The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is looking at putting ministry plates solely online and not having a paper version on display inside the truck or on the trailer. Going paperless, like it did with the ‘tax disc’, is part of plans to improve services. It’s at the consultation stage, so your views are welcome. It closes on 5th May 2024. DVSA said that VTG6 and VTG7 documents would be available electronically on the government’s website, allowing operators, drivers, maintenance providers and enforcement bodies digital access to an issued ministry plate. The post Paperless Ministry P ..read more

BPW and Thermo King have partnered to bring a new sustainable refrigeration system to the market. ePower by BPW intelligently manages cooling and energy usage to minimise the environmental impact of refrigerated transport. The system works using a generator axle and dual generators unlock double the power output. Complying with automotive safety standards, the system recovers energy when the trailer is moving to power the refrigeration unit. BPW estimates per trailer this solution can save up to 4,000 litres of fuel and reduce CO2 emissions by 10 tonnes annually. The post Sustainable Fridge So ..read more

Since launching its telematics solution in 2020, trailer and truck rental, leasing and maintenance company TIP has now fitted more than 10,000 units to trailers across the UK and Ireland. The latest milestone includes units fitted to its hire trailer fleet and operators’ own trailers under TIP fleet management. The system has several useful features, including TIP Insight, which allows operators to access FleetConnected Reports, detailing a trailer’s journey. The reporting suite has recently been updated to expand its reporting capabilities. The post TIP Group’s Trailer Telematics Hits 10,000 ..read more

A joint venture of German trailer builder Schmitz Cargobull and Dutch bus manufacturer VDL is to take over Van Hool, after the Belgian bus, road tanker and trailer manufacturer was declared bankrupt. Between 1,550 and 1,850 jobs will be lost at the manufacturer, which is based at Koningshooikt, near Antwerp, with Schmitz Cargobull planning to employ around 350 people in the future and VDL set to employ between 300 and 600 staff. The post Schmitz Cargobull And VDL To Buy Van Hool appeared first on Transport News ..read more

In the current issue of Transport News, the People In The News remember Walter Ritchie, the founder and owner of Glasgow based Ritchies Training Centre, who passed away in March of this year aged 92; Mark Carlin, who has joined TIP Group as fleet and engineering director; Naomi Adams, Volvo Truck UK & Ireland’s new chief financial officer; and at Fraikin Sam Jones is the new senior relationship manager and Simon Buckley the new commercial pricing manager. The post May 2024: People In The News appeared first on Transport News ..read more

Fox Group is taking delivery of four new zero tailpipe emission Volvo trucks which will be used to service a low carbon asphalt plant being constructed at its site in Leyland, writes Carol Millett. The order consists of three Volvo FMX Electric 8×4 Tridem tippers – to be followed shortly by an FH Electric 6×2 tractor unit. Fox Group operates from 32 locations nationally, specialising in the supply and haulage of aggregates, recycled materials, muck-shift, earthworks and civil engineering projects. The post Fox Group Takes Delivery of Four New Electric Trucks appeared first on Transport News ..read more

Scottish logistics giant John G Russell has acquired the Coatbridge Rail Terminal from rail freight and logistics company Freightliner, as part of its wider expansion plans, writes Carol Millett. The purchase of the terminal, which is located directly adjacent to John G Russell’s Coatbridge operation in Scotland, sees a new trading entity created, dubbed Russell RailRoad Limited. Russell Group said the acquisition will bring several benefits and opportunities including new career opportunities for its employees, enhanced services for its customers, and a ‘significant’ reduction in emissions ge ..read more

In the current issue of Transport News, we look at longer vehicles. While the Brits debate longer vehicles, the Europeans have moved to deploy B-double combinations. In Scandinavia hauliers can use a tractor unit to haul two trailers, and the Spanish as a pilot project has seen one hundred 72-tonne trucks since 2018, and the Dutch are revisiting its Super Eco Combi. The post Europeans Go Longer appeared first on Transport News ..read more

Prospective lorry drivers could begin their theory and off-road parts of the driver CPC before they are granted their provisional licence, under plans put forward by Ministers. A consultation about the proposals has been launched by the department for transport (DfT) to help improve HGV driver recruitment. It said the changes would mean lorry drivers could start their training quicker and create a ‘stronger haulage sector, helping ensure medical supplies reach hospitals, parcels are delivered on time and supermarket shelves are always stocked’. The DfT added that it was not proposing to allow ..read more

In the current issue of Transport News, we focus on the internal combustion engines’ last hoop to jump through before they are replaced by alternative fuels. Euro 7 emissions regulations are due later this decade. Jack Carfrae asks what the new tailpipe standards mean and whether they make sense.  The post What’s That Coming Over The Hill? appeared first on Transport News ..read more