A template outlining the concerns operators running up to 10 lorries have over the transition to zero-emission fleets has been put together to help them respond to a government consultation on the issue.
The open source document has been designed to aid SMEs by giving them the figures and explaining the effect on their businesses of phasing out diesel trucks over the next decade.
Put together by Colin Matthews, an independent consultant specialising in low carbon fuels and also HGV driver, he said the aim was to provide hauliers too busy to spend hours responding to the recent consultation on a ZEV mandate for trucks, with information they can easily use.
He said: “One of the problems we have is that 80% of hauliers run 10 or fewer lorries.
“They are SMEs and they are very, very busy in their day to day jobs to take a day out and try and respond to this consultation.
“The purpose of this document is to provide some tangible data and concerns that need to be taken into account as we look to decarbonise HGVs in the UK and help the industry formalise responses to this consultation.”
The department for transport consultation was launched in January and calls for comments from manufacturers, logistics providers and fleet operators, with the findings used to create a regulatory framework designed to cut CO2 emissions from HGVs and is part of the government’s wider aim to meet its legally binding net zero target by 2050.
The consultation also builds on the government’s existing commitments to end the sale of new non-zero emission HGVs weighing up to 26 tonnes by 2035, and all new non-zero emission HGVs by 2040.
Matthews’ documents is divided up into three sections: vehicle costs, infrastructure costs and third party costs, such as fuel duty.
“Many voices are telling this industry what it should be doing.” he said.
“Often these voices have never run a truck fleet, sat in a truck or done a day’s work in a truck to understand just what this industry faces and how wonderful its delivery is for this nation’s economic growth.
“If we do not discuss the true costs associated with running trucks, such as the purchase cost; the energy cost; the mandated maintenance and fleet running costs; any infrastructure build cost; financing costs and external government costs; then the industry will likely face a disruptive cliff edge.”
The document can be accessed here.
The consultation runs until 17 March.
