Fleet decarbonisation will require a major transformation of workforce skills alongside investment in vehicles and infrastructure, according to a new report from the Road Haulage Association (RHA).
Driving the Transition: Preparing the Road Transport Workforce for Net Zero argues that moving away from diesel is not simply a technology challenge. Drivers, technicians, engineers, transport managers, route planners and senior leaders will all need new capabilities as zero-emission vehicles enter fleets.
For fleet managers, the change could be particularly significant. The RHA predicts transport managers and planners will increasingly become energy managers as well as fleet operators, with route planning, charging schedules, infrastructure utilisation, energy procurement and carbon reporting becoming integral to their roles. Depot managers may also find themselves overseeing increasingly sophisticated charging infrastructure, energy systems and digital monitoring platforms.
Digital capability will be equally important. Connected vehicles, telematics, predictive maintenance and fleet management software mean operators will increasingly need to analyse routes, duty cycles, payloads, energy consumption, charging requirements and vehicle availability when deciding which technologies are commercially viable.
The challenge is magnified by the structure of the road transport industry. Some 92% of freight operators employ 10 people or fewer, while the RHA found SMEs face greater barriers to accessing the knowledge, training and funding needed for the transition.
The report also highlights pressure on technical skills, particularly heavy vehicle technicians and electrical engineers, with transport competing against energy, construction and manufacturing for similar expertise.
The RHA is calling for a coordinated UK-wide approach to skills and qualifications, regularly reviewed decarbonisation training, resources covering zero-emission vehicles, energy systems, digital skills and AI, and more flexible apprenticeship funding. It also wants short, modular courses that allow existing employees to continually update their skills.
Its central message for fleet operators is that investment in new vehicles and infrastructure will need to be matched by investment in the people responsible for operating, maintaining and managing them.
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