Renault has announced its second generation of electric trucks, suited for all types of haulage work, which will be available before the end of 2018. With concerns about air quality, particularly in urban areas, and global CO2 levels at an all-time high, this is a well-timed launch that will help hauliers make the switch to electric vehicles.
This article will give a brief overview of the range, and perhaps persuade you to think about making the change to a fully electric vehicle in the next few years.

Renault and Electric Vehicles

Renault has been working on hybrid and electric vehicle technology for an entire decade. They describe themselves as experts in the field, offering a huge range of options for their customers, as well as plenty of support to help people transition to the new tech.

What is on Offer?

With the range offering vehicles suitable for all kinds of haulage work, from last mile to refuse collection, Renault is putting forward the widest choice of electric vehicles ever. The range includes trucks with weights from 3.1 tonnes to 26 tonnes. The Master ZE will be available in autumn 2018, with panel van and platform cab variants, however, if you want to use the Renault Trucks 16t D ZE and 26t D Wide ZE for your haulage work, you’ll have to wait until the end of 2019. The 16t D ZE model is well-suited to temperature-controlled deliveries and haulage work in urban areas.

All models have zero tailpipe emissions of CO2 and local pollutants. Alongside the environmental benefits, these trucks come fitted with a variety of useful tech, such as a reversing camera and a reversing radar system.

The Practicalities

• Compliance: The trucks are fully compliant, even in urban areas, as they do not emit CO2 or local pollutants. They are also very quiet, reducing congestion during the day by allowing out-of-hours deliveries. • Charging: Batteries for different models have different charge times, though all are fairly practical, allowing easy overnight charging. The Master ZE range takes six hours to charge the batteries, which are located under the front seats. These batteries have an operating range of roughly 190 miles. The D ZE trucks with lithium batteries can be fully charged in just a couple of hours using the 150kW Combo CCS connector. With AC charging, batteries need 12 hours. AC charging may be more practical for those just getting started with electric vehicles, as a three-phase 380V 32A industrial power socket can be used. • Cost: With the impressive technological advances made in electromobility over the past few years, investing in an electric vehicle has become economically feasible for hauliers. They are certainly the future and Renault has made electromobility a viable option for small and large operations alike.

For those involved in haulage work, the time has never been better to switch to electric. With this new range, Renault has made taking that decision significantly easier, so why not give it some serious consideration?

Society has come a long way in terms of how well we talk about and deal with mental health problems. But there’s still a long way to go, and too many people suffer in silence. What’s more, many factors can make the problem even worse for those doing courier work. Read on to find out how you or your colleagues may be at risk, and how to beat the stigma in a healthy and positive way.
Mental Health in the Industry

It’s easy enough to speak of mental health issues in the industry, but what evidence is there? A lot, as it turns out. Informed observers agree that psychological issues are especially difficult for drivers to talk about, with the Mental Health Foundation’s Chris O’Sullivan noting ‘widespread’ stigma in those who do courier work.

A recent survey by Mercedes-Benz Vans found that 56% of van drivers and owners believe there is a stigma attached to discussing mental health at work. Less than a quarter of managers report employees coming to them with issues – and the figure is even lower for male managers. Things are slightly more encouraging when we look at conversations that do happen, with over half of those who have talked about a colleague’s mental health problem with them saying they felt glad the colleague could confide in them. This at least suggests that starting a conversation is a good step, although a quarter felt uninformed and a fifth embarrassed in the same situation.

These statistics paint a worrying picture about mental health in courier work, especially as the job has so many elements that can put workers more at risk of problems.

Risk Factors

The level of understanding of mental health is improving among professionals as well as in society in general, and that extends to its causes. The link between stress and a variety of illnesses is increasingly well documented, and Mind’s Emma Mamo notes that people who drive for a living are far more likely to experience many of the things that can lead to stress. These include long working hours, working alone, lack of support and irregular sleeping and eating.

Drivers will recognise all of these as par for the course on the job. Spending a long time at the wheel is in the nature of courier work, and varying and inconsistent demand for services makes it especially difficult to establish strong routines.

What do I do?

The first and most important step is to do some research on what you’re feeling. Organisations like Mind provide a variety of materials tailored to various different jobs. At the same time, research doesn’t have to mean spending two hours staring at a computer screen. You can and should take the time to ‘check in’ with yourself – ask questions like how am I feeling, have I been eating right, have I been sleeping enough and so on.

Next, you should know that a problem shared is a problem halved. Mamo recommends not just speaking to friends and family when you’re struggling, but letting them know what warning signs to look out for. Research from Ford, meanwhile, suggests that taking a drive can help, as two thirds of those who do courier work said they were more comfortable talking to colleagues while behind the wheel.

All in all, mental health is something everyone struggles with at times. Past attitudes, that struggling made you crazy or even weak, are thankfully fading. The travel industry isn’t special, but drivers need to recognise when they’re at risk and look out for each other. Because the best way to beat the stigma is by sitting down and talking it through.