All Opinion articles – Page 3
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ArticleChoosing the right tariff can make your fleet EVs the cheaper and greener choice
The haulage industry is under huge pressure from rising costs. Despite the Chancellor’s cut in fuel duty, many operators of lorry and van fleets are considering alternative technologies.Electric vehicles not only deliver environmental benefits but present an opportunity for long-term savings. EVs have lower servicing and maintenance costs, and a ...
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ArticleDespite the challenges, road freight transport keeps on delivering the goods
The road haulage sector has seen many ups and downs in recent months as the driver shortages, pandemic and Brexit each had a negative impact on the availability of and demand for road freight solutions. Each of these situations would have posed a challenge in isolation but, cumulatively, they began ...
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ArticleWhat is your transport manager worth?
Your transport manager is arguably the most vital role in your fleet business: the glue that binds your operation together; the conductor of your orchestra; the shepherd that herds your sheep.The transport manager in your business sets the standard for how work is done. Whether you like it or not, ...
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ArticleGovernment moves to address HGV driver shortage welcome but long overdue
Renewed efforts seen by the government this week to address the worsening HGV driver shortage are indeed commendable. The road haulage sector, already plagued by issues before the pandemic, now has to contend with a fuel crisis that has no end in sight plus a growing ‘silver exodus’ of retirees.According ...
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ArticleVox Pop: Is the industry ripe for increased consolidation?
CMA CGM Group's move to buy nearly 100% of the capital of automotive specialist Gefco and integrate it into its subsidiary, Ceva Logistics, is the latest in a flurry of recent industry takeover activity.MT asks a range of of the sector's leading players whether we can expect more of the ...
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ArticleRed diesel hike is missing the big picture on fuel duty
In his spring statement the Chancellor announced a 5ppl cut in fuel duty. But, with the end of the rebate on red diesel coming in today, this tax cut is both easily affordable and flies in the face of the government’s own environmental policy.The 5p fuel duty cut over the ...
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ArticleForecorts do have a future if they adapt to the new EV world
New heights are being reached in sustainability and petrol filling stations (PFSs) are struggling. In 2020 we saw the closure of 5,000 PFSs in the UK. This shows that our moves towards a greener future are finally coming to fruition, but what does this mean for forecourts? With Starbucks set ...
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ArticleUkraine crisis: "Supply chain managers are preparing for the worst"
The world watched in horror as Russian troops invaded Ukraine, with many fearing for the safety of friends, family and colleagues. As we worry and mourn for the toll on people’s lives, we’re also left wondering how these events might shape our day-to-day – both in the near term and ...
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ArticleVOX POP: Should driver agencies face government regulation?
In the latest issue of Motor Transport, Lesley O'Brien, a director with Freightlink Europe, suggests the time has come for the government to regulate driver agencies to raise standards.The call follows substantial rises in agency rates, driven up by the driver shortage crisis, the IR35 tax reform and the introduction ...
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ArticleInstant e-commerce gratification will require even faster deliveries
The momentum sparked by Covid-19 for e-commerce growth is showing no signs of slowing down. In Q4, 2021, Despatch Cloud helped its clients fulfil record volumes of parcels, with the like-for-like volume of deliveries across our customer base increasing by 17% in November, compared to the same period the year ...
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ArticleZero emissions trucks will be more expensive - but still affordable for operators
The irresistible societal forces calling for and demanding greater sustainability are driving change as never before. For all of us working within the commercial vehicle industry, exciting and challenging times lie ahead for sure. Every automotive manufacturer is now designing, developing and introducing their vehicles of the future, meaning the ...
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ArticleAre drones the future of home delivery?
A government report last November found the use of drones in logistics could result in £2.8bn of savings and boost productivity.Research by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said there will be an estimated 11,000 drones in transport and logistics by 2030, which will represent around 14% ...
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ArticleHow global freight shippers can cope with uncertainty in 2022
The year just gone was a difficult year in global logistics due to ongoing volatility. We worked alongside customers navigating the Suez Canal block, hurricanes and cyclones, port and terminal closures due to Covid-19 outbreaks, customs and trade changes, labour shortages and more.I’ve been in the industry since 1997 and ...
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ArticleHow telematics can reduce accidents, overheads and protect your drivers
Recent data published by the DfT has found that vans, LGVs and HGVs were involved in more serious and fatal accidents per mile than any other form of transport. While 37% of these accidents affected car occupants, and 32% involved pedestrians, the psychological toll on a truck driver involved in ...
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ArticleDVSA changes to HGV testing will help ease driver shortage
On November 15, the DVSA introduced changes to the vocational licence 3a & 3b test modules, so that approved training centres and accredited assessors can now undertake the reversing for part 3a of the test.The 3b part of the test still needs to be completed with a DVSA examiner and ...
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ArticleTaking shortcuts on HGV driver testing is not the answer to the driver shortage
Changes to lorry tests to address HGV driver shortages require caps on driver training charges and the introduction of mandatory mentoring schemes to properly solve shortages.We want to see more considered measures ahead of government-led changes being introduced on 15 November 2021. Reducing the length of driver tests is not ...
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ArticleTimes aren't as grim as you may think...
We all thought Black Friday 2020 was tough - well it has nothing on Black Friday 2021! After the toughest of 20 months and now ‘post pandemic’ (are we post pandemic or is it too early to say… Plan B and all that?) this year is tougher than any. Global ...
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ArticleUnlock existing road freight capacity to alleviate driver shortage
Empty running has become an accepted problem in road transport, but with supply chains facing the dual pressures of a national driver shortage and the need to make drastic carbon reductions, it’s time to address the waste. Conservative estimates still suggest 20% of trucks are running empty, and this doesn’t ...
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ArticleA more intelligent approach to freight movements could help ease driver shortage
The Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit’s “over-complications” are causing a severe HGV driver shortage with major consequences to supply chains into the UK. Supermarkets shelves appear empty, restaurants are struggling for supplies and people are starting to worry about Christmas.And even though we believe that the forces behind driver shortages might ...
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ArticleForget cabotage and show us some respect....
So, the government has another genius solution to wreck the transport industry further through changes to the cabotage rules. All these 'solutions' will not fix the industry, they will harm it further.A quick fix to the driver shortage does not exist. The problem took many years to manifest itself, so ...