All Opinion articles – Page 4
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ArticleLogistics companies thinking outside the box on flexible, low cost warehouse automation
With margins under pressure and labour in short supply, forward thinking logistics service providers are taking a new, radical approach to winning business using flexible automation.There is an emerging sea change in the traditional 3PL–client relationship around automation. Whereas a 3PL would normally win a contract first and then possibly ...
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ArticleAutumn Statement: Cut fuel duty to ease cost of living and boost economy, RHA urges Chancellor
Ahead of next Thursday’s Autumn Statement, the RHA is calling on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to introduce a fuel duty rebate for HGVs of at least 15p per litre to help bring down prices.The RHA is also urging the government to extend the Energy Bills Relief Scheme for a further six ...
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ArticleDual-pressure hydrogen stations for buses and HGVs spread cost and encourage local take-up
A new model of hydrogen-powered double decker bus was rolled out in Aberdeen in 2021, following an £8.3m grant from the EU and Scottish Government. These buses have now travelled more than one million miles, preventing 1,700 tonnes of CO2 emissions being released into the atmosphere. This is a great ...
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ArticleGovernment action on driver training capacity should be applauded, but the real test will be Christmas
The government has made strides in addressing the HGV driver shortage over the past year, and the recent increase in testing capacity is the latest positive example. Yet the upcoming Christmas period will, like most years, put pressure on testing and training capacity. It should remind the government and industry ...
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ArticleEnergy price cap not enough to save Christmas
This week, the UK’s new PM Liz Truss announced her energy relief package to help with the current cost of living crisis and the soaring electricity and gas prices. Central to this package is the energy price guarantee. Taking effect from 1 October, energy bills will be capped at £2,500 ...
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Article25.25m, 60-tonne GVW combinations could significantly boost fleet efficiency and remove road miles, says Hazcomp MD
News that government is looking for operators willing to trial longer heavier vehicles (LHVs) up to 25.25m in length and at 60 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW) has sparked a wider debate about what sort of combinations might be permitted.At Road Transport Expo's Business & Technology stage, Hazcomp MD Kevin ...
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ArticleBootcamps will provide welcome injection of new HGV drivers to ease shortage
The logistics sector is the backbone of the nation’s economy and vital to its financial success, employing around 2.56m people and contributing £129bn gross value added. The country’s economy relies heavily on the logistics sector and with depleting numbers in experienced drivers, especially since the UK left the EU, there ...
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ArticleBe prepared just in case a driver has a serious accident on the road
There has been much talk recently of how HGV drivers are treated in the UK and whether companies, as well as the industry as a whole, are doing enough to provide them with decent facilities, good pay and relevant benefits.It is recognised that this is a highly skilled profession and ...
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ArticleViewpoint: a roadmap for fleet electrification - start planning your journey today
Ahead of this month's exciting new industry show - the Road Transport Expo - MT caught up with the show's Charging Partner and infrastructure expert EQUANS to hear its guidance to operators on planning for a zero-emission future...Heavy transportation vehicles are responsible for around 7% of global carbon emissions. That’s ...
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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 ...