I went to a presentation on Construction Logistics and Cycle Safety on 9th December where all the great & good were up the top of City Hall (other descriptions may be used for this uniquely shaped building)
Parked up outside was a new 26T tipper with a Mercedes Econic cab. These, and the UK-built Dennis-Eagle Elite 2 are almost the exclusive choice for refuse trucks, often with twin leaf fully glazed nearside doors. London cyclists have combined the Econic cab with a 32T rigid chassis, as the driving position - with driver’s eye level at around 2 metres above the road, and deep side windows give a substantial area of direct vision. Standing outside you can see a driver directly from bum to barnet (fair).
The midden men (scaffies) have generally moved over to the ‘walk-in’ truck cab, not for cyclist and pedestrian safety, but to reduce the cost of injuries and resulting claims from the crew. Apparently the biggest ‘at work’ hazard’ to refuse collection teams was slipping and falling as they climbed up into a traditional design of high cab. OK so the trucks cost 15-20% more than simply an off the park standard chassis, but someone has obviously worked out that this is money well spent, and rather like low floor buses (which had a huge premium on price when they first appeared as ‘special’ vehicles) the prices are likely to come down as these cabs become a standard option.
So the question had to be asked, of the man from the MPA, whether the issue of slips and falls from tipper trucks played a large part in injuries to the drivers. Apparently it does! Those who habitually ‘play the commando’ and jump down from the cab, eventually land badly, and even those using the proper ‘climb the steps and grab the grab rail (not the steering wheel)’ method can miss a step or skid with muddy boots. The guy from Lang o Rourke commented that his drivers had been favourably impressed by the improved visibility from the low cab, especially when manoeuvring in a tight space.
So a quick poll - has anyone tried out an Econic or an Elite? What are your impressions? Would you drive one if you were offered it?
And a second follow through, given that this forum is sponsored by an insurance company, with a keen interest in removing hazards completely where they can, but failing that to reduce the risks of encountering the effects of those hazards. Just how many drivers are injured because they fall when climbing in or out of a high level cab?
Do we really need high cabs for local distribution vehicles where driver and often driver’s mate are jumping in & out so frequently?
Maybe not high cabs but good ground clearance is needed for tippers, mixers etc. I think the Merc Econic would work great in cities.
Talking of Laing O Rourke, must mention the guy in the hi viz jacket marked “Safety Officer” in Oxford on Thursday afternoon; Having ignored the designated “phone zone” on site, he happily text on his phone as he walked behind me whilst I was reversing (using a banksman). Then he walks over and moans to the banksman about his positioning between my lorry and the excavator loading me.
We have a couple of them they drive ok and good visability but for off road they would be of limited use.
Mind you there not great in an accident
Never driven one of these, but I have driven a coach with a similar height driving position. Get behind a Transit type van on the motorway and you can’t see what’s going on in front of it, whereas in a conventional truck you can see a long way down the road.
Er shouldn’t the 2 second rule put you far enough behind to observe the road properly without looking over the top? If that is your only way to see what is happening ahead than you are too close to the vehicle in front.
Drove both Dennis Eagle Elite’s 1 & 2 and Mercedes Econic both auto’s on refuse.
The Dennis is IMHO the better of the two but they rattle n shake terribly although the 2’s are a little better. Lock on the steering is very poor and ‘shunting’ to and fro is commonplace because of this.
Merc Econic’s are a much nicer ride and better finished quality wise but gutless with 3/4 of a load or more on - keep away from hills if possible when laden. Excellent lock tho - they turn on a sixpence compared to the Dennis.
Both have good driver visibility and the walk through low cab is a must with loaders getting in and out very frequently.
That said, I used to drive DAF CF’s on refuse and apart from the high cab they were superior to the above two in pretty much everything else!
IIRC another firm (was it Kier?) tried these on utility work 3/4 years ago in the London area, all well and good around town but useless on site or tips think about “the angle of approach”(the off road 4x4 boys will know what I mean)! also the design of lorry cabs has a"safety cell" feature which means the drivers cab has to be above the “chunky” mechanical bits, refer to photos of the “dust carts” the cabs have been destroyed!,then we come to cost, the low cab non standard lorrys are more expensive, are the construction industry willing to pay additional costs for such a vehicle? I think not given their track record in “cost control”.
Tulyar:
Er shouldn’t the 2 second rule put you far enough behind to observe the road properly without looking over the top? If that is your only way to see what is happening ahead than you are too close to the vehicle in front.
Yes, and then someone will pull in front of you. You’d spend more time stationary whilst everyone past you whilst you tried to get that 2 second gap in front of you…
anything like these ,they have been tried before but no one seems to keep them long 
dropbox.com/s/vjyvvf10od9xa4w/dennis.jpg
I always remember driving low buses when the first came out. When you hit the demisters or blowers all you sucked in were the fumes from the car in fronts exhaust, this was actually acknowledged as a design flaw.
I cant remember the details as it was quite a few years ago also if those door are anything like the old bus doors a good gust of wind blows them open.
Having another good look at the picture it looks like a bus cab grafted onto a truck.
Ardley landfill had to build a tipping bay for dustcarts as the operators of the low-line trucks refused to have them go on the landfill.
Having driven both low floor buses, and waste vehicles with the above arrangement; I can say that the latter is a good way of doing it. Close to the ground, ease of access in and out of the vehicles and the demisters now seem strong enough. The ones on buses were always complicated to a flaw.
Then again, I have driven all sorts of vehicles as well; I’m sure you all have. Part of learning the ropes via agencies. You drive everything 
I have seen a few low loaders with low cabs too, where the driver steps out and onto the road. But for regular haulage I don’t think that is a good option.
Servicing and auxiliary support for such activities helps to have vehicles designed for the task, don’t you think 
I won’t be in the que to drive one of those
Muckspreader:
I won’t be in the que to drive one of those
this.
then again i wouldnt be in the queue to drive for lang o’rourke either!!
Question for the OP re: your Trucknet name - are you a fan of Deltics or horse racing? I’m a bit of a Delly man myself
