Whether you manage a fleet or you’re an independent courier driver, you’ll know the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the logistics industry. This is essential to maintaining excellent levels in driving performance, safety and environmental standards.
Of course, these are predictions. They do, however, reflect a number of key patterns and developments that DHL expect to be highly significant over the next ten years or so. Planning ahead with these in mind will prove extremely useful for everyone from a senior manager to a part-time courier driver.
The DHL Research Team has put together a list of around 30 trends that they believe to be significant in terms of what happens in next ten years. They analysed data produced from a number of different sources including logistics experts, research institutes and around 10,000 people working within the sector. They have divided these into three key areas, including people, sustainability and technology, with these insights taking into account current and future trends.
Trends in People
Based on DHL’s research, fears of robots taking over everyone’s courier job opportunities can be put to one side – at least for now. Human drivers are integral to the logistics sector and, as such, DHL don’t expect this to change any time soon. It is likely to be true that developments in automation and robotics will redefine many of the roles and practices within the industry, though it is expected that this will assist drivers rather than replace them.
Trends in Technology
Unsurprisingly, the fast-paced developments in transport technology are an integral part to DHL’s research. The pace of change is already rapid, with new developments appearing constantly in different areas. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is undoubtedly set to play a role over the next decade, whilst the next generation of wireless networks could have an impact on the relationship between cost and performance.
Trends in Sustainability
With the environmental situation changing at a rapid pace, anyone working in the transport sector will need to be prepared to be even more vigilant when it comes to sustainability practices. This is an international issue, and it is expected that there will be an even stronger focus on tackling emissions during the next decade. Whether it’s a move towards electric vehicles or discovering other practical and more environmentally friendly ways of doing deliveries, things are most definitely set to change in this aspect.
The next ten years promise to be an extremely interesting time in terms of developments and trends in logistics, with DHL identifying several key areas for the ambitious courier driver to be aware of. Look out for rapid developments in technology including AI and automated processes, and keep in mind that the importance of maintaining high environmental and sustainability standards is likely to grow as the global picture begins to change at an even faster rate.
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Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day courier driver work in the express freight exchange industry. Numerous transport exchange businesses are networked together on their website, trading jobs and capacity through what is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange in the UK.
