Torquing Trucks

Recorded at Jack's Hill Cafe, Nigel Beckett answers Commercial Motor readers' questions on a variety of subjects

Truck racing legend Stuart Oliver joins Will Shiers to discuss a remarkable career that has included British and European championship titles, Top Gear, prison and rebuilding a family business from the ground up.

What makes Isuzu Truck UK different? During a visit to Isuzu's global headquarters in Japan, Will Shiers speaks with Pete Murphy, Stuart Beeton and Tim Hicks about the new P700, electric trucks, customer service, and the values that have shaped the business over the past 30 years.

In this episode of Torquing Trucks, Will Shiers speaks to Sasko Cuklev, head of on-road solutions at Volvo Autonomous Solutions, about the reality of autonomous freight operations in the US. Volvo is already running driverless trucks on public highways in Texas, moving real freight for paying customers between Dallas, Houston, El Paso and Oklahoma City. While safety drivers remain in the cab for n...

Will Shiers speaks to Milence CEO Anja van Niersen at the opening of a new charging hub in Germany. They discuss the rollout of electric truck infrastructure, why uptake varies across Europe, and why policy and economics matter as much as charging.

Will Shiers sits down with Vertellus MD Rhian Burrell to discuss contract hire, electrification and how operators are managing risk in an uncertain market

Recorded at RTX Northern Ireland 2026 at the Eikon Exhibition Centre, this episode brings together eight leading truck and van manufacturers for a quick-fire catch-up on their latest products and the state of the market. Featuring voices from Volvo Trucks, DAF, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Trucks, Scania, Iveco and the Electric Van Company.

In 2023, Heiko Selzam openly admitted that Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK had let customers down. Parts availability was poor, trucks were off the road, and the dealer network lacked consistency. Now he’s back! In this follow-up episode, we revisit those issues and ask what has actually improved, and what hasn’t.

In this episode of Torquing Trucks, Will Shiers meets RHA managing director Richard Smith at the Junction 23 Truck Stop diner for a Grilled in the Cafe interview. Over a J23 Big Breakfast, Smith answers tough questions submitted by Commercial Motor readers. The conversation covers the challenges facing UK haulage, how the RHA works with government, and what membership really delivers for operators...

In this episode of Torquing Trucks, Will Shiers visits Midlands Truck & Van to speak with managing director Michael Carolan and e-truck consultant Martin Kelly. The dealer group has become the first Mercedes-Benz Trucks franchise in the UK to achieve full eReady status across its eight-site network. They explain what that means in practice, the investment required, why the eActros 600 is gener...

Haulage runs in the family. Stuart Wring looks back on 30 years of Wrings Transport, from a £1,500 restart of a family name to a mid-60-truck operation built on steady growth

Leyland Trucks MD Phil Jones explains why the UK remains central to DAF’s global production. We discuss flexibility, people, electrification and what it takes to build trucks at scale in Lancashire

Will Shiers is joined by Jan Kohlmeier, MD of MAN Truck & Bus UK, for a Grilled in the Cafe interview recorded over breakfast at Chippenham Pitstop. Located just off the M4 and popular with drivers, Chippenham Pitstop provides the setting as Kohlmeier answers questions submitted by CM readers during a working breakfast, having arrived at the venue in the driver’s seat of an MAN eTGX electric a...

 Will Shiers is joined by Louis Jones, EV and connected services director at DAF Trucks UK, for an in-depth discussion on the current state of electric trucks in the UK and how operator attitudes are evolving.

 Will is joined by one of the joint founders of TRUCK Magazine and International Truck of the Year, past and present IToY chairmen, and DAF Trucks president Harald Seidel 

In its attempt to alleviate the driver shortage, the government relaxed the HGV driving test requirements. But has this decision driven down standards? 

To celebrate the FH’s 30th birthday, Volvo let us drive four different versions, including an FH Electric, and the very first FH off the line.

It’s not every day that a truck designer gets a completely clean sheet of paper – but that’s what happened to HVS’s head of design Pete Clarke

The Renault boss calls for government assistance to help boost the demand for zero-tailpipe-emission trucks in the UK

We’re joined in the cab by T&J Haulage’s transport and compliance manager Steph Crack, for a live demonstration of KKS

Guy Heywood, vice president of sales, marketing and business strategy at Hankook Tire Europe, gives us a fascinating insight into this rapidly evolving industry.

With the UK transport industry’s help, Transaid saves countless lives in Africa. Find out what you can do to help. 

Bal Singh tells us about his four decades of repairing and selling Iveco trucks 

Cambridgeshire-based family-run Welch’s Transport has recently put a Renault Trucks E-Tech D Wide 4x2 curtainsider on the road

Find out what you can do to help tackle the road transport industry’s skills shortage.