The haulage industry is like any other in that it needs to utilise new and emerging technologies to work more efficiently. IoT and smart technologies are allowing haulage and freight forwarders to get the absolute most of their resources and it would seem that other advancements are already making a huge difference to companies across the UK.

One such technology that we look at today in some detail is Blockchain, which is essentially improving the efficiency and ultimately the profitability of logistics operators. However, for the uninitiated, let’s start by looking at what Blockchain is and how it works. You won’t be an expert by reading to the end, but you will better understand what this popular ‘buzzword’ really means.

Blockchain Explained

Based on a complex area of mathematics known as cryptography, Blockchain technology is not something that we’ll try to explain in too much depth, as it would take too long. What we will do though is give you an overview. In short, Blockchain is a shared, decentralised digital ledger that operates under the auspices of a global peer network, with each encrypted ‘block’ linked together in a ‘chain’.

Perhaps its biggest feature is that none of the data in any of the blocks can be modified without first gaining the consensus of the whole peer network. This makes it almost impossible to falsify data or conduct any kind of malicious action and once data is in Blockchain, it’s essentially there forever.

The Haulage Issues That Blockchain Addresses

Each and every day there is a colossal amount of money tied up in payment disputes in the haulage and transportation sector. In fact, a little under £100bn is held up in this way and companies have to wait an average of 42 days to get paid. The result of this is that up to 20% of all transportation costs are made up administration and processing costs.

Matching loads is another major issue that haulage companies face, with many companies struggling to pair up supply with demand. There are a reported 29 billion miles per year covered by truck drivers with partial or empty loads as a result and these efficiencies are far from uncommon.

Improved Efficiency & Paperless Working

Blockchain offers the solution to this problem and more. From improving administrative efficiency to the resolution of disputes, it helps to greatly reduce wasted miles and unnecessary supply chain delays. Sensitive refrigerated cargoes are helped greatly in this regard too, as many loads of this type spoil because of hold ups due to inefficient communication.

Where Blockchain comes in handy is that these steps are able to be recorded immutably and securely in real-time. What’s more, Blockchain platforms make it easier to coordinate documents thanks to its shared ledger, which also eliminates the need for physical paperwork.

When Blockchain is used for customs clearance, approvals and smart contracts, the whole process becomes quicker, meaning freight gets moving that much more quickly. What’s more, it also offers an immediate, scalable solution for the tracking of orders and authentication.

Additional Benefits Include:

• A reduction in merchant fees
• A lack of need for 3rd party authentication
• Transactions are really fast and super-secure

Companies across the logistics industry and beyond are realising just how much Blockchain offers in terms of operational streamlining. It would seem that companies not adopting it in the future are putting themselves at something of a competitive disadvantage.

A Challenging But Exciting Time Ahead

As you can see, the transportation sector stands to gain as much as any other industry through the adoption of new technologies like Blockchain. With ever increasing customer demand for goods to be shipped quickly, the need for hauliers to be efficient with resources whilst also reducing operational costs has never been greater.

At Insite, we are a national HGV training provider that can meet all the training needs of companies across the United Kingdom. Whether you’re in need of an urgent HGV driver training course for a single driver or a thousands to be trained over a 5 year period, we can assist.

If you would like to know more about us or what we offer, get in touch at https://insite.training/contact-us/. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss your HGV training requirements with us directly, simply call us on 0330 818 8888 and our friendly team will be more than happy to assist.

On the 3rd of March 2021, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the government’s budget which contained a wide-ranging set of measures that are designed to help Britain recover from the Covid-19 crisis. UK commerce as a whole is getting a big shot in the arm through a number of moves that support growth and a variety of sectors, including logistics and transport will benefit.

The UK’s haulage industry has been something of a silent hero over the last year or so and the good news is that Budget 2021 offers a number of aspects that will benefit the sector as a whole. That’s something we look at here, as we examine some of the budget elements that will provide both much-needed allowances and concessions to the haulage and logistics industry.

Boost #1 – Fuel Duty Frozen

The government had intended to raise fuel duty in April of 2021, but instead Mr Sunak has decided to freeze it again, making it the 11th consecutive year that it has not gone up. This is something that will positively influence logistics and haulage companies in that operating costs will stay as they are for at least another year.

It seems that we should enjoy it while we can, however, as future rates for fuel duty will be determined by Britain’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by the year 2050. More money will be used going forwards to fund greener fuel technologies, so we’re unlikely to see another freeze in 2022.

As welcome as this freeze in duty is, chairman of the APPG, Sir Mike Penning MP suggests that more can still be done to help UK hauliers. He said “Our haulage industry will be vital to our economic recovery and the Chancellor must ensure that they are not held back by paying the highest rate of fuel duty in Europe”.

APPG themselves are calling for a rebate of around 15 pence per litre for road haulage operators to bring the UK in line with the most competitive countries like Germany.

Boost #2 – A Freeze in VED for HGVs

Another welcome decision from the budget for the haulage sector is that Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) is frozen for another year, with a further 12 month suspension starting from August of this year.

Adding to the savings made on fuel, this is another step that makes UK haulage companies more competitive and allows those logistics companies that are yet to reopen a chance of recovering from lockdown that much more quickly.

Boost #3 – 30,000 SMEs to Benefit from Help to Grow

Whilst the government’s ‘Help to Grow’ management training programme is aimed at UK business as a whole, the logistics sector is also able to benefit from it. It’s a scheme that aims to provide ‘upskill’ training to 30,000 businesses to offer those receiving it with the skills they need to better manage and grow their business.

Again, this is a good start, but for UK haulage it’s not nearly enough – something that’s echoed by General Manager of Public Policy at Logistics UK, Alex Veitch who said “Funding to train new entrants to the logistics sector is particularly welcome at a time when the industry is suffering significant skills gaps and the loss of EU workers

However, the industry needs new recruits now. The average cost for a 12-month apprenticeship training and license acquisition is £7,000 – We would like to see more immediate government support, in the form of interest-free loans or grants”.

Boost #4 – An Extension to the Furlough Scheme

The truth is that whilst the logistic industry has done sterling work keeping the country moving during the pandemic, there are many in the sector that are still closed. The decision by the Chancellor to extend the furlough scheme until the end of 2021 is sure to help many fragile logistics operators survive and reopen successfully.

Particularly when talking about logistics companies that rely on sectors like hospitality and retail, the fact that they’ll remain having 80% of their staff wages met by the government is welcome news indeed. It’s something that many employed in the sector will be rightly delighted about.

Further to this, the extension of the business rates holiday until June of 2021 (after which a discounted  rate applies) could result in far fewer businesses in the industry going under. By not penalising companies trying to recover, their ability to do so goes up exponentially.

Boost #5 – A Commitment to the Freeport Programme

Something else that will greatly assist the UK’s international logistics industry is the government’s commitment to a Freeport Program, which allows companies to import goods without paying a tariff  until they’re sold on the domestic market. 8 new Freeport ‘Zones’ are to be created that offer lower customs, favourable duties, VAT rates and tariffs.

These allowances are created with a view to encouraging economic activities and enticing businesses to open up inside these zones, creating new jobs as they do.

All in All, a Budget the Haulage Industry Welcomes

Whilst it is true to say that some of the measures mentioned above could go further, it would seem that the government is listening to what UK business needs. The fact that haulage intersects many of the industries that power the UK economy means that even those measures not directly relating to logistics will likely also benefit it indirectly.

All in all, we’d have to say that it’s a budget that’s full of things that will stimulate commerce and help many in the logistics and transport sector. Of course, the fight for more HGV drivers to meet the shortfall will go on and the government can certainly do more on that front, but as far as budgets go, there’s much to be pleased about.

The next 12 months are set to represent a challenging, but exciting period as the country wakes up from it’s covid-enforced slumber. Whatever happens during 2021, it’s going to be interesting.

In a televised announcement on February 22nd, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a four-step roadmap out of Covid-19 lockdown for the United Kingdom. Further to this, the DVSA has also announced that car and HGV practical driving tests will recommence from April 12th as part of step two of the government’s ‘reopening’ strategy.

The DVSA stated that the 12th of April as the earliest date from which theory and practical tests will resume, which will come as welcome news to the thousands of learner drivers and those aiming to continue their HGV driver training. After suffering long lockdown-related delays, they will finally be able to get back to their training in earnest.

Vocational Testing of Particular Importance

The UK’s growing HGV driver shortage has been exacerbated by lockdown with students being effectively barred from training because of the shutting down of vocational testing and the medicals required to obtain a provisional licence. This is something that David Wells, Chief Executive of Logistics UK wrote to Transport Minister Baroness Vere about earlier this month.

In the letter, Mr Wells proposed the introduction of rapid testing for candidates and examiners and a prioritisation of vocational testing over car tests. Baroness Vere’s response was a promising one, as she stated that DVSA was in the process of investigating ways in which testing could be deployed more quickly for frontline staff.

Maximising the Examiner Resource Pool

Part of the DVSA’s plans that fall in line with the government’s roadmap out of lockdown involves maximising the current pool of examiners in the United Kingdom. A DVSA spokesperson said “Overtime will be offered to examiners, as well as the possibility of buying back annual leave. Testing out of hours and on public holidays is also something that is being looked at”.

What’s also proposed is the greater use of delegated examiners in the logistics and haulage sector to provide the extra capacity needed to expedite the training of HGV drivers and front line personnel that are so much in demand.

Keeping the Country Moving

Lockdown has been a trying time for many over the last 12 months and this announcement is an exciting one for those in the haulage industry and anyone looking to enter it. At Insite, we are very much invested in helping to assist the next generation of HGV drivers enter the UK job market.

Our expertise and experience allows us to transform driver training progress, providing guidance and assistance with every aspect from initial checks to practical test support. With our team on your side and game-changing features like our online portal and training dashboard, you get a full, real-time view of your entire training setup.

Safety is paramount in logistics. Processes which prevent accidents are part of the business model, emphasised with good training.

But accidents still take place. Figures based on RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) over the last three years show that 43% of incidents involving a forklift truck were impacted by a third person.

Safety features are now built into transport technology, from sensors on counterbalance trucks to telematics on HGVs.

Wincanton reduced harsh braking incidents by 83%, saw an 89% reduction in over-speeding events and a 28% reduction in total RTAs (Road Traffic Accidents), following the introduction of a new telematics system, reported last year.

Technology plays a part in keeping operators safe, but it can’t replace competent training, which is the foundation of driver safety. At Insite we’ve trained over 10,000 drivers and coordinated hundreds of companies’ training programmes, large and small across the length and breadth of the UK. We see first-hand how quality training helps save lives and retain staff.

COVID-19 response

Safety in transport and logistics has taken on a new meaning since the arrival of COVID-19.

Increasing the frequency of hand washing and surface cleaning, using screens or barriers to separate people from each other and using back-to-back or side-to-side working (rather than face-to-face) – which is government advice – has been achievable for many operators, as is providing dedicated waiting areas with welfare and rest room facilities for drivers when delivering and collecting goods (although the HSE did report it received complaints that drivers were not being allowed to use welfare facilities when they deliver, which is against the law).

Safety next steps

So what next? Remote working and the digital workplace will play a key role in keeping our staff safe and the use of automated and digital systems will continue to change the way we work as individuals and within facilities/on the roads.

Thanks to our devoted team, Insite is now delivering CPC courses online, and will continue to do so as a safer option for our future workforce.

The user experience of our online portal has never been more important. For large-scale CPC programmes, transport managers have access to a custom online portal so drivers can be added and progress can be monitored.

Our portal allows us to keep full track of a driver’s Driver Qualification Card (DQC), can remind users when the courses need to be taken, and even provide automated course booking so DQCs don’t lapse.

The dashboard gives live information on progress and KPIs and can be customised to suit each client.

Jobs and training will undoubtedly include virtual and physical workspaces in future, and as a supplier to the profession, we’re eager to play our part and make it easier for our clients and their drivers to do their jobs/training safely with the systems we create.

We’re not alone. Universities in the UK are being encouraged to halt plans for face-to-face teaching until Christmas. Facebook is allowing employees to work from home until July 2021 and will give them a budget for home office needs.

The reality is, the future workplace will be blended, with both virtual and physical working environments, testing safety every step of the way. But regardless of which realm you’re in, I have little doubt it will be digital.

The lockdown has stopped some of life’s most essential activities. From hugging loved ones to attending school, and we’ve all had to comply for the greater good. However, sometimes it’s difficult to view the halting of certain activities as good, and not short-sighted.

Despite logistics operations getting vaccines, groceries and critical parts where they’re needed, the testing of professional drivers has virtually stopped. A lack of testing during lockdown means that once restrictions lift there will be a significant backlog plus reduced capacity. This means transport managers are going to have to manage extremely long training cycles.

Without adequate driver numbers, there will be further supply chain disruption.

The situation makes former concerns around driver shortages seem tedious. With Brexit, COVID-19 restrictions and fall-out from the Kent delays over New Year, accessibility to new drivers is a major concern.

Even before COVID hit, due to the shortage of DVSA assessors, trainees had to wait between four and eight weeks to book practical training once they’d passed their theory.

In a recent ITV report, it was flagged that there were just 74 full-time examiners across the whole country in January.

So how can businesses ensure that when the ‘doors’ to the DVSA open up again, they will be in line?

At Insite we’re highly proactive when it comes to condensing the training process, and see ourselves as a buffer for businesses.

We have a network of more than 150 medical providers so that we can select the earliest available appointment from multiple centres in the candidate’s area. And we’re provided with preferential dates.

To ensure there aren’t further delays, our medical providers will assist in the completion of D2 and D4 forms to ensure they’ve been filled out correctly.

With 1 in 3 forms being completed incorrectly by GPs, the process can grind to a halt before it’s even started. Our medical provider network specialises in driver medicals so the error rate is low, just one in 1,000.

Our system will also inform us if a candidate hasn’t revised enough within two weeks of their test date. We’ll take this opportunity to send an SMS to see if any additional support is needed.

If they still haven’t studied enough, or passed enough mock tests, with a week to go before their theory test, we will contact them to rearrange the theory test. This monitoring maximises first-time passes.

We select the soonest available date from multiple theory test centres in the candidate’s locale. Additionally, if there’s an urgent need, and the candidate doesn’t mind travelling slightly further, we can select sooner dates from test centres further afield if available.

We proactively reach out to candidates as soon as they have taken their theory test to ascertain whether they’ve passed and, if they have, immediately move on to booking the practical element of the course.

We choose the soonest practical course available from among multiple training centres in the locale.

Candidates are assessed daily on their on-road progress to ensure they are picking up skills in a timely manner to ensure they will be test-ready in time. At the start of their practical course, the instructor will identify whether the candidate would benefit from some additional time behind the wheel. Again, it might seem counterintuitive but increasing the amount of training (and thus the course completion time) on an individual basis will increase average pass rates and, in turn, reduce the average course completion time.

We also offer a ‘fast track’ service when you have a really tight deadline. We speed the process up by booking tests at the same time based on expected completion dates. It’s another way we’ve been able to manage our clients’ training needs more efficiently.

We’re just at the start of the UK’s ambitious vaccine plan, and once again, transport is critical to the process.

Vaccine administration is a logistical challenge. According to Prof. Richard Wilding, Professor of Supply Chain Strategy at Cranfield University, “This is likely to be one of the biggest logistical challenges we have faced this century.”

Traditional infrastructure for transporting frozen goods is based around temperatures of -20°C to -50°C. To enable the effective transport of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Pfizer has developed specialist equipment and materials.

A bespoke deep-freeze storage case  – thermal shippers – that can be sealed and transported in non-refrigerated trucks, and are installed with GPS trackers. This means Pfizer can track and trace the location and temperature of the frozen vaccine vials and allow it to proactively prevent unwanted deviations and act before they happen.

It’s logistics at its best, and it’s up to transport managers and drivers to fulfil these critical deliveries.

The Cold Chain Federation (CCF) is arguing that critical workers, such as food and pharmaceutical logistics providers, should be at the front of the queue in Phase 2. “It is our aim to ensure cold chain workers are included in the next phase of vaccination,” says Shane Brennan, the federation’s chief executive.

It hasn’t been an easy year for drivers. Caught up in Brexit processes, left on motorways or tasked with juggling deliveries late into the night. It would be helpful for Government to recognise their value by pushing them higher up the vaccine priority list, and we support CCFs efforts to make this happen.

Afterall, logistics is being hailed as the machine that will deliver a life-saving programme, which will win and lose us battles. Drivers are a priority.

DHL Express has been proudly delivering batches of the Covid-19 vaccine to several European countries, with plans to distribute more to a greater number of countries.

It’s also been widely reported that Tesco has offered its cold chain to support the rollout.

Supermarkets have absorbed much of the pressure of COVID-19, from rowdy customers to tired drivers, as the pressure continues to mount.

We need to ensure we keep our drivers happy and healthy, whether that’s through access to a vaccine or ensuring their training is up to date.

Despite the chaos of Brexit and the additional responsibilities due to the pandemic, transport operators need to continue to ensure they are mitigating risk every step of the way. This can’t fall by the wayside. Added pressure for drivers – whether it’s in the form of more parcels or delays at ports or anxiety about the virus – can’t lead to more dangerous roads.

I’m pleased that our partnership with DriveTech — the driver risk management operation from the AA — means we now offer Online Driver Risk Assessments and Refresher Training designed to identify high-risk driver behaviour.

The roads may be quieter, but collisions continue to occur, and the last thing our NHS needs is an increase in road collisions.

Let’s keep our drivers safe, valued and trained.