The Automotive Blog

Trailer Pallet Truck

Lee Lock Secures A Load As VOSA makes load security a top issue! Load security is one of the top issues when Paul Walker, VOSA’s Industry Liaison Manager, talks to Operators and Drivers across the country.

Paul says: ”During my meetings with the road haulage sector I am often asked about load safety. I always underline the importance of the driver walk around check to ensure that the load is safe and secure. If there are any doubts, you should not drive the vehicle until you are satisfied that it is safe.” “We want hauliers to go safely about their business without interruption. But if you are stopped by VOSA enforcement officers and there are concerns about load security then we will take robust action.” “Unsafe loads are a risk to all road users, so I would strongly urge operators and drivers to make time for the driver walk around check.” Make sure your load is safe All drivers of goods carrying commercial vehicles have a legal responsibility to ensure the load is secure to the vehicle. As part of the driver daily walk round check the load security should be checked as a matter of course. Even when a driver collects a pre-loaded vehicle they are responsible for making sure the load is secure. Ask yourself if: · the load can slide or topple forward or back? · the load can slide or topple off the side? · the load is unstable? · the load securing equipment is in good condition? · there is anything loose that might fall off the load or vehicle? · the load security or stability presents an immediate risk of injury? If the answer to any of these questions is yes or you have any doubt, then reconsider the securing of the load to the vehicle. These are the type of questions VOSA enforcement officers will ask themselves when assessing the load security of your vehicle. So for those that carry a Pallet Truck the need to secure it professionally has never been more prevalent.

Pallet Truck Lock Lee Lock is designed to lock the pallet truck in place at all times, hence reducing any chance of the truck slamming into other pallets, slashing the curtain side and as the pallet truck slots into the lock there’s no chance of moving or falling from a trailer.

aide automotive have seen more an more companies review the Lock in the last few months, with the ideal time to fit the lock at a trailer build many companies use a body builder to add the Pallet Truck Lock to a trailer or rigid truck. You can read more by clicking on Pallet Truck Lock.

Lee Lock secures Pallets whilst in transit

Transport Operator’s annual Brake Testing feature in Truck & Bus Product Focus went out on 6th Of March this year.

With three Brake Testing Product adverts added by aide automotive, the email focus is am ideal marketing platform for transport related products.

Truck & Bus Product Focus is live and online for a full 12 months. Now having an 11,500 email database compared to 7,500 when we launched. Truck & Bus Product Focus is achieving an average open rate of 22.3%. The average for business to business is 5%-15%.
Our average click thru rate to company websites is 107 clicks per entry, which again is above average for business to business.

aide automotive advertised the BrakeCheck portable brake tester, approved by VOSA for many vehicles; in the commercial sector VOSA accept BrakeCheck for testing all commercial type vehicles on every inspection.

Also advertised under the focus as the EBS/ABS Sensor Master. Easy truck & trailer brake faults repaired with this excellent cost effective tester.

Finally Trailer Brake Testing using the TrailerCheck product range, testing of the ABS or EBS CAN Lines of a trailer.

You can see the Product Focus by clicking on Brake Testers.

Contact aide automotive to review and price any of our brake testing products.

Brake Tester Using Brake Efficiency to Report On Truck Brakes

Trailer Management Using VOR Trailer Locks

Europa Logistics Order Trailer Air Coil Red Line Locks from aide automotive

Europa Worldwide Logistics is one of the largest privately owned Transport and Logistics companies in the United Kingdom, delivering cost-effective freight solutions since 1966.

With a strong presence in 100 countries across six continents, plus an unrivaled land service to the whole of Western and Eastern Europe. Employing over 400 people in the UK and operating over 475 scheduled departures per week, Europa delivers over 500,000 consignments a year across 30 European and Scandinavian countries.

When Europa Logistics required a system to prevent unauthorised trailer movement Craig Roberts scouted the world web and locating supplier aide automotive ltd.

Purchasing 6 Trailer Air Coil Locks from aide automotive Europa Logistics now can implement a system to keep trailer management for VOR or loading.

The Trailer Air Coil Trailer Lock is a simple to fit trailer movement deterrent made from stainless steel incorporating an integrated lock. The Trailer Air Coil lock unit provides a key protected barrier to prevent coupling and restrict unauthorised trailer movement.

Benefits
Prevents unauthorized trailer movements
Easy to apply and remove with key control
Robust stainless steel manufacture
Fits most standard trailer formats
Individual or keyed alike variations

Trailer VOR Locks provide both an easy visual with physical barrier indication against the movement of trailers particularly for yard management of the trailer fleet. Its ease to operate and install onto the trailer coupling provides a quick, clean method to protect VOR (vehicle off road) trailers from unauthorised movement particularly when maintenance issues are at stake. It also provides a very simple and cost effect deterrent against opportunistic theft.

Call 0115 8456471 Or Click on www.aideautomotive.com

VOR Trailer Lock – VOR Lock

Protect From Truck Fuel Theft

As Thieves Steal Fuel From Lorries Parked in Rotherham

Lorry drivers in South Yorkshire are being urged to be on their guard against thieves stealing fuel.

Diesel worth more than £1,000 was stolen from lorries parked at an industrial estate on Meadow Way, Swinton, Rotherham, while drivers slept overnight on Sunday into Monday.

Another lorry, parked at Kilnhurst Road, Rawmarsh, was also targeted between 6pm on Sunday and 3.25am on Monday.

Police said the driver of that lorry heard a noise at the back of his vehicle and climbed out of the cab to find a siphoning hose near the tank.

Protecting Truck Fuel Tanks can be as simple as fitting an Anti Siphon Device, anti siphon devices are simple to fit, taking no more than a few minutes, with no drilling or gluing to a fuel tank.

TP Anti Syph can be fitted to all types of tank: bayonet, screw type & bus /coach.

Truck Manufacturers include, Volvo, MAN, DAF, Iveco, Scania, Renault, Foden, Hino & Mercedes.

Also contact aide automotive to discuss Fuel Protection with Anti Siphon Devices or Tank Fuel Theft Alarms.

Click on Truck Diesel Theft to enquire via email.

Call 0115 8456471 to talk to aide automotive now!

TP Anti Syphon Devices fits into the neck of a bus and coaches with clip caps and to coaches with the standard bayonet cap.

With fuel theft a growing problem, many bus and coach operators are now taking pro-active steps to prevent them from becoming victims of a crime that is already costing millions of pounds a year.

Following a speight of fuel siphon thefts over Christmas and New year Moffat & Willamson a company with 65 years experience in the coaching industry decided to protect against fuel theft by fitting anti siphons.

Moffat & Williamson Limited was formed by the amalgamation of James Moffat & Sons of Cardenden and Williamsons of Gauldry.

The two companies, founded in 1945 joined forces in 1978 to operate from offices in Gauldry & Glenrothes in Fife.

Relatively easy to fit Anti Syphon Devices are a payback investment against stolen diesel fuel.

To review how Anti Fuel Theft Products like Anti Siphon Devices can help your business, contact aide automotive on 0115 8456471.

JM Carpentry in Nottinghamshire installed Dash Cams to all vans following a trial by the owner.

Dash Cams provides invaluable evidence when defending staged accidents or incidents involving third parties and significantly reduces the amount of management time required in investigating such events.

Mr Morris sated “We looked at options of reducing costs and vehicles were sounded out as being a sector we could save money, We decided to trial a incident camera to see if vehicle damage could be reduced. We found that vehicle damage by our drivers may well be reduced as well as third party claims, these issues can be concluded quickly for blame. Also as the business owner I kept hearing about corporate manslaughter, with this concerning me I believe Dash Cams integrated correctly can help owners like myself to conform. Thanks to aide automotive for advise, support and service!”

On Board recording cameras are becoming an essential tool in vehicle incident evidence for vehicle operating companies.

Ideal for all applications such as Truck & Bus/Coach operators, Law Enforcement, Hauliers, Taxi, Private Cars and much more.

To review how a Dash Cam can help your truck, Coach or Van fleet, contact aide automotive by clicking on “Dash Cam.”

How to Use A Decelerometer For Trailer Brake Tests

Trailer maintenance requires to be as professional as truck maintenance, Carrying out a inspection brake test on trailer doe not mean an expensive Roller Brake Test.

Research has concluded that using a product like BrakeCheck to test trailers brakes is beneficial but will not indicate a below par efficiency on a particular wheel or brake, although using an Infra Red Thermometer as well will increase your awareness of a faulty brake or a low efficiency brake.

VOSA’s Mark Pattison has stated “A decelerometer is not the ideal method to test the braking of a vehicle and trailer combination. However it is of some use. You are correct that the checking of individual wheels would not show up in a test result. The way to use a decelerometer is to first test the drawing vehicle on its own. Then connect the trailer and the deceleration rate should be similar i.e. the trailer is doing its fair share of work. This is not an exact science but would be enough to give you confidence the trailer brakes were working.”

This system is ideal for commercial operations to improve maintenance records for trailers and increase awareness of a trailers brake performance between the annual roller brake tests. Offering a print out of the combination tractor and trailer performance with brake temperatures will improve quality procedures and health & safety paper work. It is often said in today’s age paper work to protect directors and managers from the corporate manslaughter or health and safety law is essential.
aide automotive have designed an inspection sheet for trailers using the BrakeCheck and thermometer, if you require a copy email info@aideautomotive.com with subject heading Trailer Inspection Sheet.

aide automotive also recommend to test the pressure on brake chambers, this will increase your past rate for trailer parking brakes.

To discuss trailer brake testing further call aide automotive on 0115 8456471.

Brake Testing In Ireland

Irish Sales Of BrakeCheck Soar As Truck Inspections Brake Tests

Ireland Brake Tester Sales Soar!!

Since 2011 Irish Operators have been advised to carry out regular brake testing when inspecting a commercial vehicle.

Now two years on we have seen the word passed round and with a high amount of interest we supplied over 20 BrakeCheck Printer Kits to Ireland in December 2013.

BrakeCheck has been proven to be an excellent inspection sheet brake tester for all commercial vehicles with over 11000 testers sold since 2002. With many commercial operators and repairers using the BrakeCheck to conduct a VOSA accepted brake test on every inspection, BrakeCheck is the number 1 decelerometer on the market today!

Richard Lee Compliant and Enforcement Manager of the DOE in Northern Ireland has recently accepted the use of a decelerometer for heavy goods inspection sheet brake testing. Richard states “I can confirm that a decelerometer may be adequate for checking brake efficiency on some vehicles especially if it is linked to a printer and a record of the brake test can be recorded. This would be consistent with our Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness which has a section (5) detailing safety inspection and repair facilities.”

The DOE are now advising commercial vehicle operators, commercial repairers and in house workshops to complete regular inspection sheet brake test, The BrakeCheck is the tester! BrakeCheck will conduct a Service, Secondary & parking brake test with ease and store in its memory for later printing via PC or portable printer.

Simple and quick to use review this product further at www.brake-tester.co.uk

Brake Tester

Unstuck Is Revolutionary Product To Free Vehicles From Snow Or Ice Stucks

Unstuck®   – Keep Your Vehicle Moving This Winter!

aide automotive are pleased to release a new product in the UK.

Unstuck®    is a compound of materials to help a vehicle quickly removed from a Stuck snow or ice situation.

When a vehicle gets STUCK by ice or snow, the impact begins, the cost to the fleet operator can run into hundreds of pounds in lost hours, late delivery fines and if a tow truck is called, a call out charge can be in the region of £300!

So between the logistics time lost, delivery fines, and the check written to the towing company, a Vehicle STUCK could run into hundreds of pounds!

K winters have shown a change in recent years with prolonged periods of minus temperatures and sporadic snowfalls.

A recent Daily Express article reported.The 2013/14 UK winter is reported to be record breaking! Forecasters are warning the entire country is set for a horror freeze which will bring brutal winds and fierce blizzards.

Jonathan Powell, forecaster for Vantage Weather Services, said: ‘We are looking at a potentially paralysing winter, the worst for decades, which could at times grind the nation to a halt.”

So be prepared with Unstuck!!!

UnStuck is designed from the ground up for increased traction than traditional sand, salt or grit will offer. UnStuck is able to work in temperatures as low as -60 to a positive 32 degress.

UnStuck is environmentally friendly and will actually reverse the decades of acidity that has been inflicted on the environment.

For the low cost of a bag of UnStuck each truck should be equipped and ready for the winter!

With limited stock available for the 2013/14 winter, contact aide automotive on 0115 8456471 or email shoponline@aideautomotive.com to enquire.

Read More by clicking on UnStuck CV.

Unstuck Truck Quick Release From Snow & Ice