Although 10% of the world’s population lives in Africa, there has never been a vehicle specifically designed and manufactured in volume to meet the rigours of the continent. That situation is about to change with the development of the OX, a highly unconventional ‘flat-pack’ all-terrain light truck that could benefit people living in remote villages and townships across Africa and other parts of the developing world.

Designed and built in Britain, the OX is unlike any other vehicle. It is the result of the Global Vehicle Trust’s (GVT, www.globalvehicletrust.com) ambition to help people in the developing world by providing cost-effective mobility.

Most panels are interchangeable from one side to the other, while the fewest possible components are used to give it a fast build-up time.  It takes three people approximately 5.4 hours to create the flat pack in the UK prior to shipping.  It then takes three people 11.5 hours to assemble the vehicle from flat pack at its destination and no special skills or equipment are required.

The OX is capable of being flat-packed within itself.  That means there is no requirement for an expensive box or individual pallets for transportation.  Six OX vehicles, including engines and transmissions, fit into a standard 40ft hi-cube container.

OX can drive through 75 cm depth of water and has a very wide track to ensure excellent stability on badly rutted roads.  Maximum payload is 2.0 tonnes or as a people carrier, OX can seat up to 13 people or carry eight 44-gallon drums or three Euro pallets.  It has a simple power take-off capable of pumping water, sawing wood or running a generator.

With an overall length similar to an average family car, the OX weighs just 1.5 tonnes.  It has front-wheel drive and is powered by a robust 2.2 litre diesel engine with a manual transmission.

The driving force behind GVT and the OX is Sir Torquil Norman, founder of the Norman Trust.

“My inspiration for the OX goes back to the ‘Africar’ project of the 1980s.  OX became a dream three years ago and is now a realistic ambition with a working prototype that has already completed its initial testing programme,” says Sir Torquil Norman.

Sir Torquil Norman, Founder of The Norman Trust, with The OX

“We have spent around £1 million bringing the OX to the working prototype stage and we need a further £3 million to take the project through to a production-ready status,” said Sir Torquil. “This is why we are now ‘going public’ to highlight the need for investment and support in order to progress the project to completion.

Although initially planned and designed for developing countries, there has subsequently been a realization that there is likely to be demand for fully-assembled vehicles in some European markets.  It is anticipated that OX will appeal to farmers, estate owners and others due to its huge carrying capacity and ability to traverse rough terrain.  Any profits generated by selling fully-assembled vehicles in Europe will be ploughed back into the Global Vehicle Trust charity to fund future developments of the OX.

VOSA has launched a consultation on proposals to change some fees for a range of services it carries out. This includes fees for truck and bus testing, operator licensing and associated services, the approval and certification of various vehicles, and tachograph calibrator approval.

The main focus of the proposed changes to fees is to create fairer fees by removing the remaining cross subsidy of VOSA test facility costs from users of Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFs); and charging the cost of extra VOSA resource to service ATFs to ATF users.

The largest changes result in re-distributing costs between those using VOSA test facilities and ATFs.

It is proposed that a VOSA site should charge £145 for a three axle truck instead of the current £123 (an increase of 19.3%), whilst the same test at an ATF would cost £115 (down from £117 currently).

VOSA Chief Executive Alastair Peoples said:

“After four years with no general fee increases, VOSA will continue to absorb most costs and keep general rises to a minimal one percent. This is good news for our customers as the increase is far below inflation.

“I am also pleased to be able to propose a fairer allocation of costs between customers having their vehicles tested at ATFs and VOSA test stations. I am keen to hear the views from customers on our proposals.”

The full consultation, which is open until 11 June 2013 can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fees-for-hgv-and-psv-testing-operator-licensing-other-vosa-services-and-some-dva-services

The Ford Transit was chosen by British Gas when asked which van best suited the needs of their central heating installation engineers. This compatibility was one of the key factors that resulted in an order for 520 Ford Transit models from British Gas.

A host of Transits for British Gas

British Gas chose the Ford Transit primarily for its economy and low emissions, provided by its Dagenham-built 125PS 2.2-litre TDCi diesel engine.
The Ford Transit also enabled British Gas operators to achieve significant cost savings by recycling the racking systems fitted to their existing Transit models.
Colin Marriott, fleet general manager, British Gas, said: “It was a no-brainer really, the vans used by our central heating installation engineers are a vital resource for them and they love the Transit. When we asked, they said: ‘Give us the same again, please.’
The vans also meet the company’s sophisticated vehicle whole life cost model, which also determines the replacement timing for its vehicles.
All the Ford Transit vans being supplied are 330 medium wheelbase, medium roof models, equipped with air-conditioning, speed limiter and winter tyres, enabling the engineers to carry out their work in the toughest of environments. Thirty-two of the vans will be four-wheel drive versions, which will be located strategically around the country by British Gas, for use in the most severe weather.

Maxon Tail Lifts, based in Peterborough, UK are going from strength to strength with their range of tail lifts. With a successful CV Show behind them and a number of additions to the broad range of tail lifts on the way, the company has plenty to talk about.

Watch the short three minute video which tells the Maxus story in full.

The Maxon Tail Lift – UK Story

Previous Maxon Feature (CV Dealer Issue 124)

The start of the new FIA European Truck Racing Championship is fast approaching. The Renault Trucks-MKR Technology team, European Champions in 2012, is now preparing to defend their title. After having worked all winter long on the racing trucks, the team is counting on its two drivers Adam Lacko and Markus Bösiger to challenge at the front of the pack during the 10 races in the 2013 season.

Last Year’s Rentault Racing Truck

The 2013 FIA European Truck Racing Championship season will be the seventh year that Renault Trucks has been involved in the competition. After two European Team Championship wins with MKR-Technology in 2010 and 2012, the manufacturer and its partner are now preparing to defend their crown. To achieve this, the team has decided to field two trucks, which will be driven by Czech driver Adam Lacko and Swiss driver Markus Bösiger.

The first race takes place on 18 May in Misano, Italy. Engineers and mechanics have been working throughout the winter to improve the chassis and the engine on the new trucks.

“We have optimised the useful range of our DXi 13 racing engine and carried out significant work on the camshaft, injection and electronic controls which will further improve our performance, particularly with regard to pick up at low engine speeds,” explains Gérard Pétraz, Renault Trucks Racing Technical Director. “We have also reduced the engine’s internal friction, which improves its overall yield, by applying solutions used in the Euro 6 engines equipping the new Renault Trucks range.”

Driver Adam Lacko added: “I think we’re going to give our rivals a very tough time this year and that it will be crowned with success for the team and for me.”

The new Volvo FL and Volvo FE trucks have been revealed with new interiors and a new four-cylinder, 5-litre engine for the FL range.

New Volvo FL Euro 6

The cab has clearer instruments and new ergonomic seats featuring an integrated headrest and safety belt. A reinforced seat and seat anchoring in the floor help improve safety.
There is a new 6-cylinder D8 7.7-litre engine in three power outputs: 320, 280 and 250 hp. Customers can also specify the 5.1-litre 4-cylinder D5 engine in the FL with power outputs of 240 or 210hp.
“These engines meet the new Euro-6 emission requirements and their fuel consumption is on a par with our Euro-5 engines. The technological solution for meeting the Euro-6 demands is a combination of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and variable turbo geometry, a cooled EGR system and a particulate filter,” explains Ruddy Houtmeyers Strategic Product Manager for Medium Duty Vehicles, Volvo Trucks.

I-Shift now available on Volvo FE

Volvo has put together a range of transmissions for the two new engines. Among the various options, it is now possible to equip the Volvo FE with Volvo’s I-Shift automated gearbox.
ESP (Electronic Stability Program) is now fitted as standard to both the Volvo FL and the Volvo FE.
Volvo Trucks has also designed a new 12-tonne version of the Volvo FL. Using the four-cylinder D5 at 240hp this is the most powerful engine in its segment and weights up to half a tonne less than a typical 6-cylinder truck at this weight level.

“The new 12-tonner is a sharp contender in the largest European medium-duty segment. The truck is lighter, lower and more competitively priced than the current model. It increases customer productivity and efficiency at the same time as it offers the driver better working conditions,” says Tobias Bergman, Product Manager Distribution and Refuse Segment, Volvo Trucks.
“The truck is well-thought-out in every detail. For instance, take the smaller wheels which lower the cab by five centimetres. This gives the driver better all-round visibility and makes it easier to get in and out of the cab,” adds Tobias Bergman.

In keeping with the new Volvo style, the Volvo ironmark logo has been moved up to just below the windscreen. The redesigned headlamps and distinctive daytime running lights also emphasise the family relationship with the other new Volvo truck models.

Volvo are extending their ‘Gold Contract’ offer seen in the FH and FM to the new Volvo FL and FE, which covers servicing, repairs and uses Volvo’s telematics gateway. This means that the Volvo workshop can follow vehicle usage and monitor the wear-and-tear of certain components. The aim is to ensure that the truck is serviced only and exactly when needed – and that maintenance is carried out when the vehicle is not in use.

Sending a text message or making a phone call while at the wheel will land drivers with harsher penalties, the transport minister warned.  In a move to crack down on dangerous driving, Patrick McLoughlin indicated that fines for a variety of offences would rise by 50%, from £60 to £90.

The number of penalty points offenders receive on their licence will remain at three.

You have been warned!

The cost increase will cover fixed penalty notices for the offence of using a hand-held device while driving, the Daily Mail said, and also for speeding and going through a red light.

A new penalty of three penalty points and a £90 fine will also be introduced for a number of careless driving offences, including cutting up other drivers, eating a sandwich or lighting a cigarette at the wheel, driving at an inappropriate speed and needlessly hogging the middle lane on a motorway.

New drug-driving laws will also be introduced, and the current drink-drive limit will not be lowered.

Mr McLoughlin, who admitted at a road safety conference in London that he had used a mobile phone to make calls while driving, but would not do so now, said: “We want to send a clear message to dangerous drivers: If you continue to show complete disregard for the safety of other road users, we will catch you – and we will punish you.”

More than a million drivers have been convicted of using a hand-held mobile phone behind the wheel since 2003, when using one other than for making an emergency call was made illegal.

Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “With both texting and hand-held use of mobile phones at the wheel causing more impairment than being at the drink-drive limit or under the influence of cannabis, the police need to target the large number of motorists continuing to flout the law.”

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) and Road Haulage Association (RHA) have joined forces in voicing their concern at the recent advice issued by the Department for Transport (DfT) regarding garage technicians and mechanics driving heavy goods vehicles to statutory annual tests being considered in-scope of the Driver CPC Directive (2003/59/EC).

In a joint letter to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Stephen Hammond MP, the associations raised the point that according to industry estimates there are more than 30,000 technicians in the UK, and added that although they were aware that a few companies have taken the decision to include these employees in their DCPC training programmes, they believed that the vast majority have not, and added that for all of them to achieve full compliance for their staff in just over one year would be a massive task and cost for the industry and one that they believe will deliver relatively little benefit to the freight industry.

Geoff Dunning – RHA

Within their correspondence, FTA and RHA called on the Minister to consider their points, and requested the opportunity to discuss the matter with him in further detail.

In representing their members on this subject, both associations reinforced their concerns, saying that they feel that the Directive was never intended to include such activity, and referring the Minister to the title of the Directive 2003/59/EC and the frequent references within the recital which refer to “the profession of driver”.

Theo de Pencier, FTA Chief Executive said: “FTA feels strongly that the recent advice issued by the DfT represents an unreasonable reading of the Directive which we believe will put undue burden on our members and all businesses within the logistics sector. It also appears to run contrary to the Department’s stated aim – presented in the Logistics Growth Review and the Red Tape Challenge – to reduce the regulatory burdens placed on industry.

Geoff Dunning, RHA Chief Executive added: “RHA doesn’t think that the Directive was ever intended to include the same restrictions on technicians and mechanics carrying out these activities, and the frequent reference to “the profession of driver” in the recital confirms to us that technicians, who are neither professional drivers nor engaged in the carriage of goods, were not who the Commission had in mind when developing these requirements.”

Our client represents a leading manufacturer in the Truck and Van sector, a family owned business with an unrivalled reputation for excellence in their field.

Due to continued expansion they are now seeking a HGV Aftersales Business Development Executive, to generate HGV workshop business and sell R+M Contracts for their depots based in Hertfordshire.

You will need to demonstrate a proven track record, preferably gained within the HGV Sector, but not necessary, more importantly you will need to prove your previous direct sales ability,  other attributes can include, HGV workshop experience or HGV Sales, along with the ability to work on your own initiative, drive, determination and a positive attitude.

In return there is a competitive basic salary, car, phone, laptop and commission opportunities

Please apply to: recruitment@focuspeoplesolutions.co.uk or Tel: 0845 402 3178

Our client represents a leading manufacturer in the Truck and Van sector, a family owned business with an unrivalled reputation for excellence in their field.

Due to continued expansion they are now seeking a Service Administrator with the ability to lead a small team, experience of invoicing, warranty, service reception are necessary attributes they will expect the successful applicant to have mastered, previous experience within a HGV or car dealership will be ideal for this role, you will also need to posses the correct man management skills to get the very best from your small team of service advisors.

Enthusiasm, leadership and good attention to detail are also other skills that would be and advantage.

There is a competitive basic salary  and opportunities for career progression within this fast growing business.

Please apply to: recruitment@focuspeoplesolutions.co.uk or Tel: 0845 402 3178