Author Archives: Thomas Pollard

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What is a real estate grant? It's cash that individuals can obtain to purchase a new home, repair or update their existing home, or to help them pay down a mortgage. This is funding that is available regardless of income or credit.

If your home has a very small room or an area like a kitchen nook, you may consider placing mirror tiles on one of the walls. This small investment will make an area look and feel more spacious. It will brighten the area and create a sense of depth.

The hidden small print tactics used by some websites offer no excuses to common sense and no Local Planning Department will listen to ignorance being an excuse. In the last two weeks at least four people have had to subsequently remove such buildings as planning permission was never sought and they have been left with a hefty price tag for not doing things the right way.

If you do not have any idea about the different types of roofing, read the internet and arm yourself with a little information. It will help you in choosing the right roof for your home. Seeking advice from the roofing company about the type of roof that is suitable for your home is advisable, but you should have a general idea too. Knowing a little about the different types of roofs will also help you to make your decision as to which roofing company to hire.

There are way more details then you expected. Think about all the details you may have to deal with. Now double that. and that's still probably not enough. Details such as trim and molding; paint color and cabinet hardware; fixtures and switch plate covers; door knobs and wall texture. These are many details that anderway.co.uk don't consider until the builder asks. Sometimes without proper planning, these items need to be special ordered and it takes longer to finish. Which brings me to the next topic.

Bible don't say so; but I believe the stench of the dead bodies both human and animal would have been unbearable so God had them land in the mountains where there were possibly no people residing until the earth absorbed the dead. Just a thought.

This will also help to determine the cost of public liability insurance. Some jobs are open to risks more than others. A contruction company is more likely to have accidents than a small clerical business with one office and one secretary. If your job is unique be prepared to tell them what it is most like and the field of work you identify with the most.

If you're looking at some prospective extension builders, you should absolutely demand to tour some of their previously built homes. You want to know what their capabilities are and if they can meet your needs. Take a critical look at the house and note anything you don't like. A lot of companies can promise that they can build certain rooms or extensions, but seeing everything first hand will be the final judgment of how well a company can build a house. A good company will have a website with some previous work for you to view. Either way, don't sign on the dotted line until you've seen the company's work first hand.

It reminds me of one of the brilliant Dr. Milton H. Erickson (often referred to as, 'The father of modern Hypnotherapy') stories where he helped a sectioned paranoid schizophrenic, of many years, recover enough to leave the hospital.

Home loan in India for long has been an effective financial … Read more

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Press Release

Freedom of Information statistics obtained by the ADLV (Association for Driving Licence Verification) from the DVLA, reveal that there has been a considerable increase in commercial electronic checking of licenses by fleets. The figures record the volume of licence checks made through members of the DVLA’s EDECS Electronic Driver Entitlement Checking Service, the vast majority of which are ADLV members. In the last three months of 2014, the statistics show that the volume of licenses checked electronically, by these organisations, rose sharply by more than 22% on prior year; this represents an increase in the percentage growth rate on prior year by 34% over just one quarter. The total number of checks undertaken by EDECS users on behalf of UK fleets was in excess of 1.7M in 2014.

According to ADLV Member Richard Brown the figures reflect both the news that the paper licence counterpart is set to disappear and awareness that the ADLV has been launched to advance the cause of commercial best-practice for electronic checking. In his view: “These figures are highly significant. They show that Fleet Managers are recognising that best-practice has changed and that electronic checking through a fully managed service from a professional third party is the right way to check driver entitlement; as it enables automated and continuous checking with full reporting and audit trails. We expect that these figures will continue to rise, especially as we get closer to the disappearance of the paper counterpart.

ADLV Logo

“The change in practice has also been reinforced by a general understanding that the paper .pdf generated through the DVLA’s single record Share My Driving Licence alternative has no legal standing. There is also a concern, that PDF and printed paper documents are open to fraud, which could leave organisations exposed to compliance risk. Many Fleet managers see electronic checking as a superior and risk free path to follow and as the message spreads we expect a significant adoption of these processes over the next 6 months.”

The current list of ADLV members that fleet managers can contact should they require driving licence checks is a follows:

The AA, Admin Business Solutions, Chalcheck Ltd, Descartes Systems UK Ltd, DriveTech (UK) Ltd, Drivercheck Ltd., DrivingMonitor, Fleet Claims Administration Ltd, Fleet Partnership Solutions Ltd, GB Group plc., Jaama Ltd, Inchcape Fleet Solutions, Intelligent Data Systems (UK) Ltd, Interactive Driving Systems Ltd, Licence Bureau Ltd, Licence Check Ltd, and Pinewood Technologies.

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Note To Editors: About the ADLV (www.adlv.co.uk)
The Association for Driving License Verification has been established to promote and encourage best practice within the industry for the initial and continued validation of driver entitlement for responsible employers and road safety.

The ADLV will both represent and regulate Members organisations in accordance with its rigorous Code of Conduct.

For further information please contact:

Richard Payne-Gill
ADLV
07534 199236
[email protected]
www.adlv.co.uk

or

Leigh Richards
The Right Image PR & Marketing Group
07758 372527
[email protected]
www.therightimage.co.uk

… Read more

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Driving Monitor have announced a series of live demonstrations across the UK to showcase the new eConsent paperless driving licence checking service. The live sessions will demonstrate how a fleet manager can now perform instant realtime checks on his fleet as soon as a driver enters their licence details. The new service is part of a series of first-to-market set of tools Driving Monitor have developed over the past few months.

Kevin Curtis, Managing Director of Driving Monitor commented, "The live demos will show first hand how simple and fast our new licence checking service runs. With the forthcoming counterpart abolition in June this year we feel that fleet managers need a simple and fast way of checking their employees' licences. The new eConsent system we have developed is a UK first and takes the administration away from collecting consent from drivers via the traditional paper route.

Driving Licence Counterpart going

Our new eConsent system is called ePass (Electronic Permit and Safety System) and connects the driver consent with the new live realtime checking service we have recently launched. This means for the first time a manager can verify the status of their employees' licences within seconds. Traditionally we've had to rely on the DVLA ‘batch' processing model where we send a volume of licence checking data via a secure channel to the DVLA - and then wait for the ‘batch' of results to be returned.

The new platform has opened up a whole range of new services we can offer with instant real-time checks. We can also get instant results when a driver completes our Driving Monitor risk assessment profiler, meaning the DVLA data is right up-to-date allowing the risk assessment to be 100% accurate instantly. We have also recently tested the new realtime service against the current overnight batch service that we use via a secure DVLA link. Our results found that 100% of records that were previously suppressed via the overnight EDECs service were checked successfully via the new realtime service. This is a marked improvement on reducing the number of records that previously were held up by the DVLA if they were working on a licence. We can now use the new realtime service to reduce the number of blocked records."

Kevin Curtis went on to say, "One of the main areas of confusion we've found talking to customers is that the DVLA are releasing a similar service this summer. However there needs to be a distinction from the service that the DVLA are going to provide (to replace the counterpart once it's been removed) and the services that companies such as Driving Monitor offer fleet and Health & Safety managers. The new DVLA ‘Share My Licence' service that will be launched in the summer will only offer a single view approach and relies on the driver registering for the service using the government gateway ID verification platform. Once a driver has been through this process (10 mins) they would then activate a one-time use code for their employer to use. They would then need to print a form to give to their employer, which then starts the process of the employer needing to access the web service. The employer would then need to access the DVLA portal with the one-time use code to verify the driving licence (a further 5 mins).

What will become apparent very quickly is that employers will not want their drivers taking up valuable time going through an online approval process to register, then to generate a one-time use code that needs to be handed to the employer. Fleet managers also need to understand that the new DVLA service … Read more

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Barcelona, Spain/Montreal, Canada- March 2nd 2015 - Summit Tech is unveiling the first Voice over LTE (VoLTE)/Rich Communication Services (RCS)-capable Connected Car in collaboration with Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU), a world leading specialist in IP networking, cloud and ultra-broadband technology, at the GSMA's Innovation City showcase at Mobile World Congress 2015. The two companies will be demonstrating the transformational power of the service provider's all-IP communications network on the Connected Car of the future.

With operators increasingly rolling out commercial VoLTE services across their 4G LTE networks, a new chapter in IP communication innovation expands the delivery of ultra-broadband services and enhanced service experiences. Based on a highly reliable virtualized IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) platform that comes equipped with APIs for rapid service creation, VoLTE's high definition voice and rich communications can now be easily extended to the Connected Car.

In contrast to cars with only built-in LTE for Internet access, Summit Tech and Alcatel-Lucent will demonstrate how VoLTE/RCS enable the Connected Car itself to become a secondary device to complement a user's smartphone. The Connected Car has call hand-over -- seamlessly transferring calls to the car without any user interaction.  Even if their smartphone battery dies, a user can continue the call from their car which behaves as an independent secondary telephony device.

The system works with Heads-Up Display systems in cars, so that users can view their calls, messages or data while keeping their eyes on the road and manage them using gesture control.  Leveraging the power of Alcatel-Lucent's IMS solution currently in operator's networks and capable of supporting mobile and WiFi, the Connected Car brings occupants a full complement of communication services including support for VoLTE, video communications, IP messaging/chat and social presence to open up countless use cases.  

For instance, the Connected Car can automatically advise a caller that the call is not private if there are other passengers in the car.  The caller is then offered the option of leaving a message rather than being heard by all on the speaker phone.  Once the driver is available for a private conversation, the system can prompt the caller to call back.

Another real-life example of the power of VoLTE/RCS-based vehicles can be applied to drive-thru restaurants.  The driver can be automatically linked to the drive-thru attendant with a standard Android™ or Windows™ phone using an HD audio call, instead of the crackly drive-thru speakers.  After the order is placed, confirmation and an electronic invoice are displayed on the car's in-dash display.  The driver can then complete a mobile commerce transaction to pay for their meal.

"By leveraging APIs exposing the rich functionality of today's IP communication networks, communications as a service can be embedded into the Connected Car experience to provide on the go consumers and business users with personalized ultra broadband experiences," Fran Heeran, General Manager of the IP Communications business at Alcatel-Lucent.  "The Connected Car becomes yet another means by which operators can offer innovative services beyond the smartphone and enter new vertical markets to leverage their investments in LTE networks and VoLTE services."

"We don't need any more fragmentation across voice, messaging and data systems," commented Alido Di Giovanni, President of Summit Tech.  "Closed systems are not helpful to the progression of Connected Cars.  With this ecosystem, operators can finally be at the heart of Connected Cars, as they should be.  They can be the ones that provide the disruption and the innovation in this market.  And consumers can benefit from a system that works seamlessly across car manufacturers, operating systems and carrier networks."

About SUMMIT TECH
Summit Tech is … Read more

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Press Release

The Association For Driving Licence Verification (ADLV) has responded to reports that the date for the abolition of the paper counterpart to the current driving licence has been delayed. In their view the delay is irrelevant as the time for many fleets to change their processes is now. This reflects a recognition by the Association that some corporate fleet users are concerned that even when the current alternative proposed by the DVLA becomes available it might not address all their business compliance and operational requirements for fleets of 20 or more. As an alternative approach and a call to action, the ADLV is recommending that fleet managers evaluate available commercial alternatives now to reap immediate and significant efficiency savings as well as data security enhancements.

As the ADLV Chair Malcolm Maycock comments; “The benefits of electronic checking are already available and proven so why wait until someone decides a date for the inevitable? Organisations seeking to professionally manage and protect their employees’ driver data should make the move to electronic checking now.”

Photo shows Malcolm Maycock Chair of the ADLV

The ADLV Technical Director Kevin Curtis comments; "Working alongside the DVLA the ADLV will launch a 'Real Time' checking service early in the New Year. We also plan to launch the new eConsent service for paperless checks as well as the current ‘wet signature’ D796. ADLV members offer a risk free and compliant solution to managing driver data and this is being well received by those who wish to take a professional approach."

In the New Year, the ADLV will also be contacting fleet managers to recommend they make the move to electronic verification now instead of waiting for confirmation of when the paper counterpart is to be abolished.

End

Note To Editors:

About the ADLV (www.adlv.co.uk)
The Association for Driving License Verification has been established to promote and encourage best practice within the industry for the initial and continued validation of driver entitlement for responsible employers and road safety.

The ADLV will both represent and regulate Members organisations in accordance with its rigorous Code of Conduct.

For further information please contact:

Richard Payne-Gill
ADLV
07534 199236
[email protected]

or

Leigh Richards
The Right Image PR & Marketing Group
[email protected]
07758 372527

… Read more

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Press Release

The Association for Driving Licence Verification (ADLV) www.adlv.co.uk is to launch a new package of measures aimed at reinforcing the quality and security of driving licence data for corporate fleet users. The measures will form the first steps towards a new industry standard aimed at ensuring risk free access to licence data once the paper counterpart disappears early in 2015. The new measures are seen as a response to corporate fleet concerns over non-commercial licence checking services which some worry are open to potential misuse and abuse by staff which leaves their employers at risk under current data protection legislation.

As Richard Payne-Gill a Director of the ADLV says, “Data security and avoidance of data fraud are issues requiring sound governance. Corporate HR Directors, Risk Specialists and Fleet Managers must adhere to only the highest standards of Information Security when it comes to their employee’s data. Any serious breach leaves them exposed to the law and potentially affects their reputation as an employer. DVLA is soon to introduce the Share My Driving Licence facility (SMDL) which will allow motorists to share up-to-date information electronically about their driving entitlement. The ADLV has shared its concerns with the DVLA about allowing the driver to produce a PDF version of their record which could easily be manipulated. Further, without training companies may inadvertently accept the document as proof of entitlement to drive not understanding they still need to check further online. Corporate users can avoid this issue by using the services which are already commercially available, these are equipped to deal with employers that need batch services for reasons of organisational efficiency rather than a transactional service, ensuring that their driving licence entitlement is correct and sufficient for their purposes.

ADLV Logo

“As corporate users cannot accept any risk, especially when it comes to employee data, they have welcomed the professional, independent licence verification services provided initially by members of the DVLA’s EDECS system and more recently the ADLV itself. Where corporate fleet managers only use an ADLV member, it reduces such risks and these new measures will reinforce the quality of the service they deliver. By using the services of an ADLV member, the possibility of someone playing fast and loose with driver licence data is history.

“The package includes a membership roadmap to ISO 27001 compliance and the addition of e-consent for ID Assurance; ensuring an individual’s identity is properly verified before sensitive personal information is accessed.”

The ADLV is currently working on a range of other new standards aimed at effective corporate fleet governance, which are likely to be announced in the first quarter of 2015.

Ends

Note To Editors: About the ADLV (www.adlv.co.uk)
The Association for Driving License Verification has been established to promote and encourage best practice within the industry for the initial and continued validation of driver entitlement for responsible employers and road safety.

The ADLV will both represent and regulate Members organisations in accordance with its rigorous Code of Conduct.

For further information please contact:
Richard Payne-Gill
ADLV
07534 199236
[email protected]

or

Leigh Richards
The Right Image PR & Marketing Group
[email protected]
07758 372527

… Read more

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Leaders in the automotive field join forces to enable independent specialist and generalist garages to save time and money by ordering parts and supply direct from the diagnostics device.

10 NOVEMBER 2014 - Wheatley, Oxfordshire, UK. Autologic Diagnostics today announced a new global strategic alliance with WORLDPAC, Inc., a leading wholesale distributor of original equipment automotive parts. Autologic has integrated WORLDPAC SpeedDIAL online cataloguing functionality into its market-leading diagnostic devices. Now, Autologic users that are also WORLDPAC customers can diagnose a vehicle, check parts availability at any time, confirm pricing and place orders direct through their Autologic devices. This will create the industry's first seamless process from initial diagnosis to parts sourcing and vehicle repair.

Autologic Logo

This new collaboration will enable independent repair facilities to better manage the ever-increasing complexity of European vehicles. The combination of Autologic and WORLDPAC's speedDIAL catalogue will deliver a deeper level of diagnosis and a straight-through diagnose-to-fix process.

"Joining forces with WORLDPAC is going to save our shared customers a great deal of time and money in many direct and practical ways," said John Conoley, Chief Executive Officer of Autologic Diagnostics. "WORLDPAC represents a fine fit for us and by integrating their service into our devices, we will overnight, extend the value of our devices into new areas of the technician's workflow."

"The collaboration between WORLDPAC and Autologic has been long standing and this latest integration of speedDIAL with Autologic will greatly increase the customer's shop efficiency along with vehicle through-put. We can now say that we have a real solution for accurate European and British vehicle diagnosis along with providing the right part at the right time," said Mario Recchia, SVP Marketing at WORLDPAC.

In practical terms, the WORLDPAC service will be accessed through a single, always accessible button, on the Autologic device. All WORLDPAC customers will need to do is enter their existing account number. VIN numbers will then be exchanged seamlessly with WORLDPAC to ensure the right parts are ordered for the vehicle being diagnosed.

The new service will be available to existing Autologic and WORLDPAC customers from September 2014 and will form part of the next scheduled software update.

ENDS

About Autologic Diagnostics
Autologic Diagnostics provides comprehensive automotive diagnostics and expert technical support to a worldwide customer base of independent specialist and generalist garages.

The company is a recognized leader in multi-manufacturer diagnostics and service with a major focus on the UK, US, Germany and Nordic countries. Winner of multiple awards, including the Queen's Award for Enterprise for International Trade in 2012, Autologic was founded in 1999.

Please visit www.autologic.com for further information.

Media Contact
Jonathan Brayshaw
ORIGINAL
Office: +44 203 289 1875
Mobile: +44 7590 570680

About WORLDPAC, Inc.
WORLDPAC is a leading importer and distributor of original equipment automotive replacement parts serving the independent import and domestic service center market through its 100+ branches across the USA, Canada and Puerto Rico.  SpeedDIAL, WORLDPAC's exclusive online catalog and fulfillment ordering software including new OE Detailed Schematic Parts Diagrams, contains over 120,000 products covering more than 7 million import and domestic, multiple brand applications for virtually all makes and models including.  WORLDPAC customers can also download the free, 5-star rated WORLDAC App featuring speedDIAL Express and VIN decoder for iPhone or Android mobile devises. Additional WORLDPAC customer services include an extensive distribution network, multiple same-day deliveries through the company fleet of vehicles, direct importer pricing, an experienced knowledgeable sales team, targeted customer marketing solutions, and the WORLDPAC Training Institute's (WTI) highly praised advanced technical and business training. 

To learn more about WORLDPAC or to become customer, contact (800) 888-9982 … Read more