Freight transport driving and management

Freight transport management, driving and vehicle maintenance are elements of the supply chain – moving materials from the supplier, sourced by the organisation’s buyers, from raw stocks, through production to become finished goods that are then distributed to customers.

The UK logistics sector is worth £74.45 billion to the economy, employing around 2.3 million people in some 196,000 companies. Freight logistics companies fall into two groups: those that manage their own distribution system and those that manage it on behalf of another company. The latter organisations are referred to as third-party logistics (3PL). Over 60% of UK freight is carried out for ‘hire and reward’ on behalf of another company.

The industry has previously suffered from major skills shortages, in particular of LGV drivers. However, recruitment of LGV drivers is not currently a major concern for employers, but recruiting women into the profession still proves to be a difficult task. Logistics currently suffers from a misguided perception that it is a poor industry in which to develop a successful career path.

Road is the main mode of freight transport (with rail, water and air transport being much smaller operations), while volumes of goods lifted (weight in tonnes) (82% by road) and moved (weight in tonnes multiplied by distance carried) (64% by road) have increased dramatically in all sectors during the last ten years. The 65,000-plus UK logistics companies are worth more than £54 billion and employ the best part of two million people (only 1% employ 250 people or more) (6% of the workforce) with just 8% being self-employed. The sector contains fewer women and people from ethnic minorities than average, and the level of workforce qualification is still low in comparison to other employment areas.

Freight moved by GB-registered heavy goods vehicles within Great Britain increased by 4% in the last year, from 156 billion tonne kilometres to 161 billion tonne kilometres. Articulated vehicles over 33 tonnes gross weight continue to account for an increasing share of all goods moved: 73% of total tonne kilometres. The amount of freight lifted was 1,869 million tonnes, while there has been an increase in overall average length of haul, to 86 kilometres. Just over half of all goods were lifted on a trip of 50 kilometres or less.

UK-registered vehicles carried 5.1 million tonnes of goods out of the UK, which is 33% less than ten years ago. More than 6 million tonnes of goods were carried into the UK, 25% less than in 1997. There are some 446,000 goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes registered in GB, with 73% of them being rigids. The number of goods vehicle operators has fallen over the last ten years to around 100,000. Freight is a UK-wide industry; 84% of the workforce (including managers) is based in England, 8% in Scotland, 5% in Wales and 3% in Northern Ireland.

The industry is heavily reliant on sub-contractors and smaller haulage firms, and needs extensive, well-structured and continuing training to recruit and retain drivers. Taken over a 24-hour period, on average goods vehicles typically spend around 20–40% of their time running on the road and around 20–50% idle (empty and stationary).

Transport in the Services

Every unit has its Motor Transport Officer, who runs a fleet of vehicles and drivers. Transport units have many more managers and drivers as the total unit holding is split into fleets of all sizes and descriptions. Formations and bases also often have dedicated transport assets, and their personnel can either be in the job full-time or combine it with other functions.

Many other military people are also concerned with transport, although they do not work in vehicle fleets themselves. They may be involved with anything from project management to training, and from garaging to movement planning. Since the Services are usually concerned with mobility in their activities, transport features heavily in all that they do.

The Defence School of Transport takes students from all three Services on a huge variety of courses. Programmes emphasise Vocational Qualifications and Apprenticeships, so that every student on a major course leaves with a qualification. The Service Driver Advanced Apprenticeship involves a Level 3 NVQ – Performing Road Haulage Operations.

For resettlement, training in transport management and driving can be accessed through the Career Transition Partnership. Service drivers who already hold a C or C+E licence may need to convert to civilian standards and practices.

Employment

Freight transport specialists (managers and drivers) work in:

• national and local government
• freight transport companies
• travel and tourism
• the coal, oil, steel, gas and electricity industries
• ports and airports
• mail and parcel delivery
• breweries, supermarkets, clothing and food manufacturers
• consultancies
• as subcontractors to all the above.

Transport management opportunities exist in functions including:

• planning
• customer services
• engineering
• research and development
• operations and fleet management
• information technology
• industrial design
• analysis
• health and safety
• the environment.

E-commerce has started to change the logistics of goods’ sale and delivery, and has created new demands for customer service skills among drivers. Information technology has revolutionised the way in which vehicles and loads can be planned and monitored. The last decade has seen a 60% reduction in the number of drivers passing the LGV test. The proportion of LGV drivers under the age of 30 declined from 23% in 1992 to around 15% at present. Only 18% of recruits into companies were new trainees – the vast majority came from other road transport employers.

Qualifications and training

There are five main routes into transport management.

1. Graduate training entrants join management-training programmes run by employers. Degrees may be in transport and logistics, or in more general qualifications.

2. Postgraduate entry applicants will have an MSc in logistics or supply-chain management, or an MBA in an appropriate discipline.

3. Graduates with management experience may look for a career change into transport and logistics, and will need to gain the necessary knowledge.

4. Some school leavers (or Service leavers) with A-levels may move into management through on-the-job experience, while also studying for professional exams.

5. Professional qualifications, which must reflect the needs of the profession and employers. They enable the translation of Service skills into their civilian equivalents.

Whatever the entry route, the following personal qualities are valued in people working in this field:

·core technology skills

– PC literacy

– communications

– machinery

– warehousing

– warehouse management

– analysis

·people skills

– problem solving

– leadership

– communication

– team building

– decision making.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK offers a number of modular qualifications at the following levels (because they are modular, most can be studied as stand-alone units):

·Supply Chain Awareness Award

·Introductory Certificate for new employees or students to provide a grounding in concepts and applications (Level 2)

·Certificate for a foundation for a career within the transport, logistics and supply-chain sectors (Level 3)

·Professional Diploma for individuals already working within logistics and transport, developing a strategic view of operations (Level 5)

·Advanced Diplomas and MScs offering strategic management qualifications in logistics or transport.

Although there are some others, the basic heavy vehicle licence categories are:

·C – LGV (above 3.5 tonnes)

·C+E – LGV and trailer/LGV with double axles.

LGV (C) licence holders require a current clean B licence, and a minimum age of 21 (any age in the Services). Some insurers may insist that people driving certain loads, like hazardous chemicals, are over 30. Employers and trainers look for ability at reading, writing and maths, and require an aptitude test. Everyone requires a medical exam, including eyesight and colour blindness tests. Freight transport vocational qualifications are available as National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications and as Apprenticeships.

The Certificate of Professional Competence is a Level 3, Europe-wide qualification; a holder of this qualification is required by every road transport business so that it can hold an Operator’s Licence. There are no formal entry requirements, but students need an acceptable standard of literacy and numeracy, and adequate industry-specific knowledge. It has two levels:

1. national certificate to manage organisations within the UK

2. international certificate to manage undertakings across Europe.

Every company involved in the transportation of dangerous goods must have a Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser (DGSA), who must pass the necessary courses to become qualified in:

• basic dangerous goods transport
• safe transport of dangerous goods in small packages
• completing and checking dangerous goods transport documents
• safe loading of dangerous goods vehicles and containers.

Useful contacts

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK, Logistics and Transport Centre, Earlstrees Court, Earlstrees Road, Corby, Northants NN17 4AX Tel: 01536 740100 Website: www.cilt.org.uk

Skills for Logistics, 14 Warren Yard, WarrenFarmOfficeVillage, Milton Keynes MK12 5NW Tel: 01908 313360 Website: www.skillsforlogistics.org