This category covers general news features and articles from Westward Scania. Also latest developments from Scania Truck Bus and Engines and other news from the transport industry
Maximum safety for the driver and their passengers.
At Westward, we have worked closely with Irizar to develop a solution to minimise the risk of Covid – 19 infection.
The solution is a driver’s compartment partition panel and specific passenger seat protection panels for the Irizar i6S, Irizar i6, Irizar i4 and Irizar i3 low entry coach models.
These solutions are developed and manufactured with
materials that comply with the regulations of the current
legislation regarding safety and driver’s vision.
We will continue to innovate and provide our customers with new resources and solutions with the aim of protecting the driver and passengers and to encourage the use of public transport in this new scenario. Available for Irizar i6S, Irizar i6, Irizar i4 and Irizar i3le.
Complies with EU regulations:
Regulation 107 Regarding interior fitting
Regulation 118 The behaviour of materials in fire
Regulation 46 Indirect vision systems
Regulation 80 Energy absorption
For more information on cost and availability, contact Patrick Carton:
Some good news! We are delighted to announce is that our Strokestown CVRT Test centre is returning to full operating capacity as of Monday the 15th. June, 2020. We will be commencing all CVRT Testing, ADR testing and Type approval testing from Monday. We have taken a number of provisions to ensure the safety of our staff and customers, so if you are on-site please adhere to protocols we have in place. As you can appreciate there will be a backlog of vehicles to be tested. Please call Jane or Cathal on 07196-34542 (with your Reg Number) and we can decide on a date to get your vehicle tested.
About our Facility:
We have a purpose-built CVRT Testing Centre on our premises in Strokestown operated by fully qualified CVRT testers. The state of the art testing facility has two light vehicle testing bays and one heavy good vehicles (HGV) bay. All of the testing bays are fitted with the very latest in computerized testing equipment, which complies with the latest EU regulations. We are also approved for Whole Vehicle Type Approval and ADR testing.
David Simon Transport was established in 2014. A company based near Geevagh, Co. Sligo, David is an owner-operator and is a real example of what hard work and dedication can achieve. In his own words David says, “We try to specialise in offering a more personalised service to customers than a lot of the bigger hauliers cannot do, due to their size.”
The majority of David’s work consists of transporting goods via flat trailers, fridges, containers, and curtain-siders all across Ireland and sometimes further afield to the UK and Europe. An average day for David consists of loading containers in Dublin port he says “these loads can be for delivery to any part of the country, from a house delivery to a multinational company”.
David’s Trucks:
David Simon Transport currently run two Scania trucks, A 2019 Scania S520 and a 2003 Scania 164 480. David say’s
“Since I started driving trucks, Scania has always been my preference in trucks. The attention to detail for the driver has always been something I have admired from Scania as well as the performance and comfort. In 2016 I bought a new R450 top line from Westward Scania, from sales to service, and everyone in between I have never been let down by anyone which prompted me to go back and in 2019. I traded the R450 for a new S520 Highline”
When asked about his latest purchase Scania S520
“So far I’m very happy with the way the 520 is performing. It has the extra horsepower but doesn’t come with a big fuel penalty in return. I think it’s a great combination of power and economy”
Why choose Scania?
“As time is a huge factor to my business, reliability is of the utmost importance. Scania trucks have always been known as a long lasting reliable product. Some of the older models I have driven down through the years have had near 2 million kilometres on them and still going strong. The resale value of Scania trucks especially the V8 models has always been a great benefit in the long term also.
“It leaves you with an asset and not a liability”
What has being your favourite truck throughout the years?
“I’ve always been a big fan of the 164. These were the real driver’s trucks from a legendary era in trucking. I still have one working every week, if they’re looked after right these trucks will go forever and put a smile on your face every time you turn the key!
COVID 19 and other Challenges
Covid 19 has really shown how vital our supply chains are, how has it made your work harder?
“Covid 19 has tested us all in so many ways both in business and of course on a social level. One of the biggest challenges any trucker in Ireland faced on a daily basis was simply getting fed. Even now it’s still not easy as a lot of the regular truck stops are closed and the sad part is some may never open again.
During Covid 19 it was clear to see the strong industries in this country as they never ceased. Agriculture mainly comes to mind, we cannot forget how important agriculture is to Ireland, when everyone else was at home the farmers and the truckers never stopped to keep shelves stocked”, according to David.
Bar Covid 19, what are the main challenges facing owner-operators such as yourself?
“Road haulage has always been a challenging industry. In recent years getting people with a genuine interest in driving has proven difficult. I think more money and time needs to be invested into this by hauliers and by the government, as we’ve all seen recently truck drivers play a very important role in the economy and incentivising more professional people into this industry defiantly needs to be looked at seriously”
Hard work pays off:
Everyone at Westward Scania was delighted to hear of David winning “Owner Driver Haulier of the Year 2020”. This award celebrated the best in class for owner-operators. and it was nice that David’s hard work was rewarded. We wish David continued success and we are delighted he choose Westward and Scania.
Westward Scania’s CNG Gas R410 A6 X 2 *4 Demonstration unit is working well!
Today the transport sector is a major source of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel. This means the transport sector is ideally placed to reduce emissions.
Our customers across the country are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint. All the pressure is on our customers, but where do they turn if there are no options?
Scania have seen this need and have begun to offer a range of alternatively powered vehicles. Some of these include, electric, hybrid, LNG and CNG. All of these have the potential to reduce C02 emissions in Ireland.
Infrastructure:
So why aren’t we selling Electric + Hybrid HGVS yet in Ireland?
Scania has a product ready but Irelands Infrastructure is not ready. Westward and the Scania dealer network pride themselves on understanding their customer’s needs and their transport task. The infrastructure/National Grid is not ready in Ireland to cope with the fuelling of HGV Electric/Plug in vehicles. But the Government are working on providing a solution to overcome this Infrastructure issue.
CNG:
CNG currently is the most sustainable and Practical fuel source available on the Irish Market for HGVS. The CNG engine operates quite similar to a petrol engine. Gas is stored in a fuel tank, A CNG fuel system transfers high-pressure natural gas to the engine’s combustion chamber. The pressure is then reduced to a level compatible with the engine fuel injection system, the fuel is introduced into the intake manifold or combustion chamber, where it is mixed with air. The fuel-air mixture is then compressed and ignited by a spark plug. There is no exhaust gas after Treatment involved on a CNG truck.
First Rear Steer CNG tractor Unit ever Built:
Westward and the Scania dealer network listened to what our customers were saying. We saw the need for a “sustainable/green” product that would suit the Irish market. We already have many 4 x 2 CNG units operating in Ireland. Westward Scania’s CNG Gas Demonstration units have been very well received. Unfortunately for many of our hauliers a 4 X 2 configuration is not suitable for their work due to the limitations on GTW. After some months of communication with the Factory, the first ever CNG A6X2*4 was built.
So Far so good
Due to the Covid 19 the “gas roadshow” had to be postponed. However we were able to get 3 roadshow events completed. These took place in Delaney Commercials, AOC Commercials and T Nolan’s & sons. The idea of these roadshows was to promote the CNG tractor Unit and for Potential customers to test drive our new demonstration unit
After the roadshow, the truck has being out with different customers across the country. We have to be certain before the truck goes out that the customer has a supply of CNG and the route the truck will be working is close to a CNG fuel source.The first trip the truck did was from Dublin port to Belfast (358 km) with an average GTW of 30 tons it completed this journey and still had Gas in the tanks.Following this the truck went to the south west of the country to Clean Ireland. The truck is operating between Shannon Co Clare and Littleton in Co Tipperary. Brian Lyons, General Manager of Clean Ireland has being a great pioneer for CNG trucks in Ireland and has worked very well with us with R410 gas demo, Detailing exactly how the truck is performing and what parts need improvement.
Every day a learning day
As it’s the first CNG A6X2*4 ever built of course there will be some “teething” problems and we are working closely with the factory to resolve this. Whilst the Demonstration unit has being out we are learning every day how a CNG truck performs under different transport tasks within Ireland. We have made different adjustments to its Set up whilst out on Road. For example we have added a roof air deflector and limited the Top speed of the truck. We have made lots of other tiny adjustments that will all add to extending the range of the truck.
