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Logistics is really all about collaboration. From the top of the supply chain to the bottom, from the manager of the haulage company to the driver in his lorry, logistics depend on teamwork to keep everything ticking. That’s why, when it comes to charitable initiatives in the logistics industry, it’s only fitting it should be a concerted effort. Recently, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) has teamed up with two other big names to promote a great cause – and benefit the whole industry in the process! The Road to Logistics: A Collaborative Effort Launched in May 2016, Road to Logistics is a non-profit organisation formed from the collaboration of the RHA, Microlise Telematics, and UK-based charity Care After Combat. The goal of the new organisation is twofold: remedy the driver shortage facing the road transport and logistics industry (a number some put at 45,000 drivers), and help those in the community – particularly struggling veterans – who need a hand climbing the employment ladder. Each of the collaborators bring something important to the table. The Road Haulage Association is a trade group dedicated to representing the needs of UK road transport operators. The association represents some 6,000 member companies operating around 80,000 heavy goods vehicles. The RHA acts as a voice for the entire haulage profession, advancing the interests of its members with the government and the community. Microlise telematics has been offering transport management solutions for over thirty years. Its main goals include helping customers reduce both their costs and the environmental impact of their vehicle fleets. The third partner in the Road to Logistics, Care After Combat, provides professional assistance for veterans and their families. The charity helps to promote and maintain a sense of community among veterans who are having difficulty adjusting back to post-combat life. How It Works With the haulage industry knowledge of the RHA, the organisational expertise of Microlise, and the network of veterans involved with Care After Combat, Road to Logistics combines the best industry know-how with a charitable cause. The non-profit will use the combined resources of its collaborators to create a national training program aimed at encouraging former servicemen and women, as well as other promising talent, into work in the haulage sector. Candidates for the programme will be rigorously assessed before being accepted - a measure that the organisation hopes will give logistics companies more confidence about hiring and recruiting individuals through the scheme. Why It Matters The Road to Logistics programme is notable for many reasons. It is a promising step forward in the challenge to fill the significant driver shortage in the UK, a shortage that could prove disastrous for the entire national economy. But just as important is the helping hand that this new non-profit extends to vulnerable members of society struggling to get back on their feet. With its extensive resources and expertise, Road to Logistics may very well make a huge difference in the lives of many UK citizens. Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage work with available drivers. Over 4,000 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.
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