Fleet briefs: Latest from Lynk and Co, Renault Trucks, Veolia, Heathline Commercials, Wren Kitchens, Southern Cranes, Vic Young and Trustd

What3words adopted by Lynk and Co

Lynk and Co has announced that it will adopt location technology What3words to the navigation systems of its European fleet.

The deal comes as Lynk and Co rolls out its mobility membership scheme in Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and Belgium. The company planning to open in London early next year.

David Green, chief technology officer at Lynk and Co, said: "We see a future where people are moving seamlessly between mobility solutions. This smooth move requires a digital-first approach to addressing.

"Our collaboration with What3words is heading in exactly this direction; inputting incredibly accurate locations in a simple way opens an entire new world of experiences for our members.

“For this reason, we will further expand our cooperation with What3words in the future and develop new fields of application."

What3words gives every three-metre square has a unique combination of three random words: a What3words address.

The technology is available in 54 languages to date, including English, French, German, and Swedish. 

Chris Sheldrick, CEO and co-founder of What3words, said: “ By adopting What3words, Lynk and Co will create a new way for users to effortlessly explore some of the most exciting cities in the world.”

What3words’ technology has been adopted by global car companies, logistics providers and mobility apps, including Mercedes-Benz, Tata Motors, Lotus,  Addison Lee, Evri (formerly Hermes) and Cabify.

Renault Trucks opens an e-learning platform for decarbonisation

Renault Trucks has launched the "Decarbonisation Academy": a free e-learning platform open to everyone.

It aims to provide answers to the main questions asked by professionals, to help them think strategically and plan the transformation of their business with confidence.

Renault Trucks has drawn on its expertise and the knowledge it gathers daily from its customers in the field to create the content, thereby answering the most frequently asked questions.

The manufacturer says it has listened to the doubts expressed by hauliers who are reluctant to make the shift and has gathered testimonies from those who have encountered difficulties and have managed to overcome them.

Each course consists of several modules and is designed to be completed in under thirty minutes.

Four courses are already online, including an introduction to decarbonisation, which gives an overview of the decarbonisation of road freight transport, including a comparison of alternative energies versus diesel.

There is a course dedicated to electric trucks, which gives an insight into how they work and the positive impact they have on working conditions and quality of life. This course also looks at the introduction of low emission zones.

There is a further course specifically devoted to lithium-ion batteries, which answers questions about their range, life span, the minerals used and recycling.

On completing the course, participants can test their knowledge by taking a quiz and read additional articles on the subject. A certificate is issued at the end of the course.

The "Decarbonisation Academy" is available in French and English and will be regularly updated with new content.

Veolia helps Haringey Council decarbonise its collections and streets fleet

Haringey Council and its environmental partner Veolia are working towards a zero-carbon future by gradually decarbonising its collections and streets fleet.

In Haringey, it has recently trialled an electric refuse collection vehicle, as well as an e-bike to make bag collections, and three fully electric vans for various duties across the borough.

The Veolia Watermead Way Depot in Tottenham has several electric charging points within its site and there are also public charging points just outside which can also be used by residents to charge their own vehicles.

By popularising e-vehicles, Veolia hopes to enhance the ‘green’ community spirit in Haringey and become a driving force to fight climate change on a local level.

Paul Peters, senior contracts manager for Veolia Haringey, said: "It is important for us to explore different ways of reducing the impact of our operations on the local Haringey environment.

“Trialling and testing these vehicles plays a vital role in helping us determine the most efficient and cost-effective ways of delivering sustainable services to Haringey residents on behalf of Haringey Council."

Heathline Commercials receives boost from BPW accreditation

Independent vehicle servicing and repair firm Heathline Commercials has become a service centre for axle and suspension system manufacturer BPW.

Following its accreditation as a BPW maintenance provider and service station, the Cramlington-based business is now working with a major regional fleet operator as part of its long-term maintenance programme involving trailer axles.

The family-run business hopes to secure further work as a result of becoming part of the BPW network by offering a streamlined service that reduces vehicle downtime.

Two of its technicians underwent product specific training and Leicester-based BPW assessed its 6,000 sq. ft workshop to confirm that it is equipped with specialist diagnostics and maintenance tools and holds a comprehensive range of spare parts.

Heathline Commercials is now able to display the BPW logo and will continue to undergo regular audits to ensure it meets strict operating standards.

Gavin Cape, its engineering director, said: “We are proud to join BPW’s national network of service providers and this accreditation is testament to our commitment to delivering a professional quality service.

“BPW is Europe’s leading manufacture of axles and suspension systems so it’s no surprise that we are already benefitting from the partnership in terms of gaining new business.”

The business specialises in the servicing and repair of commercial vehicles, MOT preparation and inspections to DVSA standard, and is one of the North East’s leading centres for tachograph repairs and calibration.

It also provides breakdown services, minor body repairs and carries an extensive range of spares for all makes of truck, trailer, bus, van and horsebox.

New verification app to help compliance in transport and logistics launched

A business ID and credentials app called Trustd has been launched to help compliance in transport and logistics.

Trustd CEO and founder, Lyall Cresswell,  who is also CEO of the Transport Exchange Group, says Trustd functions as a single source of truth for verification and risk management.  

The tech enables third-party logistics, carriers and drivers to minimise risk and maximise compliance, from onboarding right through the lifetime of that relationship, and even at the individual transaction level, where required, explained Cresswell.

The app forms a central hub, where business profiles are stored and shared between organisations, with each notified of any status changes.

Cresswell said: “We’re offering a much-needed, innovative business ID solution to a fragmented market.

“Notably, that market is operating within a layered platform economy where trust frequently breaks down, and the sheer number of organisations operating make it inherently complex.

“Unfortunately, this situation creates conditions where threats to the supply chain - like fraud and cargo theft - can thrive.

“Our mission is to harness advanced electronic ID verification technology to provide users with confidence and certainty in all aspects of their business.” 

Trustd is already used by the Transport Exchange Group, with nearly 8,500 verified entities registered to date, and more advanced functionality for the app in the pipeline.

Vic Young converts Renault Zoe to all-electric courier van

Vic Young has converted a Renault Zoe into an all-electric courier van with a 195-mile range.

The full flat floor loading area complete with an impact tested bulkhead provides space and security for goods being transported.

There is also a robust, removeable shelf in the storage area and an additional compartment which is accessible by a lift-up hatch.

Everything forward of the bulkhead is exactly the same as the regular Zoe car.

Vic Young, managing director at Vic Young Ltd, said: “I am incredibly proud of our fleet of electric commercial vehicles and I am optimistic about this country’s green automotive future.

“Our Renault Zoe van will help more companies go green and I believe pharmacies in particular will benefit from this vehicle.”

Fitted with a 52kWh battery, the real-world range of this conversion is 195 miles.

Vic Young (South Shields) currently has a stock of nearly new models of the Renault Zoe courier van priced at £18,950 +VAT available for sale.

Southern Cranes fits new integrated camera telematics

Southern Cranes and Access is targeting fleet efficiency and productivity improvements after introducing a new integrated camera telematics solution.

The Sussex-based crane hire and powered access specialist has rolled out Webfleet, together with Mantis Live cameras, across its 91-strong mixed fleet of vans, cranes and heavy haulage transport.

Southern Cranes worked closely with AES Fleet, an official Webfleet partner, to deploy the solution.

“We wanted to ensure we had the best tech infrastructure to support our commitment to our value proposition of reliable, flexible and efficient customer service standards,” said transport manager, Tony Flegg.

“The introduction of the Webfleet platform has enabled us to streamline and enrich our digital fleet management capabilities, and we are already realising significant productivity and cost-efficiency gains.”

Notably, vehicle downtime and administration has been reduced with Webfleet Tachoshare enabling tachograph data to be remotely downloaded from the company’s HGVs and shared directly with FTA Vision software for analysis.

The fully connected vehicle camera system has offered greater asset visibility and security, with cranes often out on site for weeks at a time.

Wren Kitchens uses Truckfile data to ensure faster fault-fixing

Wren Kitchens saw a massive increase in defect reporting – and a corresponding improvement in the speed of fault rectification – as a result of using the Truckfile Driver App.

Wren, based in Barton-upon-Humber, North Lincolnshire, has been using Truckfile since 2021. Latest figures show that following an initial leap in recording efficiency, gains have continued to rack up.

More defects are being reported and more of the faults identified are being fixed faster than ever before, confirmed national fleet manager Lee Thompson-Halls, who is responsible for a fleet of 351 trucks and 144 trailers nationwide.

“In 2021, for the first two weeks of March we had 17 defects reported,” he said. “By 2022, with our drivers using Truckfile, we had 360 issues identified in the same period. This year the corresponding time window has seen more than 700 deficiencies flagged up.

“To be clear, that’s not because more is going wrong with our vehicles. It’s because Truckfile has helped us tighten the net so that flaws are not slipping through unnoticed.”

He explained: “Last year 56% of faults identified were rectified during the same working day, and 82% inside 24 hours. This year those figures rose to 66% and 94%, respectively. Crucially, addressing these potential problems sooner translates into a noticeable reduction in downtime.”

The change is attributed to Wren’s use of Truckfile for daily driver checks, backed by training to help staff understand how the system works and the benefits it can offer.

Drivers now use the app, on their smartphones or a tablet device, to complete their ‘walk-around’ each morning. Any faults can be logged quickly and easily, backed up with photographs or even video.