Government to Include Haulage Industry in Emissions Funding

Between the costs of fleet driver training, fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance and a mountain of regulatory requirements, operating a business in the transport and haulage sectors takes an awful lot of money. Therefore, it is not surprising that the industry has been unhappy with the level of support it has received from the government in efforts to cut emissions. Thankfully, that’s about to change. The government recently announced plans to include the haulage industry in funding initiatives designed to break away from traditional fossil fuels in favour of biomethane.

Handy Shipping Guide magazine says that a new £500 million funding package for ultra-low emissions vehicles (ULEVs) includes funding for the haulage sector. Some £4 million is specifically designated to overhaul the infrastructure used to fuel HGVs. This will make it possible, and more profitable, for biomethane to be used in commercial operations.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is very pleased with the developments given the fact that HGVs and other commercial vehicles have largely been ignored over the years. What is most ironic is the fact that these vehicles are usually blamed as the biggest culprits on the road for CO₂ emissions. Yet most government funding has been targeted at passenger vehicles. Now that commercial vehicles are included, the haulage and transport industries can make great strides in eliminating some of the stigma attached to their operations.

While the amount of money allocated to commercial vehicles and infrastructure is relatively small, the FTA hopes it will lead to more funding in the future. It especially wants to see a concentration on ULEV vans which, to this point, have received very little attention from either manufacturers or buyers. Converting fleets of vans would be very significant in reducing emissions.

Cost-Effective Training

As freight industry companies are looking to cut costs in any way possible, we recommend cost-effective fleet driver training as one possible option. Regularly training your company drivers can reduce your overall costs by reducing the number of accidents your vehicles are involved in. You also save money through more efficient operation, which results in lower fuel costs and greater production.

The HGV Training Centre provides affordable fleet driver training to companies all over the UK. In fact, we have worked with some very recognisable names in the haulage and transport industries. We can provide your company drivers with the remedial training it needs to stay sharp and focused. If you need CPC training, we offer that as well.

Please remember that the deadline to complete CPC training is September 14 of this year. All of your HGV and LGV operators must have completed 35 hours of training and possess a CPC certificate to continue working. The driver must carry that certificate whenever he or she is on the job.

If your drivers have not yet undergone training, we urge you not to wait. With less than five months to go, available class space will be filling up quickly. You need to take advantage of training opportunities sooner rather than later.

Sources:

Handy Shipping Guide – http://www.handyshippingguide.com/shipping-news/freight-group-welcomes-biomethane-benefits-for-road-haulage-sector_5495