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Today (8 March) is International Womens’ Day, when women throughout the globe celebrate.  I love supporting and celebrating the success of my female colleagues.

It is almost 3 years since I promoted the idea that the RHA create a forum to support, mentor and encourage women and She’s RHA was born.

Again and again I am questioned about the barriers preventing women from entering the transport industry.

My male colleagues tell me that "the door is open" offering opportunities to both men and women. My stock response has been, "yes but there is no welcome sign".

This is a naïve question and a simplistic answer.

In today’s society we must consider the barriers posed not to women in general, but women of every age, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, ability, disability, background, personality, class….the list goes on.

Our industry continues to lament the skills shortage and yet ignores expert reports from the likes of Deloitte and McKenzie evidencing that companies with more diverse workforces perform better, are more profitable and have improved employee collaboration and staff retention.

The demographic of the transport industry is predominantly white, middle aged and male and this is the image we therefore portray.

Research amongst millennials shows that culture and work life balance plays a large part when making career choice. This is certainly noticeable to me when employing young drivers, who no longer want to work long hours or spend nights away from home.

Women are not the only group who are under-represented in our industry and we need to make changes.

This year on International Womens’ Day I am delighted that an RHA event, sponsored by Clipper Logistics and Isotrak, will be focusing on diversity and inclusion and not solely on women.

There are insightful presentations from Janet Jones of the Co-op, Fiona Triller of Creating Inclusive Cultures and Jenny Tipping, ex female lorry driver, with a passion for improving diversity and inclusion in transport.

The global theme of this years’ International Womens’ Day is #Balanceforbetter, which means balance for men and women of every characteristic and socio-economic group, and the first steps to diversity and inclusion are engagement.

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Think Logistics is the industry-led, not-for-profit project involving some of the UK’s best-known transport and logistics companies, and we are calling on all logistics companies to get behind the initiative in 2019.

We need more support by operators offering internships or work placements to students, and introduce them to an exciting and rewarding career in logistics.

Internships are four-week positions, usually paid at minimum wage levels in which a young person is fully integrated into a company to gain a solid understanding of a number of roles.

Vital experience

Alongside internships, Think Logistics is also looking for supporters to provide work placements for students which are one-week unpaid placements and generally aimed at students soon to be leaving education and looking for vital experience in the world of work.

For this latest round of placements, Think Logistics are looking for companies based in Grimsby, Mansfield, Swadlincote, Leicester, York, North Shields, Stockton on Tees, Sutton Coldfield, Warrington, Sheffield and Hinckley.

Employers receive support from Think Logistics’ delivery partner, the charity Career Ready, whose team of regional managers work with both employers and students to ensure they are properly prepared for the world of work experience.

In just five years, Think Logistics has brought together more than 40 leading companies to join its delivery group, including DHL, Volvo Trucks, Microlise, DAF, Royal Mail and the National Logistics Academy and Abbey Logistics as well industry bodies including the CILT, the FTA and the RHA.

Much-needed support

But there are thousands more logistics companies throughout the UK that should join the initiative to provide the much-needed support required to satisfy the demand from students keen to learn about the industry.

In 2018 Think Logistics secured additional funding, which it hopes will help its ambitious plans to grow over the next three years.

Growth will be measured by the number of young people Think Logistics can reach through workshops, internships, mentoring, work placements and masterclasses and to achieve this it is calling on the industry to provide the support required to find the next generation of transport planners, directors, fitters, HR managers, accountants, drivers, marketers and the countless other career paths available in the sector.

The logistics industry is facing a skills shortfall, and no one is going to wave a magic wand and make the skills gap go away. It is up to us as an industry to proactively get out and tell young people that there are genuinely exciting and fulfilling opportunities available in our sector and we know that through the right support and guidance, young people can thrive in the industry and achieve great things.

Think Logistics enjoys the support of over 40 companies who are active in the sector, and we are saying to those companies not involved that we need their support to provide internships and work placements.

We know from the companies that have hosted interns and work placements that they have seen big benefits from the experience such as extra resource, management training, and fresh ideas the students bring to a company adds real value to the experience, and all companies that have hosted are always keen to host more interns and work placements.

We are confident that once a company experiences the benefits of hosting an intern or a work placement, they will be eager to continue to support in the future, helping provide the next generation with the skills and experience our sector needs.

For more information please visit the Think Logistics website or contact Career Ready’s head of logistics Ian Nichol on ian.nichol@careerready.org.uk or 07872989158.

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The levy requires all employers with annual pay bills in excess of £3m to pay 0.5% of their wage bill as an additional tax to the Treasury. Employers can then claim back the cost of employing eligible apprentices from the levy pot but the problem for the logistics sector has been in finding suitable apprenticeships that really meet the needs of businesses. As a result, the logistics sector has claimed back less than 10% of the £130m it has paid in since the levy was created.

The FTA has been meeting with the Treasury to find ways of releasing this much-needed money to fund the training the industry needs to address its chronic skills shortages, especially in warehouse staff and HGV drivers.

Because the standard 12 month apprenticeship is not suited to training these two vital groups of workers, the FTA is proposing that the rules be relaxed to allow employers to claim money to fund shorter training courses that would not qualify as apprenticeships, and to help smaller employers cover the wages of apprentices while they are undertaking the off-the job training that must make up 20% of their scheme.

Another mechanism the Treasury could use to free up some of the levy pot would be emergency Brexit funding to assist employers overcome the skills shortages that will be created as a result of the UK leaving the EU in March. With no clarity as yet on which categories of EU migrants will be allowed to continue working in the UK after Brexit, this uncertainty is already leading to an exodus of seasonal Eastern European workers.

It is totally unacceptable that at a time when an industry that is critical to the success of the UK post-Brexit is facing crippling skills shortages it is unable to access money which has been paid in the Apprenticeship Levy. A way has to be found to break the log jam and free this pot of money to keep Britain moving.

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Under the proposed plans, commercial vehicle operators would need to ensure their fleet vehicles meet Euro-6 standards for diesel and Euro-4 standards for petrol to avoid being charged in a proposed zone.

Following a public consultation, which received a large volume of responses, the council is carrying out further assessments before it confirms a final plan.

This free roadshow is a must for anyone operating or servicing commercial vehicle fleets in Bath & North East Somerset, providing invaluable advice via a series of short workshops to help both local and national operators future-proof their fleets. Topics include:

• Rental, leasing and maintenance options for alternative fuel commercial vehicles;
• Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme;
• Case studies from HGV and van operators on the practicalities of implementing alternative fuel fleet vehicles.

Places do fill up quickly, so make sure to register for your free place as soon as possible.

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Kitson (pictured) joined the DVSA in September 2018 after 30 years with HMRC and is responsible for all enforcement activities, including roadside checks, counter-fraud and investigations, intelligence and working with the Office of the Traffic Commissioner.

“DVSA’s priority is to protect everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles. Being able to connect directly with the industry at the Microlise Transport Conference gives me a perfect opportunity to outline DVSA’s plans and vision,” she said. 

“DVSA continues to work closely with the industry, looking to ensure compliant operators can prosper, whilst the non-compliant are identified and the relevant action taken.

"With the Microlise Transport Conference attracting such an important audience of decision makers, I look forward to outlining our plans to improve and develop the enforcement of heavy vehicle standards across Britain,” she added.

Microlise has also conformed that Senior Traffic Commissioner Richard Turfitt will again be speaking at the conference, which will host around 1,200 delegates on May 15 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

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Two years ago, in her Lancaster House speech, PM Theresa May promised that frictionless trade would be protected at all costs, whatever the outcome of negotiations with the EU. This promise has not come to fruition, and the risk of a no deal outcome to the talks, and the threat that this poses to UK business, has risen significantly.

A no deal Brexit would be catastrophic for the supply chain and have a severe impact on trade, business and for Britain as a whole. It would increase delays at the country’s borders, increase red tape and undue costs for logistics businesses already operating on narrow margins and restrict access for transport to the EU.

Furthermore, it would reduce the available skilled workforces for logistics operators already dealing with significant skills shortages in some roles.

No clearer

After two years of negotiations with the EU, logistics operators are no clearer on the trading landscape they will face after the UK’s departure from the EU. The industry is well known for its flexibility and adaptability, but time is now running out to make the changes to processes and procedures which will be required after Brexit.

Issues such as how and where customs declarations are to be made and tariffs collected and how access is to be granted to vehicles travelling to and from Europe, how businesses can recruit sufficient workers and how trailers may travel across borders may seem insignificant to some but these issues will have a direct impact on the whole economy, not just those charged with moving goods and services.

We all know that logistics is an agile and flexible sector, able to adapt to a changing economic situation, but without knowing the parameters in which businesses will be operating, it is impossible to plan effectively – and time is running out. The FTA will not allow logistics to be held up as the whipping boy by politicians who have failed to take into account the complexity of the supply chain over the past two years.

Red tape

A no deal Brexit would leave logistics operators facing increased red tape, restrictions to access and to skilled staff, increased delays and rising costs and puts the livelihoods of the hardworking Britons involved in the movement of freight at risk.

No one voted for that, and the FTA is urging the government once again to reach an agreement with the EU which can keep goods and services moving across our borders with minimal or no hindrance – that is what the Prime Minister promised two years ago and that is what the industry expects.

Efficient logistics is vital to keep Britain trading, directly having an impact on more than seven million people employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc.

A champion and challenger, the FTA speaks to the government with one voice on behalf of the whole sector, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers.

• The FTA will be holding a Brexit briefing webinar at 10am on January 25 2019 to help logistics and supply managers to prepare for a no deal scenario and identify areas of particular concern.

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Despite the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, a potential ‘no-deal’ scenario and the unprecedented defeat of PM Theresa May’s Brexit deal which was the largest ever for a sitting government in history the UK logistics sector remains generally pragmatic. In fact, a recent report which garnered the opinions of more than 370 British freight and logistics businesses, revealed three quarters of logistics companies are confident their businesses will grow over the next three years.

Whilst forecasting the outcome of Brexit is complex and it is very difficult to foresee what the final implications will be for the logistics sector, it is not all negative. For those willing to embrace change to meet the Brexit challenges, there are likely to be ample opportunities to grow their service offerings and deliver for a broader range of customers.

First port of call

With fears increasingly mounting about the UK’s future trade relationship with the EU following Brexit, there are predictions of unprecedented levels of disruption and border delays, particularly at Britain’s busiest ferry port of Dover. While less reported, an influx of freight could also be expected through other ports as shipping companies seek alternatives to avoid the more traditionally utilised routes.

Northern ports, such as Hull and Immingham have generally been under-utilised for a variety of reasons, despite the latter being the busiest cargo port in the UK with a cargo volume of 59m tonnes being loaded and discharged annually. Brexit, however, could present an opportunity to increase investment and development of these as an attractive alternative route for logistics providers keen to avoid the anticipated gridlock in Kent.

What’s more, there has also been much discussion and political support for the establishment of free ports in such locations from high profile MPs and ministers, with the number two at the Treasury, Liz Truss, and Brexit minister Suella Braverman both paying visits to the Port of Immingham in recent months to discuss the concept.

Infrastructure investment

The government’s official position is that the UK will leave the Single Market and Customs Union, which would, it is understood, increase the current number of import customs entries from approximately 70 million to 350 million per year – while the Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight service (Chief) and new Customs Declaration Service (CDS) systems are likely to be able to manage this increase, there are serious concerns as to the availability of suitably trained numbers of staff and the infrastructure to support it.

Many logistics businesses are beginning to pool resources to keep the industry moving, as well as investing in UK-based staff and working with leading organisations to ensure Brexit won’t have the impact that media speculation would have the public believe.

However, despite the general optimism of growth over the next three years, more than half of companies in transport and logistics think they are still not sufficiently prepared for Brexit, according to a recent survey .

Compounded by uncertainties around Brexit, leading UK logistics companies such as Clugston Distribution have increased investment in training and apprentices to develop the next generation of talented and skilled workers – not just drivers but for a broad spectrum of roles, from transport planners through to HGV vehicle technicians.

The company provides a high level of internal professional support throughout multi-year programmes, with in-house training and support from experienced managers who are trained and approved mentors.

Global logistics services

With Brexit still hanging in the balance, a number of transport providers have already restructured their businesses in response to the UK’s departure from the EU. As part of a Brexit strategy, for instance, Clugston Distribution has redefined its organisation to create a specific business unit dedicated to European and international logistics.

Clugston Global Logistics – just one example of a shift being seen across the wider logistics sector – is a stand-alone business unit which provides a complete package of global supply chain solutions throughout the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, from national and international distribution through to warehousing, pick, pack and order fulfilments.

Supply chain efficiencies

As the prospect of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit becomes an increasing possibility, driving efficiency throughout the supply chain will become more necessary than ever. As a result, aspects such as vehicle maintenance and repair processes and establishing strategic supply chain locations have become more essential as companies bid to mitigate further the possible downtime and disruption in the wake of perceived delays at British ports.

What this means is many businesses continue to invest in infrastructure, from new trucks and trailers to maintenance facilities and strategic depots across the UK, Europe and globally.

Due to growing demand for its services, along with a potential increase of vehicles in the north in the post-Brexit supply chain, the company also recently invested in upgrading our large multi-bay maintenance facility, including an Authorised Test Facility.

The post Delivering Brexit success appeared first on Motor Transport.

The former squaddie and the only transport minister to have held an HGV licence, is enjoying fighting the corner off those he believes need a voice in parliament. He has thrown his support behind various campaigns including most recently the End our Pain movement, which called for the medicinal use of cannabis to treat a rare form of epilepsy.

It is no surprise therefore to hear that Sir Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead, is backing the Campaign for Safer Roadside Rescue & Recovery, launched by FairFuelUK co-founder Peter Carroll earlier this year.

“When the evidence was put in front of me that roadside rescue operators, who are working to get our roads running again, are being killed or seriously injured, I agreed to help,” said Penning.

As a former firefighter, he often worked hand-in-hand with roadside rescue operators when attending road traffic incidents.

“The professionalism of those recovery operators was as great as some of the work we were doing at the roadside as firefighters,” he said. “They would often be first on site when there had been an accident, and some of the things they will have witnessed and had to deal with will be shocking.

“They play an essential role in getting the roads clear and moving, yet they aren’t thought of as an emergency service.”

As part of his backing of the campaign, Penning has set up and become chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Roadside Rescue & Recovery Industry.

The aims of the APPG mirror those of the campaign, and Penning has wasted no time raising the key concerns with transport secretary Chris Grayling.

“I’ve written to Chris to request a meeting, outlining our key concerns and highlighting what could be done straight away [by the department],” said Penning.

The short-term aims of the APPG are to lobby government to allow roadside rescue operators to have red hazard lights on their vehicles – currently they are only permitted to have amber – and to legally be allowed to use the hard shoulder to travel to the scene of a breakdown or road traffic incident.

“Both of these are regulatory issues and the minister could do that by statutory instrument tomorrow if he wanted to,” said Penning.

He plans to take Sam Cockerill (pictured below, centre), widow of former roadside recovery operator Steve Godbold, who was killed on the motorway in September 2017, with him to the meeting with Grayling.

“Sam is an amazing advocate for the campaign. She has got an ability to articulate and explain her grief, and to say to MPs very clearly that she does not want this to happen to anybody else,” explained Penning.

On 22 September 2017, Steve Godbold was killed after an HGV strayed, hitting and killing him as he recovered the vehicle of someone who had broken down. He is one of several other roadside recovery operators killed while doing their job.

“People in the recovery sector are dying on our roads and we need to get to the bottom of why so that we can address it. If it was people in one of our emergency services dying at the roadside while doing their job, there would be a national uproar,” Penning stressed.

His other short-term goal is to push the DfT to provide official statistics on the number of incidents involving roadside rescue and recovery operators.

According to Penning, such statistics did exist when he was roads minister. “The government is full of statistics. I believe they exist and I will be calling for them to be made available to us,” he told MT.

Longer-term, Penning plans to hold an oral evidence session, along the lines of a select committee session. “We’ll invite the DfT and the industry to give evidence, then we’ll draw up a report. I hope to issue the report before summer recess next year. This will give us the ‘why’,” he said.

Second group

Penning has also formed an APPG for Road Haulage and Logistics. The former APPG for Freight Transport ceased when chairman Rob Flello MP lost his seat in the last general election, but Penning is keen for the new APPG to have a broader remit.

“I want this APPG to encompass the full logistics spectrum – not just road freight – and to be not just a voice for industry but a constructive friend so we can get better communication between shipping, rail and roads,” he said.

Although the new APPG is in its infancy, Penning shared some of the key areas he believes the group should tackle, but stressed: “I would like to hear from the industry too about their key concerns.

“I know we have a massive hole to plug in terms of ageing drivers, and I understand that 20% of armed forces personnel leave the services with an HGV qualification – so what can we do to utilise that better?”

Another issue, and one close to his heart, is that of the longer semi-trailer pilot due to end in 2027.

“If we have a clean Brexit then it won’t be a problem and people will be able to carry on running longer semi-trailers, but if we are still imposed by some of the EU restrictions when the trial officially ends in 2027, then we will need to find a work-around,” he said.

As a Brexiteer, Penning believes the industry will be better off when the UK leaves the EU.

“I’ve always pushed for a level playing field for the UK road haulage industry. I want us to leave and trade more with the rest of the world. I believe the London Gateway Port would get busier if we had a relationship with countries around the world without a tariff, which of course opens up more opportunities for the UK haulage and logistics industry.”

He also wants to get the members of the APPG out of their “Westminster bubble” and behind the wheel of a truck. “I want to make it a little bit more fun for the parliamentarians, to give them a better understanding of the industry.

"I want them to know what it’s like to drive a 44-tonne articulated lorry and try and reverse it into a tight space; so we’ll take them to some airfields and stick them behind the wheel.

The road haulage industry needs a voice in parliament, but one that will address the public perception of them and ensure they get a level playing field. Because what would we do without them? They are a vital part of the economy,” said Penning.

By Laura Hailstone

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But this year the competition to find drivers has become even more intense as the overall shortage within the industry bites, forcing companies to offer much increased rates to attract the staff they need.

The requirement for extra drivers now lasts over a longer period than in the past, says David Coombes, pictured, MD of Skills for Logistics which owns the Logistics Job Shop recruitment consultancy.

“From Black Friday onwards there is strong demand for drivers of vans up to large goods vehicles and that will last until mid-January,” he says.

Mark Underwood, MD of Staffline Group, which owns the Driving Plus driver recruitment agency, says that market conditions are altering the way that supermarkets, major non-food retailers and 3PLs view pay.

“It is now just accepted that they will have to pay more during peak periods and a different rate off-peak,” he says.

Peak rates depend on the region but usually involve adding £1 to £2 per hour on top of the usual rate of around £11 to £12.

However, as well as paying more, companies need to offer good working conditions and a professional operating environment.

There is also a greater awareness of collaboration among major firms who can share the same pool of drivers to meet a series of spikes in sales which can affect companies differently. These start with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, followed by deliveries of non-perishable items and then finally fresh food.

“The solution isn’t just higher pay, it’s about understanding the challenges,” Underwood says.

Decisive action

This year some companies have taken decisive action to secure staff and are guaranteeing the amount of work on offer, says Matt Draper, national officer for road transport and logistics at Unite.

“They are hedging their bets by taking on drivers slightly earlier than usual and offering short-term contracts to cover the peak period – in effect, they are doing their Christmas shopping early,” he says.

Higher rates are being offered by agencies but some employers are also offering bonuses if people work continuously for an agreed period.

This forms part of an upwards pressure on overall wage rates which Draper says has already resulted in higher pay and better sick pay, holidays and working conditions. “Sometimes rises are being brought forward to avoid the danger of people voting with their feet,” he says.

Pressure

Many believe these pressures will be maintained throughout next year, as the driver shortage worsens – recent figures published by the FTA suggest that there is now a national shortfall of 52,000 drivers.

Nick Gordon, CEO of HGV recruitment and training firm trg Logistics says that the situation has been exacerbated by many Eastern European drivers returning to their home countries.

“Many went home for six weeks in the summer and never came back or went to countries such as Germany,” he says.

Mark Richmond, MD of south Wales-based national haulier Rhys Davies, adds: “Availability is tight and the position has deteriorated when compared to last year. In our opinion Brexit has certainly seen the driver pool shrink as the drop in the value of the pound in turn devalued the benefits for continental Europeans of working in the UK.”

Mick Skerrett, national driver development manager at Manpower UK, agrees that the driver shortage is showing no sign of easing up, leading to a sharp spike in some pay rates.

“Many businesses have been reviewing their offer throughout the year and increasingly we are seeing a salary increase of between 10% and 20% for in-demand skills and sectors,” he says.

Increases here to stay

In addition, companies that increased wages for agency workers to cover the peak might find it difficult to return to pre-Christmas rates. “The increases will be here to stay,” Skerrett believes.

As well as the shortage of drivers, the advent of the National Living Wage has had a knock-on effect on HGV driver rates. Many now expect differentials between themselves and lower paid workers, for example in warehouses, to be maintained.

trg Logistics’ Nick Gordon says: “We have never seen wage growth like it. Some companies have brought in two or three increases this year. We will see further rises in 2019. Wages of £12 to £13 per hour could become £15 to £16.”

As well as the shortage of HGV drivers, the rise in online shopping has created particularly difficult conditions for parcels carriers with employed and self-employed last-mile drivers in great demand.

Hotspots

Manpower’s Mick Skerrett says: “London and the South West are particular hotspots – but there’s been a general increase across the country.”

Skills for Logistics’ David Coombes says that demand for van drivers has increased by 5% to 10% since last year.

“Parcels carriers are struggling to keep up with demand. This Christmas we will see parcel orders being delivered late and sometimes not at all because there just aren’t enough van drivers,” he predicts.

trg Logistics’ Nick Gordon adds: “There is going to be a massive shortage of van drivers in the run-up to Christmas. We have heard of parcels firms paying bonuses and putting people up in hotels to ensure availability. Parcels firms are being overwhelmed with the volume and will have to run late.”

Permanent solution

To overcome the challenges, some parcels companies which are experiencing growth are able to offer long-term rather than temporary employment when they recruit for Christmas.

For example, a DPD spokesman says: “As our parcels volumes are growing year-on-year, we tend to recruit new permanent drivers in the build-up to peak. They are then in place for next year to give us the capacity we need going forward.”

The company begins planning for the peak in January and this year had a record 10,000 delivery drivers out on the road on Black Friday.

Although companies can use innovative methods to overcome any shortages it does not affect the underlying staffing problem in the transport sector – and a fault-line that becomes even more evident during periods of high volume.

Good planning the only way to avoid poor performance

Retailers face huge logistical challenges in the run-up to Christmas and often the only solution is to plan well ahead. This is the case with toy retailer The Entertainer which works closely with its 3PL, XPO Logistics, as logistics director Steve Williams explains.

“They have resources enough to satisfy our needs. However, in order for that to be achieved we are planning and even ‘booking’ drivers as early as February for the coming peaks,” he says.

He adds: “The situation with temporary workers in general is now a very serious one for the logistics industry. A lot of companies are struggling for warehouse and driver temp staff in the peak weeks of the year and this year has not improved on last.”

Pets at Home

Pets at Home has two peaks in activity, one when Christmas-themed products are sent out to the shops in October and one just before Christmas when customers tend to stock up on pet food.

In order to increase retention during this period, temporary drivers are guaranteed work for the entire period at its sites in Stoke-on-Trent and Northampton – two thirds of its fleet is own account with Downton, TP Niven and DFDS providing the rest of the distribution.

Around 12 to 15 drivers – who must also be qualified to use forklift trucks to make store deliveries – are recruited using local agencies with whom it has long-standing relationships.

There has been some effect from reducing numbers of European drivers but this has affected its warehouses more, particularly Northampton, where over half the workforce are non-UK nationals.
Director of logistics and distribution Terry Siddle says: “It’s not a flood of people going back, it’s more that there are less coming in, reducing the future supply.”

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