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All Opinion articles
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ArticleThe need for radical transformation in the transportation of goods
We all recognise that transportation of goods needs to be more sustainable. Stats show that the logistics sector is the source of just over a third of global CO2 emissions, so it’s critical our industry prioritises this issue and plays an active role in driving proactive change. ...
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ArticlePrevent insolvency by knowing the warning signs
Business insolvency is a multi-faceted issue driven by a range of concerns, from a lack of meaningful management information to a bad corporate culture. These problems need scrutinising closely to understand the leading drivers of a fleet operators’ insolvency. Doing so can offer a chance of recovery, providing liquidation isn’t ...
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ArticleBusiness Distress Index – where does the transport & logistics sector rank?
The Business Distress Index, released quarterly by Real Business Rescue, paints a picture of the financial health of UK SMEs across various sectors, including industrial transportation and logistics. It fleshes out the journey travelled by each sector under a range of trading conditions influenced by external factors, such as the ...
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ArticleA ZEV mandate for HGVs: opportunity or disaster?
HGVs account for over 6% of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions, placing a significant responsibility on our sector to decarbonise. The transition to zero-emission vehicles is well underway, with every OEM already growing its electric vehicle portfolio. So, what would a ZEV mandate for HGVs mean for OEMs already facing the ...
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ArticleHow haulage firms can combat rising costs
The number of businesses in the road transport sector entering administration has more than trebled over the past three years, with 68 companies going under in the first half of 2024 alone, compared with 20 in the first six months of 2022. One of the most recent ...
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ArticleIT systems can only take you so far - then it needs the human touch
In recent years, the logistics industry has witnessed a significant influx of IT solutions enter the marketplace. The industry’s rapid adoption of such technology has undoubtedly propelled it into the 21st Century, enabling operators to remove the complexities associated with outdated or inefficient manual processes at a ...
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ArticleConsolidation a catalyst for growth but proceed with caution
Resilience has been the business buzzword of recent years – and no more so than in the world of supply chain and logistics. Weathering storms from the pandemic to the cost-of-living crisis, businesses have been operating within a volatile global market, becoming increasingly agile to constantly evolving circumstances. Disrupted transport ...
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ArticleCharging ahead: how fast are global van and truck fleets turning electric?
The inevitable shift to electric vans and trucks is gaining momentum globally with government initiatives to prohibit or reduce sales of non-electric new vehicles, bolstered by incentives such as grants and tax benefits. This regulatory push is prompting delivery and fleet businesses to pivot towards electric alternatives over traditional petrol ...
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ArticleDon’t sit back and watch your business fail - take action
A report from November 2023 found that 463 haulage firms had gone bankrupt in the previous 12 months, and just over 6 months on, anecdotal evidence suggests the trend remains. Factors such as high debt servicing costs, fuel prices, wage growth, and consumer demands for technology and ...
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ArticleCreating safer vehicles on the UK’s ‘safest roads’
Designed to ease traffic flow on UK roads, smart motorways rely on technology to limit congestion and have been dubbed the UK’s ‘safest roads’. However, with technical issues causing frequent incidents, it’s not enough for fleet operators to rely on government technology alone. To truly safeguard drivers ...
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ArticleWhy developing electric trucks has become a risky business
The road to zero emissions for those currently operating in the logistics supply chain is paved with a multiplicity of product offerings from a worldwide manufacturing base. Unfortunately, many of the emerging EV commercial vehicle suppliers have failed, or run into difficulties, for a variety of reasons.
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ArticleThe importance of collaboration for our sector
As our industry faces unique challenges on a number of fronts, there’s much work happening and much work to do.
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ArticleHow can we steer the logistics industry towards a stable workforce?
Last week, I was invited to attend the Road Transport Expo, and hear the latest Asset Alliance Industry Monitor briefing. Recruitment and Retention remains one of the biggest challenges keeping truck operators awake at night.
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ArticleNew Freeports offer an opportunity to improve facilities
We know that there are not enough secure parking facilities in the UK. Estimates show that there is a deficit of around 11,000 spaces every night but herein lies one of the problems. No government, whether that be HM government centrally or devolved, can say with any degree of certainty ...
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ArticleFive ways to close the gender gap in road transport and logistics
With only 26% of the transport workforce being made up of women, it’s an important conversation to examine the challenges women in transport face today.
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ArticleFor asset financing to support net-zero, it cannot mimic structures of the past
The heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) sector is a mature market, with diesel vehicle values and lifecycles well established and operating cycles and residual values known variables.
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ArticleOur industry is key to economic growth
With an election now on our doorstep, businesses throughout the United Kingdom will be looking to the nation’s political leaders for a clear, concise blueprint for the way ahead. Our members and our industry want leaders to have a debate and ultimately, a plan in place to get the UK ...
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ArticleA call to the new mayors – focus on freight
The recent local elections saw the election of ten mayors across England.
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ArticleAI in the world of logistics: How’s the future looking?
Logistics, especially heavy logistics, is still very old fashioned and hasn’t really embraced change. I always remember one of my first visits to a transport company more than 20 years ago, when we did a system upgrade and introduced the internet at the time when the depot was using modems.
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ArticleThe latest blow to fresh produce imports
The introduction of new fixed charges on imports of fresh produce and plants is yet another blow to the already fragile fresh produce sector which has already been hit by so many additional costs and challenges due to the post-Brexit border control plans.