J R HUMBLE / MAN TIPPERS
Truck & Driver July 2019^29
Smaller TGS cab and lightweight midlift help maximise weightTipping
point
Running tippers on bulk
transport is a much more
complex operation than it was a
few years ago. Most of the big
aggregate companies now
require operators to sign up for
FORS (although there areindependent companies who
have no such stipulations).
There are various safety
equipment and training
requirements, and some
operations are no longer keen
on tippers at all, with a move to
moving-floor/ejector-type trailers.
If you operate in the
agricultural sector, there’s
TASCC –the Trade AssuranceScheme for Combinable Crops.
Payment on tipper work is
usually by payload, so the
trucks will run at close to
maximum weight as possible.
That’s why you’ll find smaller
cabs, mini-midlifts and 11-litre
engines specced – it’s all to
maximise the weight the truck
can carry. Off-road driving is
required too, so the wear andtear on the vehicle can be
heavier than on general haulage.
Experienced operators such
as J R Humble & Sons know
their sector inside out, from the
trucks and maintenance to
running costs and compliance. If
you fancy putting your own tipper
on the road, be prepared for
high running costs and serious
Health and Safety obligations.“There’s not much around
here now, the closure really
harmed the area,” explains
Michael. “Most of the local
industry now centres around
shops, pubs, agriculture, tourism
and small family hauliers like us.
“To be honest, transport and
trucks is all we’ve ever done, it’s
all we’ve ever known and it’s all
we’re ever going to do. We’re
old-fashioned in some ways, but
we’ve also had to move with the
times,” he smiles.
Their first artic was bought in
the ’80s, a 38-tonne Foden with
320 Cummins power – the truck
that Michael started driving in- Basic, but light and tough
as nails, more Fodens followed
until the supplying salesman
moved over to MAN in 1996.
“Edwin Bales was his name.
He moved to MAN Team Valley
and convinced us to give one of
its trucks a try. Since then, we’ve
had a new one from them pretty
much every other year,” says
Michael. The oldest truck of the
four is a 63-plate TGX, the only
one left at Euro 5.Risk-free R&M
Being old-school hauliers, the
brothers (and Wayne) have the
mechanical knowledge to tackle
anything from their workshop, but
with the arrival of AdBlue theydecided that it just wasn’t worth
the hassle or risk and all their
trucks now are purchased with
five years’ repair & maintenance.
“There’s nothing we can’t do
in-house on the mechanical
side,” says Michael, “and all our
trailers are maintained here. But
when the computers began to be
so important we thought, no, it’s
too much of a hassle.”
There’s a mix of work on the
go at any one time. Michael can
be away from base all week,
while John has done only six
nights out in a year. Paul might
be away two to four nights.
The trucks are finished in a
bright shade of green, which wasactually supplied in error. “Our
colour used to be a lot darker
and when the first bright-green
one arrived we complained about
it! We grew to like it though and
decided to keep the colour, as it’s
similar to the Kawasaki racing
green,” explains Michael.
Speaking of which,
motorcycle racing is a big
passion for the family. Father
John used to go circuit racing in
the ’50s and ’60s on Nortons.
Paul raced in the Manx GP in
1996 and 1997 and Wayne
competed in 2018. It’s a big
family tradition to head
off to the Isle of Man TT
every year too.