Google Street View – Exposed! Empty Lorry!

Now, we know that 25% of lorries run empty and many run at less than an optimal level but this truck exposed by Google Sreetview in New Orleans USA really does take it!

Either they thought, “better than nothing” or the yellow dumper druck has been exposed to some crazy shrinking ray gun!

Cutting CO2 emissions in road transport – Shiply

It’s a sad fact that some 25% of lorries and 15% of vans on Britain’s roads run completely empty. This wastage actually accounts for around 7.2% of the UK’s carbon footprint – a massive problem I’m sure you will agree.

To help publicise the magnitude of the problem, and the effectiveness of Shiply we have set up our own carbon counter page. This keeps a running tally of the CO2 we have been saving by matching users with transport providers already making similar trips.

As you can see, to date (since just June 2008), we have saved over 276,000kg of CO2 and to put that into perspective that is about the same as you flying from London to New York 455 times!

We’ve helped to save over 1,1,138,30 otherwise wasteful miles and so a big thank you must go out to our green transport heroes and users for their efforts.

You can keep up to date on how Shiply is getting on with the stats here.

London Lorry Control Scheme Ban To Be Lifted

Havering Council, a London borough have announced that they intend to lift the current night time ban on lorry deliveries from 2010.

The London Lorry Control Scheme has been viewed by many within the industry and restrictive and does little to help ease the “last mile” problem.

Currently, lorries are charged up to £500 fixed penalties if they are caught carrying out deliveries at weekends and evenings.

Councillor Michael Armstrong, who is the cabinet minister for housing, public protection and regeneration, said:

“The money could be spent helping businesses and in regeneration. We are in a recession after all.”

We agree and furthermore, by restricting deliveries to daytime only there is an increase in the number of failed deliveries. This is not only an inconvenience to the recipients but also the delivery driver. Not to mention, there is also the detrimental impact on the environment – having to make the trip more than once!

Petrol Prices – It’s your duty to speak up!

We’re proud to be supporting PetrolPrices.com new campaign launched today to stop fuel tax going up again.

You can read all about it on the site below:

http://www.petrolprices.com/itsyourduty/

The aim is to stop another 2p fuel duty hike, to get the Government to explain how our fuel tax is spent, and to demand that fuel tax is spent on improving transport in the UK.

Thanks in advance for your support! Get involved.

Multiple vehicle listings now live on Shiply

Previously, Shiply only allowed you to list up to one vehicle at a time to move from point A-B.

We have listened to your requests and have learnt that many of you often have to move several vehicles at a time and so want to consolidate these into one simple shipment request.

So, we are pleased to announce that there is now the option when listing a vehicle shipment, be it a car, motorbike or other to add extra vehicles to your request. In fact, you can request as many as you like – there is no limit!

We hope that by adding this functionality this will further help both users and transport providers when it comes to moving multiple vehicles.

Truck driver forgets his trailer!

As always on a Friday, we like to post up a video which has caught our attention over the week.

Now, this one is quite something. A truck driver appears to have forgotten to lower his trailer and the result is pretty staggering! Take a look for yourselves:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xvs90XFJzI]

April Fuels Day – Radio 1 Chris Moyles

Listening to Chris Moyles on Radio 1 this morning, one of the presenters came up with a new idea for the traditional April Fools Day.

He proposed that instead of a practical joke there should be a 1/2 price fuel day especially for UK truckers.
Just imagine if the Government actually listened to this one and went through with it. April Fuels Day no doubt would go down as the “April Fool’s” of the century. Could you just imagine the queues at the pumps and then Alistair Darling popping out from around the corner – “April Fuels”!

Eggciting delivery challenge

Firstly, apologies for the headline, we couldn’t resist!

A disgruntled delivery driver has offered a unique challenge to Warwickshire Council. Mr Haynes has become so angry at the state of roads in the area that he has challenged them to drop off 10 boxes of eggs around the town of Leamington without breaking them or infringing parking laws.

He said: “There is literally nowhere to go if I’m delivering to stores on The Parade.
“It’s no unloading at any time on the pavements, but I can’t park in the streets behind so what can I do?

“With the town centre now being one-way it also adds miles and miles to my journeys. Pedestrians don’t pay to walk but we pay to drive, so why should they get priority?”

Should the council take him up and complete his mission, he pledges to donate £100 to a charity of their choice.