Reed Business Information acquires TruckNet UK

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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Reed Business Information acquires TruckNet UK

Reed Business Information, the owner of Commercial Motor, Motor Transport and Truck & Driver, has stepped in to secure the future of TruckNet UK, the UK’s biggest on-line road transport website for drivers. A deal to purchase the assets of TruckNet UK, for an undisclosed sum, from its owners in the UK and USA, was completed today.

Roger Williams, publishing director of the Reed Road Transport Group, the publishing division of Reed Business Information responsible for Commercial Motor, Motor Transport and Truck & Driver, said of the purchase: “We are delighted to have brought TruckNet UK within the road transport group portfolio. There are clear synergies between it and our new RoadTransport.com web site project which will be launched at the beginning of 2007.TruckNet is a good strategic fit with our business and suits our aspirations for long-term growth in the on-line arena. The strengths and merits of these two sites will prove a powerful combination for the benefit of the Road Transport Industry.

“Rikki Chequer, with his team of moderators has worked hard to facilitate the growth of the TruckNet UK community and it is excellent news that Rikki has agreed to continue in his role as community manager on the site. I’d like to reassure the TruckNet UK community that we won’t be planning any major changes to the site, although we will be interested to hear from members who have suggestions for any new services we could offer,” Roger added. “This acquisition will mean we are able to bring to the website and the community the expertise and resources needed to not only ensure that TruckNet UK stays as the No1 website for the professional driver, but also continue to grow and add services for its members.”

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I will try to answer any questions you guys might have over this exciting change.

But I ask, rather than having questions and threads all over the website about this , that you ask and comment in this thread only. This will help me find and answer you comments/questions quickly.

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Does it mean any changes ?

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The short answer Biker is No.

There will be some back end changes to update some software, however the way the website is run and the forum team remain intact.

over time things may be added to give drivers extra resources, however the basic premise that TruckNet UK is free to use remains :smiley:

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Hmmmmm, Good news?!? It will remain to be seen! There are those of us who already think the site is over moderated, the change in ownership can only continue that decline as they will have more to loose, or should i say the big guns who would be going after them would have more to gain!

Still, no doubt there will be an increase in popup ad’s as the site will need to make a serious profit.

Cor, this is my 1000’th post as well

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smcaul:
Hmmmmm, Good news?!? It will remain to be seen! There are those of us who already think the site is over moderated, the change in ownership can only continue that decline as they will have more to loose,

But you are in the minority SM, most drivers prefer it this way, rules and all. :smiley:

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that decline

Postings are at an all time high, bandwith use and page hits have never been higher, new registrations have not slowed at all. hardly a decline. :wink: :smiley:

This website is part of a far biger on-line strategy for RBI, and as such it brings not only far greater resources than we could have ever hoped for, but also a far greater market for potential advertisers, no longer is TruckNet UK the only outlet for them

an increase in popup ad’s

an increase on what? Zero ?
TruckNet UK has never had pop up ads, :wink:

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good news all round. :wink:

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Rikki-UK:

that decline

Postings are at an all time high, bandwith use and page hits have never been higher, new registrations have not slowed at all. hardly a decline. :wink: :smiley:

This website is part of a far biger on-line strategy for RBI, and as such it brings not only far greater resources than we could have ever hoped for, but also a far greater market for potential advertisers, no longer is TruckNet UK the only outlet for them

an increase in popup ad’s

an increase on what? Zero ?
TruckNet UK has never had pop up ads, :wink:

The remark about decline was not related in any way to figures, it was said as a “Decline” in the way the site is moderated.

As for pop up ads, RBI will need to see a return (most probably a large one) for it’s investment - do you really think it will get that from banner ads? There is clearly an underlying reason why RBI made the purchase, I am just wondering what exactly it is - and before you start about “Fitting in with company strategy and how it will be good for our tactical placement in an ever changing market place, etc, etc, etc” it is all corporate talk for “we can see a large profit here”, which is no bad thing, but many a site has dissolved into nothing once accountants get their hands on things.

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smcaul You are right . Accountants are the truck drivers natural enemy .Every time I have been with an outfit & accountants have been put in charge things went from hero to zero quicker than I can type this sentence. Hope that this site is the exception. Good luck with your new boss ,Ricki .

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smcaul:
As for pop up ads, RBI will need to see a return (most probably a large one) for it’s investment - do you really think it will get that from banner ads? There is clearly an underlying reason why RBI made the purchase, I am just wondering what exactly it is - and before you start about “Fitting in with company strategy and how it will be good for our tactical placement in an ever changing market place, etc, etc, etc” it is all corporate talk for “we can see a large profit here”, which is no bad thing, but many a site has dissolved into nothing once accountants get their hands on things.

perhaps this will point you in the right direction…

There are clear synergies between it and our new RoadTransport.com web site project which will be launched at the beginning of 2007.

We are only a part of the on-line plans that Reed have, albeit the part of their plans that focuses on drivers, My thoughts are that Reed have major plans for the whole of the transport industries on-line presence, they realise that the driver sector of the industry is served by TruckNet UK and have encompassed TruckNet UK into their plans rather than try to recreate it in a rival website.

I have seen a preview of the RoadTransport.com website, and I guarentee will will create a buzz in the industry, there is simply nothing like it in the USA or UK. Trucknet UK while keeping its identity will be part of that much bigger project.

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Harry,
I couldnt agree more :open_mouth:

However, accountants are not running this, Drivers are still, the mangement side above me have their roots in the transport industry .

Yes it is a business, but it always has been, except now it is a business with resources and expertise, something we were sadly lacking in the marketing and sales areas.

Trying to sell a small driver focused website to media agency people was really not my thing, i was astoundingly bad at it :open_mouth: dedicated sales professionals selling an all encompassing on-line transport web presence including TruckNet UK is a very different story.

This aquisition has taken many months with not only negotiations between the previous owners and RBI, but also RBI closely evaluating the website and its potential.

Succesful companies such as RBI do not purchase anything if the potential is not there, they are not a charity. Alongside and part of the Roadtransport.com webiste the industry is already taking interest.

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RIKKI, i agree with HARRY that accountants wish only to see one thing
profit, hopefully those who are in the management will be able ensure
that these people do not get to be in charge, I will wait and see before jumping to any conclusion,THIS site is ONE of the best around to date
and hopefully the people in the boardroom realise that,

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and hopefully the people in the boardroom realise that,

I can assure you they do, as far as the TruckNet UK community is concerned it is very much “business as usual”. The forum team is staying exactly as it is, and the current policies of the forums are unchanged.

Or too put it another way…

they have bought TruckNet UK because of what it is, and have no desire to change a succesful formula

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Rikki-UK:
and have no desire to change a succesful formula

Until such time as it suits them to!!!

Seen all too many times before, but then maybe I am just a cynic!

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Does this in simple terms mean that Trucnet has sold drivers down the river,

The catch phrase “for drivers by drivers”
will now be “for drivers by Management”

No matter how it is spelt out, it will become more a base for advertising and drivers posting on here will become a second objective, As is pointed out they have brought it for a reason and that has nothing to do with keeping it for the drivers in the UK.
Rikki is now employed by reed business, which means they decide what happens not a driver.

But for business purposes, ie Profit and money.

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Why is it people make accusations and statements without
first engageing the brain yes it has been sold yes it is a
object from which the new owners will wish to benifit,
but for gods sake they have not even done any thing and
all ready the wolves wish to create a atmosphere of distrust
GIVE THEM TIME yes if they do break their word then yes
they will have a reaction from the members,
BUT until they do ,why not wait and see what the future holds

i personaly think that they are not so stupid as to try bringing in
ways that will offend all of us who are members as they know
we would vote with our feet and so the site would end up being
worthless the them

AS said give them time,and let us see what evolves
before one condemns them.

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which means they decide what happens not a driver

As it happens I still have a licence and use it everynow and then, and I can assure you I have a huge say in what happens on these forums, - the guy in overall charge of TruckNet UK at RBI has been in transport all his life :open_mouth:

within the RBI stable we are closely aligned with Truck & Driver which for ages has been the number magazine for drivers. Truck & Driver magazine is a business owned by RBI that makes a profit, does that simple fact mean it is not a magazine for drivers?, If it did not provide the content that drivers wanted they would not buy it and it would die, , it is the best selling magazine for drivers the vast majority of content for Truck & Driver comes from those who have been or are in the transport industry, and thats going strong. whats wrong with TruckNet UK doing the same?.

Somehow there seems to be an impression that people without any idea about transport and drivers is making the decisions about TruckNet UK, that couldnt be further from the truth.

This site will remain the website for drivers, and the forums will remain being run by drivers because that is what RBI want, that is why they aquired the website.

As stated in the announcement NOTHING will be changing in the way these forums are run.

What will change is that we now have a marketing team to sell those banner ads, the same as I was doing before only hopefully better. It means that we now have resources to do the software upgrades that the main website has needed for ages.
It means that the TruckNet UK Community (thats you guys) will have a presence at the Truck Shows, somewhere to meet and sit and natter

It m,eans that the traditional post xmas party will be going ahead, along with the old favourites of “some” cash behind the bar and the charity raffle,
(me makes a note to take a spare t shirt this time :wink: )

It means that in time you will have more articles to read if you wish, it means that the website is secure for the foreseeable future.

Nothing is guarenteed in this world, But I can tell you this, the long term survival of this website is now 90% more secure than it was yesterday :wink:

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All I’ll say is Congrat’s Rikki & Lucy, lots of hard work finally rewarded?

This place will never change no matter who pays the bills :wink:

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brit pete, as I said in my first post on this subject “A good thing, remains to be seen” History tells us that in cases like this the real winners are usually the ones who have gained financially. Are the normal users going to gain? If so, how? The vast majority of the users on here come on to chat on the forums or to look up posts for advice etc. Very few come here to shop for services, but that is what will happen, RBI will need to see a return on their investment and to do that it will have to come from advertising, so we will get bombarded with it, Now if the site turns into one big popup (and I am not suggesting it will) that will turn many users off. I just fail to see how a WWW. forum can fit into a publishers portfolio. I notice RBI haven’t bothered to make any posts about their reasons for the purchase?

And just as a side point, you gonna tell us Rikki how much they paid for the site or are you going to make us wait till the accounts are published?