Holiday Rush: Road Freight Challenges

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and as we deck the halls with boughs of holly, the road freight industry swings into high gear to ensure that the spirit of Christmas arrives on time. With twinkling lights, joyful carols, and the promise of gifts, the holiday season brings with it a unique set of challenges for road freight companies. Let’s see what these tireless transporters deal with during the peak period of Christmas. So, grab your eggnog, cosy up by the fireplace, and have a look with us at the road freight industry’s merry mission during the most wonderful time of the year.

We all know it, Christmas means gifts, decorations, cookies, chocolate, and happy gatherings full of great food and drinks! But how does all this affect the transportation sector?

Let’s take the United Kingdom for example. The UK has one of the highest levels of Christmas spending in the world. According to Statista UK: Christmas sales forecast, in 2022, UK consumers spent an estimated £82.2 billion on Christmas shopping. Just a bit less than the peak of £84.17 billion reached in 2021. The challenges brought about by such a shopping frenzy, not limited to the UK, to the logistics sector, are varied. They go from issues of capacity to trafficcongestion.

The Christmas season consistently sees a substantial rise in transportation demand. Warehouses and stores must make sure their shelves are well-stocked to meet customer orders. This high demand at retail outlets directly translates into increased demand within the transportation industry. As a result, transportation providers play a pivotal role in ensuring that products reach their destination promptly, keeping the holiday season merry and well-supplied.

Meeting strict delivery deadlines during this season is imperative. Customers want to complete their shopping in time to be ready for Christmas Day. Road freight companies place a strong emphasis on ensuring punctual deliveries to fulfil customer expectations, making the season joyful and stress-free.

Finding and retaining qualified drivers and staff is a year-round difficulty and the Christmas period intensifies it. Just like any other employee, drivers deserve to enjoy the holiday season with their loved ones. Balancing holiday schedules and deliveries becomes a significant challenge, requiring meticulous planning and precise forecasting to navigate this demanding time and uphold the joy and festivity of the season.

The UK’s exit from the European Union has created new border controls for goods coming in and going out of the country. These controls have the potential to cause transportation delays, which can be especially challenging during a joyous yet bustling period like the Christmas season.

Holiday shopping results in more traffic on the roads. This can cause delays and longer delivery times, especially in urban areas, where congestion disrupts efficient deliveries. Congestion is a significant concern, for example, on UK roads. Especially around major cities, traffic jams can be considerable and the consequent delays and waiting times can pose a critical challenge in retaining the merry and bright mood the season requires.

At Emons Cargo 2WIN, we are committed to helping our customers succeed during the Christmas peak season. We offer an FTL service with double-deck trailers with a 54-euro pallet capacity – for pallets between 130 and 180 cm – and ensure we can meet the increased demand.

In easy numbers, this means that with 2 of our 2WIN trailer we can ship more than 3 standard trailers. For Emons Cargo 2WIN 2=3!

Also, we have a dedicated team of experienced staff committed to delivering the best service, including a specialized Brexit team for custom clearance. We understand the importance of timely delivery during the Christmas period, which is why we carefully plan and schedule our deliveries in time for the peak season.

If you are looking for a reliable and experienced road freight partner to help you navigate the Christmas peak season, contact Emons Cargo 2WIN today. We will be happy to discuss your forecast and develop a solution that is right for you.