News. April 2008.

An electronic drive-over system designed primarily to measure tyre pressures has been developed by Kidlington-based WheelRight. RightStrip, which made its debut at the CV Show last week, can be programmed to identify both under- and over-inflated tyres, the resulting data being transmitted wirelessly to WheelRight's server and then on to the user.

The system can also record individual axle and total vehicle weights, and plans are in hand to measure other data, including wheel alignment and tyre tread depth. RightStrip will be rented out on a monthly basis, with capital expenditure limited to vehicle tagging and installation costs put at between £400 and £500.

Chief executive John Catling expects about 20 systems to be available by mid-year for operator assessment and sees RightStrip benefitting firms with 10 or more trucks. Catlin reckons a 40-tonner with all its tyres under-inflated by 10% would increase fuel consumption by 2%. Using MT's latest Cost Tables (MT 20 March), this equates to about £900 over 100,000 miles, not to mention the cost of premature tyre wear and casing failure on the road.

Meanwhile, T-Comm Tracking & Tracing of the Netherlands, launched the P-eye, a monitor that takes the place of the tyre valve. The P-eye measures the preset minimum pressure and passes this to a signalling LED. If the tyre drops more than 5% below the ideal pressure, the LED starts blinking. Canadian company Truck-Weight unveiled a wireless weighing scale, known as Smart Scale, at the CV Show.

Using the scale, operators can monitor axle weights (to within a claimed accuracy of 0.3%) from wherever it is safe and convenient, up to 500m away. The on-board sensor monitors pressure and temperature changes in a vehicle's air suspension. It sends a low-powered radio signal, containing the weight information, to the handheld reader. John Phillips, Motor Transport

Scania continues its sales charge into Russia, a country where it says "investments and growth are expected to remain high for many years to come". The Russian grocery chain X5 Retail Group has ordered 146 Scania trucks for supplying goods to its nationwide chain of more than 600 stores and supermarkets in major Russian cities such as Moscow, St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, as well as to 600 franchised retail units in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

According to Raimo Lehtiö, MD of Scania Russia: "The deal confirms our customers' trust in Scania as a provider of high-quality trucks with low operating costs and a well-developed service network." It follows an earlier order for 144 vehicles.

Having previously had a fleet dominated by domestic makes, more than half of X5 Retail Group's heavy distribution truck fleet is now Scania. The latest order consists of two-axle and three-axle distribution trucks equipped with Scania nine-litre engines. The trucks are furnished with box-bodies from a Russian bodybuilder.

The rapid growth of the Russian heavy truck market continued last year with imports of Western European makes increasing by 115% during 2007. A total of 19,464 new trucks were imported, compared with 9,072 in 2006. With a market share of 27.4%, Scania is the largest Western European make in Russia for the seventh straight year. Brian Weatherley, Commercial Motor

DAF has announced that it has delivered its first CF and XF 105 trucks fitted with EEV (Enhanced Environmentally-friendly Vehicles) engines. These vehicles emit around 50% less soot particles than authorised by the Euro-5 norm. The CF was delivered to Roteb (Rotterdam) and the XF toJan de Rijk Logistics at Roosendaal. DAF underlines that it is currently the only manufacturer able to supply all its models in ultra-clean version. www.truckeurope.net

Renault Trucks has just unveiled the new version of its Magnum at the Birmingham show (April 15-18). The new Magnum in particular features a cabin which has been heightened by 20 cm and new stowage space. There were also examples of the whole range on show at Birmingham: Master, Maxity, Mascott, Midlum, Premium. Not to mention the Optifuel Solutions system designed to reduce consumption and which combines technological elements, a software solution and training. www.truckeurope.net

The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, and the European Environment Agency (EEA) have joined biofuel skeptics. UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, recently called for a comprehensive review of biofuels policy, “…as they are causing a crisis in global food prices and threaten to trigger global instability." The EEA has made public an opinion on the environmental impacts of biofuel use in Europe, stating that “the overambitious biofuel target is an experiment, whose unintended effects are difficult to predict and difficult to control.” The EEA hence recommends a new, comprehensive scientific study on the environmental risks and benefits of biofuels, and calls for setting a new and more moderate long-term target and suspending the foreseen increase in the share of biofuels use in EU transport to 10 % by 2020.

The IRU has stressed on several occasions that biofuels are not a sustainable solution to replace fossil fuel and that commercial road transport is and will remain dependent on oil, with no economically viable alternative in sight. www.iru.org

The new Kangoo from Renault, which is making its debut at the CV Show this year, marks a departure from its previous model, with the new design based on the Scenic MPV. Launched originally in 1997, the new version arrives in the UK later in the year with two trims and two wheelbases.

Under the bonnet will be three 1.5-litre diesel engines, delivering 68hp, 86hp and 106hp, as well as two 1.6-litre petrol engines producing 90hp and 106hp. Payload for the range will be 650kg to 800kg, and will have a carrying capacity of 3.6m3 [cubic metres]. On the stand is the ML19 dCi 85 Plus with a five-speed transmission it has a 2,697mm wheelbase, a 1,478mm load length, and a nearside sliding door. Commercial Motor

Following the success of its I-Shift auto, Volvo has finally unveiled its lightweight equivalent, the I-Sync, which has been developed specifically for the Euro-4 FL range, and for operations up to 26-tonnes GVW and maximum torque output of 1,050Nm. The six-speed, all-synchro, two-pedal unit is available on the 12- and 16-tonne FL at 240hp or 280hp, and on the 280hp 18-tonner.

With I-Sync, both the gear selection and clutch activation are handled hydraulically and an ECU controls the whole show. Unlike I-Shift, there's only one software control programme on I-Sync - 'Distribution'. Service intervals are the same as for the FL manual box, and the oil-change interval is every 300,000km. Commercial Motor

Volvo has begun field trials of a new parallel hybrid truck. The Swedish manufacturer appears to have made a major leap in battery technology and plans volume production of this dual-fuel chassis in around two years' time. The culmination of 20 years of research and development, the 26-tonne FE-series rigid is fitted with diesel and electric power sources and carries a waste-collection body. Volvo claims this development to be an "environmental and carbon-neutral transport", which aside from emissions reduction, also cuts noise pollution. Intended primarily for urban collection and distribution duties, the FE hybrid also has the potential to run on biofuel.

The truck scores over previous prototypes in eliminating the payload penalty incurred by onboard batteries by using a lighter, lithium-ion type. The driveline comprises a 320hp, Euro 5 diesel engine, automated clutch, I-Shift gearshift, integrated starter alternator motor (I-SAM), energy converter, lithium-ion batteries and a powertrain management unit (PMU). Volvo says this technology is more reliable than natural gas/diesel dual-fuel vehicles and cites potential fuel savings of 15% to 20% for distribution work and 15% to 30% for refuse collection. Electric power is used for starting the vehicle, accelerating to 20km/h, start/stop work, short periods of idling and loading. During electrical operation, the diesel unit stops completely.

Electric power has extremely good torque characteristics, enabling a smaller Click Here and lighter diesel engine than customary at this GVW to be specified. Diesel propulsion better suits higher speeds - for example, main road running. All refuse bodies have too many moving parts to be very light, but the Norba 'plug-in' system's 1.2-tonne weight combined with an unladen body weight of five tonnes permits a respectable 11.5-tonne payload on a 26-tonne GVW hybrid vehicle. The system is designed for stand-alone operation and operated by an electric engine powered by batteries charged from cheap off-peak power supplies. Norba - part of the Oshkosh group - claims the stand-alone system gives zero CO2 emissions and a 20% fuel saving when used with a conventional chassis, and potentially more with a parallel hybrid. The operation is also very quiet, ideal for residential areas.

Renova, a large Swedish recycling and waste collection company owned by 11 municipalities, operates Volvo's field trial truck. Because refuse trucks are stationary 60% to 70% of the time, parallel hybrid technology is ideal, as bins can be hoisted and rubbish compacted using just electric power. Renova charges the body batteries with 'green' electricity, and says dual diesel/electric operation reduces overall emissions by up to 30%. "Hybrid technology will play a major role in the future as the climate and fuel dependency come into ever-sharper focus," says Mats Franzen, engine manager at Volvo Truck. "No matter which fuels dominate in the future, their supply will be limited... In long-haul operations, the percentage (fuel) reduction will not be as great, but the total fuel saving will be considerable." Dave Young, Motor Transport

Fruehauf has formed a new company called Fruehauf Rigids and signalled its entry to the market with the launch of Formula Fruehauf - a rapid delivery rigid tipper body supply service combined with while-you-wait fitting. The range includes aggregate aluminium, insulated aluminium and steel muckaway bodies. The customer will be able to book a build slot for as little as three days in advance, then bring the chassis to the Fruehauf Grantham factory where the body will be fitted in two hours.

The Formula Fruehauf body range includes a 23yd3 'bathtub' aluminium aggregate body with a reinforced floor at the rear and top hung tailgate, a 24yd3 insulated aluminium construction body with a 60/40 split tailgate with air-operated bottom door, 75mm Rockwool RWA 45 fibreglass throughout and reinforced floor at the rear, and a 20yd3 high-grade steel 'muckaway' body with top-hinged tailgate and air-operated locking bar. All are fitted with a Hyva FCT149 ram and come with a range of sheeting systems. Roanna Avison, Commercial Motor

The new Mercedes-Benz Actros received its world launch at the CV Show this year, and visitors were being encouraged to view the interior where the bulk of the changes have been made. "In terms of appearance, it doesn't look a whole lot different," admits Mercedes truck sales and marketing director John Baker. "We have simply improved an already excellent truck. It is more a case of evolution than revolution.

"I compare it to the 2008 F1 McLaren, which doesn't look very different from last year's car." Although the new truck will be offered in both Euro-4 and Euro-5 guise, Baker says sales of the former are negligible. "We still sell a handful of Euro-4 rigids, but I can't remember the last Euro-4 tractor we sold," he says. Commercial Motor

Another global debutante, the new Renault Magnum cab drew plenty of attention from visitors on the opening morning of the CV Show. The revamped cab sat on the three-axle DXi13 500hp driveline with a 12-speed transmission. It's the Euro-5 engine SCR version and the kerbweight is 8,627kg. Commercial Motor

A new electric vehicle from ZeroEd made its debut at the CV Show, boasting shortened charging times and an extended daily range. Using lithium ion phosphate batteries for higher discharge current and boasting no loss of internal floor space, it's claimed it can be fully charged in six hours, while a one-hour top-up (theoretically, in a driver's break) allows it to cover up to 120 miles.

It also features regenerative braking to capture energy and feed it back into the supply. The ZeroEd is the culmination a joint venture between Minitram Systems, who provided the battery technology, Paneltex body builders and VMS Fleet management. Commercial Motor

International Road Transport Union General Delegate to the Middle-East and Region, Haydar Özkan, today addressed Transport Ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation (BSEC), highlighting the vital role of road transport in today’s globalised economy as well as the huge potential for the BSEC region to contribute to re-opening the Silk Road by lifting non-physical barriers to road transport.

During the meeting, BSEC Transport Ministers adopted a Joint Declaration, acknowledging the need to intensify efforts to facilitate goods transport by road in the BSEC region through the simplification of customs formalities and the reduction of waiting times at the BSEC borders. The Declaration also calls for a closer cooperation with the IRU in the development of the pan-European transport network across the BSEC region. www.iru.org

The Czech Republic is to receive 5.8 billion Euros from the EU to finance infrastructure projects extending up to 2013. An extra billion will be added by the Czech state. There will be 46.1% of the total dedicated to road and 44.8% to rail. The improvement of intermodal infrastructures and combined transport is also part of the programme. www.truckeurope.net

Chinese tyre manufacturer GITI Tire which recently opened a commercial subsidiary in the Netherlands to attack the European market, has announced a new partnership with Irish company Truck-Check, the specialist in Internet Tyre Management Solutions which supplies a complete range of software programs and hardware options for the industry. GITI is also to launch a tyre management programme called GITI Assist using the Tyre-Check technology. www.tyrecheck.com

The European Commission has started proceedings against Greece, Italy, Luxembourg and Portugal for non-respect of European social legislation relative to road transport activities. The reason is that these countries have not communicated their national processes for transposing the Commission’s directive for putting this legislation into force. They were obliged to pass the necessary legislation by April 1st 2007. www.truckeurope.net

Iveco is basing its new products offensive for 2008 on the new Eurocargo. First launched in 1991, the Eurocargo has sold more than 400,000 units. The new elements for 2008 are a totally redesigned cab with a less aggressive look, a new grill which enables the vehicle to be personalised to the client’s colour, new integrated light units, a renewed range of manual gearboxes alongside the automatic and automated boxes. The Eurocargo will be equipped with Tector Euro V engines using SCR technology (with AdBlue). The manufacturer is providing more room inside the cab, with optimal movement from one side to the other of the living space, an ergonomic dashboard, a larger steering wheel and more voluminous storage areas. ASR, ESP and hill-start assistance are also fitted. The new Eurocargo will be unveiled in the Benelux during a roadshow from May 28th to June 28th. www.truckeurope.net

The European transport Ministers’ Council met in Luxembourg on April 7th under the presidency of Slovenian minister Radovan Serjav, and declared itself favourable to a triple proposition relative to road transport: this involves access to the international road transport of merchandise, the road transport profession, and the coach and bus transport services markets. This proposition is aiming to modernise, replace and merge existing regulations. Most ministers approved, in particular, the proposition to extend the validity of the community licence from 5 to 10 years. The Council also approved the ‘three days of cabotage in a seven day period’ formula. A report on the pursuit of the liberalisation of cabotage was also requested for 2012. www.truckeurope.net

The Rhenus group is continuing the development of its European network with the takeover of French company Hamann France. Hamann France was founded 32 years ago and has four locations in the country. It offers groupage services across the whole of Europe, in particular to Germany, the Benelux, Italy, Spain and Eastern Europe. The Rhenus group turns over some 3 billion Euros annually and employs 14,000 world-wide. www.rhenus.com

Czech company C.S. Cargo has signed a contract with the Czech subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz involving the purchase of 1,500 HGV’s over the next two years, for a total cost of 180 million Euros. All the vehicles will be fitted with Blue Tec technology, FleetBoard and the Mercedes automatic PowerShift box. The company bought Smidbersky Transport and mGal Spedition last year. www.truckeurope.net

Transport en Logistiek Nederland (TLN) is launching a unique transport concept called Zeecocombi. This involves a ro-ro platform combined with an eco-combi, a sort of amphibious truck. It will at first be operated on the route which links the Hook of Holland in the Netherlands to Dover in the UK, passing through Antwerp. The various partners in this scheme will put 250 vehicles of this type into service. They will be located in the three ports concerned. The great advantage compared to ferries is the freedom of departure times… well we can always dream… www.tln.nl

Hatcher Components has developed a sleeper option with more space for the Volvo FL. The Hatcher FL Sky Cab can be specified with two or three bunks and the conversion includes lockable storage compartments, sunroof and reading lights. There is also a separate compartment for a night heater if required. The additional weight from the conversion is 190kg and the roof height becomes 3850mm. Roanna Avison, Commercial Motor

The demand for new trucks in Europe is artificially high because operators are placing identical orders with two or more manufacturers at a time in order to hedge their bets with delivery times. According to new research from investment bank UBS, 63% of fleets with between 101 and 500 trucks have placed double orders. It estimates that 20% of overall European heavy truck demand is duplicated.

UBS believes the European truck market will peak in 2008 - having been driven by Eastern European demand. It is predicting overall growth of 4% during 2008, followed by a drop of 7.5% during 2009.

However, the true impact of both the general economic downturn, and, more pertinently, the credit squeeze have yet to filter through to the economy at large. There is an almost inevitable time-lag effect, meaning that both issues are unlikely to show themselves in terms of truck market figures until probably AdTech Ad the third quarter of 2008. At this point, the true impact of the double-ordering referred to by UBS should also begin to make itself clear. Oliver Dixon, Motor Transport