Logistics Archives - Bluestones Supply Chain

How to prepare for your Driver CPC training

April 25, 2018 Blog, Logistics Driving, Logistics, Transportation

It’s an inevitable part of being a professional driver – as of 2015, all commercial drivers on the road are expected to have a valid Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC), which has to be kept up-to-date with periodic training every 5 years.

Women behind the wheel

March 6, 2018 Blog, Logistics Driving, Logistics, Transportation

When you picture a lorry driver, what comes to mind? The stereotype of a trucker is a middle-aged man, which isn’t far from fact – the average lorry driver is a 51-year-old male, but in recent years we’re seeing a growing number of women behind the wheel.

Top tips for driving safely this winter

March 2, 2018 Blog, Logistics Driving, Logistics, Safety, Transportation, Winter

Tips for staying safe on the road in this horrendous weather (good weather if you’re a kid getting the week off school!) are understandably being shared everywhere this week. Without an end to the snowy blizzard in sight (we’re being dramatic, the snow will be gone by next week), here are our top tips to get you through not only snow but flooding and fog.

Changes to fines for commercial drivers

February 7, 2018 Logistics Driving, Logistics, Transportation

From the 5th March 2018, the rules around fining drivers for committing driving hours offences are changing. When the new rules come into effect, if you’re caught you could be fined up to £300 and can also be prosecuted or have your vehicle immobilised. It won’t just apply to offences committed that day, but anytime the rules are broken in the last 28 days, meaning the fines can be huge.

Best apps for lorry drivers

January 5, 2018 Logistics Apps, Driving, Logistics, Transportation

As David Brigdale (Bluestones Supply Chain’s operations director) put it so well, “back in the day when I was a lad/driver we used good old-fashioned street maps and the tongue in our heads to ask for directions, had to use a call box to make phone calls and had what was called a BT chargecard which direct dialled the office. None of this electronic stuff…”

But, those days have gone (for better or worse, we don’t know yet) and there is now a whole host of apps available to make life on the road a little easier. Whether you opt for the free apps or shell out a bit of money for the premium ones, there’s no doubt there’s something out there to help you with your job.

Logistics predictions for 2018

December 19, 2017 Blog, Logistics Driving, Logistics, Predictions, Transportation

Another exciting, and busy(!) year in logistics has almost passed but we’re not resting on our laurels! 2018 will soon be upon us and we’re rapidly preparing for what the new year will bring us, our drivers and the logistics industry.

Logistics Predictions

2017 has already been a huge year for logistics – from the announcement of driverless lorry trials to increased regulations on rest breaks. We’ve got our crystal ball out (we are, however, not Mystic Meg) to predict what could possibly affect the industry in the coming 12 months.

If the trucks stopped trucking

November 23, 2017 Blog, Logistics Driving, Logistics, Transportation

We know that truckers are essential to keep the country’s economy afloat, but what would actually happen if one day all the UK’s professional drivers just downed tools (vehicles!) and stopped doing the job everyone depends on?

Best and worst roads in the UK

November 3, 2017 Blog, Logistics Driving, Logistics, Transportation

The UK’s road network covers an impressive 245,000 miles, with approximately 40 million vehicles navigating them daily. The country’s roads have improved a lot since their humble beginnings 2000 years ago, but not all roads have been created (or maintained!) equal. As the people who spend the most time and travel the most miles on this nation’s roads do you know what the best and worst roads to drive on are?

Haunted highways, monstrous motorways and revolting roads

October 18, 2017 Blog, Logistics Driving, Logistics, Roads, Transportation

The leaves are falling off the trees and there’s a certain chill in the air as the time of year approaches when everyone shares their best ghost stories and attempt to scare their friends, but it isn’t just houses that are haunted – throughout the UK there have been numerous reports of supernatural activity on many roads, highways and motorways.

Whether you’re superstitious or not, have you experienced anything a bit weird on any of these allegedly haunted UK roads?

Essentials to pack on a night out

September 26, 2017 Blog, Logistics Driving, Logistics, Transportation

If you’re one of the many long-haul truckers who keeps the UK moving by ensuring deliveries are made overnight, you’ll know how important it is to have a well prepped night pack so you can try and turn your cab into a home from home. If you’re new to long-haul trucking it can take months of trial and error to find what useful extras you should pack to make life on the road more comfortable.