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Tag: drivers

Truck Driver Expense Software

Posted on by David Priestman

Life on the road can be unpredictable. For thousands of professional drivers crossing Europe daily, access to the right tools, driver expenses and support can make all the difference. From unexpected road tolls to last-minute repairs, managing trip-related expenses has long been challenging – often involving out-of-pocket payments, time-consuming reimbursements, and administrative bottlenecks.

In response to these ongoing challenges, Girteka has implemented a new digital payment system – Payhawk, that transforms how drivers handle work-related expenses. The solution provides both virtual and physical cards, activated specifically for the duration of each trip, allowing drivers to easily cover all pre-approved costs like parking, hotel stays, some of road tolls, washing stations, minor vehicle maintenance, and unpredicted expenses.

Driving Forward with Simplicity and Security

For drivers, the change means less hassle and more confidence. Each transaction is logged via a mobile app, where receipts are uploaded instantly and reviewed by managers in real-time. In case of more significant or unforeseen expenses, drivers can request a limit increase directly through the app – often receiving approval within minutes.

“At first, it took some getting used to it, like with any new thing,” shared Roman, a professional truck driver. “But now, it’s comfortable. I can easily separate business and personal expenses, and it’s resolved much faster when something unexpected happens. I feel more supported by the company.”

This structured process increases security – ensuring all expenses are pre-approved or monitored – and prevents misuse. Limits are set per trip, and approvals are tied to the amount requested, reinforcing accountability without delaying operations.

Impact Beyond the Wheel

The benefits extend well beyond the cab. The new system reduces administrative overhead for Girteka’s operations, HR, and accounting teams by eliminating manual reimbursements and paper-based workflows. With expenses visible online in real-time, financial oversight is tighter, and response times are faster. But first and foremost, it is beneficial for drivers, who now can stop worrying about unpredicted payments.

This approach enables better planning and data-driven decision-making. Trip expense data can now be analyzed to optimize routes, budget forecasts, and service offerings, proving Girteka’s long-term commitment to digital innovation.

Setting a New Standard in Logistics

With over 500 drivers already using Payhawk, the new payment system and usage expanding weekly. By June, more than half of all drivers (6,000) are expected to rely on the digital payment solution daily as the system becomes fully embedded into the company’s operational model.

The initiative is part of a broader strategy to create a digitalized, efficient, and human-centered logistics environment, from improved driver support to more intelligent cost control.

“Technology in logistics should empower people – not complicate their work,” noted Mindaugas Paulauskas, CEO of Girteka Transport Girteka. “This project reflects our commitment to making everyday tasks easier for our drivers while building a smarter and more transparent system for the company.”

In an industry where time, trust, and efficiency are everything, Girteka continues to lead with innovation, care, and a clear vision for the future of transport.

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DHL Suspends High-Value US Deliveries

Driver Shortage isn’t just Personnel Problem

Posted on by David Priestman

It’s no secret that global supply chain disruption has dominated headlines since mid-2020, writes Stephan Sieber (pictured), CEO of Transporeon. And, over the past three years, the continuing aftershocks of the COVID pandemic, combined with geopolitical factors and an economic downturn, have caused significant upheaval for shippers, cargo receivers, service providers, brokers, freight forwarders, carriers – and of course consumers.

Today, driver shortages in the road freight sector are threatening to cause further disruption. Catalysed by initial pandemic downtime – which saw many drivers leave the industry, take early retirement or extended sick leave – driver shortages are now a significant strain on supply chains. Especially given rising demand for road freight transportation.

A recent report by the world road transport body IRU revealed that there could be an eye watering two million unfilled driving positions in Europe by 2026 (already now there are around half a million unfilled positions in Europe).

In the UK, a drop in migration from Central and Eastern Europe caused by Brexit has further highlighted driver shortages where, according to the French transportation union FO Transports, the number of driving vacancies in France could currently be as high as 50,000. The situation is even worse in neighbouring countries where there are currently around 80,000 vacant driving positions in both Germany and Poland (IRU).

Transforming the ‘Great Retirement’ into greater opportunities

With a global recession looming, it’s widely believed that we’ll soon see an influx of candidates onto the job market. Though this may ease personnel shortages in some sectors, it’s unlikely to solve road freight driver shortages.

The primary reasons for this are demographic shifts leading to the ‘Great Retirement’. The same IRU report found that 30% of drivers are planning to retire by 2026 – outstripping any potential recession-related increases in driver availability. So, it’s clear that simply poaching drivers from elsewhere in the industry isn’t a long-term solution for companies.

The IRU also found that young people are joining the driver community in the road freight industry at a rate between four and seven times lower than drivers are retiring – with the average age for European drivers now over 50 years old.

Twentieth-century approaches won’t solve a twenty-first-century problem

The bottom line is that the European driver shortage is not just a personnel problem. Dwindling driver numbers would not present such a challenge if transport operations were smarter and more efficient. According to scientists at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, increasing the efficiency of US drivers by just 18 more minutes of active driving time per day could solve the country’s driver shortage. This claim was based on research in the US but pointed out that the same principle is likely to apply in Europe.

There’s a multitude of ways that companies can look to boost efficiency. But to do so, they must first understand where there’s room for improvement. More are now turning to solutions that offer real-time insights. This helps companies to uncover previously hidden inefficiencies (like empty runs and excessive waiting times in yards) and improve visibility by tracing deliveries.

Within the logistics industry, another trend we’re seeing is Autonomous Case-handling Robot systems (ACR) to reduce labour needs. Self-driving trucks are still a long way off in logistics transportation, but it is possible to make significant efficiencies within warehouses in loading and unloading processes, as well as automating time slot and yard management processes. But by implementing smart software, businesses can start to look to reduce waiting times for drivers from hours to minutes.

Ultimately though, enhancing the effectiveness of transport logistics depends on increasing collaboration between all participants, rather than companies simply working to optimise its own performance – as is currently often the case. Indeed, a recent survey of international supply chain experts revealed that the vast majority rate ‘increased collaboration between supply chain partners’ as both ‘highly probable’ and ‘highly desirable’ in the run-up to 2025.

When working collaboratively as part of a wider network, rather than in isolation, organisations can significantly streamline key processes such as freight sourcing, transport execution, dock scheduling, freight matching, payment and settlement.

Solving the UK and Europe’s road freight driver shortage can’t be done overnight. And, moving forward, companies should view this as an operational matter, rather than simply an HR or personnel problem. The solution lies in adopting a network approach and collaborative solutions that focus on finding new efficiencies.

With the unique approach of combining automation, real-time insight, and collaboration, a transportation management platform can alleviate the driver shortage, reducing empty miles, eliminating unnecessary dwell times and optimising yard operations – the integral intersection between the road and the warehouse.

Last Mile Delivery Trends for 2023

Posted on by David Priestman

As UK last mile delivery firms begin to move towards the end of peak period, business owners will already be thinking long and hard about what changes they are going to make to ensure the continued growth of their firms in 2023.

Dan Richards, Chief Commercial Officer at logistics technology expert, Wise, has put together a shortlist of the key trends which will define the sector over the next twelve months.

He said: “Dealing with the implications of Brexit, a chronic shortage of self-employed drivers and the ongoing cost of living crisis, last-mile parcel delivery businesses have shown incredible resilience in recent years. However, as we move into 2023, there are a range of areas that these businesses will focus on to ensure their continued success amongst a difficult economic landscape.”

Retention

“We know from working closely with hundreds of delivery business owners that managing their workforce, recruiting and retaining self-employed delivery drivers, takes up an inordinate amount of their time and focus. With the shortage of subcontractor drivers not set to suddenly change, extra emphasis will be placed on retaining existing drivers and so companies which are able to create an efficient and rewarding self-employment experience for their drivers will thrive.

Efficiency

“The ongoing cost of living crisis and inflation has affected every business and every individual, but for businesses which need to run and maintain fleets of vehicles, it has been particularly difficult. In 2023, not only will delivery firms look to cut back on any extra costs around their workforce management or documentation, but their drivers will also look for more cost-effective solutions around their accountancy and tax needs.

Technology

“Over the last handful of years, more and more parcel delivery firms have harnessed technology to save time on laborious processes such as onboarding, workforce management or even managing payments. However, as the use of software becomes more of a necessity, delivery companies that truly embed this into their processes and bring their drivers on this journey with them will gain a competitive edge.”

Wise is a specialist technology company that provides free software to over 250 UK delivery companies, helping them to save time, money and stress on everything from recruiting and onboarding drivers to managing payroll.

Five ways to upskill your HGV drivers

Posted on by David Priestman

Upskilling your drivers is important for numerous reasons. Road transport is a heavily regulated industry so there are naturally several mandatory training requirements, depending on the work being carried out. But more generally, it also promotes safe driving, reduces road collisions, and can help keep your workforce feel supported in their job. HGV training and recruitment expert, Driver Hire Training, has revealed some top tips for keeping your drivers’ skills fresh.

Training and upskilling your drivers is ultimately an investment in your people, and one of the best ways to motivate and get the best performance from your workforce is by helping them understand that their employer values them and wants them to improve. And although there is an aspect of compliance, through the mandatory Driver CPC training and various other qualifications, this should always be seen as an opportunity for growth rather than a burden, alongside other development opportunities.

Ultimately a skillset is vital, with HGV drivers in demand more than ever, employers should be focusing on ways to keep their staff happy and motivation high, as well as looking to attract the best talent in the area. Recent surveys have shown that companies that score highly on their employee development opportunities see 93% less attrition and this also tends to be a contributing factor within the businesses that rank highly in studies such as the Sunday Times Best Places to Work.

There’s a substantial amount that managers can do to upskill drivers, in driving and lots of other related things too, for example encouraging healthy lifestyles to training in first aid. Employers should think about the direct benefit to the business that such upskilling can provide, but also how the wider investment in people can aid each individual.

These are five ways to look to upskill your drivers:

1: Driver CPC

There is a legal requirement to meet the 35 hours of training every five years and if uncompleted, this can result in £1,000 fine. That said, such training should always be viewed as genuinely useful and a chance to gain new skills. With this in mind it’s important to make sure you’re willing to get the most out of your Driver CPC training courses, as if not you’re missing out on vital upskilling opportunities.

Some of the most popular CPC courses are around Drivers Hours, Digital Tachograph and Road Traffic Laws. There’s also a lot of interest in additional training such as Safe Urban Driving, City Driving and Vulnerable Road Users showing that people do want socially responsible training but also that these situations are often required standards for many operations.

2: Upgrade Licences

Upgrading licences so your drivers have the options to drive a variety of vehicles can be beneficial for a number of reasons, for example upgrading licences from just van work to larger vehicles such as artic lorries.

3: Specialist licences

It may be worth considering upskilling your workforce to drive specialist vehicles such as forklifts or ADR training for transporting dangerous good. This means your workforce has the versatility to handle a variety of transport issues and in turn, build greater flexibility into your operations.

4: First Aid Training

Training your staff in first aid can be extremely helpful for your staff, the company and for wider society. For instance, if your driver is the first at the site of an accident they can respond immediately and appropriately to any injuries and maybe even save a life.

5: Healthy Living Tips and Tricks

Keeping your workforce motivated to live a healthy lifestyle can be very worthwhile. It can be easy to fall into unhealthy habits when living between truck and service stations, but it also helps in understanding nourishing ways to live outside of work.

Employers can also consider looking for ways to upskill themselves in order to better support their drivers, such as engaging in accreditations like Investors in People. Organisations like the CIPD (Chartered institute of Personnel and Development) should be a go-to body for any HR professional or employer wanting to improve what they do in this area.

John Keelan-Edwards, Managing Director at Driver Hire Training, said: “Training and upskilling your employees to help them both in and out of work should be of the utmost importance for all employers. Investing in your people is one of the most vital things you can do, it helps both your brand as well as the people in your company as a business that wants to see their people succeed.

“There are so many ways to help upskill your drivers, from specialist licences to helping them lead healthy lifestyles. It’s also important to remember about your own development and constantly learning how as an employer you can be the best boss you can be, especially in an industry with high demand.”

Pallet-Track urges action over driver shortage

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The chief executive of one of the Midlands’ fastest-growing logistics companies is leading a rallying call to government to address the UK’s chronic shortage of HGV drivers.

Caroline Green, CEO of Wolverhampton-based Pallet-Track, says solving the 70,000+ driver deficit goes beyond what one company can achieve but can be tackled with the support of its shareholder members and the wider business community.

The long-standing crisis has been compounded by the triple-whammy of Brexit, the coronavirus pandemic and a huge spike in demand for home deliveries, issues raised by Caroline when she hosted Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden and Association of Pallet Networks chairman Paul Sanders on Friday, 18th June, to discuss the industry’s response.

Pallet-Track is asking all its shareholder members to write to their MPs to raise the issue and solidify the message that collective lobbying is the best way to push the crisis up the political agenda.

Green said: “We are a dynamic and progressive business in a critical sector that has historically been taken for granted. It has taken a pandemic for many people to wake up to the sector’s far-reaching contribution to everyday life – but drivers are still under-appreciated and this is contributing to the significant shortage we face.

“To tackle this, we need to build a lobbying strategy to ensure the industry is heard by government – which is why we are asking all of our shareholder members to write to their local MPs.

“The logistics sector has more than demonstrated how critical it is to the UK’s infrastructure, keeping the wheels of UK plc turning during the pandemic.

“For example, the pandemic has caused a dramatic increase in demand for kerbside deliveries of everyday products such as turf and slabs, as householders embarked on lockdown DIY, with the ratio of home deliveries increasing from one-in-10 pre-pandemic to one-in-four today.

“Our challenge now is to maintain that level of business recognition and understanding as the UK slowly re-emerges from lockdown and promote the role of drivers as both attractive and aspirational careers.”

HGV drivers contributed to a staggering 27.8 million pallets delivered by UK networks in the last year, a 3.2% growth year-on-year. Sixty-three per cent of these were next day delivery.

“The logistics industry is one which has historically had image problems for a variety of reasons, so if we can increase the recognition for its work in a post-lockdown world, we can go a long way towards addressing that issue,” added Green.

 

 

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