Here's our latest selection of quotable quotes from the world of commercial vehicle engineering. They could be alarming, pithy, perceptive, profound, witty or even maybe just daft. Please e-mail or text us with any quotes that catch your eye - denise@cvengineer.com, text 07850 229044.

FEBRUARY 2012

"Firstly, having listened closely to the very many views put forward and considered the available evidence, I have decided that I am not going to carry out further work in relation to relaxing the first test date or the frequency of testing. Secondly, I am publishing for the first time today information gathered by VOSA about the standards of MOT testing." Transport secretary Justine Greening in 1 February House of Commons written statement explaining government U-turn on MOT tests.

"There have been some significant changes in the structure of the market, both in types of operators buying and in the size and type of vehicles they buy." Tony Pain, Daf Trucks UK marketing director on what the 2011 commercial vehicle registration statistics reveal about the UK truck market.

"We have to understand how our customers' businesses are changing. Total cost of ownership is at the heart of everything now." Marta Nappo, Iveco UK's new marketing director.

“It is my firm belief that design and manufacture could be the answer to our economic problems, given the intellectual and creative capacity represented in that. These days people do not simply buy what they need, they buy what they like. We are now in the privileged position that we are able to buy what we like and design is key to that, but some leaders in industry still see design as simply the styling that is the icing on top of the cake." Ian Callum, Jaguar Cars director of design.

JANUARY 2012

“This new Daf assembly facility is a strategically important development for Paccar. The $200 million facility will consist of a 300,000-square-foot assembly plant on a 569-acre site in the city of Ponta Grossa, in the state of Paraná. Construction will begin immediately and is due to be completed in 2013." Mark Pigott, Paccar chairman and chief executive, at a ceremony at the Ponta Grossa plant site in Brazil on 9 January. The plant will assemble Daf XF, CF and LF trucks as well as MX diesel engines.

"Vehicle manufacturers, equipment suppliers, tyre manufacturers and fleets must work together even more closely to find the best solutions. Fleets must be confident that any investment in their existing fleet will deliver the return in fuel savings and reduced carbon dioxide emissions that make good business and environmental sense in this challenging economic and regulatory environment.” Boris Stevanovic, truck tyres marketing director in Goodyear Dunlop's EMEA (Europe Middle East and Africa) division, on his company's research identifying why European truck fleets are less efficient than they could be.

"During my time in the business it has been a real privilege to meet, work with and, more often than not, forge long-standing friendships with colleagues, customers and suppliers from all around the world. I had always planned to retire early and now is an excellent time for me to step off the bus, as it were.” Mike Ball, Volvo Buses vice president, on his decision to quit this month.

“For many small businesses and sole traders, 2011 has been all about keeping afloat, and the looming LEZ changes may catch them out. We are advising those with non-compliant vans to stay out of London, but this may prove impossible for London-based van operators.” Natalie Chapman, Freight Transport Association head of policy for London, on the new London low-emission zone (LEZ) rules coming into force this month (3 January).

“We see this as an important element in realising our vision of being among the top five bus manufacturers globally. Through leveraging the synergies of the two companies, we are confident that going forward we will be able to accelerate technology sharing, develop future-ready products and increase our global footprint to fast-track our growth in volumes”. Vinod Dasari, Ashok Leyland managing director, on his company's acquisition last month of a 75.1 per cent shareholding in Yorkshire-based bus-builder Optare.

DECEMBER 2011

"The UK's six-tonnes-plus truck market is up 37 per cent on a rolling-year basis. Tractors are up 63 per cent on a rolling-year basis. Our business will grow next year. But please remember there's a recession going on. The economy is fragile, businesses are still nervous, but the fundamentals are still strong." Ray Ashworth, managing director of Daf Trucks Ltd, the UK's top-selling truck-maker.

"There is a further party that we need to bring on board in all this: the politicians. It will soon be time to send off our Christmas wish-lists. I have one for our project. It's a short one, very short. We need another half a metre of length at the back for our boat-tail. Just half a metre, that neither affects manoeuvrability nor has any other downsides. Half a metre, that in conjunction with an optimally configured aerodynamic system involving both trailer and tractor unit, will help us to save more than half a litre of fuel over every 100 kilometres. That is around 2,000 litres of diesel for each tractor/trailer combination, every year." Georg Weiberg, head of product engineering at Daimler Trucks, calling on the European Commission to relax European Union truck length limits enough to allow for the Mercedes Aero-Trailer.

NOVEMBER 2011

“We have avoided a horrendous New Year’s hangover. January's rise would have cost the industry around £325 million. But while we are relieved that the chancellor has steered us out of immediate danger, it is obvious that getting the UK back on the road to recovery requires a long-term fuel duty strategy, and one which doesn't make tough times that much tougher for businesses in an already uncertain economy.” Freight Transport Association chief executive Theo de Pencier, reacting to the chancellor's autumn statement.

“I have been up and down the country meeting with bus operators and manufacturers and one of the things they have consistently been asking for is another round of the Green Bus Fund. I am therefore delighted to announce that they have got one. A further £25 million to fund greener buses across England and a welcome boost to jobs and manufacturing." Transport minister Norman Baker, following the autumn statement from the chancellor of the exchequer.

"The logistics sector needs to wake up to the impact of the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (AWR), in force in the UK since 1 October 2011. Now agency workers employed for 12 or more weeks in the same role (full- or part-time) have essentially the same pay and employment rights as directly employed personnel. This is a game-changer for logistics, which is probably the single sector most affected by AWR in the UK." David Coombes, Logistics Job Shop managing director. 

"This botched policy idea should never have seen the light of day. If it had been given the green light we would have faced a situation where there were thousands of dangerous cars on our streets putting people's lives at risk." Conservative MP and government whip Robert Goodwill, speaking in 2008 when he was a shadow transport minister, on the Labour government's plans to relax MOT test frequency.

"Today we are opening up a new chapter in the 253-year history of the company. We shall retain our special MAN identity marked by innovation, the art of engineering and international positioning. The success achieved by MAN, Volkswagen and Scania is based on identical values. We are therefore all convinced of the industrial logic behind close cooperation and are taking an open and committed approach to the new partnership." MAN SE chief executive Georg Pachta-Reyhofen on completion of the takeover of MAN SE by Volkswagen AG.

"We have nothing further to say than what is on our website. It's not unusual for our investigations to take more than a year." Office of Fair Trading (OFT) spokesperson in response to a string of Commercial Vehicle Engineer's questions on OFT investigations into alleged "cartel activity" by commercial vehicle manufacturers. The investigations started in September 2010. The spokesperson could not say how much they have cost so far. 

OCTOBER 2011

"Those who have worked at Crossgates over the years can take justifiable pride in their achievements. The factory has produced some of the most exciting bus designs to operate in Britain, attractive vehicles which are designed to encourage people to see public transport as a vibrant and high-quality alternative to their cars." Optare chief executive Jim Sumner on the closure this month of the company's Crossgates site in Leeds (with a bus-building history dating back to Charles H Roe in the 1920s) following Optare's move to a new factory in Sherburn-in-Elmet.

"Maybe we should bring in the research and development people who create the product and let them compete with you." Scania chief executive Leif Östling, awarding prizes this month to the winners of Scania's global Top Team competition for truck and bus technicians.

“FTA research suggests that there are significant environmental and efficiency benefits on offer from deploying these vehicles. But it is not a vehicle for all sectors and will only be viable on journeys where the goods carried are high-volume, low-weight as vehicle fill can be improved. The allocation process of trailers should seek to maximise the potential carbon-saving benefit that their deployment could yield. The Department for Transport must avoid a free-for-all auction where operators speculatively apply for high volume semi-trailer permits which are then either not taken up or used infrequently.” Freight Transport Association head of engineering policy Andy Mair on this month's confirmation by the government that trials of longer semi-trailers will start in January 2012.

“These are extensive trials and they are likely to have a material impact on the industry. Roads minister Mike Penning has made clear from the start his intention to bring in longer trailers, on the basis that those who wanted to operate them should be allowed to do so, if that can be done safely. His decision not to move swiftly to regulation, as proposed, increases the investment risk to hauliers. It is clear that the industry is split on the issue of longer trailers, with the majority of transport companies opposed to them. If anything, that opposition has strengthened in recent months.

We have now moved past that point, however, and we will be urging our members to assess, as a matter of urgency, how many of the new lengths to apply for, which length suits their business, and which axle designs are best for their operation.” Road Haulage Association policy director Jack Semple.

"Transport for London says that very few vans have been retrofitted so far. Many van operators seem unaware of their obligations." Eminox marketing manager Kathye Henderson on the latest London low-emission zone (LEZ) rules coming into force on 3 January 2012.

"There is no intelligent transport if there is no intelligent driver. And to be intelligent a driver needs every driving assistance system available. True energy efficiency can only be achieved if different stakeholders work together."

Bruno Chazalette, Renault Trucks director responsible for fuel strategic planning, and chair of the Freilot European Union project on urban freight energy efficiency, involving trials in cities in France, Spain, Netherlands and Poland.

SEPTEMBER 2011

“While we were working to improve the efficiency of cars and light-duty trucks, something interesting happened. We started getting letters asking that we do the same for medium and heavy-duty trucks. They were from the people who build, buy, and drive these trucks. Today, I’m proud to have the support of these companies as we announce the first-ever national policy to increase fuel efficiency and decrease greenhouse gas pollution from medium- and heavy-duty trucks.” US president Barack Obama on the legislation that will apply first to 2017 model-year trucks and buses.

“Road freight transport as an industry accounts for something like three per cent of fork-lift truck sales in the UK, but almost 30 per cent of the accidents. Many of these cause major, life-changing injuries - or worse. Clearly, urgent action is required.” Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) chief executive David Ellison on Health & Safety Executive figures showing a 237 per cent increase in lift-truck-related injuries to road freight employees since 2001.

“This relationship gives Tatra a quantum leap ahead in its commercial vehicle markets. It would take Tatra tens of years and many millions of euro to build such a wide and successful network of dealers throughout Europe, not to mention the tens or even hundreds of millions of euro which would have been required to develop such a world-class cabin and engine.“ Ronald Adams, chairman and chief executive of Czech truck-maker Tatra, on the acquisition of a 19 per cent Tatra shareholding by Daf Trucks, the Netherlands-based Paccar group subsidiary.  

"Volkswagen is more than pleased with the result. Our objective of realising substantial synergies between MAN, Scania and Volkswagen in the interest of all shareholders, employees and customers is moving closer.” Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn on the recent share-dealing which resulted in VW acquiring 53.7 per cent of MAN SE shares and 55.9 per cent of the company's voting rights.

AUGUST 2011

“After an awful lot of time, effort and expense the Megastar fell at the final hurdle. The project was shelved. The Megastar put us up against the big boys in the van market and we couldn’t compete on price.” BMC (UK) sales director Ray McNally, explaining why the Turkish-built Megastar van range, first shown in the UK in 2005, is no longer in production (the full story will be in the November 2011 edition of Commercial Vehicle Engineer).

“Handing over all London's and Lincolnshire’s fire engines and rescue kit to the private sector has been a disaster. The simple fact is that both fire brigades are left sitting on the sidelines as the future of their entire operational fleet is set out before the High Court. You can’t run great public services with the involvement of private companies which bring such instability and uncertainty. It doesn’t work.” Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary.

"We have robust agreements in place in case of any changes to AssetCo as a company, so we can assure people that there will be absolutely no impact on our ability to continue providing our services. Our contracts mean we will continue doing this with the appliances and equipment we currently use, and maintenance is carried out by a local company so will also be unaffected. In the event of the company going into administration, we will continue with business as usual until we have more information to make any longer-term decisions." Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue chief fire officer Dave Ramscar.

"It was an interesting time to enter the market. People say everything was fine until this Swedish guy came along." Göran Nyberg, recalling his appointment as Volvo Group UK managing director in September 2008.

"The place for large single-deckers like the B7RLE is in city centres, where loadings are heavy. Outside the big cities we are certainly seeing an increase in buses at 14 and 12 tonnes gvw. We've dipped in and out of this sector in the past, with product like the B6. If the trend quickens then we'll have to react." Steve Dewhurst, managing director of the Volvo Bus trading division in the UK.

“The truth is that there is a substantial chunk of our logistics sector that operate trailers over 4.88 metres. Ideally,we would like the height limit for all trailers, not just double-deck, to be atleast 4.95m.” Andy Mair, head of engineering policy at the Freight Transport Association.

JULY 2011

“A hundred people still die on Europe's roads every day. We have made good progress since 2001 and we have succeeded in saving nearly 100,000 lives. But the number of fatalities and injuries on our roads is still unacceptable." European Union transport commissioner Siim Kallas responding to the latest data on EU road fatalities.

"It's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks." Mike Finney, used vehicles general sales manager at Renault Trucks UK, receiving his "outstanding achievers" award from The Institute of the Motor Industry.

"Are you sure you weren't in Mexico?" Carl Kirk, American Trucking Associations vice president, responding at the University of Derby to David Batty's argument that American trucks and trailers are old-fashioned and inefficient by comparison with those in Europe.

"Have I understood your question? Have you understood your question?" Denby Transport chairman Dick Denby at the University of Derby, responding to a question from legal adviser Mike Ponsonby on longer heavier vehicles.