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If you think of lorry drivers in England, you probably get the same common stereotype in your head – a middle aged white man. There’s a good reason for that – they dominate the industry. Of course, the problem with this status quo is that an industry cannot survive on those in their middle age, and it’s estimated that around 80,000 of them could be retiring in the next 10 years – with nobody to replace them. The haulage industry needs to fish outside its usual demographic to secure its future. Could you be the sort of person that’s suited to a job in the road haulage industry? Related Article Tags: , , ,
These days, haulage companies benefit from all sorts of new-fangled technology, which makes the lives of the drivers that little bit easier. With gadgets such as satellite navigation and mobile phones at their fingertips, the world of haulage has certainly evolved. But how did haulage companies survive in the days prior to modern technology?
There are many reasons why people consider getting into the haulage industry: a life spent on the open road, the freedom of travelling around the country on various transport contracts, no need to spend all day in an office. But if you're thinking about getting involved in a career in long-distance haulage then you have to ask yourself one very important question: have you really got it in you? It's not all plain sailing, so here's a few things you might want to consider before your first transport contracts start to build up.
On a long haul road haulage job, a lorry driver can be on the road for days or even weeks. That’s a long time for something to go wrong with your lorry – and if you are stuck by the side of the road waiting for help and paying for repairs, you and your company will be losing time and money. Related Article Tags: , , , , ,
To some, a job involving trucks and haulage work is their absolute ideal occupation. Most little boys dream of driving a big rig, and their childhood play in the sand pit usually revolves around heavy machinery and shiny remote-control vehicles. Little wonder then that when many little boys grow up to be big boys their obsession continues. Of course not everyone is lucky enough to live out their childhood fantasies in their career, but those fortunate few who make a living out of haulage work have more than a few reasons to be cheerful...
The British Army is modern and fully mechanised, with rapid response and fast troop transport the world over. But to be able to maintain and service such a mobile force needs a similarly mobile logistical organisation. We have a look at the interesting world of the Army's logistical corps and the lorries that they use to keep the armed forces going. Related Article Tags: , , , ,
Driving for haulage companies might not seem like the most glamorous of jobs, but all you truckers out there should know that you're in great company! Not all of the world's rich and famous start out at the top, and there's more than a few who earned their living from driving before they hit the big time.
No disrespect intended, but driving for haulage companies is a bit like being a snail...you take your home around with you wherever you go. It might not be your real home, but it certainly gets to feel that way when you spend so many hours in the cab. You might not be able to get home and just splodge on the sofa in front of the TV, but that doesn't mean that those stopovers have to be dull and boring. There are so many cool gizmos and gadgets on the market these days that can help you to while away a few hours.
Lorries are an every day sight on our roads and motorways, ubiquitous in modern life and a common sight (and sometimes annoyance) for drivers. A lorry in the next lane is as much a part of road life as cat's eyes or yellow speed cameras. But these haulage giants have become more than just a part of our road life - they are a cultural symbol and are frequently seen on our cinema and PC screens. We take a look at the latter, and count down the top five uses of lorries, lorry drivers and general purpose road haulage vehicles in computer games. Related Article Tags: , , , ,
Looking to boost the profits of your haulage company, or just trying to survive in an increasingly competitive marketplace? Learn more about return loads and groupage, two of the essential ways of improving haulage efficiency. Related Article Tags: , , , , ,
As times get tighter and costs fluctuate, companies are rightly worried about profit margins and staying afloat. While many companies try to pass the effects of these changing costs onto the customer, the widely varied price elasticity of demand for products means that often these fluctuations (in real terms) of price can’t be passed on to customers; i.e, changes in price mean a steep or shallow rise or fall in demand for your product depending on what the product is. Related Article Tags: , , , , ,
There are plenty of lorry jobs around for those with the experience and the skills, but how do you make sure you stand out from the other candidates? The Managing Director of a leading freight exchange demonstrates how your CV can land you that haulage job interview... Related Article Tags: , , ,
They say like mother like daughter and like father like son, and this is often the case within the haulage industry, as many children take after their parents and get behind the wheel at the first possible opportunity. So, get them interested and thinking about deliveries and returnloads while they're still young with the help of these cartoon characters. They'll be even more inspired when they find out that Walt Disney, king of cartoon creators was once a lorry driver for the Red Cross.
When you spend the major part of your waking life in the cabin of a big rig (or even a little one for that matter) fulfilling contracts for haulage companies, it can sometimes get a little lonely. To relieve some of the solitude, it's not unusual for a driver to pick up a hitchhiker to help them while away the time. It's nice to have the company, and some drivers even forge lasting friendships with people they have met on the road. While it pays to err on the side of caution when it comes to picking up hitch-hikers, sometimes a driver is not always aware he is giving someone a free ride. Here are a few of the more unusual stowaways that have been reported.
Returnloads can often appear when you least expect them, and yet there is certainly some truth in the idea that the early bird will more often than not catch the most succulent worm. So, what are the benefits of being the first up, about and on the road in the mornings?
Everybody dreams of holding a world record, and those working in the haulage industry are no exception to this rule. Whether it's the greatest number of years spent on the road, the greatest number of returnloads completed in 24 hours, or perhaps even the highest number of burgers you can get through in a lunch stop, it's always worth having a goal to aim for. We take a look at some of the most impressive records held within the haulage industry.
With the legal age for driving LGVs having been lowered from twenty-one to eighteen in recent years, there are more and more young people out on the road doing delivery work. We look at three reasons why the younger these drivers get themselves on the road, the better!
There are good transport contracts, and bad transport contracts - learn more about the main differences between them! If you are working in the haulage industry, whether you are an owner operator or a salaried employee, you'll know enough about transport contracts to know that no two jobs are the same. You'll have had jobs where everything went right, and loads that you simply couldn't wait to be rid of.
Each time you travel along the motorway, you are bound to see lorries lining the inside lane. However, what we often tend to forget, is that these lorries do in fact have a final destination. This could be down a narrow country road, up a very steep hill, or even in a place where lorries are not allowed, and yet their delivery work must be completed.
Most lorry drivers transport ordinary goods to their destination, pickup their backload if they’ve arranged one, and drive back. Most will need some kind of identification, even if it’s only a name tag, or possibly a security pass. Few will need armed guards or refractive armour, but some do, and these are the truck and lorry drivers that transport hazardous and life threatening loads. Related Article Tags: , , , , ,
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