The latest addition to our fleet: A Volvo FMX 8x4 tipper, in its bright new livery.

It's got many safety features over and beyond the statutory requirements. A hydraulic tailboard means that neither the driver nor a banksman needs to go behind the vehicle when discharging. There are 360-degree cameras giving the driver a complete picture of anything in the vicinity, as well as a direct vision (low-level) window in the nearside door. When the vehicle is turning left, there is an audible warning, as well as extra indicator lights along the side of the body. The lorry is also designed to be extra kind to the environment with a side-to-side sheeting system, which achieves much better load retention than the usual front-to-back sheeting, especially when carrying lightweight and/or dusty products. And the engine is of course fully compliant with the latest Euro 6 standards.

Talking of the engine, it's a six-cylinder 13 litre delivering about 460 hp, not to mention 2300 Nm of torque - about ten times the pulling power of your average car. Helpful when your gross weight is up to 32 tonnes! As we fit our tippers with aluminium bodies, it means a slightly higher proportion of that gross weight is cargo - we can get nearly 20 tonnes of product on this beauty.

Say hello next time you see GN18 XDM on the road!

The Agri-Expo show is held annually at the Kent County Showground, near Detling. We always have a stand there, in order to keep up with the local agricultural community. Peter Traill knows everybody and it is both fun and educational to come along as an outsider.

Absolutely everything related to agriculture is on show here, from combine harvesters to smartphone apps. We have a small stand in the main exhibition hall but there are also outdoor stands for bigger pieces of machinery and other robust stuff. I did not feel particularly robust on arrival as it was cold and drizzling, and a long way to walk from the parking area, with surprisingly large snowdrifts still left over from the attention given to the North Downs by the Beast from the East. But things gradually warmed up, and with the rise in temperature followed a rise in the visitor levels. It's just a one-day show so it's important that the weather co-operates - not too good, and not too bad.

We definitely need to update our exhibition materials - the combination of old and new logos (as can be seen above) is not good. But since pictures of lorries are an important part of our display, we need their liveries to be updated first... this could be a lengthy process. Something for the marketing department to get a grip on, I feel!

I think this is a good show and worth continuing to support, but the organisers need to rethink their approach to visitor parking. It is evident that potential parking space is being withheld in case there is a sudden influx of outdoor exhibitors but that does not seem likely to happen.

The next show for the Bourne Group is the Heathfield Agricultural Show, on 26 May. That is more a Gardenscape event but the stand will have an overall Bourne flavour to it as well.

FORS - the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme - is an accreditation scheme promoting best practice for commercial vehicle operators. The aim is to drive up the standards for safety, efficiency and environmental protection and accredited members of the scheme are required to show commitment to such standards well beyond the minimum legal requirements. There are three levels: bronze, silver and gold; each requiring increasingly stringent audits and evidence.

The FORS Association manages the standard and provides training and case studies, showing how being FORS accredited helps operators across the industry. There are now over 4,700 members but fewer than 800 have so far reached the Gold level. Many delivery contracts in London, in particular, now require the operator to be FORS accredited.

John Bourne & Co were early adoptors of the scheme, in line with our commitment to delivering the highest quality of service. We reached Gold status in 2016 and we have now passed our first regular audit, with Gold standard confirmed for another two years.

(See also the post on CLOCS.)

Phil Burdett is our Transport Manager - he is responsible for the Group's fleet of lorries and other vehicles. Not only does he look after the maintenance, supplies for and administration of the vehicles and associated infrastructure, but he is also the chief logistics brain for the John Bourne & Co lorries as they negotiate the public obstacle courses of SE England - a.k.a. our road network.

Phil has been with us for 11 years - first as a driver and then moving into his current position. Before that, he worked as a market trader - this must explain his sunny disposition and how he gets on so well with everybody. It is amazing how he can greet everybody with a cheery smile, even on a wet Monday morning. No doubt having a young family also helps with a positive outlook...

A great deal of Phil's work involves administration. Some of this is external, to keep up with the ever-increasing demands of the authorities on HGV operators, and also to show to our customers that our commitment to safety and quality of service is second to none. The internal admin, though, is probably Phil's least favourite activity. Much of this stems from John Bourne & Co's unique role as transport operator both for group companies and external customers, while also being a supplier of agricultural lime, compost and aggregates. There can be quite a lot of paperwork associated with this combination, but he gets on with it, ably assisted by Liz. One of these days, we will come up with an improved system...

Now, logistics and problem-solving, that's what Phil really thrives on. There's always something new - vehicles finding interesting ways of breaking down or getting stuck, and road closures to think around. Although GPS and various forms of navigational aids make life easier, you still need a taxi-driver's knowledge of the roads and byways, together with a puzzle-solver's intuitive feel for the best way to look at a problem - that's our Phil!