It’s a sad fact that there are thousands of empty lorries driving on UK roads today. Why, in this time of greater efficiency and green awareness does this still happen? Obviously, when a delivery van delivers its load, it has to return to the depot to restock. These are called the return loads, which ironically don’t have a load at all. This equates to double the delivery miles for every delivery, something we rarely think about.
So, how do we use this amazing potential of these return loads to help cut carbon emissions in the UK? If you have something to deliver, the most obvious way is to phone delivery companies in that area, large and small and see if they have any space to spare from your area. This can be particularly useful if you are delivering something on a regular basis to the same place.
But what happens if you just have one thing to deliver, or want to use this space to move house? There are a number of delivery auction sites around, both commercial and private, which simplify this process immensely. Essentially, all you do is list your products, and the website finds the applicable space in the vehicle, which companies can then bid on. What’s more, they’re free to use.
Other than that, if you are looking to reduce these return loads, think about whether you really need to deliver the items you are looking to move. Logistics only goes so far, and return loads can help reduce carbon emissions, but never eliminate them completely.