Tachoblog

Being a blog, Tachoblog likes most things internet related, so the news thatVolkswagen Commercial Vehicles has introduced Van Mail – a new electronic newsletter – was right up our street.

The newsletter is designed to give owners and potential customers an insight into all the latest news, exclusive offers and competitions from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Van Mail will be issued four times a year, the first issue launched this week features the chance to win a VIP tour of the Red Bull Racing factory, who have a fleet of Volkswagen vans working hard delivering parts for testing and racing.

Click below for more and how you can subscribe…

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So, you’ve got not one but two oil platforms that you want moving from Louisiana to Alaska.  As you might have already thought, they’re neither light (weighing 4,000 and 3,500 tonnes respectively) nor small so moving them, whole, by road perhaps isn’t the option you’d go for.  But if you’re heavy-haulage trailer specialists Goldhofer and US transport specialists Berard Transportation, then not even this Herculean task is a problem.

The platforms will underpin the billion-dollar Nikaitchuq Development Project in Alaska. Transporting them from Berard Transportation’s base in New Iberia, Louisiana to their shipping dock was no small feat in trailer technology to accomplish – which is why the American company called on Goldhofer for help.

Click below to find out how they did it…

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Our last View From The Cab for August, Tachoblog can’t believe that it’ll already be September next week, where has this year gone?  Anyway, once again we’re grateful to the Tachoblog Tribe who’ve sent in what they’ve seen so you can see it too.

This week, apart from one quick return trip, we’re taking you all around the world from the UK to America, New Zealand and Germany.  That’s a lot of ground to cover so let’s get started.

We begin in England with TruckDrivercouk who sent this View from the A19 near Thirsk in North Yorkshire.

Click below for the rest of this week’s Views…

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Expert scientists who advise Scottish firefighters at the scenes of major contaminations have a new mobile base, in the shape of a very special Mercedes-Benz truck.

The 15-tonne Atego 1524 Environmental Protection Unit was delivered to Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Service by Bellshill dealer Western Commercial and is purpose-designed to assist at CBRN – Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear – incidents.

Its bespoke body is by Cebotec, of Falkirk, and split into two compartments: one is a state-of-the-art laboratory kitted out with an array of high-tech instruments and computers; the other serves as a command and communications centre. Both are also equipped with internal and external CCTV cameras.

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Utilising the Ford Transit panel van, the Ashwoods Hybrid Transit delivers a reduction in fuel consumption of 15-25 per cent, depending on the vehicle drive cycle.  Sounds good says Tachoblog, tell us more…

The system, which can be fitted to a Transit in less than four hours, recovers the kinetic energy usually wasted through braking or deceleration. A lithium-ion battery stores the recovered energy and a high efficiency electric motor delivers it to the wheels.

Click below for more and where you can see the Ashwood Transit for yourself…

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Despite their worldwide appeal, Isuzu Trucks aren’t as big (yet!) here in the UK.  So getting one of their vehicles into a fleet that previously had none is a good thing for the company.  Better still, the new Isuzu is impressing as much as the company themselves did.

TWT Logistics operates a diverse fleet of 80 plus vehicles and 150 trailers to meet the needs of its customer base, however recently the Mid Glamorgan based company took delivery of its first ever Isuzu truck to work on pallet deliveries as part of the group’s pallet distribution network.

Click below for the whole story…

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As a manufacturer of medium to heavy duty trucks in the 5 through 8 Class, Peterbilt Motors Co. has developed a name for reliable low-maintenance custom trucks. We are going to take a look at the history of Peterbilt trucks, so you can understand how this company has developed over time.

Before Peterbilt

The original motor company that was bought by T.A. Peterman went by the name of Fageol Motors Co. As happened to many businesses during the Great Depression, Fageol Motors succumbed to bankruptcy due to the hurt economy. Before this occurred they had produced luxury buses and heavy duty trucks that were rugged and dependable. After the bankruptcy the company was run by the Central Bank of Oakland and the Waukesha Motor Co. until TA Peterman purchased it so that he could build trucks for his lumber and logging operations.

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Mercedes-Benz have just released details of the Actros Edition Black Liner and White Liner – the most exclusive and attractive form of star-branded long-distance truck.

According to the company these limited edition Actros (what is the plural of Actros..Actross, Actroses?) are ‘on the outside perfectly attired, from the metallic paintwork to the decorative stripe, and inside perfectly equipped, from special leather seats to Active Brake Assist, the new Mercedes-Benz Actros Edition showcases the brand.

Click below for the full specification…

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Thanks, as always to the good folk at the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Tachoblog can bring you a roundup of Commercial Vehicle news for this week…

Trailer height limit on the horizon

Transport News Brief has learned that bureaucrats in Brussels may limit heights to four metres.  The idea comes from the European Commission and would include a four metre height limit in the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval parameters for trailers and semi-trailers.  It could affect all vehicles built and sold across the EU.  Detailed plans are expected to be published before September.  “If this makes its way onto the statute book it will limit high cubic capacity double-deck and hump-backed trailers,” said Robin Dickeson, manager, commercial vehicle affairs at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.  This could push up costs, as some operators would need more trailers to for a job than they use today.  “Expect anguish.”

More from Robin Dickeson on +44 (0)2 073 449 222 or rdickeson@smmt.co.uk

Click below for the rest of the roundup…

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The Race Touareg 2, twice winner in 2009 and 2010 of the gruelling Dakar Rally and the first diesel-powered vehicle ever to win the event has been replaced by Volkswagen.  Can you guess what they’ve called it?

Yes, the new car’s called the Race Touareg 3 and promises to be faster and more efficient while retaining the immense strength and durability of the outgoing car.

Click below for all of the details…

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