Latest Industry news – Page 220
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Don't miss out! Commercial Vehicle Report 2013 available now
MT''s UK Commercial Vehicle Report 2012 produced in association with Texaco is the most comprehensive industry research currently available, making it crucial for any logistics operation planning its way to profit in 2013.Featuring in depth analysis of trends based on responses from 500 commercial vehicle operators, the report priced at ...
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Police to take no further action against URTU seven
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has said it will take no further action against the seven United Road Transport Union (URTU) men arrested in relation to a Driver CPC fraud investigation.The announcement brings to an end a 10-month probe, in conjunction with the DSA, into URTU general secretary Bob Monks, plus ...
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GFS launches new products to help manage surging e-commerce sales
Crawley-based Global Freight Solutions (GFS) has launched a suite of products it claims will make it easier for retailers to manage their interaction with parcel carriers.GFS said that faced with an ever-increasing volume of parcels, primarily generated by online retail, some parcel operators have attempted to manage the strain on ...
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Surge in online retail returns expected on 'Boomerang Thursday'
A 15% surge in online retail returns is expected to be handled by parcel carriers today (6 December), following the high volumes processed on ‘Cyber Monday’.A peak in the number of items being returned is expected to be handled on ‘Boomerang Thursday’, CollectPlus research has revealed. The firm found that ...
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Chancellor freezes fuel duty in Autumn Statement
The chancellor has frozen fuel duty in his Autumn Statement today, meaning the scheduled rises scheduled for January and April next year will no longer take place.George Osborne gave no hint of a cut but said fuel would only see “inflation only rises” until September – effectively meaning the April ...
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News Extra: Too much of a good thing
The explosive growth in e-commerce in recent years has left the road transport industry struggling to provide enough capacity. MT looks at the implications of this change.Today (3 December) is Cyber Monday, where consumers in the full swing of crazed Christmas-gift buying are expected to set a record and make ...
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Vosa ceases testing at Gillingham and Grantham stations
Vosa plans to stop testing at its Gillingham and Grantham sites by the end of March 2013.Although the stations in Gillingham, Kent and Grantham, Lincolnshire, will not close, Vosa has taken the decision to cease testing at these sites.Operators will instead be able to test their vehicles at one of ...
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DRIVEN to succeed
The Academy of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) has held a series of four seminars across Europe under the DRIVEN banner (drivers and road transport instructors vocational European network), looking at how member states have implemented the EU Driver CPC directive.DRIVEN rolled into the UK in October, being held ...
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CPC-related drop outs could mean 25% fewer drivers during next decade
The industry could lose over a quarter of its driver workforce during the next decade as a result of Driver CPC-related drop outs and retirement.A survey of 172 LGV drivers by recruitment agency Milestone revealed that 8% do not plan on taking Driver CPC training at all, for several reasons ...
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HGV Road User Levy Bill completes second reading in Parliament
The HGV Road User Levy Bill has successful completed its second reading in the House of Commons, bringing road charging for all operators a step closer.The bill, which remains on course to see the introduction of a levy for both domestic and foreign registered vehicles in the UK by April ...
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Ocado fulfilment centre to open in February
Online grocery retailer Ocado has said its second customer fulfilment centre in Dordon, Warwickshire, will commence operations in February next year.Equipment installation at the warehouse is almost complete and testing has been underway since May, the firm confirmed. The project "remains in line with budget", it said.The retailer, which also ...
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Pall-Ex European growth plan remains on course
Pall-Ex’s ambitious European expansion plan remains on track, despite the economic volatility gripping the Continent, deputy MD Cris Stephenson has said.Pall-Ex has set itself the target of having a 15 country-strong network of European franchisees by 2015.Stephenson confirmed its European expansion was “on track, and unchanged”.He said pallet networks’ inherent ...
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News Extra: Will it be super in the end?
A new report claims UK operators could make significant savings if they were allowed to add overlength vehicles to their fleets.A new study published last week suggested that allowing the use of ‘super’ semi-trailers could save the haulage industry £226m a year in reduced running costs.Such findings appear to strengthen ...
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Fortec gains Investors in Excellence
Pallet network Fortec has achieved The Investors in Excellence Standard.It joins the likes of DHL Supply Chain within the road transport sector, and professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, credit checker Experian and manufacturer Bombardier beyond.The standard is a framework to help businesses assess their performance and improve it.Ian Nield, chief executive ...
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Minister praises SfL's military recruitment drive
Roads minister Stephen Hammond has praised Skills for Logistic’s (SfL) “innovative” new initiative to recruit armed forces personnel into the road transport sector.Speaking at the official launch of the Military Transitions to Logistics programme at London’s Imperial War Museum earlier this month, the minister added: “I’m delighted to be a ...
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News Extra: It’s all about the money
There’s a funding issue to be addressed in 2013 according to the transport commissioners’ annual reports, but operators aren’t expected to foot the bill. Roger Brown reports.Senior traffic commissioner (TC) Beverley Bell said her top priority during the coming year will be to hold talks with Vosa chiefs to ensure ...
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MPs vote against 3ppl fuel duty rise suspension
MPs voted against a suspension on the proposed 3ppl fuel duty rise yesterday (12 November), despite pressure from Labour MPs, Tory backbench campaigners and lobbying from FairFuelUK (FFUK).A Labour-led motion to suspend the proposed increase in January to at least April was defeated 282 votes to 234. FairFuelUK claim ...
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Operators must prove they want extra apprenticeship funding
Skills for Logistics (SfL) has called on operators to make the case to government for a funding boost for apprentices to ensure a pipeline of talent for the future.Following a meeting last week between Matthew Hancock MP, minister for skills at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and ...
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Logistics director calls for super semi-trailers to be part of DfT trial
The European logistics director at Kimberly-Clark believes operators should push the DfT to introduce "super" semi-trailers into in its longer semi-trailer trial.Peter Surtees, European logistics director at Kimberly-Clark, was speaking after the publication of a University of Huddersfield report on high capacity vehicles (HCVs) last week.Impact Assessment: High-Capacity Vehicles, which ...
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News Extra: Back loads essential to viability of Scottish long haul routes
The rising cost of fuel and improving load-fill are challenges that all UK hauliers are faced with. But for those that run long-distance routes in and out of Scotland, the need to improve vehicle utilisation in a market where freight traditionally flows in to Scotland, with very little exported to ...