Commercial Fleet briefs: Latest industry news from Quartix, Microlise, Europcar, Renault Trucks, Welch Group and SureCam

Electric Mercedes-Benz eVito added to Europcar Vans & Trucks fleet

Europcar Vans and Trucks has added the Mercedes-Benz eVito to its fleet, with availability aligned to the ULEZ and other clean air zones around the UK.

Previously, Europcar launched a demo programme allowing businesses to trial the Mercedes-Benz eVito in real-world conditions for a few days or weeks.

Now the electric model is available as part of the main Europcar fleet which Keith Shorter, UK Vans and Trucks director believes will be crucial in getting more enterprises on board with electric motoring.

“Renting the eVito is the perfect solution to see how electric motoring could fit within their business model and practices,” he said.

“Consideration must be given to range and charging options before investing in any zero or low emissions vehicles and rental gives businesses an invaluable real-world test drive experience through which they can see what will work for their business.

“It also highlights what adaptations may need to be made to their current ways of working ahead of the 2035 deadline for petrol and diesel vehicle sales, when they will have to move to alternative fuelled vehicles.”

Quartix launches new connected dashcam

Quartix Technologies has launched its own connected dashcam solution into the growing market for video telematics, initially in the UK with plans to launch in the US later in 2024.

This service is deemed especially important to Quartix’s customers in the site-based services sector such as construction, electrical companies, housing associations and local councils.

Sean Maher, sales director at Quartix, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our UK customers this additional value-added service at a price which is aligned to our vehicle tracking service.”

Quartix continues to grow its core fleet business, witnessing a 13% increase in the vehicle subscription base, totalling 266,568 units.

The breakdown by region showcases substantial growth, with the UK, France, and new European territories leading the way.

Shortlist for Microlise Driver of the Year revealed

Microlise Group has announced the shortlisted commercial vehicle drivers for its annual Driver of the Year Awards.

The awards celebrate the most talented logistics drivers working in the UK transport industry, acknowledging the vital work they carry out, enhancing road safety, demonstrating best practice, and upholding the reputation of the logistics sector.

Developed in cooperation with the University of Nottingham, the awards fall into two groups: data-led awards based on telematics analysis; and awards by nomination in five categories.

Richard Smith, managing director of the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and member of this year’s judging panel, said: “Drivers do not only bear the responsibility for delivery and collection fulfilment.

They are also the front line in road safety, the customer’s face-to-face liaison, and ultimately an operator’s brand ambassador.

“By highlighting the best practice on this shortlist, we hope it will be shared and more widely adopted by other Drivers.”

The shortlist is as follows:

Short distance: Andrew Phillips, Tesco; Fraser Macalister, Co-op; Kevin Bullard, CCF Colchester.

Medium distance: Daniel Burns, Suttons Tankers, Widnes; Daniel King, Maritime Transport; David Rideout, Gist.

Long distance: David Staley, BSS Group; Marek Brodacki, Maritime Transport; Thomas West, Yodel

Compliant driver: Marlon Lessey, EV Cargo Downton; Mike Hewitt, Hovis; Richard Martin, Mark Thompson Transport.

Driver Excellence: Maritime Transport; Menzies Distribution; Yodel

Young driver of the year: Kamil Krakowiak, Stobart; Mohammed Khan, DPD UK; Natalie Thurlow, John Lewis Partnership.

Driver hero: Gordon Adair, Tennent Caledonian Brewers (C&C Grp); Wayne Paul Harrison, Euro Car Parts; Matt Pratt, Tesco Distribution. 

Extra mile: James Ross, Stobart; Richard Ford, Boughey Distribution; Terence Childs, John Lewis Partnership.

Lifetime achievement: James Kilbride, DPD UK; Philip Devonport, Hovis; Russell Gordon, Co-op

Most improved driver of the year: Jade Small, Waitrose; Jamie Dickinson, Menzies Distribution Solutions; Pietro Ricci, John Lewis Partnership

Winners in each category will be announced on March 18,  and the Group’s overall ‘Driver of the Year’ will be crowned the following day at the Microlise Transport Conference.

Multimodal Logistics selects Renault Trucks T480 High Turbo Compound

Felixstowe-based Multimodal Logistics has added five new T480 High Turbo Compound 6x2 tractor units to its fleet, the first for the container haulage operator.

Supplied by Renault Truck Commercials, the T480 High TC was chosen for its driver appeal and fuel-economy capability.

Equipped with Renault Trucks’ latest DE13 TC engine for optimum performance, the T480 Highs have been selected specifically to benchmark performance against a competitor’s model on the 56-strong fleet.

Tim Wray, managing director of Multimodal Logistics, said: “Our operation has witnessed substantial growth, doubling our fleet size since 2019. After running a competitor’s model during this period, we felt it opportune to explore other brands in the market to ensure that our trucks are delivering optimum performance to our business.”

The T480 High TCs have been secured on a 48-month contract, with maintenance carried out by Renault Truck Commercials in Felixstowe.

All new vehicles have been supplied with Renault Truck’s Optifleet fleet management system facilitating informed decision-making, reducing operating costs and monitoring real-time performance of both vehicles and drivers.

Welch Group joins zero-emission HGV consortium

The Welch Group has joined the eFreight 2030 consortium, part of the UK Government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstration (ZEHID) programme.

It aims to kickstart the uptake of zero emissions heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and is funded by the UK Government through Innovate UK.  

With heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) alone contributing 20% to all transport emissions across the UK, the project has been awarded £49.2 million in Government funding and will demonstrate how battery-electric HGVs can replace conventional HGVs at scale, using British technology.

It is also expected to unlock an expected £500m of private investment from consortium members in electric vehicles and charging hubs across the UK by 2030.

Led by Voltempo, the project will use next-generation HGVs from Renault Trucks, DAF and Scania, plus state-of-the-art British-designed 1MW charging technology. It will deliver around 32 megawatt charging hubs, providing the crucial infrastructure to help the haulage sector decarbonise. 

The eFreight 2030 consortium brings together some of the UK’s leading specialist logistics providers, alongside familiar High Street names and a number of leading hauliers, all seeking to lead the way in decarbonising their operations and business sectors. 

Jamie Sands, group operational support and systems manager, said: “We have already been trialling and exploring the feasibility of running these vehicles in an SME haulier’s operation and discovering how to make it work for our clients.

“We can put to the test these new systems in areas such as pallet network trunking and even tramping, once the infrastructure network is in place.”

Chairman of the eFreight 2030 consortium and former secretary-of-state for business, innovation and skills, Sir Vince Cable said: “We recognise that to create a greener and more sustainable future for road freight transport will require success in developing different zero-emission fuels and welcome the opportunity to demonstrate the contribution which EV technology can bring to bear.”

Work on the eFreight 2030 project began in early 2024 and will take five years to complete.

Middlegate Europe chooses SureCam video telematics

Middlegate Europe is targeting insurance, safety and efficiency improvements with a video telematics solution from SureCam.

The company has installed forward-facing dashcams on its UK fleet of over 40 HGVs to capture vital video evidence of driving incidents and gain access to advanced GPS tracking.

This will help Middlegate to safeguard drivers, vehicles and other road users, along with the reputation of the business.

“We needed a camera solution to effectively dispute liability and challenge 50/50 or false claims by providing complete visibility of what has taken place,” explained Ricky Gatrill, transport and operations manager at Middlegate Europe.

“The SureCam system, however, gives us so much more, meaning we can use it to influence driving behaviour and support the wellbeing of our team on the road.”

The forward-facing dashcam captures footage and supporting vehicle data for all collisions, near misses and harsh driving events, enabling Middlegate to better handle insurance claims, investigate complaints and improve driver performance.

The driver scoring feature is helping the company to alter behaviour by identifying those drivers that would benefit from engagement or training. Meanwhile, real-time tracking and live view allows Middlegate to check on the welfare of drivers and vehicles. 

Joshua Godfrey, national sales manager UK at SureCam, said: “We are partner of choice for a growing number of road transport operations, based on our ability to create industry-leading video telematics that improves safety, limits liability, reduces costs, and maximises performance. As a result, companies, such as Middlegate Europe, are using our technology solutions to protect their drivers and businesses, as well as the communities and customers they serve.”