Yodel has invested £15.2 million in a range of initiatives to make its fleet more sustainable, including electric delivery vehicles and tracking software.
The company said it had bought a new all-electric 7.5 Mitsubish FUSO eCanter. With a load capacity of 4.5 tonnes, the vehicle will operate across London from Yodel’s depot in Hayes.
Yodel has also invested in tracking software for its 1300 tractor units and trailers, which will be able to feed information back to Yodel’s monitoring team so that they can optimise where vehicles are going.
Drivers use Android tablets from Microlise which allow the driver to communicate with the business control team and receive instructions and feedback. The carrier is also trialling the use of dashboard camera systems for tractor units.
Yodel is also planning to expand its use of bicycle deliveries from central Oxford, Stevenage, Hereford and Brighton to London, Birmingham and Manchester.
Andrew Peeler, CEO of Yodel, said: “This large-scale investment in our fleet is designed to improve efficiency and minimise the environmental impact of deliveries. I’m delighted that we’ve introduced electric to our fleet this Spring, and we have plans to expand our use of both pedal and electric power this year.
“In addition, we have invested in technology to calculate the most efficient routes and evaluate our drivers’ driving style to further reduce our carbon footprint.
“Our CollectPlus service helps to minimise congestion and pollution by consolidating deliveries to local stores, which customers can then pick up at their convenience. We are also striving to ensure that every home delivery is successful on the first attempt through the use of enhanced tracking and our Inflight service, which allows customers to redirect or reschedule if they realise they are going to be out when their delivery is due.”
Last year Yodel invested more than £1 million in a new bespoke semi-automated sort facility which will process bulky or delicate parcels which previously had to be handled by hand.
