CATEGORIES
Join Our Convoy!
Convoy in the Park is taking place on 22-23 July at Donington Park and over the next four pages we will preview what you can expect at the festival we’re billing as the ultimate celebration of trucks and drivers!
Moving Memorial
‘Ghost Rider’, now owned by Charlie Doyle, is a fitting tribute by Tor Trucks boss Shane Brereton to the late, great Martin Phippard, a true truck-loving legend
Up The Junction
Junction 29 in Chesterfield has won awards in recent years and its management is constantly working to ensure that its standards are maintained and improved
The 50-Mile Challenge
It’s tough for some… an annual event since 1962, the HCVS London to Brighton Run brings out (180 this year) the best of the country’s classic commercial vehicles
Drivers Barred Quarry Entry Without Skills Card
Many experiencing a ‘no card, no load’ position in a hard line to tackle fraud.
Vintage Whines
All the pre-launch excitement was tempered when Daf’s ‘New Generation’ heavy trucks were unveiled but, luckily, the changes are more than skin deep. Like fine wines, the CF and XF just keep getting better with age.
Pass Master
Want to learn to drive a truck? At Convoy in the Park you can sample one of the hardest parts of the driving test: the reverse manoeuvre. Here’s how George Barrow got on with his C licence training, courtesy Scania.
Miniature Marvels
Diecast models of trucks used to be collected by children, but the models Search Impex sell are anything but toys – and there is no shortage of haulage companies and adult collectors willing to snap them up.
A Shining Example
More often than not drivers are treated with indifference verging on rudeness when they visit firms and offices but, says Lucy Radley, there is one dealership that stands head and shoulders above the rest.
The Generation Game
Convoy in the Park was first and foremost about families, just as all good truck shows used to be, and transport is full of family companies and drivers inspired by a parent. We talk to three families to find out how it started for them
Building For The Future
Although The New Hollies is one of the oldest truckstops in the country, it is striving to keep up with the times by making a major investment to upgrade the facilities.
Over 3400 Bridges Not Fit For HGVs
Nearly 3500 council-maintained road bridges in Britain are sub-standard and not fit to carry the heaviest vehicles – trucks up to 44 tonnes – yet many will not be repaired, according to figures.
Finding The Attraction
The number of female truckers in the UK remains stuck at about 1% – and if this is to change significantly, the issues affecting all truck drivers need to be addressed
Pulling Power
Welcome to our section devoted exclusively to your contributions. This is the place if you have any pictures you want to share. Anything from weddings to funerals, children to dogs, truck shows to road runs, amusing or serious, we would love to see them. If it’s your favourite shunter or your child’s drawing, send them in. The only rule is that they should be truck related. Please email your contributions to dan.parton@roadtransport.com or post them to Your Place, Truck & Driver, DVV Media International, Sixth Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton SM1 1JB
The Wrong Trousers
At 40-plus, Matt’s about to become a grown-up and wear long ‘pants’ – he is off to work for Volvo Trucks Australia
Bump-Y Ride
Our driver’s tale this month is about a situation likely to become less unusual as more women become truck drivers, but hopefully that will also mean it will be better dealt with by the companies concerned
Special Swede
Motward’s 40th anniversary truck was always to be a tribute to the Tolhurst family who founded and ran the company, but tragic circumstances have conspired to make the FH even more special.
artful dodger
class 1 driver alan smallwood has taken another sharp turn in his career and fulfilled his ambition to become an airbrush artist. he explains to t&d the creative process.
Snow Go Area
How do artic and tipper versions of the Scania family handle in tricky conditions? We sent our man to Norway to put them to the test and to pick up winter driving tips
Ticked Off
A couple of Macks can now be removed from Matt’s test drive bucket list, leading to pangs of guilt about his job…
Cutting Edge
Although its white and pink livery always sets the Joe Sharp fleet apart, Joe’s 17-registration Volvo FH500 with its Suicide Squad blockbuster-inspired artwork is a real head-turner
Kent Council Survey Highlights Parking Crisis
Almost 1000 UK and foreign registered HGVs are parking along slip-roads and laybys in Kent every night as the county struggles to provide secure sites for lorries away from the road network.
Testing Times
Edward Hardy, on a quest to quit an office job in order to fulfil a lifelong ambition to become a professional driver (August T&D), shares his thoughts on HGV driver training
Pipe Dreams
Full of the Pipe is now one of the biggest truck shows in Ireland since its debut in 2010. On 10-11 June, some spectacular trucks came from across Ireland & Europe
Tough Action Taken By Traffic Commissioners On Tailgating
In addition to punishment by the courts, tailgating N R Parsons drivers have been handed long professional driving bans
Want To Be Your Own Boss?
Setting yourself up as an owner-driver is the easy part; the tricky bits are turning a profit and staying legal. Here, we pick a path through the road haulage minefield
We've got it covered
If the previous five parts of our series on customising your truck haven’t included your specific requirements, you should find what you want here in our final feature
The Quiet Italian
Although a new cab is in development, Iveco has launched what it describes as the most efficient truck the market has ever seen. But have fuel-saving improvements negatively affected driveability?
In For The Long Haul
Volvo is making a comeback to the gas-powered truck market, but does the driving performance compare favourably to its diesel offerings?
Scania R500 / TransPower (Scotland)
It might look every bit the show truck, but David Donaldson’s Next Generation Scania R500 was built for function and productivity. T&D heads to an Aberdeenshire forest to find out why