Sustainability is a huge issue for transport companies. Vehicles burn carbon and that's one of the biggest threats to the planet. But your vehicles are essential to the way you operate, meaning that you need to be really smart about any steps you take towards being more environmentally friendly.
I've given you three great examples of how you can do your bit for the planet, from going paperless to buying a second-hand vehicle.
Go paperless
It's pretty simple what I'm getting at here - make your transport company more sustainable by ending the use of paper wherever you can by going digital.
The reason this helps the planet is that paper is one of the biggest drains on it - paper is made from trees and the more of it you use the fewer trees there are on the globe.
An obvious way you can go paperless is to start using fuel cards.
This is because fuel cards get rid of receipts when you're paying for your diesel and petrol, along with cutting out invoices when you're submitting your expenses to the government.
You have plenty of options for fuel cards, such as Fuel Genie. To make sure you select the most sustainable option I recommend you use a comparison tool like iCompario - that way you can select the one that offers the most benefits to the planet.
The other great thing about fuel cards is that they give you access to discounted diesel and petrol - so, you can save some money and the planet at the same time.
Start cycling
Using fuel cards for your vehicles is a great way of reducing the environmental impact caused by your motorbikes, cars, vans, and lorries. However, you can go a step further and save the planet by reducing your vehicle usage.
That's right, I'm talking about moving to bicycles - where you can.
Now, it may be that you can't reduce how much you use your vehicles for company purposes - it might not be possible for you to deliver your goods via bike.
However, every little helps and you can be more sustainable with a cycle to work scheme.
This will lower the carbon footprint of your transport company, tackling the biggest threat there is to sustainability.
The other great thing about a cycle to work scheme is that many governments support businesses in achieving it - offering tax incentives to get them to swap their vehicles for bicycles.
Buy second-hand
We all love to have things that are shiny and new but it's not only our bank accounts that feel the cost of buying them - it drains the natural reserves of the planet, as it costs resources to make new items.
That's why I'm suggesting that you pick up things that are a little bruised and used.
Without knowing your company, it's impossible for me to say exactly what second-hand things that you can get - though, I must point out that there's a used alternative for almost anything.
One second-hand example that's immediately relevant to your business is vehicles.
Picking up a used motorbike, car, van, or lorry is a great way for your business to be more sustainable because it reduces the demand for new ones - it also saves you some money.
The vital thing with buying a used vehicle (and many second-hand items for that matter) is that you need to pick an eco-friendly option - there's no sense in picking up an old diesel car if the budget is there for a newer, electric car.
So, buy second-hand, but be smart about it.
Recommended reading: The Journey to Environmental SustainabilityGoing paperless, cycling, and buying second-hand are three great ways that you can save the planet and a bit of cash for your travel company.
It might be that you can't put all of these things into practice right away.
However, with sensible business planning, you can make all of them a part of your business, helping your company to do its bit for sustainability.
