NEWS: EU Drivers Hours Relaxed 

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EU Drivers hours laws have been temporarily relaxed for drivers heading to Eurotunnel or Dover for a crossing to Calais. For the full release please click HERE.  Please read the following from The Department of Transport;

The industrial action at the Port of Calais and incidents at the Euro Tunnel terminal and Channel Tunnel has caused major disruption to cross-Channel commercial vehicle traffic through the Tunnel and to some ferry routes to and from Kent. This has resulted in Operation Stack being invoked on the M20.
The Department for Transport has, pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, agreed to a temporary and limited, exceptional relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules. The temporary relaxation applies only to drivers whose journeys are delayed due to the industrial action or disruption at Calais and who:

– have used a cross channel ferry or Eurotunnel to reach or leave Kent

– are waiting within Kent for departure to mainland Europe

– are driving a commercial vehicle operated from an operating centre in Kent and whose journey has been disrupted

This relaxation is not available for other commercial vehicle drivers in Kent and is not available for international journeys that do not pass through Kent.

This temporary relaxation applies from 00:01 on Thursday 30 July 2015 and will run for a period of 30 days at the times when Operation Stack is in place. Up to date information on the status of Operation Stack is available from Kent Police and Highways England.

The department reserves the right to withdraw or suspend the relaxation earlier if circumstances change. This relaxation is under constant review and may be withdrawn or suspended with less than 24 hours’ notice.

Oldest DAF in The UK??

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Finally something DAF on the blog! It’s been a while since the last DAF blog and I have to say that I don’t really have any excuses so I apologise.  It brought a wee small smile to my face when I received a request from DAF Trucks UK to help promote a search they are running, how could I refuse?! 

What DAF UK are trying to do is to find the the oldest DAF truck still on the road in the UK. It doesn’t matter if it’s working or not, but it does have to be road going, i.e. still as to move on the road under its own power. A simple request and I’m sure that some of you can respond and some of you will know some good old DAF trucks that are still turning a wheel. As it goes I’m quite keen to see the results myself so I hope, you my dear readers, will come up with some real gems. As I said it doesn’t matter if it’s a worker or not, DAF UK want to see your old girls please. 

You can tweet me @truckbloguk or @DAFTrucksUK and send your pics that way or you can post your pics up. Probably a good idea to put a manufacture or first reg date on if you can. Alternatively you can post your pics on DAF UK’s Facebook page or again you can post them on the Truckblog FB page. Which ever way you want to share you beloved old DAF please use the hash tags #DAF #Goingthedistance #truck

I look forward to seeing what turns up and as and when DAF UK have completed their search I hope to do a write up with the results. 

  

Quiz Time: Guess the Permit

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A man after my own heart, Jonathan Campbell of Essex. A man with a 15 ton Mercedes-Benz Atego, that probably gets around Europe more than most of the rest. Recently covering Ireland, Turkey and Greece to name a few. With a good size box body, good customer contacts and years of European experience Mr Campbell is the man that can. The Atego has had a few additions recently in the way of auxiliary roof cooler and a tidy Kelsa light bar. 

  

I’m pleased to say Jonathan is one of the “lucky” few who are sporting a Truckblog sticker on his motor and as you can see the sticker is in good company. As it goes that sticker is the only one I’ve genuinely seen on the move. Spotted late one evening on the M25 coming back into Essex from Dartford, I have to say I was quite chuffed, the kids got excited and the wife didn’t care a less! Anyway I digress. 

As you can see the Atego is sporting a slightly rare sticker, a P30 Permit sticker to be exact. Not one I had come across before, although I now remember I did have to quote a job in my days at HC Wilson that would have required the same permits. Here’s the question;

Where abouts was Jonathan when he took these photos, that required him to have the P30 permit? No Googling the answer!!!

Has anyone else got a photo of a P30 permit on their truck??

  

Info Required Please….

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Anyone recognise this Scania jacket?? The owner of said jacket in New Zealand, yep New Zealand, is keen to learn a little more. I have to say I’ve not seen one like that before but I’m surprised Scania haven’t either! I’m sure their was a 1 series Scania jacket with pictures inside. Have a read of Matt Skinners email; 

“I am just wondering if you or your members would be able to help me. I have an old Scania Jacket which was given to me many years ago by a friend as a gift when I moved overseas. I believe he got it when he bought a new truck, as long as I knew him he was an owner driver. I would love to know more about it. It has never been worn. I have emailed Scania but they tell me they have no one there who would have worked there back then so can’t give me any information about it. I have attached a couple of pictures, it has the most amazing lining.”

  

From what I can see it’s a 2 Series jacket and I’m sorry but how arrogant can Scania be?! Why is it Scania still take no interest in their fans or the very heritage that has got them the name and reputation they have today? I think if they keep going as they seem to be they will be in danger of damaging that hard earned name. Any way can anyone shed any light on the jacket? I’m guessing it was a rather superior drivers jacket. Answers on a postcard or leave a comment below. Thank you. 

  

Mini Artic – Atego

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It’s been a while since I did a bit on the delight that is a mini artic and I have a fairly valid excuse to do so, well three excuses. First one being its my blog and I can write what I like! Second isn’t quite so playground, I found this gorgeous little 7.5 ton Mercedes-Benz Atego up for sale. A while back I didn’t a number of blogs on mini artics as we were trying to confirm what the combination weights would be. This particular dealer obviously decided it would be a good idea to stick up a photo of the weight plate as I can only assume that he knew he’d get asked by many what the max weight was. Well as the plate below confirms, the Atego has a permissible maximum weight of 7,490 as expected. The permissable  combination weight states a total weight of tractor, trailer and load of 18,725kg. I think that’s fairly decent? Even if you said 4 ton max for the weight of the tractor, the trailer won’t be more than 2 / 2.5 ton so you have the potential for a payload of around 12 ton, now your talking!  

As you can see this little Atego has all the bells and whistles including twin bunks, air horns, shiny wheels and clearly a keen ex driver as there is nearly a shiny fuel tank too. I have a couple of exoctic plans for my mini artic career. The plausible idea would be to work for one of the car carrying companies. A twin car trailer with sloping floor, side doors and a small fridge motor to keep a constant temperature for those that need it or a load of race tyres. Even with a decent spec trailer, 2 big cars at 4 ton a piece would still be achievable. The other idea, not so plausible, would be to get a single steering axle, extendable flatbed to move around over length things, ideally sailing boat and ship masts to all the posh marina destinations across Europe – keep dreaming that’s what I say!!

 
My third and final reason for doing a bit on mini artics is because I came across one of the German companies who build a lot of mini artic trailers. The company is called Eisel and along with normal trailers they appear to be quite the people to see for your minisattel requirements. Whether it’s a flat or a box what they manufacture appears to be of typical decent German build quality.  

   
I’ve still not checked Friday’s Euromillions ticket, you never know I might be off to Germany by the end of week to order up the dream machine. I know mini artics aren’t quite the same as their bigger brothers but as Mrs Blog says, size doesn’t matter it’s what you do with it that counts! Down to Eisel Nutzfahr Zeuge to get the flatbed and the box on order it is then, you have to agree the box van below does look pretty dam smart and all the more appealing now we know the payload potential.