Espace Emergency Freight Lorry

 

As an industry of freight forwarders we all share similar goals and require certain tasks to be performed in order to reach them. One of these goals or at least I hope one of these goals is to achieve a great relationship between our businesses and our clients. This can be achieved in numerous ways but in order to firmly cement the foundations of this relationship, it is essential you remember that they may be coming from different backgrounds and that there is a strong possibility they don’t know a great deal about freight forwarding or third party logistics. If you take the time to approach this situation in the correct manner you will save yourself and your client time and money. The easiest way of tackling this issue is to educate your customers on the services you provide and keep them up to date with any changes that may affect them.

 

Over the space of 15 years the Espace Team have been asked a variety of questions, some of which are asked on a regular basis. Here’s a list of our top 10 FAQ’s. We hope it will be informative and of use to you.

 

1.What insurance cover is there on my goods?

All European shipments are covered under CMR insurance and the CMR Convention. The cover provided allows hauliers and couriers to legally transport goods within the European countries who have agreed to the CMR Convention.  CMR insurance provides cover against damage and theft whilst the shipment is in transit. Compensation is based on the gross weight of the goods lost or damaged, 8.33 SDRs per kilo. This currently equates to approximately £8 per kilo.

 

2.What’s the maximum weight you can take on an artic to Europe?

All depends on the unit carrying the load. Light weight units can carry up to 25-25.5 tons. On average a safe maximum weight would be around 24 tons. The key weight is the laden weight of the trailer and its load. In the UK for a tri-axle trailer, the combined laden weight cannot exceed 40 tons.

 

3.Why do you need the UN number and Packing Group as well as the Hazardous Class?

The Class identifies the general type of hazard e.g. Class 2 Gases. The subclass identifies the specific type of hazardous goods within that class e.g. 2.1 Flammable gases. The UN number identifies the actual hazardous substances, e.g. UN2014 Hydrogen Peroxide. Packing group numbers 1,2 and 3 are used to identify the different degree of danger that some substances with the same name will have dependent for example on their Flash Point, i.e. the point at which they will combust.

 

4.Do you really offer a Money Back Guarantee?

Yes, we do indeed. We offer a money back guarantee on express van consignments to and from Europe. All transit times quoted are subject to Eurotunnel crossings.

 

5.Can double-manned trailers run non-stop?

No. Once both drivers have finished their 10 hour shifts then the driving team have to take a break. This is a legal requirement and does not have room for negotiation. The drivers mate MUST be in the passenger seat when not driving. So with 2 fresh drivers, they can drive for 20 consecutive hours before they both have to stop for a mandatory 9 hour break, then another set of 20 consecutive hours driving can be undertaken.

 

6.What is an EUR1?

An EUR1 is a movement certificate which allows importers to import goods at a reduced rate under agreement from the EU and various countries trading with EU member states.

 

7.What’s the maximum weight and number of pallets you can take on an express van to / from Europe?

The maximum weight and number of pallets we can transport varies according to the vehicle model. We can carry 8 European Pallets or 6 U.K. pallets, weighing a maximum of 1250kg on the majority of our fleet. We can also provide a few 4.85m vans which are able to transport up to 10 European Pallets.

 

8.What classes of hazardous goods do you carry?

We don’t carry Class 1 Explosives or Class 7 Radioactive. We carry some Class 4 and 5 subject to their sub class and ferry restrictions.

 

9.Do you go daily to / from Europe?

We go daily to Belgium, Holland, France and Germany. For other countries please click the link below for a list of import and export days.

 

10.What time do the driving bans start in Europe at the weekend?

The times vary depending on the location and date. In general there tends to be a ban in most European countries for articulated lorries on a Sunday. Please follow the link provided below for this month’s list of driving bans.

European Road Freight Bans

 

The Espace Team

 

 

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