Courier Exchange Blog

How Smart Motorways Can Help An Owner Driver

Posted by Gertie on 20-May-2017 11:29:17

" 04_2014_49" by highwaysengland licensed under CC BY 2.0

Hello, darlings!

Well – it's the final week of the month, and guess what? We finally have a fun post! Hooray!! Actually, no, it's more serious stuff. But I couldn't resist pulling your leg. Sorry...!

Anyway, yes, more serious stuff this week, and yet again it's about something that can be a massive help to couriers – in this case, what are being called 'smart' motorways.

Smart Drivers and Smart Motorways

How are these 'smart' motorways helpful, I hear you ask? Well, no matter if you're an independent owner driver or work for a larger courier company, I'm sure you've been caught in a traffic jam and showed up late for a delivery at least once, right? Well, smart motorways use the fancy new technology we have nowadays to make sure you (and the other drivers) get caught in as few of these as possible. No more using the shoulder to try and sneak past a big queue – now the motorway itself ensures you're able to just breeze through and deliver your parcel on time!

Whoa...slow down, Gertie. You're sounding a little too much like an advertisement, old girl. Maybe it's because of how happy Stevie is about this new type of motorway – when he's excited, I'm excited, and when I'm excited, I sound straight out of a TV ad break!

What Are Smart Motorways?

Anyway, let's put the gushing aside for a minute and talk a little more about these new types of roads and how to drive on them. Basically, it's just the same as driving on a regular motorway, with a couple of key differences - such as never driving in a lane marked with a red X and keeping to a stricter speed limit. This page written by the Government explains it better than some silly old bird like me can, so go read that.

As for why these are so useful, well, it's like I said above. Many couriers' businesses – especially those who do owner driver jobs – rely on whether or not the parcels are delivered on time. Things like traffic jams or stoppages due to accidents often hold courier drivers back when delivering long-distance or in a crowded area, so the fewer of these they have to face, the better. This smart motorway makes sure of that in a way 'traditional' motorways could only have dreamed of operating. So it's easy to see how, no matter if you're an independent owner driver or work for a larger company, these new types of roads can be of huge benefit to you

Well, looks like my job here is done again – and for the last time this month at that. I hope you lot have enjoyed this month of more serious (but also more useful) content, and I shall see you all in June, for some summery fun!

Until then,

Ta-ra!

  • Gertie

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