These vary greatly from country to country in western Europe and drivers may suffer financial penalties or even be prevented from travelling through certain areas if they don’t adhere to the regulations.

To help simplify the issue, Continental Tyres has produced an update to its Winter Tyre Guide, which highlights the different tyre requirements truck operators from the UK and Ireland will encounter when operating in Europe this winter.

The guide also advises operators on best practise for fitting winter tyres to ensure vehicles stay safe in wintry conditions.

For example, during the winter months Continental would advise that truck tyres across all axle positions should have a minimum tread depth of at least 4mm. Further, to ensure maximum safety and vehicle performance, if winter tyres are not fitted all round then priority should be given first to the drive axle, then the steer axle and then to all other remaining axle positions.

Tracey Hyem, Commercial Marketing Manager at Continental said: “Our recently updated range of winter tyres fulfill a number of important criteria for operators. Certainly they will ensure that vehicles can operate legally within each country as well as safely, with up to 20% more traction than standard tyres, but an additional benefit is that the improved traction delivers far better fuel consumption too.”

Further information on the correct use of winter tyres as well as a country by country guide to tyre legislation this winter, is available free to all as a download from the Continental website at www.conti-online.co.uk/truck

With a market share of 15.5%, DAF strengthened its position in the European heavy truck market segment in 2011 (2010: 15.2%). DAF is market leader in the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Poland and Hungary and the largest import brand in Germany and France. In Austria and the Czech Republic, DAF occupies a strong second place.

In the tractor segment, DAF is the market leader in the Netherlands, Great Britain, Belgium, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. In France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Hungary, record market shares were achieved in this segment. In the total European tractor segment, DAF achieved a market share last year of nearly 19%. Thus DAF is the market leader in the European Union.

The total market for heavy commercial vehicles in the European Union last year was about 244,000 units, an increase of over 33% compared to a year earlier, when approximately 183,000 trucks were registered in this segment. DAF expects the market for heavy trucks in Europe will reach 210,000 to 240,000 vehicles this year. For the light segment – in which DAF is active with the LF – it is estimated that the market in Europe will remain at a level of approximately 56,000 units. DAF saw its market share in this 6 to 15 tonnes class rise from 7.7 to 8.9% in 2011.

Growth outside Europe

DAF has also strengthened its market position outside the European Union. In 2011, the truck manufacturer delivered more than 5,200 CF and XF vehicles, more than twice as many as in 2010. Significant growth was, among others, achieved in Russia, Turkey, Morocco, South Africa and Taiwan, where last year the 1,000th locally assembled CF rolled off the assembly line and where DAF is the market leader among the European brands in heavy tractors.

Growth in rigids

“Our success is the result of a modern product range, premium service and a very professional dealer organisation,” said Ron Bonsen, member of the Board of Management of DAF Trucks NV and responsible for Marketing & Sales. “With a market share of 15.5% in the heavy segment in Europe, we are well on our way to our goal of 20% over the medium term. Naturally, we will further strengthen our position in the tractor segment. The growth will especially have to be achieved with our wide range of two, three and four-axle rigids, whereby we deliver a vehicle for every specific application.”

In 2011 in Ireland DAF achieved 15.0% market share overall and was number one in the two-axle tractor market achieving a market share of 35.4%. In the heavy tractor market in Ireland DAF achieved a market share of 27.4%.

Volvo Trucks has long been the industry leader in the field of passive safety. For example in 1959, Volvo introduced the three-point safety belt – Volvo’s gift to the world. Today it’s a standard throughout the automotive industry and has made the world a better place by saving more lives in traffic than any other technical feature.

“The injury-reducing effect of the seatbelt is hard to beat when compared to other safety devices, but work still remains to be done: to get all truck drivers to use it,” says Lennart Svenson, former Head of Volvo Truck Accident Research Team at Volvo Truck Corporation.

Another good example of passive safety is a cab structure that gives enough survival space after an accident. Volvo Truck Corporation introduced pendulum-tested cabs in the 1960s and the crash-tested Volvo cab introduced a new level of safety to trucks, together with good ergonomics for its time.

Early traffic-safety development had a focus on passive safety, reducing injuries. For heavy-duty vehicles, the “golden age” of passive safety was from the 1970s to the 1990s.

Other milestones that stand out in the development of passive safety systems are the energy-absorbing steering wheel and under-run protections, which prevent the passenger car to end up under the truck in a frontal collision.

Truck safety was intensified in 1969 when Volvo started an accident research team manned by Kjell Högström and Lennart Svensson. During the 1970s Volvo Truck Corporation released the first external reports based on accident investigation and, as a result of this research, reinforcements in the doors and energy absorbing instrument panel were added.

Active safety, preventing accidents, was for many years synonymous with braking efficiency. Focus on steering and behaviours on the road were added. At the end of the 1990s, a system with the aim to assist the driver was introduced. Lately there has been more focus on detecting and acting on hazards that the driver might miss. The interface between man and machine becomes more and more important.

“It is a waste constructing a technically perfect vehicle if it is not adapted to humans and the traffic environment,” concludes Svenson.

The aim of restructuring the business into three coherent sales and marketing regions – Americas (North and South America), EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and APAC (Asia Pacific) – is to create an organisation which can meet its customers’ needs more effectively and better exploit the commercial potential of the Group’s different truck brands.

At the start of the year, Claes Nilsson became President Volvo Trucks EMEA Sales & Global Brand, with operational sales and marketing responsibility for the EMEA region. The position also involves responsibility for managing the global product strategy and developing the Volvo Trucks brand.

“I think that our new structure offers us significant opportunities. The strategy for Volvo Trucks has been in place for some time and is very much still valid. We will continue to develop Volvo Trucks’ unique qualities and supply trucks which meet our customers’ high standards and expectations,” says Claes Nilsson.

The organisational changes came into effect at the start of the year. The new management team will continue to take a highly customer focused approach and will also be investing in expanding the service and aftermarket network.

“We already have more than 2,300 dealers and workshops all over the world and this figure will grow. Our relationship with our customers plays a central role and our business goes much further than just selling trucks. This is only the beginning of what we do. For us it is all about offering our customers effective transport solutions with guaranteed quality, safety and the greatest possible care for the environment,” he adds.

Registrations grew in France (+2.5), the UK (+13.4) and Germany (+16.3), while results were negative in Italy (-0.8%) and Spain (-14.2). Over the year 2011, a total of 1,935,392 new vehicles were registered. This is 9.9 per cent more than in 2010 but still about one-fifth below pre-crisis levels when annual volumes averaged 2.5 million units.

In 2011, France remained the largest market, with 482,823 new vehicles and an expansion of 5.6 per ent. Germany registered 334,822 units, a growth of 18.7 per cent, followed by the UK (+17.6) with 306,488 new vehicles. The Italian (-3.4) and the Spanish markets (-6.6) contracted.

At a dedicated fleet symposium that took place in Brussels this week, Goodyear Dunlop presented several recommendations to help commercial road transport sector to improve their fuel efficiency.

The fuel consumption of a vehicle has a direct impact on its CO2 emissions. Goodyear Dunlop’s Road to 2020 report shows that a third (30%) of European fleets currently has no plans in place to respond to expected Europe-wide CO2 regulation. In its most recent Transportation White Paper, the European Commission gave fleets clear indications that further regulation and taxation on fuel and CO2 emissions will be introduced in the coming decade.

At the same time, fleets are looking at industry and policy-makers to help them achieve greater efficiency:

- 1 in 3 want the EU to invest in fuel efficient technology and development programs;

- 1 in 4 want a modelling tool that predicts the cost and CO2 savings of investments in green equipment and training;

- 1 in 4 want more information on the factors affecting fuel efficiency;

- 1 in 5 want European legislation that incentivises efficient fleets.

“The road freight sector is facing enormous pressure to help meet Europe’s ambitious climate change targets, but despite their commitment to fuel economy, we found many fleets could be better prepared to handle the cost and operational impacts of a potential carbon regulation,” said Michel Rzonzef, Vice President, Goodyear Dunlop commercial tyre business EMEA. “The research confirmed that the overwhelming majority of fleets already have robust fuel efficiency measures in place, and therefore struggle to see what else they can do to improve efficiency and lower carbon emissions to achieve even stronger goals. Low rolling resistance tyres are one option to improve a fleet’s fuel efficiency amongst others, such as eco-driving training for truck drivers, improved logistics, route planning and aerodynamics on vehicles.“

Fuel efficiency, priority #1

With prices at the pump rising and 2 in 5 fleets reporting they are under customer pressure to green their operations, it is unsurprising that over 9 in 10 fleets are already working to improve their fuel economy:

- 7 in 10 have invested in eco-driving training;

- 6 in 10 have procured more efficient vehicles;

- 2 in 5 have improved logistics and route planning;

- 2 in 5 have switched to more fuel efficient tyres.

Target 2020

With only 8% of fleets having taken no action to reduce their fuel use, Europe’s road hauliers are sceptical about how much more they can do to increase efficiency and drive down emissions.

7 in 10 European fleets currently work toward a self-imposed target for either fuel savings or CO2 savings. With substantial efforts already underway, fleets are conservative in estimating possible further efficiency savings:

- 52% of fleets do not think they can achieve further efficiency savings of more than 10%;

- Only 1 in 10 believes the sector can achieve the 20% efficiency savings target outlined in the EU’s 20-20-20 low-carbon commitments;

- 1 in 5 fleets are unsure as to whether any further savings can be made.

Interestingly, fleets from countries with lower fuel prices are more optimistic. In both Poland and Spain, where fuel costs are below the EU average, a fifth of fleets are confident they can achieve a further 20% efficiency savings by 2020. In the UK, however, where fuel prices are higher than the European average, a third of fleets says that they have done all they can to improve fuel efficiency, and no more savings can be made.

Recommendations

Based on the findings, Goodyear Dunlop calls on policy-makers to consider the following recommendations to help the commercial road transport sector reduce emissions and improve efficiency:

- Making tyre pressure monitoring systems mandatory on all new Heavy Duty Vehicles;

- Investing in improved tyre pressure monitoring technology for Heavy Duty Vehicles;

- Offering incentives to those fleet operators who invest in aerodynamic improvements or purchase tires that achieve A, B, C grades on the new EU tyre label, in both rolling resistance and wet grip;

- Adjusting EU restrictions on weight and height for Heavy Duty Vehicles to improve efficiency.

The East Midlands-based company says the 26-pallet, 13.6m tri-axle Schmitz Cargobull reefer – purchased in 2007 – has proven to be a cost-effective and reliable investment which has served a long-term rental contract on national and regional distribution operations for up to six days a week.

“A fridge trailer to a small company like ours is a significant upfront investment,” said Stuart Robinett, Owner of Cedartone. “Prudent cost management is essential; what may be a modest problem to some fleets may be something that costs me a disproportionate amount of money.

“It’s up to every rental company to make their own judgements on what equipment is best suited to their operations, but I find Schmitz Cargobull trailers some of the most reliable and cost-effective on the market.

“Given the high mileage covered, the minimal maintenance the trailer has needed certainly disputes the view that disc brake systems are significantly more costly to run in comparison to traditional drum brakes. In its four and a half years of continuous use, the trailer has not suffered any mechanical or structural failures, which is very impressive.”

Cedartone, which typically operates its trailers for between five and six years, cites the two top considerations when specifying both reefers and curtainsiders as low cost of operation and high residual value versus capital cost.

Schmitz Cargobull S.KO reefers feature patented FERROPLAST® insulated panels – made up of quality expanded, closed cell, polyurethane foam housed between steel skins – offering vapour diffusion-tight surfaces which are energy efficient, hygienic and age-resistant.

“Importantly to me, Schmitz Cargobull reefer trailers command strong residuals and are saleable across numerous European markets – giving me the best flexibility and profit potential when they finish their time with us,” added Stuart.

The company has a contract fleet of three curtainsider and three refrigerated trailers. It also looks after a further 15 trailers and 11 other vehicles under local fleet management contracts.

According to a survey of more than 400 fleet managers, almost a third (28%) say a lack of information is preventing them from making greater fuel efficiency savings.

The web portal and related Twitter feed (@efficientfleet) feature the latest industry information; Goodyear Dunlop’s top tips for helping fleets improve fuel efficiency, and best practice case studies in green fleet management.

The web portal also hosts information on Goodyear Dunlop’s upcoming fleet symposium ‘Driving fuel efficiency in Europe’s road freight transport’. The event will take place in Brussels, Belgium on January 25th.

European policy makers, industry experts, and transportation academics will share the latest innovations, legislative trends, and research to help fleets from all sectors and regions improve their overall fuel efficiency and reduce their CO2 emissions. The keynote speech will be delivered by Mr. Siim Kallas, the Vice-president of European Commission and Commissioner responsible for transport.

“We see the website as a forum for fleets across Europe to come for advice, support, and information for improving their fuel efficiency,” said Boris Stevanovic, EMEA Marketing Director Truck Tyres, Goodyear Dunlop Europe.

Joaquim Lopes Mello aged 33 years was sentenced to six months on each charge (to run concurrent) and was disqualified from driving in the UK for 12 months. He has been on remand since the end of October 2011 and will serve the rest of his sentence prior to release.

Lopes Mello was initially stopped by VOSA at the Todhills check site on the M6 near to Carlisle. This is the second vehicle and driver from this company to be investigated by VOSA and Cumbria Police. The vehicle was seized and examined along with tachograph records and other documentation prior to the driver being arrested. Following interview in which the driver denied the offences he was charged and remanded in custody due to the likelihood of his failing to answer bail.

The case was committed to be heard at Carlisle Crown Court and on the 23 January 2012 Lopes Mello pleaded guilty to the charges.

A previous case heard at Carlisle Crown Court in October 2011 saw a colleague of Lopes Mello, Mohammed Issiali jailed for 6 months on 6 counts of Making a False Instruments, namely tachograph charts.

Sergeant Graeme Hodgson from the Road Policing Unit led the investigation for Cumbria Constabulary. “PCs Ivison and McKeown have continued to target this company together with our colleagues from VOSA following the stopping of the first vehicle as the intelligence was very good. The Courts have given us 100% backing with the sentencing of drivers who are shown to systematically falsify their tachograph charts and drive excessive hours, creating a very real danger for all road users.”

“A confiscation order has been applied for in relation to the vehicle driven by Lopes Mello at the time of his being stopped and HH Judge Baty has ordered that the company represent themselves in a months’ time in relation to this.”

Cumbria Constabulary and VOSA continue to target hauliers who deliberately flout the law and have a number of other investigations currently under way with other individuals awaiting court.

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The FG:01 for steer axles and TG:01 for drive axles have a unique tread made using two different compounds to offer both cost efficiency and safety in compliance with European regulations concerning noise emissions and rolling resistance.

The external layer compound provides enhanced abrasion resistance, high mileage, even wear and high wet and dry grip. In contrast, the internal layer compound is formulated to minimise rolling resistance and impart structural integrity and longevity. Both compounds (but most notably the under tread one with high silica contents) are formulated with the aim of preventing significant heat generation, thus imparting greater robustness to the tyre.

This Dual Layer Tread Compound (DLTC) along with many other features, enable the G:01 range to achieve 30 per cent higher mileage, a 25 per cent increase in optimal tear resistance and a ten per cent higher retread rate.

The G:01 tread also features increased width for better mileage and side reinforcing belts for enhanced side impact and abrasion resistance. The tread patterns are designed to guarantee the maximum traction on unsurfaced roads and high acoustic comfort, mileage, and grip on surfaced roads.

The IRU and ECR have teamed up to host, on their respective websites, the Euro Control Route Disproportionate Fines & Sanctions online complaint desk, as a key part of the industry’s and EU Enforcement Community’s commitment to work together to further improve road safety, working conditions and fair competition through better enforcement at EU level.

The ECR complaint desk will allow transport operators and drivers to report controls or penalties that they consider unfair with regards to compliance with the EU Driving and Rest Times and Tachograph Regulations. It is widely acknowledged by control bodies and industry alike that these rules, their application and sanctioning can differ dramatically from country to country.

Acting ECR General Delegate, Gerard Schipper, said, ‘We are genuinely concerned when we hear about unfair or damagingly inconsistent enforcement practices in Europe. Our goal is to understand what is really happening in road side enforcement and remedy control practices that might need to be corrected. It’s only through international cooperation both within ECR and with partners like IRU that we can achieve this’.

While reporting this information to the complaints desk is not the same as making an appeal, the collection of such data will enable the IRU, together with ECR control bodies across the EU, to better understand the state of enforcement, what is going wrong and where and how improvements can be made, with a view to use this information to effectively improve the consistency of Regulatory controls and eliminate unfair practices where possible.

IRU General Delegate, Michael Nielsen, concluded, “Our transport operators today are working right across the European Union. Harmonised enforcement to complement the common EU regulatory framework is instrumental in enabling transport operators to do their job properly, efficiently and with certainty. Fines should be fair, proportionate, yet dissuasive to effectively improve regulatory compliance.

We are therefore very pleased with this joint effort and commitment from our enforcement partners to meet our common goals of improving road safety, working conditions and fair competition through better enforcement.”

The IRU-ECR online complaint desk is currently available in English, French, German and Romanian, with Polish, Hungarian, Lithuanian and other languages to be added in early 2012.

The Petronas De Rooy Iveco team won the rally with the Dutchman Gerard De Rooy, driving an Iveco Powerstar, a vehicle produced and sold by Iveco in Australia. The Iveco Powerstar was equipped with an FPT Industrial C13 engine, with more than 900 horsepower, and Magneti Marelli parts. Behind De Rooy, the other pilots of the team, Stacey and Biasion drove two Iveco Trakker Evolution 2s, also equipped with the same engine. The three vehicles, while adapted to the extreme conditions of the rally, were standard trucks optimised for best-in-class energy efficiency.

Iveco CEO, Alfredo Altavilla, commented: “The Iveco participation in the Dakar 2012 aimed to confirm once more the excellent reliability of the Iveco trucks and of the FPT Industrial engines. Winning the rally and ranking 3 trucks in the first 6 positions is an outstanding success which shows the efficiency, strength and safety of the Iveco Trakker and Powerstar, already considered by customers as the ideal solution for everyday use and for tougher challenges. My special thanks to the drivers and all the other team members for their commitment and dedication.”

For Iveco, the Dakar 2012 was a great opportunity to confirm the reliability of its products on the ground: each vehicle was put on trial in extreme conditions crossing three countries of South America. The race, which started on January 1, 2012 in Mar del Plata, crossed Argentina, Chile and Peru, covering 14 stages, for a total of 8,500 kilometres, around 4,200 of which were against the clock.

This premium tyre, which was specially developed for regional traffic, makes improved performance possible in both city and overland traffic thanks to an optimised tyre structure with wider belt, reinforced bead and new tread design. The new AH22+ can be used in regional and delivery traffic on all truck and bus axles.

Frequent use in delivery traffic makes special demands on tyres: long mileages and resistance to external influences are important, with high economic efficiency also playing a key role. The convincing features of the Hankook AH22+ are its innovative interior structure, optimised tread design and new compound technology in all three areas. The reinforced and flatter design of the carcass makes a more even distribution of ground pressure possible, which, combined with the reinforced bead structure of the AH22+ guarantees a significantly longer tyre service life even under maximum load.

Less tyre deformation not only reduces the tyre’s rolling resistance and meets cost-effectiveness requirements for tyres used for delivery traffic, the running smoothness of the tyre – and thus control and driving comfort – are also perceptibly greater.

The optimised tread design of the AH22+ ensures optimum performance in every phase of the tyre’s service life. Special zigzag grooves guarantee optimum traction even in later phases of use, and make extremely smooth running and control on a wide range of different surfaces possible, while the new shoulder block design helps to prevent impact injuries. At the same time, deep kerfs guarantee reliable braking performance.

The new IMS (Innovative Mixing System) which is used for the AH22+ as for all new Hankook truck tyres makes a more even distribution of soot particles and rubber molecules possible in the tyre compound. This results in a particularly low-abrasion and wear-resistant compound mixture which increases the service life of the AH22+ compared with the predecessor tread.

The first is the second-generation HSR2 XL for front steer axle and is designed for operators who require higher load capacities, while the second is the HTR2 trailer tyre in 55 cross-section for use on high volume vehicles.

The HSR2 XL is one of Continental’s best-selling products and the tyre boasts an axle load rating of up to 10 tons. It has been engineered to accommodate forthcoming Euro-6 generation trucks, which are expected to be heavier as they have more complex exhaust aftertreatment systems. Currently, HSR2 is available in 385/65 R 22.5, 315/70 R 22.5 and 315/80 R 22.5 in standard form and from now these same sizes will be available as XL versions.

HSR2 XL, which is manufactured using a special process with endless casing windings, is particularly suited to top-heavy vehicle combinations. The new XL version features a much stiffer structure, further reductions in rolling resistance and a considerably longer life.

For trailers the new HTR2 in 385/55 R 22.5 size is a completely new development for use on volume-optimized trailers and semi-trailers. A 35mm gain in design height is possible thanks to a new 55 cross-section for the special HTR2 trailer tyre. This extra cargo area height delivers a competitive advantage for all operators running double-deck trailers or skeletal trailers for container transport.

To date, more than 100,000 drivers of heavy trucks have participated in Scania Driver Competitions, making it the world’s largest truck driver competition and training event.

This year over 45.000 young drivers from 27 countries on five continents are expected to compete to become the world’s best truck driver.

National rounds and the final competition will include theoretical tests on road safety regulations, and practical tests on vehicle inspection, fuel-efficient driving and safe manoeuvring. The winner will be offered a brand new truck from Scania.

The IRU Road Transport Indices, which allow the comparison of GDP growth, road freight transport volumes and new vehicle registrations in 58 countries, forecast that the OECD and EU countries will be confronted with a considerable slow down of economic growth and transport activities after a year of feeble economic growth.

IRU Head of Sustainable Development, Jens Hügel highlighted that “when comparing the 2010 and 2011 figures, BRIC countries** have outperformed OECD countries in terms of growth in tonnes transported and will continue doing so in 2012. In fact, transport operators from BRIC countries transported 7.7% more goods in 2011, whereas transport operators in the OECD and EU transported only 1.7% and 1.6% respectively more transport volume.”

The 2012 forecast for OECD and EU countries shows that growth in transport volume will slow down to 0.9% and 0.8% respectively, before finally stagnating in the 3rd and 4th quarters. New vehicle registrations for the first 2 quarters of 2012 will increase for the OECD and EU by 0.9% and 0.7%, before equally coming to a hold in the second half of the year.

Mr Hügel added, “After a modest recovery in OECD countries in 2011, uncertainties will increase and the current financial turmoil will again impact the real economy. There are many parallels to the 2008 economic crisis situation as well as early signs that the OECD and EU are heading for a double dip recession. However, this new recession is not unavoidable. There are political options to prevent it and it is imperative to learn from how BRIC countries coped with the last crisis.”

The fact that BRIC countries are outperforming OECD and EU countries results from their understanding that both systemic innovation and major investment in production tools, including in small and medium-sized enterprises that provide 85% of jobs, such as road transport companies, are instrumental in expediting real economic growth.

In order to avoid a new recession and restore sustainable economic growth in 2012, governments should recognise, as do BRIC countries, that road transport is a non-subsidised production tool, which interconnects all businesses in all regions, to all world markets with its high quality and unique door-to-door services, and should thus be promoted and further facilitated.

The Conference will feature a diverse panel of speakers including IRU President, Janusz Lacny, and high-level representatives from EU institutions, including the EC Vice-President and Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas, as well as the EU Transport Council President and Danish Minister for Transport, Henrik Dam Kristensen.

The Conference will bring together over 400 political, transport and trade leaders from EU Member States around potential solutions, challenges and opportunities to further green road transport through innovation such as the European Modular Concept, doubling the use of collective passenger transport and the IRU strategy to achieve sustainable development, in the framework of the EU objectives and actions as defined in the EC transport White Paper.

This year, the IRU’s traditional Spring Cocktail will immediately follow the Conference to provide a dynamic and spontaneous environment to allow participants to network and continue the dialogue on which solutions could prove to be most effective in achieving better rather than more road transport.

The products are non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-flammable in accordance with OSHA Standards and use a proprietary formulation, which is added to engine, gearbox and axle oil.

The additive reduces friction between all moving parts and consequently improves performance and mpg. Lower operating temperatures have also been observed and there is strong evidence to suggest that CO2 emissions are also reduced.

The head of European distribution, Mr Bill Friend of EFPT Products says: “I understand the scepticism within the haulage industry for this type of product making these types of claims, as I know many products in the past have promised miracles and not delivered. All I can say is that all the evidence I have seen from the USA and the 23% improvement in the mpg of my own car, have given me the belief that these products actually do work.”

Advanced aerospace technology originally introduced the use of fluoropolymers as dry particulates for coatings and lubricants and DSX’s technical specialist have further built upon the many positive attributes of premium grade fluoropolymer particulates, to create a growing family of products.

DSX Extra has proven over time to extend parts and engine life, improve fuel economy and system efficiency, as well as lower CO2 emissions, resulting in a reduction of carbon footprint.

Having been told many times from companies and individuals within the haulage industry that they’ve “heard it all before”, Bill Friend has a final word for all those sceptics : “I know you’ve all heard it before about wonder products to improve mpg and reduce your running costs. I was sceptical too when I was asked to retail the product over here, but after trying it in my own car and getting one of the products used by a top F1 team, I realised that these products actually do work and do what they say on the tin. With the price of fuel today and no likelihood of it coming down significantly in the near future, how can the haulage industry afford to ignore these products. They may just be the ones which do work”.

A detailed explanation of the technology used and how it is applied in the haulage industry can be found on the company’s web site.

EFPT Products is currently looking for forward thinking haulage operators to undertake trials of the product at greatly reduced costs, in return for testimonials to help with marketing when the trial is complete.

If you’re interested in finding out more and possibly undertaking a trial, click on the link below and visit the company web site now !

http://www.efptproducts.com/transport.html

The checklists recommend periodical inspections to be integrated into vehicle maintenance, which can ensure the early identification of vehicle conditions likely to cause a fire.

The checklists are available online in English, French and Russian.

The IRU truck driver’s checklists give tips and best practices to ensure the highest safety and environmental driving standards, at all times.

For more information log on to www.iru.org

Operating on behalf of international heavy-haulage firm Dako Group, Goldhofer’s 18 axle THP/SL heavy-duty trailer handled a load which included 11 diesel motors – each weighing 325 tonnes – and was in use continuously for several months.

The material transported – which also included generators and transformers, as well as electrical and construction materials – had to be hauled around 30km from the harbour of Calderra on Costa Rica’s coast to the power plant’s site.

Ivan Collins, Sales Director of Andover Trailers, Goldhofer’s sole distributor in the UK and Ireland, says: “Goldhofer trailers are well known for their reliability and endurance in even the most extreme of conditions and there’s no doubt that this equipment was put to the test.

“Costa Rica’s infrastructure is not particularly well developed and lacks roads or bridges that can bear such heavy loads, so the amount of pre-planning to find a safe route was astonishing.

“That said, no amount of pre-planning can combat the time lost and cost associated with a trailer failing to perform. Our customers demand a trailer which they can rely on 100 per cent of the time and this shows that a Goldhofer can take the strain – no matter how big the project.”

Dako Group had originally planned to transport the machinery via the Pan- American Highway, but because some roads and bridges could not withstand the load, a new route was planned. This included converting a disused section of railway into road, running a 10km highway through a sugar cane plantation as well as constructing 10 temporary heavy-goods bridges.

The Goldhofer trailer used to transport the machinery featured eight tyres per axle, hydraulic axle compensation of 300mm and high axle/concentrated load. It was powered by two heavy-duty Mercedez-Benz trucks, which worked in tandem by pushing and pulling the trailer to its destination.

Collins adds: “This trailer is specially designed for heavy-duty loads in off- road applications, which makes it perfect for completing the final leg of this equipment’s journey across the globe.

“The trailer’s robust design and high bending moment also ensures maximum safety and protection of the load, even when the terrain is particularly unfavourable.”

Dusseldorf-based Dako Group has been active in international transport and forwarding for more than 35 years, operating by sea, land and air across Europe, North Africa, Middle East, South East Asia, Far East as well as in North and Latin America.

The stage for the game is set in the back of a truck and the goal is to overcome obstacles and avoid hazards to find a Christmas gift in a wintry world. Once found, this gift can be sent by the player to friends, or posted to social networks as a Holiday greeting.

So hurry up and get into that wintry mode…

Let’s play at: http://loadingramp.volvotrucks.com/en-gb/Games/Whats-in-the-truck/

Volvo Trucks has a worldwide service network which is constantly growing, so the Dealer Locator app enables customers to access this huge network quickly and simply. Using a smart phone, it is easy for customers to find the workshop nearest to their current location. In addition to a map showing the nearest dealers and workshops, the app displays their opening hours and contact details, together with directions. Truck drivers can also search for a specific service, if this is what they need, and see a list of the nearest options available.

“The new consumer technology offers a number of benefits. It is user friendly and allows for quick access to information,” says Bengt Persson, Senior Vice President Quality and Technical Support at Volvo Trucks.

Bengt added, “Dealer Locator is one example of how Volvo Trucks is using the new technology as part of its innovation programme to make its aftermarket service even more efficient. The app brings us closer to our customers than we have ever been before. The new interface will improve communications in both directions, which will benefit us and our customers from a quality perspective.”

Dealer Locator brings several advantages for customers. First of all, it obviously saves them time, because they can find information about their nearest dealer or workshop quickly and then simply go there. Being able to find the service you need very rapidly is also an important part of the overall customer offering from Volvo Trucks.

“Dealer Locator is very user friendly and clearly laid out. After displaying search results which include the distance to the dealer or workshop, the driver can call or e-mail the dealer or get directions to the premises with a simple press of a button,” says Torbjörn Holmström, the app developer from Volvo IT.

Dealer Locator currently contains the geographic coordinates of around 1,200 workshops and dealers and the number of locations is constantly being updated. The app covers the whole world with the exception of North America and, at the moment, focuses mainly on the markets in Europe. Dealer Locator has been available for iPhones since June and can be downloaded free of charge from the App Store. A version for Android phones has now also been launched.

The FG:01 for steer axles and TG:01 for drive axles have a unique tread made using two different compounds to offer both cost efficiency and safety in compliance with European regulations concerning noise emissions and rolling resistance.

The external layer compound provides enhanced abrasion resistance, high mileage, even wear and high wet and dry grip. In contrast, the internal layer compound is formulated to minimise rolling resistance and impart structural integrity and longevity. Both compounds (but most notably the under tread one with high silica contents) are formulated with the aim of preventing significant heat generation, thus imparting greater robustness to the tyre.

This Dual Layer Tread Compound (DLTC) along with many other features, enable the G:01 range to achieve 30 per cent higher mileage, a 25 per cent increase in optimal tear resistance and a ten per cent higher retread rate.

The G:01 tread also features increased width for better mileage and side reinforcing belts for enhanced side impact and abrasion resistance. The tread patterns are designed to guarantee the maximum traction on unsurfaced roads and high acoustic comfort, mileage, and grip on surfaced roads.

“The G:01 range is designed to offer enhanced grip and performance in moderately aggressive conditions,” comments Neil Booker, truck marketing manager at Pirelli UK. “It offers better cost efficiency and reduced environmental impact while also benefitting from high acoustic comfort and improved rolling resistance on surfaced roads. This is enabled by taking advantage of the latest tyre research and development and state-of-the-art construction techniques, which we have at here Pirelli.”

In fact, the TG:01 tyre is covered by two Pirelli patents: the tread pattern features protective ribs on the base of the grooves for enhanced protection in this area and to prevent the retention of stones and the stepped block walls geometry facilitates the expulsion of slush and mud and to increase traction.

The FG:01 and TG:01 tyres are available now in sizes 315/80R22.5 and 295/80R22.5.

From now on, TIR transport operators using the IRU TIR-EPD application will be able to submit electronic pre-declarations, free of charge, to Serbian Customs authorities and will benefit from shorter waiting times at borders, thus facilitating and securing trade and international road transport in the Balkan region.

This new development brings the geographical coverage of the IRU TIR-EPD to 19 countries.