Driving forward in 2021

Despite the challenges 2020 has thrown at TrackTrans, the business has remained strong and continued to deliver game-changing technologies to hauliers across the UK. With an exciting 2021 in the pipeline, customers can expect new software developments to help them reach their absolute potential. We are immensely proud of our team, not only for what they achieved last year – but for being able to successfully operate under these unusual circumstances. 

2020

When reflecting on the past year, one simply cannot ignore the colossal impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on people and businesses. That’s not to diminish the concerns regarding the Brexit transition period; with a ‘No Deal’ outcome looming over the industry like a spectre throughout the entirety of the year, 2020 was best described as 12 months of uncertainty and worry. Despite the tribulations, we believe that these hurdles have brought out the best in road transport – demonstrating how efficiently the industry can work together to deal with a crisis.

The pandemic

During the pandemic, road transport stepped up to keep people and goods moving when everyone needed it the most. This has instilled a new public appreciation for the haulage sector’s companies and drivers. 

Times have been undeniably hard and this will continue well into 2021 – evident after the announcement of a third national lockdown; but it is important to remember that we are in this together. Since March 2020, hauliers were put under insurmountable pressure to keep their operations running smoothly and have realised the need to adapt to ensure that they can continue functioning as effectively as possible.

The best way for transport operators to adapt is to move toward a technology-based system. Businesses are realising that to help future proof their operations, they must adopt technological solutions.

Brexit

After years of uncertainty, Christmas Eve offered a resolution to Brexit. As Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled his deal, British hauliers breathed a sigh of relief – despite the mixed blessings inscribed in the trade agreement. Generally speaking, haulage will continue as before and operators are allowed to continue to drive without special permits allocated in limited numbers to countries outside the EU.

The biggest concern to British truckers is the limit to a single drop-off and a single pick-up from inside an EU member state and two pick-ups and drop-offs when crossing EU member states. This is a downgrade from EU membership, under which drivers could do three pick-ups inside an EU country before returning home, and may cause problems for the concert haulage industry. 

2021

Decarbonisation, data governance, automation and urban access enforcement have been named as the primary buzzwords of the haulage industry, going into 2021. 

According to a PwC report, automation is key to supply chain agility post pandemic. Last year, thirty-four percent of financial leaders surveyed a plan to leverage automation to improve the speed and accuracy of decision-making within their supply chains and this number will only rise further. 

By utilising a transport management system like TrackTrans, hauliers can do their usual tasks at a greatly improved pace – allowing staff to reduce repetitive tasks and focus more time on other projects that could generate more profit for their businesses. Best of all, our system can be used remotely, allowing employees to add jobs from home – meaning work can continue regardless of which national lockdown measures are implemented. 

The pandemic has put the industry of logistics automation on the highway for 2021 – get on before it’s too late!