Specialist contractor McGee has invested a further £2m in its truck fleet to increase road safety, exceed environmental compliance, and optimise operational efficiency.

Wembley based McGee has taken delivery of six new tipper lorries with a further fourteen tipper, skip and plant lorries due for delivery by the Spring.

The new safety-optimised vehicles represent a continued upgrade to McGee’s FORS Gold accredited fleet.

The company’s new Scania-Thompson tipper lorries feature nearside lower door windows to enhance the driver’s view, and innovative side strobe indicators to help vulnerable road users clearly recognise and see when the vehicle is turning.

The strobe indicators have been designed in partnership with Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and are timed with the vehicle’s existing indicators.  Having worked closely with NTU and Thompson Tippers on the project over the past twelve months, McGee is the first operator to fit and install the indicators across its new fleet.  Simply, the indicators are intended to enhance vulnerable road user safety.  

McGee’s lorries are fitted with many other safety features as standard, in addition to the manufacturers’ specifications.  Of particular note are their in-house-designed vehicle inspection mobile app, and their unique traffic light vehicle weigh loading indicator system. 

Using the bespoke app, all drivers are required to carry out a 360° physical inspection of their vehicle every morning. The app is fully auditable; driver authenticated and quickly and efficiently identifies vehicle defects. Its automated reporting ensures compliance and total records management.

The McGee designed traffic light weigh loading indicator ensures safety, full compliance and optimal efficiency.  The indicators tell machine operators when the vehicle is at its maximum carrying capacity - ensuring vehicles do not leave site overweight and full road safety compliance. But equally and as important, they are also not underweight.  Lorries leaving site underweight increases vehicle movements due to inefficiencies, but there are also knock on environmental impacts if the number of vehicle movements increase. This is something McGee manages efficiently through the use of this simple but very effective visual device.

John McGee, Director, said: “We continue to invest a lot of time and resource in our commitment to safety, environmental impact and efficient fleet management.  The side indicator is an exciting innovation and is another step in our journey of continuous improvement to enhance road safety in London.

“By working closely with vehicle manufacturers and academic partners, we have been able to deliver a best-in-class fleet.”

The new lorries will become part of McGee’s fifty-strong fleet of heavy goods vehicles operating across the Capital to service its construction projects.