Wzloty i upadki branży przewozów drogowych

Opublikowany: Wtorek, 23 Sierpień 2022

The road haulage sector has seen many ups and downs in recent months as the driver shortages, Covid-19 and Brexit each had a negative impact on the availability of and demand for road haulage solutions. Each of these situations would have posed a challenge in isolation but, cumulatively, they began a period of unprecedented change and opportunities to introduce new operational practices.

In recent months, the sector has also had to contend with increasing fuel prices pushed even higher by the Ukraine crisis, ultimately at a cost to the end client. Despite these multiple barriers to optimism, we are seeing a general improvement in capacity, pricing and confidence in the industry, from both fleet operators and customers.

Recent figures suggest that the industry is beginning to turn the driver shortage around. According to analysis of the latest Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey by trade association, Logistics UK, 26,388 practical HGV tests were undertaken in Q1 2022, representing a 43 percent increase compared with Q1 2019. There is still a long way to go to get back to the numbers seen previously but the industry is working hard to encourage new drivers and keep road logistics operating efficiently.

At Priority Freight, we see great value in road haulage itself and its critical role in multi-modal solutions. Just recently, we delivered £110,000 worth of semi-conductors for an automotive manufacturer from the UK to Le Mans in less the 20 hours. Without the use of a driver and van for the delivery, the manufacturer’s production line would have halted resulting in costly downtime for the client. Thanks to our ‘clearance on wheels’ status, we were able to secure rapid clearance at the French border, further expediting the transit of goods.

Complete end-to-end solutions such as this keep the road haulage sector in favour and reduce reliance on less environmentally friendly solutions. The recent global challenges have increased the reliance on road rather than air freight and led to the introduction of more efficient practices such as real-time tracking, co-loading and a move away from the ‘just in time’ model.

As we approach peak season, the demand for road freight and road charter will continue to rise and we are prepared to adapt as the market does. Rapid access to vehicles of all sizes and capabilities, alongside other complimentary logistics solutions, makes us well placed to thrive as we enter one of the busiest times of the year.