Spotlight
Former waste haulage boss banned for nine years
The boss of a Widnes waste operator that held lucrative contracts with the NHS has been banned as a director for nine years after transferring millions of pounds in assets to connected companies.
Latest news
John G Russell becomes first to trial Scania hydrogen fuel-cell trucks
John G Russell will become one of the first operators to start running hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) in its daily operations after it took ownership of three Scania prototype trucks.
Whistl on the up after posting increase in revenue and profits
Whistl saw turnover increase by 4.4% to £723.5m in 2025 and profits rose significantly, thanks to a one-off exceptional item following the settlement of a “legal matter”.
Wilson James introduces DAF electric HGV into Heathrow operations
International logistics operator Wilson James has acquired a 26-tonne DAF XD Electric rigid from Fraikin on a five-year contract hire agreement.
John G Russell becomes first to trial Scania hydrogen fuel-cell trucks
John G Russell will become one of the first operators to start running hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) in its daily operations after it took ownership of three Scania prototype trucks.
Whistl on the up after posting increase in revenue and profits
Whistl saw turnover increase by 4.4% to £723.5m in 2025 and profits rose significantly, thanks to a one-off exceptional item following the settlement of a “legal matter”.
Wilson James introduces DAF electric HGV into Heathrow operations
International logistics operator Wilson James has acquired a 26-tonne DAF XD Electric rigid from Fraikin on a five-year contract hire agreement.
GXO drivers delivering hospital kit vote for strikes
GXO said it was working to minimise disruption to supplies heading to hospitals after nearly 200 drivers rejected its pay offer and voted to go out on strike.
Pall-Ex takes on Iveco S-eWay Rigid in UK first
Pall-Ex has taken delivery of the UK’s first right-hand drive Iveco S-eWay Rigid, which will be put to work on inner-city deliveries.
Hovis and distribution drivers break bread with pay deal agreement
The pay dispute among drivers working for Hovis in Bristol has been resolved after they accepted an improved offer from their company.
Transport firms see little sign of October bounce-back
The industry’s expectations for trading in October appear weak, with just 6% predicting growth according to official ONS figures.
Overall fleet numbers fall, MT data shows
There has been an overall reduction in the total number of vehicles in transport and distribution covered by Motor Transport’s fleet data.
John G Russell becomes first to trial Scania hydrogen fuel-cell trucks
Whistl on the up after posting increase in revenue and profits
Wilson James introduces DAF electric HGV into Heathrow operations
GXO drivers delivering hospital kit vote for strikes
Pall-Ex takes on Iveco S-eWay Rigid in UK first
Hovis and distribution drivers break bread with pay deal agreement
Transport firms see little sign of October bounce-back
Overall fleet numbers fall, MT data shows
Operator news
John G Russell becomes first to trial Scania hydrogen fuel-cell trucks
John G Russell will become one of the first operators to start running hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) in its daily operations after it took ownership of three Scania prototype trucks.
Whistl on the up after posting increase in revenue and profits
Whistl saw turnover increase by 4.4% to £723.5m in 2025 and profits rose significantly, thanks to a one-off exceptional item following the settlement of a “legal matter”.
Wilson James introduces DAF electric HGV into Heathrow operations
International logistics operator Wilson James has acquired a 26-tonne DAF XD Electric rigid from Fraikin on a five-year contract hire agreement.
GXO drivers delivering hospital kit vote for strikes
GXO said it was working to minimise disruption to supplies heading to hospitals after nearly 200 drivers rejected its pay offer and voted to go out on strike.
Pall-Ex takes on Iveco S-eWay Rigid in UK first
Pall-Ex has taken delivery of the UK’s first right-hand drive Iveco S-eWay Rigid, which will be put to work on inner-city deliveries.
Hovis and distribution drivers break bread with pay deal agreement
The pay dispute among drivers working for Hovis in Bristol has been resolved after they accepted an improved offer from their company.
Gongs for Darcica at Palletways awards ceremony
Darcica Logistics has won a brace of awards from Palletways for its sustainability performance and PR and marketing efforts.
Revenues at Bartrums rise by 10%
The Bartrum Group saw a significant increase in turnover last year and said it was well placed for the future following investments in warehousing facilities.
ArrowXL invests in Don-Bur Lifting Deck ‘Adapt’ trailers
ArrowXL has invested in 45 new Don-Bur Lifting Deck Adapt trailers, offering a new double-deck configuration to its fleet that increases carrying capacity while providing flexibility for mixed-height loads and inbound collections.
Strong trading performance from Suckling in 2025
Fuel distributor Suckling Transport saw revenues increase by almost 10% last year, exceeding expectations with its performance driven by the growth of customer relationships and new business opportunities.
Administration watch
Cumbrian haulier closes down with loss of 43 jobs
All staff working for a Cumbria haulage company have lost their jobs after it was placed into administration earlier this week, according to insolvency experts.
Lancashire’s JM Gorry struggled amid driver shortage
Morecambe-based JM Gorry & Son closed down after coming under “immense strain” due to losing drivers in the years following Brexit, according to its administrator.
Sponsored content
- Previous
- Next
Industry news
Transport firms see little sign of October bounce-back
The industry’s expectations for trading in October appear weak, with just 6% predicting growth according to official ONS figures.
Overall fleet numbers fall, MT data shows
There has been an overall reduction in the total number of vehicles in transport and distribution covered by Motor Transport’s fleet data.
CVW wraps up sales manager appointment
Vehicle wrapping specialists Creative Vehicle Wrapping (CVW) has recruited Tim Isherwood to be its new regional sales manager.
‘Miracle’ no injuries during police chase of lorry driver
A flatbed truck operator has been given a suspended prison sentence after he led police on a near 25-mile chase in Cheshire.
Former waste haulage boss banned for nine years
The boss of a Widnes waste operator that held lucrative contracts with the NHS has been banned as a director for nine years after transferring millions of pounds in assets to connected companies.
Hauliers demand faster claims decisions broker research shows
Operators are increasingly opting for insurers who provide dedicated in-house claims teams and can minimise disruption by getting their assets back on road quickly, according to new research.
It’s good to walk: Logistics UK workers step up for suicide prevention charity
A series of autumnal charity walks organised by Logistics UK to support a suicide prevention charity saw 60 employees take part and raised over £1,000.
Economy gathers momentum but UK freight transport subdued
“Encouraging” signs that the UK economy is growing at a stronger pace than previously estimated are positive but figures for transport and storage highlight the pressures hauliers remain under, according to Logistics UK.
Transaid Tanzania challenge raises £200,000
Transaid’s Kilimanjaro to Coast Cycle Challenge has so far raised £200,000, with 36 riders cycling 454km across Tanzania – including Motor Transport’s head of marketing Steve Cox.
Brigade Electronics enters fleet intelligence arena with Haloniq launch
Brigade Electronics has launched Haloniq, its largest-ever technology investment and a strategic shift from hardware supplier to connected fleet services provider, combining video telematics, live tracking, compliance tools and AI-driven safety insights in one integrated platform tested across more than 1,000 vehicles.
Interviews
Fagan & Whalley: We learnt the hard way on Newport
The acquisition of Alan R Jones & Sons proved a painful lesson for Fagan & Whalley, but joint MD Sam Fagan says the South Wales deal has delivered the platform the family haulier wanted as it looks to build its network and navigate a changing market
“We’ve got a lot of catching up to do”: NX sets out UK growth ambition
NX Group UK and Ireland MD Steve Williams reveals plans to double the operation to £200m revenue and 600 staff within five years
BIFA chief on freight crime, Brexit borders and sector collaboration
From sophisticated cargo fraud and post-Brexit ENS requirements to record training uptake and long-term port investment, BIFA director general Steve Parker sets out the pressures and opportunities shaping UK freight forwarding — and why working together remains the sector’s strongest asset.
“AI will disrupt haulage and create a new breed of operator…”
Microlise chief technology officer Dean Garvey-North warns that the biggest threat to established hauliers could come from new businesses built around artificial intelligence from day one
Inside Browns: How the £24m haulier is building a smarter business
From AI-powered customer service and a bespoke transport management system to a waiting list of drivers, Browns Distribution is using better data to sharpen its operation and support continued growth
northstarr: How Stuart Godman is charting a new course for logistics
After transforming the fortunes of the Pallet-Track network, chief executive Stuart Godman has launched a new logistics group bringing together transport, warehousing, and technology. He tells Tim Wallace why he believes the future lies in connecting specialist businesses rather than simply building bigger operators
Palletline 2.0: managing an evolution
Carl Moore talks to Steve Hobson about growth, technology and the future of the UK’s leading pallet network
No room for error: why HVO is keeping Formula 1 moving
F1 is chasing net zero by 2030, but logistics partner DHL says operational reality is shaping the journey. At Silverstone, MT heard why battery-electric trucks are not yet the answer for one of the world’s most demanding logistics operations
Opinion
When spare HGV capacity is actually worth filling
Accepting a backload can look like an easy commercial win, but mileage, waiting time and repositioning can erode its value fast. Dumitru Martînov of Houlvek sets out a practical framework for smaller fleets and owner-drivers to assess whether an additional load genuinely stacks up.
Why the AI tools your office buys quietly die
Plenty has been written about the big implementation that disappoints. The system goes in, the project is signed off, and the operation takes a year to catch up with it. That is a real problem and it deserves the attention.
Late payment is an unsecured loan your biggest customer takes without asking
The Commercial Payments Bill addresses a real problem, but it will not help your cashflow this quarter. Harvey Dhillon, ACMA CGMA, explains what the legislation actually proposes, why haulage is structurally exposed, and which operational disciplines deliver results now — before Parliament acts.
The transport office, not the cab: where AI actually earns its keep in road transport
Almost everything written about AI in road transport is about the vehicle. Autonomous braking, telematics, route optimisation that promises to shave miles off a manifest. That work matters. It also has very little to do with where the unpaid hours in a haulage business actually go, which is the office ...
Contracts
Hutchinson Transport wins second distribution deal with Univar
Hutchinson Transport has landed another UK distribution contract with Univar Solutions after impressing the chemicals distributor with its performance on an existing agreement.
DHL Supply Chain takes over ProCook logistics contract
DHL Supply Chain has secured a contract to manage ProCook’s retail and e-commerce logistics operations as the kitchenware retailer looks to support further growth.
Contract expansion for Evri with fulfilment partner
Evri has signed a new two-year contract with 3PL and e-commerce fulfilment specialist Haul&Store.
DX wins extended Viking deal after service gains
DX and Viking UK have expanded their partnership with a multi-year contract that sees the logistics firm take responsibility for all next-day deliveries for the workplace supplies distributor.
People moves
- Previous
- Next
