16
G221-9/G211-16
G221-9/G211-16
G221-9/G211-16
G221-9/G211-16
G221-9/G211-16
G221-9/G211-16
G221-9/G211-16
G221-9/G211-16
G210-16
G210-16
G210-16
320
360
360
408
408
320
360
408
435
320
360
408
435
408
435
456
476
503
537
578
408
435
456
456
503
537
578
1650
1850
1850
2000
2000
1650
1850
2000
2100
1650
1850
2000
2100
2000
2100
2200
2300
2400
2500
2700
2000
2100
2200
2200
2400
2500
2700
G210-16
G210-16
G210-16
G240-16
G240-16
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G211-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
G281-12 PShift
Brakes
Disc-ABS
Disc-ABS
Disc-ABS
Suspension
Front/Rear
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc
Disc
Disc
Spring
Spring
Spring
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring
Spring
Spring
Disc/Drum
Disc/Drum
Drum
Drum
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Disc/ABS
Spring
Spring
Spring
Spring
Spring
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Spring/Rear Air
Disc/Drum
Disc/Drum
Tel: 01 4192323 / 086 8549424
Web: www.mitsubishifuso.ie
No. Of Dealers: 15
Developed for the world, produced in Europe: the Canter concept was devised in Japan and adapted to meet specific customer
requirements in Europe. Superb economy, outstanding robustness and impressive maneuverability – just three of the many key
attributes with which the Fuso Canter light-duty truck is winning over a growing number of customers, not least in Europe.
The current version has been available on the European market since summer 2006. Sales in Europe over the past year totaled
10,200 units – a new record. This success has been achieved with a custom-designed range for the light-duty-truck segment:
permissible gross vehicle weights of 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes, a choice of power outputs, numerous wheelbase variants, different cabs
to choose from, plus a space-saving cab-over-engine design with a robust chassis and an efficient engine – in short, a highly
impressive concept, all of which makes the Canter an increasingly popular alternative in the 3.5-tonne to 7.5-tonne segment.
The Canter models for Europe have been produced in Tramagal in Portugal, around 150 km north of the capital Lisbon, for the
past 28 years. More than 30 markets are supplied from here.
49
buyers guide
MITSUBISHI FUSO (CONTINUED)
Model
CANTER
6C15E
6C15GW
6C18E
6C18G
6C18GW
7C15E
7C15G
7C15J
7C15HW
FH180E
FH180G
FH180H
Chassis
Type
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Configuration
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
GVW
(Tonnes)
6.5
6.5
6.5
6.5
6.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
Wheelbase
(mm)
3350
3850
3350
3850
3850
3350
3850
4470
4200
3350
3850
4200
Cab
type
Single
Double
Single
Single
Double
Single
Single
Single
Double
Single
Single
Single
Engine Capacity
(litres)
3.0
3.0
4.9
4.9
4.9
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.9
4.9
4.9
RENAULT
Setanta Vehicle Importers Limited
Contact: Louis Cronin, Sales Manager /Noel Billings, Sales
H.P.
SCR/EGR
145/EGR
145/EGR
180/EGR
180/EGR
180/EGR
145/EGR
145/EGR
145/EGR
145/EGR
180/EGR
180/EGR
180/EGR
Torque
Nm@/rpm
362@1700
362@1700
530@1600
530@1600
530@1600
362@1700
362@1700
362@1700
362@1700
530@1600
530@1600
530@1600
Gearbox
Types/Gears
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
6 Sp Man
Brakes
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Suspension
Front/Rear
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Semi elliptic
Tel: 01 4034555
Web: www.renault-trucks.com
No. of Dealers: 5
Renault Trucks places the driver at the heart of its concerns, and in particular in the design of its vehicles. The new Renault Magnum with its new cab, which is even
more spacious and ergonomic, is the clearest sign of this. The whole of Renault Trucks’ range has been studied and developed similarly.
The second key theme which Renault Trucks is focused on is the continuous search for solutions to help customers reduce fuel consumption over the long term. It has
developed, within the scope of the Optifuel Solutions range to include Optifuel Technology, which identifies optimal engine - gearbox – drive axle combination, but also
the choice of SCR technology; Optifuel Infomax, a monitoring tool which, through precise analysis of consumption and vehicle use, allows customers to reduce fuel costs
by up to 10% and therefore reduce their operating expenses; And Optifuel Training, a course which trains drivers in the most economic forms of driving.
At the Hanover Show, Renault Trucks presented the Renault Trucks Adventure project planned for 2009. After the Silk Road in 2005, the French manufacturer will once
again be combining the know-how of its people and the competitiveness of its products to go forth and meet different cultures, testing the technical capacity of its
vehicles with six Keraxes and six Sherpas which will travel from the extreme North (Norway) to the extreme South (Africa) in the Cape-to-Cape Adventure.
Model
Maxity
Mascott
Mascott
Midlum
Midlum
Midlum
Midlum
Midlum
Premium
Premium
Premium
Premium
Premium
Premium
Magnum
Magnum
Magnum
Kerax
Kerax
Kerax
Kerax
50
Chassis
Type
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Van
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Ch/Cab
Tractor
Tractor
Rigid
Tractor
Tractor
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Configuration
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2,
4x2
4x2/6x2
6x2
4x2
6x2
6x2
4x2
6x2
4x2
4x4
6x4
6x6
GVW
(Tonnes)
3.5
3.5/5.0/6.5
3.5
7.5/10
12
14
16
18
18
18
18/26
18
18
25
26
19
19
19
19
26
26
Wheelbase
(mm)
2.5/2.9/3.2
3.1/3.6/4.1/4.6
3.6/4.1
2.7-5.1
3.1-6.5
3.1-6.5
3.1-6.5
3.5-6.8
3.7-6.8
3.7-6.8
3.7-6.8
3.7-6.8
3.7/3.9
3.95
5.1-6.3
4.1
4.4
3.5-5.8
3.5-4.5
3.2-5.5
3.5-5.0
Cab
Engine Capacity
type
(litres)
Day
2.5.
Day/Crew
3
Day
3
Day/Glbl/Crew
4.8
Day/Glbl/Crew
4.8
Day/Glbl/Crew 4.8/7.1
Day/Glbl/Crew 4.8/7.1
Day/Glbl/Crew 4.8, 7.1
Day/Slp
7.1
Day/Slp
7.1
Day/Slp
7.1
Day/Slp
11
Sleeper
11
Sleeper
11
Sleeper
13
Sleeper
13
Sleeper
13
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
H.P.
SCR/EGR
110/130 EGR
130/150 EGR
130/150 EGR
160/190/ 220 SCR
190/220 SCR
190/220/240 SCR
220/240/280 SCR
240/280 SCR
240 SCR
280 SCR
320 SCR
370/410450 SCR
370/410/450 SCR
370/410/450 SCR
460/500 SCR
460/500 SCR
460/500 SCR
370/410/450 SCR
370/410/450 SCR
370/410/450 SCR
370/410/450 SCR
Torque
Nm@/rpm
250/270@1600
300/350@1600
300/350@1600
580/680/800@1200
680/800@1200
680/800/920@1200
800/920/1050@1200
920/1050@1200
920@1200
1050@1200
1200@1200
1735/1900/2140@1100
2140@1100
2140@1100
2300/2450@1050-1400
2300/2450@1050-1400
2300/2450@1050-1400
1735/1900/2140@1100
1735/1900/2140@1100
2140@1100
2140@1100
Gearbox
Types/Gears
5/6 Sp
6 Sp
6 Sp
6/9 Sp
6/9 Sp
6/9 Sp
6/9 Sp
6/9 Sp
6/9 Sp
6/9 Sp
6/9 Sp
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
Brakes
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Drum
Drum
Drum
Drum
Suspension
Front/Rear
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
trucks
RENAULT (CONTINUED)
Model
Kerax
Lander
Lander
Lander
Lander
Lander
Lander
Lander
Lander
Lander
Lander
Kerax
Chassis
Type
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Tractor
Tractor
Rigid
Rigid
Configuration
8x4
4x2
4x2
4x2
6x2
6x2
6x4
6x4
4x2
6x4
8x4
8x4
GVW
(Tonnes)
32
18
18
18
26
26
26
26
18
26
32
32
Wheelbase
(mm)
5.0-5.65
3.5-6.45
3.5-6.45
3.5-6.45
3.5-6.1
3.5-6.1
3.2-5.5
3.2-5.5
3.5-3.0
3.2-3.7
5.0-5.65
5.0-5.65
Cab
Engine Capacity
H.P.
type
(litres)
SCR/EGR
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
370/410/450 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
7.1
280 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
7.1
320 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
370/410/ 450 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
7.1
320 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
370/410/450 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
7.1
320 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
370/410/450 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
370/410/ 450 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
11
370/410/ 450 SCR
Day/Slp
11
370/410/ 450 SCR
Day/Glbl/Slp
13
500 SCR
SCANIA
Westward Scania, Strokestown, County Roscommon
Contact: Joe Crann, Sales & Marketing Director
Torque
Nm@/rpm
2140@1100
1050@1200
1200@1200
1735/1900/2140@1100
1200@1200
1735/1900/2140@1100
1200@1200
1735/1900/2140@1100
1735/1900/2140@1100
1735/1900/2140@1100
1735/1900/2140@1100
2450@1050-1400
Gearbox
Types/Gears
16/12 Sp Auto
9 Sp
9 Sp
16/12 Sp Auto
9 Sp
11 Sp/11 Auto
9 Sp
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
16/12 Sp Auto
Brakes
Drum
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Discs
Drum
Suspension
Front/Rear
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Choice
Tel: 071 9634500
Web: www.westwardscania.com
No. of Dealers: 8
For 2009 Scania will have a full range of Euro 5 engines ready for the October deadline. Both ERG and SCR engine emission control systems will
be available at the heavy end of the range. Scania has no major revamps on the cards for Model Year 2009 but continues its programme of
continuous improvement starting with a new dash panel with coloured instrument cluster followed by the said Euro 5 engines with a strong
focus of fuel economy. New bunks with improved comfort, new roof shelving and a new lighter 2 spring rear suspension are the other significant
developments.
2009 will see another running of the Scania YETD (Young European Truck Driver) competition, Tom Sharkey the 2007 Irish representative came
second overall if you remember. Now is the chance to go one better.
Make/Model
P230
P230
P230
P310
P340
P380
P270
P340
P380
P270
P270
P340
P380
R420
P420
P380
P380
P420
R420
R440
R480
R480
R500
R560
R620
R420
R440
R480
R480
R500
R560
R620
R480
R500
R560
R480
Chassis
Type
DB
DB
DB
DB
DB
DB
DB
DB
DB
CB
DB
CB
CB
CB
CB
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
Configuration
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
6x2
6x2
6x2 (Tag)
6x4
6x2.4 rear-steer
8x4
8x4
8x4
8x4
4x2
4x2
6x2/4
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
4x2
6x2/4
6x2/4
6x2/4
6x2/4
6x2/4
6x2/4
6x2/4
6x4
6x4
6x4
6x2 (Tag)
GVW
(Tonnes)
18
18
18
18
18
18
26
26
26
26
26
32
32
32
32
42
42
44
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
44
44
44
44
44
44
44
44
44
44
44
Wheelbase
(mm)
5700
5700
5700
5700
5700
5700
5700
5700
5700
3900
3900
5100
5100
5100
5100
3700
3700
3975
3700
3700
3700
3700
3700
3700
3700
3975
3975
3975
3975
3975
3975
3975
3100
3100
3100
3100
Cab
type
CP14
CP14
CP14
Cp14
CP14
CP14
Cp14
CP14
CP14
CP16
CP14
CP16
CP16
CR16
CP16
CP19
CP19
CP19
CP19
CR19
CR19
CR19
Topline
Topline
Topline
CP19
CR19
CR19
CR19
Topline
Topline
Topline
CR19
CR19
CR19
CR19
Engine Capacity
(litres)
9
9
9
9
12
12
9
12
12
9
9
12
12
12
12(SCR) Euro5
12
12
12(SCR)Euro5
12
13 Euro5
12
13 Euro5
16
16
16
12
13 Euro5
12
13 Euro5
16
16
16
12
16
16
12
H.P.
SCR/EGR
230 EGR
230 EGR
230 EGR
310 EGR
340 EGR
380 EGR
270 EGR
340 EGR
380 EGR
270 EGR
270 EGR
340 EGR
380 EGR
420 EGR
420 SCR
380 EGR
380 EGR
420 EGR
420 EGR
440 EGR
420 EGR
480 EGR
500 SCR
560 SCR
620 SCR
420 EGR
440 EGR
420 EGR
440 EGR
500 SCR
560 SCR
620 SCR
480 EGR
500 SCR
500 SCR
480 EGR
Torque
Nm@/rpm
1050
1050
1050
1550
1700
1900
1250
1700
190
1250
1250
1700
1900
2100
2100
1900
1900
2100
2100
2300
2250
2500
2400
2700
3000
2100
2300
2250
2500
2400
2700
3000
2250
2400
2700
2250
Gearbox
Types/Gears
GR875(8)
G670(6)
GR875(8)
Gr875(8)
GR905(9)
GR905(9)
GR875(8)
GR905(9)
GR905(9)
GR905(9)
GR875(8)
GR905 (9)
GR905(9)
GR905(9)
GR905(9)
GR905(14)
GR905(14)
GR905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRSO905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRSO905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
GRS905(14)
Brakes
Drums
Disc
Disc
Drums
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Drums
Disc
Drums
Drums
Drums
Drums
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Disc
Drums
Drums
Drums
Disc
Suspension
Front/Rear
Springs/Springs
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Springs
Springs/Air
Springs/Springs
Springs/Springs
Springs/Springs
Springs/Springs
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Air
Springs/Springs
Springs/Springs
Springs/Springs
Springs/Air
51
buyers guide
VOLVO
Volvo Trucks, Wedgnock Lane, Warwick, C34 5YA, U.K.
Contact: John Comer, Product manager
Tel: 0044 1926 401777
Web: www.volvotrucks.ie
No. of Dealers: 5
The Swedish marque’s focus on the driver is clearer than ever when you see new
designs of the driver environment and cab interior of the latest Volvo FH and FH16
models. Latest addition to the FL range at the lighter end include the availability of ISync, Volvo’s new 6 speed automated transmission. Always with safety in mind Volvo
Trucks is introducing Alcolock, the optional fully integrated solution requires the driver
to take a breath test before the engine can be started.
Its new hybrid (diesel-electric) refuse trucks and the new EEV engine based on the D13
SCR unit indicate where this company is going strong with regards to fuel efficiency
and the environment.
2009 also marks the arrival of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008/2009 cavalcade to Galway
in May.
Make/
Model
FL
FE
FM300
-380
Chassis Configuration
GVW
Wheelbase
Type
(Tonnes)
(mm)
Rigid
4x2
12/15/18
3.07-6.8
Rigid
4x2/6x2/6x4 18/26/26
3.5-6.8
Rigid
4x2/6x2/6x4 18/26/26/32/32 3.4-6.5
/8x4/8x2
FM300
-380
FM390
-430
FM360
-480
Tractor
4x2
Tractor
4x2/6x2
FM360
-480
Rigid
4x2/6x2/6x4 18/26/26/32/32 3.4-6.5
/8x2/8x4
FM360
-480
FM360
-480
FH
Tractor
4x2/6x2/6x4
Rigid
FH
Rigid
FH
Tractor 4x2/6x2/6x4
FH
Rigid
Tractor 4x2/6x2/6x4
40
3.5-3.8
40/44
3.5-3.9
40/44STGO
3.5-4.1
40/44 STGO
3.5-4.1
4x2/6x2/6x4/ 18/26/26/32/32 3.4-6.5
8x2/8x4
Tractor 4x2/6x2/6x4
40/44 STGO
3.5-4.1
4x2/6x2/6x4/ 18/26/26/32/32 3.4-6.5
8x2/8x4
40/44 STGO
3.5-4.1
FH16
4x2/6x2/6x4/ 18/26/26/32/32 3.4-6.5
8x2/8x4
Tractor 4x2/6x2/6x4 40/44 STGO
3.5-4.1
FH 16
Rigid
52
4x2/6x2/6x4/ 18/26/26/32/32 3.4-6.5
8x2/8x4
Cab
Engine Capacity H.P.
Torque
Gearbox
Brakes
Suspension
type
(litres)
SCR/EGR
Nm@/rpm
Types/Gears
Front/Rear
Day, Comfort, Crew 7.15
240/280 SCR
950/1050Nm@12-1700rpm
6, I sync, 9 6auto EBS Disc
Steel/steel steel/air air/air
Day, Comfort, Sleeper 7.15
240/280/320 SCR 950/1050/1200Nm@12-1700rpm 6, 9 6auto
EBS Disc Steel/steel 4x2 only steel/air air/air
Day, Sleeper, Globetrotter 9.4
300/340/380 SCR1500@1150-1350rpm 1600@1200- 9,14 sp manual EBS Disc ABS Steel/air air/air steel/steel
Low sleeper
1450rpm 1700@1150-1550rpm 12 I shift
Drum with
PwrTronic auto steel susp
300/340/380 SCR 1500@1150-1350rpm 1600@1200 9, 14 sp manual EBS Disc
Steel/air air/air
Low sleeper
-1450rpm 1700@1150-1550rpm
12 sp I shift
Sleeper, Globetrotter 10.8
390/430 SCR
1800@1000-1400rpm
12 sp I shift
EBS Disc
Steel/air
Globetrotter LXL
2100@1100-1300rpm
360/400/440/ 1800@950-1400rpm 2000@1050 9, 14 sp manual EBS Dics
Steel/air air/air steel/steel
Low sleeper
480 SCR
-1400rpm 2200@1050-1400rpm
12 sp I shift
ABS Drum
2400@1050-1400rpm
with steel
360/400/440/ 1800@950-1400rpm 2000@1050 9, 14 sp manual EBS Disc ABS
Low sleeper
12.8
480 SCR
-1400rpm 2200@1050-1400rpm 12 sp I shift
Drum with
2400@1050-1400rpm
PwrTronic Auto
steel
360/400/440 EGR
1800/2000/2150@
9, 14 sp manual EBS Disc ABS
Low sleeper
1000-1400rpm
Drum with steel
360/400/440 EGR
1800/2000/2150@
9,14 sp manual EBS Disc ABS
Low sleeper
1000-1400rpm
12 sp I shift Drum with steel
400/440/480/
2000@1050-1400rpm
9, 14 sp manual EBS Disc
Steel/air steel/steel
Low sleeper
520 SCR
2500@1050-1450rpm
12 sp I shift
400/440/480/
2000@1050-1400rpm
9, 14 sp manual EBS Disc
Globetrotter XL
520 SCR
2200@1501 -1400rpm
12 sp I shift ABS Drum
2400/2500@1050-1450rpm
PTronic Auto
with steel
400/440/500 EGR
2000/2150/2400
Globetrotter XL
@1000-1400rpm
400/440/500 EGR
2000/2150/2400
Globetrotter XL
@1000-1400rpm
Sleeper, Globetrotter
16.1
540/580/660 SCR
2600/2800/3100
14 sp manual EBS Disc ABS
Globetrotter XL
@1000-1450rpm
Sleeper, Globetrotter
16.1
540/580/660 SCR
2600/2800/3100
14 sp manual EBS Disc ABS
Globetrotter XL
@1000-1450rpm
electric vehicles
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Electric Vehicles Ireland, Burlington
Business Park, Tullamore, Co Offaly
Contact: David Mullen, Managing Director
Tel: 057 9361488
Web: www.smithelectricvehicles.com
Electric Vehicles Ireland is another company to import dedicated battery powered vehicles in to Ireland. As appointed agents for Smith Electric, its range of Ford and Avia
based commercials are capable of speeds of up to 80km/hr and a range on one battery charge of up to 240km. They are designed for downtown applications such as
distribution, post and parcel delivery and utilities work.
There are two vehicles in the panel van range. The Edison with a GVW of 3.5t is based on the Ford Transit body shell and the Ampere with a GVW of 2.8t is based on
the LWB Transit Connect. Both are one hundred per cent battery powered. They have a 90 kilowatt motor and recharging is a simple process which involves plugging
the vehicle into a standard power source. It takes eight hours for a full charge and you can also top-up if needed. At the heavier end the Newton is based on the Avia
D-Line truck chassis and cab. Electric Vehicles Ireland has just opened a purpose-built new showroom and service facility in Tullamore, County Offaly. It is also the
headquarters of Avia Trucks Ireland.
MODEC
GREEN MACHINES
Techna House, 84 Terenure Road East,
Dublin 6.
Contact: Robert Nolan/MD
Tel: 01 490 0470
Web: www.greenmachines.ie
OHM Group, Clonlara Avenue,
Baldonnell Business Park, Baldonnell,
Dublin 22
Contact Name: Simon Teevan
Tel: 01 4034100 Web: www.modec.ie
Green Machines has been involved in supplying zero emission electric vehicles
since 2001. Its latest offering onto the Irish market is the Doblo Cargo Electric
MPV a vehicle capable of being configured as a people carrier or a functional
utility vehicle.
Modec is a dedicated electric vehicle brand that is building a range of zero
emission vehicles to meet every need. Modec supplies box vans, drop sides and
chassis cabs whilst adopting a responsible attitude towards the protection of the
environment. Earlier this year Tesco became the first supermarket in Northern
Ireland to launch a fleet of Modec battery powered zero-emission home delivery
vans.
Developed through a partnership between Fiat and Micro-Vett, Europe’s leading
electric vehicle specialist, the Doblo is aimed at a wide variety of commercial users
with Cargo, Combi and High Roof options. The electric Doblo is available in full
Irish specification with all standard options and the backing of a full Fiat warranty.
The Doblo is powered by Lithium-ion batteries which guarantee low weight and
high performance with speeds of 120 km/h and a range of 150 km. and has a
carrying capacity of 500 kg. To fully charge the vehicle for a year is estimated
to cost as little as €300.
A Modec has a range of up to 125 kilometres, can achieve speeds of up to 80
km/h and offers a two tonne payload. Recharging is simplicity itself. Just get out,
plug in and go home. Modec backs-up the quality of its products with a full
manufacturer's 100,000 mile / 3 year warranty. Modec vehicles are imported and
distributed by the OHM Group, Clonlara Avenue, Baldonnell Business Park, Dublin
22.
PIAGGIO
Impor ter: Mitsubishi Fuso, John F. Kennedy Drive, Naas Road, Dublin 12, Ireland.
Contact: James Duignan/Gar y Collins.
Tel: 01 4192323 – 086 8549424
Web: www.mitsubishifuso.ie
No. of Dealers: 15
In 1995 Piaggio started fitting electric engines on its Porter models to demonstrate the Italian company's serious commitment to improve the quality of life without
impacting negatively on the environment. Thirteen years on the Porter is the top selling electrically propelled commercial vehicle in Europe. Alongside the Porter, the
Piaggio Ape - the flexible three-wheel range of city commercial vehicles, ideal for advertising and marketing are distributed in Ireland by MMC Commercials Limited,
Mitsubishi House JFK Drive Naas Road, Dublin under the stewardship of General Manager, Gary Collins.
Make/
Body
Model
Type
GREEN MACHINES
Micro-Vett
People Porter
Fiat Doblo
5 Seat People Carrier
Electric MPV
Fiat Doblo
2 Seat Cargo
Electric MPV
Fiat Doblo
High Roof Cargo
Electric MPV
Fiat Doblo
2 Seat Maxi Cargo
Electric MPV
MODEC
Modec
Various
PIAGGIO
Porter Electric Van
Pick Up
MPV
SMITH
Ampere
Van
Edison
Van- All roof heights
Edison
Chassis/cab
Newton
Chassis/cab
Payload
Wheelbase
(mm)
6 Seats
5 Seats
1810
2583
DC Motor, External 9kw
AC, Asynchronous 30/60kW
Zero
Zero
9kW
N/A
260Nm
Auto
Auto
475kg
2583
Zero
N/A
260Nm
Auto
5 Seats or 2+1
Wheelchair
425kg
2583
Zero
N/A
260Nm
Auto
2963
Zero
N/A
260Nm
Auto
2000kg
3600
52kW/86kW
Zero
102
300
Auto
Drums ABS/EBD
POA
480
480
480
1810
1810
1810
96V
96V
96V
Zero
Zero
Zero
15
15
15
N/A
N/A
N/A
Auto
Auto
Auto
Disc/Drum
Disc/Drum
Disc/Drum
22180
20280
25456
50kW
90kW
90kW
120kW
Zero
Zero
Zero
Zero
24kWh
40kWh
40kWh
85kWh
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Auto
Auto
Auto
Auto
Disc
Disc
Disc
Air
780 kgs
2912
1250-2350 kgs
3300 & 3750
As above
3504 & 3954
3360-7860 kgs 3900,4500 & 5100
Power
CO2
Emissions
Battery Torque Transmission
Power Nm@/rpm Man/Auto
Brakes
Price
€
Regenerative Braking & Dual Circuit Hydraulic POA
Regenerative
POA
& Dual Circuit Hydraulic
Regenerative
POA
Regenerative
POA
Regenerative
POA
POA
POA
POA
POA
53
comment
Text: Howard Knott - howard@fleet.ie
From where I’m sitting- Howard Knott
Companies in, what appears to be, a playing
pitch of tough but reasonably fair
competition. Month by month, services and
marketing opportunities improve. Aircoach,
part of the First Group, Britain’s largest public
transport operator, now offers through
tickets to people boarding its South Dublin
services and changing on to its Cork or
Belfast routes. The quality of the coaches
have improved, though, whether or not it will
reach that of First’s recently launched New
York to Washington and Ontario routes with
big leather seats, power points for laptops
and free Wi-Fi all along the route, may be a
bit doubtful.
But what about, at least having all of those
operators, including the State owned ones,
co-operate to establish a simple, but
comprehensive, web marketing operation
that will serve passengers not only seeking to
get to or from Dublin Airport, but also to
book journeys based on a combination of
services? Thus, for example, someone wishing
to travel from Arklow to Castleknock could use “Wexford Bus” to the Airport and
change onto the UrBus there to complete the journey; Bettystown to Portarlington
could be achieved in a combination of Matthews and Dublin Coach, etc. The IT on
charging and allocating revenue would not be very complex, cars are taken off the
road, investments in bus priority lanes are justified, everyone moves more quickly
and services based on the Airport Travel hub and elsewhere, improve.
Keep Digging!
T
here I was, stopped at a traffic light on the N11 between Bray and
Cabinteely, when my eye was caught by a lar ge poster on the nearby
Bus Shelter. It was advertising “low cost” weekend car parking charges at Dublin
Airport with a rate of €20 a day in the Short Term car park. Sometimes, the adverts
on Bus Shelters are completely irrelevant to their location, one for detergent might
be a good example, but this one did seem to be more focussed.
While most passengers at that stop would board one of the Dublin Bus fleet there,
the shelter is also signed as a stop for Finnegan’s Bus service to the Luas at
Sandyford, and for the hourly Aircoach service running from Greystones to Dublin
Airport. Now, I guess that, if you have just missed one of the latter, ‘the drive
yourself to the Airport option’ just might hit the spot!
Of course, this is not the only recent car parking offer from Dublin Airport
Authority (DAA). A couple of weeks ago, I used its Long Term car park at a rate of
€7 a day, having booked on-line. I must say that the whole electronics of the
system worked very well. The pricing was obviously set to undercut its competitor,
the €7.50 per day rate from Quickpark. It seems only a matter of months, though,
perhaps it really was a couple of years, that Dublin Airport was proudly explaining
that its parking rates were set as to keep in line with the top City Centre rates.
Those ‘rip-off’ days seems to have gone. Why?
Do we really need to spend money that now we don’t have in ripping up the City
Centre to make great holes in the ground and in Ireland’s balance of payments? I
don’t think so.
CASEY TRAILERS
Manufacture & Service
Approved Meritor (ROR) Service Engineers
Firstly, passenger throughput growth at the Airport has slowed, while the amount
of parking space being made available by both DAA and Quickpark has increased
as the sure-fire profit alternative uses for the land disappear. Secondly, and much
more importantly, is the dramatic increase in bus and coach services at the Airport.
Now, the DAA claims, Dublin Airport is accessible by over 700 buses and coaches
each day. That’s a daily capacity of more than 35,000 passengers and an annual
basis that’s 10 million punters. These figures don’t even count the scheduled
services that are not strictly licensed, which include Pat Kenny’s favourite bus, the
“Patton Flyer”.
As the good folk who are promoting “Metro North” never tire of telling us, Dublin
Airport is unique insofar as it is one of Europe’s busiest and is one of the few that
is not rail connected. The congestion there can be awful, but it is mostly at Airport
Security that this occurs and not on the roads leading into the Terminal. I cannot
help thinking that “Metro North” sets out to solve a problem that, through the use
of a little bit of brainpower, could be handled in a much better way and at little or
no cost at all.
Unfortunately, in my mind, for the credibility of this project the sense of panic
combined with an Exchequer awash with money has evaporated. The massive
growth in passengers through the Airport and similar growth in students at DCU
is now likely to flop, while Swords may not have to be developed to a town larger
than Limerick. Even if this view is wrong, there is no need to look any further than
the Bus Park at the Airport to see an alternative vision. There you find vehicles from
at least fifteen different bus and coach companies operating services from all
corners of Ireland as well as most parts of the Dublin area. Dublin Bus and Bus
Eireann have the biggest fleets and route networks, but there is a huge range also
of private operators, many running routes that compete effectively with the State
54
Unit L, M7 Business Park, Newhall, Naas, Co. Kildare
Tel: 045-876363/901511 Fax: 045-889521
Mobile: 086 2542537/1725582
Email: caseytrailers@iol.ie Web: www.caseytrailers.ie
profile
K&L Deliveries Ltd
Fleet Transport Irish Haulier of the Year 2009
On the opportunity to represent Ireland in the 2010 European Transport Company
of the Year Award, Gordon added, “Yes, we hope to do our industry proud. We
are currently working on installing ISO 14001 (Environmental) and we hope to
have that in place for then. That should help us in our goal to bring back a Euro
Award to Millstreet.”
Fleet Transport’s Editor, Jarlath Sweeney sat down with Gordon O’Keeffe recently
to discuss what makes his business tick.
Describe how your business operates to deliver the product in an efficient
and cost effective manner?
S
even years before Millsteet, County Cork became famous for hosting
the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993, K&L Deliveries Ltd., commenced
trading. On the 7th of January 1986 the company began providing a courier,
transportation and distribution service initially around the provence of Munster.
Under the ownership and management of Gordon O’Keeffe (pictured above) and
his wife Breeda, K&L Deliveries Ltd added a number of additional services to
include Groupage, Direct Routing, Contract Hire and Warehousing. Headquartered
at an 8-acre site at Mountleader Industrial Estate, K&L Deliveries also has a depot
in Ballymount, Dublin. As a measure of its commitment to customers K&L
Deliveries Ltd, currently holds the ISO 9001: 2000 Certificate and Excellence
Through People accreditation – the National Standard for Human Resources. Six
years ago, Gordon decided to become involved in the Pallet Network concept,
which has benefited his business enormously.
AWARDS
In 2005, K&L Deliveries Ltd became the only company in the seven-year history of
the IRHA Road Transport Awards to win the National Haulier of the Year Award
twice. Launched in 1999, the IRHA Road Transport Awards, formerly known
collectively as the Haulier of the Year Awards were set up to encourage the pursuit
of excellence amongst their members throughout Ireland.
Since Fleet Transport Magazine took over these awards in 2007 and expanded the
number of categories to bring in the broader community that are involved in road
transport, K&L won the IRHA Member Haulier of the Year 2008 category and went
on to win a hat-trick of titles in the 2009 Fleet Transport Awards, namely Irish
Haulier of the Year; Pallet Network Member of the Year and IRHA Member Haulier
of the Year.
Commenting to Fleet Transport on the recent successful achievements Gordon
said, “The Awards were a great conformation to our staff and our customers that
we have been doing something right for the last number of years. It’s great to be
judged by your peers and get recognition for it.”
“As a company we installed BS.EN.ISO 9001:2000 in the year 2004. We use this
as a tool to work with and not just as a certificate on the wall. In order to install
this Quality Standard I completed the course to qualify as an Internal Auditor and
also as a Lead Auditor. This way we could install the correct best standards to suit
our company. We then stepped outside the company and looked in at everything
we were doing. Where we saw inefficiencies we changed things around, each
procedure was then documented as to how we carry out the process. We have two
management review meetings every year on top of monthly management
meetings where we review different processes to make sure the company operates
efficiently and is cost effective.”
What steps have you taken to ensure that your work is car ried out in
accordance with Irish and European Union (EU) law and regulations that
gover n vehicle safety?
“Every year we carry out a Health & Safety Audit with a specialist consultant
company in that field. They review our current Safety Statement and inform us of
any regulation that is changing. This gives us plenty of time to make any necessary
changes.”
Outline what differentiates your company from others in ter ms of
customer service?
“Our customers tell us what differentiates K&L Deliveries from the rest and that is
we are 100 per cent reliable. If a problem arises in the process we immediately
contact the customer and inform them of what is happening or not as the case
may be. We rarely have to contact the customer as they are safe in the knowledge
that when they give us a job they can forget about it unless we contact them.”
Staff Training – What do you provide?
“At the start of every year we conduct a review with each member of staff. From
this we see what training is required in order for our staff to perform their duties
in an efficient safe and productive manner. We then bring in an outside trainer. For
instance, last year we undertook the staff review and saw that our drivers needed
to learn about the new Digital Tachograph. In the warehouse our nightshift crew
required a refresher course of Forklift Driving. Some of our office staff had to do a
course on Manual Handling. In conjunction with a specialist training company we
developed a course to cover our different needs. They brought in three trainers and
ran three workshops where staff rotated between the different programmes on
the day.”
Do you have a strategy or business plan in place to develop your
business further?
“We currently hold the ETP (Excellence Through People) Standard and
one of the basic requirements for this is we have a current Business Plan.
We use this on a regular basis to see where we should go forward. It
helps us to get a better picture of our company on an overall basis.”
How do you measure service levels?
We have a number of KPI’s (Key Product Indicators) within the company.
Winners on the treble! K&L Deliveries management and staff. “We have a staff of 38 plus myself.
Our management structure is good as we have a Transport Manager (John Sheahan), a Dublin
Depot Manager (Scott Doyle), our Millstreet Office Manager (Jerry Sheahan) and our Nightshift
Manager (John Fitzgerald).”
56
• Customer Complaints – Monitored if and when they occur.
• Goods Damaged – If a driver damaged any consignment while
delivering.
• POD Return – We make sure we have a Proof of Delivery for each
consignment.
• Missed Collection – If we failed to make a collection for a Customer
Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie Photos: Gerry Murphy, F63 Photography
IRHA MEMBER HAULIER OF THE
YEAR
What’s your involvement in the Irish
Road Haulage Association?
“I am personally very involved in the
IRHA as Assistant Secretary to the Cork
Branch. From this I was elected as
Council member to represent Cork
Branch at National level. Over the years I
have worked on a number of subcommittees. One such committee I have
worked was to look at the membership
element of the Association. With three
other members we were asked to report
to
the
National
Council
with
recommendations
which
was
implemented for all new members from
January of this year.
PALLET NETWORK
Why did you become involved with your Pallet Network?
How are you dealing with competition?
“We decided to join a Pallet Network six years ago. Originally we delivered to and
from the countries of Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Dublin. We found we had a major
weaknesses in trying to hold on to customers where they used us to deliver to 4
out of the 32 counties in Ireland and they got another company usually a
competitor to deliver to any of the other 28 counties. Eventually we felt that our
customers were going to say, we might as well use one company for the whole 32
counties, so we joined a Pallet Network and consolidated all our existing
customers.”
“We look at competition as a medium to keep us on our toes. We are in business
with 22 years and we have never lost a customer due to lack of service. We treat
our customers personally. We also contact our customers 3 to 4 times a year to
meet with them and find if they have any service issues or could we be doing
something else for them. Every three years we carry out a Customer Satisfaction
Survey with a consultant. This gives us a good picture of their views.
What are the benefits of belonging to a Pallet Network? For example have
you experienced a reduction in your costs by being par t of a Pallet
Network?
The biggest benefit K&L finds is we have a competitive medium to deliver our
pallets nationwide and still make a margin. I can offer a customer in Skibbereen a
pallet delivery in Belfast the following day, without a Network that would be
impossible for my company.
Exceptional ser vice levels are listed on the Pallet Network website as a
reason to use a Pallet Network. What does your company do to deliver this
expectation?
“Each member has a number of procedures he must do on a daily basis. a) They
must clear their bay in the hub on a daily basis. b) They must deliver the freight the
following day. c) The depot must have the signed PODs scanned back to the hub
within 48 hours.
In our network we have a software called ‘Zip Zap’. When we collect a pallet from
our customer we scan it on the vehicle. When it arrives at the hub it’s scanned off
the trunk vehicle. It’s then scanned on the trunk vehicle of the delivering depot.
They in turn scan it on the delivery vehicle. This provides full track and trace from
your desktop of the pallet. Therefore, if any of the above is not completed, each
depot gets a KPI Failure Report each week. If a depot does not meet the high
criteria set out they are replaced and they lose their franchise.
I feel that whether we like it or not the Pallet Network is the way forward. This is
an economical means of getting small volume of freight from A to B.
Outline the three most serious day-to-day issues in your business and how
do you address/manage them?
“The first and by far the most serious issue is controlling costs. We addressed this
with Management Accounts on a monthly basis. From this we monitor our costs
and adjust same to meet our turnover. The second issue is fuel costs as this is a
large portion of our turnover. We monitor the cost of fuel on a weekly basis and
every month I contact the customers with regard to these cost changes and adjust
the fuel surcharge. The third issue is legislation. We find transport legislation is
changing so fast and look at this through our Management Review, and go
through any new changes. If we feel we have to make changes then we set about
putting a plan together to implement same.
Have you overcome the driver shortage?
We have never had a problem getting drivers. We implemented ETP (Excellent
Through People) in 2007 and the we were the first transport company in Ireland
to succeed in installing this standard, which confirms to our staff we are doing
everything correctly. In addition, we offer a number of incentives and initiatives to
our staff.
Have you invested in driver training?
With regard to staff training we brought in a specialist company that designs and
conduct a course to suit our needs. Last year we had a number of issues in training
such as the new Tachograph Laws along with the use of the new Digital
Tachograph. They designed a course which included these aspects and also
included Manual Lifting, Forklift Driving and also procedures within the depot.
Mission statement – what’s the successful philosophy?
Here
in
K&L
Deliveries we like
to think we do
things simply. We
don’t have big
a w k w a r d
procedures. When
we developed our
procedures
we
stood outside the
company
and
looked in to see if
there was a better
way of doing this.
Our customers like
us because they
can trust us with
their freight.
57
tyres
up to 40 per cent compared to
competing brands.
Any meaningful innovation requires
a certain amount of time before it
can be developed. Michelin is fully
focused not only on designing
high-performance tyres but also
developing them at a faster pace.
The challenge to which the Group’s
research teams are responding is to
reduce time-to-market for new tyres
and services by half between now
and 2010.
First came across Michelin’s new X Energy
SaverGreen range of truck tyres at the premier of the new generation Renault
Magnum. Promoted as ‘the truck tyre that helps transport operators cut their
fuel bills’ Michelin has been working on this solution for the past 10 years. Three
figures illustrate the performance of the Michelin X Energy SaverGreen:
• 1,000 litres of diesel fuel saved
• 2.5 tonnes of CO2 not released into the atmosphere
• 7% additional grip – compared to the Michelin+ Energy tyre.
A single truck fitted with all new Michelin tyres will save 1,000 litres of fuel
during the tyre’s initial life. This figure becomes even more important when
applied to an entire fleet of vehicles, where unprecedented fuel savings can be
achieved. Lowering fuel consumption by 1,000 litres means a reduction of 2.5
tonnes in the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. So in
this way, the Michelin X Energy SaverGreen benefits not only the individual but
also society as a whole.
AND THE FAST
PACE OF INNOVATION
O
But just what is the innovation that delivers so many advantages? Michelin has
developed an all-new casing that has the special advantage of lowering operating
temperature. As a result, it consumes less energy than all other tyre casings on the
market. Called the Michelin Energy FLEX, this patented casing is now part of the
Michelin Durable Technologies package.
ver 15 years ago, Michelin first made resource saving a priority in tyre
design. Today, the French manufacturer has invested heavily in producing
tyres that help to reduce fuel consumption. Safety, savings and environmental
protection are clearly three important areas of performance. And yet, producing
tyres capable of delivering in all three areas represents a considerable technological
achievement. To obtain this balanced performance, carefully selected material of
the highest quality and special manufacturing techniques are used. That’s what
Michelin is doing today – producing car, van and truck tyres that significantly lower
fuel consumption while enhancing safety performance and increasing tyre life by
Introduced in 2005, Michelin Durable Technologies comprise an array of
revolutionary patented innovations purpose-designed for truck tyres. They can be
used all together in a single tyre or selected individually depending on Michelin’s
needs and expectations. Among these technologies, the self-regenerating treads
developed by Michelin are among the most surprising. When the tread band is
two-thirds worn, new grooves appear, providing the tyre with the same grip as
that of a new tyre.
Bridgestone ties-up with Toyo
I
Tokyo rubber prices, the benchmark for the industry, have climbed more than 70
per cent since late 2006 on robust demand from China and overall strength in the
global commodities markets, according to Reuters.
n light of rising raw materials and pr oduction costs, Bridgestone
Corporation and Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. have for med a strategic alliance.
The two Japanese tyre-producing giants are teaming-up to develop advance tyre
technology and procuring raw materials. It is intended that each other’s production
facilities will be used.
The growth of competitors offering lower prices from emerging economies such
as China, South Korea and India was also a major factor that prompted the
alliance, Arakawa said, adding that Bridgestone had approached Toyo Tire about
tie-up in January.
“The most pressing reason for this tie-up has been the rise in raw materials prices,”
Bridgestone Chief Executive Shoshi Arakawa told Reuters at a news conference.
CORK RENT-A-VAN goes 100% Bridgestone
C
ork Rent-a-Van has chosen Bridgestone as 100% fitment on all its commercial vehicles. The Munster
company operates 370 vehicles, of which 150 are tractor units, making it one of the country’s most progressive
fleets.
“Bridgestone is the tyre that has consistently returned the highest mileage in our fleet,” says Ben Kavanagh, Service
Manager, Cork Rent-a-Van. Bridgestone R297 tyres are fitted to the front axle and the M729s on the drive axles.
“In addition to the product we are impressed with the level of service provided by Bridgestone Ireland through their Truck
Point network, “ adds John Seaman, Proprietor of Cork Rent-a-Van. “The vehicles operate in every corner of Ireland so
it is advantageous to have comprehensive 24 hour cover in all areas”.
Commenting on the deal Andrew Doyle, Truck Point Manager, said: “We are delighted that Cork-Rent-a-Van has given
Bridgestone such a strong endorsement, we are confident that other fleets will now take advantage of Bridgestone’s
strong product and service package which can be offered through Truck Point.”
58
launch pad
Text and Photos: Paul White - paul@fleet.ie
11 litre engine; he would strongly
consider FM as a replacement.
Barry O’Connell from Cork was
interested in testing the FL 280
with the six speed I-Sync
transmission. Overall Barry liked
the FL’s performance, in particular
how I-Sync performs on the road.
He noted many of the nice
touches Volvo have brought onboard. Though he was concerned
about the front bumper being
damaged when manoeuvring in
tight spots.
Declares:
The “Road” Show Must Go On!
‘V
olvo’s Road Show’ stopped off at Irish Commercials in Naas, to meet
customers and demonstrate the latest offerings from the Swedish
commer cial vehicle manufactur er. ‘Fleet’ went along to sample the
atmosphere and talk to transport operators and hauliers who attended.
On show were a Volvo FL 280 4x2 curtainsider with I-Sync, an FM 430 6x2 pusher
axle with the new LXL cab hitched to bulk tank. Also presented was a FH
520 Globetrotter 6x2 pusher axle and Volvo’s head turning
flagship the FH16 - 660hp 6x2 tag axle. Both FHs were
pulling tri-axle Gray & Adams fridges.
We first spoke to Bernard
Lambert.
Bernard
runs an FH
delivering
around Kildare
and throughout
the Southeast as
far as Wexford.
While happy with
his
current
Globetrotter, he saw
benefits with the FM
cab being lower and
more solid on the road.
What most impressed
Bernard was Volvo’s I-Shift
transmission; his work on
small twisty roads off the
main routes requires a lot of
gear-changing, which can be
hard on truck, driver and fuel. He reckons IShift is definitely the way forward. (Currently
90% of Volvo’s UK sales are fitted with IShift).
Gerry Galvin from Celbridge thought of
changing his FH 520 last year, but decided to
hold off because of uncertainty over the five
axle-weights issue. Gerry’s current FH is fitted
with I-Shift and he has always been a
supporter of automated transmissions. He
was the first man in Ireland to own a Volvo
with Geartronic back in the early 90s. Gerry
spoke highly of the FM’s cab and on the test
drive was impressed with the power from the
60
Eric Ryder parked his manual FH
480, to take the FH 520 for a
spin. He was won over by the
seamless gear-changes that I-Shift
provides. He also appreciated the
revamped interior on the new
model as Eric runs to Europe on a
weekly basis spending a lot of
time away from base.
As a flagship, the FH16 is indeed
impressive - and was kept busy
with many taking the opportunity
to drive the 660. On more than one occasion Volvo’s Andy Collet had to open the
trailer to ‘prove’ that the truck was in fact loaded and grossing 44 tonnes.
Nevertheless, it was the FM 430 that impressed most who attended, its powerful
11 litre engine, well matched driveline and positive road holding, were felt
best suited to Irish conditions. John Clarke of Irish Commercials believes
that with the range of engines and transmissions Volvo has a winner with
FM. It will just come down to being competitive on price.
Reflecting on the two day event, Irish Commercials Sales Director,
Conor Horan was pleased with the results, with a number of orders
confirmed and serious talks on going with several others.
One point the Volvo Road Show demonstrated are the benefits of
getting out of the office, and going to meet your customers. It
can’t do any harm and it may prove rewarding for all concerned.
Lamberet SR2 Futura Fridges
ex stock
•
•
Spare Parts and 24 hour Service back up.
•
Fridges, curtainsiders and Euroliners
available for short and long term rental.
We also stock a range of s/h fridges, boxvans,
euroliners and curtainsiders.
Therm Trailers Ltd, Marshmeadows, New Ross, Co. Wexford.
Tel : 051 441144
Tel : 087 2266535 / 086 3826995
Email : info@thermtrailers.com
soapbox
Text: Jerry Kiersey - jerry@fleet.ie Cartoon: Tony Colley
The Non-Existent Green Budget
C
riticism of the Green Par ty’s influence both in
Gover n m e n t a n d t h e B u d g e t h a s b e e n
widespread in the media. However, the many
commentators seem themselves unable to
understand the depth of the failure of the
Greens. They, like the Greens, cannot
understand the public sector’s stranglehold on
transport and the consequent damage to the
economy and our environment. Transport is
universally acknowledged as one of the largest and
fastest growing source of CO2 emissions in
Ireland.
The Budget introduced an air travel levy
with the least amount of tax being
charged on routes shorter than three
hundred kilometres yet it is well known
that the shorter the route travelled the
greater the pollution and the more
alternative forms of travel available.
(This tax that affected Regional
Airports has since been rescinded
by the Finance Bill, Ed.) A further
part of the pantomime that is the
Greens in Government is the fact that
all internal air passengers in Ireland are
subsidised under Public Service Orders
(PSOs), on some routes amounting to
€100 per passenger and totaling €15
million per annum. The Greens in
Government could have and should have
ended this, reducing pollution and the
‘financial abyss’ the leader of the Greens,
John Gormley says we are ‘staring into’.
They should also have recognised that the
Irish taxpayer subsidises the state owned rail and
bus companies which compete with air travel. State bus companies regularly
conspire to put private bus operators out of business, as the demise of Circle Line
and the court action of Swords Express bear witness to this. These same state bus
companies that regularly complain of not having enough money to buy buses yet
have assets sitting for hours under utilised just as Aer Lingus aircraft were, until
Ryanair showed them how to sweat assets.
The Greens loudly and repeatedly call for the public to get out of their cars and for
freight to be put off our roads and onto rail yet seem totally averse to privately
owned transport providing competing solutions that will benefit our environment.
In the USA private rail freight companies are showing massive growth with a 29
per cent increase in share earnings against the corresponding period last year.
Private bus companies in the UK show year-on-year revenues up 9.2 per cent in the
US turnover up 8.4 per cent in five months with one company carrying an
additional 150,000 passengers per month.
These companies are succeeding
without subsidy in what should be a golden age of opportunity for our State
monopolies. Yet it seems the Greens either ideologically or economically fail to
connect with the opportunity to make a difference.
Ireland has no rail freight worth talking about since the deal between CIE
Group and Treasury Holdings for the National Conference Centre closed
the Midland Freight Centre practically overnight. The dramatic closure
followed the threat of legal action from Treasury to make CIE vacate the
site. This was despite the fact that Minister Mary O'Rourke authorised the
spending of millions upgrading our rail lines to take modern container sizes via
the Midland Freight Centre. She also signed a €25
million cheque to the height of the East Wall
Railway bridge to allow modern lorries get
under it to service the centre.
The Greens have no understanding of the
interconnection between economics and the
environment and is highlighted by their failure
to deliver a single litre of biofuel through the
budget. Irish Farmers can grow enough Rape
Seed Oil to power 10,000 long distance trucks but
no Green Budget influence made it happen.
Germany has 60,000 trucks running on German
produced Rape Seed Oil. Nordic States who's
protection of the environment is light years ahead of
Ireland's are looking for ways to make their much larger
trucks (60,000 kgs vs. 44,000 kgs here) even bigger
yet the Irish Government has reduced the overall
vehicle height to 4.65 metres despite there being no
limit in the UK or Northern Ireland, our largest
partner by road. Intertrade Ireland in its
Competitiveness Report called for the 4.95 m
limit in the interest of improving Ireland’s
competitive position. Herriot-Watt University
Professor Alan McKinnon’s advice to the UK
Government has significantly reduced the
number of HGVs by encouraging them to
increase their size, not weight. Yet here again the
Greens preside in a Government that introduces an
anti-environment, anti-competitive regulation that
goes against all International trends.
The appalling impact of the '08 Budget on the average car owner’s cars second
hand value has now become apparent. Car buyers who borrowed over three to
five year periods to purchase a car prior to 31st December 2007 now find
themselves in a situation that for example a 1.9 litre diesel renders road tax of
€560 per annum whereas the same car bought on any date since 1st January '08
– up to December ’08 is taxed at €150 per annum. This means that anyone who
bought such a car pre '08 is saddled with an asset that will take a huge hit when
traded in. The purpose of such taxes was according to the Greens to improve our
environment, the fact that so many in the motor trade so suddenly have lost their
livelihoods will certainly reduce pollution.
If the Greens continue as they are we will see needlessly higher taxes and
unemployment, the preservation of our environment should be a benefit not a
threat to our citizens.
Future Oil d e eed f if
el
T
unacceptable that we are still vacillating over home produced biofuels with a
Green Party as part of Government.
Ireland’s dependence on imported carbon fuels has to be decreased and it is
It is regrettable that it has taken a global recession to give us some breathing
space. However, taking the maxim “that difficulties are opportunities” it is
essential that maximum pressure is brought to bear not only on the Greens but the
majority party Fianna Fail which seems quite happy to let the Greens change a few
light bulbs and certify what we already know about the houses we live in.
he Inter national Ener gy Agency (IEA) has war ned that not only has the
necessar y investment needed for our future oil needs not been reached
when oil was at $147 a bar rel, now due to falling prices investment has
dramatically fallen. As an example IEA quote that it costs Canadian Tar Sands $80
dollars to extract a barrel of oil before any distribution costs are added in. This will
lead to escalating prices once again when the global economy starts to recover.
62
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Durability & Reliability
Introducing the New Hino 700 Series Tractor Unit
First Major Customer Sale - VANFLEET TRANSPORT
J Harris Assemblers, Naas Road, Dublin
Tel: 01 4194500 Fax: 01 4602284

Truck Buyers Guide 2009 - Fleet Transport Magazine Fleet

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