We’ve been on our carbon neutral journey since 2010 with Priority Zero, improving and developing our fleet of eSprinter vans, ecargo trikes and Bullitt cargo bikes to reduce our carbon emissions.

With our ecargo trikes built by local company Iceni Cycles, in Warminster, we’re moving towards a more sustainable Priority Express.

Working within Bristol’s clean air zone, our eSprinters will allow us to pass on savings onto our customers and reduce pollution in the key areas of the city. Providing a more budget friendly courier service.

Improving eSprinter Efficiency

We’re keeping our vehicles charged and ready to go, by improving accessibility of charging points for our drivers. Including taking steps towards providing our drivers with charging points at home, therefore they won’t need their own transport to get to work.

Our eSprinters have a range of 90 miles, which is far enough for our local deliveries across Bristol, Bath, and Cardiff. The eSprinters create happy drivers and help the planet, as a result we’re excited to bring more zero emission delivery vehicles into our fleet.

With a brand-new tracking system in place, monitoring vehicle usage and journeys to help us decide which vehicles are most suitable for the job, whether its etrike, eSprinter or a diesel vehicle. This system will allow us to increase the efficiency of how we use the Priority Zero fleet.

Priority Express customers can choose if they’d like to ship their parcels more sustainably with the option to select an eSprinter in the booking process. Sometimes this option is more affordable than its diesel counterpart. If you’d like to book parcel delivery with one of our eSprinters, get in touch.

Priority Express Ecargo Trikes

Priority express ecargo riders are enthusiastic about cycling and tend to prefer a workout, often reducing their usage of electrical assistance. Our team are truly dedicated towards a sustainable future and enjoy the health benefits of being a Priority Express rider.

Ecargo bike are large vehicles compared to your standard bicycle. We ensure our ecargo bikes are being operated safely by providing a training programme of our riders. Providing the skills required to keep our staff and the public safe, meanwhile getting your deliveries to their intended locations swiftly.

For the future

Our team are looking to expand our fleet of electric vans, in 5 years we’d like a third of our deliveries being fulfilled by zero emission vehicles.

Going entirely carbon neutral is quite a challenge for us as our self-employed drivers often supply their own vehicles. However, we’ll support and provide options for our self-employed drivers to help them make the switch to electric. We’re currently researching the options of flexible rental van suppliers that offer electric vans. This will make the vans more accessible to those drivers in comparison to the current four-year lease agreements in place.

Why go zero emission?

If you have an SME, having zero emission delivery provides a USP and gives you an edge over your competitors. You can even pair it with our sustainable packaging options to really deliver the full package. Our special packaging from Cullen, dedicated for shipping liquids such as wine, cider, beer and much more, is manufactured using 100% recycled paper. This strong and sustainable packaging for the food & drink industry is recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable. For all our sustainable packaging options contact us today.

Another reason to go zero emission is that we’re all in this planet together. If we all take part in reducing our carbon emissions, it will have an incredible impact on the environment. At Priority Express, we make an impact one delivery at a time.

By choosing Priority Zero, we will all be moving towards a sustainable future. If you’re interested in our services, please get in touch for more information.

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How might technology affect the courier industry?

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Solving driver shortages

According to the Courier News, over the last 3 years, a shortage of drivers in the industry has been a growing concern. With a dramatic increase in e-commerce businesses, it’s no wonder the service industry has been struggling to keep up with demand.

A potential solution could be the introduction of self-driving lorries. Now, there have been discussions as to whether these advances will be safe or whether it will result in mass job losses. However, exploring the opportunity of self-driving vans and lorries will mean businesses are able to transport more goods and keep up with the high expectations set by consumers these days.

Technology and tracking deliveries

I’m sure you’ve experienced the frustration of a delivery which has gone missing at some point in your life. In 2015, it was noted that over £250 million worth of deliveries had been lost in that year alone. Since then, more emphasis has been placed on increased visibility for the consumer, so they are able to track their parcels from dispatch to delivery. Not only can you track your deliveries, but technology has also removed the frustrating situation of having a vague delivery time of between 8 am and 7 pm. Now you can choose specific time slots online, ensuring first-time delivery success.

Will drones take off in delivery services?

Industry-leading giants Amazon have been trialling drones as part of their delivery service. It’s been about 6 years since the big reveal and we haven’t really seen much progress, so this is unlikely to hit the market anytime soon, but it’s still a very real possibility for the future. If the delivery drones do take off, there could be many benefits including reduced carbon emissions and faster delivery times, with Amazon saying they are “committed to making their goal of delivering packages in 30 minutes or less.”

Even though this could be a great option for customer shopping, depending on future advancements of drones it might not be feasible for business deliveries on a larger scale just yet. With the advances in technology over the last few years alone, we’re sure they will find a way and we can’t wait to see how it develops.

Making your business greener couldn’t be more of a hot topic. MP’s have recently listened and backed protesters by declaring a climate emergency and now more than ever, businesses need to start reassessing how they can contribute to a greener and cleaner environment.

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When it comes to reducing congestion and reducing CO2 emissions, we have taken the lead with our cycle courier & cargo bike service. Our team of dedicated, professional riders are equipped with two-way communication and class-leading, waterproof Messenger Pro bags to ensure your consignments arrive in first-class condition whatever the weather. Our Bullitt cargo bikes can carry up to 80 Kgs utilising pedal power alone!

These cycle-courier services are offered in Bristol and Cardiff and can be a faster, more cost-effective way to get your consignments from A to B - all while doing your bit to reduce environmental impact.

We want to demonstrate how you can continue to see success with your business while at the same time, support the on-going goals for environmental improvement and sustainable development. Our range of innovative solutions, such as cycle couriers and cargo bikes for local, urban deliveries, can help reduce your carbon footprint. For long-haul deliveries, our fleet of vans includes lower emission Euro 6 compliant vehicles, meaning reduced levels of harmful exhaust and CO2 emissions.

What else can businesses be doing to reduce their impact on the environment? First-time delivery success is key. Have you ever wondered about the knock-on effect of a missed delivery? Missed deliveries involve extra journeys by the customer to collect packages from depots or couriers making multiple journeys in order to deliver successfully. Technology such as our state-of-the-art booking & tracking system lets you track exactly where your consignment is at all times, reducing the risk of missed deliveries.

To find out more, please contact our friendly booking team on customercare@priorityexpress.co.uk.