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Our Future

Over the next few years, we have a number of planned outcomes to create a sustainable business:

  • The firm establishment and communication of our environmental policy, including completed measurement of our impacts, mitigation and offset planning
  • Our fleet to reach Euro 4 emission standards
  • Leading the industry through exploration into alternative fuel sources
  • Continued leadership in product packaging innovation
  • Further development in technology innovation allowing us as a business to operate as efficiently as possible, and offering our customers market leading delivery information
  • Maintained commitment to our people, seeing Express Couriers becoming an employer of choice
  • Maintained commitment to the communities we operate within

Some examples of what we are doing today inlcude:

Express Couriers and Volvo Trucks proudly announces a new truck fleet that reduces the impact on our environment

Over the coming years, the NZ government will gradually introduce more stringent engine regulations for heavy duty trucks.  In order to meet these requirements, early in 2008, one of the Express Couriers Limited transport contractors will be operating a 
new Volvo Trucks tractor unit that meets Euro 4 emission standards.
This unit will be the first in NZ with SCR technology (Selective Catalytic Reduction), that attains the Euro 4 standard.
This technology involves injecting a Urea solution known as "AdBlue" into the engine's exhaust gas and converting nitrogen oxide in the exhaust to harmless nitrogen and water.
There are huge environmental benefits to be gained by running this new SCR system, and Express Couriers Limited and 
Titan I Volvo are proud to be partnering in this initiative that sets the new benchmark in environmentally friendly transport.


Express Couriers Limited Transport implement Navman vehicle monitoring

The introduction of the Navman vehicle monitoring system into the Transport Owner-driver fleet of trucks commenced in November 2006 and has been a valuable tool in tracking vehicle movement throughout the country. Navman has identified areas of transport duplication and has given us the tool to assign the closest vehicle to customers for collections. The benefits to our business are improved efficiencies through fuel savings and improved response times for customer requests.

Benefits:

  • Automated logging / recording of actual transport departure and arrival times
  • Automated exception reporting of late departures, predicted late arrivals, and unscheduled stops enroute
  • Schedule monitoring (linehaul & metro operations) which will provide important data for regulatory compliance measurement / checking, and for further optimisation work
  • Optimising metropolitan operations and ad-hoc collection work (allocating ad-hoc work to the closest vehicle to each job)
  • Reviewing 0800 (public feedback) calls quickly and efficiently
  • Vehicle and driver performance monitoring
  • A non-activity alert will be established for safety

While the exact cost savings in fuel has not been quantified, the Navman solution is an excellent tool for the running of a more efficient transport fleet. The Navman system captures vehicle speed and identifies when a truck has the engine running. These features can be used to identify fuel wastage and provides our business with data to ensure that this is minimised.


Transport Operations Centre optimises network efficiency

In combination with the Navman vehicle monitoring system, the monitoring of weather conditions throughout the country and live video streaming of key motorway sites are viewed to detect delays. Using Navman, we can divert vehicles as required.

Express Couriers Limited operates an aircraft fleet of five and we are continually looking to optimise our network and to operate these aircraft over the shortest possible distances whilst still achieving our overnight services standards. An example of this is during peak periods we send via the road some South Island overnight courier product to Palmerston North and then fly it to Christchurch.


Vehicle fleet upgrades to Euro 4 emission standard

Our Leased vehicle fleet comprises of 168 modern and well maintained vehicles. Our fleet is leased and operates on a three year replacement programme which enables us to operate a very fuel efficient fleet. In addition, the vehicles we are currently purchasing are of a Euro 4 emission standard.

As part of our owner driver contracts, vehicles used for Express Couriers Limited business need to be within a certain age, and it is highly recommended that they follow Euro 4 emission standards.
Looking to the future, vehicles owned by Express Couriers Limited all currently have the ability to run on ethanol should this fuel become an option nationwide in New Zealand.


Pace Hybrid Trial

Pace are always looking out for opportunities to minimise our environmental impact and have recently undertaken a
Toyota Prius II hybrid trial.
The trial was conducted to understand the cost/benefit for our couriers to use a hybrid vehicle.
The hybrid certainly demonstrated that for around town use, they used less fuel (almost 50% less) than other vehicles of similar ages being used.
Based on this trial, we’ve identified significant benefits to a hybrid given the around town mileage that Pace couriers do and have gone on to negotiate a preferential purchasing scheme of Hybrids for our Couriers.

Bios Fuel Eco Tube device

Pace are also trialling the Bios Fuel Eco Tube device with has been developed to provide an immediate solution to the reduction of vehicle emissions. 
This device fits quickly and easily into the cooling system of most motor vehicles and works by delivering heated fuel to the carburettor or injectors to provide more complete combustion.  We’re currently monitoring this initiative with a selection of our courier vehicles.