New Launches
Show Report: CV Show 2012
What a cracking event the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show turned out to be, thanks in no small part to Ford… Read More
Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Long-Term Test 1
We has just taken delivery of a Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Club Cab for long-term appraisal… Read More
Ford Transit ECOnetic Brief Test
We’ve been putting a SWB 100hp 2.2TDi Euro 5 Transit 280 ECOnetic through its paces… Read More
Renault Kangoo ZE 2011 European Launch
Renault is at the forefront of manufacturers offering a mass produced factory-built electric van… Read More
Fuso Canter 2011 European Launch
Fuso has completely revamped its range of light and heavy truck Canter chassis and chassis crew cabs… Read More
Iveco Daily 2011 European Launch
Iveco has introduced new, latest generation diesels to its Daily range, along with detail changes inside and out… Read More
Ford Transit 2011 European Launch
Ford takes the iconic Transit to the next stage with an all-new range of 2.2-litre Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 UK Launch
VW’s large panel van has undergone a serious makeover with changes to the front-end styling and the cab interior, as well as new Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Ford Transit Connect Electric Brief Test
We spent a day with the battery-powered Connect to get a better idea of what it’s like to live with in its natural, urban environment. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL Brief Test
Currently undergoing trials with selected fleet customers in the UK, we managed to get behind the wheel of a battery-powered Vito E-CELL… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 European Launch
Volkswagen’s Crafter has undergone a midlife makeover and gets a new front-end along with new Euro 5 engines… Read More
O-Licensing coming to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland’s Environment Minister, Alex Attwood, has confirmed to the Freight Transport Association (FTA) that commercial vehicle Operator Licenses will be introduced from April. The scope for the new ‘O-licensing’ regime was passed in January 2010, but since then the FTA has been frustrated by a lack of progress.“In all our meetings with Alex Attwood — and, indeed, with previous Assembly ministers — we have put the need for an O-licensing regime for all truck operators right at the top of our agenda,” said Tom Wilson, head of policy for Northern Ireland at the FTA, following a meeting at Stormont. “We believe that through this we can significantly improve the safety standards of HGVs on Northern Ireland’s roads.
“The economic argument for O-licensing is also strong. If commercial vehicle owners were legally bound to make regular, preventative maintenance checks and drivers were properly trained to detect vehicle faults then this would reduce congestion resulting from vehicle breakdowns, improve air quality and reduce those indirect costs associated with unreliable deliveries and vehicle downtime.”