All Opinion articles
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MT ArticleThe future of the UK pallet sector: Why relationships, not just consolidation, will define the winners
UK pallet networks are unique. While advances in technology, sector consolidation and network investment will undoubtedly shape the sector’s future, the long-term success of any pallet network still comes down to one thing: its members.
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MT ArticleWhy October is the month to watch for road freight
With diesel hitting historic highs and right-to-work checks now covering individual subcontractors — carrying civil penalties of up to £45,000 per breach — October’s carrier rates and availability data will show which pressure is hitting hardest. TEG CEO Lyall Cresswell sets out what operators need to watch and act on ...
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MT ArticleFragmented AI: why transport and logistics must take security seriously
Traditionally, the transportation industry has taken a cautious approach to addressing business challenges and adopting new technologies. Because assets are expensive, margins are consistently thin and mistakes can have massive real-world consequences, fleets simply cannot afford to be early adopters of unproven solutions.
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MT ArticleWhen spare HGV capacity is actually worth filling
Accepting a backload can look like an easy commercial win, but mileage, waiting time and repositioning can erode its value fast. Dumitru Martînov of Houlvek sets out a practical framework for smaller fleets and owner-drivers to assess whether an additional load genuinely stacks up.
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MT ArticleWhy the AI tools your office buys quietly die
Plenty has been written about the big implementation that disappoints. The system goes in, the project is signed off, and the operation takes a year to catch up with it. That is a real problem and it deserves the attention. It is also not the problem most ...
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MT ArticleLate payment is an unsecured loan your biggest customer takes without asking
The Commercial Payments Bill addresses a real problem, but it will not help your cashflow this quarter. Harvey Dhillon, ACMA CGMA, explains what the legislation actually proposes, why haulage is structurally exposed, and which operational disciplines deliver results now — before Parliament acts.
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MT ArticleThe transport office, not the cab: where AI actually earns its keep in road transport
Almost everything written about AI in road transport is about the vehicle. Autonomous braking, telematics, route optimisation that promises to shave miles off a manifest. That work matters. It also has very little to do with where the unpaid hours in a haulage business actually go, which ...
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MT ArticleThe consignor’s responsibility does not end at the depot gate
Safe transport depends on more than the driver’s checks. Consignors, loaders and operators must share accurate information about the load, vehicle and journey before it leaves the site.
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MT ArticleBeyond the co-operative model: How connected networks can help independent operators grow
For decades, independent logistics operators have been the backbone of the UK’s supply chain. They know their local markets, build long-term customer relationships and deliver the flexibility that many larger organisations struggle to match.
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MT ArticleOne AI agent could end logistics data chaos
There’s no question that our global supply chain is powered by data. Increasingly intelligent technology solutions pull, analyse and act on this massive amount of information from a multitude of sources.
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FCZ ArticleNet Zero Week: Where next?
On entering Downing Street, the new Prime Minister will face a myriad of competing choices and priorities. Decarbonising the commercial vehicle sector is no exception, with a long “to do” list to work through. Net Zero Week provides an opportunity to review “where next?” together with a list of priorities ...
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MT ArticleLogistics Skills Network, Fueler Consulting and ADR Network data challenge the two-year HGV insurance convention
LSN and Fueler Consulting have published analysis of nearly three-quarters of a million HGV driver shifts, exposing the two-year licence restriction as an unsubstantiated barrier — and calling for live vacancy data, insurance transparency and a sector-wide rethink on risk.
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MT ArticleYour new TMS went live on Monday. By Friday the planners were back on spreadsheets
Technology has never been more capable of transforming road transport. Artificial intelligence is optimising routes, warehouse systems are becoming smarter, telematics can predict maintenance before vehicles break down and your TMS promises complete visibility. Yet talk to enough fleet operators and a familiar story emerges: the software works perfectly but ...
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MT ArticleTen years on from Brexit, the focus must be on what comes next
A decade on, the glut of comment pieces marking the Brexit referendum tells you two things. The decision we made has had serious consequences. And even now, much remains unresolved.
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MT ArticleEight ways fleet operators can transform fleet performance
Rising fuel costs, driver shortages and sustainability demands are increasing pressure on fleet operators. Transport optimisation software can help delivery businesses improve efficiency, cut costs and reduce the impact of disruption on last-mile operations.
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MT ArticleThe 30% efficiency debt: Can precision planning close the gap for Britain’s 1.58%-margin hauliers?
UK hauliers have long been battling a perfect storm of challenges, from an ageing driver workforce and inefficient road networks to persistently rising fuel and non-fuel costs, most recently exacerbated by the conflict in the Middle East. Now, the sector faces an additional and increasingly pressing issue: razor-thin profit margins. ...
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MT Article3PLs can be supply chain heroes – if relationships are right
For many manufacturers and retailers, the past few years have changed what they expect from their logistics partners. Cost will always matter, but as supply chains come under sustained pressure from geopolitical instability, labour shortages, rising operating costs, climate risk and changing customer expectations, third-party logistics providers (3PLs) are increasingly ...
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MT ArticleSupporting the next generation of HGV drivers
With the industry needing 200,000 new HGV drivers over the next five years, RHA Insurance Services is working with specialist insurers to help operators secure cover for younger and inexperienced drivers, offering an alternative to restrictive mainstream policies.
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MT Article
Baxter Freight launches 28 graduate roles to help tackle NEET crisis
Logistics operator Baxter Freight has created 28 graduate roles with structured training and mentoring as part of its response to the UK’s growing NEET challenge. The firm says 37% of recent hires are under 24, with five graduate recruits already progressing to leadership positions.
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FCZ ArticleAn operator knows in a week. The money never asks
When KleanDrive entered administration, it had working technology and real customers. What it didn’t have was investment backing that valued operator judgement over financial hunches. One fleet operator explains why firms with proven kit keep failing, and why the industry keeps losing suppliers it claims to want.