Export & Freight Apr-May 24

Spring has finally arrived, although you wouldn’t think it when looking out the window, and it’s a time when things start to grow and the world gets green again.

It’s a bit of a similar story in the logistics industry at the moment – things are starting to turn greener as the majority of businesses in this space are working on ways of reducing their carbon footprint and finding ways to be more sustainable, and environmentally friendly in their activities and the way they do business.

In this April/May edition of Export and Freight, we have a feature on Telematics systems, which are now an essential tool for fleet managers. Not only do these systems monitor the performance of the vehicles in your fleet, but they can help you ensure your vehicles are being driven as economically as possible.

There is also an ever increasing interest in how firms in our industry can operate in a more sustainable manner, and indeed many customers are now looking to this sector to help them reduce their carbon footprint.

From some hauliers now offering that goods can be transported using HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), to others pioneering biomethane powered trucks. And with many manufacturers adding electric trucks into their ranges – and of course Hydrogen starting to become a player in this space – it is a time of huge change in this industry.

But one thing everyone realizes it that the haulage companies can’t be expected to do this alone – and if environmental targets are going to be met, help is needed at Government level.

This week Logistics UK is lamenting how the much awaited ‘Low Carbon Fuel Strategy’ has not yet been published by the government. And if targets are to be met, it can only happen when everyone works together.

The will is most definitely there, when it comes to those in our business, but change not only takes time – but it costs money! And considering how vital our industry is to the overall economy, and how hard both the manufacturers and the logistics companies are working.