Collaborative transport optimisation helps towards decarbonisation goals

Research conducted by the University of Cambridge indicates that the majority of freight transportation in the UK, serving retailers, hospitality, and other sectors, is carried out by trucks. In fact, it is estimated that trucks account for approximately 80% of the 200 billion tonne km in 2022, contributing to 20% of the UK’s domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions in 2021.

Recent figures from the UK government reveal that freight is responsible for 31% of all CO2 emissions in the country’s transportation sector. However, a significant statistic highlighted by the Department for Transport shows that 30% of trucks on UK roads are operating with empty loads.

This presents an opportunity for the logistics sector, retailers, and wholesalers to reduce GHG emissions through increased efficiency. A consortium of tech companies has developed a sophisticated platform, data feeds, and algorithms to tackle this challenge.

A pilot program conducted with wholesaler and Spar convenience store operator AF Blakemore using this new technology has demonstrated the potential to optimize the utilization of existing vehicles on UK roads. The plan now is to expand the implementation of this technology.

Leading the initiative is Digital Catapult through the Logistics Living Lab (L3) project, supported by UK Research and Innovation. The project involves a collaboration of tech companies including Incept Consulting, Fuuse, Microsoft UK, Pairpoint, and Parity Technologies, focusing on optimizing truck routes and filling rates.

The platform developed by Digital Catapult, known as Sequence, is based on distributed ledger technology (DLT) and facilitates data sharing among participants in the transport and logistics network. This enables retailers, suppliers, and vehicle operators to communicate effectively.