The big city is big not just in name or number of inhabitants. For those who work in transportation, it presents its own set of opportunities and challenges.

Ultimately, those who work in transportation – in particular, small to medium businesses – need to apply specific tactics to successfully tackle the big metropolis.

Maintain Strong Communication Links

Many small to medium sized haulage companies can feel disheartened in the city, especially when they compare their endeavours and abilities with those of the giant corporations in this field. This is particularly true when communication is concerned. The largest organisations have complicated logistics and communication networks that they can use to link all their operations. Yet, with modern developments in mobile and open-source software, it is now a better time than ever for SMEs to use GPS, online and remote technologies to maintain real-time links.

Choose the Right Vehicle

No city is an island: the interlocking networks between major cities is as important as the interlocking of complex street and alley systems within any major metropolis. This means haulage companies must be able to vary their employment of vehicles to suit the different demands of the inner-city, suburban, and inter-city environments. For instance, a truck will do a much better job at transportation of heavy cargo or multiple goods for various clients across long-haul journeys between Brussels and London. On the other hand, vans are much more efficient at smaller loads rapidly navigating the city streets to reach inner-city destinations.

Coordinate Multiple Routes

Experience pays off in any industry, and it pays to be experienced at keeping your eyes on the road when you manage haulage companies. This not an issue of safe driving (which is, of course, vital) but rather one of route management. Tollways, broken asphalt, lane changes, traffic, and ever developing regulations can mean that simply keeping to a popular and set route is not the smartest way of tackling big city routes. It is important to have several optional routes in mind, or at least know how to take advantage of the complex road network of a big city, so that you can view it as a plethora of options rather than a maze of confusion.

Manage Equipment Effectively

Equipment issues lie at the heart of the transportation industry and the incessant quest for growth amongst its big fish – and smaller fish! From transporting crates via forklift at a depot, lifting fragile goods into a truck, counting deliveries and adding invoices on a tablet, to handing over a package at an end point and maintaining the tyres of vehicles, the way haulage companies manage equipment reflects the way they manage their business. In the end, this needs to be done with the big city in mind. The nature of the metropolitan beast demands smarter, faster, more durable equipment that keeps abreast of the high demands and competitive environment that is endemic in that environment.