Update

Survey for external drivers: Good results in Norway

 

For Alen Jakupovic, Head of Department at Control Point Oslo, it is clear what is needed: we are all human beings with the same basic needs. It must be possible to quench your thirst with a glass of water and be able to go to the toilet. Being able to sit down to eat your food and have a cup of coffee or tea also brightens up the working day for most people.

In the spot-check tool, the survey aimed at external drivers using PostNord terminals, Norway received the most responses. Alen is the manager of the Alfaset and Langhus terminals in Oslo, which received over 110 responses in two rounds of the survey.

“We got the most answers and the best results. That’s because we all got as many drivers as possible involved. In the first round only foreign drivers responded, and the second time we also got Norwegian drivers to respond,” says Alen.

Alen explains that they tried to motivate visiting drivers to take a few minutes to do the survey, as this could contribute to better conditions for them.

“The respondents were reasonably satisfied with what we offer. Nowhere is perfect but the setup works well here,” says Alen.  

Important suggestions for further improvements 

Hundreds of drivers pass through the terminals in Oslo every day. Most of them are Norwegian, but there are also drivers from places such as Sweden, Norway, and Germany. As in Finland, PostNord in Norway has an outsourcing model whereby transport is assigned to external hauliers. The drivers who carry out work for PostNord are allocated to a specific terminal. All the drivers who arrive at the terminals can go in and use the toilets, take a shower, have a coffee, or buy and heat up food in the canteen.

Adhering to the Truck Transport Social Guidelines (TTSG), as drawn up by Responsible Trucking, is a given according to Alen.

“If you drive on behalf of PostNord, you are part of PostNord. It goes without saying that you should be offered a cup of coffee. We give consideration to the needs of drivers, as we are all humans of course. Some of the drivers have not been here before, and we should clearly inform them where everything they need is located.”  

Difficult to find the right way in winter

The spot-check tool was also carried out at the terminals in Larvik and Trondheim, again with relatively high response rates. The responses included not just praise, but also suggestions regarding improvements. Many drivers stated it is difficult to find a parking space and that there is a lack of information about parking. Some of them stated it is difficult to find their way in general, especially during winter, when markings and instructions on the tarmac are covered by snow and ice.

“We are working to improve the information, signs and markings in our outdoor areas, to achieve a better structure. One idea to make it easier for drivers is to produce a small map that we can hand out,” says Alen.

A more serious concern was the risk of injury during loading and unloading, which Alen and his colleagues are looking into further. Ensuring health and safety is crucial and Alfaset is often used up as a good example in this regard. Deviations are noted and discussed daily to make the workplaces as safe as possible.  

Feedback going forward 

So far, two rounds of the spot-check tool have been carried out at a total of ten PostNord terminals in the Nordic region, and a third round is scheduled.

“The first year’s pilot tests produced a varied response rate and in some cases, we did not receive enough responses to be able to draw proper conclusions,” says Johan Sandström, Supply Chain Sustainability Specialist at PostNord Group.

Johan and his colleagues who work with the spot-check tool will assess the approach at the terminals that had high response rates to ensure the next questionnaire round is successful.

"It is important for us at PostNord to implement better conditions for drivers, and this is a good tool for making progress in this area," concludes Johan.