Do Return Loads Have a Marked Effect on Our Carbon Footprint?

Do Return Loads Have a Marked Effect on Our Carbon Footprint?
By Norman Dulwich

 

The haulage industry is responsible for transporting both outgoing jobs and return loads every day of the year to and from all manner of destinations. Most companies will do everything they can to run a cost effective operation, which is why return loads are a desirable alternative to running a lorry or trailer home empty.

One area in particular that has come under close scrutiny in recent times is that of carbon footprints. As most people are becoming aware, a carbon footprint relates to the amount of carbon dioxide that is generated by an activity. This doesn't just apply to the haulage industry, but the industry does come under close inspection due to the number of vehicles travelling large distances to transport all manner of items around the country.

So the question is whether carrying another load on the return from a delivery is able to contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the industry as a whole. Just how does this work?

Does your company have a carbon footprint?

The short answer is yes - all companies do, even those that are not in this industry. But some companies have much bigger footprints than others. Indeed it is fair to say companies that don't have a return loads policy probably have a larger footprint than those that do.

But how does taking a load back to your starting point reduce carbon emissions?

If you look at this from the wrong angle it is easy to miss the point. Let's say you want to drive a job up to Manchester from the London area. Your lorry needs to return to London anyway so it is still travelling the same number of miles regardless of whether it has goods in it on the way back or not.

But think of what happens with cargo that needs to be taken from Manchester to London on the same day you are returning to the capital. If you return empty, it means another lorry has to go out on the road, creating more CO2 and contributing to the footprint of that company. However, if you agree to taking these return loads back with you, only one lorry will be on the road instead of two. Your CO2 emissions for that journey will be the same, but you may find other companies who can handle jobs for you that you would otherwise have to go and deliver.

In short, the industry as a whole can vastly reduce its carbon footprint when more and more haulage companies take on this idea of delivering each other's backs on a regular basis. It makes the entire industry a lot more efficient and able to contribute to the overall reduction of CO2 emissions created in the UK today. All of which is extremely good news for everyone.

Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day haulage jobs and return loads in the express freight exchange industry. Over 2,500 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.