Challenges and opportunities of road freight in 2021

2021 may have been the perfect storm for road hauliers transporting goods between the UK and mainland Europe, as COVID and BREXIT combined to see borders temporarily closed.

But is there light at the end of the chunnel?

The road haulage sector has had to rapidly adapt to meet radical changes in consumer behaviour. Road freight was key to keeping the country going throughout the nationwide lockdown with the rapid expansion of ecommerce.

Is this the disruption the sector has been waiting for?

There's no doubt the future of logistics and road freight transportation lies in technology and innovation. As clients become information-enabled, they have expectations that their transport services keep them fully informed throughout the entire process. An example of this would be end-to-end product tracking so consumers are able to accurately track the delivery process, from the warehouse to their doorstep, and for managers to monitor deliveries, reducing theft. Third-party logistics (3PL) firms, according to a recent report published by the Journal of Business Logistics, have also seen operational performance improvements by emphasising process co-ordination and information sharing.

Road haulage is constantly adapting, and is a necessary part of the supply chain - whether bulk shipments or direct to consumer the industry will adapt to match buyer behaviour.