Let’s look ahead. The near future will bring an array of new, exciting development opportunities – plus an equal number of challenges. How will you, as a haulier, be able to best meet tomorrow’s requirements and expectations, both with regard to your customers and your drivers?
Increased need for transport in the future
After speaking with hauliers and obtaining multiple forecasts concerning the development of the transport industry over time, I see that much points in the same direction. Transport needs will increase by more than 50% in terms of goods. The total permissible weight and length of trucks will need to be increased to keep up with greater demand. On paper, this seems like a golden opportunity to boost profitability in haulage companies. However, owing to stricter requirements on safety and quality certifications, a shortage of drivers, constraining prices, unfair competition and clean, eco-friendly transportation,many Swedish hauliers are experiencing difficulties when it comes to profitability. As a haulier, when you begin to understand how this new era will affect your business, it makes sense to consider whether there is something you can do to strengthen your business.
New requirements on today’s hauliers
How can haulage companies optimise their operations according to the challenges they face while still improving profitability? To answer this question, I spoke to Ulric Långberg, who works as an adviser and manager at the Swedish Association for Road Transport Companies trade organisation. He believes that many would benefit from an overhaul of their company and their self-image, for example, by considering themselves less as one subcontractor among many others and more like a partner able to offer more services of a high quality.
“It may sound hard, but, to put it simply, it is no longer just a matter of arriving on time and saving fuel.”
– Ulric Långberg, The Swedish Association for Road Transport Companies
Get your vehicle fleet rolling
To help inspire you to make the necessary changes and prepare for tomorrow’s requirements, we have compiled a guide. It contains tips and advice from industry representatives and individual haulage companies, along with a checklist, so that you can easily see what others have done to boost their profitability. Our hope is that these tips and testimonies will give you new ideas and perspectives on how you can improve your own business.
