Keyfuels is working in partnership with the RAC to help manage its fleet more efficiently.  The RAC serves more than seven million customers nationwide.  With a large mixed fleet of more than 1600 vans and 45 10-tonne recovery trucks, it’s imperative to the profitability of the RAC that the fleet operates at maximum efficiency. Dave Matthews, Keyfuels account manager said: ”Thanks to the flexibility of Keyfuels’ solutions, we were able to provide additional services to meet with the requirements of the RAC delivering a comprehensive and robust fuel management package for all its vehicles.”   Gary Wrightson-Heyworth, operation service manager at RAC said: “Fuel represents one of our biggest expenditures. Keyfuels’ cards and services give us the ability to accurately control and monitor the cost of fuel and our fleet’s expenditure, helping us to plan our fuel needs and purchase at the right time to save money. “By utilising the Keyfuels network we are able to accurately distribute bunkered fuel nationwide and the extensive coverage provided by Keyfuels ensures that our drivers are never far from a participating site.”    www.keyfuels.co.uk

 Tanker drivers have called for a new union – the National Tanker Drivers’ Union – to be set up. “We could call it NTU, the National Tanker Driver’s Union,” wrote an anonymous driver on the DCC-GB Oils drivers’ info blog.  “We could recruit every driver in every sector of the industry.” Arguing that Unite, the drivers current union would not provide enough leadership going into the winter, the poster added:  “I’ve spoken to a lot of main fleet drivers who feel the same way, and they would be interested in a union that deals with our problems and not everybody else’s.” Others commenting on the post were quick to agree, one pointing out that he had received a letter saying his current union fees were set to be increased. Another argued: “We should be fighting for equal pay and terms and conditions for all drivers of all brands. We all do the same job, some are paid a lot more than others, some are on time and a half everyday, some get sick pay, some get laundry allowance and some are paying for the driver CPC.” http://dcc-gboil.blogspot.co.uk/

Comedian and compere Sean Lock and DAF’s Ray Ashworth are joined on stage by John Jackson, sales manager, Chevron Lubricants – sponsor of the award As DAF’s CF85 vehicle wins Fleet Truck of the Year for a record-breaking 11th time, Volvo continues to strive to cut the number of rear-end impacts. Ray Ashworth, managing director of DAF Trucks UK said: “To go on winning the Motor Transport award during some of the most challenging years the UK transport industry has ever experienced, underlines the key principles of our truck range – maximum reliability, highest driver comfort, together with the outstanding in-service support provided by our nationwide network of dedicated dealers.”Volvo helps drivers avoid accidents Meanwhile the first results of the European Field Operation Test (euroFOT) field study presented in Brussels earlier this year, showed that Volvo Trucks’ active safety systems can help drivers avoid accidents. “We studied 30 trucks, operating with two haulage firms, and examined the effectiveness of three systems: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Keeping Support,” says Karsten Heinig, manager of the project at Volvo. The study revealed that ACC and CW, which are used together to maintain a safe distance behind the vehicle in front, could cut the number of rear-end impacts on motorways by 15%. “On average, the system is used less than half of the driving time. If usage increases, this will bring about a further reduction in accidents,” adds Karsten.

Figures supplied by OFTEC members to HHIC Boiler sales for the first six months of 2012 are at the lowest for 10 years, figures have revealed. Sales of all oil boilers during this period were at 23,254 compared to 26,590 during the first six months of 2011. The figures cover all the SEDBUK bands and are based on figures supplied by OFTEC members to the Heating & Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC). Numbers also showed that sales of all gas and LPG boilers were recorded at 671,435 from January to June this year, which was a 5.9% fall on the sales during the same period of 2011. The HHIC has called for urgent support for the construction industry which is in a “perilous state”, before boiler manufacturers and other related businesses fall victim to the depressed state of the housing market. Manufacturers have invested heavily in new product development, but remain dependent on a large number of property transactions.

Moody’s Investors Service has changed the rating for Total SA from stable to negative. The move reflects Moody’s concerns that significant investment in Total’s upstream business since 2010 has constrained the recovery in its credit metrics, despite buoyant oil prices. Figures from June 2012 showed that upstream investments from the previous 12 months amounted to $26billion, compared to $15billion in the 12 months prior to June 2010. This increased capital spending includes Total’s growing involvement in major long cycle projects, such as shale gas, and the formation of new partnerships with independent exploration and production companies. This has resulted in a higher allocation of capital towards unproved, not yet producing assets. However, on a more positive note, ‘Moody’s expects Total’s operating cash flow to benefit from the start-up of several upstream projects, which should help raise production to around 2.7million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2015, and yield barrels of a higher margin.