Tag Archive for: HGV

Five Things To Love About Working In Logistics

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With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’re talking about something that we truly love – logistics! An opportunistic and exciting employment path, here we’ll discuss five things there is to love about this industry and why logistics is a great career.

Working In Logistics – What’s Not To Love?

We may be a little biased, but we think there are plenty of reasons to love working in logistics. In spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’ve cherry-picked five reasons below…

  1. You’ll Get To Visit New Places

HGV drivers travel around 18.7 billion kilometres every single year to ensure the safe transit of goods. Whilst that’s an impressive fact alone, it’s also worth thinking about where in the country those miles are spent. Being a logistics driver may well mean you’ll get to travel up and down the UK, giving you the chance to explore new places and see sights you may not see with any other job. Of those 18.7 billion kilometres, how many could you travel each year in your career in logistics?

  1. There’s Plenty Of Room For Progression

You can start your career in logistics as an HGV driver, but why stop there? The industry offers a wealth of opportunities for career progression, and roles include both on-the-road and in-office positions. The doors that logistics opens for you is just one of the many things we love about this sector.

  1. You’ll Be Met With Flexibility And Responsibility

No two days are the same in logistics. What’s more, given the nature of your job – you’ll have a lot of responsibility and flexibility. From being able to craft your own driving playlists when on the road, to being in charge of the safe passing of thousands of goods each year, if we had to pick just two words to describe what we love about working in logistics it would be the flexibility and the trust.

  1. You’ll Always Need Logistics

Though the industry is adapting and changing – from Brexit to Clean Air Zones – one thing never changes, and that is that you’ll always need logistics. Though robotics and AI is slowly starting to creep into other industries, we know that you’ll always need a reliable driver behind the wheel to get products from A to B. As such, logistics offers a safe and stable career for many years to come.

  1. You’ll Get To Meet Lots Of People

Lots of work is being done to combat the skills gap in logistics, which in turn means the industry is currently being populated with plenty of fresh talent. This is something we really love about working in logistics… The thought that there’s employees of all different ages, and of all different backgrounds. You can meet people you wouldn’t normally, all the while doing a job together that you all really enjoy. What could be better than that?

Is Logistics A Good Career?

Based on the above, and a whole host of other reasons, we (of course) would say absolutely yes. Working in the transport industry opens doors for your career progression, as well as giving you flexibility and responsibility in your job. What’s not to love about that?

Let us know what you love about working in logistics on Twitter.

Behind Barnes: A Day In The Life Of A Transport Planner

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We recently caught up with our very own Ben Alker, Transport Planner here at The Barnes Group to find out about his career journey and what a typical day looks like for a Transport Planner like Ben.

  1. What does your role as a Transport Planner entail?

I deal with the day to day operational running of the drivers and I plan each individual drivers’ day, including the organisation of what sites they are going to and where they are delivering. I monitor the drivers once they are on the road and advise customers if drivers are going to run into any delays.  Adhering to driving rules and regulations is something I have to carefully monitor every day to make sure drivers and vehicles are sent on the road legally.

  1. Can you tell us about your career journey, how did you get your job at The Barnes Group?

I have 2 years previous experience working in the transport/haulage industry, working for Eddie Stobart. I enjoy the transport industry as I find it challenging and no two days are the same. I wanted to progress in the transport industry and build on the knowledge I already previously obtained.

  1. What does a typical day (or week!) look like for you?

A typical day for me would be to complete a plan for the following day. This would mean I have to make sure all our load requirements are confirmed and on the system. This is then followed by allocating a suitable driver and unit. Dependant on the day this can be a challenge and we may have to call in additional support from agency drivers in the local area.  After we plan for the following day, we monitor the current drivers that are on the road, constantly feeding back any problems we foresee to customers and drivers.

  1. What would you recommend to others looking to join the industry?

I would recommend for people to go for it, if they are looking to get into the transport industry.  I was quite lucky and fell into this career path, but I enjoy my work. This industry is fast-paced, challenging and good problem-solving skills are always crucial.

 

To find out more information on working life at The Barnes group, click here.

Tackling Climate Change: Who Foots The Bill?

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As a forward-thinking business in the industry, climate change and environmental issues are topics we have discussed at great length – from HGV Levies to emissions statistics. However, it has been noted by more than ourselves that the transport and logistics industry seems to take a disproportionate level of blame and, therefore, expectation for change.

 

Of course, all must work to reduce our carbon footprint, but the world cannot simply expect the logistics industry to foot the bill of climate change – both in terms of finance and convenience – of lowering the sector’s impact on the planet, whilst relying on it with increasing demands.

 

Never has this disparity become more starkly clear than in the results of a recent report from Barclays. The study looked at customers’ willingness to be greener with their retail deliveries.

 

Although respondents indicated that they expect businesses to offer more sustainable options for deliveries to help tackle climate change, they do not wish to share the increased cost associated with this. Customers are more likely to be swayed by businesses which offer green options for their deliveries, however, 62% said that they would not be willing to pay for these, and a large majority of older shoppers would expect the business to fully absorb the cost.

 

The study focuses on a respondent’s relationship with retailers, but the issue is inherently tied with retail business’ logistics providers. Although there are increasing demands from customers to have deliveries which are increasingly quicker and greener, the expectation is that this is not something worth paying for – a clear discrepancy between expectations and responsibilities.

 

The first step has been made with this study – it is important to discover more about consumers’ true feelings on eco-friendly deliveries and payment if plans are to be made to tackle a change in attitude.

 

Reducing the impact we have on our planet is an effort shared by all – where it is everyone’s responsibility, everyone should share the burden of cost. This could be in the form of higher delivery charges to cover the cost of eco-friendly fuels and lorries, or working with consumers to reduce the expectations of same- or next-day deliveries.

 

In time, it is hoped that the choice to be greener will be less costly as technologies advance; but, until then, let us remember that working to save our planet and tackle climate change is a responsibility and cost we all must carry together.

Smart Tachographs and Logistics Investment

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The DVSA have recently announced that they will not be investing in the technologies to read data from new smart tachographs. Following recent EU legislation which lead to the mandatory move from digital to smart tachographs in new commercial vehicles this summer, the agency stated that the cost of these new technologies are too high to justify the benefits.

 

So, how do these new smart technologies differ? Data from smart tachographs will be able to be read remotely and in real time, rather than vehicles having to be pulled over and stopped for this data to be read by enforcement agencies.

 

The idea behind these new tachographs would seem to benefit all parties – enforcement agencies will save a significant amount of time with all the necessary data at their fingertips, professional drivers’ schedules will not be disrupted and, most importantly, increases compliance, ensuring the safety of HGV drivers and other road users.

 

It can be understood why the DVSA has made this decision – with only new vehicles fitted with smart tachographs, they must still invest in manpower to maintain the physical checks necessary for current vehicles’ digital tachographs. This decision will have been further influenced by the fact that the same regulations which mean new vehicles must be fitted with smart tachographs only require that agencies employ full use of monitoring technologies in 2034 – 15 years away.

 

But where does this leave the logistics industry? And what does this say about the investments made to improve our sector?

 

It shows an inconsistency within policies. The latest technologies are being pushed on industry professionals – but, despite this, drivers are still being held to old rules by other parties, meaning that we cannot fully reap the benefits.

 

Surely, as an industry, embracing new technologies should be encouraged and made as easy and attractive as possible. Legislations which enforce new technologies which cannot be monitored by the appropriate enforcement parties can leave the industry feeling flat – as if the new advances in safety and efficiency are not taken as seriously as they should.

 

Should all bodies not be working together and moving at the same pace? The RHA certainly seems to think so – they have recently expressed their disappointment, with Tom Cotton, head of licensing and infrastructure at the RHA, stating: “Our members have invested in this technology to become compliant with these new regulations, so why is DVSA not prepared to show the same commitment?”

 

Surely, rather than holding off until more lorries are fitted in the future, a middle ground should be met which proportionately matches the use of new smart technologies and can be increased as more vehicles are equipped with them?

 

What are your thoughts on this latest decision? Let us know in the comments below or by tweeting us.

The Value of Fleet Investment

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Logistics businesses depend on their fleet – it’s at the very heart of their success. But unlike non-commercial vehicles, business fleets go through more wear and tear in a shorter amount of time. As a company’s fleet brings in vital revenue, it is imperative that capital is re-invested back into these vehicles.

Why? Our commercial vehicles must constantly be upgraded; but this investment needn’t be viewed as a necessary but tiresome expense – it also results in improved efficiency and greater reliability.

With drivers undertaking frequent shifts, investing in quality vehicles is imperative. Up-to-date vehicles have the latest technology, which increases the safety of the drivers and other road-users as well as the efficiency of the fleet, ultimately escalating profits. Upgrading means investing in the latest safety equipment like rear view cameras, hands-free smartphone connections, and up-to-date tachographs. Modern satellite navigation systems also drastically decrease delivery time by helping drivers navigate road closures and traffic build-ups, among other things. Furthermore, these new fleet improvemennts boost employee satisfaction and serve as a great promotion for a company’s products or services.

Reductions in maintenance costs are another benefit of the investment in fleet vehicles; as they are used every day they require regular maintenance. Fleet upgrades reduce a company’s maintenance costs and extend the vehicles life span as well as make sure the vehicle is safe to drive. Costly maintenance repairs can also negatively affect the delivery time of a load, negatively reflecting on the company’s overall reputation.

Another means to improving the value of a fleet is investment into good quality, professional drivers. Ensuring the hiring of properly trained, qualified drivers with experience is an absolute must. Laws and legislations regularly change with driving laws, and so ensuring one has competent drivers means that businesses are always above board and in accordance with the law.

Investment into the sustainability of HGVs is a big topic at the moment, with the current climate situation and the newly imposed government targets for the reduction of emissions, the eradication of fossil fuelled vehicles doesn’t seem too farfetched. Additionally, the rising number of natural gas fuelling stations in the UK is an indication that business owners are looking to invest in environmentally friendly transport vehicles. Although the technology is still in its developing stages, it’s always worth keeping an eye on and investing in the future before laws change and businesses are penalised heavily for burying their heads in the sand and continuing to run fossil fuelled HGVs.

As stated, business owners can only invest when these new eco-technologies are advanced enough to be commercially viable, and many vehicles are still reliant on fossil fuels. However, companies can still choose to improve their fleet’s fuel efficiency. Commercial fleets can create huge fuel costs and, for some companies, these costs are as big as their payroll. The automotive industry is investing their efforts into decreasing the overall consumption of fuel across the board and improving fuel efficiency in the logistics sector would be a huge step in the right direction.

Overall, the value of fleet investment is of vital importance to safeguard a business for the furture, and it’s a process we consisitently undertake at Barnes to ensure we provide the safest, most reliable logistics services for our customers. Explore how we can help you with our logistics services.

Behind Barnes: Human Resources

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As part of our Behind Barnes campaign, we recently caught up with Toni Gilmore, to find out all about her position as an HR Assistant at Barnes Logistics…

  1. What does your role as HR Assistant entail, Toni?

My main duties include making sure all legal documents (such as Drivers Licence etc.) and training is up to date. I also monitor probation reviews, recruitment and organising interviews with managers, as well as Inputting driver hours and reviewing wages reports.  Finally, I look after all holiday and employee allowances.

  1. Can you tell us about your career journey, how did you get your job at Barnes?

I went to Leeds Metropolitan University and studied Psychology.  When I finished my degree, I found an interest in HR and wanted to pursue a career in it.  My first job was in customer service and admin, and I then became a Shipping and Transport Coordinator within the same company. I saw a job posting advertised by Barnes Logistics and with my background in shipping, admin and my degree in Psychology, I was well experienced for the position.

  1. What does a typical day (or week!) look like for you?

The job can look very different from week to week as it depends on what is happening at different depots. Typically, the beginning of the week is focused on wages – collecting and filing all the information from the previous week from all the depots, for example, driver timesheets and tachograph information. This is logged in our system so we can create a wages report and send out purchase orders to agencies where we’ve used their drivers. In a typical week we would also arrange interviews, liaise with managers regarding any driver training which is due and arrange for that to be completed, enrol new starters onto the HR database and generally keep all the systems up to date.

  1. What would you recommend to others looking to join the industry?

I am a big believer in finding an entry level job in your desired career and working your way up. It also helps to research any professional qualifications specific to your desired role in order to stand out from other applicants.

If you think you have what it takes and are interested in a career in the transport and logistics profession, get in touch!

Behind Barnes: Transport Planner

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This year, we’ll be taking a look behind the scenes at Barnes Logistics and shining the spotlight on the people who make our business the success it is. From our professional drivers to HR managers, it takes a large team to ensure we deliver the highest quality Just In Time logistics services to our clients.

 

Today, we caught up with Joe Haywood, our Transport Planner in Rochdale…

 

What does your role as Transport Planner entail, Joe?

My role involves many things! My job is, broadly, to ensure we have the right number of professional drivers and lorries on the road to meet our clients’ demand and for deliveries to run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. You need to be a great communicator, and be able to keep a cool head in high-pressure situations.

 

What does a typical day look like for you?

I start the day planning for the next: we have scheduled rotas and plans in place for the week and I refer to these daily to keep on track. I have to take aspects such as holidays, sickness and any other reasons a driver may not be working that specific day, and to accommodate this. I also manage the servicing of our vehicles – I work very closely with our drivers to learn about, and rectify, any vehicular issues.

 

Can you tell us about your career journey?

I have been working in the transport sector for over five years now, starting at 18 with a role as a Transport Administrator. This got my foot in the door, and whilst I moved up the ladder, I also decided to take time out to travel through Asia and Australia! In June 2018, I joined the Barnes team and have been using the skills and experience I’ve gained throughout the years to Rochdale.

 

What would you recommend to others looking to join the industry?

Transport is a rewarding and exciting industry – but it can be challenging! You have to be an organised person who’s always switched on. New issues come up each day which I haven’t dealt with before, so I have to apply my experience and industry knowledge to each new challenge. It’s always satisfying when you leave the office knowing that you have planned everything correctly and left with it running smoothly.

 

If you think you have what it takes and are interested in a career in the transport and logistics profession, get in touch!

 

 

Success For HGV Safety Perception

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As professional drivers, our careers chronically face interrogation from the media and other motorists. Issues surrounding accidents, incidents, emissions and vehicle specification have the most volume amongst news coverage and encourage a negative perception of the drivers and the industry that they are tirelessly committed to. To some extent this concern is understandable; naturally every driver, professional drivers included, want each road journey they take to be a safe one, however, the ability of HGV drivers is generally scrutinised more than others, despite the efforts of many operators in promoting road safety. This creates an undeniable frustration, as professional driving occupations are a service centred upon the demand of societal needs.

Despite common discourses on HGV drivers, last month, the industry was met with some fantastic news that hopefully reflects a broader change of perspective and opinion towards professional drivers. According to WMB Logistics, lorry operators, based on a survey of 2,267 British motorists, are the safest drivers on the road due to the amount of time they spend travelling the country’s tarmac routes.

Throughout 2018, as always, the industry continued in its efforts to further improve the safety of both its vehicles and driver skills; this news is therefore a welcomed response to 12 months of hard work. The study found a substantial 22% of correspondents reported lorry drivers to be the safest road users, closely followed by parents at 21%, delivery drivers at 13%, coach drivers at 11% and new drivers at 10%. It is overwhelmingly positive to see that not only have HGV drivers been ranked so highly, but other logistic workers and LGV operators also fall within the top five. This faith in such professions hopefully signals a changing attitude towards our nation’s drivers, and during a somewhat hostile period as we defend our value (particularly in reference to road safety) in comparison to the likes of autonomous lorries, the news is well-timed.

In light of this news, here at Barnes, we wanted to seize the opportunity to briefly reflect on the efforts made by the industry over the past 12 months to improve road safety. In May of last year, Highways England launched a fantastic virtual reality training programme that aimed to increase awareness of blind spots using a smartphone app. Additional safety procedures were implemented by I_HeERO, who worked to install eCall systems within HGVs to alert emergency staff of the cargo the lorry is carrying in the event of an accident so that more efficient dispatch actions can be made by emergency responders. Stricter regulations surrounding the fining of exceeding driver hours were implemented, and a campaign partnership between the Road Haulage Association and Vision Express offering free eye tests to motorists was launched. Further efforts have been actioned in reducing vehicle emissions, bettering tyre pressure legislation and continually raising awareness of driver training courses. This is just a brief reflection of the actions taken by the professional driving industry, and we are confident that the next 12 months holds even greater efforts.

We want to congratulate everyone within the industry for their determination in increasing road safety and in practicing high levels of care and caution – it is because of our efforts and commitment to the industry that the sector has been recognised as the safest motorist category on UK roads. We’re positive that this title demonstrates the beginning of a change in opinion towards HGV operators.

Let us know what else we have achieved and what we should be working towards next in our road safety efforts by dropping us a tweet!

Merry Logist-mas!

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As is oft noted, the logistics industry is integral to British economy. Of course, the professional drivers of the country work tirelessly all year round to meet the targets that the economy requires to continue functioning, however, when it comes to the festive season, there are even greater expectations to go that extra mile. Drivers commit more hours and miles to ensure that Christmas will be a success, so as a light-hearted post towards the end of the year, we thought we’d look into the logistics of Christmas.

  • In 2015, UK couriers delivered 11.01 billion orders from UK retailers.

 

  • Each person travels on average of 92 miles to deliver their gifts to loved ones.

 

 

  • 130 million cards and presents were delivered in the run up to Christmas in 2016

 

 

  • …In October this year, internet sales made up 18% of all UK commerce – that’s more deliveries for professional drivers!

 

 

 

 

As we all relax and enjoy festivities, we hope you’ll join us in taking a moment to remember the hard-working logistics professionals who make it all possible – Merry Christmas from all at Barnes!

The Year Ahead – What Can We Expect?

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2018 is drawing to a close, and the year ahead is set to be an historic one for Britain as the country faces one of the biggest political shifts in decades. But what can the logistics and warehousing industry expect in the next year?

 

Whilst we, of course, cannot say for sure what will happen in the near future; there are certain events which we can predict will affect our industry significantly.

 

Of course, the main political event will come in March as we officially leave the European Union. The issue of the Irish border is one which is still not settled – so let us imagine both scenarios. The Irish backstop plan which, at this moment in time, seems the most likely, will see a ‘soft’ Brexit, but if an agreement cannot be reached we may head towards a hard Brexit which means that any trade with Europe will involve longer delivery times as drivers’ goods are stopped and checked at customs.

 

As we will not be bound by the same standards agreements, goods must be checked on borders to ensure that they are up to EU standards. Some have voiced concerns that the increased stop time as lorries wait to have their goods inspected will lead to an increase in illegal migrants boarding HGVs to enter the UK illegally, particularly as immigration laws will change as EU members will no longer be allowed to move freely to Britain as they once could.

 

Our final Brexit prediction is that of uncertainty. Such a huge political shift will lead to economic changes – and whilst few can say whether this will be for better or worse in both the short and long term, the value of the pound will be unpredictable. This means businesses will need to have invested in surplus stock before March – a subject we have spoken about previously with our safe and secure warehousing space available to store these excess goods as businesses ride out the turbulent times ahead.

 

The drivers’ shortage, a European-wide issue, may well be exacerbated in 2019. Workers may feel less inclined to move to the UK and fill vital positions; so, we can predict an industry-wide awareness and recruitment campaigns. Hopefully this will be backed and supported by the Government, with funding for training, education and apprenticeships.

 

Of course, it’s not all negativity in the future. Despite the changes that we’re going to face in 2019, the logistics and warehousing industry will remain a vital cog to UK industry and economics. Businesses must still trade, and we will be there to support them with first class Just In Time logistics services and secure storage – see you in 2019!

OUR ACCREDITATIONS

 

Contact Details

Tel: 0161 684 3070
Email: admin@barneslogistics.com

About us

Barnes Logistics’ fleet operates from more than seven sites across the country and supports a nationwide client base.

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We supply ‘just in time’ logistics support and warehousing to businesses across the UK.

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Barnes Logistics Ltd
Cowm Top Lane
Rochdale
OL11 2RG