All Industry News articles – Page 128
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ArticleAdd Covid-19 to your risk management policies, fleet managers told
Software specialist FleetCheck has urged operators to add coronavirus measures to their fleet risk management policies.The call comes after the government issued a new document - 'Working Safely During Covid-19 in or from a Vehicle' - which FleetCheck said "forms a relatively sensible framework to manage the possibility of infection ...
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ArticleDon't bring back HGV driver toilet ban as lockdown eases, RHA warns businesses
As the government eases lockdown restrictions and businesses return to work, there must be no move to ban drivers from using toilet facilities under the pretext of safe working practices, the RHA has warned.It follows the government’s announcement that some businesses, such as construction sites and manufacturers, may resume operations ...
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ArticleFuel price slump a bonus but not lifesaving, says CILT
Haulage firms have welcomed plummeting diesel prices in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic but said the cost saving is nowhere near enough to underpin their struggling businesses.A stand-off between Russia and OPEC, combined with a global oil surplus as lockdowns drastically cut fuel demand has meant prices are lower ...
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ArticleRHA "baffled" as government tells employers to help with costs of extended furlough scheme
The government’s coronavirus job retention scheme has been extended until October on current pay rates but employers will be expected to contribute towards the scheme’s costs after July, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced today (12 May).The RHA welcomed the extension but said it was "baffled" by the move, claiming its request ...
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ArticleCPC training bottleneck in wake of Covid-19 could hit driver supply and slow recovery, fleet managers warn
The driver shortage crisis could be exacerbated in the wake of Covid-19 as drivers struggle to make up their CPC driver training hours, fleet managers are warning.According to an independent survey, commissioned by Fleet Source, fleet managers fear there will be a supply crisis on Driver CPC training in the ...
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ArticleBIFA: "Here's how to get the most from your furloughed staff..."
Fourloughed workers should be encouraged to take up training opportunities, according to the British International Freight Association (BIFA).The association has put together an online training programme, set to launch next month, in place of its face-to-face training sessions which were suspended due to the Covid-19 lockdown.Director general, Robert Keen said ...
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Ministers look to bypass Port of Calais to avoid post-Brexit queues
The British government wants to develop ports on the east coast of Britain so that the Port of Calais can be bypassed in the event of serious delays arising from the impact of Brexit.As firms warn that they will not be ready for the additional border checks that a Canada-style ...
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Industry slams DVSA decision to reject delegated testing to help tackle HGV testing backlog
DVSA is refusing to allow authorised testing facility operators (ATFs) to help clear a mounting backlog of thousands of annual HGV and trailer tests created by the Covid-19 lockdown - a move strongly condemned by both RHA and the ATF Operators Association (ATFOA) this week.The HGV annual tests are the ...
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ArticleRHA survey a “staggering snapshot” of struggling sector
The RHA’s claims of a “breakthrough” in its talks with ministers for extra support for the industry may come too late for many, as its own survey reveals thousands are now at risk of going bust.Responses to its surveys from companies running from one up to more than 50 HGVs ...
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ArticleCommerical vehicle finance sector reports 23% fall in new business during March
The commercial vehicle finance sector reported a fall in new business of 32% in March, reflecting the measures taken by the government to deal with the coronavirus crisis.New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) also showed that the plant and machinery finance sector saw a reduction in ...
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ArticleGovernment urged to boost biofuel production
The government has been urged to extend the Renewable Fuel Transport Obligation (RFTO) beyond 2020 in order to boost biofuel production and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil diesel.In a consultation response, the Gas Vehicle Network (GVN), which represents companies involved in gas-derived fuel production and gas-powered HGVs, said ...
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ArticleFTA launches business review to support logistics companies post-lockdown
An independent strategic business review has been launched by the FTA, aiming to get logistics companies back up and running in a post-lockdown world.With the government’s ‘back to work’ plans about to be revealed, the trade association said successful re-starting and scaling-up of operations will rely on a number of ...
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ArticleMore than two thirds of transport firms will be forced to cut jobs, poll reveals
More than two-thirds of transport business owners now think they will have to make people redundant once the furloughing scheme has come to an end, according to a new poll.Asked: ‘Do you envisage having to make redundancies once the furlough scheme is lifted,’ 68% of respondents answered yes.This is a ...
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Shortlist announced for MT Fleet Truck of the Year 2020
The shortlist for the 2020 Motor Transport Fleet Truck of the Year has been revealed.The line up is:DAF XFMercedes-Benz ActrosScania R-seriesVolvo FHThe shortlist was chosen by a panel of fleet operators based on online presentations by all the major manufacturers of 6x2 tractor units.Although the XF has won the trophy ...
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ArticleDriver apprenticeship standard for Cat C+E licences due this summer
The long-awaited driver apprenticeship standard for Cat C+E licences is due to be published this summer, according to the FTA.It said its approval and rollout couldn’t come quickly enough in an industry plagued with skills shortages in recent years.The new standard should give operators the opportunity to draw down from ...
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ArticleAA reveals results of HGV driver behaviour poll
Only around one in 10 people believe HGV drivers’ behaviour on the roads has improved since the Coronavirus pandemic began, according to a poll carried out by the AA.The results from 19,732 respondents showed that 12% thought lorry drivers were better behaved now than before the lockdown.A quarter (25%) thought ...
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Article"Loan scheme failure means fifth of our members are close to collapse," FTA tells government
Continuing delays in the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) means operators are now on a cliff edge of financial ruin, the FTA has warned.It accused the Chancellor Rishi Sunak of not doing enough to help logistics firms, five weeks after he promised to take “all action necessary” to make ...
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ArticleHGV driver employment to slump by 50% in Q2 2020
Employment levels in transport and storage will be down by 15% by the end of the year and won’t fully recover until mid-2026, according to projections by Driver Require.The recruitment firm’s analysis into the impact of COVID-19 suggests that employment growth rates in the sector face a bleaker than average ...
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ArticleA14 upgrade open eight months ahead of schedule
The upgraded A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme has opened eight months ahead of schedule, speeding up journey times and improving access to and from the UK’s largest container port.Highways England said work on the upgrade continued throughout the coronavirus outbreak, with measures introduced to ensure work was completed safely and ...
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ArticleVan registrations plummeted by a "shocking" 86% during April, SMMT reports
Figures for new van registrations in April reveal the “shocking” state of the sector after they plummeted by 86.2%.Just 3,387 light CVs joined UK roads during the month, 21,217 fewer than in April 2019, after the coronavirus effectively shut down the market.The SMMT said registrations of mid-sized vans weighing between ...