For a long time the road transport industry has been in need of a greener way to operate. With no huge improvements in carbon emmissions over the last 15 years in vehicles, this has led to some fantastic innovations that deserve some real credit.

A very popular point at the moment is the ultra huge 83ft trailer that hauliers Denby Transport attempted to drive on the UK’s roads. Managing Director Richard Denby claims there is a loophole in UK law that will allow a trailer of this size to be driven on our roads, but despite this VOSA stopped the vehicle’s maiden journey.

The purpose of this monster sized vehicle is to reduce emissions. By having the extra trailer on the back it can produce a saving of around 13% in CO². However we at findmycourier.com can see the obvious setbacks of a vehicle this size. We know a few good haulage firms that struggle on UK roads in vehicles a fraction of this size so however green it may be it’s probably not the most practical solution.

Now move on to a new innovation by Don-Bur bodies and trailers ltd. Their ingenious trailer produces some real savings in fuel efficiency and therefore emissions.

It is estimated that it can save somewhere around 25% on fuel without adding any real length to the vehicles offering a much more practical solution to reducing emissions and fuel costs.

Standard Turbulence Created By Standard Lorry Shape

Teardrop Turbulence Reduced By Far

Add to all this that the shape provides an average of 10% more space meaning the vehicles can carry even more goods whilst saving on fuel and CO².

We love the idea of the teardrop design on these trailers and they have already been adopted by some of the largest road transport names in the UK and abroad. Lets just hope they become more of a common site among haulage companies on our roads.

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Over these last few days I have been asked a ton of times “how do you know which courier company to go with?” so it seemed only appropriate to write up a little information on the subject.

Quotes you receive from courier companies can often be confusing as they can vary by very large margins. The thing to bear in mind is that there is always a reason for this. So below are our main tips on how to choose a courier company:

• By Price - Choosing a courier by the price (or lowest price most likely) can be rewarding as long as you do your homework in advance. There are usually two main reasons for a delivery quote to be cheaper:
  1. The courier company does not have all the relevant insurances and safety policies in place should anything go wrong with your delivery. Insurance for couriers is a huge expense and drives up the cost of your delivery. Anyone with a van can technically deliver your goods much cheaper because of this, but you use these services at your own peril.
  2. The courier company is already making a similar journey. If a courier has taken payment for a delivery already along your route and has empty space in the vehicle, they will always pass on some of this saving to you. This is the ideal scenario as you save money AND unnecessary road miles. Always make sure you ask the courier if this is the case.
• By Reputation – Especially on services like findmycourier.com, courier companies and transport providers build up feedback and a very transparent reputation where you can see exactly how other people have found the service. Although it can sometimes be a little more expensive to go with a well reputed courier, it is generally a wise decision, especially if the courier you use will come in contact with your customers.



• Outside of findmycourier.com most good couriers will have been established for some time and may even have some kind of web presence for you to check over. If this is the case then feedback on this courier company and a little more information is never far away.
• Your Own Judgement – Suffice it to say that even if you have seen all the facts, the best choice for any person is to use your own judgement wisely. Ask the courier the questions before you part with any money and you should rarely go wrong. No good courier will have a problem showing you their insurance information and will usually welcome any questions you might have.

So there’s not too much to do when you’re choosing a courier; just a few questions and a splash of common sense and you’re there. If anything my top tip is to avoid jumping for the best price and instead go for whichever courier company you think is best.

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