Professor Maja Piecyk contributed to a BBC News article, published on 28 August. She discusses the problems caused by empty trucks that flood roads across the UK and internationally, from high levels of CO2 emissions to large bills for transport companies.
Written by technology journalist Katherine Latham, the article explains that one in three lorries on Britain’s roads is driving empty and that according to the Department of Transport, these heavy good vehicles travel empty for over three billion miles every year.
The issue is not just in the UK, as currently one in five lorries in the EU are travelling empty, while in the US this number has almost hit 15% of trucks.
In the article, Professor Piecyk warns that across the globe, the amount of freight transport is estimated to double by 2050, increasing the severity of the issue.
She said: "We'll be moving twice the amount of freight through already congested networks. Yes, we can improve the flow but we are not going to double the capacity - we're not going to double the number of motorways. So, we need to address things like empty running."
To try cut down these numbers, the article explains how Jai Kanwar and Clemente Theotokis created the company Zeus. The logistics company aims to cut down these unnecessary journeys by helping hauliers coordinate their journeys so that they can share the load.
However, Professor Piecyk brings to light the issues that must be taken into account when finding solutions, for example, not all trucks can transport all goods, as some may need refrigeration or a greater space.
Read the full article on the BBC News website.
