However, when a body is fitted to a truck, only the chassis and cab have to meet those Type Approval regulations. But things are about to change. These developments are welcomed by the bodybuilding fraternity in general. European Whole Vehicle Type Approval means that in future, the entire vehicle must be approved and the bodybuilders will also need to show that they carried out their work within the law.

For the bodybuilders this will almost certainly mean meeting international agreed quality standards, like the ISO 9002 or TS 16 949 Series. Across the water, the UK Government is putting the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval law in place and plans a phased start towards the last half of the decade. The whole process will be based on 'self-certification'. "This essentially means that the firm has first to say what it is going to do, then to do what it says and finally prove it," explains Robin Dickeson at the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders. "Increasingly tough environmental laws means more suppliers of both goods and services find they must meet agreed quality standards," he added.

"The relationship between truck makers and bodybuilders in this process is complicated and clearly one party has to take the lead. In most cases this will be the truck maker," continued Robin. "This means that the bodybuilders will have to clearly demonstrate in meeting their obligations. In almost every case the pre-requisite for Whole Vehicle Type Approval will be an internationally agreed quality standard. "It could take between 18 months and two years to meet those standards and get on to the starting grid," according to Robin.

At present, the Department of Transport has not issued any guidelines but for the more professional coach builders these changes will offer opportunities to those firms to sell their products across Europe. In welcoming the move, Michael Quinn, M.J. Quinn (Athenry) emphasised the importance of Whole Vehicle Type Approval by saying that 'there is a code of practice for pretty much every other manufacturing industry but not for body building.' "Any person can build a body or carry out repair work in a shed. There is no guide lines," he also added. "The condition of the body must attain to the same rigours as the annual DOE Test as per the truck or light commercial. This will contribute enormously to road safety also."

In a separate but related issue, Bernd Hoffmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Schmitz Cargobull AG called for an ease on restriction on vehicle dimensions in the area of cargo transportation in Europe that are burdening many manufacturers with unnecessarily high costs. "We need greater freedom in the designing of vehicles," he commented. "Four metres are not high enough for vehicles in order to increase the logistical degree of effectiveness, for example when large volume trailers are being used."