This week in Diesel News we are talking about Trailer Maker Boss, Linfox Caravan, Long Combinations and Electric Trucks, including a number of new developments in Germany.
MaxiTrans has announced the appointment of Dean Jenkins as the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
“Dean has over 20 years’ executive experience in managing transport and manufacturing businesses,” said Robert Wylie, MaxiTrans Chairman. “He has a strong track record of successfully leading large, complex and truly global companies, driving change and improvement throughout his career.”
Jenkins was previously CEO and Executive Director of Engineering Business the Weir Group, CEO of rolling stock supplier and maintainer UGL Rail, and he spent 11 years in senior leadership roles with Qantas.
A caravan that has been professionally refurbished by Envision Employment Work for the Dole participants will be transported in-kind by Linfox to the remote Wugularr Aboriginal School in the Northern Territory this week.
The ‘Caravan of Goodwill’ will provide much needed accommodation for Allied Health professionals, teachers and other professionals visiting the remote school. The Work for the Dole participants were sponsored by Job Prospects and funded by the Australian Government Department of Employment.
Daimler have announced the surprise and immediate resignation of the global truck maker’s commercial vehicle’s chief, Wolfgang Bernhard. He is rumoured to have upset union interests in Germany, which hampered an expected promotion within Daimler. In an official statement Bernhard is said to be leaving for personal reasons, but he was relieved of all duties immediately.
Elsewhere in Germany, the government decided to allow extra-long vehicle combinations (known as Lang-Lkw) on a restricted road network. These trucks are 25.25m long with a GCM of 40 tonnes or 44 tonnes if used in intermodal transport.
Combinations at this length are already running in The Netherlands and Scandinavia, but at a 60 tonnes GCM. If these trucks need to travel through Germany, they will be limited to the 40 tonnes GCM.
The government in Germany is also extended a trial with the Big-Maxx trailers. These are allowed to run at a vehicle combination length of 17.80m instead of the 16.50m normally mandated in Europe.
In even more news from Germany, Mercedes Benz have reported a positive reaction to the electric trucks from customers in different sectors in Germany and throughout Europe. The Urban eTruck runs at 25 tonnes GVM with a range of up to 200 km.
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“Following the world premiere in September 2016 at the International Commercial Vehicle Show the customer reaction was outstanding,” said Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks. “We are currently talking to around 20 potential customers from the disposal, foodstuffs and logistics sector. With the small series we are now rapidly taking the next step towards a series product.”