Those are among the findings from the annual customer survey by Paragon Software Systems, which questioned more than 100 industry professionals.
Three-quarters (75%) of respondents have seen more pressure on their logistics operations to reduce environmental impact in the last 12 months, yet two-thirds (66%) of them believe that much more needs to be done.
The greatest pressure for change is financial, according to the research, with 56% highlighting costs such as rising fuel prices. This was followed by the need for compliance with central government (36%) or local government (26%) regulation, then customer demands (22%) and internal corporate social responsibility requirements (18%).
Almost half of those questioned said “substantial” green improvements had been made by their logistics operation during the past year, mostly by reducing mileage and improving route planning and driver behaviour. In contrast, 21% said no positive results had been achieved, and one third did not know because performance data was either not available or had not been shared.
Seven in ten said the higher upfront cost of green vehicles was a barrier to greater adoption, while half of the respondents also said there was a lack of viable alternatively fuelled vehicles on the market.
However, 37% have undertaken trials of alternatively fuelled vehicles during 2019, and most (69%) believe electric HGVs will be key to reducing the sector’s environmental impact in the next five years.