Welcome

The Courier Club is aimed specifically at professional couriers and delivery drivers whether they are employee, sub contractor or owner driver.
The internet is full of website's for all the major courier and parcel delivery companies world wide. There are very few for just the drivers of those companies. Until now.
This website has been created by drivers, for drivers.
Welcome to The Courier Club.

New trailer design sets safety standards.
One of the safest trailers ever to appear on British roads has been launched by the palletised distribution network, Palletforce. The award-winning network has teamed up with double-deck trailer specialists, Trailer Resource Ltd, to develop a bespoke trailer aimed at reducing health and safety issues surrounding loading and unloading. Figures for the past year show that slips and trips by transport drivers and operatives across the whole industry resulted in an alarming 6,352 reported injuries during 2008 and 2009. Some 815 of the injuries proved to be major and 2,361 involved employees taking more than three days off work – costing UK businesses thousands of pounds in lost manpower and decreased efficiency. The trailer is the brainchild of Trailer Resource Ltd managing director Des O’Connor, who developed the idea having seen a rise in the number double-decks being used in the industry over the past two years. Des explained: “Since double-decks exploded onto the scene they have brought with them some huge benefits, but as they have become more and more popular, we have noticed health and safety concerns that many people weren’t first aware of. “The major concern that needed addressing was access. This involved coming up with a design that would minimise the risk to the end user when getting on and off the trailer and how to safely access and work on the top deck. “By working in conjunction with Palletforce we believe we have come up with a cutting edge solution that will educate the whole industry.” Already on the road with Palletforce member Stones Distribution, the trailer incorporates many of the Health and Safety Executive’s main focus points including areas with three points of contact to the vehicle, which is vital for access to the beds of trailers. One of the other main features of the cutting edge trailer includes a non-slip ladder and grab handles incorporated into the front partition to aid safe access to the top deck. Once on the top deck, the user’s risk of injury is minimised further by securing straps which have been placed on both sides and at either end of the trailer’s roof struts. This will allow the user to clip on a safety harness and be able to work freely and safely – without the risk of falling from height. Other safety features of the trailer include: • Improved offside access to the trailer step area. • Greater nearside access to trailer step area – via a ‘pull out’ ladder. • A step incorporated into the side guard providing access to the front of the main trailer bed from either side. • Safer access to the back of the trailer – via a step integrated into the rear frame. • Access to the rear of the trailer main bed – via side mounted rear step. • Mesh flooring on the top deck for easier checking of load security and better vision for forklift loading. • Elasticated strap lift hooks which clear the bottom of the rave – to avoid snagging when drawing curtains. • For easier loading/unloading the curtains can be stowed across the back of the trailer to leave the sides clear. • All safety features marked with reflective yellow stickers to ensure they can be seen and used safely at night. Palletforce health, safety, quality and facilities manager, John Rothery, said: “Creating a safe and secure working environment for all our members and employees is vital, especially those transporting, loading and unloading goods. “People don’t need to fall far to seriously injure themselves and this industry-leading trailer design comes with a whole host of extra safety features to minimise that risk.” Phase one of the trailer design complete, Trailer Resources are now developing a series of additional safety features to add to the design. These include hard hat warnings on the outside of the curtain, contact telephone numbers clearly marked on the curtain in case of emergency and a store for gloves, hard hats and fire extinguisher – to ensure users are fully protected at all times.

Van sector to drive up excellence.
Accounting for over three million vehicles on our roads and having grown by almost 40 per cent over the last decade, the van fleet sector is one that warrants serious self-regulation. With the backing of some of the largest van fleet operators in the UK, the Freight Transport Association looks to establish a comprehensive and realistic code of conduct that will benefit businesses, the environment and all road users.
The Van Excellence Code, which has been developed by the van industry for the van industry, looks to share and formalise working practices that are already used by leading companies in the sector. Its aim is to provide mandatory and audited parameters for all aspects of van operations including key areas such as driver behaviour, vehicle safety/maintenance and risk assessed operating methods. With backing and input from some of the largest van fleet operators in the UK as well as commitment from van makers Mercedes, Ford and Nissan, FTA is confident that the Code will set the standard for future working practices.

Delivery Network Limited (HDNL) the UK’s largest home delivery and collection service has launched an innovative new SMS text message service which will enable the company to advise customers of delivery times.

The service is available to retailers who require a proof of delivery from their customers and forms part of a significant technological drive for the company.
The system can be tailored to fit within retailer’s specific processes or technical requirements.
“We are making this investment to improve customer communication and satisfaction,” said IT Director, Chris Airey. “This enhanced service will allow consumers to make certain choices relating to the day of delivery. It’s an exciting advancement which will ultimately make the delivery process more efficient and convenient.”
Once a delivery schedule has been determined, customers will receive a text message alert from HDNL to inform them of the intended delivery date or encourage the recipient to reply and nominate an alternative date. On the day of the delivery, a second text message will be sent advising the customer of the three hour window in which their delivery is scheduled to arrive.
The SMS mobile text message service will improve the online shopping experience as customers will not have to wait in all day to receive a parcel. It will also increase the amount of ‘first time’ deliveries, avoiding the scenario of customers not being in to receive their delivery.

‘Little and often’ cost increases threaten haulage firms, warns RHA
Road haulage and transport firms must recover rising costs by increasing the rates they charge customers. That is the stark warning from the Road Haulage Association, as both fuel duty and diesel costs continue to rise.
“Transport firms face a triple-whammy of rising diesel commodity costs, endlessly rising fuel duty and increases in costs elsewhere,” says RHA Director of Policy Jack Semple.
“In the past 12 months, the price of diesel before duty and taxes has risen by 18%, largely due to the sinking value of the pound against the dollar.
“The Chancellor’s decision to increase duty every three months rather than once a year is clearly designed to disguise the impact from motorists but the impact on the haulage industry’s costs is severe. By April 2011, he will have increased fuel duty seven times in just 28 months.
“On April 1, the headline fuel duty goes up by another of 1p a litre; but the ending of the Treasury’s biofuel duty rebate to oil companies will lead to an additional increase in the price of diesel of up to 1p a litre.”
“UK duty amounts to a 25% tax on the operation of a typical 44-tonne truck – and is by far the highest in the EU. British hauliers are paying up to £12,000 a year more than their EU competitors,” he says.
“Maintenance costs have risen sharply as a result of the deterioration in road conditions since the recent severe weather and members have reported sharp increases in spring, suspension and tyre costs, which cannot be ignored. Employment, training and overhead costs have also been rising.
“With demand and confidence still low in many sectors of the economy, hauliers are often fearful of asking for rate increases. But customers must recognise that running a professional transport business requires sustainable haulage rates,” Semple concluded. 

Mail Profits Fall for TNT.
Europe's second-biggest mail delivery firm TNT has reported a 58% drop in profit after writing down the value of its regular mail arm.
Net profit fell to 25m euros (£22m) in the fourth quarter of 2009, from 59m euros a year earlier. Sales fell 0.5% to 2.95m euros.
TNT wrote 146m euros off the value of its mail operations after a review.
However, its express business performed better in the last three months of 2009 than in the same period in 2008.
Operating income in the division rose to 81m euros - more than four times more than the 18m euros it made a year ago.
Like larger rival Deutsche Post, TNT has struggled to cope with falling consumer demand, but has begun to focus on its restructuring efforts.

 

 

Van Owners Earn Extra Income
A new company, Posters in Transit, is paying van owners to carry adverts on the back of their vans.

Individual van owners nationally are signing up fast to benefit from this service, but this is also available to fleets. There is no cost for signing up and fleet owners can bring in significant revenue, making a big difference to their bottom line. The only restriction is that the vans need to be white or light silver, so that they are seen as a blank canvas for the adverts which fit neatly into the rear panels where the window would be. These rear panels need to be free of any other signage. This is an exciting new development in outdoor advertising. Building on the success of advertising on trucks and taxis, van backs provide a highly visible platform for the driving public.

For further information visit or contact:-
Charles Endacott 07801 223082 or Robert Billington 07880 743474

TIRED DRIVERS A THING OF THE PAST.
Driving behind the wheel whilst tired can lead to similar results to that of driving whilst under the influence of alcohol...A CRASH.
A number of studies have revealed that between 20 - 25 per cent of all road accidents are related to tiredness. However, the number of work accidents regarding professional drivers could fall by a significant amount if a Government consultation goes ahead.
The consultation, launched by the Government aims to re-examine the amount of hours professional drivers, such as those who drive vehicles like busses, taxis and vans for a living, can work.
It stated that modifying the drivers' hours rule will reduce the number of road accidents as drivers will be able to take regular breaks and rests. The domestic drivers' hours rules affect thousands of workers across the UK, so it is vital that they are effective in keeping drivers, passengers and other road users safe.
The UK drivers' hours rules, which was first introduced in the 1930s, to ensure professional drivers have a limit on their daily driving and duties, with some instances setting break and rest requirements. It supports the safety of road users and ensures the health and safety of professional drivers by ensuring that they are not driving for too long. However, the rules have remained unchanged since the 1960s.The Department for Transport is working together with the Health and Safety Executive along with a number of other organisations to steer in the consultation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Courier Club