Tag Archive for: Road to Logistics

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!

 

 

The Spring Budget and Logistics

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Earlier this month, the Chancellor Philip Hammond presented his Spring Budget following on from the Autumn Statement in November. The Budget saw more money pledged to the education, health and social care, as well as the controversial tax rise for the self-employed which has since been reversed, but what elements of the Statement and Budget affect the world of logistics?

 

Firstly, the Autumn Statement announced another year with a freeze on Fuel Duty, which is the tax incorporated into the price paid for petrol, diesel and other fuels. A standard VAT rate of 20% is paid on Fuel Duty, but for years there have been warnings of a hike. At the Autumn Statement, Phillip Hammond stated: “Today we stand on the side of the millions of hardworking people in our country by cancelling the fuel duty rise for the seventh consecutive year.”

 

For the world of logistics, this is a great relief due to the amount of fuel needed to keep our fleets on the road for our clients and customers. As an integral part of what keeps the industry moving (no pun intended!), and with no option to hop on the bus or perhaps take the bike into work to save on fuel costs, a rise in Fuel Duty would hit the logistics industry the hardest.

 

During Phillip Hammond’s Spring Budget speech, he also announced that there would be no rise in VED for those in the haulage industry, and no rise in the HGV Road User Levy: “I am freezing for another year both the VED rates for hauliers and HGV Road User Levy.” VED – Vehicle Excise Duty, commonly known as road tax – refers to the tax payable on vehicles due to their emissions, and is based on engine size, or fuel type and level of carbon dioxide emissions.

 

Launched in 2014, the HGV Road User Levy is the charge payable by vehicles of 12 tonnes or more to contribute towards the wear and tear of the road network. The amount payable varies according to the vehicle’s weight, axle configuration and levy duration. This levy is now applicable to overseas vehicles as well, to ensure that British drivers are not having to bear the burden of wear and tear from foreign vehicles.

 

This freeze in VED for hauliers and the HGV Road User Levy is most welcome to the logistics industry, as it means that budgets do not have to be stretched to cover any additional tax costs and can therefore go directly into constantly improving the standard of service for our clients and the safety of our drivers.

 

Investing in ever greater safety and quality of service is something which we at Barnes Logistics always strive towards, and we are grateful that the Spring Budget has allowed us to continue this with frozen tax rates for the industry.

ONLINE SHOPPING IS NOT STOPPING

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The new shopping experience is here and it’s here to stay. Forget the ‘one-stop-shop’, now it’s all about the ‘one-click shop’ as an increasing number of people turn to the internet to fulfil their shopping needs. From groceries, to clothes or technology, virtually anything can be ordered through the click of button.

The increase in online transactions has naturally affected the logistics industry by increasing the demand for not only quick and reliable delivery services but the delivery of products from manufacturers to large distribution centres.  But is the phenomenal growth expected to continue?

Experts are predicting online shopping is set to double in the UK, US, China and Germany to be worth over £645bn in the coming years. Today Brits are already reportedly spending almost £1 in every £5 online, and this ratio is set to grow over the next three years as more people turn to smartphones as consumers seek quicker and hassle free ways to shop.

It may be surprising to those who regularly fuel their shopping habit online that if they had travelled to the retailer to physically purchase the goods, much more would have been spent on petrol costs. It has been calculated that the average UK online shopper would have travelled over 6,000 miles in 2015 if they were to pick up their goods directly from the shops.  This figure has increased by 1,500% in the last eleven years, when the figure was a mere 358 miles or as little as just 50 miles in 1995.

To fulfil these 6000 miles, of course someone has to bring the goods to distribution centre and ultimately the consumer.  The entire concept of ‘online shopping’ would grind to a halt without the logistics industry. Whilst this brings great news for Barnes Logistics as we see continued demand for our ‘just in time’ services, with the average age of drivers at 53 and only two percent of drivers aged under 25 there are concerns that the demand for drivers could cause issues for the industry.

The Government has however stepped in and proposed several plans to support the sector by encouraging drivers to join the industry and fulfil the demand. A ‘Road to Logistics’ scheme has been announced, giving ex-military personnel the opportunity to train in the sector, as well as recently approved Government funding for apprenticeships. Further pledged campaigns include; better driver facilities, quicker funding turnaround of medical queries by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency and the promotion of the logistics sector to raise awareness.  All these schemes, if correctly implemented, will allow the freight and logistics industry to meet the demand for its services.

There’s no doubt the industry is facing exciting times and growing demand.  We’ve expanded our fleet to help cope with this demand and also moved to bigger and better facilities that provide both logistics support as well as state of the art warehousing facilities.  By taking such steps we’re well placed to take advantage of the opportunities that online retailing presents.

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.

Our Service

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

Registered Office

Barnes Logistics Ltd
Cowm Top Lane
Rochdale
OL11 2RG