« Older Entries

Lucky in Leeds: How the Council are Helping the Haulage Industry

Leeds City Council is making moves to help out those working in the haulage industry by re-working a few regulations and encouraging governmental support. To begin with, the fee for non-Euro-6 HGV’s entering the city’s Clean Air Zone is being reduced from £100 to £50. Drivers will welcome the chance to save a bit of cash and make their haulage jobs in the area more profitable and this reduction in fees is the first of several suggested changes. Read on for more.
Long-awaited Support

As well as reducing the fee, the council plans to scale back the charging zone boundary. This will mean less of an economic impact on the businesses using the routes, with a little more leeway to travel free of charge. They are also suggesting that drivers should only be charged once per day, no matter how many CAZ’s they enter while carrying out their haulage jobs. This policy is being pushed on a national level and, again, the economic impact for companies will be significantly reduced if successful.

In addition, the local council is calling on the government to aid haulage businesses in other ways. Both retrofit accreditation and manufacturing funding have been suggested as ways to increase the number of low-emission vehicles being approved and available for local haulage companies. The impact of this could be huge, particularly if the idea spreads to other large cities with similar volumes of traffic.

Doing Their Bit

The Leeds City Council has not stopped there. They have recently introduced a few strategies for their own fleet, with the view to further lowering harmful emissions (clearly they can’t get enough of being eco-friendly). Already they have one of the largest local authority fleets of ‘green’ vehicles, but have promised to buy a further 200 electric vans by the year 2020. This action could also encourage other fleet owners to follow suit and invest in electric or alternative fuel vehicles.

The council has also appealed to have a refuelling station built for HGV drivers to use, where alternative fuels including CNG, LNG and (eventually) hydrogen will be available to purchase. Having more refuelling stations will increase the number of haulage jobs that can be completed using low-emission vehicles, since drivers will not have to limit themselves quite as much to the proximity of fuel stations.

Will This Be Enough?

The industry holds out hope for a positive response from the government regarding these potential changes as they have the potential to dramatically reduce not only harmful emissions, but overheads for haulage companies as well. It may seem expensive to finance the development of fuel stations, for example, but in the long run, having a more eco-friendly delivery industry will benefit everyone in the wider community.

In a world where more and more businesses are using more and more resources, any success in reducing emissions and creating a ‘greener’ transport industry should be greatly encouraged. In the future, with more initiatives like these ones, haulage jobs could end up being completely eco-friendly – and that’s certainly something to be celebrated!

Author Plate

Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage jobs with available drivers. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.

Tags:

3 Top Tips to Plan for a Comfortable and Fulfilling Retirement

It doesn’t matter what age you are, at some stage you’re going to need to start thinking about how your life’s going to look when it comes time for you to retire from work – and the years beyond. Everyone’s circumstances are different, but whether you plan on living a life of luxury, or are content to just live modestly in your later years, it will pay to have at least some kind of a plan in place.
Here are three things you should consider.

Pay Attention to your Biggest Asset

No, it’s not your car and not even your house; your most important and valuable asset is your health. No amount of money or material wealth can compensate for bad health, and if you don’t take care of your body it won’t serve you well in your retirement. You should be making a lifelong commitment to your health, whatever your age, because neglecting it will cost you dearly – not only in medical expenses, but also the physical lifestyle you’ll be able to maintain. Join that gym, take that walk, make healthy eating choices and ensure you have regular dental and medical check-ups – in a nutshell, just respect your body for the wonderful machine it is and never take your good health for granted. Put simply your health is your wealth!

Get your Pension Plans in Order

While words like pension drawdown, annuity and tax certainly don’t roll off the tongue with the greatest of pleasure, making financial plans for how you’re going to survive when you come to the end of your working life is vital. Don’t be tempted to put organising and managing your pension plans in the ‘too hard basket’, and even if you think you might have left things too late, take heart in the fact that it’s never too late to improve on what you’ve got. The best advice is to engage a good independent financial advisor who’ll be able to advise you on the best wealth growing and pension set up for your individual situation. They may suggest things like a pension drawdown or an annuity to give you an income, they’ll be able to ensure you remain compliant in terms of your tax, and they’ll give you expert, tailored advice in order to give you the best possible life after you leave the workforce. Remember, just because you’ve never heard of a pension drawdown so far, it doesn’t mean it can’t be in your future!

Think About Life Outside Work

In the hustle and bustle of our busy lives it’s all too easy to get bogged down in stress as we focus on work, work, work. Of course, in most cases it’s absolutely necessary to put in the hard yards in order to earn the big bucks so you can actually plan for that comfortable retirement, but it’s just as important to remember what really matters in life. If you make a commitment to maintain a sensible and fulfilling life/work balance, everyone (not just you) will reap the benefits. Factor in quality time with your family, get out into nature as much as you can, and give back to your community on whatever scale you feel comfortable with – whether it’s volunteering or financial support.

Live a Balanced Life

When most people think of retirement planning, they think of the financial aspects, however it’s also extremely important to consider your physical, emotional and spiritual needs once you leave the workforce. It’s all about the balance…

Author Plate

Claire Novakovic is the go-to expert for those who need advice on pension drawdown and other related issues. As a Chartered Financial Advisor, she also holds the relevant FCA permissions to conduct pension transfer business including defined benefit schemes. Accudo Investments offers comprehensive independent financial advice tailored to each individual’s needs, using effective portfolio management and tax strategies to meet the needs identified.

Tags:

Package Precautions: Ensuring a Safe Delivery Every Time

In this article we are going to recap a handful of simple safety instructions for courier drivers. Whether you are new to courier work or an experienced old hand, it’s never a bad idea to remind yourself of the easy actions you can take before, during and after a delivery job to ensure the safety of yourself, your customers and members of the public.
Driving in a careful and considerate way not only protects everyone on the road, it keeps everyone in a good mood, which, in turn, increases your chances of repeat business.

Preparation is Key

There are a few ways you can prepare before starting a delivery job to make certain that everything goes smoothly.

? Know your route: Try to get to really know the areas you regularly drive in so you can stay away from problem areas, such as one way streets and traffic-heavy roads. Make a mental note of good places to park in towns and cities where you deliver often. ? Loading: Pack smart by loading the packages you need last at the back of your lorry and those you need first at the front. While it might take a little extra effort, it will certainly save you time on the job. Also take care to stack lighter packages on top of heavier ones, as this will help protect more fragile items and decrease the movement of packages in your lorry. ? Timings: Have all the paperwork prepared before you get to the delivery site so you can just grab a signature and go. Customers will be impressed with your efficiency and you can move straight on to the next job without delays.

Stay Alert on the Job

Here are a few tips that will help you and those around you stay safe and happy when you are out on a delivery job.

? Parking: Try to avoid reversing into a parking spot; instead, find a larger space where you can leave enough room for other vehicles to move around you. Turn on your hazards before opening the door and always watch out for oncoming traffic as many drivers are not as aware of their surroundings as courier drivers are. ? Unloading: If you are delivering heavy items, make sure you are prepared to do so. If you need a hand, call ahead to check there will be someone to meet you at the delivery site.

Make a Safe Getaway

Once you have successfully dropped off the package it is time to continue on your route. As an extra precaution, we recommend double checking the items in your lorry before you leave, so you can drive on assured that everything is safe and secure. Always signal before moving into traffic, and watch out for pedestrians. If you have had to park in a tight spot, ask someone to help you manoeuvre out, because it’s far better to be safe than sorry.

So, before you next hit the road, take a few minutes to check that you’re fully prepared for your delivery job. Whether it’s reordering the items in your lorry or re-routing your drive, even little changes can help make your job easier and safer.

Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world’s largest neutral trading hub for same day jobs in the express freight industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Courier Exchange provides services for matching any kind of delivery job with available drivers or operators. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.

Tags: