The French giant we all love, Norbert Dentressangle has bought out the UK’s very own Christain Salvesen for $519.5million, why its been done in dollars i don’t know!

A few facts and figures of the red french lot, makes for very interesting and quite impressive reading.

8,700 employees in Europe

  Over one billion euros in sales in 2006 including 27% outside France

63 % of total Group sales

Sales split per activity:

Domestic and international full loads:  41 %
Transport solutions:  24 %
Contract distribution:  17 %
International groupage:  7 %
Distribution:  8 %
Logistics services:  3 %  

Sales split per market :

Transport of packed goods: 72 %
Transport of goods in bulk: 22 %
Temperature controlled transport: 6 %  

Trailer fleet :

4,238 curtainsiders and box trailers
1,078 powder bulk tipping tankers
320 liquid chemical tankers
179 hydrocarbon products tankers
150 swap bodies and containers
93 tippers
24 liquid foodstuffs tankers

xf105_far_6x2

Originally uploaded by benners10

DAF have already sold over 60,000 XF105’s!!!! The range was launched in spring 2006 and as we all know was truck of the year 2007. A good looking truck me thinks!

This New and intersesting sounding scheme has been lauched by the Highways Agency, the RHA and The FTA. It is designed to help drivers across England to decide weather to park up or take a different route during nasty weather. With the winter fast approaching we’ll soon see if it works or indeed is noticed by drivers. It should cover all major routes including A roads and motorways. The system is based on Amber or Red weather alerts depending on the news and reports given by the Met Office.

 *Amber alerts will be given out when it is highly likely that the weather will effect travelling and drivers should keep listening to traffic and radio reports. 

* Red alerts will only be given out in exceptional circumstances, when the weather is so severe it will affect traffic and travel. During red alerts all goods vehicles will be asked to leave the road network immediately and find some where safe to park.

 We should here about these warnings through radio travel reports (good old Sally!), On DAB radion on the Highways agency’s traffic service and obviously through t’internet, at www.trafficradio.org.uk and the RHA and FTA’s networks, although i’m not sure how.  It all sounds good, but in my opinion there is a very fine line between an Amber alert and a Red alert, so their could be some scope for inconsistences depending who’s working at the MET office, but thats just me being synical! Hopefully it will work well and we’ll all be a bit safer for it. A good scheem lets just hope it sticks.

A new tyre has been lauched from Michelin and its called the XFN2+. Its been designed to offer better safety on slippery winter roads. Supposedly it offers 10% more grip than previous tyres.

Going on my experience i’d think Michelin are probably correct with there statement. I’m a Michelin man through and through (although you cant see my white rings!) and i’m sure this will be another excellent tyre with outstanding grip.

Obviously i meant to say that all this stuff i have written about the smoking ban has beeen for the ban in England not Scotland or Wales, but i’m sure the principles are the same and i wouldnt be surprised if the law is written almost word for word the same, but i thought i should just point it out just in case!

Now moving on from, i have heard that one view taken by organisations such as the RHA and the FTA, is that its very unlikely that, or indeed you’d be very unlucky to get nicked for smoking in your truck. The basis of this is that since the end of March there have been no recorded cases of any Scottish driver being prosecuted, so it is thought it may be a piece of legislation that has a big fat blind eye turned towards it, but WHAT EVER YOU DO DONT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT!!!!!!!

2 seconds after publishing the first post i find this in an email from the RHA. The following information is taken from the RHA’s Summary Guide to Smoking Ban at Work. Thanks to the RHA.

Can drivers smoke in a works vehicle? Yes, unless the vehicle is used by anyone else at any other time. The regulations will require enclosed vehicles to be smoke-free at all times, if they are used:a. by members of the public or a section of the public (whether or not for reward or hire), orb. in the course of paid work by more than one person, even if those people use the vehicle at different times, or only intermittently. Intermittent use by other people would include the intermittent use of the vehicle by a worker such as a fitter using the vehicle for testing purposes. If there is regular or intermittent use of the vehicle by other workers, then the vehicle must remain smoke free even during any daily rest break taken by a driver in a sleeper cab.

Again it shows that even drivers in sleeper cabs cannot smoke in cab, even after hours. To read the RHA’s complete Summary Guide click the following link; http://www.rha.net/adviceandinfo/plonearticle.2007-06-28.4094792133  The guide also states; Who will inforce the regulations? Local authorities will enforce the new regulations and enforcement functions can be transferred between enforcement authorities.

Right although i’m not a smoker a lot of you other drivers are. So as a consequence it has been a matter of discussion especially as most of my friends are long distance and spend  4 or 5 nights away in a truck. Now, most are employed company drivers therefore the vehicles are insured for other drivers, even though the vehicle will only be home saturday or sunday.

To me this means that realistically one driver one truck, meaning the truck is in their possession and control all week, every week, with exception of servicing on a saturday morning. The driver uses the truck for work all day but after hours the truck becomes the drivers home, so this is where the question comes in; Is it or is it not illegal for the driver to smoke in the truck in the evenings or after the days work is done? Bearing in mind they would be allowed to smoke in their own bricks and mortar homes.

I’ve been trying to research into this and to be quite honest without a great deal of success., but I’m hoping i can add to this post as i can find more out. The following comes from the official Smoke-free Government regulations.

The Smoke-free (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007

2007 No. 765PUBLIC HEALTH, ENGLANDThe Smoke-free (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007

PART 3Vehicles Enclosed vehicles
     11. —(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, an enclosed vehicle and any enclosed part of a vehicle is smoke-free if it is used—
(b) in the course of paid or voluntary work by more than one person (even if those persons use the vehicle at different times, or only intermittently).

Right, this really is the only paragraph which i can find in the regulations that says anything relating to  the situation of one driver all the time except once in a very blue moon! I have highlighted the words to make a sentance for you (i hope). But by reading (b) over and over i think we can all say it is (Officially and on paper) illegal for a driver to smoke in his truck even if it is his home for the week (or more).  This is the official line. Sorry.

 The penalty for you naughty drivers for smoking in your truck is as follows; Smoking in smokefree premises or work vehicles: a fixed penalty notice of £50 (reduced to £30 if paid in 15 days) imposed on the person smoking. Or a maximum fine of £200 if prosecuted and convicted by a court.

Also for the operators of your truck if you are working for a company. The operator is responsible for stopping you smoking in your vehicle and also displaying no smoking signs in your truck. If they fail to do so they can be find £200!!!!! and they will have 29 days to cough up. Although it can be reduced to £150 if paid within 15 days.

I hope this gives some form of help but i take no responsibility for incorrect information, bla bla bla, you know what i mean. If you want the official quickquide please click here: http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/what-do-i-do/quick-guide.html