Whether raw materials or finished products, the flow of goods through France is increasingly important. Land freight transport on French territory remains largely dominated by road transport. Indeed, since 2010, the share of road transport has remained stable and reached 87.1%. Rail accounts for 10.6% and river 2.3% (source: datalab, February 2017).
Within this "road transport", it is important to distinguish between transport carried out on demand and dedicated transport or transport carried out through the rental of vehicles with drivers. In this article, we would like to develop this last service, which can be carried out over several years, generally subject to a contractual relationship or on a one-off basis. Often restrictive, the transport of goods gives rise to colossal material and human needs as well as a perfect mastery of regulations. What are the three main reasons that encourage shippers to entrust the transport component of their business to professionals in the rental of commercial vehicles with drivers?
Delegate the management of human and material resources to better focus your efforts on your core business:
By outsourcing its human and material resources, a company will no longer manage a fleet of vehicles and its own drivers, which will significantly reduce risks and constraints. By using a rental company with drivers, the maintenance and possible repairs of the vehicle fleet is no longer the responsibility of the user. On a day-to-day basis, it is the service provider who ensures this management in its entirety. It takes care of the monitoring and control of the vehicles, especially in the event of breakdowns or accidents, and guarantees the maintenance of production thanks to relay trucks. The rental company also ensures that the vehicle provided is irreproachable, particularly in terms of cleanliness. In the longer term, the average company will no longer worry about depreciation or the renewal of its equipment. It also frees itself from administrative management : insurance, vehicle registration documents, technical inspections, etc. For example, in January 2017, transport companies had to carry out the mandatory deployment of CRITAIR stickers.
Entrusting these tasks to an external company is mainly exempt from personnel management. The partner takes care of every step: recruitment, training, management. The administrative management of drivers (salaries, holidays, sick leave) is no longer a burden. Employees will be replaced in the event of absence in order to ensure the continuation of operations. The service provider is responsible for the quality and performance of its drivers. These are the last link in the distribution chain. The rental company then ensures that its drivers behave in an exemplary manner to promote the company's brand image. Punctuality is the key word!
Outsourcing your fleet of vehicles and drivers also has an important advantage: lower costs. The company's fixed costs will be significantly reduced, which will allow it to invest in another area of development. It's easier to focus on your overall strategy without worrying about your transport capabilities. All this is possible because the rental company can provide detailed indicators. Not to mention that the financial and criminal liability lies with the lessor. Certain costs are avoided, such as those caused by fines or damage that may occur at the place of delivery, on vehicles or goods.
Benefit from the services of a freight transport expert:
In addition to resource management, the rental company is a professional in the transport sector who benefits from specific know-how. It is a privileged partner, particularly when setting up means of transport, which it optimises according to the initial needs of the customer. As an expert in its sector, the service provider is the sole guarantor of compliance with the European Social Regulations (CSR) that apply to road transport in terms of drivers' driving times, breaks and rests. In the event of a breach of its obligations, the service provider will be solely responsible under the law.
The rental company must also be at the forefront of innovation. With this in mind, the service provided will be more efficient. As far as commercial vehicles are concerned, technologies are evolving rapidly, particularly in terms of engines, fuel consumption and information transfer systems. According to an analysis by the Officiel des Transporteurs, "[...] On average, the number of rental companies is twice as young as those operated on their own account." Without direct investment from the company, it can decide to make its fleet less polluting by testing new, more environmentally friendly engines such as trucks that run on NGV (Natural Gas for Vehicles). The service provider will then provide the vehicles best suited to the customer's sustainable development approach.
Gain in flexibility and responsiveness:
Outsourcing undoubtedly provides greater leeway in the management of the transport activity. Without having to act directly on its human and material resources, it is much easier to make changes. This increases responsiveness , as the client can increase or reduce its transport capacity at any time. It is essential to use a provider with a high degree of flexibility to meet each of the requirements. To this end, Labatut LVI has developed day or half-day packages . This flexibility seems essential to cope with peaks in activity or daily hazards. A high level of responsiveness will be useful to increase customer satisfaction.
Undoubtedly, the approach of outsourcing the transport function through the rental of vehicles with drivers is an asset for user companies. The flexibility and professionalism of the transport specialists provide the added value that often makes it possible to make a difference to the company's customers. For subcontracting to be effective, the shipper and its service provider must work closely together. The success of the partnership also depends on the quality of information sharing and communication.
