One of the hot topics over the past few years has been the growth of consumers buying goods online, or to put it into a single term, e-commerce. In part, the growth was fueled by the fact that brick and mortar locations have been closed due to the lockdowns, in addition to health-related concerns of being around a group of people, and in part, because simply put, e-commerce sites have become retailing giants. The traditional consumer store Davids and Goliaths had to adapt to the new tendencies in consumption, and present online shopping solutions to their customers in order not to lose out on business.

Growth of e-commerce: is road freight transport essential?

Having the know-how about any industry and the ins and outs of it is undoubtedly an invaluable asset to have. However, in the case of logistics, the knowledge might not be enough to make sure that a supply chain runs smoothly without any cracks in the links, as one of the most valuable assets when carrying goods on the road are trucks and the drivers behind the wheel. While spedition companies provide sufficient services to make sure goods continue moving, they have their disadvantages when compared to a traditional road freight transport provider.

Organizing your road freight transport: mission (im)possible without trucks?

There are many ways of transforming your business, industry, or even your personal life into a more sustainable venture. There is the consumption side of things, such as using electric vehicles to drive to work, building solar panels on your office building, or making every ridesharing app car a zero-emissions one, with these being more primitive examples. Yet you can also make your daily activities greener by ensuring that materials that were manufactured would be reused as much as possible.

Circular economy and logistics: no former without the latter?

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a potentially interesting alternative solution for trucking companies. An immediately available fuel, it can reduce a truck’s emissions up to 90%, promising a more sustainable fuel that can be used right here and right now on Euro 6 standard diesel trucks.

HVO: an untapped potential market for emissions-free transportation?

There are many questions about the future of road transport going forward. Sustainability, digitalization, automatization, and the inclusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI), in the broader sense of the word, are all topics that will shape and define the way that cargo is carried on the road in the coming years. All of the topics, which to some extent have become buzzwords, are also intertwined with each other, as digitalization is the foundation of automatization and the inclusion of AI within the industry. Even sustainability is somewhat reliant on transport companies digitalizing their processes, as managing a fleet of emissions-free trucks will come with its challenges, and additionally, can make a difference right now via such measures as optimal route planning and reducing the number of paper used, to name a few trivial examples.

AI and Road Transport: the beginnings of a fruitful relationship?

While describing the small and fine details of an industry can be complicated, a basic approach could be is to look at where businesses within the trade are getting their revenue from and what are their operating expenses in order to provide services to their customers. Taking road freight transport as an example, the simple answer would be that revenue comes from cargo transportation, while operating costs come from carrying that cargo: beginning with the acquisition of a vehicle, the administrative expenses directly and indirectly associated with the operation of a truck. That is only the tip of the iceberg, as below the surface lies a fairly complex structure of costs that can have a lot of impact on road transport operators.

What are road transport costs comprised of?

With the political process of the United Kingdom (UK) leaving the European Union (EU) beginning in 2016, the future was clear that nothing would remain the same even before the nation officially left the bloc. While the full effect of Brexit is yet to be clear, as more changes will be coming to the border procedures beginning January 2022, some ramifications are already visible.

How has Brexit affected road freight transport within Europe?

No matter the year, the fourth quarter in logistics is an interesting, to put it simply, period. The three months encompass the busiest period in terms of deployed capacity, as consumers begin preparing for the busiest shopping period of the year, now fueled by such promotional events as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. However, in order to prepare for the two weekdays of sales, and their prior pre-sale promotional campaigns, both mortar and brick and e-commerce businesses have to fill up their stock beforehand. The process is not done in a week, however, as shoppers can continue buying presents or whatever items they need throughout the intense periods for all of the parties that are involved.

As the busiest quarter in logistics is underway, what is the situation in Europe?

As the world has still grappled with the fallout from COVID-19, the introduction of vaccines has helped the global economy slowly get back on its feet. The most popular tourist destinations across the globe began to re-open to international tourism, as well as other services, such as shops, did so as well, the economy began to recover.

How has the semi-conductor shortage affected the road freight transport industry?

As players in the logistics industry look towards digitalization in order to improve the efficiency of their operations, on the other side of the spectrum, there are players that aim to make life easier for those who are looking for logistics solutions. These are so-called digital freight forwarders, which utilize their own developed platform to connect shippers and carriers at a moment’s notice, facilitating the relationship between a carrier and a shipper momentarily.

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