Latest fleet news – Page 544
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MT 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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MT Article
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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MT 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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MT 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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MT ArticleChild of Pallet-Track manager shows support for essential workers
A six-year-old boy’s message of love for lorries and the NHS during lockdown has been delivered, thanks to his mum’s day job at Pallet-Track.The network’s senior business development manager, Kara Buckley, used home schooling as an opportunity to help son Luca show his support for front line workers.As well as ...
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MT 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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MT 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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MT 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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MT ArticleXPO launches app function to help drivers find facilities in France and Spain
XPO has added a “points of interest” function to its mobile app for truck drivers in France and Spain struggling to find truck stops and rest areas still open in the coronavirus pandemic.The Drive XPO digital points of interest map displays the availability of amenities such as food, restrooms, shower ...
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MT 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 ...
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MT ArticleFraikin recruits six mobile technicians and expands fleet
Fraikin has taken on six new mobile technicians for its national network in an effort to “future proof” its maintenance offering.The fleet management firm has also added seven 3.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans to its fleet.The six technicians increases its mobile maintenance team to 22 and all are trained to level ...
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MT ArticleCall for DVSA to delegate HGV testing to tackle backlog created by pandemic lockdown
The DVSA has been urged to introduce delegated private sector testing to tackle the mounting backlog of annual HGV tests which have been suspended during the COVID-19 lockdown.The call comes from the Authorised Testing Facility Operators Association (ATFOA) which is warning that a backlog of thousands of annual HGV tests, ...
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MT ArticleSuttons Tankers lands new ethanol distribution deal with William Grant and Sons
Suttons Tankers has landed a new contract which will see it play its part in the fight against COVID-19 by transporting ethanol for the production of hand sanitiser for hospitals and clinics across the UK.The company, which is part of Suttons Group, will provide the transportation of denatured spirit supplied ...
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MT Article"Hauliers without warehousing could struggle," claims Miniclipper Logistics MD
Palletline member Miniclipper Logistics has admitted volumes have not been hit as badly as expected by the COVID-19 pandemic but that companies without a warehousing side might struggle to survive.“We can handle it,” MD Peter Masters told motortransport.co.uk. “It’s going to take a bit of a nose dive but we ...
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MT ArticleDavies Turner helps Hunter Boot protect London Ambulance Service
Davies Turner has donated 25 pallets of Hunter Boot’s women's wellingtons to the London Ambulance Service to help protect staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.Davies Turner’s specialist logistics fulfilment team at its logistics centre in Central Park, Bristol worked quickly to pick and pack the tall wellington boots of various sizes ...
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MT ArticleLENS partnership gives FTA members clearer view of supply chain opportunities
The FTA is partnering with freight exchange platform Haulage Exchange to help operators whose supply chains have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic find additional workloads or carrier partners.Dubbed the Logistics Efficiency Network Solution (LENS) the service connects operators to loads needing transportation.Under the partnership FTA members can search Haulage ...
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MT ArticleHauliers back events industry call for greater government support during pandemic
Events hauliers are backing a call for the government to provide greater support to the events industry as it struggles to survive the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) has written to prime minister Boris Johnson calling for more action to protect the industry and ...
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MT ArticleSchmitz Cargobull expands rigid truck body assembly via UK service partners
Schmitz Cargobull is ramping up assembly of its rigid truck bodies in the UK through its service partner network as part of a strategy to cut costs and shorten lead times.The move will see bodybuilders who are already authorised maintenance providers assemble M.KO rigids, using panels shipped in from Schmitz ...
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MT ArticleWolfgang Theissen to take helm at Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK
Wolfgang Theissen is to take on the role of MD of Mercedes Benz Trucks UK in August.Theissen, who is currently head of overseas sales for Mercedes-Benz Trucks, will replace Mike Belk who will retire later this year after working for Mercedes-Benz for 30 years.The appointment will see Theissen take up ...
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MT ArticleVolvo resumes truck manufacturing at plants supplying UK market
Volvo has started producing a limited number of trucks for the UK market as the COVID-19 pandemic shows signs of abating.The manufacturer has started producing trucks for the first time since March at plants in Belgium and Sweden which supply the majority of finished vehicles for the UK and Irish ...